Let us Prey- A Charge to All Parents

*trigger warning- child abuse mentioned

Anytime a bad person creeps into a group, whether that is a Baptist group, a Catholic group, Lutheran group, or even a teacher in a public school, the entire group as a whole is scrutinized and criticized. That's why, as Independent Baptists, we need to be above reproach in every area of life, walk, talk, and deed.

My parents were saved when I was one, and soon started going to a Baptist church. I was raised as a Baptist, and I have also raised my kids as Baptists. I truly believe that the doctrine is as close Biblically as you can get.

I am a Christian first and foremost. I love the Lord, I believe the Bible, I believe in being good and doing good for others. I am trying my best to raise God fearing children who put him above all else.

Christian first, Baptist second.

That being said, Baptists have problems like everyone else. Man is man, and sin is sin. I think the previous generation of Baptists definitely could have done better at calling out sin among their own ranks, and I am praying that our generation can do better when it comes to this area- we HAVE to do better at this.

Thankfully, I have never been a member of a Baptist church where a scandal has ever occurred, or accusations have even been made. My father in law had a perfect track record at his church, and my husband has also had one his entire ministry. This didn't happen by accident, though. We took some steps to ensure that we stay above reproach, and that an accusation wouldn't even have legitimacy to it, if it was made. We have also taken steps to protect our children, because abuse in any form is horrible, and can have lasting effects for generations to come.

Let Us Prey is another documentary about abuse, and unfortunately, it focuses on a few IFB churches. I am not in fellowship with any of the churches highlighted, and I was disgusted at the abuse that occurred. Abuse that was proven in a court of law.

As much as people want to focus solely on the IFB, however, I have always been leery of ANY group or people that I don't personally know.

Every day, I hear another story of a public school teacher who was sexually abusing a student. A religious leader who was grooming and/or abusing a child. A gym teacher who was raping a student. A family member accused of molesting their child. It's horrible, and it's not specific to one group or genre. As such, we need to protect our children like never before.

1. Be careful about sleepovers. We have never been big on sleepovers with our kids. Especially when they can't communicate well. Sleepovers are few and far between, and we have to be practically blood related, or know them as well as family, for them to happen. I have also done sleepovers where I am there the entire time, as are the moms of the other girls, as well.

2. Never leave a baby or toddler who can't talk or communicate with someone you don't know well.

3. Be careful about sending your kids to camps when you don't know the chaperones. We have always done camps where us, or another family member, were the chaperones. I like that set up the best.

4. Don't allow your kids to get super attached to another family that isn't your own. Your kids are YOUR kids. You raise them. If another dad is paying a lot of attention to one of your girls, something is off. That's not normal. Big time red flags.

5. Trust your gut. If someone or something seems fishy, it probably is.

6. Don't be alone with someone of the opposite gender that isn't your spouse. Don't go out for coffee, don't chat it up on the phone, don't text, don't have private conversations, just don't. This alone will protect you - it will protect you from ruining your testimony, your marriage, your home, in some cases, your life.

7. Monitor your kids' phones. Know who they are snap chatting. Know who they are talking to. Limit what social media they can have, and warn and talk frequently about the dangers of dm's and not knowing who you are REALLY talking to on the internet.

8. Warn your kids often about the dangers of predators. Explain to them, (in terms that aren't graphic or in detail)what grooming could possibly look like.

9. Know their friends, know the families they are hanging around, know where they are, know who is influencing them.

10. Teach them to set boundaries. If someone touching their shoulder creeps them out, teach them to stand up for themselves. I don't like hugs, and no one is owed a hug from me. If someone comes in for a hug and I don't want one, I will stop them. By me doing this, it teaches my kids that their body is their own, and they can set boundaries with others.

11. I don't make my kids hug others, give them kisses, etc. If they are uncomfortable with it, they are uncomfortable with it.

12. Listen to your kids if a situation they are uncomfortable with arises. So many parents refuse to heed the warning signs, and by the time they do, abuse has already occurred.

13. Ditch the government and private schools, and homeschool your kids. Be IN the home with them. I am with my kids almost 24 hours a day. Because of this, I know what's going on, I know who they are around. This lowers the chance of abuse to almost zero. Say what you want, but private AND public schools have predators. The best choice for my husband and I was that I homeschool them. If you do have to send them somewhere, I would get to know their teacher very well. Talk to your kids about their day. Know what's going on.

14. Pray for the Holy Spirit to show you anything that might be going on. Pray that secrets would be revealed, if there are any. Pray that you'll find out if something is happening, before it has lasting consequences.

We as parents have to be hyper vigilant in today's day and age. With kids having access to internet, the number of predators climb by the day. We have to be aware of what's out there, and so do they. We have to guard their hearts, their innocence, and their minds.

And I want to say, too, that sometimes we can do all the right things, and be vigilant, and do our very best, and a bad person still manages to do bad things. If that happens, you or your child aren't "broken." God can heal, and you can have a beautiful life.

Bad people have always existed, and unfortunately, they will use positions of trust to hold a "power" over their innocent victims. My heart breaks any time I hear of abuse, but especially when it happened at a church or the home of someone who was a professing Christian. May it not ever be so in my home, church, or life.

Jesus felt very strongly about those who abuse children, and I agree with what he said.

#LetUsPrey 

#protectyourkids