Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse - Recognizing and Escaping Spiritual Manipulation and False Spiritual Authority Within the Church
Some churches uses their spiritual authority to control and dominate others. This book is a valuable work on the subject. The Authors do a good job at giving the marks of false spiritual leadership and their impact on an individual and/or a congregation. This is a good resource to have.
Spiritual abuse seems to be on the rise and more pervasive these days. Performance-based Christianity and legalism is often replacing the gift of Salvation in Christ and many are not experiencing the grace that is clearly taught in the Bible. Matt 23:13 the author notes that the ones being rejected from “enter in” are not rebellious God-rejecters, but are the ones that are responding to God---and go to church, but when they get there, “they come under a false-basis of authority, heavy weights of legalistic, load-carrying, and external performance,”…they get a form of godliness void of power 2 Tim. 3:5. The author also shows how scriptures on submission are taken out of context and twisted.
No one needs to be in a cult to suffer under spiritual abuse. If you are a new believer or a longtime Christian follower of Christ, remember that God’s Word the bible will encourage you to stand firm in the faith and not be put into bondage - Galatians 5:1 It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. Jesus came to heal the brokenhearted and to bring peace and rest and hope for our souls in Him. Recommended Read.
Copyright © 2005
Publisher Bethany House
ISBN: 0764201379
Reading/Review date: September 2010