WARNING TO SINGLES: You just might blow a fuse after reading this. Brace yourselves.Yesterday I was reading SGMSurvivors.com blog and read this comment:Jenn Grover November 28th, 2012 at 11:06 pmPersona -- don’t even get me started on that line of thinking about singles. CJ got that straight from Mohler. “There is no biblical category for enduring… Continue reading UnMarried Movie: Is Staying Single Sabotaging Christianity?
Month: November 2012
A Courtship Story: Chryssie Rose
* * * Over the past couple months, I've been sharing bits and pieces of the homeschooling movement as it ties in with abuse in churches. I've connected a number of times with Chryssie Rose who reads here and is also a blogger and asked if she could share her courtship… Continue reading A Courtship Story: Chryssie Rose
Complementarians Speak out about Violence Against Women
“Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.”Dietrich Bonhoeffer Today, Novermber 25, was the day designated as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women:"Millions of women and girls around the world are assaulted, beaten,… Continue reading Complementarians Speak out about Violence Against Women
Judge Refuses to Drop Charges in Oklahoma Failure to Report Case
One of my big pet peeves is pastors or church leaders who fail to report cases of suspected abuse to civil authorities. I found an update on a case mentioned earlier in this post: Mandatory Reporting Laws for Clergy: Loopholes for AbuseHere is the new update:Okla. Judge Refuses to Drop Child Abuse Charges Against Victory… Continue reading Judge Refuses to Drop Charges in Oklahoma Failure to Report Case
Courtship: The Background and Negative Outcomes
Soon I will begin posting personal courtship stories, so it might be helpful to get a little background of the history of courtship. The courtship model is unquestionably a part of the culture of many conservative churches, conservative Christian groups, and promoted by leaders in the homeschooling community. Some groups who have embraced the courtship… Continue reading Courtship: The Background and Negative Outcomes
Hannah’s Purity Ring Story
After posting the article, Fathers and Daughters: Who Owns a Daughter's Heart?, it opened up a can of worms for Hannah, my 25-year old daughter. For new readers, she's my daughter who was also named in the defamation lawsuit by our former pastor (you can read her story from her perspective: Hannah's Personal Story in Her Own… Continue reading Hannah’s Purity Ring Story
The Offering Plate
I don't usually do this, but this article is just beautiful and . . . radical. It comes from Wade Burleson who pastors Emmanuel Baptist Church in Enid, Oklahoma. You can hear his sermons each week at EChurch at the The Wartburg Watch blog. Thankful for Giving at Thanksgiving Emmanuel Enid receives offerings in our four… Continue reading The Offering Plate
C.J. Mahaney’s Philosophy on Friends: Don’t Bite the Hand that Feeds You
"For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain. But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict. For our appeal does not spring… Continue reading C.J. Mahaney’s Philosophy on Friends: Don’t Bite the Hand that Feeds You
Detailing Events and Discerning the Times: Part Two
Detailing Events and Discerning the Times: Part Two © Brad Sargent (brad/futuristguy), November 2012 5. Individual and Crowd-Sourced Snapshots for a Viable Video In Part One, I explained why I felt it was worth spending a day analyzing a Covenant Life Church (CLC) Members Meeting, despite my being an outsider to… Continue reading Detailing Events and Discerning the Times: Part Two
Detailing Events and Discerning the Times: Part One
Detailing Events and Discerning the Times: Part One © Brad Sargent (brad/futuristguy), November 2012 After I wrote my analysis piece on Sovereign Grace Ministries in the previous post, I was asked two questions and invited to share more detail on: Why evaluating a Members Meeting that happened at Covenant Life Church (CLC) over a year… Continue reading Detailing Events and Discerning the Times: Part One
Creflo Dollar Says I’m Bringing A Curse on Myself for Exposing Pastors
