Some Of My Thoughts On This.....

I woke-up from sleeping and haven't been able to quiet my mind since. Different thoughts are racing through my head. I think the focus is wrong. In America I believe everyone has an opportunity to hear the word of God. It's on TV, the radio, a church is around every corner, out reaches are everywhere, at schools (Young Life), colleges, fairs, the opportunities to hear the gospel are seemingly everywhere. I don't believe the lack of the gospel is the problem.

The church does have a void in that the church as a whole is not adequately prepared to deal with or manage pedophiles. I can't imagine someone entering the mindset, the lifestyle, and activities of a pedophile for the purpose of "winning" them for Christ or rather "ministering" to them. Just as I can't imagine doing any of that with a druggie or someone that is the abuser in domestic violence. These individuals need specialized medical and psychological help and treatment plan!

I believe God is the one that opens the eyes of the individual.

Pedophiles and rapist can be ministered to in the prison system by the people that are called to "jail ministry." The prison system allows for children to be safe, for the predator to hopefully "meet Jesus" in their jail cell, and those adults called can go to the prison and love on them. If in this environment a pedophile doesn't find Jesus, turn from their sin, and a literal miracle takes place then I would say hope is slim-to-none that they ever will.

If there is such an individual out there that was once a pedophile by definition but is now walking the straight and narrow path with their savior Jesus Christ? Please stand up and be identified. Is there real hope for a pedophile? I do not doubt my God when I ask that question, I doubt the pedophile that would need to turn to my God and surrender their wicked ways!

As I said, I think the focus is on the wrong people group! The real question should be, "How is, "the church" set up to help the victims?" If a victim never tells, they have life long consequences! I believe there are masses of individuals in the church today with unresolved childhood sexual abuse being the root cause that hinders them in their physical and spiritual walk with God. Are our church leaders adequately prepared to deal with such a delicate issue? Are the leaders able to walk a survivor through facing and dealing with the trauma of abuse and all that-that entails? These survivors are the people that are walking around hurting, with trust issues, unhealthy coping choices (over eating, drinking, drugs...) that the church has overlooked! Make the church a safe place to talk about such issues. Make the church a place that holds individuals accountable if they are an abuser.

I will go out on a limb but I believe my limb is on a 1,000+ year old sturdy tree when I say I believe the church actually fosters childhood sexual abuse. That pedophiles actually use the church as a hunting ground and feel quite welcomed in most churches. The church has already been helping pedophiles for years. The church at large has done a good job at giving pedophiles a "second chance" by not reporting their crimes to the police. At large, I believe that churches are afraid of this subject, afraid of making someone feel uncomfortable, afraid of becoming educated, afraid of admitting they don't have the right tools to deal with certain individuals, have mis-interpreted the scripture on forgiveness and reconciliation, don't have any system in place to notify/educate/protect their flock from known pedophiles.

For the church to minister to pedophiles there would need to be adult only fellowships. PERIOD!

Then what is the church to do with the rapists?

If you give a mouse a muffin......