Participants: Shelley Quinn (Host), Lizzie Harrison
Series Code: IAA
Program Code: IAA000343
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00:30 Hello, I am Shelley Quinn
00:32 and welcome again to "Issues and Answers." 00:34 No matter where you're tuning in 00:35 from around the world 00:36 we are happy that you are with us today. 00:39 We are going to be talking about something that is-- 00:42 I am not go to say a dirty little secret 00:44 but its something that there is some what of a cover up, 00:47 its in the closet inside the body of Christ 00:50 and that is domestic violence that happens even in the church. 00:54 It's hard to believe but yes it does. 00:56 We have to remember that the church is a microcosm 00:59 it's built of people who have many problems. 01:04 They come to church to be healed 01:06 and sometimes they bring this, this baggage with them 01:09 for which they are ashamed to admit 01:13 what's going on 01:14 and we have got to learn as the body of Christ 01:17 how to recognize what's going on 01:19 and how to minister to people who are hurting. 01:23 In 2 Samuel Chapter 22, 01:27 this is what is written verse 6 and 7. 01:30 "The cords of Sheol were entangled me, 01:33 I encountered the snares of death." 01:35 This is very much how the victim is feeling 01:40 if they are victim of domestic violence. 01:43 "In my distress I called upon the Lord, 01:45 I cried to my God and He heard my voice from His temple, 01:48 my cry came into His ears." 01:52 As the Lord responds to the cry of those who are hurting 01:57 who does He use for His hands and His feet? 02:01 He uses us in the body of Christ. 02:04 So the church needs to wake up 02:05 and really be educated on this topic 02:08 and learn what we can do. 02:10 With us today we are very pleased 02:12 to introduce you to Liz Harrison coming to us 02:15 from St. Louis, Missouri. 02:17 And Liz, you are the director 02:18 for Harrison's Referral Services. 02:21 Tell us a little bit about that ministry. 02:23 Well by the grace of God He has allowed me 02:25 to start a ministry on domestic violence. 02:28 I was a victim of domestic violence 02:30 and I decided to turn my pain into power. Praise God. 02:33 I decided to help other women 02:35 that were dealing with domestic violence 02:37 by reaching out to them 02:39 or helping them to get into safe havens 02:41 also helping with food and clothing 02:43 and spiritual counseling. 02:45 Now you were-- your's was mostly the verbal, 02:51 mental, emotional abuse 02:53 but it escalated to the physical abuse in your relationship. 02:57 Yes, that's correct. Yes. 02:59 And we are going to talk with you about 03:00 that bonds some other programs, 03:02 but today we are gonna focus in on the churches responsibility 03:07 it is something that is still 03:09 kind of in the closet in the church. 03:10 Is it not? Yes, that's correct. Yes. 03:12 So now, if we are going to address domestic violence 03:18 how do you see pastors, elders, deacons 03:20 and people becoming involved 03:22 what can the church do to recognize 03:26 and address this problem. 03:28 Well, I will think that would be more supportive 03:30 to victims of domestic violence 03:32 or family abuse or whatever is going on in the situation. 03:36 I think the church can really be a helping hand 03:39 to victims of domestic violence by reaching out to them, 03:42 having more support groups, having more counseling, 03:45 more seminars and workshops on domestic violence. 03:49 I do believe that by having ministries 03:52 on the inside of the churches 03:53 or may be you having outside contacts 03:55 for the victims would be very help to them. 03:58 I think the counseling would be good from the pastors 04:01 if they are able to counsel victims of domestic violence 04:04 or even when they do a marriage counseling 04:07 if they would talk to the couples 04:08 about domestic violence as well. 04:10 Okay, so you are heading on something now 04:11 that you are going to get me going 04:13 because the way the best way to prevent 04:17 domestic violence is education. Yes, that's correct. 04:20 And if we are working with couples 04:23 who are even young people, 04:25 teenagers you need recognize this 04:26 because we are hearing a lot about 04:29 abusive relationships between teens. 