"We, the council of elders at Bethlehem Baptist Church, are resolved to root out all forms of domestic abuse (mental, emotional, physical, and sexual) in our midst. This destructive way of relating to a spouse is a satanic distortion of Christ-like male leadership because it defaces the depiction of Christ’s love for his bride. The shepherds of Bethlehem stand at the ready to protect the abused, call abusers to repentance, discipline the unrepentant, and hold up high the stunning picture of how much Christ loves his church."
There is nothing passive in this statement. "Resolved to root out all forms of domestic abuse..." There is nothing victim blaming. "The shepherds of Bethlehem stand at the ready to PROTECT the abused..." There is nothing here that excuses abuse, but recognizes it for what it is, "a satanic distortion of Christ-like male leadership because it defaces the depiction of Christ's love for his bride."
All church leaders and the women's ministries that support the church should read this and take seriously the awareness that abuse is a satanic distortion. Praise God! He is opening eyes! Previously, John Piper was very soft on abuse, reluctant to risk ruffling the feather's of men's egos even to suggest that an abused woman should escape an attack if she could--but calling her to endure it until she could seek help from the church another day. I am staggered to see how much God has been working since those statements were made. Praise! Doxology!
Read the article here. Includes a link to the complete sermon.
http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2015/04/28/hyper-headship-and-the-scandal-of-domestic-abuse-in-the-church/
There is nothing passive in this statement. "Resolved to root out all forms of domestic abuse..." There is nothing victim blaming. "The shepherds of Bethlehem stand at the ready to PROTECT the abused..." There is nothing here that excuses abuse, but recognizes it for what it is, "a satanic distortion of Christ-like male leadership because it defaces the depiction of Christ's love for his bride."
All church leaders and the women's ministries that support the church should read this and take seriously the awareness that abuse is a satanic distortion. Praise God! He is opening eyes! Previously, John Piper was very soft on abuse, reluctant to risk ruffling the feather's of men's egos even to suggest that an abused woman should escape an attack if she could--but calling her to endure it until she could seek help from the church another day. I am staggered to see how much God has been working since those statements were made. Praise! Doxology!
Read the article here. Includes a link to the complete sermon.
http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2015/04/28/hyper-headship-and-the-scandal-of-domestic-abuse-in-the-church/
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