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Sadly, the church has been the cause of trauma on many occasions. Unfortunately, time-and-again it has come to light that prominent leaders have misused their power, resulting in a lot of harm. I am deeply troubled by the harm caused. The church is meant to be a place where people can feel safe and grow into healed, healthy individuals, living life through Jesus in all its fullness (John 10:10). We, as Christians, are meant to shine brightly as a city set on a hill and be like salt in a broken world (Matthew 5:13-16). The church acts as a window to see what God is like and the Bible says that by our fruits the world will know who we are (Matthew 7:20), so we need to bear this in mind in all our actions. Media attention has inevitably homed in on the bad fruit of moral failures that we have recently learned of and this has caused many to be sceptical of the church and to question God. Where there is no culture of feedback, controlling behaviour, favouritism, ghosting, and physical or sexual abuse are more likely to happen and have happened in churches across the globe over the years.

 

Those who suffered harm at the hands of the shepherds who were meant to care for them will be left traumatised and need a great deal of support to trust again. Reintegrating into, what would very likely be, a different church may take months, even years. They will need space, understanding and, very likely professional help too. 

 

But why does such trauma happen in churches or Christian communities? Simply put, we know that we live in a fallen world, where, as the Bible says, all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Hurt people hurt people and any one of us is susceptible to temptation to fulfil our own needs rather than trust and obey God. Since the days of Adam, Eve, Cain and Abel, the same temptations have prompted moral failures. Most of these fall into the category of striving for fulfilment in either money, sex or power and are due to unmet needs. This of course is no excuse for bad behaviour. Thankfully we have a loving Saviour who is in the business of redeeming those who come to him in surrender and by God’s grace we can be saved from temptation and sin (Ephesians 2:20). However, each and everyone of us need to yield to the Holy Spirit’s refining work and be transformed by the renewal of our minds (Romans 12:1-2).  

 

Reporting allegations 

It takes a great deal of courage to report harmful behaviour such as bullying, assault or control, particularly if these are the actions of a revered or prominent leader. This is even more difficult for someone who has had bad experiences of authority figures in their past. Sometimes, to complicate matters, that leader is a team member, someone who has supported you in your journey, or even a friend. It can be rare for churches to have a clear culture of transparency and humility which makes room for reporting concerns. To add to this, sometimes church leaders are unaware of the power dynamics which can very subtly arise- causing a person to feel great shame and blame for reporting something. Even if a mechanism for reporting allegations is in place, the person reporting can feel extremely vulnerable.  

It is important that churches explore their theology of authority and dive into the biblical model of Jesus’ servant leadership. We should be setting cultures that deeply care for people, ensuring that they are truly heard.

 

Safeguarding needs to be openly talked about in church, for example it is healthy to have a poster up with photos of the safeguarding lead(s), at the very least and, as recommended by Thirtyone:eight, safeguarding Sunday could be a particular time to make it clear that a church values an open and honest culture of keeping people safe in all ways. A good safeguarding lead who understands the dilemmas is vital. Even better would be to have a team of people who are trained in safeguarding so there are a range of people to go to. It is important that at least some of these individuals are separate to the leadership or management team to keep it objective. Safeguarding should be a prominent part of your organisation and robust policies are necessary in every church related setting.  If churches or charities need extra support they could consider drawing on support from an outside agency such as Thirtyone:eight who can offer expert advice in situations where people are unsure what to do.  

 

It would be hoped that anything which is reported is taken seriously, whether or not it falls into the banner of safeguarding. Obviously anything that is illegal that is not being taken seriously should be taken to the police.

 

 

So what if it happens in my setting? 

Moral and abusive situations have happened, and they do happen.  They impact various groups of people on so many levels, so how can we react?  It is not simple or straightforward and no one size fits all but here are some general guidelines: 

1. We need to be moved by compassion for those affected by abuse or maltreatment

2. Listen well without judgement

3. Thoroughly document events, any concerns and action taken

4. Don't try to do the investigations yourself

5. Report to local and regional leadership

6. Act accordingly, sharing facts with clarity on a need to know basis

7. Your church insurance company, and other relevant bodies may need to be informed. This should be made clear in your safeguarding policy.

8. Put in place appropriate and if possible, expert professional support for the victim(s)  

9. Pray for all concerned including those who are leading investigations and for those who are commissioned as interim leaders 

10. Use these opportunities to reflect on your church or organisational structure and procedures

11. Don’t hesitate to get help from a trusted professional body outside of your context if you need it 

Never make assumptions (either positive or negative) about a person who stands accused. This is something that official enquiries must investigate before anyone draws their own conclusions.