1 Response to Julie Rodgers tells her story with Wheaton College

1. Bev Sterk says:

   February 23, 2016 at 10:58 pm

   sadly this is far too often the pattern of manipulation by institutional leadership response when the leaders feel threatened, not just for LGBT etal issues, but to cover up every kind of abuse/corruption in the institutions as well… leaders don’t want to look bad and stop the flow of support =( and/or lose their positions of power and influence, and it is a grievous matter that the Church is not exempt from this unholy behavior or above reproach, as we are called to be…

   what is wrong with the Church? we need to ask some hard questions, and be honest with our answers! I wonder if we even know how to be honest anymore? we are following the ways of the pharisees, as white washed tombs, or as cups where they clean the outside, but the inside is rotten filth…a pretense of all is well, and healing the wounds of God’s children superficially(Jeremiah/Ezekiel), when we have failed to do what God is calling us to do, and in fact far too often, doing the opposite, bringing further harm to those who have been hurt, by protecting the leaders at the expense of those harmed.

   I hear lots of theories on why the Church is struggling, but we are not owning up to the manipulation and deception and abuse that have been used as damage control. I hear it from the world, and from those who have been pushed out, and those who have ministered with those who have been pushed out, but from the Church in general I hear/read denial, minimization, deflection, shifting the blame, and dismissal to name a few strategies and patterns of response by spiritual leaders. Changing to a false narrative… http://boz.religionnews.com/2015/08/28/false-narratives-of-christian-leaders-caught-in-abuse/

   it’s time to grieve and repent on behalf of the reality that Church is failing to walk above reproach in far too many ways =( and everyone is paying the price of our disobedience… the Church is being cheated (Col 2:8), those who have been pushed and shoved out through abuse (Ezekiel 34, etc.), and the Holy Spirit is being quenched (I Thess 5), limiting the world from hearing and receiving the gospel because of our unholy actions. God gave us, His Church the responsibility to walk in holiness and do what is right. this is possible with the help of His Holy Spirit. How and why are we still quenching Him? There is so much potential when we, the Church do the right thing!

   I understand this is not a popular, make us feel good message, but it’s time for us as the Church, to address, confess, repent of our unholy ways, particularly when there is fear of exposure of abuse and cover up by leaders. Why should we expose this and repent, because it’s the right thing to do!

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