How do we respond when people falsely accuse us, slander and gossip about us behind our backs, isolate us and attack our characters? Psalm 109, helps us to give voice to the way that this makes us feel. There is the desperate cry for justice. David utters these words against his tormenters Appoint a wicked… Continue reading What I want for my enemies (reflections on Psalm 110 part 1)
Tag: abuse
Love is not an excuse to tolerate and cover up abuse
Yesterday, I wrote about what love is not. This is because sometimes people use the concept of love to manipulate victims to continue living with abuse and without justice. I want to explore that a bit further today because one of the arguments used is that this is part of a wife’s responsibility to submit… Continue reading Love is not an excuse to tolerate and cover up abuse
Love is not
Last week I started writing some articles about what a healthy church looks like and I argued that the one most neglected mark is the one that Jesus and the New Testament argues is of first importance, Love. But there is a risk if we just talk about “love” without thinking carefully about what it… Continue reading Love is not
False teachers, abusers and cults (2 Peter 2:10-16)
I’ve spent some time on Faithroots talking about the problem of abuse and bullying in the Church. This has been in response to some very public scandals in the last year or two relating to high profile church leaders and organisations. It also relates to things I have observed more widely in church culture. High… Continue reading False teachers, abusers and cults (2 Peter 2:10-16)
Forgiveness
During the Coronavirus lock down, Sarah and I have been running a facebook Live event called Afternoon Tea each day. We’ve covered all sorts of big topics including bullying, suffering and forgiveness. In this article I want to jot down some of the thoughts we shared this afternoon. This isn’t a structured article – more… Continue reading Forgiveness
Bullies – a personal story
a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice (Isaiah 42:3) I arrived at primary school aged 4, one of the youngest and therefore smallest in my class, to add to that I came with ginger hair and asthma, by aged 10 I had… Continue reading Bullies – a personal story
Abuse and The Church: Changing the Culture
Always Reforming I’ve shared a few articles recently reflecting on the less pleasant side of church life. It should sadden us that the church (locally, nationally and internationally) often seems to fall short of what it should be as a haven of hope and safety. However, at the same time it should not surprise us. … Continue reading Abuse and The Church: Changing the Culture
Abuse and church – We didn’t mean to be here
In Deuteronomy 19, God provides cities of refuge for Israelites to flee to when they have killed someone. There is a vital qualification, the killing has to have been unintentional. It cannot be for a wilful, malicious attack. The Law made a distinction between two types of sin, the first type were high handed sins,… Continue reading Abuse and church – We didn’t mean to be here
I want to be clean
In the second of our series of videos based on “A last conversation” between Jesus and his disciples (John 13), we look at Peter’s initial refusal to have his feet washed. We talk about the sense of shame and guilt that feels like dirtiness and how Jesus offers deep and lasting cleansing.
Abuse and the church – leaders and members
What should a healthy relationship between church leaders and church members look like? Hebrews 13:17 says: “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of… Continue reading Abuse and the church – leaders and members
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