Something's Happening Here, What it is Ain't Exactly Clear
From bullies in the pulpit or bullies in the board room, Christians are "mad as hell?" and aren't taking it anymore
Who, Me A Bully ??
I’m really trying to change the subject but everywhere I turn I run into another report of spiritual bullies.
Here’s one
A young (to me ) pastor in Denver Colorado is being taken to task by his own church members over bullying behaviors. The pastor denies all charges but refuses to bring in a third party to investigate them. In turn 35% of his members (and counting) have signed a publically circulated PETITION in an attempt to pressure him to do a transparent investigation of the charges.
Here is the petition statement “It is with a heavy heart that we bring a formal charge against Brian Kim as Senior Pastor and the members of the Elder Team listed above, calling for either a third-party investigation or their resignation. Our goal is to follow a biblical process, with the hope of fostering healthy church leadership, structure, and shepherding of congregants at House Denver.”
These are the issues they cite as examples of spiritual abuse.
While I’d be willing to bet that this congregation has their pastor dead to rights that’s not what interests me. What interest me is something more macro as in what changed in church culture while I wasn’t looking? Why are young people standing up for themselves? Why are they circulating petitions against their own pastor?
This sure as hell wasn’t a thing when I got saved nor was it a thing in 2014 when Rob Smith and I joined 100 sad, frustrated, heartbroken and angry ex Mars Hill Church members as we marched in front of Driscolls church singing songs and carrying signs .
When did this change?
It’s at times like this that I hear the voice of James Brown screaming “can somebody help me”
With that as a backdrop I’d Be Curious To Know (IBCTK) if you’ve experienced these things in your spiritual/religious/church/christian life? Please leave your story in the comments and feel free to remain anonymous.
Read entire article here We’re Not Bullies
Yes that’s the kind of feedback I wanted to hear😎also because you’re my friend I’m pleased people reading your comments get to see what a smart, incisive thinker you are.
You mean like a pastor calling me at my ministry job to chastise me for voting for President Obama? Or, a board member resigning because he’s a ‘committed’ Christian and I support ‘the gays’? Or, when I was told I couldn’t be an elder because I’d been divorced? Also was told I *could* be a pastor - but not an elder - because I’m a woman. Or when I trusted the church and they scared my children with various fear-mongering ‘education’? And when a local doctor came to my house to question my org protocols - but would only look at and talk with my husband, but not me?
So many more stories. I’m still shocked I didn’t see it earlier. But I’m also aware belonging, inclusiveness, and need of community, keep us in abusive spiritual systems. Bullying is a psychological prison where compliance equals A-list status - until you begin to question and think rationally and critically. And then the character assault commences. Funny thing is, sometimes the ‘default template’ of that scripted religious box still shows up even though I haven’t believed many of the dogma of that time. Scars are weird that way. Always present as a reminder.