Este artículo es parte de una serie sobre abuso sexual infantil y la iglesia:

• How widespread is the problem?
  ¿Qué tan extendido está el problema?
• Impact on children and youth
  Impacto en niños y jóvenes
• Impact on adults
  Impacto en adultos
• The church’s responsibility to protect children
  La responsabilidad de la iglesia de proteger a los niños
• Reporting and care after abuse occurs
  Reporte y cuidado después de que ocurra el abuso
• Prevention resources
  Recursos de prevención

La parte 1 de esta serie consideró el alcance del abuso sexual infantil—¿con qué frecuencia ocurre el abuso sexual de niños? La gran mayoría de los expertos en la materia están de acuerdo en que el abuso sexual de niños es más extenso de lo que la mayoría de las personas se da cuenta y, por diversas razones, una gran cantidad de abuso infantil no se denuncia.

El abuso sexual es perjudicial no solo para el individuo y su familia, sino también para la sociedad en general. Si bien no hay manera de calcular el costo exacto del abuso sexual, los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades de los EE. UU. – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – estiman que un caso recientemente comprobado de maltrato infantil no fatal cuesta a la sociedad alrededor de $ 210,000 durante toda la vida del niño.

¿Pero cuáles son los otros costos? ¿Cómo afecta el abuso sexual a quienes son victimizados? ¿Cómo se experimenta el impacto cuando uno es un niño, un adolescente y luego un adulto?

Variaciones del impacto del abuso sexual

A menudo me preguntan si hay una manera confiable de saber si una persona ha sido abusada sexualmente. ¿Puede un consejero o un ministro interactuar con una persona y detectar algún indicador específico de que la persona ha sido abusada?

La respuesta es que, si bien hay ciertos indicadores de que una persona podría haber sufrido abuso, no hay una forma única de saberlo con seguridad. Es imposible mirar, interactuar o hablar con una persona y saber con certeza que fue abusada sin que la persona haya revelado el abuso.

El abuso sexual puede afectar a una persona de muchas maneras diferentes, desde efectos no perceptibles hasta efectos devastadores y debilitantes.

Varios factores influyen en la magnitud del impacto, incluida la duración del abuso, la extensión del abuso, la relación de la víctima con el abusador, la resistencia de la víctima y la cantidad de apoyo antes y después del abuso que recibe la víctima.

Debido a que el abuso sexual comúnmente produce vergüenza, las personas a menudo sufren sin decírselo a nadie. En muchos casos, los adultos pueden minimizar el abuso de un niño, tal vez para proteger al abusador o para minimizar los eventos relacionados con el abuso.

Si bien los efectos pueden ser extensos, los investigadores Laura Murray, Amanda Nguyen y Judith Cohen señalan en su artículo “Child Sexual Abuse”—Abuso sexual infantile—en la publicación de Child and Adolescents Psychiatric Clinics of North America—Psiquiatría de niños y adolescentes de América del Norte—que los resultados del abuso no son fijos.

Según Darkness to Light: Estadísticas de abuso sexual infantil: “Although survivors of child sexual abuse are negatively impacted as a whole, it is important to realize that many individual survivors do not suffer these consequences. Child sexual abuse does not necessarily sentence a victim to an impaired life.” (Aunque los sobrevivientes de abuso sexual infantil tienen un impacto negativo en general, es importante darse cuenta de que muchos sobrevivientes individuales no sufren estas consecuencias. El abuso sexual infantil no condena necesariamente a una víctima a una vida deteriorada.)

Impacto del abuso sexual en los niños

Los investigadores Richard Gaskill y Bruce Perry señalan que los niños experimentan “increasing risk of emotional, behavioral, academic, social and physical problems throughout the child’s lifespan.” (un mayor riesgo de problemas emocionales, de comportamiento, académicos, sociales y físicos a lo largo de la vida del niño.)

Los niños pueden tener la sensación de que algo está mal, pero a menudo no tienen la capacidad cognitiva para entender o las palabras para comunicar lo que ha ocurrido. Emocionalmente, los niños pueden experimentar vergüenza, culpa, tristeza y enojo. En el comportamiento, los niños abusados pueden regresar a las etapas tempranas de funcionamiento, pueden volverse dependientes de los adultos o pueden parecer irritables e inquietos.

Muchos niños tienen cierta sensación de que han hecho algo mal, y es probable que esto se agrave si el perpetrador les dice que mantengan la interacción en secreto o les dice que el perpetrador se meterá en problemas si el niño habla de él o ella.

Los niños pueden actuar en general, o incluso pueden exhibir un comportamiento sexual que no es apropiado para su edad. En el extremo, los niños pueden desarrollar un trastorno de estrés postraumático como resultado del abuso.

Impacto del abuso sexual en la juventud.

Los adolescentes pueden experimentar todas las mismas cosas que los niños. Los adolescentes también pueden presentar signos de estrés, depresión y ansiedad. Pueden tener pensamientos de autolesiones que incluyen comportamientos como cortar, o pueden intentar o incluso completar el suicidio.

Los adolescentes pueden retirarse de la familia, otros seres queridos y actividades sociales como la participación de la iglesia. Pueden participar en diversas formas de mal comportamiento o problemáticos.

Los adolescentes abusados son más propensos a tener dificultades en la escuela, tanto en el comportamiento como académicamente, a involucrarse con el consumo de drogas y alcohol, a participar en conductas delictivas y a luchar contra los trastornos de la alimentación.

Próximos artículos

• What is the impact of sexual abuse on adults, and is there hope?
  ¿Cuál es el impacto del abuso sexual en los adultos, hay esperanza?
• What is the responsibility of the church and church leadership to protect children from abuse, and how can churches do this most effectively?
  ¿Cuál es la responsabilidad de la iglesia y del liderazgo de la iglesia para proteger a los niños del abuso, y cómo pueden las iglesias hacer esto de manera más efectiva?
• Who must report abuse, and how can churches help abuse victims and their families?
  ¿Quién debe denunciar el abuso y cómo pueden las iglesias ayudar a las víctimas de abuso y sus familias?
• What resources are available to churches and families to help prevent abuse and to help the family where abuse has already occurred?
  ¿Qué recursos están disponibles para las iglesias y las familias para ayudar a prevenir el abuso y para ayudar a la familia donde ya ha ocurrido el abuso?

Scott Floyd, Ph.D., LPC-S, LMFT, es un miembro senior y director de Programas de Consejería en B.H. Carroll Theological Institute.

My education in preaching aligns with the tradition of excellence in manuscripts. It is the tradition of the crafted phrase and the choice of the perfect word at the perfect time.

After using an electric typewriter for a few years, I graduated to word processing on a Commodore 64. I remember the absolute marvel I felt the first time I cut and pasted dotted-green letters on the screen and pasted them into another point in the sermon where I thought they were better suited.

It was a significant milestone on my quest for the holy grail—the perfect sermon. The flawless manuscript delivered perfectly: one where I included everything in the pulpit that had been on paper in the order it was written; nothing left out; a sermon where I anticipated the illustrations or quotations offered by church members at the door; a sermon that said it all and said it well.

The elusive perfect sermon

I keep every preached sermon in a file folder with all the research that went into its writing. Almost every sermon had notes and file clippings added to the folder after the preaching in the hopes that if I ever tried to massage it into condition suitable for publication, I would have all the material to make it a perfect sermon.

After 40 years of trying, I still have not written, nor have I preached the exact sermon I planned during the week. No matter how captivating I think the idea is, no matter how good or how powerful the illustrations seem to be, no matter how profoundly I think I have explained the text, all my sermons leave something out.

