Warning Signs of Spiritual Abuse

Warning Signs of Spiritual Abuse -- Part I

<B>B</B><B>y Mike Fehlauer
Pastor, Author, and Director of Foundation Ministries



Many believers have found themselves crushed beneath the religious baggage of an abusive system.



Crosswalk.com-</B>The idea of spiritual abuse is not a new phenomenon. In the Old Testament, God spoke against those who operated in their own authority while abusing the very people they were to bless. In Jeremiah 5:30-31 we read, “An astonishing and horrible thing has been committed in the land: the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own power; and My people love to have it so. But what will you do in the end?”

In these verses God is bringing an indictment against the religious leaders of the Old Testament. We see the Lord’s anger expressed against those who operate in their own authority. Consumed with their own ambition, these leaders have convinced the people that their power is divine. Yet in reality, these false prophets are merely wielding their self-imposed influence for personal gain, claiming they speak for God.

In Jeremiah 6:13-14 we read again of self-absorbed prophets and priests who are so preoccupied with their own needs being met that the needs of the people are being ignored. We read: “From the least of them even to the greatest of them, everyone is greedy for gain, and from the prophet even to the priest everyone deals falsely. And they have healed the brokenness of My people superficially, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ but there is no peace” (NAS).

A common characteristic of an abusive religious system is that the real needs of the people are lost in the never-ending quest by the leaders for personal fulfillment and happiness.

The tragic story of Diane, a young woman in her late teens who had recently given her life to Christ, illustrates this point. Diane went on a missions trip with a group from the church she had been attending. One day the missions team was enjoying some recreation time when Diane suffered a tragic accident that caused her leg to be so severely injured that it was necessary to amputate it.

Diane’s parents were not Christians, and in the past they had somewhat resented the amount of time Diane had been spending at the church. When the accident occurred, their response was to blame the church for Diane’s injury. They also felt the church should do something financially to help Diane.

During the time Diane was recovering in the hospital, her mother happened to hear the senior pastor of Diane’s church describing the new, sporty car he intended to purchase. She began to tell people in the community about “this preacher who is living high on the church’s money.” Word got back to the pastor, and needless to say, he was not happy.

After several weeks in the hospital, Diane was transferred to a rehab facility. While she was in rehab the pastor came to see Diane. Diane was still wheelchair bound because she had not yet been fitted with a prosthesis. After the initial greetings and some brief small talk, the pastor bought up to Diane what her mom was saying around town. The pastor advised Diane that her “assignment” was to talk to her mother and get her to stop gossiping about the pastor. Although Diane was still trying to process the idea of facing the rest of her life without a leg, by the time the pastor left, it was clear to her that her pastor had nothing to say to her to help her face the horrible physical and emotional issues brought on by her accident.

One of the church’s staff members made a suggestion that the church buy Diane a prosthesis for her leg. Initially, the pastor vehemently opposed the idea. However, after some time, just to help smooth things over with Diane’s mom, the pastor reluctantly consented to the purchase.

Diane’s pastor failed to respond to Diane in a way that honored God. In fact, his response was more like that of the Pharisees of the New Testament, whom Jesus openly confronted concerning the way they treated others. As you read the New Testament, it doesn’t take a tremendous amount of insight to see that the confrontations Jesus had were not with tax collectors, adulteresses, prostitutes or other “sinners.” His confrontations were with the religious leaders and the religious system of His day.

In speaking of the Pharisees, Jesus said, “For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers” (Matt. 23:4). The Amplified Bible paints an even clearer picture. It says, “They tie up heavy loads, hard to bear, and place them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves will not lift a finger to help bear them.” Jesus is referring to the people’s being weighted down by rules and regulations that needed to be performed in order to gain the acceptance of the Pharisees. In the same way, many believers today have found themselves crushed beneath the religious baggage of an abusive system. Each day thousands of church members find themselves struggling to earn the favor and approval of a modern-day Pharisee.

Jesus cared deeply about His people – and how they were treated. When He saw the multitudes, “He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd” (Matt. 9:36). The Amplified Version expands on the word weary by saying, “They were bewildered (harassed and distressed and dejected and helpless), like sheep without a shepherd.”

