Tullian Tchividjian, Personal Survivor Story, Clergy Sex Abuse
LINKS: My Story: Part #1. Part #2. Part #3. Part #4. Part #5.
Editors’ Note: This is Rachel’s story, and she is sharing what she recalls of her relationship with Tullian Tchividjian. She is sharing her facts, opinions, and what she believes to be true. Tullian is a public figure of interest. It is not defamatory to share opinions, beliefs, and personal stories publicly. In order to prove that she is being defamatory, it would need to be shown that she knowingly told lies, and did so with malice.
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PART #5 ~ IMPLICATIONS OF RACHEL’S STORY
#10. Thoughts from Julie Anne About This Case
This has been one of the most challenging cases I’ve worked on or investigated. For over nine months, I have known the personal stories of the key women involved. I have also read many stories of spiritual abuse from current and former staff members, and current and former congregants – from both Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church where Tullian Tchividjian was Senior Pastor from April 2009 through June 2015, and Willow Creek (Presbyterian) Church where he was on staff from August 2015 through March 2016.
Below are a few answers that might address some typical questions people have had while reading Rachel’s story:
How and when did Rachel connect with you?
Nine months ago – March of 2016 – Rachel first reached out to me at the Spiritual Sounding Board email I have posted. I went back and looked at that email. She said:
I thought you would be a wise person to talk to, since I see from your posts about him that your discernment was spot on from the start, and you have experience with this sort of thing.
What was Rachel’s purpose for connecting with you?
Rachel gave me a very condensed version of her story and the underlying message was this:
But with Tullian’s corporation, Liberate, relaunching now, I just feel sick at the thought of Tullian continuing to peddle the gospel for money and popularity, and more sheep getting hurt … and I hope I’m not participating by hiding truth.
I think this message is crucial. Some people are saying she wanted her moment of fame now that Tullian has moved along. That is not true. She has still maintained most of her privacy by only going by her first name; however, she is risking more harm to herself in her community where many people will know who she is. But she is putting that aside to help ensure more people are not harmed. Her private conversations with me have also underscored her intent.
Why did it take so long to tell her story publicly, and how did you care for her along the way?
When a woman is harmed by clergy sex abuse, it’s not just a sexual abuse issue. Probably more painful than the guilt about the sexual part of it are the emotional and spiritual abuse that go along with it. Rachel (and other women) had respect for Tullian, first of all as a pastor with spiritual knowledge and giftedness. There are devastating consequences to having a supposedly trustworthy pastor manipulate, deceive, and use his spiritual authority over you to seduce you and cause you harm.
Care for Rachel: When we are dealing with sexual abuse survivors, the emotional component makes things quite a bit more complex. Because this series is Rachel’s story, I’m referring specifically to Rachel, although the same process happened with other survivors. While Rachel held the key information to show that Tullian Tchividjian was unfit for the pastorate, it also meant that she would have to confess to her complicity and shame. Additionally, she had to consider how going public might impact her family, her pending divorce, etc. These conflicts worked against us in being able to tell the story as freely as we would have liked. We needed to tread lightly and allow for emotional and spiritual healing to place first.
Rachel needed to control her narrative and determine when she was ready to speak out without regret. I take my “Defend the Sheep” job very seriously. I’m very sensitive to the fact that once an identity is disclosed on the internet, it’s nearly impossible to keep info from spreading. So, I always erred on the side of caution, suggesting to Rachel that she wait a bit before publishing a comment. Several times, Rachel would tell me the next day that she probably should not post the comment.
This time, she was ready. We worked through three or four drafts of her story. She also previewed our background and analysis sections, but our conclusions were all our own. Rachel had the opportunity to slow down, stop completely, or wait. But she did not. She said she believed this was God’s timing for her story to come forward. To this day, Rachel sill believes it was God’s timing, and we do, too.
Why was it important to mention Kim in the articles, when the story is about Rachel?
