Sexual Abuse/Assault and Churches, Spiritual Abuse, Statute of Limitations, Tithing

Pastor Mike Sperou Will Have His Day in Court: Seven Women Come forward with Sexual Abuse Allegations

*** Pastor Mike Sperou of North Clackamas Bible Community will get his day in court: indicted on three counts of first-degree unlawful sexual penetration of a child under the age of 12 *** *** Last week, a much-anticipated church sex abuse story came out in the media. I've posted a lot of stories here - quite… Continue reading Pastor Mike Sperou Will Have His Day in Court: Seven Women Come forward with Sexual Abuse Allegations

Evangelism, Young Earth Creation

Fast Food Evangelism

*** Kathi digests dissects an "evangelism" video.   *** This "how to" video on evangelism caught my attention not too long ago. Oh, there's so much about this video....Where to begin? Before we get into the video itself, let's look at the man in front of the camera. This is Eric Hovind of Creation Today. Eric is… Continue reading Fast Food Evangelism

Christian Marriage, Divorce, Domestic Violence, Extra-Biblical Nonsense, Patriarchal-Complementarian Movement, SMH (Shake My Head), Women and the Church

Marital Rape: Is it Even a Possibility in Christian Marriage?

*** Is there such a thing as "rape" in a Christian marriage? *** JA note:  Thanks to Kathi for putting this post together this week as I'm finding my groove with a new term back at college. *** *** Robert posts on his blog, A Man, His Wife, and the Bible and is married to Amanda.… Continue reading Marital Rape: Is it Even a Possibility in Christian Marriage?

Church Lingo, Leaving the Church, Spiritual Abuse, Spiritual Bullies

Dissecting Gracealone1’s Comment

*** Sometimes we have commenters here who like to challenge us. Sometimes the language and tone used seem familiar to what we experienced in our abusive churches. Commenter "gracealone1" has been engaging SSB readers on the comments in this article, JD Hall of Pulpit and Pen Launches Voice in the Wilderness Radio, and one of his comments in… Continue reading Dissecting Gracealone1’s Comment

J.D. Hall, Kevin Swanson, Misuse of Scripture, Tony Miano

JD Hall of Pulpit and Pen Launches Voice in the Wilderness Radio

*** Pulpit and Pen's JD Hall launches Voices in the Wilderness Radio with Faithful Theology and Faithful Preaching *** The last we spoke of JD Hall and Pulpit and Pen was in this August 2014 article, JD Hall’s Public Confession Regarding His Twitter Conversation with Ergun Caner’s Son, Who Later Committed Suicide. JD (Jordan) spoke with both… Continue reading JD Hall of Pulpit and Pen Launches Voice in the Wilderness Radio

Chuck O'Neal, Extra-Biblical Nonsense, Julie Anne's Personal Stories, Leaving the Church, Legalism, Meetings with the Pastor, Personal Stories, Recovery Process, Shunning, Spiritual Abuse, Spiritual Bullies, Stay-At-Home Daughters Movement, Street Evangelism, Young Earth Creation

The Lingering Pain of Spiritual Abuse

The pain of her leaving caused me to go deep and question the character of God which was being tainted by a man and his crude ideas, perpetuating a church of hate and discord against anyone who didn’t agree with him and his pure doctrine ideologies.

Christian Marriage, Doug Phillips & Vision Forum, Family Integrated Churches, Full-Quiver, Homeschool Movement, Kevin Swanson, Marriages Damaged-Destroyed by Sp. Ab., Modesty and Purity Teachings, Patriarchal-Complementarian Movement, Scott Brown, Stay-At-Home Daughters Movement, Women and the Church

Pastor and Homeschool Leader Scott Brown Empathizes with Turkish President who says Birth Control is Treason

*** Scott Brown, the Christian Patriarchy Movement, Muslims, Women and Birth Control *** Since the fall of Doug Phillips and Bill Gothard, voices in the Homeschool Movement have been quiet about some of their pet topics, perhaps trying to let the dust settle on the aftermath of the Christian Patriarchy Movement and the alleged sex abuse… Continue reading Pastor and Homeschool Leader Scott Brown Empathizes with Turkish President who says Birth Control is Treason

Christian Marriage, It's All About the Image, Mark Driscoll, Narcissistic Pastors, Spiritual Abuse, Spiritual Bullies, Women and the Church

Mark Driscoll’s New Website, New Image, and the Stuff He Forgot to Mention

Mark Driscoll's new website: what he's sharing about himself and what he leaves out of his story *** Surprise, surprise, surprise! About one week before all of the Mars Hill churches that Pastor Mark Driscoll founded some 18 years ago are about to close, Driscoll has published a brand new website. On the front page you can… Continue reading Mark Driscoll’s New Website, New Image, and the Stuff He Forgot to Mention

Biblical Counseling, Bob Jones University, Failure to Report Crimes, Mental Health and the Church, Modesty and Purity Teachings, Sexual Abuse/Assault and Churches, Spiritual Abuse, Women and the Church

Personal Account from Former BJU Student

Rachel Patrick shares personal experiences at Bob Jones University Rachel Patrick was a former student of Bob Jones University (BJU). Although she did not participate in the GRACE investigation, she recently gave a public statement on Facebook, giving permission to share it. It is copied in its entirety as follows: *** I have made this post… Continue reading Personal Account from Former BJU Student

Biblical Counseling, Bob Jones University, Failure to Report Crimes, It's All About the Image, Mandatory Reporting, Mental Health and the Church, Sexual Abuse/Assault and Churches

Bob Jones University Sex Abuse Investigation and A Breakdown of BJU President Pettit’s Leaked Chapel Message

