Adventist Leaders Address Issue of Abuse

A proposal to designate a special “Abuse Prevention Emphasis Day” for the Seventh-day Adventist world church was overwhelmingly endorsed by church leaders September 26.

Abuse within churches is a difficult issue, but one the Adventist Church must tackle head-on, said Ardis Stenbakken, women’s ministries director, who presented the proposal to Annual Council.

“This is a serious problem for Christians—for Adventists—as well the general community,” added Stenbakken. “We must face this evil and name this challenge for what it is—sin. We must meet this evil with spiritual weapons as well as with support, anger management, shelters, counseling, and the other usual tools.”

An Abuse Prevention Emphasis Day would provide an opportunity for local churches to “address the issue of abuse, educate church members, and let victims know that their church cares,” said Stenbakken.

“God designed our homes to be centers of peace and happiness, models of our heavenly home,” read the proposal. But it also noted that “abuse in all forms is both universal and on the rise,” endangering millions of victims worldwide, predominantly women and children.

Abuse Prevention Emphasis Day represents a “step in the right direction,” said Karen Flowers, associate director of family ministries for the world church. The Adventist Church has developed a range of resources on this subject, she added, “which I hope will become well-known and well-used at the local level.”

Abuse Prevention Emphasis Day will be held the fourth Sabbath, or Saturday, of August, 2002. The women’s ministries department will promote the special day and provide resources for local churches in cooperation with other church departments, including education, family ministries, children’s ministries, youth, ministerial, and health ministries.

Members of the Adventist Church’s executive committee, who met September 25 to 27 at the church’s headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland, United States, voted in support of the special day.