Session Details
To view many of the sessions that you see on the below schedule, please click here and subcribe to our YouTube Channel there.
MARCH 7
MARCH 8
WHY SHOULD WE RISE UP? | Jennifer J. Schwirzer
Like a secret but deadly blight, abuse affects us all, violating dignity, crossing sacred boundaries, and crushing hope and humanity with every assault. But abuse doesn’t have the final word. We can band together to learn and share, then rise up, united, to make the world a safer place.
TRUTHS ABOUT ABUSERS | Sarah McDugal
Deception, deflection, distraction, distortion, domination -- all are tools used by abusers to maintain power and control, while making the victim appear to be the problem. Learn key ways to sort fact from fiction, and identify the red flags of abusers.
PATTERNS OF ABUSE | Psalm82initiative
Do you know how to recognize the patterns of abuse? Learn to apply discerning principles to elements of physical, emotional, and financial abuse and increase your ability to both recognize abusive patterns and offer help in a wide variety of contexts.
EMOTIONAL ABUSE | Judith Fisher
Emotional abuse is often overt, but can be subtle yet pervasive, impacting the lives of millions. The focus of this presentation will be on identifying the most common types of emotional abuse, recognizing signs of emotional abuse, and outlining steps beyond abuse, to recapturing one’s heart, rediscovering our esteemed selves, and embracing our status as precious children of the God of the universe, fearfully and wonderfully made in His image.
THE BROKEN IMAGE | Nicole Parker
Sexual abuse is one of the most dreaded topics families, churches and other institutions must tackle. Avoidance of the topic creates the ideal climate for sexual abuse to flourish. In a world where sexual abuse is happening at alarming rates, we must face its ugliness and expose it. What constitutes sexual abuse? How prevalent is it? What damage does it cause, and how can we heal from it? How should we respond to sexual abuse, and how can we pursue healing for both victims and abusers?
DOES THE BIBLE JUSTIFY INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE? | Tanya Asim-Cooper
Through true stories and statistics, this session will address interdenominational and interdisciplinary interpretations of the Christian Bible to understand intimate partner violence (IPV), as well as relevant scriptural responses to survivors and abusers. Responses to IPV in other faith communities will also be explored briefly.
WHEN RELIGION HURTS | Psalm82initiative
Abuse in religious contexts is often justified, excused, or protected. Build on the principles of identification learned in “Patterns of Abuse” to identify abuse in the faith community. Learn practical tools religious organizations can use to undermine, rather than cultivate, spiritual abuse.
MARCH 9
DISCUSSION PANEL I | Hosts: Ty Gibson & Tacyana Nixon
Panelists: Alina Baltazar, Thomas Pryde, Tanya Asim Cooper, Sarah McDugal, David Sedlacek, Melissa Ponce-Rodas, Torben Bergland
DISCUSSION PANEL II | Hosts: Ty Gibson & Tacyana Nixon
Panelists: Scott Ward, Mekayla Eppers, Chris Silber, Beverly Sedlacek, Jennifer Schwirzer, Judith Fisher, Latoya Yandia-Wright
SPECIAL FEATURE I | Chris Silber & Mekayla Eppers
SPECIAL FEATURE II | Sarah Kelly & Jonas Ekman LIVE IN CONCERT
#MEETUP FOR SURVIVORS OF ABUSE | Sarah McDugal & Chris Silber
Meet other survivors and hang out to chat with Sarah McDugal and Chris Silber.
MARCH 10
'EMANCIPATING SURVIVORS' WORKSHOP [10 am - 1 pm]
(Note: this workshop is only for survivors of abuse and their supporters!)
- Trauma and the Path Forward
- Discerning Genuine Repentance
- Forgiving Without Enabling
- Victom, Survivor, Thriver, Defender
'EQUIPPING DEFENDERS' WORKSHOP [2 pm - 5 pm]
- Identifying Perpetrators
- Defenders as Healers
- When Abuse Comes to Church
- Handling Criminal Abuse
Workshop Leaders/Experts:
Jennifer Jill Schwirzer, Nicole Crosier Parker, Sarah McDugal, Torben Bergland, Dominique Gummelt, Tacyana Nixon, Nick Miller and others.
'CONNECTING WITH GOD FOR STRENGTH HOW DEVOTIONAL LIFE CAN HELP SEE YOU THROUGH THE DARKEST TIMES' [2 pm - 5 pm]
In this seminar Scott R. Ward will share his personal journey of surviving abuse through diving deeper into a life-changing relationship with Jesus. If your experience with spirituality has primarily revolved around attending church and trying to be a good person this seminar will help you to take the next steps. Learn to apply scripture narratives to your daily experiences in a way that will help carry you through “the valley of the shadow of death.” Learn more about the personal benefits of journaling, worshipping and the multisensory elements from the Old Testament sanctuary that can still have a powerful impact on your connection with God today.
Workshop Leaders/Experts:
Scott R. Ward
'PREVENTING LGBT+ ABUSE: FROM THEM vs US to US WITH THEM' [2 pm – 5 pm]
Description:
This workshop will describe the kinds of abuse that have been experienced historically and presently by LGBT+ persons and their families. Personal testimonials will be shared in person and via video. The Guiding Families of LGBT+ Persons will be used to lead an interactive discussion of how to have relational conversations that are helpful to families, churches and schools.
Workshop Leaders/Experts:
David Sedlacek, Steve Yeagley, Nancy Carbonell, Curt VanderWaal and Shannon Trecartin along with some LGBT+ students.