All my sermons seem like the sentence crafted in the study, but forgotten in the preaching moment; the story found in the Sunday paper after the sermon was preached, but would have made a much better introduction; the new understanding of a text rendering all my past sermons on that text pointless.

Perfection always has been beyond my reach.

Tantalus’ fate like seeking the perfect sermon

I often felt as Tantalus must have felt. Tantalus is the half-human son of Zeus who was uniquely favored among mortals and who committed a food-related crime.

The stories vary in recounting the specifics of what Tantalus did, but in the end, he was punished by being “tantalized” with hunger and thirst in the afterlife. Tantalus was immersed up to his neck in water, and whenever he bent to drink, it all drained away. Luscious fruit hung on trees above him, and whenever he reached for it, the winds blew the branches where he could not grasp the fruit.

The myths say he starved and thirsted for eternity, with satisfaction just out of reach. Likewise, the perfect sermon seems always out of reach.

Freedom: Trading perfection for life

An artist said: “I used to strive for beauty. Now I strive for life.”

I saw a parallel between seeking beauty and perfection. I quit striving for the perfect sermon since I wasn’t going to write it anyway. I started placing a priority on life.

I engaged the congregation more. I no longer focused on the words, the outline or the manuscript. I focused on the people, the lives they lead and the faith to which they aspire. It was freeing. The result was the sermon seemed more alive to me.

The manuscript became a discipline for preparation, not a master. I left it in the study after reducing all my preparation to as few notes as possible. I became comfortable when—during the preaching moment—I left out illustrations that seemed important or forgot phrases I worked hard to craft. I accepted they were part of my preparation more than a necessary part of the sermon.

The perfect sermon question

There is no task into which ministers inject more of themselves than preaching. Consequently, preparation styles are personal, with each of us using the methods that work best for ourselves.

Whatever your method, my advice is to work hard. Prepare well. Most importantly, ask yourself if the congregation will recognize their lives in the message? Will they see how the Bible relates to their lives?

If the answers to these questions are “yes” and you’ve prepared well enough, forget about perfection, put the manuscript aside and trust the Spirit. Perhaps you will experience the grace of reclaiming the joy of your calling.

Joel Snider is a coach with the Center for Healthy Churches. This article is adapted from the original. The views expressed are those solely of the author.

Este artículo es parte de una serie sobre abuso sexual infantil y la iglesia:

• How widespread is the problem?
  ¿Qué tan extendido está el problema?
• Impact on children and youth
  Impacto en niños y jóvenes
• Impact on adults
  Impacto en adultos
• The church’s responsibility to protect children
  La responsabilidad de la iglesia de proteger a los niños
• Reporting and care after abuse occurs
  Reporte y cuidado después de que ocurra el abuso
• Prevention resources
  Recursos de prevención

En los últimos años, los informes de escándalos de abuso sexual infantil en la Iglesia Católica tomaron los titulares durante meses. No mucho después de los informes iniciales de abuso entre sacerdotes católicos y encubrimiento por parte de funcionarios de la iglesia, un destacado entrenador de fútbol de Penn State University, Jerry Sandusky, fue arrestado y condenado por abusar sexualmente de muchos niños. Su jefe, el famoso entrenador en jefe Joe Paterno, fue despedido por no informar el abuso a la policía.

En días más recientes, surgieron relatos aterradores sobre el abuso generalizado de jóvenes gimnastas estadounidenses por parte del médico de su equipo, el Dr. Larry Nassar. Más de 150 mujeres testificaron contra él en el juicio que resultó en su condena.

En los círculos de los bautistas del sur, las preguntas sobre el abuso físico y sexual antecedieron y atrajeron la atención generalizada en la Convención Bautista del Sur de 2018. Inmediatamente después de la convención, el Fort Worth Star-Telegram reportó que un ex misionero IMB y líder en la Convención Bautista de Carolina del Sur fue acusado de agresión sexual de un niño menor de 17 años. Su presunto abuso de una adolescente ocurrió cuando prestaba servicio en el ministerio juvenil en una iglesia en el área de Dallas-Fort Worth. Relatos similares de otros ex ministros juveniles Texas también fueron noticia en el último año.

Estas historias resaltan la gran importancia para que las iglesias, el personal del ministerio y todos los que asisten a las iglesias bautistas estén conscientes del problema del abuso sexual infantil, tengan conocimiento del asunto, puedan actuar para proteger a los niños del abuso y ayudar en la sanación para los niños y las familias cuando ocurre el abuso.

Para ese fin, este es el primer artículo de una serie de cuatro partes sobre el abuso sexual infantil en la iglesia, que cubre lo siguiente:

• ¿Cuál es la tasa de abuso? ¿Qué tan extendido es el problema?
• ¿Cuáles son las ramificaciones del abuso? ¿Cómo afecta a aquellos que son abusados?
• ¿Cuál es la responsabilidad de la iglesia y el liderazgo de la iglesia para proteger a los niños y cómo pueden las iglesias hacer esto de manera más efectiva?
• ¿Qué recursos están disponibles para las iglesias y las familias?

¿Cómo se define el abuso sexual?

Un problema clave para determinar la tasa de abuso es cómo un investigador define el abuso. El abuso puede definirse desde perspectivas legales, desde perspectivas sociales o desde la perspectiva de quienes intentan brindar protección a los niños. Las definiciones variadas de abuso tienden a llevar a una amplia gama de resultados al informar las tasas de abuso sexual.

Un ejemplo de la definición de un investigador de abuso sexual se puede ver en el trabajo de Delphine Collin-Vézina y sus colegas, quienes definen el abuso sexual infantil como “cualquier actividad de naturaleza sexual entre un niño y un adulto u otro niño que, por edad o el desarrollo está en una relación de responsabilidad, confianza o poder, cuya actividad está destinada a recompensar o satisfacer las necesidades de la otra persona.”

Dos subcategorías comunes en la definición de abuso sexual infantil son el abuso de contacto y el abuso sin contacto. El abuso sexual en contacto tiende a incluir la penetración, el acariciar, besar o tocar de un adulto o niño mayor dirigido a un niño más pequeño. El abuso sexual sin contacto puede incluir exhibicionismo de adultos o voyerismo hacia un niño, exponer a un niño a pornografía o material sexualizado, o interactuar sexualmente con un niño a través de medios electrónicos, como por teléfono o en línea.

¿Cuál es la tasa de abuso sexual infantil?

A pesar de los desafíos en la definición de abuso, una cosa en la que todos los expertos están de acuerdo es que la tasa de abuso es más alta de lo que se informa.

Algunos niños no le cuentan a ningún adulto lo que les pasó. Otros son persuadidos, engañados, forzados o amenazados en silencio por el abusador. Algunas víctimas son demasiado jóvenes para comprender lo que se les ha ocurrido y no tienen la capacidad emocional o las habilidades de comunicación para alertar a los adultos.

El resultado es que el grado de abuso es mayor—probablemente mucho mayor—de lo que se informa. El Departamento de Justicia de los Estados Unidos estima que solo el 30 por ciento de los casos de agresión sexual se denuncian a las autoridades.

A pesar de que las tasas de abuso no son reportadas, las cifras siguen siendo impactantes.

En los Estados Unidos, el 10 por ciento de todos los niños experimentan algún tipo de abuso sexual infantil antes de los 18 años. Según un artículo que aparece en la edición de abril de 2014 de Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics, de los abusados, el 75 por ciento son mujeres y el 25 por ciento son hombres.

