Taking It Seriously

""Though it claims to be the 'family of God, ' the church sadly has dragged its feet in adequately addressing and preventing domestic violence, and it has sometimes even enabled its perpetuation. This book is a much-needed resource to help congregations better live out the gospel by seeing that families become places where God's love and respect for all people is present. I am grateful for the brave voice of this author who brought light to a dark corner of supposedly Christian environments."" --Meredith Stone, executive director, Baptist Women in Ministry ""Excruciating life experiences. Stories of hurt and despair. Heavily and competently researched. Trauma sensitive. Survivor informed and focused. Deeply emotional. Hope and faith filled. All of these result in preventive and interventive guidelines for ministers and helping professionals to utilize in their caring responses with domestic violence survivors. The author presents an impressive and riveting must-have and must-read book that provides practical considerations that have enabled survivors to positively rebuild their lives."" --Gaynor Yancey, director, Center for Church and Community Impact, Baylor University ""Clergy care is complicated and often those in ministry wish they had received better training. This is particularly true when serving victims of domestic violence. Fortunately, you don't have to navigate those waters alone. Taking it Seriously provides invaluable wisdom for serving those who are suffering abuse in the home. Well-documented and researched, this book will provide the training you wished you had received years ago."" --Kevin Steele, lead pastor, National Hills Baptist Church