The Bible Doesn't Tell Us So: Equipping the church to resist domestic abuse and coercive control

Created to work alongside Rev. Dr Helen Paynter’s book: ‘The Bible Doesn’t Tell Me So: Why you don’t have to submit to domestic abuse and coercive control’, these study videos aim to help small groups to become informed about, and respond to, domestic violence. These study videos The Bible Doesn’t Tell Us So: Equipping the church to resist domestic abuse and coercive control offer a six-week course aimed at church small groups, to enable them to engage with the material in an interactive way.

Video format. The series is hosted by the book’s author Helen Paynter. Each video contains enough material for one small group meeting. After a short introduction to set the scene, there are two blocks of input, with contributions from invited guests, and witness testimonies. After each input block, plenty of time is allowed for the group to talk and pray together. The video finishes with some short concluding remarks.

A short study guide is available to support the videos, but it is intended that they will be used alongside the published book.

The study takes place over six sessions:

Session 1: Introduction. Provides an overview of domestic abuse: its presentation and prevalence in society and churches.
With guest Bekah Legg, director of Restored, an organisation which seeks to equip the UK and international church to resist and respond to domestic abuse.

Session 2: The Ideal Wife? Digging into what the Bible does and doesn’t teach about marital roles.
With guest Rev. David Batchelor, minister of South Street Free Church, Eastbourne.

Session 3: Trapped By God? What does and doesn’t the Bible say about divorce in the case of abuse?
With guest Rev. Dr David Instone Brewer, author of “Divorce and Remarriage in the Bible“.

Session 4: Jesus Raging and Suffering. Looking at how the Bible in general, and Jesus in particular, views the suffering and the oppressed.
With guests Rev. Dr David Firth and Dr Jayme Reaves.

Session 5: Out of the Shadows. How can we cultivate an atmosphere in our churches that makes it easy for victims of abuse to disclose, and to believe that they will be taken seriously?
With barrister (legal advocate) Anna Vigars KC.

Session 6: Next Steps. How can we move forwards to make our churches safer for people who experience domestic abuse?
With Rev. Brendan Bassett, previously minister of Victoria Park Baptist Church, Bristol.