To start a new ministry....

[rainbowprism]

Hello all! I am not employed full-time in minstry but I am blessed to go to a church that has many many different ministries and is always open to the creation of new ones. I have felt 'burdened' to approach the ministry counselor of my church with the idea of starting a ministry for victims of domestic violence. My church already has a ministry for victims of sexual abuse...but while these things can be interwined in this cycle, there are specific needs of people who are verbally and physically abused. Obviously most of these people in need of such a minsistry would be women, but I am also open to expand the ministry to helping abusers stop thier violence and recieve help as well. I have already sat down and outlined what the goals of this ministry would be:

*help abused women understand how loved and valued they are by God
*provide support, love, information, education, and prayer
*draw women to Jesus for healing and forgiveness
*help women to rely on Bible instead of abusive partner to define self-worth, value and dignity
*empower them to be effective servants of God's kingdom
?*help batterers revieve help as well

I have also have found a Bible verse that would show the goals of this group and subsequently, the name of this ministry as well. Luke 13:20-17 tells the story of the bent-over woman who was oppressed by the spirit of infirmity. She had no name and was considered an outcast....Jesus heals her and calls her a "daughter of Abraham". I feel many women are bent-over with the burden of grief, shame, and anguish of physical/verbal abuse and that God can help!

What else should I be prepared to present to the person I'm pitching this idea to?

 

[Bizzlebin Imperatoris]

Just make sure he knows that you'll run it and that you won't burden him with anything. Elders should be glad to approve of your project; appeal to the fact that they won't have to do any work for it.

 

[Rev. Smith]

Study, study and then study some more. Women burdened by this type of abuse often have deep pain and conflicts. There is nothing worse then being betrayed and abused by those you love and trusted. In my pastoral counseling courses they advised to offer a refferral to a psycologist if prayer and support don't seem to be helping in very short order - post traumatic stress disorder is common in this arena, hard to diagnose and harder to treat.

Consider working with your elder to set up seperate worship time and space, so that the women will have a protected time to seek God's healing.

Good luck. may the Lord bless and uphold your good work.

 

[jiminpa]

Obviously most of these people in need of such a minsistry would be women

Why, obviosly? Some studies show that men are abused as often as women, but can't get it reported. Abusive women tend to make up any strength differences by using weapons and the guilt of being in a fight with a woman. If your heart is specifically for abused women that's okay. But the problems that a battered man encounters is one of my soapbox issues, since I experienced it. Unfortunately, domestic violence has become so politicized that battered men are a threat to the agendas of many women's shelters. I hope that you will at least be willing to acknowledge that part of the issue. I don't see how it does any good to deny the extent of the whole domestic violence issue. It all needs to be stopped!

God bless you in your work! Abuse victims need safety and counselling.