ABC : Resources

Materials for "Making Our Churches Safe Places" focus on ways we can make our churches emotionally, physically and spiritually safe places. The great commandment tells us we are to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength. Also, we are to love our neighbors as ourselves. We are called to create churches to be sanctuaries, places of safety for those who are suffering emotionally, physically and spiritually. And yet, there are many who would never seek safety or healing from the church because of their fear of being judged and rejected.

Historically, the Church of the Brethren has seen accountability as a dimension of love which challenges us to define what we mean by "safe places." Theologically, we are a church working at ways of proclaiming Immanuel, "God with us." God loves us in the midst of our hurts and struggles, our pain and suffering. Blending our history and our theology is one of the challenges we in the Church of the Brethren have before us. How can we create churches which are safe places without losing our sense of integrity or discipleship? How does our perspective and identity shape the way we create God's church in the world? As we struggle with these and other issues, we are called to do so in the spirit of John 13, "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." To the degree we succeed in living this way, we will create safe places for all people to gather and worship God without losing our integrity or our faithfulness.