Carson Weitnauer
@CarsonWeitnauer
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I want to live my life with God and help you to do the same. Follow for honest conversations about following Jesus + candid critiques of cultural Christianity
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Joined September 2011
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Apologetics: Ravi Zacharias / RZIM
Biblical studies: John MacArthur, Wayne Grudem
Church leadership: Bill Hybels
Denominations: Hillsong, Sovereign Grace Ministries, Southern Baptist Convention
Education: Jerry Falwell, Liberty University
Famous
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There's a story of Jesus caring for a 12-year-old girl in the Gospels.
When her father comes to Jesus in desperation, she is dying.
On the way to care for her, Jesus stops on the road and ministers to a woman who has suffered for 12 years of bleeding.
This woman has
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Recently, I’ve felt a heaviness and a vague sense of discouragement.
Today, I wrote down the scandals I’ve read about in the past month:
* Robert Morris’s sexual abuse of a child
* Tony Evans’ ambiguous failure and PR spin
* Seeing the SBC invalidate survivors
* The PCA
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It's easy to be against abuse in general.
It's a low-cost way to seem respectable.
It's hard to be against abuse in particular.
You have to choose to advocate for a vulnerable person, which usually sets you in opposition to powerful, charismatic, and popular people, and the
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One beautiful story about Jesus:
He talked with a marginalized Samaritan woman at a well, asks her for a drink of water, talks about her past marriages and current boyfriend…
And never loses his purity nor fails to treat her with total respect.
Also, she becomes one of the
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If you’re in ministry and you’ve asked someone to sign an NDA, you owe them an apology.
If they signed it, you owe them a general release from those obligations.
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If you think pastors never lie, let me tell you a story about a guy named Ravi Zacharias.
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It would be so powerful for John Piper to acknowledge and apologize for his role in giving a platform to
Mark Driscoll
C.J. Mahaney
Jonathan Edwards
John MacArthur
Joe Rigney
Doug Wilson
(and anyone else I've missed)
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In your mind, would the following disqualify someone as a respectable Christian teacher?
* Defending American slavery
* Supporting a pedophile and conducting his wedding
* Mishandling cases of child sexual abuse and sexual assault
* Using slurs to refer to gay people
*
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See you soon,
@NAQureshi
! I'm really going to miss you until Jesus brings us together again...
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One reason the SBC is in need of deep, systemic reform:
Paul Pressler was a hero - and it’s still unusual to see anything more than silence or indirect critique.
Beth Moore was a heretic - and it’s still common to see her unfairly attacked.
It doesn’t take a PhD in Biblical
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Being FORGIVEN for sexual abuse
is NOT the SAME
as being QUALIFIED for Christian ministry
...
We should not need to say this.🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️
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To this day, mainstream evangelical organizations have author pages for Doug Wilson.
Here are three:
* Crossway:
* John Piper / Desiring God:
* Ligonier:
It's not a fringe issue.
It's way past time for
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One of my regrets from my time in the US apologetics scene is how I imbibed and passed along the attitude that Christians should always have answers.
I’m sorry.
In trying to be right, I was wrong.
“Always be prepared” I said, quoting 1 Peter 3.
But was I prepared to explain
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How many victims does it take for a story of abuse to be believed?
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@LeahBSassy
Here's a hilarious story about this happening at Harvard:
I think,” I said solemnly, “that Smurf is going to change the whole direction of linguistic epistemology.”
They all agreed, nodding, saying things like ‘Oh, yes,’ and “I wouldn’t doubt it.”
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I want to tell you a story about my granddad.
He was a building contractor.
He was approached with an offer to make a ton of money.
All he needed to do was substitute an inferior product in the walls of the building. The replacement was out of sight; no one would know.
He’d
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If you're a good pastor - you're not one of the predatory pastors - then speak up!
Why?
Because good shepherds are constantly watching out for and going after wolves.
Here are three steps you can take:
1. Report misconduct to law enforcement
2. Support survivors
3. Train
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Today’s TGC article made The Keller Center sound like Mark Driscoll.
That's sad.
I've never seen TGC offer a gospel-centered apology, but it would be a beautiful cultural apologetic to show remorse for how Scripture was twisted and women were dishonored.
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One thing Dr. Diane Langberg helped me understand is that many abusers actively work to discredit their victims and gain the support of their community.
They plot how to develop reputations, networks, leverage, etc., to gain access to more victims and avoid accountability.
