* * * This story is a special one to me. Regular reader, "BeenThereDoneThat" (BTDT) has been commenting on this blog since the first weeks here. During that time, I have watched her in her commenting as she has been recovering through a very difficult spiritually abusive church experience. I had… Continue reading BeenThereDoneThat and Flying Free: Spiritual Abuse, A Personal Story
Category: SPIRITUAL SOUNDING BOARD
Guest Post: A Call for Reasoned Discernment Before Judgment Is Made Upon Others
* * * Ok, you really have to hear the background of this next post. The other day I was tweeting with a guy whose Twitter handle is @fivesolasguy, (Brian Thornton.) He responded to a couple of tweets of mine and I have to be honest with you, his words felt… Continue reading Guest Post: A Call for Reasoned Discernment Before Judgment Is Made Upon Others
Learn to Discern: A Pastor’s Response to a Young Man’s Question about His Sexual Past
* * * One of the primary purposes of this blog is to discuss spiritual abuse and to learn and be aware of patterns that can lead to abuse. Some people who stop by here are at various stages of discovery and recovery. I recently read this article from the Gospel… Continue reading Learn to Discern: A Pastor’s Response to a Young Man’s Question about His Sexual Past
The Legal Rights of Christians vs Mercy and Love of Christ
* * * Personal disclaimer: I was alerted to two local news articles this morning and struggled with whether or not I should share them with you because of the personal connections as you will soon see. After conferring with others and checking my heart, I am going to share them.… Continue reading The Legal Rights of Christians vs Mercy and Love of Christ
Smashing Patriarchy and Their Twisted Translations of the Bible
* * * This blog post is going to require some active participation. The other day, some blogger friends and I were e-mailing back and forth on the topic of Patriarchy. I jokingly said I wondered if there was a Patriarchal version of the Bible that we weren't aware of.… Continue reading Smashing Patriarchy and Their Twisted Translations of the Bible
Complementarianism, Egalitarianism, or Mystery
* * * The other day when we were discussing the terms Complementarianism, Egalitarianism, and Patriarchy to describe how Christian couples view their gender roles within the marriage (What is Difference Between Complementarianism and Patriarchy?), Pastor Ken Garrett must have gotten a bee in his bonnet and wanted to dig a… Continue reading Complementarianism, Egalitarianism, or Mystery
Church Abuse, Spiritual Triage, and Victim’s Advocacy Ministries
* * * You may have noticed a brief blog break. Thursday I went out of town to a meeting and Friday I drove back home and later had a 3-hour interview regarding the bad side of Christian homeschooling and so I was tied up a bit. I'd like to share… Continue reading Church Abuse, Spiritual Triage, and Victim’s Advocacy Ministries
The Clanging Cymbal Tweet of Pastor Jared Mellinger
* * * * * * I saw a disturbing tweet come through my Twitter feed by Jared Mellinger, senior pastor at Covenant Fellowship Church. Please note that I typed "senior pastor." Covenant Fellowship Church is part of Sovereign Grace Ministries, the same family of churches in… Continue reading The Clanging Cymbal Tweet of Pastor Jared Mellinger
Learn and Discern: Pastor Jim Standridge and His Bully Pulpit
* * * For the past five years, I've been "choir mom" at two different high schools. This volunteer gig consists of going to class each day, doing sectionals (this is when we split into groups to learn their choral parts, ie, "altos" or "tenors", etc,), accompanying on the piano, etc.… Continue reading Learn and Discern: Pastor Jim Standridge and His Bully Pulpit
Learn and Discern: Government is Evil
* * * Yesterday, GRACE published an excellent article by Victor Vieth and linked to the Paul Washer video that I posted in yesterday's article (video is posted below in this article). GRACE is a non-profit organization made up of highly trained and experienced multi-disciplinary professionals who seek to educate and… Continue reading Learn and Discern: Government is Evil
Learn to Discern: Persecution or Hype or Agenda?
* * * I had a whole post typed up here and then decided to delete it all. Rather than talk about my thoughts about this video, I'd like to read yours. It's pretty obvious from the title of this article that I have some issues. I think this is important… Continue reading Learn to Discern: Persecution or Hype or Agenda?
Spiritual Sounding Board: Sound Off
* * * He made my feet like the feet of a deer and set me secure on the heights. Psalm 18:33 * * * * * * I just watched this and experienced mixed emotions throughout this short video. I don't want… Continue reading Spiritual Sounding Board: Sound Off
Adult Children Shunned by Homeschool Parents: Selah’s Story
* * * We recently discussed the challenges that some former homeschool students face when they leave their home. This story is quite different from the last story, but it, too, deals with painful and strained relationships with fundamental Christian parents who were influenced by the subculture of the Homeschool Movement.… Continue reading Adult Children Shunned by Homeschool Parents: Selah’s Story
Effective Street Evangelism with Changed Lives? Yes! Right here!
* * * Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1:27 I think this is true street evangelism right here. It is being done on a busy street,… Continue reading Effective Street Evangelism with Changed Lives? Yes! Right here!
Justin Taylor Tweets about Dialoging with a Divisive Person
* * * * * * * * * This came across my Twitter feed and it struck me for a couple of reasons: The timing of the tweet is within a day after he published this: Why We Have Been Silent about the SGM Lawsuit The timing of the tweet is on the same… Continue reading Justin Taylor Tweets about Dialoging with a Divisive Person
What Do Victims of Natural Disasters Need? A Survivor Shares
* * * Jesus wept. John 11:35 Yesterday, I got ten times mores hits on my blog than usual - all because of someone's tweet - - someone who should know better - but who said something so shocking that people came to see the tweet for themselves (the tweet had… Continue reading What Do Victims of Natural Disasters Need? A Survivor Shares
John Piper’s Tweet During Devastating Twister Aftermath
* * * So, I'm minding my own business catching up on the latest Twitter news and it is filled with tweets about the devastating aftermath of the Twister in Oklahoma that as of this posting has 20 confirmed deaths and 145 people hospitalized. People are still being pulled from the… Continue reading John Piper’s Tweet During Devastating Twister Aftermath
Being Married to a Pedophile: A Wife Speaks Out and Offers Hope to Other Wives of Pedophiles
* * * Letter from the wife of a pedophile explaining why she stayed and how she finally got out. Encouragement for other wives of child molesters. * * * Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD himself,… Continue reading Being Married to a Pedophile: A Wife Speaks Out and Offers Hope to Other Wives of Pedophiles
Dissecting Church Bylaws: Conduct of Members
* * * When my lawsuit went viral, quite a few people took it upon themselves to look up the name of my church on the internet. They found and read the church by-laws. A number of them questioned why we would even attend such a church because they could… Continue reading Dissecting Church Bylaws: Conduct of Members
Motherhood and Failure
* * * I read a really good article this morning and it is timely for Mother's Day tomorrow. Are Women Really Saved through Childbearing? During the anguished time when a woman from my church was trying to conceive, she asked for prayer from a Christian coworker. "She flat out… Continue reading Motherhood and Failure
Spiritual Sounding Board 