Fourth Sabbath of August

enditnow® Emphasis Day

enditnow® is a worldwide church initiative

enditnow® Emphasis Day is on the world church's Calendar of Days and Events. General Conference Women's Ministries (GCWM) coordinates the production and distribution of the enditnow® Emphasis Day resource packets with contributions from six additional co-sponsoring departments of the General Conference: Children's Ministries, Education, Family Ministries, Health Ministries, Ministerial Association, and Youth Ministries.

August 26, 2023

Wolves in Sheep's Clothing

Resource Packet

This year for enditnow® Emphasis Day we are focused on "Wolves in Sheep's Clothing, When those who claim to be followers of Jesus harm others." Both the Old and New Testaments refer to God's people as sheep, to the body of believers as a flock, and to our Lord as the Shepherd. But because our churches are filled with imperfect and broken people, we may encounter a wolf disguised in sheep's clothing, or a wolf disguised in shepherd's clothing. Often we think that abuse involves violence, but none of the cases shared in the sermon include violence. None of the "victims" resisted abuse. At the time it was happening, none of then even recognized it as abuse. Yet, the power differential caused each victim to b violated.

What's in the Packet?

• Sermon, "Wolves in Sheep's Clothing"
  • Word packet with sermon, children's story, workshop script
  • PowerPoint for sermon
  • graphic image
• Workshop, "Sarah's Diary"
  • workshop handouts
  • discussion notes for leaders
    
  • Sarah's Diary video (coming soon)

You may print and reproduce the packet to share with others. We encourage you to use these resources in your church's enditnow® Emphasis Day program.

ZIP FILES

English | French | German | Portuguese | Spanish 

Packet authors

The enditnow® packet for 2023 was written by Ann Hamel, PhD, DMin, and Cheri Cordell.

Dr. Hamel is a psychologist with the International Service Employee Support Team of the General Conference. She is involved both in preparing missionaries for mission service as well as supporting them if and when they face challenges, hardships, or tragedy as they serve. Dr. Hamel specializes in traumatology and is a Board-Certified Expert in Traumatic Stress. She has a PhD in Psychology from Andrews University and a Doctor of Ministry in Formational Counseling from Ashland Theological Seminary. She also has a certificate in Global Mental Health: Trauma and Recovery from Harvard University.

Cheri Corder has been involved in Women’s Ministries for more than 35 years, including 8 years as Director of Women’s Ministries for the Oregon Conference. She has also served as a conference director for Family Ministries, Health Ministries, Children’s Ministries, and Adventist Community Services. Her speaking opportunities have included numerous women’s retreats, camp meeting seminars, two conferences on abuse, and an evangelistic series in a little church in Costa Rica. Her final ministry role before retiring was that of Missionary Care Coordinator for Adventist Frontier Missions. In these leadership roles, she has attended multiple training sessions regarding abuse and has had the privilege of hearing the painful journeys of countless men and women.

enditnow® resources

enditnow logo lo-res JPG | printer's hi-res logo JPG
Save-the-date postcard lo-res PDF | Printer's save-the-date postcard hi-res PDF
enditnow brochures

The Dynamics of Domestic Violence PDF eBooklet

Written by Mable Dunbar, PhD, LPC, published 2016 by North American Division Women's Ministries (used by permission)
English | German | French | Portuguese | Spanish

Breaking the Silence brochure

English | Spanish | German | Portuguese

Breaking the Silence magazines

Archive of Spanish and Portuguese PDF magazines

enditnow® social media square images as PNG files (courtesy of South Pacific Division)

1 in 4 women experience violent abuse from an intimate partner 
Prevalence of women experiencing domestic violence: indigenous 60%, Pacific 70%
Rates of domestic violence are the same, church = society
10 days

Learn more

North American Division enditnow website
Church Statements Against Violence
What Can My Church Do?
Protecting Our Children
13 Minimum Steps to Church Security, an 11x17 poster, by Gary Loster and Sarah McDugal, used by permission of WildernesstoWILD.com
Enditnow Decision Tree, infographic in Spanish
Sexual Abuse: Reclaiming Hope, a seminar for NAD teacher certification and continuing education credit (CEUs), from Adventist Learning Community

enditnow® news and views

Adventist News Network, 8-23-2021, Abuse [What Should We Do To End It Now?], YouTube, In-Depth interview with Dr. Rene Drumm,
Adventist Review, 9-01-2019, Safe Church, interview includes Raquel Arrais
Adventist News Network, 8-04-2019 Breaking the Silence Day in Brazil
Adventist News Network, 8-17-2018 enditnow Emphasis Day

enditnow® video messages by Pastor Ted Wilson

Ted NC Wilson, 8-22-2021 YouTube video enditnow 2022 message with Nancy Wilson
Ted NC Wilson, 5-11-2021 YouTube video enditnow 2021 greeting
Ted NC Wilson, 8-21-2020 YouTube video enditnow 2020 message
Ted NC Wilson, 8-21-2017 YouTube video enditnow 2017 message
Nancy Wilson, 8-21-2017 YouTube video enditnow 2017 message

Ted and Nancy Wilson speak out against pornography, August 26, 2021