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When I spoke up at RZIM, I didn't know what it would cost.
The journey has been far more painful than I could have imagined.
But it has also brought hope and strength in ways I didn't expect.
Here are some snapshots of the journey so far:
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Seeing the mean responses to Dr. Prior's gracious announcement is heartbreaking.
First, it is wrong to treat a sister in Christ, much less an honorable Christian leader, in this spiteful way.
But second, it confirms that she is leaving what is, in part, a toxic environment.
An update:
While I adore my students and colleagues at SEBTS, it has become clearer through heartfelt discussions with leadership and much self-reflection over the past few years that the institution and I do not share the same vision for carrying out the Great Commission.
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Wow, this is dangerous.
Mark Driscoll:
"Imagine the pastor today that had the stones to pick a fight and then slaughter 400 denominational leaders, slit their throats as a public event. That’s Elijah.”
Disgraced
@PastorMark
Driscoll declared war on 'woke, beta-male' pastors on podcast of political activist & Christian nationalist
@CharlieKirk11
It signals new direction for Driscoll as far-right provocateur focused on violent, conspiracy-centered themes
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This is a good month to celebrate
@reachjulieroys
. There should be an award.
Julie, I honor you for your fearless courage, journalistic excellence, resilience despite brutal personal attacks, and your caring, gentle heart for survivors.
You give us hope.
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@RebeccMcLaugh
I like this. Perhaps we could spend the month confessing our sexual brokenness and our weak response to sexual abuse within the church.
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Please provide examples of when The Gospel Coalition has apologized for platforming abusive leaders.
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Hi
@baptist_news
, you owe Julie an apology for this line:
"Throughout all these ordeals, MacDonald has faced an ongoing nemesis in the person of Julie Roys, publisher of The Roys Report, an independent website seeking to hold religious leaders accountable for bad behavior and
Why is
@baptist_news
platforming disgraced pastor
@jamesmacdonald
? This piece forwarding MacD's narrative that he's a victim is unconscionable. I grieve for the scores of people this man has harmed who will be further traumatized by this article 1/4
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If you're upset at Gateway Church and Robert Morris, then please remember the SBC and
@ChristaBrown777
From Baptistland:
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It’s disheartening that a website called *VICE* has done more to warn the church about Doug Wilson’s harmful theology and abusive practices than Christian organizations such as TGC and Desiring God.
Isn’t that disappointing??
Thank you, VICE, and
@sarahstankorb
, for giving
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If repentance would end your ministry, then your decision to continue in ministry has nothing to do with God.
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When will
@TGC
take action in regard to the multiple, substantiated claims of abuse regarding
@JohnPiper
?
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@reachjulieroys
@ihopkc
@bozlawpa
It's perplexing that IHOP is following the RZIM playbook, because that was a series of entirely avoidable and immensely painful failures.
When RZIM rebranded as Encounter and then as The Lighten Group, or speakers went back to Embrace the Truth, it addressed none of the
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@hollybishu
Your character has revealed his deficiencies.
I wish he was more honorable and good.
Grieving with you.
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If you've been involved with IHOP and Mike Bickle, it's likely this is a moment of profound disillusionment, pain, and even... furious anger.
Anger at God, at Mike, at IHOP's leaders.
Maybe even anger at yourself.
None of this is your fault. You deserved better.
It is okay to
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Every evangelical seminary should require all students to complete a rigorous church safety course, that covers how to properly handle sexual abuse.
Many churches require this of their volunteers… future church leaders must receive this training too.
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If evangelism alone were effective for social change, Christians would never have participated in the trans-Atlantic slave trade, been slave owners, created apartheid in South Africa, or allowed Jim Crow laws to come into existence. -
@drantbradley
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@KaitlynSchiess
Build a church around a pastor and I will show you an elder board that cannot hold the pastor accountable
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What bothers you more?
The way in which a survivor tells his or her story
OR
The abuse that created their story
Your answer reveals a hard heart or a compassionate heart.
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This weekend I read several helpful responses to Shaunti Feldhahn and Preston Sprinkle's public conversation in which they publicly criticize Christians who engage in public criticism. Instead, they publicly advise people to go and speak privately when concerned with a public
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By not addressing abuse, you might think you're playing it safe.
But you're actually playing with fire.
Because if there's abuse in your organization, you probably won't know about it.
Because those suffering don't know if they can trust you.
They're waiting and watching to
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Mike Bickle and a major red flag.
So, what did Mike Bickle preach about last week?