04:32 And so I think that part of the reason 04:34 the church is afraid to become involved, 04:38 many are uneducated but if the pastor, 04:41 the elder or if they have church counselor 04:43 or someone who is working with young adults 04:47 you are saying, get out there teach them the warning signs, 04:50 teach them what the biblical prospective is on this, 04:56 that it is not acceptable to be in a abusive relationship, 05:00 to be abuser and teach them in advance 05:03 and even if they are coming in 05:04 from marriage counseling share this 05:08 so that when women or men go into a marriage 05:12 they recognize that got some foundational rules 05:15 right from the beginning. 05:16 Exactly, I think that would be awesome for them to have that 05:19 because a lot of times we don't talk about domestic violence 05:22 we just talk about the relationship 05:24 and yourself and what marriage really means to a couple. 05:27 And, you know, they talk about 05:28 how we need to treat one another 05:29 but nobody really talks about domestic violence or abuse. 05:33 Well, if the abuse starts were do we go from here? 05:36 How can the church help us with domestic violence? 05:39 What does the church do about the abuser? 05:42 What more can we do to be a more of a support? 05:45 We are here to support the abusers as well. 05:47 We don't want to exout the abusers 05:50 or anything of that sort. 05:51 We want to be able to bring them in, 05:53 to work with them, to get them in the counseling 05:55 and help that they need if that's what they want to do. 05:58 And I just think that will be more helpful as a body of Christ 06:01 and its all about responsibility, 06:02 not just a pastor it's everyone's responsibility. 06:05 Even the members we shall look after one another, 06:08 we shall listen to each other more. 06:10 Pay attention to what each other 06:11 is going through on a daily bases. 06:13 And I just think we happen to be more help 06:15 if we just reach out more and just have a open mind 06:18 to domestic violence sort of a close mind. 06:20 Okay, now you when you were in your relationship 06:25 in your marriage you had three children. Yes. 06:27 And how old were your children when you divorced? 06:29 Oh, my son he is two years old at the time, 06:32 he is eight years old now. 06:33 And my two daughters are 16 and 17 06:36 at the time they were 11 and 12. 06:38 But you were in the church at the time? 06:40 No, I was not in the church. 06:42 So how was it for you-- how did you reach out? 06:45 Did you find it difficult to lead 06:47 that abusive relationship? 06:50 Actually, I did. 06:51 You know, I felt that I could make it on my own. 06:53 I felt that I couldn't take care of my children. 06:55 I was so used to both of the incomes in the house. 06:58 I was a working mom, I worked two jobs actually 07:02 and at the time my husband he worked a really good job 07:06 and ever thing but I just felt that 07:08 I couldn't leave because I didn't think 07:09 I could take care of my children on my own. 07:11 I didn't think I will survive and my abuser actually told me 07:14 I wouldn't make you without him, 07:15 I wouldn't survive without him. 07:18 And I just thank God that that was not true 07:21 and I just steeped out on faith. 07:23 And you did finally, so you had that belief in the Lord 07:26 but you just weren't in the church at that time. 07:28 Exactly I knew that God loved me. 07:30 I knew that there was a way out. 07:33 I just had to, you know, to get the connection with Christ 07:37 and to, you know, just to really talk with Him 07:41 and speak with Him and ask Him to guide 07:43 and to lead me because I want to do the right thing. 07:44 I had children they were there 07:47 I want to be a good example to my children. 07:49 I didn't want more violence to be escalated 07:52 out of the separation or whatever 07:54 and I spoke with my children about the abuse 07:56 but then never really understood the abuse 07:59 but I just thank God 08:00 that I was able to be strong in Christ Jesus 08:03 and was able to escape domestic violence. 08:06 When people in the Church why do you think that 08:10 this is such a dirty little secret 08:12 in the church out of that? 08:14 Why are people so afraid? 08:15 Why are women and its not always the women 08:19 who are the victims sometimes men are the victims. 