Diane Langberg’s name is familiar to us.  A member of the PCA and a licensed clinical psychologist, she has taught at Westminster Theological Seminary as well as other institutions.  She has been a frequent speaker at conferences for pastors and wives and the Women In the Church (WIC). She will be the pre-conference keynote speaker and will lead one of the seminars at the September 1999 WIC conference in Atlanta. She has worked with the CE/P staff in a variety of ways over the years, and has counseled numerous people, even in our PCA family.

Several years ago I reviewed Langberg’s book, Counseling Survivors of Sexual Abuse, written for professional counselors.  Part of a series in the AACC Counseling Library, it has proven to be extremely valuable to those of us engaged in any type of counseling.

This more recent volume, On the Threshold of Hope, also addresses sexual abuse. However, it targets a broader audience. I had the privilege of reading and commenting on the manuscript prior to its release, and I was deeply moved.  I was saddened by the reality of abuse of God’s people, but encouraged by the hope that is available.  I state on the book jacket that I believe this book should be required reading for anyone involved in ministry—seminary students, pastors, counselors, youth directors and lay leaders.  Both Larry Crabb and Jay Adams have emphasized that ordinary Christians should be equipped to come alongside and help hurting people.  Those who have lived through abuse are definitely hurting.  Sadly, we do not have to look far to find someone in this category. 

Langberg writes in the introduction, “I have listened to survivors in the chair across from me for twenty-five years now, and I have included in this book many of the things they have said and felt and asked.  For the most part, my work as a counselor has been with adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse.  That means I see men and women who were sexually abused before the age of eighteen.  I have seen more women than men, although I find more men coming for counseling in recent years.”

The topic of sexual abuse has been brought into the open, at least somewhat, in recent years. Because people are becoming a bit more willing to share their stories, Christians need to have some basic understanding and an idea of how to respond when God gives us an opportunity to hear someone’s story. Some of the testimonies in the book will expand your insights into abuse.  Looking back into the abuse, then determining some of the results will help us show compassion, care, and healing to those involved.  How do they deal with the confusion, anger, grief, and perplexities that abuse has caused?  Can we really hope to overcome those tragic moments?  These are real questions that require answers from a redemptive perspective.

The book drew me in so powerfully, I was emotionally exhausted when I finished reading it. The style is easily readable and the text so gripping, it was difficult to put it down. I commend it to you.  Those who work with people—children, youth, or adults—need to face what this book addresses, and we need to do so with the hope that broken lives can be mended by the grace of God and the support of the Christian community.  Christianity is a religion of relationships, healing, and restoration, but many people who have been victims of abuse push away from those things because they are afraid.  We need to love and reassure hurt people, and create a safe environment where we can carefully meet their needs. Consider reading and discussing the book in a small group-study setting as part of the equipping-for-ministry process. 

- Charles Dunahoo, CEP Coordinator