The Possible Reality of Your Congregations Pastors

I have read and listened to Chuck Swindoll for years. It began when I was listening to Christian radio over twenty years ago, and God used Chuck Swindoll to begin the road to my healing. The reason? Chuck Swindoll not only tells it like it is, but with gentleness he knows what the reality is, and the Christian response.

This piece sheds light on what so many people who sit in the pews have gone through, and I think a minister should realize this, strive not to repeat it, and respond properly. I know because I was that person Chuck Swindoll talks about when I first came to the church I am currently attending, where with God’s grace pouring out, I finished healing only a few years ago. I now continue to hear the stories from people who have mirrored my past life. I hear the stories too many times. Churches and leadership should never hurt people in this way. I never want anyone to hurt in this way. It is an unbearable way to live. It’s the opposite of what the Bible says leadership and Christians are to be. Thankfully I know that now. For those who have been hurt, there is healing in Jesus Christ. I am proof.

I post this to sincerely ask every single minister to understand this is true more than not, and to be willing to aid in someone’s healing.
Chuck Swindoll begins:

Your congregation represents people from all walks of life—all ages and stages of maturity. All flawed, yet all drawn together because they love Christ, and they love to be a part of the ministry. What a unique creation from God!

Some of these people who come to your church need time to heal. Some have experienced what I call “toxic religion.” They have had former pastors who dominated and domineered them, who took advantage of them spiritually, and who told them it was a sin to attend another church. How tragic.

These wounded people will often stumble into your church afraid. They’re fearful, first of all, that they will be found out by their friends from their old church—most of whom are now shunning them because they left. Second, they’re afraid of not knowing the “right” thing to do in their new church. Third, they may even be afraid of you. So please, have a heart. Be extremely patient with them. These individuals don’t come in and hit the floor running, ready to serve. Let your church be a place of refuge where they can find sufficient grace to heal. Be faithful to pray for them.

Please read the rest here. Chuck is accurate on both the symptoms and the cure.

Wives: Support Your Husbands,And Be Yourself

I have been a listener and reader of Chuck Swindoll for many years. The reason I have continued to listen to his sermons, read his writings, is because I find what he says in scripture, his advice is wise, but more importantly he doesn’t promote being someone we are not. That includes both men and women. His latest blog post is no exception and so I pass it on.

This piece is directed to pastor’s wives but I think it is good advice to any Christian wife.

Pastoral Traps: Exclusivism/ Chuck Swindoll

Do I highlight articles, posts, because I have nothing to write about? No. I have so many studies in my head to write, I have some posts written ahead of time. This is also my third post today as words seem to come spilling out here lately.

I do it because I want some truths to sink in that replace the lies some have been told. And when I find a piece that accomplishes that, I rush to highlight it. I highlight yet another good entry today by Chuck Swindoll whose topic is the Pastoral traps that, not only can ministers fall into, but any of us who are a member of a local church. I appreciate Chuck Swindoll because he tells it like it is, doesn’t mince words, yet does it in a way that you know he is saying it because he cares for those whom he is addressing. Sounds a lot like the Apostle Paul. Chuck writes:

A major trap pastors can fall into is exclusivism. That’s the attitude that says, “I alone am right.” It’s the “us-four-and-no-more-and-I’m-not-sure-about-you-three” kind of attitude. An exclusive spirit occurs when a pastor allows (or even promotes) a clannish, cultic kind of following around him.

Paranoia often accompanies an exclusive spirit: “Other ministries don’t do it as well as I do”—or some similar statement. Watch out for that kind of attitude. Guard yourself from too many first-person pronouns. It is nothing more than pride.

Read the rest of the needed piece here.

Amen. And may we, who claim to follow Christ remember that, repenting from it. It’s not who we are.