Practical resources to help your church become safer.
Domestic and family violence affects people in every community, including our churches.
Common Grace’s new Domestic and Family Violence Church Toolkit is a free collection of practical resources designed to help churches understand DFV, respond safely when someone reaches out for help, and take meaningful steps to prevent violence and build cultures of safety, dignity, and healthy relationships.
Wherever your church is on this journey, this Toolkit can help you take the next step. Sign up now to receive access to this FREE resource.
Why do churches need this toolkit?
Domestic and family violence (DFV) is one of Australia's most pervasive injustices. One in four women since the age of 15, and one in fourteen men, will experience violence from an intimate partner during their lifetime.
People experiencing domestic and family violence are part of our churches.
Churches can be places of safety, belonging and healing. But without understanding and appropriate responses, churches can also unintentionally contribute to further harm.
Scripture can be misused to justify control and abuse. Victim-survivors may encounter responses that minimise their experiences, prioritise reconciliation or relationships over safety, or leave them feeling unheard and unsupported.
Churches don't need to become DFV specialists. But they do need to understand their role.
This Toolkit is designed to help.
"Facing up to the reality of domestic and family violence in our churches is both necessary and daunting. It can be overwhelming to work out where to even start! Building on a decade of work helping Christians and churches recognise and understand these realities and respond well, Common Grace’s DFV Church Toolkit brings together high-quality resources with a clear path forward for your church. I have no doubt this Toolkit will help make our churches safer."
Josh Dowton, Executive Pastor, Northside Baptist Church
Sign up for the DFV Church Toolkit
Becoming a safer church is not a one-off task. It is an ongoing journey of learning, reflection, action and change.
This Domestic and Family Violence Church Toolkit contains:
- DFV Factsheet
- Church Service Outline & Service PowerPoint Template
- Preaching Guide
- Weaponised Scripture Information Sheet
- Responding to DFV guidance
- DFV Disclosure Flowchart
- How-to Guide for developing DFV Church Policy
You don't have to do everything at once. Every church can take a step.
Sign up for the DFV Church Toolkit
“Christian church leaders' expertise is not in providing domestic and family violence responses, nor should it be. However, understanding the roles that Christian leaders and Christian faith communities can and should have can help save lives and aid healing for generations.
I can't reiterate strongly enough just how important this Toolkit is. The Toolkit is a thorough introduction to this issue impacting our communities. I’ve found personal encouragement and guidance from Common Grace's longstanding commitment to proactively shine the light on this persistent issue."
Amanda, DFV social worker with lived experience and member of the Common Grace DFV Working Group.
Shaped by lived experience and expertise
We are deeply grateful to the Domestic and Family Violence Working Group, whose lived experience, professional expertise, theological reflection and practical wisdom have helped shape this resource.
The Toolkit has been led by Common Grace’s Domestic and Family Violence Working Group, including: Amanda, Anneleise Hey, Carolyn Cousins, Erica Mandi Manga, Ellaina Welsman, Gen Farquhar, Heather, Josh Dowton, Keely Oste, Louise Juracich, Lynda Dunstan, and Victoria Small.
Wherever you and your church are on this journey, we pray that the resources provided remind you of the importance of your efforts and help move you forward as we pursue the safety and flourishing of all people and all relationships.
Explore further resources to help equip Christians and Australian churches to respond to and prevent domestic and family violence with compassion, care, and courage at Common Grace’s SAFER Resource.