We left some of the references to Kim in Rachel’s story because it was Tullian’s behavior toward Kim that first alerted Rachel to the fact that she was not dealing with a kind, loving man, but an evil man. This may have been the first time she saw him in his true colors and began unraveling the idealized image she had of him in her mind. This was a slow process of seeing who he really was behind the façade, but a pivotal one.
Why are some of Rachel’s comments missing, but you and other people have screenshots?
Rachel initially left comments online when she heard that Tullian was going to restart his Liberate Network organization. It angered her that Tullian felt he could go back into ministry, when she knew he was hiding his sexual sin and deceiving everyone. The comments she posted were true; however, she was not emotionally ready to come forward. It is common for survivors who are reeling from their experience to have bursts of anger and emotional rants – and these days, to leave ranty comments online. Thank goodness, various people got screenshots, as most of her rants got deleted by the blog administrators.
It’s also common for many survivors to repeat their story over and over again – not so much to tell me, but to tell themselves that it really happened. They were believing lies for so long, that they have a need to repeat the truth so it will cement in their minds. Keep in mind that what they experienced was “thought reform,” and it takes a long time to undo that bad thinking.
So, Rachel and I communicated off and on during that period. Every time a new story about Tullian would come out, we’d communicate. More things would come to mind, Rachel would process it with me. It took time for her to see that what happened to her was not just sexual involvement, but seduction through Tullian’s misuse of authority and his finding out about her personal vulnerabilities by taking advantage of his role as pastoral counselor.
What exactly is “spiritual abuse”?
Perhaps it is important to define spiritual abuse. I do not know anything about the person who wrote the following definition, but I think we can easily see in it how Tullian Tchividjian spiritually abused Rachel and others when he had a sexual relationship with them:
Spiritual abuse is a spiritual role-reversal where a shepherd, instead of clinging to and emulating the Great Shepherd by shepherding God’s people (Acts 20; 1 Peter 5; 1 Timothy 3; Ephesians 4), subtly demands that members exist to meet the shepherd’s needs (James 4:1-4). Rather than relating as a servant leader, the pastor “pulls rank” and “lords it over others” (Matthew 20:20-28; 1 Peter 5:1-6), not for the benefit of the flock, but for the benefit of the pastor. Rather than speaking the truth in love and rather than ministering grace and truth (Ephesians 4:11-16, 29; Colossians 4:3-6; Titus 2:10-12), the spiritually abusive pastor intimidates, judges, condemns, shames, and blames the sheep without regard for the spiritual wellbeing of the sheep (Jeremiah 23:1-4; Matthew 23:1-39). Definition from Bob Kellemen,
Why do victims come to survivor blogs instead of news agencies to tell their stories?
I think victims come to survivor blogs because they want to be in a safe place where they are believed and supported. Rachel could tell that I would not call her relationship with Tullian as an affair, but a misuse of spiritual authority in a sexual relationship, or clergy sex abuse.*
Outside media wants to tell a story, but they cannot be involved in long-term care and support. While I of course want to expose the truth, my first priority is always to protect and defend victims. After victims feel safe, then we can discuss if and when to go public.
*Side note: When Tullian in his text messages to his “social media posse” that he wanted people to “get that bitch,” referring to me, it was in response to my labeling Tullian’s conduct as clergy sex abuse. The accurate description of “clergy sexual abuse” changes the narrative from presuming equal culpability for both parties, to assigning primary culpability for the one in the position of power/authority. Breaking this role of trust is why in many states, clergy sexual misconduct/abuse legally means that the other person’s “consent” cannot be used as a defense by a religious leader who is an assault perpetrator. He tried to change the focus to her previous affairs, and was also minimizing it as just affairs when it is much more than two equal, consenting adults. This was not on an equal playing field when Tullian was Rachel’s pastor.
What ways have you seen national organizations and media keep Tullian Tchividjian “in control” of the narrative?
Before the IT department at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church caught and confronted Tullian about his clergy sexual abuse with Rachel, Tullian had a huge platform that promoted him and his theology. Tullian used his own blog, books, podcast, LIBERATE conferences, pulpit sermons, Facebook, and Twitter to sell his brand. He also had articles published at other websites, and spoke at other churches and conferences.
