
Why Uphold?
Uphold exists to confront the epidemic of abuse and mistreatment of gospel workers in Christian churches and organisations. Bullying, and other forms of abuse, are sinful behaviours that do not bring glory to the Lord Jesus. We know that, one day, those who perpetrate these abuses will be called to account for their actions before a Holy and just God, but this does not mean that God's people are absolved of the responsibility to act when faced with situations of injustice. Uphold champions the cause of victims of bullying and abuse within the church. Our goal is to provide support to the vulnerable, to hold leaders accountable to biblical standards of behaviour and to educate the wider community about the very real and serious effects of bullying abuse.
Support
Uphold supports gospel workers who are being mistreated in Christian workplaces, including offering help with issues related to employment.
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Should you need to contact us, we will connect you with a support person who will learn about and oversee your case. This support person will firstly provide you with a listening ear, which is so often the one thing that is missing when victims first seek help. We will usually set up a time to speak on the phone or via video call, although corresponding via email is completely fine.
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After we have heard the details of your case, we can provide a range of services depending on your specific needs. No two cases are the same, so we will work with you to discover what kind of support you need and how we can help you in the most appropriate way. Victims usually need a safe person to speak and pray with confidentially. All of our Victim Support helpers have signed confidentiality agreements, so you can be sure that we will not pass on your information without your express consent.
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We also provide targeted advocacy services when required. This support can be in the form of legal advice, providing a witness to be present in mediation, assistance in drafting complaint letters, or referral to appropriate professional services as needed. These are just some of the things we do for victims on a regular basis. Most importantly, we will also pray with and for you!
We can also help you to heal from the trauma that is often associated with bullying and abuse, and to give hope in situations that feel hopeless or where justice is absent. We can connect you with support groups, pastoral care and counselling services—and we hope to extend our services to include more targeted support for long-term healing.


Advocacy
Uphold seeks systemic reform within Christian organisations. Churches and other ministries often function with a power imbalance between the employer and the employee, leaving workers vulnerable and unsafe. We are committed to working with both individuals and organisations to help correct the abuse and misuse of these power imbalances so that gospel workers are properly protected. We long to see employers following due process, which will result in better accountability and transparency in Christian workplaces and the establishment of healthy working partnerships.
We seek a just and fair outcome for workers who have been improperly dismissed, and we call on Christian churches and ministries to uphold their responsibilities under relevant laws in their area. When working relationships break down, we seek to “speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves” (Prov 31:8).
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If you are interested in becoming involved in our general advocacy work by petitioning for institutional reform where it is needed, please get in touch with us by completing the membership form. We’d love to have you on board!
Education
One of our goals is to educate individuals, churches, ministries, organisations and the wider community about the damage which can occur in Christian environments through the abuse and misuse of power. The very fact that bullying (including emotional, spiritual, psychological and other forms of abuse) occurs in Christian environments at all is a travesty which brings dishonour to the Lord Jesus. By educating Christians about these issues, we hope to see churches and leaders confront the realities of living in a broken world, where abusive behaviour from Christians in leadership positions is currently at epidemic levels—even in evangelical circles.
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We have seen a recent outpouring of grief worldwide as more and more hidden abuses from Christian leaders are revealed, but abuse is happening close to home. We seek to equip Christians to stand up to these abuses and to use their gifts, talents and influence for positive, biblical and Christ-honouring change. We seek to provide not only reactive post-abuse care, but also proactive prevention of bullying and abuse.
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You can learn more about the types of bullying and abuse that are occurring in Christian environments right now by reading our STORIES page. These harrowing accounts capture the experiences of real individuals in their own words. These are the stories of some of the people we have worked with personally and whose situations are known to us (in far more detail than the stories can convey). We hope these stories will horrify you and help you to see the seriousness of these issues.
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Our RESOURCES page contains links to articles which address a wide variety of topics related to bullying and abuse. These resources may help you to form a greater understanding of, and empathy for, victims who are currently in these situations. We would be grateful if you would consider sharing these resources and articles within your own networks. For regular updates and further resources, like and follow our FACEBOOK page or find us on INSTAGRAM.