False accusations.
In itself, that is extremely problematic.
After a pastor receives a complaint of sexual abuse and spiritual abuse, they should take a leave of absence, ask the governing
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Yes, Jesus is our friend and helper. But remember, we are not worthy to untie his sandals. Mark 1:7
#grace
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What's the saddest part of the news about Liberty?
Yes, the $14 million fine and the public rebuke from the U.S. Government is a scandal.
But for me, the worst part is the absence of the fundamental Christian practice of love for their literal neighbors - the students who
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I left RZIM in January of 2021.
I spent most of today dealing with the mess that's still there.
It takes so much time and effort to recover from these situations.
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I was naive to think that *opposing sexual abuse* would be normal for Christian leaders.
Still disorienting and weird to see how much energy goes to protecting abusers and hurting survivors.
Survivors who go public pay a terrible price.
And Russell Moore, Beth Moore, French, KSP? Each has called for repentance/repair, 3 of 4 forced out of their jobs.
An SBC “ethics prof” recently accused some of us of “partnering w/Caligula” in persecuting Christians. Coincidence?
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RZIM broke my heart.
By God's grace, even this will become a gift.
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Church teaches: “Real men don’t abuse.”
Ok, got it.
Survivor testimony: “Hey, this man abused me.”
Hmmm.
Church leader: “He’s a good guy, you just need to forgive.”
Theological whiplash.
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For all its flaws (which are legion), X/Twitter is changing the conversation on men like Doug Wilson and Joe Rigney in a way that few other spaces could or would.
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@MBurtwrites
Talitha koum. It's so specific and vivid.
We can imagine her walking around the room. Jesus is delighted. Her parents and the disciples are speechless.
It's wonderful.
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How many survivors have to come forward to share how "Biblical teaching" was used to justify child abuse and domestic abuse under the authority of John MacArthur and Grace Community Church before Christian leaders will stop partnering with them?
For instance, a Board Member and
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To ask for peace without justice is to ask victims to join you in approving of injustice.
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@KSPrior
It's like a gang of thieves complaining that someone violated their rules by stealing from another member instead of the general public.
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According to people of no faith, the
#1
reason for doubting Christianity is "the hypocrisy of religious people" (Barna).
We need apologies more than apologetics.
We need confession more than clapping.
We need repentance - and we need to love our neighbors.
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A question for my Christian friends: Do your friends know and see that your loyalty to Jesus is greater than your loyalty to a President or a Party?
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@MarlaAReid
The way whistleblowers in these organizations are treated is very damaging. It's a massive impediment to reform.
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One benefit of the tweets and podcasts defending Josh Butler and his book is how they reveal the importance of loyalty among evangelical leaders.
We can identify the importance of loyalty to this group because its members describe public criticism as dishonorable, as the work
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“I won’t listen to your critique of abuse because you aren’t saying it nicely” is such an odd thing to say.
Surely the heartbreaking issue is that someone suffered abuse?
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If your career prevents you from helping survivors of child abuse, domestic abuse, or sexual abuse, you need a new career.
Especially if you are a pastor.
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Why support The Roys Report?
Because when Julie and her team of journalists shine light into darkness, corrupt leaders respond with anger and mockery. They further reveal they are unfit to lead.
The most recent example?
The clown emojis, slander, and defensiveness from Sean.
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One painful lesson to take away from Ravi Zacharias and RZIM: the public fruitfulness was no evidence of personal righteousness.
Actually, the strategy was to highlight ministry results to distract everyone’s attention away from the character problems.
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One divide in evangelicalism:
Is Doug Wilson basically "on our team"?
He preaches the gospel, encourages the church... and, from time to time, ok, he makes some significant mistakes. But who hasn't?
Or is he a danger to the church?
Because, to mention just a few concerns, he
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If you've been through a similar experience, I'm curious about what you'd add to the list.
If you haven't experienced this, I hope this helps you understand what it can be like.
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@Jedidiahhartley
You are acting with tremendous courage.
I pray you have a couple of absolutely steadfast friends and a counselor to help you through all the attacks you will receive.
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For the SBC to regain moral authority, it will at a minimum need to fire the people who keep using their power and position to protect themselves.
Then it needs to fill those positions with leaders who have a demonstrated commitment to justice, righteousness, and sacrificial
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I dream of a day where church insurance carriers refuse to insure churches that use NDAs.
“Too risky for us, we don’t know what you’re hiding.”