He still has a faithful following (though it clearly has dwindled some due to his series of sexual scandals). For instance, his book, One Way Love: Inexhaustible Grace for an Exhausted World, was on Christian Living Top Seller lists seven different months in 2014 and 2015. And his Twitter followers are at 106,000; his public Facebook page “likes/follows” are at about 16,000 (as of December 7, 2016).
So, when there’s been any news about Tullian, the media has had easy access to him. They knew where to find him and could get a statement. He also had crisis manager and PR agent Hunter Frederick answer on his behalf during some of the most intense parts of the 2015 scandal. So, he had things covered, either in person or by proxy.
That is not at all the case for his victims. They have been silenced and shamed. When Rachel tried to speak out, her comments were deleted. She has no blog, and she had no platform from which to tell her story – until she came to me and my little ol’ blog. Spiritual Sounding Board is not big, but there is a small following and I do have a following on Twitter (3,000 followers) and Facebook (1,300 likes/1,200 follows). Most importantly, I have networked with others who are concerned about abuse in the church, and they also help to propel victims’ stories into Twitterland and on Facebook. In this case, it was the small, but loud and clear voices of people who defend victims who put this story in the spotlight.
To his credit, only Leonardo Blair of The Christian Post has reached out to me to gain access to the victims, and that was spring of 2016. No other Christian news agencies before or since have. (To date, Leonardo has already at least 15 news articles about this situation for them.) At that time, victims were not emotionally ready to talk. They still want their identities protected. But at least now, we have enough primary sources to vouch for Rachel’s personal stories, and we have credible evidence (private investigation invoice/check, etc). Not only that, Tullian has admitted that he had a sexual relationship with Rachel.
In the absence of access to the women who are primary sources of factual information about Tullian’s character and behaviors, mainstream Christian news sources tend to use language that reinforces reported abusers. For instance, they typically talk about an affair, which implies mutual consent and involvement as peers. Instead, they should talk about seduction, which implies careful selecting, intentional grooming both emotionally and sexually, and eventual crossing the line into sexual engagement. That term – seduction – implies a significant power differential being used, with far more culpability going to the womanizer and less complicity to the woman he victimized. We plan to deal with the issues of language like this in a separate post sometime soon.
What are some things that surprised you about how Rachel has responded to the process of going public with her account of what happened?
I remember the first time I read Rachel’s words of appreciation to Brad and me in Part 3, and the fact that she mentioned it a number of times. It was tempting to edit out some of those words of gratitude. We both felt a bit embarrassed to have the focus on us. That was never our intention.
But we left her original wording alone because it was authentic, and also to show another important point. Rachel has been able to recover so well emotionally and spiritually, in part because we believed her and her story. We validated her. She knew that her story was safe with us and that she could trust us. At any time she could vent to us and share frustrations.
Both Brad and I have experienced spiritual abuse and understand that process. We want to encourage those of you who have friends or family who have gone through spiritual abuse that you can play an integral part in the recovery process of someone’s life. You can help them go beyond confusion and grief into forgiveness and hope.
And to be honest, most of what we do is listen. Rachel just needed to be heard and believed. And the added bonus is that we have a new friend and very likely, Rachel will encounter others who will benefit from her experience. That ripple effect of compassion toward other survivors is the work of Christ. This is the beauty from ashes.
Spiritual Sounding Board 
Good work, Julie Anne (and team). Good. Work. Thank you so much.
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Thank you for this wrap up and for all the work you guys have done! It must be gratifying to see it get such a response.
I think that’s a good idea. I struggle with the language – I am most comfortable calling it predatory, personally. There is some agency on both sides, but one has set out with bad intentions and I think predation works best for me.
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This series, along with the counseling and processing of this with Rachel, is a gift to the Church and to all who have experienced abuse of any type. Thank you.
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I hope people continue reading as Brad and I share important insights we’ve observed along the way and also ask important questions that still need to be addressed.
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Julie Anne
Beautiful, Excellent, Amazing… series…
A real life, “Beauty for Ashes.”
