Online Technical Assistance is available for Breaking the Silence
Please email us for help conducting the program. Our staff is available to assist you with running an effective, adult-friendly program. We can provide help with conducting activities, planning graduations ceremonies, organizing clergy forums/prayer breakfasts and more.

The Plan

"Breaking the Silence" is a faith-based sexuality education model developed to assist local congregations, parents, guardians, and clergy address sex and sexuality to assist teens in making healthy life choices. The model, a project of the Black Church Initiative of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, is designed to engage African American Christian Educators and congregations in a biblical, theological, and ethnological exploration of human sexuality. At the end of the 9 sessions, participants should have a greater level of comfort talking about sex with teens.

The Purpose

Most African American churches have been stigmatized as old fashioned, outdated and behind the times when discussing, teaching, or preaching about sexuality. The Church is accused of using an eight track method in a CD-ROM age. "Breaking the Silence" challenges the Church to move from a state of denial to a standard of healthy, inclusive faith based dialogue.

In 2 Kings 7:9 four men said, "We're not doing right. This is a day of good news and we are keeping it to ourselves..." There is the sin of silence, and now it is being broken. Congregations should not fear open and honest study of human sexuality. God created humankind with reason and the privilege of choice as established in the first book of Genesis, during the first days.

"Breaking the Silence" recognizes that sexuality is an extensive and influential force in the lives of humans. It further recognizes that most African American church members are unclear about its meaning and where it fits in their lives as believers. Quite often the only time the Church responds to the subject of sexuality is when judging and or condemning individuals. "Breaking the Silence" will encourage critical thinking and reflection by adults about how to meet youth where they are in their journey of "choice" regarding sexual activity.

The Participants

"Breaking the Silence" has been developed to encourage dialogue around often difficult, uncomfortable topics. It is facilitated for small adult groups (10-12) to share and engage in stimulating, open dialogue. Participants engage in role plays and scripture interpretation (reasoning), in a comfortable, Godly arena. There are no right or wrong answers in the "Breaking the Silence" training module. The participants' choices are predicated on their understanding and spiritual decisions. The Pastor, Minister of Religious Education, Sunday School Director, Adult Discipleship Director, Deacon and Deaconess should participate in the training to demonstrate leadership.

The Process

Faith-based sexuality education is critical to the spiritual life of African American faith communities. "Breaking the Silence" is a model for implementation as part of a church's Christian Education Ministry or in the context of women's, men's, music, etc. ministries. The model is developed for nine sessions, approximately two hours each, to move individuals and congregations through a confidential pre-test, post-test process. By the completion of the 9th session, the congregation will openly address sex and sexuality, and the Church as a whole will know that it can impact the lives of young men and women by helping them to make healthy choices when faced with life-altering, life-threatening sexual decisions.

MODULE A - Circumstances and Sexuality

Session 1 - Introduction: What's It All About (Religion and Sexuality)
Session 2 - Looking Within Yourself to See When You Were Young
Session 3 - Accepting Yourself and Teens Also

MODULE B - Choices and Sexuality

Session 4 - God Created All of Us to Make Our Own Choices
Session 5 - Illustrations of Biblical Teens Who Made Choices
Session 6 - The Consequences of Our Choices

MODULE C - Consequences and Sexuality

Session 7 - What A Difference A Thought Makes
Session 8 - You Can Make it If You Want To - Advice for Struggling Teens
Session 9 - God Cares and Will Be There

The Package Contents

"Breaking the Silence" Leader's Guide

"Breaking the Silence" 9 week Training Module

Christian Education Leadership Credit

Sample Church Bulletin Announcement

Sample Media Advisory Notice

Glossary of Terms

Information from the National Campaign to Prevent Pregnancy

HIV/AIDS Resource Listing: The Balm in Gilead

Technical Assistance

Extensive Biography

For Your Information

"Breaking the Silence" is a Faith-Based Model for Adult Dialogue on Sex and Sexuality developed in collaboration with Reverend Dr. Willie Gable, Jr., DMin, Christian Educator and Pastor of Progressive Baptist Church of New Orleans, Louisiana, for The Black Church Initiative of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice.

For More Information

To learn more about how your church can get involved with the Black Church Initiative of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, contact:

Multicultural Programs Department
Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice
1025 Vermont Avenue, NW, Suite 1130
Washington, DC 20005
Telephone: 202-628-7700
Fax: 202-628-7716
bciinfo@rcrc.org