As iron sharpens iron,
one person sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)
Podcast: “How has the therapeutic culture we live in changed the conversation, even the language employed? Who are more likely to be abused—ministers or congregants? Our hosts weigh in with insight based on personal experience, and offer advice about tools that could help curb abuse in the church.” - Ref21
“A man may be a good preacher, and may be good in a variety of pastoral situations, but the key issue here is ‘How does he handle disagreement with his vision or viewpoint, or how does he handle people when they aren’t where he would like them to be?’” - C.Leaders
“Cases of Steve Timmis and Jonathan Fletcher illustrate debate over at what point a pastor’s exhortation crosses the line into coercion.” - CToday
You don’t have to spend much time in the Christian blogosphere before you encounter the stories of those who have been hurt by the Church. These first-person narratives are often raw and unsettling—they include details that most of us would rather not know, and ones that once we do, we can’t easily erase from our minds. These stories are unusually transparent and reveal a pain that is clearly lingering. Because of this, it’s easy for some to discount them as exercises in self-absorption and unhealthy introspection. After all, shouldn’t we leave the past in the past? Can’t we just move on?
And we could do that, we could let things lie if spiritual abuse weren’t an ever-present reality, if it didn’t regularly make headline news. We could move on if pastors didn’t tell seventeen-year-old girls that they were “God’s gifts” to fulfill them sexually. If victims of such abuse were not made to feel that they were somehow responsible or that they would hurt “Christ’s cause” to speak about it.
And I guess we could leave well enough alone if spiritual abuse didn’t cut both ways. If ministries didn’t routinely supplement budgets by underpaying staff with the caveat that they’ll be eligible for welfare. If pastors’ wives and children weren’t targeted for the sake of simply existing. If 1,700 pastors didn’t leave ministry every month—many out of despair and discouragement.
But they do.
“Blogger/author Rachel Held Evans features an interview with Basyle ‘Boz’ Tchividjian, a founding member and Executive Director of G.R.A.C.E (Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment).”
“The choices we make in a moment involving honesty and transparency about OUR MISTAKES have incredible long term consequences.”
“What do you do if an organization/ministry you love is hit with allegations of abuse?” @ Practical Theology for Women
Discussion