08:21 Yes, very much so. 08:22 And that's a very difficult thing, 08:24 because a man I think he is particularly embarrassed 08:27 if he is-- if he is the victim. 08:30 But why is this something that there is such a cover up? 08:35 Well, in my opinion I would say that a lot of times, 08:39 you know, we are couples 08:40 or we are in the church we seem to be happy. 08:43 Have the excellent marriages and everything 08:46 it's an-- its an embracement. 08:48 Because, you know, we show this 08:50 we wear this mask on the outside 08:51 and we pretend that everything is all right 08:54 and, you know, the relationship is just really, 08:58 really flowing and so happy. 08:59 But all along it's a secret that you cover up 09:02 that you don't want anybody to know 09:03 that you are been abused a lot of times. 09:05 You might not see the physical bruises on the outside 09:09 but the mental and emotional abuses 09:11 and physiological abuse is of course that you can't see. 09:13 But if some body reactions and things of this sort 09:17 but it's just a hidden secret 09:18 because nobody wants to talk about it. 09:20 About the shame factor is that what it is? Yes. Yes. 09:23 And nobody wants to talk about 09:25 to really actually open up to say 09:27 the domestic violence actually exist 09:28 in the body of Christ, but it does. 09:31 It's just a secret it is hidden a so deep secret 09:34 that is hidden it's a suicidal secret is I will call it. 09:38 What do you mean? 09:40 I mean that when you have it bottled up in you for so long 09:44 and you don't really know who to talk to. 09:46 A lot of times, you know, there is gossip in the church 09:48 you really don't know who to talk to. 09:50 You really don't know who to tell your secret to. 09:52 And also to if the person 09:54 or to the leadership in the church 09:56 or anything of that sort 09:57 you really don't want to expose that person 10:00 because everybody has this image of this person is so loving 10:03 and so kind and so respectable so you keep that image. 10:06 You know, because it's just something 10:09 that you just don't tell. 10:11 You know, I interviewed a pastor and his wife 10:14 and he had been abuser mostly verbal, 10:17 physiological, mental, emotional 10:19 whatever you term you want to-- 10:21 it had really escalated to physical violence 10:23 but it wasn't incredibly abusive situation 10:27 and he said that he kept telling her 10:30 you can't talk to anybody about this 10:33 because if you do I will lose my job. 10:35 And so there was so the abuser frequently 10:40 will use that type of a controlling factor. 10:45 It's kind of like, you know, 10:46 whether you are a doctor in abuse-- 10:49 let me finish one topic then I go with the second. 10:52 Whether you are a doctor or if you are the genitor 10:55 or who ever, whatever your position is in life 10:59 its something that people don't want 11:03 others in the church to know, 11:04 because everybody seems 11:05 so loving and friendly in the church. 11:07 They are ashamed of this little secret 11:09 that's going on at home. Yes, that's correct. 11:11 But what it does cause all social economic classes 11:18 abuse happens just as much in the very well to do homes, 11:22 as it does in the poverty striking home, 11:24 it doesn't matter what education. 11:26 So what are some of the signs 11:30 and I know we are going to do a program later 11:32 and talk about the warning signs 11:34 but for a church 11:36 what are some of the signs that you might notice 11:39 if a person is being abused in their marriage? 11:43 How would you-- 11:44 if some is not coming forward to talk about it, 11:47 how would you recognize 11:48 that they are being abused by possibly. 11:50 I will say that if our eyes were opened more a lot of times 11:53 when we come to church sometimes, 11:56 we have our eyes focus on ourselves sometimes 12:00 and what we came for and what's going on 12:02 we really don't look at the body language and the reaction 12:06 and the different appearance of our sisters and brothers. 12:09 A lot of times if you notice that 12:11 this sister or brother is distinct 12:13 don't give you eye contact a whole lot. 12:16 You know, tries to escape the same 12:18 when you are trying to bond with them 12:21 or whatever a lot of them, 12:22 you can just see the stress in their bodies. 