En un artículo de JAMA de 2013, David Finkelhor, un destacado investigador sobre la violencia contra los niños, descubrió que un poco menos del 6 por ciento de todos los niños en los EE. UU., de 1 mes a 17 años, experimentaron abusos sexuales por contacto el año anterior. De este grupo, las mujeres de 14 a 17 años eran particularmente vulnerables, con un 22.8 por ciento que informaron haber sido víctimas de violencia sexual en el año anterior. Casi el 13 por ciento de las mujeres de 14 a 17 años experimentaron algún tipo de solicitud sexual no deseada en Internet durante el año anterior.

La mayoría de los niños que son acosados sexualmente conocen a su victimario. Sólo el 10 por ciento de los niños son abusados por un extraño; el 90 por ciento conoce a su abusador. Cuanto más joven es la víctima infantil, más probable es que el perpetrador sea un niño mayor o un adolescente.

La necesidad de conciencia

El error más grande y costoso que el liderazgo de la iglesia puede hacer relacionado con el abuso sexual infantil es asumir que “no puede suceder aquí.”

Si las estadísticas son casi exactas (y hay razones para creer que los datos no representan suficientemente el alcance del problema), en cualquier actividad de la iglesia, hay niños presentes que han sido víctimas de abuso sexual infantil. En iglesias medianas y de mayor tamaño, docenas de víctimas asisten cada vez que la iglesia se reúne. Desafortunadamente, para algunos niños, el abuso puede haber ocurrido en una iglesia o en un entorno relacionado con la iglesia o en manos de personal del ministerio que son lobos vestidos con ropa de oveja.

——

Próximos artículos

• What is the effect on children and youth who have been victimized?
  ¿Cuál es el efecto en los niños y jóvenes que han sido victimizados?
• What is the impact of sexual abuse on adults, and is there hope?
  ¿Cuál es el impacto del abuso sexual en los adultos, hay esperanza?
• What is the responsibility of the church and church leadership to protect children from abuse, and how can churches do this most effectively?
  ¿Cuál es la responsabilidad de la iglesia y del liderazgo de la iglesia para proteger a los niños del abuso, y cómo pueden las iglesias hacer esto de manera más efectiva?
• Who must report abuse, and how can churches help abuse victims and their families?
  ¿Quién debe denunciar el abuso y cómo pueden las iglesias ayudar a las víctimas de abuso y sus familias?
• What resources are availableto churches and families to help prevent abuse and to help the family where abuse has already occurred?
  ¿Qué recursos están disponibles para las iglesias y las familias para ayudar a prevenir el abuso y para ayudar a la familia donde ya ha ocurrido el abuso?

Scott Floyd, Ph.D., LPC-S, LMFT, es un miembro senior y director de Programas de Consejería en B.H. Carroll Theological Institute.

The Falling Seed es un nuevo blog de Baptist Standard. “… A menos que un grano de trigo caiga al suelo y muera, solo queda una sola semilla. Pero si muere, produce muchas semillas.”- Juan 12:24. El blog Falling Seed trae el corazón del editor Eric Black como pastor y educador a la misión de Baptist Standard para informar, inspirar y desafiar a las personas a vivir como Jesús. Los artículos publicados aquí pretenden enriquecerlo a usted y a su ministerio a través de la educación y el conocimiento pastoral.

¿Qué harás cuando ocurra algo inesperado que vuelva los ojos del mundo hacia ti y tu ministerio? ¿Qué harás cuando los reporteros llamen, toquen a tu puerta o aparezcan con cámaras?

Ellen Di Giosia y Jay Pritchard proporcionaron respuestas a estas preguntas durante su taller en la Asamblea General de la Cooperative Baptist Fellowship 2018 en Dallas.

Di Giosia sirvió en las iglesias bautistas de Texas en Valley Mills, San Marcos y San Antonio antes de ser llamada en 2017 como pastor de First Baptist Church en Jefferson City, Tennessee. No mucho después de convertirse en pastor de First Baptist en Jefferson City, Di Giosia y su iglesia se convirtieron en el tema de una tormenta de medios de comunicación relacionada con la posición de la Convención Bautista de Tennessee sobre mujeres en el ministerio, lo que resultó en la expulsión de la iglesia de la convención estatal.

Jay Pritchard es miembro de la Iglesia Bautista Wilshire en Dallas, cofundador de Upward Strategy Group y especialista en comunicaciones de crisis. En 2014, Wilshire se encontró en el epicentro de una crisis de ébola en Dallas cuando Louise Troh, la prometida de Thomas Eric Duncan, se hizo público como miembro de Wilshire. Duncan contrajo ébola antes de su llegada a Dallas y murió días después.

La historia llegó a los titulares nacionales e internacionales, tomando a Wilshire junto con ello. Pritchard desempeñó un papel fundamental al consultar al personal de Wilshire sobre cómo prepararse e interactuar con los medios de comunicación. Como resultado, Wilshire navegó hábilmente una situación de crisis potencialmente abrumadora.

Las iglesias, sus ministros y miembros pueden, sin saberlo, encontrarse en el centro de situaciones similares. Por ejemplo, First Baptist Church of West, en el centro de Texas, recibió una considerable atención de los medios durante el período inmediatamente posterior a la explosión de una planta de fertilizantes en 2013. First Baptist Church de Sutherland Springs también recibió atención internacional después del tiroteo masivo allí en 2017.

¿Estás preparado para un evento de crisis?

Comunicaciones de crisis para organizaciones y sus líderes.

Como experto en comunicaciones de crisis, Pritchard proporcionó los siguientes consejos para prepararse y responder a los medios de comunicación.

1. Adelantarse. Establezca un equipo de respuesta a la crisis antes de que surja una crisis o emergencia. Hazlo cuando las cosas estén en calma y tengas tiempo para crear un equipo efectivo. Determine quién será la persona clave para todas las consultas y la comunicación pública. Designe un área específica donde se permitirán los medios. Envíe todos los medios a su área designada, donde serán abordados por su persona de contacto. Establezca círculos de preocupación concéntricos (inspirado en el título de Oscar Thompson por su libro de evangelismo), o una lista de personas y entidades priorizadas con las que se contactará inmediatamente después y durante un incidente. Determine quién necesita ser contactado primero y muévase hacia afuera desde allí.
2. Dele al equipo la oportunidad de practicar una situación de crisis.

Cuando ocurre una crisis o emergencia:

1. Comienza por respirar. Literalmente tomar una respiración. Tome todas las respiraciones profundas e intencionadas que necesite antes de hacer cualquier otra cosa. El cerebro necesita tanto el oxígeno como el amortiguador del tiempo.
2. Sigue tu plan.
3. Comience hablando sobre lo que está sucediendo y establezca el mensaje que desea comunicar a cada círculo de preocupación, incluidos los medios de comunicación. ¿Qué desea que cada círculo sepa sobre usted, su organización y lo que está sucediendo?
4. Comunica solo lo que sabes. Di la verdad y solo la verdad. No especular.
5. Quédate con tu mensaje. No permita que los medios de comunicación o cualquier otra persona lo desanimen.

Crisis de autocuidado para ministros.

Como ministro que experimentó el caos de un frenesí mediático, Di Giosia proporcionó los siguientes consejos para el autocuidado.