Notice that Jesus saw them as harassed. This word conveys the idea of some outside force pressing upon the people, causing them to feel weary, distressed and downcast. This outside force was the religious system that placed its emphasis on outward appearances. It was a system that promised peace based on one’s ability to follow the prescribed rules and regulations. If one failed, then there was judgment.

Not having a shepherd didn’t mean that the people lacked for those who told them what to do. There were plenty of Pharisees willing to do that. It meant they had no one to lead them to spiritual green pastures. A shepherd doesn’t drive his sheep as cattlemen drive their cattle. A shepherd leads his sheep to a safe place where food is plentiful and where they can find rests.

Is it any wonder Jesus said:
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.
--Matthew 11:28-30

A healthy church should produce peace and rest for your soul. Establishing healthy spiritual relationships will always be a challenge, but the process will prevent you from becoming weary and worn, trying to jump through religious hoops that promise God’s acceptance and love. If, in order to gain the acceptance of its leaders, your church constantly requires more and more of your life with no end in sight – and little encouragement along the way – then you may want to reexamine the church you are attending.

God’s intention all along has been for the local church to be healthy, life giving, and Christ centered. But because He has chosen to use frail, sin-prone individuals to lead His church, there is always the possibility that a local congregation can fall into deception or unhealthy spiritual patterns.

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So how do you know whether a church has come under the influence of a controlling spirit? There are some clear warning signs that can signal an atmosphere of abuse.

Power Positioning

There is certainly a place for biblical teaching on spiritual authority. But if a pastor preaches on this subject every Sunday, constantly reminding everyone that he is in charge, you can be sure that trouble is around the corner.

In an unhealthy church, the pastor actually begins to take the place of Jesus in people’s lives. Commonly, people are told they cannot leave the church with God’s blessing unless the pastor approves the decision. The implication is that unless they receive pastoral permission, not only will God not bless them, but they will also be cursed in some way, resulting in sure failure. Controlling spiritual leaders use this kind of reasoning to manipulate people.

We must understand the process a church goes through to reach this point of deception. Because many pastors measure their success through church attendance, they may become disappointed if people leave their church. If they are insecure, they may actually develop a doctrine in order to stop people from leaving. They may preach sermons about unconditional loyalty, using the biblical stories of David and Jonathan, or Elisha and Elijah.

By using examples like these, the leader can actually gain “biblical” grounds to control even the personal areas of his parishioners. A controlling leader may also attempt to instill a sense of obligation by reminding his congregation of everything he has done for them.

This kind of preaching causes church members to seek a position of favor with the pastor rather than a proper desire to “please God and not man.” Jesus also condemned such man-pleasing when He told the Pharisees, “I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me … How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God?” (John 5:43-44).

When we pursue the honor of men, we do so at the expense of our relationship with God. If we continue to do so, gradually men will take the place of God in our lives. An unhealthy soul tie is created, and our sense of confidence is determined by our standing with those in leadership. This kind of control will destroy people spiritually!

A healthy church will not allow genuine pastoral concern to cross the line into manipulation or control. A true shepherd will use his influence to draw church members into a close relationship with Jesus, who is the only “head of the church” (Eph. 5:23). A true shepherd realizes that the people in his congregation don’t belong to him – they are God’s flock.

<B>Unquestioned Authority</B>

In an unhealthy church, it is considered rebellion when someone questions decisions that are made or statements that are said from the pulpit. Granted, there are those who constantly question the leadership in any church – but often such constant questioning comes from an individual’s critical attitude. Pastors must learn to deal with such questioning in a compassionate, positive manner. However, in an unhealthy church, any and all questions are considered threats to the pastor’s “God-ordained” authority. Members who do dare to question their leaders or who do not follow their directives often are confronted with severe consequences.

A man from one church told me, “We were told that it is more important to obey leaders than to question what they are doing.” He went on to say, “It was unthinkable to question the motives of the pastor.”

