Being a Sanctuary

I still remember sitting in a small room opposite two Elders in my congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses, the church in which I grew up.

This would be a short meeting that would change my life. Devastate it, really. Until then, I'd been actively engaged in the church and had been sharing messages, preaching really, since the age of eight. However, this meeting would determine that I was gay, unacceptable as a JW, and I would be banned from all church activities and from associating from the children and families I'd grown to love.

While this would be dramatic enough, the truth is it was only part of the story. It would take me years to figure out that I am not, in fact, gay. I am a childhood sexual abuse survivor who grew up in a church that has a long history of sweeping such reports under the rug.

There was nothing wrong with me. It was them. It was always them.

This wasn't the first time I'd experienced a shattering of the safety that once expects in a church family. It would not be the last. I would have a similar experience, for different reasons, with the Vineyard Christian Fellowship and, once again, would be told to leave.

I thought about these experiences often while reading Pricelis Perreaux-Dominguez's "Being a Sanctuary: The Radical Way for the Body of Christ to be Sacred, Soft, and Safe."

If we're being honest, it's no longer surprising to hear of church scandals, people leaving the church, and a garden variety of abuses. Nearly all major denominations are experiencing declines in membership and at times it feels like politics has taken a precedent over prayer and people.

Perreaux-Dominguez poses a question that is simultaneously simple yet complex - What does it mean to be the Body of Christ in a healthy and holy way?

Can we get back to being the Church that we were intended to be? Perreaux-Dominguez shares both personal testimony and her deep wisdom to take us on an honest, biblical, and contemplative journey as she both speaks honestly about the current state of the church and offers us a hope-filled path forward.

Perreau-Dominguez herself has experienced abuse, trauma, and racism within church walls. That gives "Being a Sanctuary" a personal relevance and emotional resonance that reverberates often. She focuses on three aspects of God's vision for the church: that it would be sacred (Bible-based), soft (trauma-informed), and safe (justice-centered).

There's a good chance you will finish "Being a Sanctuary" thinking to yourself that if feels rather fundamental. Indeed, it does. Yet, in some ways that feels like exactly what's missing. We've gotten away from the fundamentals of what it means to be the church and what it means to truly belong to one another.

With each section, Perreaux-Dominguez utilizes biblical teaching, practical instruction, personal testimony, and wise companionship to offer a step forward. "Being a Sanctuary" is incredibly practical, however, it's also very mindful and constantly offers opportunities for introspection, self-reflection, and personal healing. She looks at what it means to be "sanctuary" and then how we can passionately pursue it through repentance, pursuing sanctification, showing and sharing Christ's compassion, healing injustices big and small, choosing unity (rather than uniformity), and active advocacy.

"Being a Sanctuary" is inclusive in its teachings. I was touched that Perreaux-Dominguez references disability more than once (trust me, a rarity) and challenges all of us to do what we can to become the radicals we were meant to be by returning to being a church that is sacred, soft, and safe.

As someone who so seldom feels safe, there were times I found myself mumbling "I want this church!" as I read "Being a Sanctuary." Yet, I also found myself wanting to actually be that church. One of my personal meditations as I was reading became "I want to be the safety that I needed most."

For those who've experienced church-related trauma, "Being a Sanctuary" is a nurturing reminder that we're called to a better way. With wisdom, softness, and holy wisdom, Perreaux-Dominguez invites us on a journey toward getting there.

As someone who has dealt with church hurt, very much appreciated the way this encouraged us to cultivate safe and friendly Christian communities

(I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)

This could be a wonderful precursor for those who are processing church hurt or deconstructing their faith. It's certainly relevant, but I went into the book thinking it would be different than what I found in these pages. It flowed less like a story and more like a well-written list of arguments meant to convict those in the Church of where we've fallen short. At times, it felt like the author was trying to accomplish too much in this shortened book, and I would've loved to see the content stick to the main thesis a bit more. I'm looking forward to seeing what Pricelis writes next!

Church in the world never can be an ideal utopia institution until the second coming of Jesus Christ, That is why, we need perspectives from Pricelis Perreaux-Dominguez--who has experienced abuse, trauma, and racism within the church--takes us on an honest, biblical, and reflective journey as she examines the state of the church and offers us a hopeful path forward. This book, Being a Sanctuary, will encourage us to have faith in Christ.