1. Sepa cuándo hablar y cuándo no hablar. La capacitación en medios ayudará a establecer estos límites.
2. Practica ser la persona no ansiosa en situaciones menos estresantes. Se espera que los líderes estén calmados y tranquilos bajo presión.
3. Tenga una ‘tripulación interna’ de personas dentro de la congregación con quien puedas reportar.
4. Tenga una ‘tripulación externa’ de compañeros, colegas y amigos fuera de la congregación que puedan apoyarlo de otras maneras que su congregación no pueda.
5. Conoce tus límites. Usted no es un superhéroe y necesita decir “no” a los medios más de lo que dice “sí.” No tiene que aceptar todas las solicitudes de entrevista.
6. Sea honesto sobre el ciclo de los medios de comunicación y eduque a su congregación sobre esto. Una vez que estés en las noticias, seguirás estando en las noticias, apareciendo periódicamente después de que todos piensen que la historia se ha enfriado.
7. Sé transparente con tu congregación. No escondas cosas.
8. Tomar tiempo libre. Además de las exigencias regulares de liderar una iglesia u otra organización, estar disponible y responder a los medios de comunicación agrega capas de estrés adicional. Se lo debe a usted mismo, a su familia y a su congregación para tomarse un tiempo libre.
9. Tener ayuda profesional (un consejero o terapeuta) esperando su momento. Es posible que necesite ayuda más allá de su familia, amigos y líderes congregacionales.
10. Una vez que aparezca en los medios y conceda una entrevista, espere ser contactado nuevamente por los medios para comentar sobre otras noticias.

Una palabra para nosotros, los medios de comunicación.

Como medios de comunicación, hay algunas cosas que debemos hacer.

1. Debemos recordar que las historias que contamos primero pertenecen a las personas que las viven y no a nosotros. Se lo debemos a las personas para manejar sus historias como una confianza sagrada.
2. Debemos respetar los límites que las personas establecen para sí mismos, sus familias y otras personas involucradas.
3. Debemos respetar cualquier plan de respuesta a la crisis que una persona u organización pueda tener sin tratar de evadir el plan.
4. Debemos preocuparnos más por honrar a las personas que por ser los primeros en contar la historia.

Estar preparado

Mucho está fuera de nuestro control. Pero no todo. Durante el caos de la crisis, podemos lograr cierta estabilidad y calma si nos preparamos con anticipación. Buscar una capacitación en los medios antes de que ocurra una crisis es una inversión valiosa.

Eric Black is the executive director, publisher and editor of the Baptist Standard. He can be reached at eric.black@baptiststandard.com or on Twitter at @EricBlackBSP.

Are you tired of the doomsday rhetoric about the church in America? Have you noticed the bandwagon of those predicting the imminent demise of congregational life is filled to capacity? Are you ready to tune out another diatribe proclaiming the church ship is sinking and we are all doomed?

You have to admit the numbers do not look good. Denominations regularly report widespread decline. “Spiritual but not religious” is the fastest growing segment of American religious life. Thousands of local congregations are closing annually. Church plants fail at an alarmingly high rate. The financial crisis threatens to overwhelm many local churches. Megachurches report the vast majority of their growth comes from attracting members from other congregations. The prevailing opinion about the viability of local church life in America is decidedly grim and gloomy.

A minority opinion in contrast to prevailing notions

I believe there has never been a better day to be the church. There has never been a richer opportunity, a more compelling need or a more invigorating challenge than what we have before us. I believe the 21st century will find the church of Jesus Christ emerging from decades of slow decline to rediscover authentic community, witness and vibrancy.

How? I do not know. No one does. But I believe it will happen.

I say this because I believe Jesus told the truth about his church enduring forever, because of church history and because of what I know about local churches and the people in them today.

Gloom is a disposition toward the facts

Phoebe Venable, a chartered financial analyst, writes regularly about the economy, families and building wealth. In a Tennessean column titled “Gloomy predictions overlook change,” she noted developments in the world oil supply debunking the notion that the human race eventually will deplete the supply of oil and civilization will grind to a halt.

Venable observed: “It is not uncommon to hear reports that say if something continues on its current path, the result will spell disaster … these reports take a current trend and extrapolate it into the future to arrive at a devastating conclusion.”

Though she was not talking about congregational life in America early in the 21st century, she might as well have been.

This phenomenon reminded her of the Great Horse Manure Crisis of 1894.

“The primary form of transportation at the turn of the last century was by horse,” Venable wrote. “By the early 1900s, the number of people living in cities had doubled while the population of horses had more than tripled. London was the largest city in the world in 1900 and it had 11,000 horse-drawn cabs. There were also several thousand buses, each needing 12 horses per day.

“The horses produced large amounts of manure. The streets of London and New York began to fill with the malodorous byproduct. In 1894, a writer for The Times of London predicted that in 50 years every street in London would be buried under nine feet of manure.

“As always, necessity bred innovation, and horses were replaced by motor vehicles.”

Gloom overlooks positive potential

Doomsday scenarios usually overlook a vital truth: things can change. Those who make straight-line projections about the future fail to account for the innovation, creativity and God-inspired change we cannot see today.

This is no time to relax or give in to the temptation to dismiss the facts with a naïve belief that all will work out for good. Every congregation needs to take a fearless look at itself and admit its future is grim without significant God-inspired innovation and retooling.

Fear may be your starting point for change, but it must give way soon to God-inspired hope and hard work if your church is to endure.

Motor vehicles didn’t drop out of the sky in the early 20th century. They came about because entrepreneurs and inventors painstakingly tried and failed with hundreds of ideas. The same will be true for the new life our churches will embrace. It will come one step at a time, will involve change and pain and failure, and will require great humility.

Gloom misses the promise and the hope

Thankfully, we come from a long line of those who defied conventional wisdom and were willing to adapt to the unexpected. From Noah to Abraham to Mary to Paul, our forefathers and mothers personified the idea that an uncertain future could be faced with confidence if they followed the Spirit’s leadership.

Continuing that spirit, the church has adapted to the printing press, wars, colonial expansion, scientific discoveries, modernity, space travel, the internet and countless other challenges and opportunities. I believe we will do so again.

The next time you make a trip in a car rather than on a horse, be reminded that Spirit-led change is what will save us from our doom and gloom.

Bill Wilson is the director of the Center for Healthy Churches and has been a leader in local church ministry for over 30 years. This article was published originally in 2013 by the Center for Healthy Churches. The views expressed are solely those of the author.

I fancy myself a cowboy. I grew up, for a time, on a 100-acre ranch in South Texas. We had cattle and a few other animals here and there. Seldom any horses though. It was my Uncle Leslie who was the great horseman. I loved visiting his home just on the other side of Poteet because it was always filled with horses. At one point, Uncle Leslie even raised a champion that won best cattle working horse in Texas.

When I was 13, my uncle gave me a horse of my own to break. I was immersed in a Lord of the Rings book at the time; so, I called him Shadowfax, the name of Gandalf’s horse. I thought breaking a horse would be fun and easy, but it turned out to be one of the hardest things I have ever attempted.

Getting a horse to move is hard

First, Shadowfax was a biter. Every time I put him in the pen, right as I was exiting the gate, he would sneak up behind me and bite my shoulder. My other uncle, Allen, told me how to put an end to the biting. He said I should fill my hand with cayenne pepper and shove it in the horse’s mouth and nose when he tried to bite. I tried but was never fast enough. By the time I turned around, he was on the other side of the pen.

Second, Shadowfax wouldn’t let me lead him anywhere. During the times I managed to wrestle a bit and bridle on him, he wouldn’t move with me. I could pull and pull until my arm came out of socket—which he probably would have found amusing—but that horse wouldn’t budge. Uncle Leslie finally told me the secret to getting a horse to follow.

How to get a horse to move

“Just start walking, and he will follow,” Uncle Leslie said.

“That’s it?” I asked incredulously.

