Healing from spiritual abuse is one of the messiest but freeing things someone can do. It takes guts, faith and a validating support system to wade through years of twisted Scripture, distorted views of God, and the feeling of injustice that accompanies realizing that you’re a victim. Here are six things victims of spiritual abuse need to know:
Spiritual abuse is so insidious because the logic behind it can often sound completely biblical. Of course, as Christians, we want to be obedient. Of course, we want to make godly use of our time and energy. But spiritual abuse takes advantage of our inclinations and twists Scripture and biblical concepts to gain power. Here are seven biblical concepts that spiritual abuse takes too far and corrupts:
Young people are crying out for a change, in the world and in the church. As hard as the evangelical church has fought to be different from the world and show itself as "the real deal," it has also largely become legalistic, controlling, fear-led and manipulative. Here is an overview of what spiritual abuse is and how we can deal with it.
It's no secret that the evangelical church is in the middle of a reckoning when it comes to the membership of younger generations. I have personally left a church that I felt to be spiritually abusive. And while I haven't the Church, I've certainly thought about it. But certain convictions kept me on a path that I believe was best for me spiritually and kept me from reacting only out of bitterness and hurt – even if I did leave the particular church that I felt was harming me. Here are three reasons why I still am part of the evangelical church (for now).