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I long for a world where everyone sees women and girls the way Jesus does.
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@BethMooreLPM
@TomBuck
Beth, thank you.
Tom, your thoughtful response... wasn't thoughtful.
An apology to Aimee - and a retraction - is in order.
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Perhaps the greatest weakness of Christianity today is we are desperate rather than faithful.
Desperate for the big name rather than the life of integrity.
Desperate for reach rather than formation.
Desperate to “change the world” rather than follow Jesus.
Etc etc etc
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Surprisingly, one of the divides in evangelicalism is whether or not it is ok to cover up sex crimes.
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If your platform is too big to tell the truth, your platform is too big
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“You can trust us”
AND
“We use NDAs” / “We won’t tell you if we use NDAs”
are contradictory messages
So, what’s the solution?
Simple: Publicly adopt an NDA Free Policy.
Put it on the website next to your statement of faith and abuse prevention policies.
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I love God and the Bible.
But I am disillusioned by many of those who taught me to love God and the Bible.
Because I hear them use its language to justify lies, immorality, violence, and abuse.
They even use the lexicon of forgiveness and grace, the gospel, to trample the
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Survivor speaking against abuse:
unChristian gossip, divisive
A pastor lying about his abuse:
Man of God
It’s 100% backwards.
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@janefortruth
All the language of “protecting our daughters” turned around and hollowed out to mean “making our daughters vulnerable to abuse.”
In the name of God.
It makes me feel sick.
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Hillsong is in the news... again.
Is it almost over?
Or are the stories *just starting* to trickle out?
Here's something I learned from
@wademullen
:
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This is really simple: the board and senior leadership of
@RZIMhq
must resign.
That is the minimum action needed to start to demonstrate repentance.
This is part of the consequence for completely failing to hold
@RaviZacharias
accountable for such egregious sin.
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@DavidAFrench
I think “we’re right, so don't give into cancel culture” has replaced “I'm so sorry, how can I make it right?”
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Perhaps in a hundred years, the Southern Baptist Convention will pass a resolution apologizing for denying justice to *survivors of childhood sexual abuse.*
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“I lament the impoverishment of a social imagination that cannot conceive of a world in which women can flourish without abortion.”
Join
@ksprior
and me for a conversation as we imagine a society in which women can flourish without abortion.
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If you’re wondering if there are broader issues about insensitivity to abuse at TGC, the answer is yes.
It’s very personal, but here goes.
If it’s harmful that TGC promotes Josh Butler’s book,
Then...
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5. Losing nearly all of my friends from work
6. Watching my friends and mentors endorse the people who mistreated me
7. Noticing they're silent about me and my story
8. Struggling to figure out what to do with my life
9. Sleepless nights
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You can throw your tracts in the trash.
Or you can give them to someone else and they can do that for you.
—-
Why?
We awaken spiritual curiosity through surprising goodness.
We drive people away with impersonal tracts that attempt to leverage fear and guilt to make others
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One reason to be hopeful?
There's an energized, passionate movement to call out abuse in the church:
Reporters.
Survivors.
Non-profit leaders.
Foundations.
Church members.
Church leaders.
Pastors.
Authors.
Lawyers.
Counselors.
Yes, more stories and scandals are
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Three Reasons Every RZIM Supporter Should Want The Thompson NDA Terminated
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Eric, you’re on the record attacking Julie’s character:
“…we don’t consider you [Julie Roys] to be honest or objective in your coverage of the church…”
You’ve lost all credibility.
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One question for journalists to ask
@rzimcanada
: When
@Stewarshi
reported to you in 2014 that Ravi Zacharias pressured her to get an abortion, what happened to her email and what actions did you take?
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19. Dozens of phone calls and emails to explain my story again, and again, and again
20. Learning who my true friends are
21. Making new and better friendships
22. Giving hope to those who've endured abuse
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Christian, speaking out against abuse is a low ethical bar.
If you are afraid to do so, it is time for some soul searching.
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If you think unrepentant bullies should be in full-time ministry, there's a reason people are questioning your wisdom, character, and commitment to God.
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1. Enduring retaliation and bullying from leaders and peers at work
2. Resigning from my job after it became toxic
3. Hiring a lawyer to avoid signing an NDA for severance
4. Reducing our household living expenses
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16. Receiving unsolicited, unhelpful advice - some of it from the Bible
17. Struggling to trust other leaders
18. Days of uncompensated work to organize my notes and records as I participated in investigations
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