For example, one couple, members of a church on the West Coast, decided to take a family vacation. This couple purchased their airline tickets and finalized the rest of their plans. They were looking forward to their long-needed time off. Once the pastor discovered their plans, he rebuked them for not getting his permission first and warned them not to go on the trip. They went anyway. Shortly after they returned, they were visited by some of the church’s leadership. They were informed that by going on vacation against the pastor’s wishes, they were in rebellion. To enforce the pastor’s authority, there had to be some form of punishment applied. This couple was then informed that no one from the church was permitted to speak to them or have any contact them for a time determined by the pastor. Even their children were not permitted to play with any of the other children from the church.

Pastors operating under a spirit of control are often convinced that they are the only ones who can accurately hear from God. Under the constant exposure to this spirit, members often become convinced that they indeed need their pastor to think for them. In essence, their personal fellowship with the Lord has been abdicated for a relationship with a man. As a result, they lose their confidence in being able to discern the will of God for their lives.

<B>An Atmosphere of Secrecy</B>

Once a church member surrenders to a system of control, the leader gives limited information to each individual, carefully monitoring each relationship. As a result, each member is only able to relate to other members based on the information he receives from the leader.

In this way, if the church staff or pastor determines that one of the members has become a “threat,” they have a strategy in place to maintain the control they believe is required. Consequently the church can sever relationships when necessary and keep this process cloaked behind a veil of secrecy.

This is not limited to members of the congregation. I know a pastor who did this with his staff. In casual conversations he would make a comment that would result in one staff member becoming suspicious of another. Or he would say something to cause one staff member to feel superior.

This atmosphere fueled selfish ambition and competition among the staff. It became the pastor’s way of maintaining control and ensuring that his staff could never challenge his authority. In time, the assistant pastors discovered what was happening, and eventually they all left.

Secrecy may also cloak the area of finances. Pastors may make brazen appeals for money, yet offer no assurance that the finances of the church are handled with accountability and integrity.

I have actually heard pastors tell their congregations that the financial decisions of the church do not become a public matter because “the congregation doesn’t have the spiritual insight or maturity to understand the dynamics of church finances.” Have you heard this line of reasoning?

Some pastors actually preach, “It doesn’t matter what we do with your money. Your responsibility is simply to give.” However, the Bible commands us to be good stewards – and part of good stewardship is making sure that proper systems of accountability are established to handle tithes and offerings. (See 1 Peter 4:10.)

It is very simple – money represents power. Ultimately, control comes down to issues of power. Therefore, it should be no surprise that controlling leaders will use unbiblical means to manipulate people into giving.

As good stewards, when we become aware of financial mismanagement, we are responsible for where we sow our financial seed. I can’t imagine anyone choosing to continue to give money after becoming aware of the misuse of funds. However, if the approval of those in leadership is more important to a person than financial integrity, that person might still feel compelled to give – even if misuse of funds was involved.

<B>An Elitist Attitude</B>

The deadly trait of elitism produces an “us and them” mentality. A church with an elitist attitude believes “no one else” is really preaching the gospel – except that church. Or at least, no one is preaching it as effectively as they are!

An elitist spirit discourages church members from visiting other churches or receiving counsel from anyone who doesn’t attend their church. If anyone visits another church, he is viewed as a dissident.

“Everything you need can be found within the framework of our group,” this spirit says, adding, “Everything you need to know, you will receive from the pastor and his teachings.” Consequently, there is little respect, if any, for other denominations or church groups.

One individual, in speaking about the elitist attitude within his church, said, “Although we didn’t come right out and say it, in our innermost hearts we really felt there was no place like our assembly. We thought the rest of Christianity was out to lunch.”

Another man from the same church said, “When a well-known evangelical speaker was preaching in another church in the area, the leaders would discourage us from attending. Also, if the leaders found out that members were considering visiting another church for any reason, they were called in and chastised. ‘You don’t need to be going to those other churches,’ they would tell us. ‘The ministry here is rich enough. Isn’t the Lord feeding you here?’”

A healthy church respects and celebrates the other expressions of Christ’s many-membered body. A Jesus-centered church realizes that no one denomination or local church can win a city, regardless of how large it is. Christ-centered leaders who are clothed with humility recognize that the small church is as significant as the large church, the Baptists are as vital as the Charismatics, and every racial group has a place at the Lord’s table.

