Trauma, as described by expert Bessel Van Der Kolk is,\u00a0\u201cSomething that happens to you that makes you so upset that it overwhelms you. Trauma is not the event but how you respond to the event. Trauma changes a person\u2019s brain. The traumatized person continues to react to things as if they are in danger.\u201d1<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n Trauma manifests in various ways: anxiety, perfectionism, decision-making difficulties, emotional numbness, or anger, among others. However, at its core, trauma stems from a deep-seated need for physical, emotional, and spiritual safety. Being trauma-informed involves communicating and acting in a way that fosters this sense of security, acknowledging that trauma profoundly impacts how an individual perceives and responds to the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We sometimes underestimate the depth of human struggles, albeit unintentionally. But even if unintentional, downplaying someone\u2019s hurtful experience can be harmful. In times of crisis, hurting people need more than\u00a0clich\u00e9s and Bible verses. Yes, you shouldn\u2019t shy away from sharing the truth of God\u2019s Word, but a trauma-informed response necessarily offers genuine support and understanding, too. From my own experience with trauma, I have become passionate about helping Jesus\u2019 followers see people through the lens of trauma. More specifically, my trauma is connected to the church and having more than one experience in the past with unhealthy, controlling, and dishonest church leaders. I am just one of many with such experiences. It is no secret that many young adults today are deconstructing their faith because of a traumatizing experience within the church.\u00a0If more followers of Jesus put on trauma-informed glasses, we could be part of the solution and begin to repair some of the damage that has already been done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Trauma and the work of repairing trauma is something I believe God cares a lot about. The first step for you and me to begin doing this critical work is to inform ourselves about trauma. A great resource is the book The Body Keeps the Score<\/em> by Bessel Van Der Kolk. Another resource, if you want to learn about religious trauma, is When Religion Hurts You<\/em> by Laura E. Anderson. In addition to these resources, I encourage you to remind yourself daily to put on your new glasses and even become aware of your own trauma. This last step is best done with a therapist. If we make it our goal to accomplish these things, I know we will be an essential conduit of spiritual and emotional healing.<\/p>\n\n\n If you\u2019re curious about the people you lead and serve, and you want to understand why they do what they do, I want to hand you some new glasses with which to see them. These new glasses will open our eyes to a more covert reality. To illustrate, imagine you are at a movie theater, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":32,"featured_media":1609,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"\n Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start writing!<\/p>\n\n\n\n I remember the first time I stood up to teach the Bible to a group of women in my local church. I was terrified. Yes, I studied the passage diligently and spent hours preparing pages of notes, but I wasn\u2019t sure if my preparation was effective. Is my teaching structured well? Will the women be interested or learn anything new? Have I interpreted this passage correctly?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Many women who are asked to teach a Sunday School class, speak at a Bible study, or lead a small group experience similar fears. They often have little or no training specific to teaching Scripture and feel unequipped and insecure in their preparation. Even so, the abundance of resources available on the subject of teaching Scripture can be paralyzing for a new Bible teacher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s why we need books like Empowered and Equipped: Bible Exposition for Women Who Teach the Scriptures<\/em><\/a>. Julia Higgins, assistant professor of ministry to women at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, seeks to provide women with the tools they need to faithfully and effectively teach the Word of God to other women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cJesus commissioned disciples to teach the nations, and women of the church must take his call seriously.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Men and women alike are given the spiritual gift of teaching, yet few resources are designed specifically for women who exposit the Scriptures. In Empowered and Equipped<\/em>, Julia Higgins steers women through the steps needed to faithfully interpret, apply, and teach a passage of Scripture. By examining both the principles and practices of teaching of Bible exposition, Higgins seeks to prepare women in the local church to make and mold disciples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n B&H Academic. 224 pp. <\/p>\n\n\n\n First we must ask, Is a book that encourages and equips women to teach Scripture necessary or even appropriate? There\u2019s much discussion today about whether the Bible permits women to teach at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In an effort to submit to Scripture\u2019s teaching, many have unfortunately moved beyond what God\u2019s Word prescribes to impose unbiblical restrictions on women. To argue that women shouldn\u2019t teach Scripture in any formal setting misunderstands God\u2019s design for discipleship. Higgins argues that all followers of Christ, including women, are included in the Great Commission and its call to teach other disciples everything Christ commanded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Furthermore, as Higgins explains, \u201cSome may conflate the spiritual gift of teaching with the office of pastor\/elder and draw a false conclusion that only men are to exercise the gift of teaching. While qualified men are responsible to teach and oversee the local church, that does not negate the fact that both men and women are given the spiritual gift of teaching.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n All followers of Christ, including women, are included in the Great Commission and its call to teach other disciples everything Christ commanded.