Bully Pulpit: Confronting the Problem of Spiritual Abuse in the Church

by Michael J. Kruger

even if the accuser should have followed Matthew 18 but failed to do so, that does not mean the elder board or other governing body should overlook the sins of the abusive pastor. Some abusive pastors treat Matthew 18 like Miranda rights—if the technical procedures aren’t followed, then they are unable to be prosecuted for the crime. But failing to follow Matthew 18 does not give someone a “get out of jail free card.” The church should still hold the pastor accountable for his abusive actions even if the accuser did not follow the right steps. Sure, the accuser’s failure to follow Matthew 18 should be addressed too, but there should be no attempt to make the two issues equally problematic, as if failing to follow Matthew 18 is equivalent to being an abusive shepherd.