A healthy church will promote other churches in the city, rather than simply promoting its own events and agendas all the time. A healthy church will promote spiritual renewal in all churches rather than further the idea that it has some kind of doctrinal superiority. A healthy church will exude the attitude described in Philippians 2:3-4:
Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also the interests of others.

<B>By Mike Fehlauer

In a controlling church, fear is a form of manipulation.



Crosswalk.com -


Performance Emphasis</B>

Opportunities to minister are abundant in most churches. Yet in a controlling church, individual areas of ministry are no longer opportunities to serve. They become necessary in order to prove one’s commitment to the organization. Whether it is faithful attendance to worship services or working in some department, proving one’s loyalty becomes the key.

Obviously church attendance is vital to our spiritual growth. But if we find ourselves attending church so we can win favor with the pastor or to earn his trust, then we have missed the point.

Galatians 2:16 tells us, “A man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ.” We cannot earn heaven or God’s love. The message of God’s grace doesn’t cancel the need to serve – it just exposes the “why” of our service.

Even though we are instructed to engage in certain disciplines in the Christian life, these disciplines are not a means of gaining God’s acceptance. They are meant to be a celebration of His unconditional love and mercy.

<B>Fear Motivation</B>

When a pastor tells his congregation that those who leave his church or disobey his authority are in danger of God’s wrath, you can be sure this man is operating in a spirit of control. He is attempting to sue fear as a carnal means of keeping people in his church. The line usually goes like this: “If you leave our church, the blessing of God will be lifted from your life, and you will miss God’s will.” Another version says, “If you leave our church, you will be in rebellion, and Satan will be free to bring havoc into your life.”

Fear is the motivation behind such comments -- not love. You can be sure that this type of reasoning is not from God. Jesus never motivated men out of fear. In a controlling church, fear is a form of manipulation. Instead of motivating people through love and servant hood, a controlling church tries to motivate through manipulation. Motivating people through fear is a direct contradiction to 1 John 4:18, which says, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear.”

<B>Painful Exit</B>

In a controlling church, it is impossible to leave on good terms. Because the pastor’s sense of worth is usually based on the control he is able to exert over the congregation, when someone leaves, this insecure leader considers it an affront to his leadership. Therefore he often takes it personally. As a result, when people do leave, they are labeled rebellious, or the rest of the congregation is given the explanation that they left because they had become offended.

In an unhealthy church, there is never a good reason why anyone should leave. Regardless of the situation, the people who leave are always the “problem.”

This truism present in abusive churches applies not only to members, but to church staff as well. In one particular church, each time a staff member left, the senior person did his best to cast a shadow over that person’s reputation in the hope that it would destroy any chance of that person succeeding without him someplace else.

Tyrone was a youth minister at a church like this. One of the first conflicts he had with the senior pastor took place after a special youth outreach that Tyrone headed up. It was a skateboard outreach. Tyrone went over the idea and details with the senior pastor, informing the pastor that the outreach would require bringing in a guest speaker.

Once everything was given the OK, Tyrone proceeded with the outreach. It was a bigger success than anyone had anticipated. Approximately two thousand kids came for the different skateboard rallies that were held over a period of three days.

But instead of being excited about the results, the senior pastor became angry. He told Tyrone that he was unhappy with the even because “it took over the whole church.” Tyrone suspected that the pastor felt upstaged by the response. “It was the talk of the church for some time,” Tyrone said.

Tyrone went on to clarify, “I came on staff there not only to build a successful youth ministry, but also to be mentored in the things of ministry.” Tyrone continued by saying that this position was his first ministry position, and he knew he had a lot to learn. But he was willing to do so.

It soon became apparent that the pastor had a different idea concerning Tyrone’s position. Tyrone discovered that his job description also involved shoveling the pastor’s drive, picking up his dry cleaning, starting his car for him in the winter and cleaning out his pool in the summer. “I didn’t mind doing any of that,” Tyrone said. “I was just expecting more input from the pastor in the area of ministry.”

Tyrone continued by explaining, “A lot of the conflict was due to our differing perspectives concerning my position as well as our views about ministry.” After about one year, it was mutually decided that it would be better if Tyrone resigned in light of “philosophical differences” between the senior pastor and himself.