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Spiritual gifts, including the gift of teaching, are given for the common good (1 Cor. 12:7<\/a>) and for building up the church (1 Cor. 14:12<\/a>). It follows that women are not only permitted to teach in appropriate settings but are needed for the growth and maturity of the body of Christ. This pattern is exemplified in the women in Scripture who are called to teach and commended for their teaching ministries, many of which Higgins references.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In light of the biblical call for women to teach, Higgins writes,<\/p>\n\n\n\n The end of the matter is this: women should be given a context where they can teach the Word in the local church. Why? Because Christ\u2019s church will grow and others will be discipled in the faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Her book, therefore, provides \u201ca pathway for women to exercise teaching gifts in the local church,\u201d and specifically focuses on training women to teach women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Higgins provides an accessible yet substantial foundation for teaching Scripture. She incorporates principles and strategies from some of the most highly respected Bible teachers of our day, giving readers a well-rounded introduction to teaching Scripture without information overload.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Higgins has a high view of God\u2019s Word and a Christ-centered approach that highlights the overarching storyline of the Bible. Readers will gain essential tools for expository teaching, learning to base the central teaching focus, supporting points, and application on the main point and structure of the text itself. Higgins even encourages this kind of verse-by-verse teaching for topical messages, so that the teacher is always communicating the text\u2019s intended purpose rather than taking passages out of context as proof texts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Empowered and Equipped<\/em> walks teachers through the process of creating a Bible exposition, from understanding the nature of Scripture all the way to writing an expositional outline. Higgins covers a wide range of content from theoretical to practical, including information on biblical genres, basic doctrinal issues, and hermeneutics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n She spends a large portion of the book giving instruction on studying the Bible inductively, including specific strategies for observation, interpretation, generalization, and application and for how that study translates into instruction. The scope of the book makes it suitable for beginners\u2014although they may want to work through it more slowly\u2014as well as for those who have been studying and teaching Scripture for some time but are looking for a process to follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While Empowered and Equipped<\/em> covers an impressive amount of ground in a surprisingly manageable page count, readers may leave with unanswered questions. For example, the book includes almost no discussion of incorporating meaningful illustrations or transitions. On other topics, such as the discussion of genre or the overview of theological doctrines, Higgins gives only brief introductions. Anything more, however, would make the book overwhelmingly dense, and readers can continue to explore these topics in more depth as they see fit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The church needs gifted women who not only speak on a short list of \u201cfemale-friendly\u201d topics stereotypical of women\u2019s conferences or retreats but who teach the whole counsel of God for the good of the body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The church needs gifted women who not only speak on a short list of \u2018female-friendly\u2019 topics but who teach the whole counsel of God for the good of the body.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Higgins appeals, \u201cThis call for women to be teachers of the Word arises from a place of care and concern for over half of the body, so that the church might grow in love for God and his Word, passing it along to others, so that they too might go and make disciples of all nations to the end that Christ\u2019s commands are observed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n As this book makes its way into the hands of more and more women who treasure the Bible and long to see it elevated and proclaimed, I pray the church will be edified and God\u2019s glory made known. I pray the teachers it equips will grow in their love for Christ even as the women they teach develop new excitement for God\u2019s Word. I pray that instead of feeling insecure and unprepared, women will be empowered and equipped to teach the Scriptures.<\/p>\n","_et_gb_content_width":"","_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"[{\"content\":\"Bessel Van Der Kolk, The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma<\/em> (New York: Viking, 2014), 66.\",\"id\":\"22561e08-f0aa-4194-a3cf-bf39b9ef77fd\"}]"},"categories":[33,29],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1605","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-care-counseling","category-church-life","et-has-post-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\nA Christ-like Response<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Jesus saw people like this. When I think back on what the scriptures tell us about the life of Jesus, I see a man that people felt safe around. I am reminded of the disciples who did life with Jesus. They dined with him, traveled with him, and asked him countless questions, which I am sure became onerous. Jesus wasn\u2019t hurried and so focused on his agenda of teaching about the Kingdom of God that he neglected or emotionally hurt his closest friends. He took his time and patiently explained things to them. He responded to them when they had a physical need, saving their lives numerous times.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSteps in A Trauma-Informed Direction<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nEmpowered and Equipped: Biblical Exposition for Women Who Teach the Scriptures <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Should Women Teach the Bible?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Helpful Foundation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Empowered and Equipped to Teach God\u2019s Word<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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