12:25 I think if we just pay more attention, 12:27 excuse me to the individuals in our churches, 12:31 we sit next to them 12:32 and just really pay attention to the atmosphere 12:35 how they interact with you, how they react with you, 12:38 do they hold the conversation or they distance. 12:41 A lot of times if the ladies are wearing more make up 12:43 or won't make-up actually at all, 12:46 they are wearing more than they usually wear 12:48 if you see if the brother who stand off 12:49 and he is very quite and distant. 12:52 You know, a lot of times 12:53 it doesn't mean that its always abusive going on 12:56 but there is most likely something going on there 12:59 that they don't really want to talk about it. 13:01 So like you said its just a secret 13:02 that you just don't tell. 13:04 The abuser puts that guilt trip burden on you 13:08 to make you think if you tell not I only would be exposed 13:12 but you would be exposed 13:14 and then you gonna make us look bad in front of everybody 13:17 and they put the guilt trip on the individual. 13:19 Even though the victim wants to speak out 13:22 she or he cannot speak out because it's exposing the family 13:27 and you don't put the families business 13:28 out in the open, you know. 13:30 But sometimes we have to do that 13:32 in order for to heal and to have survival. 13:35 You know, it's so amazing 13:36 how dysfunction in a family its like, 13:40 I use this terminology about alcoholism. 13:44 Quite frequently there is this 13:46 white elephant in the living room 13:48 and you are living with this white elephant 13:50 but you can't go out and talk about this white elephant 13:53 that's in your home, you know. Exactly. 13:55 Its something that there is always it's cloaked 13:57 and sealed often dysfunction is cloaked in secrecy. 14:01 It's something that you can't go out 14:03 and talk about, as you told that. Yes. 14:05 But until you reach out for help 14:08 then you are not going to get help. It's true. 14:10 So now what happens though in the church 14:15 if someone does come to the pastor 14:17 and the pastor hasn't been trained as a councilor, 14:20 I've heard from many different denominations 14:23 as I am gone out ministry that woman 14:26 who have approached their pastor has just said, 14:29 well, I'll pray for you or I will you the scripture 14:32 I don't know what to do. 14:33 So how does a church go about equipping them self to do this. 14:40 How do they get trained you are saying hold seminars, 14:43 or workshops just bring it up. 14:45 How do you go about finding the information? 14:49 How did you start your business? 14:51 Actually I started from scratch 14:52 I started from not this, I started from not knowing 14:56 and the Lord said if we ask, you know, we shall receive, 14:58 if we knock, you know, the door be open. 15:01 And what I did was just started calling number 15:03 and getting in the phonebooks and things of this sort. 15:06 Just reaching out for help, 15:07 finding who I can talk to where I can go 15:10 and I started from there forced to the church 15:14 just like we have workshops on stewardship 15:16 and better marriages, 15:18 better family, things of this sort. 15:20 We can also have educational programs on domestic violence. 15:24 The pastors can be trained on how to be 15:27 a better leaders in domestic violence 15:29 just like when they get training for pastoralship, 15:33 they can also get training on domestic violence 15:35 and most of our pastors 15:36 or most of majority of them any way are counselors, 15:39 marriage counselors. 15:40 And I think that they could be part of counseling, 15:42 they can get training on how to council on domestic violence. 15:47 Or perhaps find someone in your church like you 15:50 who has a real passion for this ministry, 15:53 to some one to stand up and take at the lead in-- 15:57 in organizing and focusing on such things. Yes. 16:00 What happens in the church 16:04 when it is an elder or a deacon 16:07 or even the pastor of the church, 16:09 how should the church be dealing? 16:10 Let's say that the pastor has a good marriage 16:13 but he finds that an elder or a deacon has a problem, 16:19 what do you believe the Bible says about that? 16:22 Well, I believe that the Bible say that 16:23 we should be the head and not the tail 16:27 also to that the Lord 16:28 puts the pastor into out of his flaw. 16:31 And that means that we should-- 16:32 the pastor should counsel and to lead and to guide. 