Harding School of Theology

Deeper Faith, Higher Standards

Confronting Sex Abuse in the Church Session 3

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Host: Dr. Mark E. Powell – HST dean, Professor of Theology
Presenter: Jimmy Hinton – preacher, consultant on sex abuse in the church

In this session Hinton discusses Jesus’s Model for Loving and Protecting the Wounded.

Important Take-aways:

  • Be aware of language that blames the victim intentionally or unintentionally
  • Help pay for counseling for victims
  • Allow them to go in peace
  • Make worship time a safe place by never allowing abusers in a worship gathering with children
  • Include victims in making abuse-prevention policies for your congregation

Jimmy Hinton graduated with the MDiv from HST in 2007. In 2011, Jimmy’s sister Alex confided in him that she had been sexually abused when she was a young child by their father, a former minister of 27 years. Jimmy reported his father to authorities which resulted in his confession of 23 victims and a conviction of 30-60 years in Pennsylvania state corrections facility.

Jimmy researches deception techniques of child molesters and specializes in abuse in plain sight. Jimmy is a full time minister at the Somerset Church of Christ, author of the #1 New Release The Devil Inside: How My Minister Father Molested Kids In Our Home and Church for Decades and How I Finally Stopped Him, speaker, abuse advocate, and safeguarding specialist with G.R.A.C.E (Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment). Jimmy and his mom Clara host a weekly podcast called The Speaking Out on Sex Abuse Podcast.

Dr. Mark E. Powell, Professor of Theology, has been at HST since 2002. He teaches courses in systematic theology, historical theology, ethics, and philosophy of religion. He is a Shepherd at the Sycamore View Church of Christ in Memphis and has over 25 years of ministry experience in preaching, urban ministry, and adult education. He is passionate about applying Christian theology to worship, ministry, and discipleship.

Harding School of Theology (HST), a seminary in Memphis, TN, has been equipping ministers since 1958. Accredited by the Association of Theological Schools, and offering degree programs at the master’s and doctoral levels, HST equips Christian leaders to higher standards of ministry and scholarship and challenges them to a deeper faith in God. Combining academic rigor and interpersonal connections, HST emphasizes student engagement in ministry as they study. HST is associated with Churches of Christ, is part of the Stone-Campbell Movement, and is part of Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas.

Who are We as God’s People?

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What do the Apostles Peter and Paul mean when they refer to the church – both Jewish and Gentile Chrisiains – as the People of God? Join Professor of New Testament Richard Oster as he shares this important Bible study to help us understand the mission of God and the place of the church in that mission.

Key Thoughts:
The language that Peter (1 Peter 2:9-10) and Paul (Galatians 3:26-30) use to describe the church is taken from the language of the Old Testament (Exodus 19:5-6; Deuteronomy 7:6-9; Isaiah 43:19-21).

This should inform our understanding of where we fit into God’s story and mission.

Richard Oster (Ph.D., Princeton University) is Professor of New Testament. His teaching emphasis is the Book of Acts, the Pauline letters, and the book of Revelation. He has particular expertise in the culture of the Greco-Roman world and how knowing that culture helps us better understand the New Testament.

Harding School of Theology (HST), a seminary in Memphis, TN, has been equipping ministers since 1958. Accredited by the Association of Theological Schools, and offering degree programs at the master’s and doctoral levels, HST equips Christian leaders to higher standards of ministry and scholarship and challenges them to a deeper faith in God. Combining academic rigor and interpersonal connections, HST emphasizes student engagement in ministry as they study. HST is associated with Churches of Christ, is part of the Stone-Campbell Movement, and is part of Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas.

Confronting Sex Abuse in the Church Session 2

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Host: Dr. Mark E. Powell – HST dean, Professor of Theology
Presenter: Jimmy Hinton – preacher, Consultant on Sex Abuse in the Church

In this session Hinton discusses why churches typically do not do well in protecting children from abuses.
Reasons include:

  • Bad theologies that protect abusers and ignore victims
  • Prioritizing forgiveness above repentance
  • A gross lack of training to recognize abuse patterns and mandated reporting
  • Lack of and inadequate child protection policies
  • Authoritarian leadership models where elders/leaders hold all decision-making power
  • Culture of secrecy where churches are not informed when credible threats are present
  • Dangerous “covenant agreements” designed to keep abusers in the church

He also stresses the importance of churches having a written policy for addressing abuse and offers resources to help develop a policy.

Resources Mentioned:
www.netgrace.org
www.jimmyhinton.org
www.porchswingministries.org
www.d2l.org

(Amazon affiliate links – As an Amazon Affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases made using our Amazon affiliate code.)

Jimmy Hinton graduated with the MDiv from HST in 2007. In 2011, Jimmy’s sister Alex confided in him that she had been sexually abused when she was a young child by their father, a former minister of 27 years. Jimmy reported his father to authorities which resulted in his confession of 23 victims and a conviction of 30-60 years in Pennsylvania state corrections facility.

