Why isn't the church a safe place? 

After the most recent breaking news exposing another case of clergy sexual abuse, a friend of mine asked me a troubling question: “Why isn’t the church a safe place?” This question broke my heart for two reasons.  First, because we know that a safe place is exactly what our churches should be, because as a body of believers we are called to model our lives after Jesus, who is the ultimate safe place for broken and wounded people to be cared for and find healing. Jesus came for the broken, and whether we realize it or not, we are those broken people.  The second reason this broke my heart is because I understand what it feels like when the church is not that safe place.  I know from many conversations with people and from listening to their stories that I am not the only one to find myself in this situation.  While the church may have had the reputation of being a safe space at one point in time, right now, that does not seem to be the case.

Over the last few years, I have spent a lot of time thinking about this and asking myself the question, “How do we make the church a safe place?”

Power and Vulnerability

To be human is to be two things—powerful and vulnerable. It is a difficult tension to live in, and as we know, those two things are sometimes hard to reconcile. By its definition, power means the ability to do or act.  From the very beginning, God gave us power—power to choose, power to disobey, power to rule over the earth and the land.  However, in our humanity, we were also made vulnerable. Vulnerability is exposure to potential harm or pain, either physically or emotionally. 

As humans we gravitate toward power, but often struggle with vulnerability, both our own and the vulnerability of others. Both of these aspects of humanity seem to be in a constant tension with one another. There is a notion that somehow we can separate ourselves from vulnerability if only we could gain enough power. The reality is that is impossible.   

When we look at this dynamic in the four walls of our churches, we find ourselves faced with a bigger problem: not only do we as followers of Christ hold our own God-given power, we now also carry with us a much greater power and authority—the power and authority of the Holy Spirit. With this power we have the ability to bless the people we encounter tremendously. We have the privilege of being invited into the work that God is doing in our world. 

We also know that abuse of power is common within the world around us. However, I have observed that we do not like to acknowledge the misuse of spiritual power in the church. But whether we like it or not, it happens, perhaps far more than we would like to admit.

Throughout the last few years, we have heard through various media outlets the names of churches and people who have abused their God-given authority and power. They have used the power they held to do tremendous harm to vulnerable people and to the church as a whole. Not only have there been devastating acts done against individuals and groups of people, but they have also been done in the name of Jesus himself.  Churches are no longer seen as the safe places they may have once been. 

So that brings me back to my question: How do we make the church a safe place?

As I have thought through this, a few things have come to my mind. First, I believe we are called to listen to those who are courageous enough to stand up and share their experiences. When power is abused, whether physical, sexual, emotional, or spiritual, the abused are often left confused, broken and feeling immense vulnerability and powerlessness. When someone shares those moments with us, it is up to us to use our power to listen with great care and compassion, to model the behaviours of Jesus who stands up and is a voice for the powerless. As uncomfortable as it may be, we need to accept that abuse happens in the name of Jesus, and to defend the abuser or try to hide the abuse does not protect the name of Jesus—it just perpetuates the damage done in the first place. 

We also need to be intentional about conversation, and we need to shift how we talk about these issues. Throughout my years in ministry, I am no stranger to abuse prevention trainings within The Salvation Army. They act as a safeguard to educate individuals on the potential abuses that can take place in the spaces in which we find ourselves ministering. These policies, procedures and trainings exist for a reason, and we pray that they have helped to prevent and catch abuse wherever we may find it. However, another important aspect of the prevention is an education around the impact of power and vulnerability.  As I stated above, we as human beings are created with both, and they cannot be separated no matter how much we wish to. By understanding our power, we understand the influence that we have.  

Power is not inherently a bad thing, but when it is misused, the effects can be catastrophic. When the power and authority of the Holy Spirit is used, tremendous harm is done to both individuals as well as the kingdom of God. 

Using our Power Wisely

When Jesus came to this earth, embracing his humanity, he was not only powerful but vulnerable.  We have been created in his image, and we have a tremendous responsibility as followers of Christ to use our God-given power well.  Like Jesus, we can embrace our vulnerability, use our power to bless others, and fight for justice in the spaces in which we find ourselves. We would be naive to assume that every place or person declaring the name of Jesus is automatically a safe space. But I believe that we as individual followers of Christ can gain an understanding of the power we hold and use that power to bless those around us by the Spirit empowering us.  

I do not believe that our churches and our ministries will become safe spaces until we as individual members of the body acknowledge, educate ourselves and choose to use our power and authority for the kingdom of God.  

As a body of Christ-followers, may we choose to be intentional with the power that God has given us.  May we speak out against injustice and create spaces for those who have been harmed in the name of Jesus to be heard. May we not fall victim to the mindset that protecting the abusers protects the name of God. And may we serve a God who loved us so much that he used his power in the most vulnerable of ways: offering his son as the living sacrifice for our sins. 

May we all strive to be a safe place for broken people to land.  Some day, we might find ourselves in need of a safe place, too. 

Lieutenant Alecia Barrow is the corps officer at The Salvation Army Mississauga Cornerstone Community Church, Ont.