What do you think? I don't know a whole lot about Creflo Dollar, but I've heard similar teachings. Am I cursed for exposing "appointed leaders?" This video clip is less than 3 minutes long. I'm not sure I will be able to sleep tonight. I'm so scared, Brother Creflo! Transcribed from the video:We got… Continue reading Creflo Dollar Says I’m Bringing A Curse on Myself for Exposing Pastors
Spiritual Abuse: How to Deal with Stumbling Blocks on our Journey
We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. For instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance. You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the end, for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy. James 5:11So . . . . . . . . … Continue reading Spiritual Abuse: How to Deal with Stumbling Blocks on our Journey
Sovereign Grace Ministries Updated Statement on Lawsuit – Nov. 14, 2012
Sovereign Grace Ministries released yet another new press release today, November 14, 2012, regarding the civil lawsuit filed against Sovereign Grace Ministries. This is their third response. When we dig below the surface of the words, we can see their heart of their agenda. What is the purpose of a press release? It is to… Continue reading Sovereign Grace Ministries Updated Statement on Lawsuit – Nov. 14, 2012
A Word of Encouragement to Abuse Victims Who Use Civil Litigation
My heart really goes out to victims and their families in abuse cases (domestic violence, child abuse, and sex abuse) and I have a huge amount of respect for those who, when realizing that the problem is much bigger than their own personal situation, risk so much by taking it to a new level by… Continue reading A Word of Encouragement to Abuse Victims Who Use Civil Litigation
Sovereign Grace Ministries: Analysis of CLC Members Meeting
Analysis of CLC Members Meeting of August 17, 2011INTRODUCTIONThe following analysis was produced by Brad Sargent. He is more known by his online handle of “brad/futuristguy,” and he often writes about recovery from spiritual abuse and how to prevent toxic organizations. For this article, Brad used a transcript of the Covenant Life Church (CLC) members’ meeting of August… Continue reading Sovereign Grace Ministries: Analysis of CLC Members Meeting
Calvary Chapel Visalia Pastor Bob Grenier is Helping Which Victims?
"It's hard on your soul to see the pain and the destruction," said Pastor Bob Grenier of Calvary Chapel in Visalia. This is another one of those things that make you go "hmmmmm." Remember Pastor Bob Grenier of Calvary Chapel Visalia? Pastor Bob Grenier and his wife, Gayle, are suing their own son and a former… Continue reading Calvary Chapel Visalia Pastor Bob Grenier is Helping Which Victims?
Post-Election Rant and Sanctity of Marriage
I have more follow-up on patriarchal lifestyle and fathers who own their daughter's heart, but need to take a quick diversion because my brain won't let go of this.I'm in a foul mood - and maybe a fowl mood, too - as I'm looking at my kitty toss up a dead bird and play with… Continue reading Post-Election Rant and Sanctity of Marriage
Fathers and Daughters: Who Owns a Daughter’s Heart?
“Daughters aren’t to be independent. They’re not to act outside the scope of their father. As long as they’re under the authority of their fathers, fathers have the ability to nullify or not the oaths and the vows. Daughters can’t just go out independently and say, ‘I’m going to marry whoever I want.’ No.… Continue reading Fathers and Daughters: Who Owns a Daughter’s Heart?
Church Lingo? Do They Have Their Own Language?
When I lived on the East coast and in the South and after some confusion, I figured out that barbecue was not a verb, but a noun. I lived in California and Oregon as a child and in those states, we barbecued "cooked" steaks, chicken, hamburger, hot dogs, etc, on the barbecue. I can hear… Continue reading Church Lingo? Do They Have Their Own Language?
Pastors Who Fail to Report Abuse: Conspiracy of Silence
“This was not a mistake, this was not an oversight,” Kelly said at a press conference Thursday afternoon. “This was a conspiracy of silence by top officials.” As much as the Penn State grieves my heart because of so many victims and the pain that they endured, I believe this case is going to be… Continue reading Pastors Who Fail to Report Abuse: Conspiracy of Silence
Spiritual Sounding Board 