“That’s it,” he said.

The mistake I was making was always facing Shadowfax and trying to walk backward. Either that or I was trying to shove him from behind. Hey, I never said I was a good cowboy.

So, out I went for another round with Shadowfax. I placed the bit and bridle on him, grabbed the reins, and—as casual as you can imagine—I turned and started walking. It took a few attempts, but wouldn’t you know it, the horse started to move. All I had to do was start walking in the right direction.

How not to get a horse—or church—to move

Leading a church often feels a whole lot like trying to work with a horse. A horse I’m familiar with. The harder question I now face is, “How do you get a church to move?” I wish Uncle Leslie had the secret to that.

I guess I could try beating them until they move. I once witnessed a cowboy beating his horse, trying to make it move by sheer force of will. As we observed this cowboy, my uncle leaned over and whispered, “I don’t ever want to see you treat a horse that way.”

It works for horses and churches sometimes. However, I wonder if they are only moving out of fear and anxiety rather than love and passion.

A pastor I know recently was fired for treating his church this way. He tried beating them into radical missional living. Membership dwindled and dwindled until they had enough. As soon as the opportunity presented itself, they cut him loose.

Other pastors make the same mistake I was making with Shadowfax. They pull and pull on the reins until they are blue in the face. I know another pastor—a really good one—who also was fired recently simply because he was trying to lead the church in a new direction, a direction that would have saved them. It was a church that liked to bite. Come to find out, they had fired several of their former pastors, as well.

Churches and horses tend to dig their heels in at even the hint of a bit and bridle. Pull all you want. Eventually, you’ll just wind up getting bit.

Maybe Uncle Leslie’s advice is helpful to more than just horses. I wonder if it plays out in a congregation, as well. Maybe the secret to getting a church to move is just to start walking in the right direction and let God handle the rest.

Direction matters when moving churches—and horses

Over the past several years, I have come to believe who I am as a person is more important than the strategies I employ. I believe who I am as a follower of Jesus Christ is the most important thing I can be and do for my congregation. I am only a vessel, a conduit of God’s word, but if the vessel cracked how can it hold the water of life for anyone to get a drink? How can a severed conduit pass along power? If my witness—the very core of who I am—is not consistent with my Lord and King, then I am not doing my job very well.

At some point, pastors need to be more concerned with their own holiness and righteousness than with the book they are reading, what conference they are attending or what evangelism strategy they are employing to reach people. All of those things are good things. God knows I love my books and conferences and strategizing.

But ultimately, the best thing I can do for my church is to start walking in the right direction.

Ryan Chandler is the pastor of Trinity Baptist Church in Orange, Texas. This article originally appeared on his blog and is republished here with permission. The views expressed are solely those of the author.

As a pastor, I constantly am exposed to people who write proposals for church renewal. There are, it seems, more books, articles, blog posts and social media posts about church renewal coming out daily. They are written by authors from different perspectives and with differing levels of influence.

It is good for pastors to read these authors and to learn from their different perspectives. The challenge, however, is what should pastors take seriously and seek to apply to the churches? I have five filters I use whenever I read on church renewal to help me discern what to take seriously and potentially implement.

Filter One: Scripture

When I read church renewal authors, the first question I try to answer is, “Is their locus of authority Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16-17) or something else (experience, tradition, etc.)?”

If the author’s proposed reforms require the need to shift the locus of authority to something other than Scripture, then it is a nonstarter. It does not mean I do not read the author or learn from the author. It does mean I will not implement their recommendations. This is the most important filter I use when I read.

Filter Two: History and theology

In thinking about church renewal, it is important to learn from those who have gone before us. They may not have the final say in how we lead renewal today, but their example and their thinking should inform us.

For example, during the Reformation, the leading pastors and theologians spoke and wrote about the importance of recovering biblical preaching and the right practice of the ordinances/sacraments—such as baptism and the Lord’s Supper—in having a proper ecclesiology—theology of the church. These were core concerns for the 16th century reformers and have received sustained attention in the centuries since.

Another example is to read about the role of prayer in renewal movements throughout history. Any reading of church history reveals renewal movements—sometimes called revivals—were preceded and sustained by intentional and intense personal and corporate prayer.

These two examples reveal how history and theology can be helpful by providing such questions as these:

• Does the author give attention to strengthening biblical preaching?
• Does the author give attention to the proper practice of the ordinances?
• Does the author speak about the importance of prayer?

If the central historical and theological concerns given attention over the centuries are ignored, de-emphasized or denigrated, then the pastor should be cautious about the proposed reforms.

Filter Three: Consequences

When reading about church reform, it is a good practice to see what the consequences have been as churches and denominations have implemented the proposed reforms.

For example, when I read about proposed reforms, I like to ask, “Have the churches and denominations that have implemented these reforms become healthier and subsequently grown?”

I realize growth or lack of growth does not say everything about whether or not a proposed reform is right. Nevertheless, it can provide some helpful guidance concerning what may happen if a reform is implemented.

Filter Four: Experience of the author

While it is good to look at the results broadly across churches and denominations, I also like to learn specifically about the authors.

Sometimes I learn that the author has not actually ever led a church or sought to lead these reforms. If someone has never actually led these reforms, it makes me cautious about taking them seriously.

On the other hand, if someone has led these reforms and can write from their experience about the process and the subsequent results, I am much more likely to take them seriously and consider their proposals.

Filter Five: Evangelism and missions

When I read about proposals for church renewal, I seek to answer questions focused on evangelism and missions, such as the following:

• Will this reform lead more people to share their faith with people who do not know Jesus?
• Will this reform lead more people to become involved in missions?
• Will this reform lead more people to become missionaries?
• Will this reform lead more people to start churches?

It seems counterintuitive that churches and denominations would make reforms that make them less evangelistic and involved in missions, but the results are clear: many churches and denominations have done just this.

Conclusion

I am sure there are other helpful filters. The five I have proposed are my starting place.

If an author proposes reforms to the church that (1) shift the locus of authority away from Scripture, (2) have little to no historical precedent, (3) have been detrimental to churches and denominations that have implemented them, (4) are being proposed by someone who has never actually led a church to do the reforms, and (5) causes people to be less evangelistic and involved in missions, then the reforms—no matter how popular they may sound—should be rejected.

Of course, the opposite is true. If the proposed reforms align with these filters, there is a greater chance God is involved and will bless these efforts.

In a time when so many voices are calling for a myriad of reforms, it is important to implement the reforms God actually will bless and sustain.

Ross Shelton is senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Brenham.

During the last several days, many have expressed their sadness at the untimely death of Rachel Held Evans. In the midst of this outpouring of grief, I can’t help but turn to my pastoral side.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul:
he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death …
(Psalm 23:1-4, KJV)

Grief is a walk. It may be a short walk. It may be a long walk. But it is a walk.

Grief is not a run or a campout.

Grief is not a race

Grief is not a race to the finish. Our culture constantly is racing to the finish. Our culture tells us we must be finished with grief as quickly as possible. Do your crying. Get busy. Get over it. But grief is not a race.

If we race through grief, we short cut important work God wants to do in us through grief. When we race through grief, we may skip the importance of denial, being properly angry, trying to cut a deal with God, being appropriately sad before accepting the loss.

If we shortcut or skip preludes to acceptance, can we reach full acceptance of something so profound as loss?

If we don’t allow ourselves to live through the phases of grief, then we push one or all of them under the surface, burying them under false smiles and brave façades, only to have them resurface later and usually in unhealthy and even harmful ways.

