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Is your church safe?

June 13, 2019 By Illinois Baptist Staff

The American church is facing an abuse crisis. Is your church doing all it can to be safe for survivors and safe from abuse?

Southern Baptists are committed to making our churches safe from abuse and a healthy environment for survivors of abuse. The Caring Well Challenge was announced at the SBC Annual Meeting in June. It is a unified call to action on the abuse crisis.

The goal is to equip churches to be safe for survivors and safe from abuse. It provides churches with an adaptable and attainable pathway to immediately enhance their efforts to prevent abuse and care for survivors.

The centerpiece of the Caring Well Challenge is your commitment to empower a Caring Well Team to lead a year-long effort to enhance how your church addresses abuse. Tools and training will be provided throughout the Caring Well Challenge to give your church the resources it needs to take each step.

There are 8 steps in the process, starting with a church’s commitment and continuing through building a team to combat abuse and care for survivors.

Caring Well Challenge 8 Steps

“The ‘Caring Well Challenge’ provides your church with a pathway to start engaging the problem of abuse,” SBC President J.D. Greear said. “This is an opportunity for you to say, ‘Yes, yes, our church is ready to do whatever it takes to confront the abuse crisis and to care for the abused.’” Greear’s study team on sexual abuse worked with LifeWay Christian Resources and the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission to develop the curriculum.

“There is no quick fix for an issue as complex as church sexual abuse,” ERLC President Russell Moore said. “But this initiative is an outstanding step designed to join our churches together in a common cause.

“Over the last year, I’ve spoken with hundreds of pastors and leaders who are determined to make this issue a priority in their churches, but are looking for tools and training. That’s exactly what this challenge is designed to provide.”

Visit caringwell.com to learn more and sign up!

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