16:36 In my opinion if there is a pastor or deacon 16:39 or elder that's in leadership in the church 16:41 and they are abusive to their spouse 16:43 or the children or whether its male of female, 16:47 it think that they shouldn't hold 16:48 a leadership position in church. 16:49 They should not be allowed 16:51 to stand in front of the congregation 16:53 they shouldn't be allowed to minister 16:55 when they are abusing. 16:57 I don't think the God allows that. 16:59 I know he doesn't allow that. 17:02 God ordains his children to be pastors and elders. 17:06 So when you ordained by Christ Jesus 17:08 you will not abuse, you will not allow abuse to go on. 17:12 Abuse shouldn't be anything that the pastors 17:14 or the any one should close their eyes to. 17:16 I just think that if anyone that's in leadership, 17:18 any church, any denomination that is known to be an abuser 17:23 shouldn't be able to hold leadership position. 17:26 No I am not saying them they can't back to that position 17:29 if the abusers are willing to get the help. 17:31 But to get counseling and support of that sort 17:34 because God is healing in Christ Jesus 17:36 and He can heal us from all things. 17:38 But if the abuser is not willing to get counseling 17:41 or help then they shouldn't be allow back in leadership. 17:44 I just don't think its godly at all 17:45 and it shouldn't be allowed. 17:46 Well, I think the Apostle Paul would agree with you 100% 17:49 because he gives very distinct qualifications 17:53 for elders and for deacons-- Exactly. 17:55 And they are not to be-- 17:57 they are to be up right Christians. That's right. 18:00 And so they should be serving Christ 18:02 and anyone who is serving Christ 18:04 and living for Christ trying to be Christ like 18:08 any person who loves his, 18:10 his wife as Christ love the church 18:13 would not be doing this. Exactly. 18:14 So if they are-- its an unchristian activity 18:17 so they certainly shouldn't be in leadership position. No. 18:21 And for some reason I feel compelled right now to say 18:24 if you find yourself falling into this category, 18:27 if you are a pastor or a deacon or elder 18:31 or Sabbath school superintendent, 18:33 whatever church you belong to 18:35 if you are in this category 18:37 you should go and talk to someone 18:40 and say I need to step down for a while 18:43 because I am not qualified to be in leadership 18:45 because I am following the Lord Jesus. 18:47 I need healing. 18:49 I need someone to counsel with me, 18:51 help me to get over my anger issues, 18:53 help me to get over this rage, this rages. 18:56 Help me to get beyond 18:59 whatever it is that is causing me 19:01 to act out in such a way. 19:03 And that takes us to what you are saying is that 19:07 we are not trying to say, 19:09 ha, we are gonna label you as an abuser 19:11 out the door with you. 19:13 We are going to recognize 19:15 you are asking the church to stand up 19:17 and recognize give help to the person-- Exactly. 19:20 Who needs to the victims 19:22 but also to help the abuser? That's correct. 19:26 So the church then if they are not qualified 19:29 to counsel with that they should what 19:32 seek outside council 19:33 find Christian councils to work with them. 19:35 Yes, we do have a lot of agencies 19:37 that's available for outside counseling 19:40 that we can refer, you know, abusers to. 19:43 You have so many different ones 19:44 that we can do to send them to 19:46 and they are very excellent. They are out there. 19:49 I have spoken with them, 19:50 I have worked with them they are very good. 19:53 There's always a solution 19:55 for anything that we are going through. 19:56 Especially when we recognize that we have a sickness, 19:58 recognize that we have a illness 19:59 and recognize that we do have a problem that we are abusive. 20:04 And you know abuse can extend 20:06 not just in a personal relationship over the marriage 20:08 it can extend to leadership towards one another. 20:12 It can also be a part of members of the charity 20:16 or the body of Christ abusing one another. 