Racing through grief to get where we think we’re supposed to be—where we think others think we’re supposed to be—is like weaving recklessly through traffic or taking a curve too fast. You might reach your destination faster, or you might not reach it at all. You might get there safely, or you may damage yourself and others irreversibly.

Grief is not a race. Grief is a walk.

Grief is not a campout

Likewise, grief is not a campout. When loss happens—and it will happen—we do ourselves and others no good by sitting down somewhere and forgetting to get back up.

It does no good to hunker down in denial, anger, depression or bargaining. Each of these has its place, but only a place and not the sum total of existence.

But aren’t we entitled to anger, depression or trying to undo what’s been done? Don’t we have a right to be angry with God? Don’t we disrespect the deceased if our sadness is too short and too shallow?

If we make our dwelling place in depression and don’t move, then we neglect the important wrestling with God that happens in bargaining. It’s the wrestling that matters, and not the bargain itself.

If we make our dwelling place in denial and refuse to move, then we neglect the appropriate anger that should accompany loss, anger that God’s original design for this world is broken and we all suffer for it. It’s the agreeing with God that matters, and not the anger itself.

In our grief, we must keep going. We must keep walking, or the work of grief will never be done.

Grief is not a straight line

For some, grief is a long walk, and for others, it is a short walk. We each grieve in our own time. Therefore, we need to be patient with each other.

The length of the walk is not what matters. It is what happens to and in us along the way. God desires to teach us important things through grief.

Likewise, grief seems to skip steps, to jump around. Some seem to skip denial and maybe anger and go straight to depression and then bargaining. Others may go from denial to depression. If we skip steps, we may wonder if something is wrong with us. We may think we are not grieving correctly.

Then there are those times when, though we thought we were over it, bargaining circles back around: “Can’t I have just one more day?” After months—and maybe years—we wake up one morning not thinking about the loss, only to realize we are thinking, “What a bad dream!” And we wonder if we’ll ever be finished with grief.

We each grieve in our own way and in our own time. You may be angry, and my bargaining may infuriate you. And I may judge you for your anger as I wrestle with God. This will not do. We must be patient with each other.

Grief is agreeing with God

One of the reasons we must walk through grief and not race through it or camp out in it is because our grief is our agreeing with God that things are not as God intended. We can say few things more important than fully acknowledging the effects of sin.

When we walk through grief, we demonstrate our faith in God’s ongoing redemptive work in this broken world.

Another reason we must walk through grief is because engaging in the work of grief is insurance against creating unnecessary loss. We create unnecessary loss when we lash out at each other, pull away from one another or deny ourselves the healing that only comes when we walk through grief.

When we walk through grief, we open ourselves to the Spirit of God bearing good fruit in a world desperate to be rid of the bad.

And lest we think grief isn’t a walk, that our culture is right, that we just need to get over it, that we have every right to sit right down and die in our grief, we should remember the dark valley of death holds no fear for us because God is walking with us, even there.

Eric Black is the executive director, publisher and editor of the Baptist Standard. He can be reached at eric.black@baptiststandard.com or on Twitter at @EricBlackBSP.

Intentional interim ministry seems to be a best-kept secret. As a result, many churches are unaware of the clear benefits of engaging in the intentional interim process.

Part 1 described when a church should engage an intentional interim and some things a church should know about the process. Part 2 describes the benefits of the process and how to know when the process is successful.

Who becomes an intentional interim?

One of the benefits and safeguards of intentional interim ministry is the longevity of ministry experience intentional interims are required to have to be credentialed by the Baptist General Convention of Texas. A few examples follow.

Lynn Eckeberger became an intentional interim after years on church staff. His experience is in enlisting, training and managing Christian education in the church and engaging people in missions. He was also a director of missions and on staff at the BGCT.

Rusty Walton is a retired senior pastor who sensed the same call to intentional interim ministry as he did to the pastorate. As Walton demonstrates, calling to intentional interim ministry is an important consideration.

Levi Price became an intentional interim because he “was doing a lot of interim work and desired to do a better job” with them. Intentional interim training taught him how to “work through [churches’] problems and situations” more effectively.

How are churches improved through the intentional interim process?

“Differences are embraced rather than denied or silenced,” Eckeberger said. Everyone gets on the same page.

Churches who go through the process have restored and deepened fellowship leading to renewed hope for their future. They develop strategies for dealing with conflict.

“Perhaps among the best fruit is that the new pastor is welcomed into a church ready to step forward” into a new and shared vision, Walton said.

As a church begins to think more about its mission than the struggles of the past, despair and defeat give way to hope, and grieving gives way to a positive outlook, Price said.

How does a church know when the process is successful?

“The most common thing I hear from church members is, ‘Someone cared about what I thought’ or, ‘We got our voice back,’” Karl Fickling, coordinator of interim ministry for the BGCT, said.

Even when people don’t “get their way,” they feel heard and respected and “are on-board with church-wide decisions,” Fickling said.

Another indicator of success is that churches decide together rather than decisions solely being made by leadership and passed down.

When the intentional interim builds trust and transparency with the whole congregation, anxiety lessens and open and honest discussion begins, said Walton.

Each intentional interim brings unique gifts and affects the outcome in particular ways. “All of us who do this work are committed to the process. We believe in the process, but we have the opportunity to accomplish it in our own way,” Price said, which illustrates the significance of interviewing intentional interim candidates and examining their call.

In Price’s experience, churches begin to see the success of the process when they reach the mission focus point of the self-study. When the congregation sees and understands “its unique core values and begins to work to find the unique mission of that church,” the congregation becomes hopeful and positive in outlook and begins moving forward “to carry out the mission,” Price said.

What success looks like

To illustrate the success of the process, Eckeberger shared the following story.

“A group of more than 100 was meeting immediately after the morning worship service. Questions were being asked about a particular phase of the intentional interim process. A female church member in her 30s stood and waited to be called on.

“‘I have spoken my mind in previous meetings. In doing so, I spoke harsh words that were intended to clearly communicate my thoughts, but carried with them the intent to harm some of you. I was wrong. Some of those I hurt are no longer with us. I know it may be impossible, but God has made it clear, I must apologize to them as well. I need your help. Will you tell those you know I hurt that I am sorry and I want to say that to them personally? Will you tell them I should have listened? Will you let me know who you tell so I don’t leave anyone out? I thought I was supposed to win the argument, but I know I was not supposed to lose my brother or sister in the process. Please forgive me.’”

“She hardly finished before fellow church members were embracing her in a huddle of hugs.

“The meeting lost its structure, but gained a sensitivity, transparency and collaboration, which yielded a fragrance of forgiveness and acceptance that never left the church for the remainder of the intentional interim process.”

What do leaders say about the intentional interim process?

Melanie Ayers, the administrator at Sterling Wood Church in Houston, echoes the descriptions of a successful intentional interim.

“During the transition, the intentional interim helped clarify our vision and surface issues that needed to be addressed,” she said. “The intentional interim provided stability and hope to a church that was reeling after the loss of our founding pastor.” In her role as the administrator, she felt the weight of that loss and the burden lifted by the intentional interim.

Sterling Wood was benefited in another way by the process. New young leaders were elected to the transition team. They took “tremendous ownership in the future well-being of our church and continued in leadership to make those dreams a reality,” Ayers said.

How do pastors who follow an intentional interim evaluate the process?

Ross Shelton was called as pastor of First Baptist Church in Brenham at the conclusion of its intentional interim process. He describes the church as stabilized. Prior to the intentional interim, attendance and giving had decreased.

During the process, healing took place as “people were able to share their hurts and disappointments and, having been heard, were able to move forward toward a better future,” Shelton said.

