
Educate
In our experience and observation, there is a general lack of awareness in the church about issues relating to bullying and abuse in Christian environments. In recent years, there have been many high-profile cases of abuse among Christian leaders. Some of these stories have even broken into international news cycles. Often in these situations, congregations, elders, boards of reference and/or close colleagues have failed to keep the abusers accountable; they have unwittingly failed in their duty of care for the victims right under their noses.
It is right and godly to prioritise repentance and forgiveness in situations of conflict. But this good desire can lead to serious ramifications when an abuse of power is mistaken for 'mutual disagreement' or a 'personality clash'. Often in situations like this, the perpetrator is able to put on a good show of remorse, but genuine repentance is woefully absent, thus compounding the pain of the victim. Many victims are not believed at the outset, such is the strength of the power and influence that many leaders have in their respective domains.
​
But shouldn't we take people at their word? How do we know when repentance is genuine?
For many Christians, the concepts of bullying, emotional abuse, psychological abuse and spiritual abuse can be very hard to understand if they don't know what to look for, have never experienced it themselves, and do not recognise the warning signs. This can lead well-meaning Christians to become unwitting "enablers", leaving hurting people vulnerable to further damage when their stories are misunderstood and the advice they are given is situationally inappropriate or even dangerous.
​
Uphold is committed to the dissemination of information and resources to help educate Christians and organisations about the dangers of abuse and the misuse of power in Christian contexts. Our FACEBOOK page is updated regularly with new content, which is intended to help people gain a better understanding of these issues. Our blog regularly shares helpful RESOURCES, which we hope will continue to promote robust dialogue and awareness of the prevalence of this problem in our churches.
​
This is not a new thing! It's an age-old problem called sin. Throughout the Scriptures we see power wielded and power abused, leaving people manipulated, destroyed and broken. We should not be surprised that even among the people of God there are those who seek to wound and persecute even their own brothers and sisters. This is true even among the shepherds who lead the flock.
​
All Christians are tasked with seeking wisdom and discernment, so that we will know how to recognise false teachers and identify the shepherds who abuse their sheep. The sheep are our responsibility too, as we are all members of the body of Christ. We are called to care for the vulnerable and to hold abusers to account for their actions.
​
When abusers are held to account by godly people, instead of controlling the narrative themselves, their power over their victims will be greatly reduced. This in turn allows damaged people to begin to heal. It is also important for Christians to hold abusive leaders to account for their own sake, because the salvation of the false shepherds is at stake:
​
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’" (Matthew 7:21-23)
​
Uphold wants to see victims gain restitution and be given the chance to heal from their abuse. We also desire to see perpetrators genuinely restored to repentance and faith. We want to see institutional policies and procedures change, acknowledging the realities of sin in all its forms and bringing hidden abuse out into the light. But we can't do this alone! We need to raise up a new generation of godly believers who want to learn about the seriousness of the epidemic of bullying and abuse that is taking place in our churches right now and who desire to see effective and lasting change. Join us in raising awareness by sharing our resources and Facebook posts within your own circles too.
​
​
​
​
​