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“In 2020 Christianity Today broke the story of how Timmis was removed from Acts 29 because of reports of abusive leadership, bullying, intimidation, heavy shepherding, and even threats of church discipline for those who resisted him.20 Those who worked with Timmis stated that when confronted with these behaviors, he not only refused to receive critical feedback but would often reverse the accusations, making the challengers out to be the real problem. They were just troublemakers, stirring up dissension in the church. Andy Stowell, a former elder at the Crowded House, summed it up this way: “People were and are afraid of Steve Timmis.”
― Bully Pulpit: Confronting the Problem of Spiritual Abuse in the Church
― Bully Pulpit: Confronting the Problem of Spiritual Abuse in the Church
“Many misguided preachers have used rejection and guilt as a forceful means of motivation. They expound on our weaknesses, our failures, our unworthiness, and our inability to measure up to Christ’s high standards. Not only is our performance declared unworthy, but we are left feeling denounced, devalued, and devastated. As a result, thousands who have been broken by this rejection have left the church without understanding Christ’s accepting, unconditional love, a love that never uses condemnation to correct behavior.”
― The Search for Significance: Seeing Your True Worth Through God's Eyes
― The Search for Significance: Seeing Your True Worth Through God's Eyes
“And in a tragically ironic turn, the defenders of the abusive pastor often raise questions about the integrity and the character of the victims, suggesting they are out to slander or malign the leader’s “good name.” So the doctrine of total depravity is forgotten when it comes to the pastor but remembered when it comes to the victims.”
― Bully Pulpit: Confronting the Problem of Spiritual Abuse in the Church
― Bully Pulpit: Confronting the Problem of Spiritual Abuse in the Church
“Instead of protecting George Floyd, these officers protected their fellow officer. Sadly, the same patterns of abuse in the George Floyd case are sometimes found in the church. While most pastors are gentle, kind, and patient, others have a proverbial knee on the neck of their sheep. They’ve been doing it for years with little or no consequences. And despite the pleas of the people, other pastors and elders sometimes stand by and let it happen. They may even defend the bully pastor. In sum, the problem is not just the abuse. It’s also the larger context that allows it to continue unchallenged.”
― Bully Pulpit: Confronting the Problem of Spiritual Abuse in the Church
― Bully Pulpit: Confronting the Problem of Spiritual Abuse in the Church
“DEFENSIVE. When it comes to pastoral ministry, one thing is clear: criticism is part of the job. Rightly or wrongly, every pastor will be criticized for something. But what happens when you criticize a spiritually abusive pastor bent on preserving his own authority? In short, it’s war. Abusive pastors are notoriously thin-skinned, seeing even the slightest bit of criticism as a threat to their power. Case after case of spiritual abuse has shown that criticism is often the trigger that leads a pastor to turn on a staff member or parishioner, leading to retaliation, threats, and vindictive behavior. To snuff out criticism, an abusive pastor will often silence, shame, or isolate a person, making them feel like they are insubmissive, insubordinate, and undermining the church’s God-given leadership.”
― Bully Pulpit: Confronting the Problem of Spiritual Abuse in the Church
― Bully Pulpit: Confronting the Problem of Spiritual Abuse in the Church
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