20:19 It can also instant to abusive to children of any sort. 20:24 But in this particular case, 20:25 you know, we are taking leadership. 20:27 You know leadership is supposed to the head 20:29 and not the tail. 20:30 We are suppose to be the example 20:32 of what the body of Christ represents 20:34 and I think that we should keep that on point 20:37 and stay focus on all times. 20:39 Not I would say defiling the leadership position 20:44 that God has ordained for you to have. 20:47 Now, some people take the physician that 20:51 if a couple are married 20:52 and there is an abusive thing that 20:54 as just pray this through you don't need to separate, 20:58 you know because that's-- 20:59 they will say that's not really scriptural. 21:01 You know, God doesn't give you permission to do that 21:03 but I know that for our church we recognize that 21:07 if its any dangerous situation 21:09 if someone is in danger that really 21:11 we almost not almost but we are responsible 21:15 and held accountable 21:16 before God to step in-- Yes we are. 21:19 And give that protection to that person. 21:22 So what I am trying to set up here is Liz, 21:25 is if some one is if there is a woman watching right now, 21:30 who is in that abusive situation 21:32 and she goes to the church 21:34 and says I have, you know, I am been physically abused. 21:38 I am worried about my children. 21:41 How do you recommend that 21:42 the church helps her to get to a safe place? 21:47 What do they do? 21:48 Well, what they can do is 21:49 first of all prayer is always good. 21:51 We got to have prayer first. 21:53 And it's a blessing to be want to recognize the victim, 21:55 to let her know or him know that 21:58 they are already victorious with what they are dealing with 22:00 because they was able to open up their mouth 22:02 and to say that they are been abused. 22:05 So when the silence is broken 22:07 that actually opens up the door for healing. 22:10 So what they can do is when they talk to the pastor 22:12 or leadership about that they are going through 22:13 a domestic violence relationship. 22:15 The church should pray for them. 22:17 They should be always first, prayer first and prayer last. 22:20 But we don't want to send them back 22:21 into the abusive relationship to say 22:23 well, we will just pray for you 22:25 and let the Lord deal with it. 22:26 No, we recognize the situation and what's going on 22:29 and what we do is to lead and guide. 22:31 We want to ask the victim what do you want to do. 22:34 Because we don't want to tell them 22:35 what they should do. 22:37 Because a lot of times they already know 22:38 what they should do they don't want to hear that. 22:40 You want to tell them what they-- 22:42 what you suggest that they would do. 22:44 And what we can do is to find out 22:46 do they need to get into a shelter, 22:48 do they need to separate themselves 22:50 from the abuser which will be an excellent idea 22:53 for them to do that. 22:54 Especially if he is physical abuse 22:56 as their life is on the line. 22:58 What we will do is call a shelter 23:00 and get them into a safe haven 23:01 where they-- in a safe environment 23:04 where they can get constant healing, 23:06 constant prayer 23:08 and they can start to clear their mind 23:10 on what they need to do 23:11 in the direction that they need to go for healing. 23:13 Well, let me ask you this 23:14 if I know that we will talk some more 23:17 but my sister 23:20 was in an abusive relationship her first husband. 23:23 And if you would have asked her 23:25 what does she want to do? 23:27 She was truly had the battered like syndrome. Yes. 23:30 If I had to ask her what do you want to do, 23:33 she would have said tell my fault 23:35 and I need to stay in. 23:36 And I mean, she was been hospitalized. 23:38 He was so physically abuse. 23:41 Is there that time that it's okay to stand forth 23:44 and say, you know, you are not recognizing the danger? 23:47 If you see and feel that some ones life, 23:50 at least my practice is I will say, 23:52 are you afraid for your life? Yes, that's correct. 