Over time, the success of the intentional interim period are being demonstrated in “healthy patterns of thinking and behaving” and in perseverance. “Having been through a difficult season and an intentional interim, the church learned they can persevere with God’s help through difficult times,” he said.

While the process reduces anxiety, it doesn’t remove all of it. First Baptist in Brenham—like many other churches—still was anxious about the unknowns of a new pastor. In addition, not every issue is settled during the process. Some important discussions still needed to take place when Shelton arrived.

Describing the church, Shelton said: “Most of the people look back to the intentional interim time with fondness. For most, it was a time of relief from previous stress and an opportunity to dream and vision about the future.”

*******

For more information, visit the Interim Church Services webpage or the Intentional Interim Ministry website.

When should a church engage an intentional interim? How is an intentional interim different from a traditional interim? What should churches know about the intentional interim process?

These questions are answered in Part 1.

Eric Black is the executive director, publisher and editor of the Baptist Standard. He can be reached at eric.black@baptiststandard.com or on Twitter at @EricBlackBSP.

“Things will fall apart if we don’t call another pastor soon. An intentional interim takes too long. We can’t afford to wait.”

“Only bad churches need an intentional interim. We don’t want people to think we’re a problem.”

These are common misperceptions about intentional interim ministry.

Intentional interim ministry, however, is designed to enable churches to assess themselves while continuing their ministries without losing ground. In reality, most churches can’t afford not to engage an intentional interim.

How is an intentional interim different from a traditional interim?

Many churches are familiar with a traditional interim, a person whose main responsibility is to preach sermons on Sunday mornings while the church seeks a full-time pastor. With a traditional interim, pastoral care and progress toward a church’s mission often take a back seat.

In contrast to the traditional interim, intentional interim ministry encompasses the total life of the church to ensure ongoing congregational needs are met at the same time that the church positions itself for a stronger future.

Karl Fickling, the coordinator of interim ministry for the Baptist General Convention of Texas, describes the intentional interim as a “‘bottom-up’ model, where the process starts with the congregation, rather than a ‘top-down’ model that calls on the pastor to dominate church vision.”

When should a church engage an intentional interim?

Fickling says there are three situations for which an intentional interim is helpful: when a long-tenured or beloved pastor leaves the church, when a church is stalled or when a church is reeling from conflict.

“After 10 years [or possibly shorter tenure] of the last pastor, the next pastor is often an ‘unintentional interim,” Fickling said. “The departing pastor sets an emotional high mark that is hard for the next pastor to reach. The new pastor does things differently or wants to help the church make some needed changes, and this threatens the status quo.”

An intentional interim can help bring closure to a long pastorate while preparing the church for a new pastor.

The vast majority of churches are plateaued or declining, and most of those churches want a pastor to reverse that trend. For success, a church first needs to face its own issues. Intentional interims are trained to help a church do so honestly. After that struggle, a church can call a pastor who best fits the situation and desires of the church.

Conflict “needs to be addressed before calling a new pastor into a no-win situation,” Fickling said. If the previous pastor was forced out, an intentional interim can restore calm to the church.

“Some people think [conflict] is the most common—or only—reason for an intentional interim,” Fickling noted. “It’s actually the least common reason of these three.”

The intentional interim is a “‘bottom-up’ model, where the process starts with the congregation.” – Karl Fickling

What are the benefits of intentional interim ministry?

An intentional interim provides a “pastor during the interim.” An intentional interim makes hospital visits, leads Bible studies, participates in committee meetings and is engaged in other functions of the church while also leading the church through the intentional interim process.

The intentional interim is an appropriate person to lead a church to address prickly issues that otherwise might disturb a church’s fellowship or jeopardize a full-time pastor’s employment. Without such fear, an intentional interim creates a safe environment for difficult conversations.

Churches with intentional interims tend to be much calmer, feeling less anxious about rushing to fill a vacant position.

“The intentional interim period is one of the few places I’ve seen Baptists truly practice the ‘priesthood of the believer,’” Fickling said. “Even without an installed pastor, the congregation dreams, listens to God together and builds vision together.”

At the conclusion of the intentional interim process, a church comes away with a clear understanding of itself, what kind of pastor it needs and a clear profile to present pastoral candidates.

“It’s been my experience that churches almost always wish the [intentional interim] could stay and be their pastor,” Fickling said.

A caution about the intentional interim process

Jack Warren, deacon chair for First Baptist Church in Crowley, described his church’s experience with the intentional interim positively and cautiously.

“One positive aspect of the process is that the intentional [interim] is not setting himself up for a job,” Warren stated. “He can speak freely and honestly to the church.” Likewise, in the beginning, the process helped pull the church together.

Warren indicated more information about the process would have been helpful, as well as learning from others who had been through the process before.

While First Baptist in Crowley and the majority of churches have a positive experience with the intentional interim process, not all churches report the same. When churches report a negative experience, the reason usually is because the interim was not credentialed and sufficiently trained or because the interim did not complete the process.

What do churches need to know about the intentional interim process?

The process entails 16 purposeful steps beginning with an introduction to intentional interim ministry and ending with the installation of a new pastor. Steps between include a presentation of intentional interim candidates, a vote by the church to covenant with one of the candidates, and the formation of a transition team for the process.

The self-study is the heart of the process and includes examining a church’s heritage, leadership, connections to others, mission and future. When the self-study concludes and the church is ready, a search committee is formed and seeks a new pastor who fits the church’s profile.

From start to finish, the process ranges from 15 months to two years, depending on the complexity of the church. A traditional interim lasts about 12 months on average and may not position a church for greater success with a new pastor.

Intentional interims credentialed by the BGCT must abide by a set of accountability measures, which include intentional interim training, professional membership, continuing education and covenants with the BGCT and churches served. In addition, intentional interims undergo required peer review following each intentional interim pastorate.

For more information, visit the Interim Church Services webpage or the Intentional Interim Ministry website.

*******

How does a church know when the intentional interim period has succeeded? Who becomes an intentional interim? How have churches and pastors benefited from intentional interim ministry?

These questions will be answered in Part 2.

Eric Black is the executive director, publisher and editor of the Baptist Standard. He can be reached at eric.black@baptiststandard.com or on Twitter at @EricBlackBSP.

As editor Eric Black recently mentioned, sex is “front and center” in media and denominational discussions, but it is often in reaction to scandals and controversy. Seldom is the church offering and ordaining proactive and positive messages about human sexuality that celebrate it as gift to be enjoyed.

Why should the church be a part of these discussions? Does the church have anything to offer? If we claim to be the “City on a Hill” and a prophetic witness, then we have marked improvements to make in this area. Here are some suggestions.

Recognize and honor the many survivors in our midst.

If one in four women has been sexually abused and one in six men, our congregations are heavily populated with people who have experienced adversity in profound ways (many of whom have also been victims of spiritual injury). As a result, we must be aware of language, media and resources we use that can trigger and further traumatize survivors in our midst.

Pastors and staff need to have a vetted list of trusted professionals in their community to whom they can refer people and from whom they can learn about how churches can become a trauma-informed space. If abuse were to occur in the congregation, this network could help the pastoral staff and larger community manage such a complex situation.

Clergy in rural and otherwise isolated communities can network via technology to staff cases needing the assessment of a clinical eye if in-person resources are not readily available.

Create a trauma-informed culture with a clear message that children are a priority.

Most churches have some sort of child protection policy, but few have a culture of protection where trainings are paired with those policies and where clearly outlined safety plans exist for known sex offenders. Creating such a culture requires us to be as “wise as serpents and innocent as doves.”

