How Should Churches Minister To Abused Women?

Guest Bios Show Transcript How should churches minister to abused women? And what does biblical submission look like when husbands fail to love and honor their wives? This week on The Roys Report, we’ll be tackling this sensitive, yet critically important issue with Judi Noble—an abuse survivor and counselor with decades of experience ministering to abused and battered wives. Listen and join the discussion this Saturday morning at 11 a.m. 1160 Hope for Your Life and Sunday at 7 p.m. on AM 560 The Answer.  This Weeks Guests Judi Noble Judi Noble is a domestic violence survivor, who started Eagle’s Wings Organization in 1996 and is still the acting Executive Director. She has channeled her passion to see that women and their children live in a free, safe and loving environment.   Judi is an author, public speaker, certified domestic violence advocate/counselor, Biblical counselor, and certified life coach.  She now pursing the ordination track through the Free Methodist Church. Ms. Noble life’s work is to ensure that survivors of domestic violence are treated with justice, dignity, and honor  Show Transcript Segment 1 JULIE ROYS:  Welcome to The Roys Report, brought to you in part by Judson University. I’m so glad you’re with us. I am Julie Roys. And today, we’re going to be tackling an extremely important topic in the church, but one that, sadly, rarely gets addressed. And that is the issue of abusive marriages and how the church should minister to abused women.  As some recent scandals have shown, this is an area where the church definitely needs to grow. Last year, you may remember, there was a controversy involving a prominent Southern Baptist preacher and seminary president, Paige Patterson. And at the center of that controversy was Patterson’s advice for abused women.  Patterson was asked, for example, whether he condones abused women seeking a divorce. Patterson said that he’s never counseled anybody to seek a divorce. He said, on occasions when the abuse is “serious enough” or “dangerous enough,” he has suggested temporary separation. But he added that most abuse is, and I quote, “of a less serious variety.” On another occasion, Patterson admitted that he had urged a woman who was being abused by her husband to stay in her abusive marriage and to pray for her husband. Later, this woman, reportedly, arrived at church with two black eyes, and she asked Patterson if he was pleased. Patterson said he was pleased because apparently, that morning the husband had come to church and prayed to receive Christ. Well, many in the church found Patterson’s responses shocking. Patterson has since been removed from his position as president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. And there were some other issues involved with that, with Patterson as well. But many people say these kinds of responses and attitudes are rampant in the church. Just last week, I published the first of two articles about abused women at Harvest Bible Chapel. These women say the church failed to protect them, but instead protected their abusive husbands. And instead of rescuing them from a nightmare marriage, the church prolonged and even exacerbated the issue. And if you want to read those articles, you can read them at my website:  JulieRoys.com. But just how should churches respond when, well, when women indicate that they’re being abused? And what constitutes abuse? And what are the signs of abuse that pastors and lay people should look for? Well, joining me today is someone who can help us with those answers. Her name is Judi Noble. And she’s a certified domestic violence advocate and counselor with decades of experience helping abused and battered women. She’s also the founder and executive director of Eagle’s Wings—an organization that treats both abused and abusers. And she’s the author of