Sabotage, coerce, shame: Bullying in the church
It’s agonizing to be bullied – and it can happen to an adult, in the church. People eager to control, plot to sabotage, coerce, shame.
Bucking the system: Shunning, submission, Jesus
Jesus grew up in a religious system God had instigated, and people had hijacked to use for their own ends. Jesus’ life shows us when and how to buck the system.
Sisters uncover cruelty hidden in plain sight
Decades ago, Sarah and Angelina Grimké told the truth with compassion and courage. Still today, the sisters can help us uncover cruelty hidden in plain sight.
This “good Christian girl” is a woman now
Grown, yet unaware my view of women was far more Confederate than biblical, I was a good Christian girl. This girl is a woman now, a woman going with God.
Recognizing the world in church clothing
Lord Jesus, show me when the church is not the church. Expose the world in church clothing – a system competing with God for my heart.
Exploited in the church, but Leah no more
As unloved Leah did Jacob, a woman can give herself to a church culture that exploits her – while rejecting her personhood, her adulthood, her worth, her.
Illusionists! The abusers we have not seen
Some illusionists fool us to amuse us. Abusers and abusive systems fool to control. How to recognize the illusionists we have not seen.
To the exiles scattered by toxic church
Maybe the church has become bewildering to you. Leaders you trusted and people you respected are acting in ways that do not reflect who Jesus is, nor what they profess to believe. They have turned on anyone among them who appears to threaten the status quo. What is going on?
Nat Arnett / freeimages.com
Beware the illusion of refuge: Abuse in the church
Be wary! Leaders in a church system can create an illusion that refuge for the abused exists, where it does not. Here are four warning signs.
Witchcraft in the church
When people manipulate, intimidate, dominate in the church – that’s witchcraft. See how it looks and how fully it can fool us.