I’m so blessed to have found your site.
I’m so blessed to learn from you.
I’m so blessed to know you.
Isaiah 61:3
To console those who mourn in Zion,
To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”
Julie Anne – May you continue to console those who mourn…
To help give the abused, and help the abused receive, beauty for ashes…
As you have receied beauty for ashes, for the terrible “trial by fire” you endured…
That you, and those who contact you, who you morn with, would receive…
The oil of joy for mourning,
and, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That you Julie Anne, and those who trust you…
may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the Lord,
that He, Jesus, may be glorified.
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So beautiful, Amos. You’ve always been such an encouragement to me! 💕
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“It’s also common for many survivors to repeat their story over and over again – not so much to tell me, but to tell themselves that it really happened. They were believing lies for so long, that they have a need to repeat the truth so it will cement in their minds. Keep in mind that what they experienced was “thought reform,” and it takes a long time to undo that bad thinking.” Julie Anne, very helpful to me in understanding why I’ve retold my story so many times on my own blog. I guess I’ve needed a lot of reprogramming! I appreciate you and Brad being a safe place for survivors and all the work you’ve put into this blog. Rachel is blessed to have had you guys in her court! Looking forward to reading your future posts. God bless.
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(Avid Reader stands and applauds Julie Anne and Brad’s work)
Thank you!!!
Now before anyone comes here and tries to attack Julie Anne or Brad or Rachel, let’s remember that they are doing what so many others haven’t had the courage to do.
“Rebuke before the whole assembly THOSE LEADERS WHO CONTINUE SINNING as a warning to the others.”
1Timothy 5:20 (CJB)
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Rachel – Thank you, again, for your courage to come forward with your experience and your willingness to protect others. I am glad you are on the road to healing.
Julie Anne & Brad – Thank you for listening and offering a voice. While everyone else was allowing TT to control the narrative, you brought it to a crashing halt. Now others have to consider the narrative they have been hearing and believing and reevaluate everything. Hopefully many have learned a powerful lesson in all of this — always make sure to listen to the victims.
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“While everyone else was allowing TT to control the narrative, you brought it to a crashing halt.” Yes, that is so true. And so typical in many parts of the church – the elite class allows its own to control the narrative for as long as possible, even in the face of overwhelming evidence that they are wrong. The voices of mere pew peons mean nothing – the leaders must be protected and promoted at all cost. No wonder they attack the bloggers who speak the truth and don’t back down.
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Reblogged this on Speakingtruthinlove's Blog.
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“And to be honest, most of what we do is listen. “
Listening is so powerful. And you’ve done so much more.
Back when I went through spiritual abuse, there was no internet. The people at my old church shunned me. I started at a new church where the people seemed nice, but I could not find a person I could talk it through with or anyone to help me process it. When I broached the subject with new friends, they became uncomfortable right away and changed the subject- everyone so afraid they would be gossiping. So, it took me a long time to work through all the feelings and realizations… It’s really hard when you can’t talk it through and bounce it off someone else, get any feedback. it’s like untangling an endless string that is hopelessly tangled and knotted through your brain and heart.
You guys are doing an immeasurable service. I’m so grateful to you and to Rachel and others who are so strong to speak out their truth, and to all the great commenters on this site. You guys are the best.
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Yes, Julie Anne, Brad, Rachel: THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD. That TT thinks he can launch/come back Ministry to where there are no consequences for HOW FAR REACHING HIS ABUSES are=sin makes you extremely stupid. Thank you for ALL doing this and more people please come forward=IT’S TIME! Not to mention ALL the Victims that have been silent way to long not to mention the road of recovery that takes YEARS to recover from this kind of EVIL in the guise of their narcissism and their dead religion! Everyone, keep Julie Ann, Brad and Rachel and all the victims in prayer please. Thank you!
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Good job, JA and Brad!
Keep up the good work.
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Love does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth.
1 Corinthians 13:6.
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“Facebook page “likes/follows” are at about 16,000 (as of December 7, 2016).”
The comments on his November 23 post asking us to feel sorry for him is vomitous to read. I just don’t get it. How are people so blind??
