A trauma-informed, biblically grounded training and certification program equipping churches to recognize, respond to, and prevent spiritual, emotional, and relational abuse.
Get Updates When It LaunchesThe Safe Church Project was born out of both heartbreak and hope. As a survivor, an advocate, and a ministry leader, Adrienne Binder has seen the devastating consequences when the Church is unprepared to respond to abuse — and the beautiful healing that begins when we get it right.
Here is why this work matters.
Emotional, spiritual, and relational abuse often hides behind Scripture, charisma, or institutional power. Many leave the church not because they’ve walked away from God, but because the church unknowingly walked away from them.
Many families and churches have unknowingly accepted emotionally unhealthy dynamics as normal. The Church must be equipped to name what is broken and stop spiritualizing dysfunction.
Most pastors and ministry teams care deeply — but they’re not trauma-informed. Without training, even well-intentioned responses can retraumatize.
Jesus protected the vulnerable and disrupted spiritual abuse. When churches become places of refuge and repair, they embody the Gospel in its fullest form.
"Safety is not optional when love is the mission."
Sanctuary Certified™ is a structured formation pathway designed to help churches create lasting cultural change. Flexible, self-paced, and built for the whole church.
Core training built around biblical principles, trauma-informed theology, and real-world case studies. Designed for churches of all sizes and denominations.
Official recognition for churches and individuals who complete the training and commit to a culture of safety, accountability, and compassion.
Expanded training for pastoral care teams, mentors, and lay leaders who want deeper guidance for walking with survivors.
Downloadable checklists, conversation guides, and sample church policies designed to build healthy boundaries from the inside out.
Optional public listing to help survivors and families identify churches that are trained and equipped to respond with wisdom and grace.
Practical steps to help your entire ministry implement trauma-informed practices across all departments — not just counseling or care.
Sanctuary Certified™ is designed for the churches and leaders who already care — who just need the tools to act on that care with wisdom and courage.
"This project is my offering — for the sake of the wounded, for the sake of the Church, and for the sake of the Gospel."
Survivor · Educator · Ministry Leader · Doctoral Researcher
For years, Adrienne wrestled with the disconnect between the love of Jesus and the harm done in His name. She saw how emotional and spiritual abuse — especially the kind hidden behind religious language or leadership titles — left deep, lasting wounds. She also saw churches that meant well but didn’t know how to respond.
She founded the Safe Church Project as part of her doctoral work in Christian Leadership, but more than that, she created it as an answer to a cry she couldn’t ignore. She believes the Church can do better. She believes Jesus is still healing, still restoring, and still calling His Body to love with both truth and tenderness.
Sanctuary Certified™ is coming in 2027. Sign up to receive updates, early access, and resources as we build toward launch. Your church can begin preparing now.
We’ll send you updates as we build toward launch. No spam. Only what matters.