Churches modeling best practices go beyond legal matters—background checks and written policies—to embrace a spirit of care. In these churches, staff and volunteers learn to rely on and share their intuition by observing volunteers and engaging children more fully. They also truly believe all children are God’s children and all children are our children.

Our mandate as people of faith must go beyond “not getting sued” to care more deeply and take seriously our calling to be stewards of the vulnerable.

Give name to sexual assault and talk about it.

Black mentions most pastors are not comfortable talking about sex from the pulpit. Although understandable because our culture has co-opted sex, the Bible has much to say about it.

David’s acquisition of Bathsheba for his own purposes—which led to rape, impregnation and murder—often is overlooked. Instead, David often is lauded as a man after God’s own heart, without hearing of his moral and spiritual deficiencies.

Can you imagine how a survivor might feel if he/she heard a pastor speak truth to the power of sexual violence? Or conversely, a pastor lauding David without noting his abuse of power?

Although a sermon about sexual assault very well could be triggering to a survivor, it also could serve for healing and resiliency to hear a person of faith—in power—publicly name the injustices so many have experienced.

Offer our members, children through adults, an alternative view of human sexuality.

Black says, “We know children need to know something about sex, but not too much too soon.” My hunch is that Black is specifically talking about intercourse here because children are born sexual and don’t necessarily need reminders of that. However, we are embodied.

Children arrive fully human, and sexuality is part of the gift by which God knits them together in their mother’s womb.

Some topics are not age-appropriate, but because of damaging messages of sex, we often tend to tell children too little too late. Our children come to us for guidance, and if we refuse to unpack our own baggage around sex, bodies and relationships, we will not be able to equip them adequately for a very confusing world that tells them sex sells but breastfeeding isn’t allowed in public.

We have to send the message that we are up to the task of talking about difficult topics.

One easy way the church can begin this conversation with caregivers is to offer intentional trainings to normalize the conversation.

I offer a curriculum that empowers caregivers of faith to create open communication with their children about topics such as sexual development, puberty, consent and intimacy.

When children are given the freedom and words to report if a boundary has been violated—using proper terms and clear language, coupled with a home environment that normalizes conversations around bodies and boundaries—the risk of victimization is reduced.

Perhaps caregivers would feel more encouraged and empowered to be brave in this area of parenting if their church endorsed—and sponsored—such open communication.

Celebrate sex, bodies and intimacy as a gift from God.

A study reports that when the Swedes teach their children about sex, they focus on “joy, responsibility and pleasure,” while Americans focus on “fear, risk and shame.”

If we are to reclaim the narrative about sex—that God declared it good and meant it to be enjoyed within the parameters of a responsible partnership—we need to communicate that message to our children.

Focusing on the goodness and joy of sex seems counterintuitive to us because we have been enculturated to feel shame about desire and bodies. We need to write a new chapter on this and reclaim a botched narrative of unhealthy sexuality.

The above steps are a beginning to a much larger conversation. It will take bravery to create spaces of transparency and openness, but the time is now if we will accept the opportunity.

LeAnn Gardner is a lecturer at Baylor University’s Garland School of Social Work and leads the SAFE—Sexual Awareness and Family Empowerment—workshop in churches and community organizations across the country. More information can be found at www.leanngardner.com.

Far more people have been sexually abused than are reported. The reasons for underreporting are numerous. It’s long past time to defang those reasons.

To those who have been sexually abused

If you have been sexually abused, it’s OK to tell someone.

It won’t be easy.

But when you tell someone, you do something significant. When you tell someone, you begin to undo the power sexual abuse has over you. Right from the start, as soon as you tell someone, you remove the power of silence and secrets.

But who do you tell? There’s more wrapped up in that question than may appear at first.

Sexual abuse creates a profound breach of trust, especially when that abuse is inflicted by a trusted person. And sexual abuse usually is.

Start by telling yourself.

Something happened to you. You may have a lot of questions about it, but one thing seems clear to you: It wasn’t right.

You didn’t ask for the abuse. Someone who should have protected you didn’t. Someone who should have cared for you instead hurt you.

You may never have allowed yourself to acknowledge what really happened. You may not yet be ready to delve into all of what happened. It may be enough, initially, for you simply to tell yourself what happened. And then to agree with yourself—it wasn’t and isn’t right.

After that, who you tell and when are your decision.

Some of your options are:

• Hotlines. There are a handful of agencies you can call. Each has trained professionals available 24/7.

• The National Hotline for Domestic Violence, 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).
• The National Child Abuse Hotline, 1-800-422-4453.
• The Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network, 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

• Reporting agencies. Reporting agencies differ by state. In Texas, contact the Department of Family and Protective Services, 1-800-252-5400.

“Texas law says anyone who thinks a child, or person 65 years or older, or an adult with disabilities is being abused, neglected, or exploited must report it to DFPS.

“A person who reports abuse in good faith is immune from civil or criminal liability. DFPS keeps the name of the person making the report confidential. Anyone who does not report suspected abuse can be held liable for a misdemeanor or felony.”

• Law enforcement. This option may terrify you, but here’s why law enforcement should know: A legitimate investigation cannot take place without a report to law enforcement.

• A counselor. Write down some goals—what you want or need—for counseling, and look for a counselor who fits those goals.

Look for a counselor or therapist who has experience working with trauma and/or sexual abuse. If a counselor is not a good fit, don’t give up on counseling but find someone with whom you feel comfortable and who you believe will help you achieve your goals.

When you are ready to tell someone, I encourage you not to stop telling until someone believes you. You will know you have been heard and believed when the person you tell walks with you through the next steps, which can include making a report or seeking a counselor.

To churches

I used to pass a business several times a week that had a large sign posted at its entrance. The sign read: “Safety is a moral issue.”

Church, you are responsible for providing a safe place. You are responsible for knowing and vetting your volunteers. You are responsible for the people you call and hire. You are responsible for the policies you have in place and for abiding by those policies.

When an incident happens on your property or on your schedule involving one of your leaders—paid or volunteer—you are responsible for taking it seriously and reporting it appropriately.

You don’t need an insurance company or an outside denominational entity to force your hand. You can do what’s right because it’s what is right.

If I haven’t been hard enough already, here’s a hard word: You may want people to trust your church, but because of the neglect of many churches—as pointed out in the recent Houston Chronicle/San Antonio Express-News report—the church as a whole must now accept people’s mistrust and work to earn trust once again. It won’t be easy, and it won’t happen overnight.

You may want to redeem the situation, but you may have lost the right—either by your own inaction or the inaction of another church. That redemptive work may have to be done by a third party. So be it.

The sanctity of each and every person who encounters your ministry is more important than your reputation. Caring for the people in your congregation and community is more important than preserving your organization.

Take the appropriate steps to deal with sexual abuse and misconduct when it occurs, and better still, engage in the best practices to do all you can to prevent such occurrences.

If you need help writing policies, organizations like MinistrySafe can help you. Remember, though, the best policy is an enacted policy. So, be sure you and your ministry can abide by the policies you create or can adapt your structure and staffing to meet the requirements of the policy.

Resources for addressing sexual abuse also are available in our Falling Seed column.

To all of us

Dealing with sexual abuse isn’t easy, but we are created in the image of God. Surely, we can do hard things.

Another word to abuse survivors

When you think you’re too broken to go any further, remember: You made it this far.

Eric Black is the executive director, publisher and editor of the Baptist Standard. He can be reached at eric.black@baptiststandard.com or on Twitter at @EricBlackBSP.