Tag: pastors

A Primary Handbook for Understanding Churches that Abuse

On By Jeff CrippenIn Churches/Church Response9 Comments

Galatians 4:17 ESV  They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them.

I am convinced that the most pertinent book in the Bible when it comes to dealing with churches and church leaders that abuse the abused is Paul’s letter to the Galatians. This letter ought to be a primary study textbook for us. Here we learn what God thinks of these people, identifies who they are and the tactics they use.

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A Short Post Consisting of Just one Question

On By Jeff CrippenIn counseling7 Comments

I have one question for pastors, counselors, and anyone else who wants to “counsel” a domestic abuse victim. Actually I have several questions such as “can you tell me what domestic abuse is?” Or, “Tell me how a domestic abuse case differs from other types of marriage counseling cases.”

But here is the one I have in mind right now. It’s really a request:

Please write out a list for me of the books that you have read on the subject of domestic abuse, particularly domestic abuse by people who claim to be Christians. And then tell me what you learned.

Guess what? I know the answer.  Crickets. With very, very rare exceptions they haven’t read anything written by people who really understand this evil, but worse – they still insist that they are “competent to counsel.”

I guess a followup question as I held their blank list in my hand would be, then don’t you think it would be wise to stop telling victims what to do until you know what you are talking about? 

But they won’t. They won’t listen. They will just keep right on practicing medicine without ever going to med school or being an intern.

Boys’ Clubs in the Church

On By Jeff CrippenIn Churches/Church Response9 Comments

Numbers 27:1-7 Then drew near the daughters of Zelophehad the son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, from the clans of Manasseh the son of Joseph. The names of his daughters were: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.  And they stood before Moses and before Eleazar the priest and before the chiefs and all the congregation, at the entrance of the tent of meeting, saying, “Our father died in the wilderness. He was not among the company of those who gathered themselves together against the LORD in the company of Korah, but died for his own sin. And he had no sons. Why should the name of our father be taken away from his clan because he had no son? Give to us a possession among our father’s brothers.” Moses brought their case before the LORD. And the LORD said to Moses, “The daughters of Zelophehad are right. You shall give them possession of an inheritance among their father’s brothers and transfer the inheritance of their father to them.

Men are men and women are women. The Lord created us male and female. This fallen world in rebellion against the Lord actively perverts sexuality, and that to mankind’s ruin. Sexual immorality of all kinds is to be rejected by every Christian. Clearly that is God’s will for us – our sanctification.

Yet there is another form of distortion when it comes to male and female, and we find this example not only in the world but in our churches. I call it the boys’ club. Most of us experienced it when we were kids. No girls allowed signs posted on the treehouse or bedroom door. To be fair, I think I have seen some no boys allowed signs too! There is an early rivalry between the sexes which gets even more complex when puberty hits.

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