The stories always come out afterward: churches fall apart, ministries fail, and congregants carry hurt with them for years. The issue of spiritual abuse in the church is both deeply painful but also relevant. We have heard the stories, listened to the podcasts, and seen or experienced the damage ourselves. In this episode of Working with Dan Doriani, Dan talks with Michael Kruger, author of the recently published “Bully Pulpit: Confronting the Problem of Spiritual Abuse in the Church.” They discuss the book, the nature of abuse in churches, and what there is to be done about it. For instance, could it be possible to prevent abuse before it even begins by writing job descriptions featuring firm accountability and deep transparency and emphasizing servanthood over power and humility over stardom?
Click here to enter a giveaway for Michael’s Bully Pulpit, provided courtesty of Zondervan.
Olasky explains the world of publishing and offers his definition of conservatism. The author of many books about faith and politics revisits the concept of compassionate conservatism, which he championed for decades.
As a professor of English, Dr. Prior argues that reading both shapes character and requires character, including patience, prudence, and love. Karen offers Christian perspectives on events for the New York Times and the Atlantic, taking up the role of public theologian. Although she never sought one, Karen has a “platform” – and explains why it is ill-advised to seek a platform.
“The gospel is the anti-success message” – Dr. Joseph “Skip” Ryan. On our podcast we often get to hear stories of people who have had a lot of success in their work. While Dr. Ryan has had many successes in his work as a pastor and professor, he has also experienced some significant setbacks.
Dan Allender, a prominent Christian therapist, author, professor, and speaker who focuses on sexual abuse, trauma recovery, and story sits down with us to discuss his calling. Allender’s passion for engaging with the brokenness of this world is born out of his own palpable delight in the gospel of Jesus.
Rick Horton is a broadcaster and color commentator for the St. Louis Cardinals and a leader in the organization Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
“Our creativity is better with seasons of rest,” says Kelly Kapic, author of “You’re Only Human: How Your Limits Reflect God’s Design and Why That’s Good News” and today’s guest on Working with Dan Doriani. Rest is a reflection of our limitations, and limitations are more broadly a sign of our humanness. God made us finite, with boundaries to what we can accomplish. Our creatureliness, our dependency, and our finitude lead us toward humility, or at least it ought to. Dan and Kelly work through all the implications of being human in this illuminating conversation.
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