Read "When I Call for Help: A Pastoral Response to Domestic Violence Against Women."

It should be evident that members of the leadership team who are themselves abusers must be removed. It should be evident, but sadly, some pastors just don't get it.

Help the abuser get help. Pray for him. But do not let the abuser off the hook by minimizing the gravity of what he has done.

Make the victim aware of the network of resources available to help. Reassure the victim that your church is one of those resources.

Safety first for the abused person and children caught in the middle of the relationship. Have a list of emergency shelters available to share with the victims in your community.

The signs of abuse are not always a bloodied, black-eyed victim. Quite often, they are much more subtle. This is why pastoral teams need to be trained to recognize a number of possible signs

In order to help prevent Domestic Violence it is vitally important to: Give a "Correct Reading of Scripture." Often, men who abuse their wives use the Scriptures (for example, "women submit to your husbands") as a justification for their abuse.

Standing together, churches can become powerful first-responder networks that help create zero tolerance for intimate partner abuse and dating violence throughout the communities they serve.