I enjoyed reading this book and I appreciate Pricelis' heart for the Church. She opens the book by expressing that the Body of Christ is in crisis. Although the Body is in crisis, Pricelis does not simply point to its faults and shortcomings. Instead, she calls the Body to be a sanctuary, or, as she describes it, a place that people can call safe, soft, and sacred. I liked that the book was divided into three sections. In the first section, "Safe," she emphasizes the importance of pausing and listening rather than pursuing fast growth and success. Pausing helps us to hear God's voice more clearly so that we can properly abide in his will. She also calls Christians back to Jesus' call to love one another -- whether they be our friend or our enemy. Lastly, in this section, she addresses the need for unity rather than uniformity within the Church. In the second section, "Soft," she highlights compassion and the need to be trauma-informed Christians. In the final section, "Safe," she discusses the need for justice in Christian circles. She explains that all Christians are called to pursue justice, even if they are not directly impacted by injustice. Overall, I enjoyed this book and the way in which Pricelis weaves in her own story of faith and dealing with Church trauma to communicate her message. I think that this book can be a good starting point for Christians wanting to find a way forward after witnessing or experiencing scandals, sin, injustices, trauma, and other issues in the Church.

I enjoyed reading about Pricelis story, experience and heart for the church. I hope to bring what I learned from this book into my everyday life and interactions with the people around me. Thanks Netgalley for the ARC.

The dedication gives the hope of the contents: radical love, radical labor, radical life that is sacred, soft, and safe for the Church and the world around it.

Contrasting the perceptions and realities of an unloving, not-serving Body of Christ with the hopefulness and possibilities of Christ's nature, Dominguez opens the possibilities of a collective reflection, repentance and restoration of what Jesus intended.

Each chapter starts with a quote, a verse and a story or observation on how things are. And it ends with reflections in meditations, questions, and scripture. Well worth picking up. Because the concepts are worth pursuing wherever God has placed you in this world of hurt and hopelessness.

Be the body! I'm recommending this for spiritual formation, ministry leadership, and ministry team members - so that through you will flow living water as you reach and teach others in the same.

Being a Sanctuary not only invites the Body of Christ to be the sanctuary it's meant to be, but its pages also offer the experience of entering a sanctuary. The pages are “sacred, soft, and safe” places for a broad range of readers. Each chapter is punctuated with invitations to accountability, personal anecdotes, thought-provoking reflective questions, and, perhaps most importantly, practical invitations to remain in prayer and scripture.

While remaining digestible, it's evident that a gifted Bible scholar and teacher thoughtfully organized the material. Readers familiar with the Bible will likely appreciate the author's diligent workmanship, rightly dividing the Word of truth. Those who are less familiar will likely appreciate the historical and contemporary contexts she offers for the scriptures cited.

The material does not assume that every reader is familiar with (or even interested in) contemporary church culture, nor does it assume that active members of the Body are necessarily aware of (or oblivious to) the harmful consequences of some of the body's practices. This book considers every reader with compassion, dignity, and mercy, regardless of their relationship with the Church. No one is vilified. No one is othered. All are invited to stop and consider how they can walk out the radically kind, just, and merciful way of Jesus. I anticipate revisiting this book regularly, whether acting as a disciple or seeking discipling.

I enjoyed this book which talks about how the church needs to be more of a sanctuary, and gives examples of both ways it is not currently in the North American context, but also how it can be, and ways that it is trying. The author gives voice to a feeling and desire I have long had, and issues I have wrestled with as part of a church family. I think all church leadership should read this book and make a commitment to make themselves a safe space for all people, not just those that are like us.

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

This was a really good book. Very timely. Practical yet not preachy, but completely Scriptural. The questions and reflections at the end of the chapter really stick with you. Highly recommend!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Gah! This was so good, I’m actually having trouble ording my thoughts.

The author, through personal anecdotes, Scripture, introspective questions, and breath prayers, calls us out, and calls us home.

My favourite bit, was the centering of Imago Dei, and how, by focusing on every persons’ intrinsic value, we’re more able see past The Sides and Stances, and recognize The Soul. #hallelujahfixitjesus

I also really appreciated her acknowledging hurdles those with disabilities and neurodivergence face in the physical building of the church, and how people can’t ‘come as they are’ if their needs aren’t met. We managed to change the wafer to gluten-free for our celiac congregants, we can probably turn down the light show and turn up the house lights.

As and afirming believer, I didn't agree with everything, but Sacred, Soft, and Safe are tremendous tentpoles – a great place for us to start.

Thanks to NetGalley, and Baker Academic for this actionable ARC.