Tyrone told the pastor that after resigning, he would be moving to Kentucky. He asked the pastor if he could use him as a reference when he applied for another position. The senior pastor assured Tyrone that he would give him a positive recommendation. However, before Tyrone and his wife moved to Kentucky, a staff member of the church delivered a statement typed out on the church’s letterhead. The statement was an explanation as to why Tyrone was “discharged” from his position as youth pastor.

Tyrone and his wife were shocked. Based on their previous conversation, Tyrone was under the impression that they had reached a mutual decision that being there at the church just wasn’t a good “fit.” The statement described all the things that Tyrone had done wrong while he was at that church and stated that the senior pastor didn’t believe Tyrone was “ministry material.” It also said that Tyrone did not have a servant’s heart and that the pastor even seriously doubted the validity of Tyrone’s relationship with God.

Shortly after Tyrone and his wife arrived in Kentucky, Tyrone heard of a job opening in a church in their new city. He applied in person for the position and left the pastor his resume. Within a few days, they met with the pastor of this new church. He informed Tyrone that when the church board called the previous church about a recommendation, his former church sent the same letter they gave Tyrone before he left. Based on such a poor recommendation, the pastor informed Tyrone that they could not consider him for the position.

Shortly after this incident, Tyrone and his wife started a church in Kentucky. Ten years later their church is thriving and healthy.

Many times in an abusive church you will hear the pastor declare curses over the lives of those who have left. Accusations are made against their character, and other members are strongly discouraged from having any contact with the former members. I heard one pastor, while preaching, refer to a former staff member as a spiritual “harlot” because he left and took another ministry position in another state. It is true that many people leave churches for the wrong reasons. But in a controlling church, rarely – if ever – is anyone truly blessed by the leadership as they leave.

<B>What Can I Do About It?</B>

How should you respond if your church displays one or more of these unhealthy traits? Here’s some advice:


Talk with your pastor or someone else in leadership about your concerns, keeping in mind that if he is truly motivated by a spirit of control you may encounter some manipulation during the conversation. Stay in a humble attitude rather than getting angry or defensive.

A controlling church leader will discourage you from speaking with anyone else about your concerns. However, the Bible says that “in the multitude of counselors there is safety” (Prov. 11:14). Seek counsel from a mature, objective leader in another church or another mature Christian. It is possible that what you have perceived as a controlling attitude may be genuine concern – so pray for discernment.

If after receiving counsel you are convinced that your church is in the grip of a controlling spirit, then you are free to leave. You are not responsible for anyone else who is still loyal to the church, so don’t try to rescue them. Pray for those people to discern the situation.

At first you may feel that you can’t trust another pastor again, but resist those thoughts and find a healthy church where the life of God is flowing, where the Bible is preached without compromise and where love is evident.

One couple went through the process of leaving an abusive church. The pastor did everything he could to discredit them and malign their character. Initially, they both were frightened that they would be blacklisted from every church in their community. At first, they wanted to defend their character. It seemed that this pastor continued to have control over their lives even after they left. They wondered if they would ever be able to escape his influence.

Finally, they realized that God was their defense and protection. Instead of defending themselves, they decided to pray for their former pastor. The more they prayed for him, the less threatening he became in their minds. The anger they first had toward the pastor was replaced with compassion. As time passed, they realized that he didn’t have as much influence as they had initially thought. Because they had kept their hearts pure, they were able to find another church and to continue to grow spiritually.

There is life after spiritual abuse. You may be tempted to feel that you will never escape the controlling grasp of an abusive leader. Satan will cause you to think that the controlling leader’s influence is greater than it really is. Don’t give in to Satan’s intimidation. Trust God to be your strength and your defense. Keep your heart tender. Pray for those who have used you, and bless those who have cursed you. If you will do these things, you will discover a sure path that God has prepared for you as well as His destiny for your life.

God has a healthy church for you. The Good Shepherd is fully able to lead you into a green pasture where you can grow in your relationship with Him (Ps. 23:2). As you allow Him to lead you, He will also anoint your head with oil, healing any wounds you encountered in an abusive environment (v. 5).

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Your welcome Susan.

I believe this is a big problem within the Body of Christ today.

I'd be interested to hear any experiences people may have had & what they did to get out of these situations.

Michie