23:54 And if they say, yes, 23:56 I am going to tell them that 23:58 let me find you a place to stay 24:00 until your husband and you can get counseling 24:02 and I am going to do everything 24:04 I can to get them out of that situation 24:05 with out leaving it up to them. 24:08 Would you agree with that? 24:09 Yes, it's not really leaving it up to them, 24:12 you first want to give the respect 24:14 to the victim to ask them 24:16 what they would like to do. 24:17 And they will let you know 24:18 what they will like to do then you just, 24:21 you know, suggest what would be best. 24:24 So that way it keeps you from telling them 24:27 exactly what they should do and if they go and do it 24:31 and it doesn't work out who gets blamed, 24:33 the individual that say, what you should do. 24:35 We are there to lead and to guide and to nourish. 24:38 Even though we know what the best route is, 24:41 it's just out of respect to ask them 24:43 what do they want to do. 24:44 And they want you to listen to that, 24:45 because you won't let them know that they are in charge. 24:48 You don't want to take over 24:50 like the abuser has already taken over the conversation. 24:53 Doesn't allow them to speak, doesn't give them opinion, 24:56 don't give them freedom of speech. 24:58 So what we do is to make sure the setting is not controlling. 25:02 We ask them what they want to do 25:03 which the abuser never asks them to what they want to do. 25:05 It's all about what the abuser wants. 25:07 So once we open that door to say, 25:09 what do you want 25:10 and we listen to what they want 25:11 and there we suggest what will be the best route. 25:15 And use the intertwines where what they want to do 25:18 and we come out with the best solution 25:19 which is you know is healthy the healthy solution 25:22 which is getting out of relationships 25:24 separating from the abusive home, yes. Amen. 25:27 You know, our time has gone so quickly 25:29 and we are almost there 25:31 but at least this is like a little eye opener 25:34 if you will that for people in the church 25:38 to recognize this is a problem 25:41 going on in the body of Christ 25:43 across those all denominations. 25:44 Yes it does. 25:45 And it's more-- it probably happens 25:48 with greater frequency than we might dare to 25:51 allow ourself to think. That's correct. 25:53 So the bottom line 25:55 if we were gonna sum up this program 25:57 is you're making a call to churches to wake up 26:02 and even though you might not think 26:03 it's going on you may just not be educated. 26:06 So you're basically telling every church 26:08 they are to have some type of program 26:12 to do this, right? Yes. 26:13 A work shop or program and we want to keep it going. 26:16 We don't want to be a one time thing 26:18 but we want to be keep it going 26:19 to recognize domestic violence 26:21 and let the victims know that we do care for them 26:23 and the church is available to support them. 26:26 Oh, I am so thank full that you come today. 26:28 Thank you, so much. 26:29 And I just help that there is many 26:31 who are missing they will get these wake up call 26:33 because it is a problem that seems to be escalating. 26:36 Yes. Thank you. 26:37 You know, for those of you at home in this world today 26:41 I heard a report just last week that said 26:45 Americans are the loneliest people in the world. 26:50 I know I am talking to people around the world 26:52 but I am going to just talk 26:53 to my Americans brothers and sisters right now. 26:56 I think what we are seeing is that 26:58 we are so artificially connected 27:01 through the web, through I pods, 27:05 people are becoming a little more isolated 27:07 and its actually creeping into the church 27:10 this kind of social isolation 27:13 and what the Lord would have us do 27:14 as brothers and sisters in Christ 27:17 is to start bonding in a very deep way 27:21 with our brothers and sisters 27:22 who come to our church 27:23 and to learn to watch for these kind of changes. 27:26 And I want to recommend to every church that 27:30 no matter where you are 27:31 you should start a program like this. 27:33 Educate your youth 27:35 so that they don't get into abusive relationships. 27:38 Educate young couples 27:39 who are going through marriage counseling's 27:41 so that they don't get into this 27:43 and have a solution for someone in your church 27:46 that may be suffering this problem. 27:48 I pray that God will multiply 27:51 His mercy, love and grace to you. 27:52 Thanks, for joining us. |
Revised 2014-12-17