*** Bob Jones University Sex Abuse Investigation and BJU President Steve Pettit's leaked chapel message *** Bob Jones University (BJU) has been in the news prominently after GRACE released their long-awaited report (trigger warnings if you read the report) on the sex abuse investigations at BJU. Many major news sites are covering the story, including, The New… Continue reading Bob Jones University Sex Abuse Investigation and A Breakdown of BJU President Pettit’s Leaked Chapel Message

Christian Marriage, Marriage, Marriages Damaged-Destroyed by Sp. Ab., Patriarchal-Complementarian Movement, Women and the Church

Husbands Who Want to Correct Their Rebellious Wives

Husbands who want to correct their "rebellious" wives

Beaverton Grace Bible Church, BGBC Lawsuit, Chuck O'Neal, Crazy Things Church Leaders Say & Do, Extra-Biblical Nonsense, Julie Anne's Personal Stories, Media Interviews with Julie Anne, Misuse of Scripture, No-Talk Rule, Sexual Abuse/Assault and Churches, Spiritual Abuse, Spiritual Bullies

Some Pastors Think They Get to Control the Details of Your Lives, Even the Colors of Clothes You Wear

*** Pastors who use their assumed position of authority to control personal lives. *** for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Hebrews 13:17 *** This is finals week at school, so in the interest of time, I'm going to resurrect an old post from March of… Continue reading Some Pastors Think They Get to Control the Details of Your Lives, Even the Colors of Clothes You Wear

Christian Marriage, Marriage

Pastors are Being Asked to Sign The Marriage Pledge – Is it a Good Thing?

*** Why are pastors being asked to sign The Marriage Pledge? *** Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.  The man said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman,… Continue reading Pastors are Being Asked to Sign The Marriage Pledge – Is it a Good Thing?

Misuse of Scripture, Spiritual Abuse, Spiritual Bullies, Street Evangelism, The Gospel Coalition, Tony Miano, Voddie Baucham

Disagreeing with Someone’s Opinion Makes You Like Satan?

It really is okay for you to have a differing opinion with a Christian leader! *** There is so much tension in the media regarding the Ferguson fiasco. I wish everyone could just hold up a "free hugs" sign like this young 12-yr old in Portland and it would all get better: *** *** Sometimes pastors… Continue reading Disagreeing with Someone’s Opinion Makes You Like Satan?

Christian Marriage, Feminist Agenda, God's Design for the Family, Parenting, Patriarchal-Complementarian Movement, Reconstructionist-Dominion Movement, Women and the Church

Biblical Parental Authority: Is Mom Equal with Dad on the Hierarchy Ladder or is Dad on the Highest Rung?

*** What does the Bible say about parental authority? Is mom equal with dad? *** *** Disobedience to God can lead to judgment. If fathers relinquish a degree of their authority in the home, then their home could be at risk. Steve C. Halbrook *** So, tell me how it works in your home.  Does… Continue reading Biblical Parental Authority: Is Mom Equal with Dad on the Hierarchy Ladder or is Dad on the Highest Rung?

ABUSE & VIOLENCE IN THE CHURCH, Christian Love, Domestic Violence and Churches, Going Back to Church Again, Leaving the Church, Sexual Abuse/Assault and Churches, Spiritual Abuse

Why Don’t Young People go to Church?

  *** My friend, Pastor Jeff Crippen, who blogs about domestic violence at A Cry for Justice posted the following note on the A Cry for Justice Facebook page and I asked pretty please if I could share it with you. Yes, I really did say, "pretty please."  LOL Sadly, at Spiritual Sounding Board, we do often… Continue reading Why Don’t Young People go to Church?

Disturbing Trends, Emotional Responses, Evangelism

Christians and Halloween: What’s a Christian to do?

*** There are various ways Christians respond to Halloween. What is a balanced response? ***   I have a hunch that Halloween can bring up some legalistic triggers for people, so I wanted to make sure to give an opportunity to discuss it. Kathi shared this on the SSB Facebook page:       Guilt… Continue reading Christians and Halloween: What’s a Christian to do?

Doctrine as Idol, Spiritual Abuse, Word of Faith Movement

Word of Faith: Finding the balance between truth and abuse

*** Word of Faith teachings:  the balance between truth and abuse ***       Julie Anne is out on the road for most of the day and she asked me to post a discussion piece about Word of Faith. -Kathi First, I would like to thank Loura Lawrence for sharing her story with us.… Continue reading Word of Faith: Finding the balance between truth and abuse

Disturbing Trends, Personal Stories, Spiritual Abuse, Word of Faith Movement

A Personal Story: Spiritual Abuse through Word of Faith Teachings during Tragic Infant Loss

 *** Loura Lawrence shares her personal story of infant loss and spiritual abuse through Word of Faith occult-like teachings ***   October is the month designated for pregnancy and infant loss awareness, so this story is timely. Last week, I received a personal story of infant loss and spiritual abuse. Imagine combining the tragic loss of a… Continue reading A Personal Story: Spiritual Abuse through Word of Faith Teachings during Tragic Infant Loss

Learn to Discern, Modesty and Purity Teachings, Todd Friel

Teaching youth about virginity and forgiveness via Todd Friel

*** Todd Friel discusses how to talk to youth about virginity and what to say if they fail.       We've talked about the purity culture that some of our teens have been taught (Soul Tied: Harmful Spiritual Conclusions about Sex Abuse, Purity Culture, and Sex Abuse Victims). What do you think about this new video… Continue reading Teaching youth about virginity and forgiveness via Todd Friel