SSB Gathering – October 11, 2015

Spiritual Sounding Board – This is your place to gather and share in an open

format. by Kathi

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Given that this month is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, I thought I would post verses that are often used to keep a person in a domestic violence situation. My intent in this is to focus on how the Bible can be and is used as a means of control by an abuser.

My hope is that this will open discussion about the real issue of domestic violence within the church family. As we have this discussion, I ask that words be used carefully and your mind be open and understanding. Everyone who has lived through or is currently in a domestic violence situation has different experiences. Sunday Gatherings are meant to be a place of support, and I ask that we use this space in that way.

Please take care while reading. If reading through these verses is difficult for you and brings back painful memories, please make sure  that you are taking care of yourself. Again, my hope and intent is to bring discussion about how the church responds to domestic violence. Please let me know if continuing this throughout the month is too difficult and I will stop this series. -Kathi

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Genesis 2: 18-25

The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field.

But for Adam no suitable helper was found. So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, for she was taken out of man.” For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. The man and his wife were both naked and they felt no shame.

Genesis 3: 16

To the woman he said, “I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.”

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Genesis 1: 26-27

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

Galatians 3:28

There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

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May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you: wherever he may send you;

may he guide you through the wilderness: protect you from the storm;

may he bring you home rejoicing: at the wonders he has shown you;

may he bring you home rejoicing: once again into our doors.

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Feel free to join the discussion.

You can share your church struggles and concerns.

Let’s also use it as a time to encourage one another spiritually.

What have you found spiritually encouraging lately?

Do you have any special Bible verses to share, any YouTube songs that you have found uplifting?

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photo credit: Kathi – Vancouver, B.C.