Short notice here, but in the interest of sharing resources to help readers to respond to some of the most pressing challenges of the day, I wanted to share a link to an event happening *this Friday and Saturday* in Hudsonville, MI, which will also be *livestreamed free.*
Rachael Denhollander, survivor, attorney, and advocate, is one of the presenters. I write in Jesus and John Wayne about how Rachael labeled the church as “one of the worst places to go for help” for victims of abuse:
Widely celebrated for bringing USA Gymnastics doctor and serial abuser Larry Nassar to justice, Denhollander stunned the evangelical world in 2018 when she contended that, had her abuser been an evangelical pastor, she knew she would have been “actively vilified and lied about by every single evangelical leader out there” Denhollander, who identifies as “a very conservative evangelical,” made this allegation after she and her husband had raised questions about their own church’s role in rehabilitating C. J. Mahaney and his Sovereign Grace network. In response to their concerns, their home church had informed them that it was no longer the right place for them.
In her powerful victim statement at the Nassar trial, Denhollander had rebuked Nassar for asking for forgiveness without repentance. She said the same was true of churches. God was a God of forgiveness, but also a God of justice, and churches’ tendency to cover up abuse and quickly “forgive” perpetrators, often for the sake of the church’s witness, was misguided. “The gospel of Jesus Christ does not need your protection,” she insisted. Jesus only requires obedience—obedience manifested in the pursuit of justice, in standing up for the victimized and the oppressed, in telling “the truth about the evil of sexual assault and the evil of covering it up.”
Those last few sentences I consider the moral heart of Jesus and John Wayne.
Rachael and her husband have faced enormous consequences, personally and professionally, for speaking out against church abuse as conservative evangelicals. Many of those invested in protecting conservative institutions have sought to paint advocates as godless liberals, strident feminists, or enemies of Christ rather than address the evil and corruption that has taken hold in their own churches.
Every time I’ve heard Rachael speak, she has presented a devastatingly clear critique of this nonsense. She speaks as a Christian shaped by a conservative theology, and with the confidence of someone who is motivated by her desire to be faithful, not to curry the favor of those with power.
She will be joined in this event by Chris Moles, a pastor, counselor, and author of The Heart of Domestic Abuse.
This is sure to be a very informative event for anyone concerned about this issue or wanting to learn more.
If you attend a church, consider sharing these links with your pastor, elders, or staff members. So much harm is done by well-meaning members of communities who inadvertently end up enabling abuse, protecting abusers, and causing further harm to survivors. This event is especially pitched to those from more conservative traditions, who should be among those who care most about what is done by those who claim to represent Christ.
Click here for In-Person Tickets or Streaming Tickets.
I'm currently in the middle of narrating Forgiveness after Trauma: A Path to Find Healing and Empowerment by Susannah Griffith. I think it will be published in April.
Oh, my. She really dives into this with razor accuracy. Even though I'm only halfway through, I can see she is on the other side and no longer holds resentment toward her husband, who tried to kill her and himself as manipulation. But forgiveness didn't come from conjuring up more faith or trusting God to help her forgive. If you have time (ha!) to read it, I think you would appreciate what she has to say in a Biblical and cultural sense. I've never read anything like this in Christian nonfiction.
The conference was exceptional. Still posted for a very limited time on Haven of Mercy's web site. In particular, I found Chuck Moles Friday night message very helpful in describing the very real difference between worldly leadership and kingdom service... one of the best messages on the topic I've heard.
Thank you for letting us know about this conference!