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The Subtle
Power of Spiritual Abuse
by David Johnson, Jeff VanVonderen
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Book Description
Breaking the Silence on an Abuse Within the Church That Leaves
Christians Feeling "Used," Manipulated and Shamed.
Churches are meant to be safe places where spiritual leaders
help and equip the members for the work of service. There are
some churches, however, where leaders use their spiritual
authority to control and dominate others, attempting to meet
their own needs for importance, power, intimacy or spiritual
gratification. Through the subtle use of the right "spiritual"
words, church members are manipulated or shamed into certain
behaviors or performance that ensnares in legalism, guilt and
begrudging service.
This is spiritual abuse, and the results can be shattering.
Deeply ingrained spiritual codes of written and unwritten rules
control and condemn, wounding believers' spirits and keeping
them from the grace and joy of God's kingdom. Believers find
themselves enslaved to a system, a leader, a standard of
performance that saps true spiritual life.
This is a message for Christians who feel they are spiritually
abused and for those who might be causing it. Authors
VanVonderen and Johnson address these important themes and point
the way toward freedom:
What are the abusive spiritual dynamics that can develop in a
church?
How do people get hooked into these abusive systems?
What are the marks of false spiritual leadership and their
impact on a congregation?
What are the scriptures and doctrinal concepts that c
About the Author
David Johnson grew up in a Christian home, the son of a Baptist
Minister. There were great benefits to growing up in the church,
but they were not all positive. Along with the life, and truth,
and purity&151;there was death, and lies and hypocrisy. At a
relatively young age he began to wonder why, if its called good
news, it didn't feel that good. Johnson vividly recalls the
pattern of being 'yelled at' to tell people the good news of
Jesus. It struck him that if it really was good news, "why did
they have to yell?" Everything, including evangelism felt like a
weight.
Early in his High School years, brokenness in the form of
serious family issues, invaded his home. Johnson's initial fear
of the trouble was that his parents response would be to add
even more weight & try even harder to look good and right.
Instead, his father discovered grace and the weight in their
family was lifted. For the first time, "how things looked" was
not what mattered most and how things really were could be
discussed and dealt with without fear.
Johnson entered the ministry with a deep desire to bring that
liberating grace to people who has been weighted down by a
system of religious performance. In the process, he discovered
that the issue was bigger and more wide spread that he had ever
imagined. Recently he discovered a name for it&spiritual abuse.
Johnson's education includes a B.A. in Psychology from Bethel
College in St. Paul, Minnesota. Further education followed at
Bethel Seminary and Trinity Evangelical School, Deerfield,
Illinois. While attending Trinity, he served as the Senior
Pastor at the Melrose Bible Church, in Melrose Park, Illinois.
Johnson is presently Senior Pastor at Church of the Open Door of
Crystal, Minnesota.
David and his wife have 4 children. They make their home in
Minnesota.
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