CHURCH LEADERS
Whether you have served in places of substantial church leadership or a more distant leadership role, if you have experienced or been exposed to a culture of spiritual abuse, clergy-perpetrated sexual abuse, or a misuse of power, we grieve that with you.
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Abuse of power is a difficult reality with which to grapple, but we encourage you to sit with the situation which has brought you here, learn about the dynamics of spiritual authority, manipulation/control, and abuse, and shine light in dark places.
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In cases of clergy-perpetrated sexual abuse, especially, church leaders at every level - whether team leaders, elders, deacons, staff members, council or board members, or volunteers - face the pain of betrayal as well as the challenge of leading their congregation through the aftermath of abuse. This is heartbreaking - and difficult.
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It is perhaps most challenging to lay down an inherent belief that the spiritual leader in question is "good" and be willing to examine the gravity of wrong that has occurred. Many perpetrators will deny wrongdoing, downplay it's impact, appeal to "all the good they've done," or cast aspersion onto their victim(s). We urge you to resist these diversions and look at their sin and abuse of spiritual authority directly.
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Some leaders will find this difficult, especially if they have unconfessed sin themselves - or if the clergy member in question has been particularly important in helping them enter into a relationship with Jesus or escape patterns of sin in their own lives. Whatever your unique circumstance, the primary issue you are grappling with is NOT the sexual sin, financial impropriety, or inappropriate behavior, but the abuse of spiritual authority entrusted to your leader. While it is true that "we all sin," this is an abuse of power.
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Like all of those in caring professions, we must hold our pastors to a standard of care that does not allow for the use those being served for their own purposes. Counselors hold positions of trust that do not allow them to "take advantage" of those being counseled. Doctors are charged to "do no harm." The same standards (if not higher) must be held true for our pastors and spiritual leaders.
You need not judge your pastor as "good" or "bad," but it is your responsibility to call an abuse of power what it is.
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We know this is difficult. We've been there. Like you, we have served long hours, leant our names, reputations, vision, and voices to ministries that have been undermined by sin and abuse of spiritual power. Your desire to see God move and to serve His Church is holy, and you are in a unique position to help your congregation understand what has happened, and move toward healthy church leadership.
