Safe Church Course

Abuse Prevention & Response

This eight-week leadership course equips ministry leaders to confront abuse with clarity, theological grounding, and practical skill. Participants learn the core dynamics of abuse in church contexts, explore the Bible’s teaching on power and vulnerability, and learn concrete strategies for prevention, response, survivor care, reporting, and managing known offenders. The course emphasizes culture change, trauma-informed leadership, and policies that make churches safer and more accountable.

  • This course is for all who want to see safer churches including ministry leaders, advocates, survivors, and lay persons. Anyone can sign up and receive high level instruction to make a difference whatever your role.

  • The course is eight consecutive weeks. It meets one night per week for 3 hours on Zoom. The first 2 and a half hours is interactive instruction and the final 30 minutes is more open-ended dialogue and Q&A.

  • The course covers the most critical issues in understanding abuse in the church and what it takes to make churches safer for the vulnerable. The course covers all major forms of abuse that impact both adults and children. See the detailed week by week outline for more information.

  • Each week requires around 3 hours of course work. The course work is designed to reinforce the learning objectives of the course. It is graded on a completion basis and all course work must be completed to earn the training certificate.

  • The training certificate shows you have been trained by leaders in the field. Participants must attend at least 6 of the 8 classes in person, and make up any that are missed by watching the recording and submitting an additional assignment. Participants must keep their camera on during the course, participate in interactive discussions, and submit all assignments. Participants must also fully pay for the course before receiving their training certificate.

  • The cost for the 8 week online course is $699 if paid in full. A payment plan of $79 per month for 10 months is also available. 

  • The course instructors are GRACE staff and Board members who are leaders in the field of abuse prevention and response. 

Learning Objectives:

  1. Recognize key forms, dynamics, and indicators of abuse in church settings.

  2. Apply biblical and theological principles to power, vulnerability, and accountability.

  3. Lead prevention efforts that strengthen culture and interrupt grooming.

  4. Respond to disclosures and survivor needs with trauma-informed practices.

  5. Implement effective reporting and accountability frameworks, including for known offenders.

FAQs

Week by Week Course Summary

    • Definitions and Prevalence of Abuse

    • Common Dynamics of Abuse

    • Recognition Scenarios - Child, IPV, Clergy/Emotional and Spiritual Abuse, Elder Abuse

    • Problematic Sexual Behavior in Minors

    • God’s Heart for the Vulnerable and Oppressed

    • Jesus’s Teaching on Abuse

    • Power and Accountability in the Bible

    • Abuse in the Bible: Child Abuse, Domestic Violence, Clergy Abuse, Spiritual Abuse, Elder Abuse

    • Grounding Safe Policies and Practices in Christian Faith

    • Resisting Institutional Protection and Risk Management

    • How Prevention Works: Deterrence, Interruption, Stopping Further Abuse

    • Effective Education: Training and Safety Talks

    • Leadership Structures and Culture to Interrupt Grooming

    • Impact of Child Abuse, Domestic Violence, and Clergy/Spiritual Abuse

    • Spirituality as a Source of Resiliency

    • Skills for Responding to Abuse Disclosures in Minors and Adults

    • Understanding Trauma: Dysregulation, 3 E’s, 6 Principles of Trauma-Informed Care

    • Toward More Trauma-Informed Communities

    • Basic Offender Dynamics: Intentionality, Distortions, and Demographics

    • Defining Sexual Grooming

    • Grooming Recognition Scenarios

    • “DARVO” as an Offender Tactic

    • Accountability and Forgiveness with Offenders

    • Common Policy Gaps and Policy Essentials

    • Making Policies Accessible to All

    • Implementing Effective Policies

    • Effective Training and Safeguarding Plans

    • Responding to Policy and Boundary Violations: Common Examples

    • Reporting Child and Vulnerable Adult Abuse

    • Adult Clergy Sexual Abuse Laws

    • Responding to Adult Abuse: Safety and Supporting Survivors in Reporting

    • Leadership Framework for Response for Adult and Child Abuse

    • Common Mistakes Churches Make with Known Offenders

    • Pastoral Ministry to Known Offenders

    • Policy Best Practices for Evaluating an Offender’s Potential Participation

    • Implementing an Effective Plan for Accountability

Interested in Attending the Safe Church Course?

If you're interested in attending for the 8-week Safe Church Course this spring, complete the form and we will contact you when registration is available.