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Terriergal, what you see (the Facebook likes and “brotherly” and blind support) is the result of years of indoctrination and deception. You go against them (Tullian and his ilk), you go against “god.” Vomitous indeed. And then there’s 2 Corinthians 11:15.
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Puritan, when I read your comment, it felt “old” to me. When I clicked on your blog, I saw that you have posted about your father who was allegedly mistreated by congregants. I absolutely believe that congregants can abuse pastors. I’ve never covered a personal story, but would be willing to do so. Any kind of abuse in church is wrong. I would call it emotional/verbal abuse.
This post is about Tullian Tchividjian, a pastor who reportedly used his position of authority to abuse and take advantage of others for his own selfish gain. If you’d like to discuss your topic, please feel free to take it to the Off-Topic Discussion area. Thank you.
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Thank you, thank you, thank you!
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Julie Anne -have you had a chance to read my email? I know you’re completely frayed -but I would love if w you would respond.
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Check your e-mail, Simcha.
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” It is common for survivors who are reeling from their experience to have bursts of anger and emotional rants – and these days, to leave ranty comments online. …
It’s also common for many survivors to repeat their story over and over again …” — Julie Anne said in this post.
The Bible speaks about this very thing. Job’s counselors were proud; they thought they could help him with their counsel. Job had burst out with an angry and emotional rant, and Eliphaz had admonished him for ranting. Job replied to Eliphaz with this wonderful line which encapsulates what Julie Anne was talking about when it refers to the speech of a despairing person being ‘as wind’ —
Do you think [you = Mr Eliphaz = Mr Self-Appointed Counselor] that you can reprove words, when the speech of a despairing man is wind?
(Job 6:26 ESV)
In other words, let the abused persons rant just as you must let the wind rush in its gusts and storms and changes of direction. Don’t be pernickety about every utterance they make. They are understandably bursting from a lot of pent up emotion. To change the metaphor, they are going through rapids of realisations, navigating the rocky and tempestuous rivers, coming out of the twisted deceptions of abuse.
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Very “timely” article Stacie Tchividjian posted on her FB today. It is a link to an article written by her “wise” friend that she invites people to read (and follow). The article is about how we shouldn’t believe what we read on social media, along with a few scriptures indicting us for doing so, along with several more shouldn’ts.
Wow…what a good friend indeed and what a coincidencevto have written this post describing pretty much what is going on in TT’s life, to which Stacie linked. (sarcasm)
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Here is the link Staci T. posted today:
http://kjoymiles.blogspot.com/2016/12/wise-and-harmless.html
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Link is from her FB page, for the record. 🙂
https://www.facebook.com/stacie.phillips.31?fref=nf&pnref=story
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The link is now gone off Stacie’s FB page.
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I was in the horizontal position when I read your note, but was able to get a screenshot. 😂😂. If I left to the “other side,” I could write a book: Tips on How to Protect Yourself from Discernment or Survivor Bloggers
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Excellent title, Julie Anne.
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A. Amos Love,
I love what you said to Julie Anne and how you have supported her. This gives me hope to as how the Body of Christ works and delivers. Thank-you for showing us what faith looks like!
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Thank you to Rachel for sharing this. My first thought when I heard the scandal was for you. I’m glad you have found counsel. I have lived your story. In a small setting in the UK but I understand the loss, confusion, guilt, grief, anger, despair and all the losses this involves. I was very stupid and reengaged with the pastor a few years later as well. He wore me down with online stalking. I don’t know why I reconnected, I think I wanted to sort it out. Of course it didn’t help. He still pastors and I still wander.
Thank you to Julie and others who have published this and offered support to those who find their souls trampled on and unable to process the wrong they experience in the name of God. May God bless you in your ministry to those who need support so much.