Jimmy researches deception techniques of child molesters and specializes in abuse in plain sight. Jimmy is a full time minister at the Somerset Church of Christ, author of the #1 New Release The Devil Inside: How My Minister Father Molested Kids In Our Home and Church for Decades and How I Finally Stopped Him, speaker, abuse advocate, and safeguarding specialist with G.R.A.C.E (Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment). Jimmy and his mom Clara host a weekly podcast called The Speaking Out on Sex Abuse Podcast.

Dr. Mark E. Powell, Professor of Theology, has been at HST since 2002. He teaches courses in systematic theology, historical theology, ethics, and philosophy of religion. He is a Shepherd at the Sycamore View Church of Christ in Memphis and has over 25 years of ministry experience in preaching, urban ministry, and adult education. He is passionate about applying Christian theology to worship, ministry, and discipleship.

Harding School of Theology (HST), a seminary in Memphis, TN, has been equipping ministers since 1958. Accredited by the Association of Theological Schools, and offering degree programs at the master’s and doctoral levels, HST equips Christian leaders to higher standards of ministry and scholarship and challenges them to a deeper faith in God. Combining academic rigor and interpersonal connections, HST emphasizes student engagement in ministry as they study. HST is associated with Churches of Christ, is part of the Stone-Campbell Movement, and is part of Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas.

Confronting Sex Abuse in the Church Session 1

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How Abusers Routinely Get Away with Abusing Victims in Front of Our Eyes

Due to the graphic nature of some of the content, this video is restricted to age 18 and older. For the purpose of age verification, you must be signed in to YouTube to watch this video.

Host: Dr. Mark E. Powell – HST dean, Professor of Theology
Presenter: Jimmy Hinton – preacher, Consultant on Sex Abuse in the Church

In this session Hinton teaches basics on how abusers abuse their victims in front of their parents and others and the devastating impact this has on children.

Jimmy Hinton graduated with the MDiv from HST in 2007. In 2011, Jimmy’s sister Alex confided in him that she had been sexually abused when she was a young child by their father, a former minister of 27 years. Jimmy reported his father to authorities which resulted in his confession of 23 victims and a conviction of 30-60 years in Pennsylvania state corrections facility.

Jimmy researches deception techniques of child molesters and specializes in abuse in plain sight. Jimmy is a full time minister at the Somerset Church of Christ, author of the #1 New Release The Devil Inside: How My Minister Father Molested Kids In Our Home and Church for Decades and How I Finally Stopped Him, speaker, abuse advocate, and safeguarding specialist with G.R.A.C.E (Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment). Jimmy and his mom Clara host a weekly podcast called The Speaking Out on Sex Abuse Podcast.

Dr. Mark E. Powell, Professor of Theology, has been at HST since 2002. He teaches courses in systematic theology, historical theology, ethics, and philosophy of religion. He is a Shepherd at the Sycamore View Church of Christ in Memphis and has over 25 years of ministry experience in preaching, urban ministry, and adult education. He is passionate about applying Christian theology to worship, ministry, and discipleship.

Harding School of Theology (HST), a seminary in Memphis, TN, has been equipping ministers since 1958. Accredited by the Association of Theological Schools, and offering degree programs at the master’s and doctoral levels, HST equips Christian leaders to higher standards of ministry and scholarship and challenges them to a deeper faith in God. Combining academic rigor and interpersonal connections, HST emphasizes student engagement in ministry as they study. HST is associated with Churches of Christ, is part of the Stone-Campbell Movement, and is part of Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas.

Introducing the John F. Wilson Collection of Rare Books on Travel and Exploration in the Middle East

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Dr. John F. Wilson is an HST alumnus and Dean and Professor of Religion Emeritus at Pepperdine University. Dr. Wilson is donating a collection of rare books on travel and exploration in the Middle East. In this video, Dr. Wilson tells some stories that these books tell and about his own experience as a field archaeologist.

This was recorded at a reception in the HST Library September 20, 2021 and hosted by HST Library Director Jessica Holland, HST Professor Emeritus Evertt W. Huffard, and the Meredith Restoration History Archive at the HST Library.

Jessica Holland serves as the library director at HST and teaches the Advanced Theological Research course.

Her library journey, beginning as a student worker in the Brown Library at Abilene Christian University in 2004 to her current position as director of the HST library, has given her a love of the many and varied functions of a library. She is especially convinced that the excellence of a library hinges largely on its ability to provide hospitality as well as knowledge to its community.

Evertt W. Huffard retired from HST in December, 2019. He was Professor of Leadership and Missions at HST for over 30 years. He directed the D.Min. program for 10 years, then served as VP/Dean for 15 years. In 1997 he received the Distinguished Teacher Award from Harding University. He is a consultant for church leaders as one of the partners in Hope Network Ministries.

Harding School of Theology (HST), a seminary in Memphis, TN, has been equipping ministers since 1958. Accredited by the Association of Theological Schools, and offering degree programs at the master’s and doctoral levels, HST equips Christian leaders to higher standards of ministry scholarship and challenges them to a deeper faith in God. Combining academic rigor and interpersonal connections, HST emphasizes student engagement in ministry as they study. HST is associated with Churches of Christ, is part of the Stone-Campbell Movement, and is part of Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas.

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