October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and many pastors are asking: How should the church address domestic violence from the pulpit? If you are looking for sermon ideas on domestic violence, biblical guidance for responding to abuse, or practical training for pastors and church leaders, this page provides trusted resources. These sermons and training materials will help you preach with both truth and compassion—protecting the vulnerable while remaining faithful to Scripture.
Sermon Ideas for Domestic Violence Awareness Month (October)
If you are looking for a strong, biblical sermon on domestic violence for Domestic Violence Awareness Month (October), this is one of the best I have heard. Pastor Neil Schori of The Edge Church (Aurora, IL) shares the story of counseling a woman in his church who was experiencing domestic violence — and how that experience changed his ministry. He also provides a clear biblical foundation for why pastors must care deeply about abuse victims.
Pastor Neil Schori’s Basic Domestic Violence Training for Pastors, Church Leaders, and Volunteers
What should a pastor do when someone says they are being physically or emotionally abused?
Pastor Schori explains how his approach to ministry changed after a church member confided her fears about her husband. That woman, Stacy Peterson, disappeared two months later and was never seen again. Pastor Schori later became a key witness in the murder trial of her husband, police officer Drew Peterson, who was convicted.
Since then, Pastor Schori has felt called to train pastors and church leaders to respond more wisely and safely to domestic violence. In this powerful training video, he discusses:
♦️ The story of Stacy and Drew Peterson — and the murder trial where Pastor Neil was a key witness. (To hear a longer version, watch Pastor Schori’s full sermon here.)
♦️ How he sought expert guidance from domestic violence advocate Susan Murphy-Milano and realized his seminary counseling degree had not adequately prepared him for abuse cases.
♦️ 10:30 – Five responsibilities of pastors and church leaders
♦️ 12:15 – Three practical ways to help victims
♦️ 16:20 – Helping victims find their voice and safely document their story for potential legal protection
♦️ 17:20 – The Evidentiary Abuse Affidavit (written, recorded, and notarized documentation) – www.documenttheabuse.com
♦️ 20:30 – Why male victims often go underground, and why “violence to the soul is at least as damaging as physical violence.”
♦️ 24:30 – Revising church policy and official positions on divorce in cases of abuse
♦️ 26:11 – Biblical and theological reasons for allowing divorce in cases of domestic violence (plus recommended books and curriculum at 31:17)
♦️ 30:25 – How he trains staff and volunteers on abuse response
♦️ 35:30 – If domestic violence training is required for barbers and bartenders, why not pastors?
♦️ 36:15 – Nearly half of U.S. divorces involve very serious issues
♦️ 37:40 – “There are women killed every day because someone told them to stay.” Many gray divorces involve long-term abuse where victims were pressured to remain “for the kids,” even though children suffer in high-conflict homes.
♦️ 37:55 – Research shows that in very high-conflict marriages, children often fare better after divorce than in ongoing abuse.
♦️ 38:45 – Nearly 8 in 10 children of divorce experience no long-term serious emotional, psychological, or social harm. (39:24 – Children in high-discord homes often wish their parents would separate.)
♦️ 40:15 – Luke 13 and the heart of Jesus for those in pain
♦️ 42:00 – Why allowing divorce in domestic violence cases saves lives: no-fault divorce lowered suicide, domestic violence, and homicide rates.
♦️ 43:20 – Don’t send victims back. Don’t shame them for wanting safety. Support wise steps toward protection.
Additional Sermon Ideas for Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Facts to know before you preach on domestic violence awareness.
https://lifesavingdivorce.com/pastor-education-domestic-violence-biblical-response/
Excellent Sermon / Interview
Pastor (Dr.) Peter R. Shaw of Crosswalk Community Church (Napa, CA) interviews District Attorney Allison Haley about domestic violence during a Sunday morning service. (36-minute video)
Resources for Pastors
Domestic Violence Hotline: Why We Don’t Recommend Couples Counseling for Abusive Relationships
- 6 in 10 U.S. Divorces are For Life-Saving Reasons: Adultery, Substance Abuse, Domestic Violence. Four Studies
https://lifesavingdivorce.com/what-is-a-life-saving-divorce/ - Divorce has been proven to save lives by reducing the homicide, suicide, and domestic violence rates for wives. (Harvard study)
https://lifesavingdivorce.com/divorcesaveslives -
Does the Waite and Gallagher Study Really Say Your Marriage Will Become Happy If You Stay 5 Years? No!
https://lifesavingdivorce.com/waite/ -
10 Quotes on Kids and Divorce From Dr. Judith Wallerstein and Other Top Researchers of the Past 30 Years
https://lifesavingdivorce.com/wallerstein/ -
Psychology Today Got the Waite Divorce Study Wrong — Here Is What the Data Really Show
https://lifesavingdivorce.com/psychologytoday1/ -
Will the Kids and I Ever Find Safety, Healthy, and Peace Again After Divorce? Studies Say Most People Do!
https://lifesavingdivorce.com/happy/
Surveys of Pastors: Changing Approaches
2018 Survey Results (showed marked improvement)
Harvard Divinity School Report: Interrogating the Silence: Religious Leaders’ Attitudes toward Sexual and Gender-based Violence
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