Dr . James Reeves : Biblical commands sprinkled throughout the New Testament form the basis for the One-Another Model . As Christ-followers , we are to love one another , encourage one another and bear one another ’ s burdens . The New Testament contains 27 “ one another ” exhortations .
The One-Another Model The One-Another Model of care is patterned after the proven experience of Alcoholics Anonymous , which is based on two fundamental premises . First , sobriety is best achieved and maintained in association with others ; in other words , in community with one another . Second , no one is more qualified to help another alcoholic than a recovering alcoholic . Millions of recovering alcoholics are living in sobriety , in community with other recovering alcoholics . How might this apply to healing from child sexual abuse in the context of the local church ? No one is more qualified to help an abuse survivor heal from past sexual abuse than another abuse survivor further along in the healing process . Survivors who are further along in the healing journey become a community of help , hope and healing for a survivor just beginning the process . Just as recovering alcoholics joyfully assist other alcoholics , abuse survivors in the healing process help other survivors : this assistance becomes vital to their own healing journey . Likewise , sobriety is a lifelong experience , and healing from sexual abuse is a lifelong journey . The local church provides an ideal source of lifelong community for abuse survivors . Equipped with quality tools and resources , this community of individuals , sharing a common experience , can move together toward healing . To support the One-Another Model , my wife and I developed the Fearless Series for Women and the Fearless Series for Men .
The Fearless Series Program The Fearless Series contemplates 13 weekly meetings , which might be followed by intensive individual or group guided study using the Fearless Series Workbook and Pure Hope Discussion Guide . The Fearless Series for Women
[ Fs4Women . com ], designed for implementation in the local church , consists of three parts .
Weeks 1-5 : The Fearless Video Series The video series consists of five 30-minute videos watched by women together . Each video is followed by one hour of small group discussion led by a facilitator . Each small group should be limited to six to eight women . This element of the Series is intended for ALL WOMEN , not limited to abuse survivors , for two reasons :
1 ) This small group context provides a safe entry point for survivors by creating an opportunity to enter the group without disclosing past sexual abuse . Given the sense of shame that commonly accompanies sexual abuse , many survivors wouldn ’ t respond to an event designed only for those who have experienced abuse .
2 ) All women — not just survivors — should understand the five topics covered in the series , for themselves and for their children . These topics include :
• The prevalence of child sexual abuse ;
• Typical issues encountered by the abuse survivor ;
• Why ministry to survivors should occur in the local church ;
• How parents can help children to speak up if he or she has an uncomfortable experience ; and
• A description of the pathway to healing from child sexual abuse .
Weeks 6-13 : The Fearless Series Workbook This intensive eight-week workbook addresses issues which all abuse survivors must address . Subjects include shame , lies we believe and , ultimately , forgiveness : never required by another , or closely in time to the abusive behavior ( aka ‘ cheap forgiveness ’). This workbook study is intended for abuse survivors in a small group context , led by a trained facilitator . Workbook small groups should consist of women who have disclosed child sexual abuse during small group discussions in Weeks 1-5 ( video series ).
Weeks 14-65 : The Pure Hope Discussion Guide The 52-week discussion guide is intended for abuse survivors who wish to continue meeting on a weekly basis , continuing to process the principles of healing learned from the video series and workbook study in the first 13 weeks .
The Fearless Series for Men Similar in content to that created for women , The Fearless Series for Men includes five 30-minute videos , followed by one hour of small group discussion led by a facilitator . The Fearless Series Workbook for Men supports an eight-week process addressing issues all abuse survivors should address , with specific focus on issues unique to men . After this intensive process is completed , participants might elect to participate in a 52-week discussion guide , meeting on a weekly basis and continuing to process the principles of healing learned from the video series and workbook study . The anticipated release date for the Men ’ s Series is Spring 2023 .
For both men and women , healing is best achieved when an abuse survivor has access to the One-to-One Model and the One-Another Model . The Fearless Series provides a foundational resource for ongoing ministry to survivors in a spiritual community provided by the local church .
Summary Prevention is accomplished at the church level , beginning with an understanding of the risk and the deployment of an effective Safety System . Denominations should express the priority of prevention and identify good resources . The local church , however , must engage . Healing can — and should — be accomplished at the church level . The local church must make survivor care a priority , followed by a framework offering access to both models of care . The church can facilitate the One-to-One Model by researching competent , traumainformed counseling resources and subsidizing the costs of access . The church can facilitate the One-Another Model by evaluating effective resources ( such as the Fearless Series ) and providing survivor care as a specific ministry offering .
Kimberlee Norris & Gregory Love are partners in the Fort Worth , Texas law firm of Love & Norris [
www . lovenorris . com ] and founders of MinistrySafe
[ MinistrySafe . com ], providing child sexual abuse expertise to ministries worldwide . After representing victims of child sexual abuse for more than two decades , Love and Norris saw recurring , predictable patterns in predatory behavior . MinistrySafe grew out of their desire to place proactive tools into the hands of ministry professionals . Love and Norris teach the only graduate-level course on Preventing Sexual Abuse in Ministry Contexts as Visiting Faculty at Dallas Theological Seminary .
Dr . James Reeves is the founding pastor of Fort Worth ’ s City On A Hill Church ( 1984 ), and regularly sees wounded individuals find hope and restoration through Jesus Christ . After receiving his B . A . in ancient Greek from Baylor University in 1976 , Dr . Reeves received his MDiv . and DMin . degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1981 and 1988 , respectively . He has served as a pastor for more than 40 years .
26 CHURCH EXECUTIVE | NOV / DEC 2022