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well it seems Ive lost my response again. I read Rachels story . Part 1 and 2 . thats enough . I woke in the middle of the night last night and I feel you publishing this is displeasing to God. Yes she needs healing and this should be before a spiritual group, privately….. this benefits no one you publishing this…I felt we are no different the church of Jesus christ putting out gossip magazines like in a supermarket tabloid. The majority of us are not going to run and have a affair with a Pastor especially if married we know our vows. Im not condemning Im just saying these things come in the heart , God writes his laws in our hearts … when they do come we should get help when it happens so we dont follow through with things we know is wrong and we all do as the holy spirit puts it there in the heart .
Im disappointed you published this and I have already mentioned to people its tabloid gossip …dont bother telling me this benefits us as the body of Christ it doesn’t .. The story was out about the sad downfall that affected a family this isn’t a watch dog for the body, we have no temple police now …. you are drawing people who are enjoying all this tidbit stuff ..next perhaps a book is in order and perhaps the motive… I will read no more and discourage those I come in contact with..Rachel should submit to you if she choose you as her confident ..Privately
Diane
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Diane,
Julie Anne and Brad are obeying God’s command to
“Rebuke before the whole assembly THOSE LEADERS WHO CONTINUE SINNING as a warning to the others.”
1Timothy 5:20 (CJB)
Here’s some helpful links that will help untangle some of the misperceptions about gossip being taught in the church.
https://cryingoutforjustice.com/2016/07/15/getting-gossip-wrong-will-silence-voices-exposing-evil/
https://cryingoutforjustice.com/2013/10/23/the-false-accusation-of-gossip/
https://cryingoutforjustice.com/2014/06/23/putting-the-gossip-accusation-to-rest-once-and-for-all/
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“Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.”
Ephesians 5:11 (NET)
https://cryingoutforjustice.com/2016/02/29/dont-be-guilted-by-the-gossip-card/
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Mat 10:26-27 (NIV) “There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the housetops.”
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you know it is really interesting that only the Lord knows what is really going on etc. i say this because i just saw the quote given by Avid Reader “Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather expose them” i have this feeling that there are many Christians who haven’t got their facts straight, or don’t want to, use the same passage to justify their slandering of others. i know, i am currently experiencing this. There is this pastor John ( i won’t publish his last name) who did this to me, rather self righteously. i was not able to defend myself because i don’t have social connections in the church, he does. but since i know what i have done and what i have not done, and God knows as well. i am not afraid to go toe to toe with him on judgement day about the slanderous statements he has been spreading about me in church. But again i will ask this question though, will it be too late on the judgement day? how long would it be until Jesus comes? in the meantime people who slander others get to leave carnages in their wake while people who are being slandered has to live with the consequences everyday? if you are reading this, please pray for me. for Lord’s protection and His Vindication. thank you and God bless.
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This woman was just pretending to be a victim it’s so obvious
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I loved reading about Rachel and “woman #1” and what they had to say about this fairly typical story in terms of its basic elements. ( )
I was in a church where I was the one who levied the most damaging information about an abusing narcissist pastor who, fortunately, was not sexually immoral but nonetheless, the basic elements are of an abusive Pastor ARE;
— looking at the congregation as a composition of either ENEMIES or ALLIES, —drawing upon their tremendous, automatic & instant bank of approbation/adulation to their advantage,
–lying when they get caught,
–using their allies against their enemies (thus being happy to divide the body w/o a hint of remorse)
–attempting to ruin the reputation of the truth tellers and strengthen their position thereby.
Invariably the one who attempts to shed light by simply telling the truth is shunned/despised and ultimately finds it in their best interest to simply move on (like so many who already have, rather take the heat from their former “friends”) despite having numerous secret friends who are grateful for their bravery and willingness to take that kind of heat for the good of the church.
I would say that in the case of this saga, the fact that some of the leaders that protected Tulian “went down,” was and is an unusual factor as usually those leaders tend to do just fine, because defending the pastor (unless it’s sexual), is to wear a Halo of Righteousness! But our Lord sees all, knows all, and in the case of an unrepentant abusive predator grandson of Billy Graham, remembers all! TULIAN, you are a Pretend Christian and we are praying that one day you become a real one! ( but especially we’re praying for the future victims of your predator schemes, as we sadly, have no doubt that there will be more. )
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