A demand for unquestioning loyalty is an intrinsic part of #religiousabuse. In healthy systems, loyalty is always something that is earned. In abusive systems, there is no room for dissent or criticismโif you speak out in dissent, you are labeled โdisloyalโ. #spiritualabuse
Recognize the difference between the exaltation of Jesus & the exploitation of Jesus. You can stick the name of Jesus on anything. On any church, in any speech, in any campaign, on any ministry, business, banner, t-shirt or car bumper & shamelessly exalt the idols of this world.
It strikes me as inconsistent that some of the loudest voices on authority and submission in the home, also seem to have the hardest time submitting to civil government when inconvenienced by it.
Now Iโm just looking out for you here. I donโt trust a dude for marriage whoโs utterly fixated on the word submission. And if his life verse is about womenโs silence, I suggest being silent when you get the first text from him. Iโm just doing womenโs ministry here this morning.
Single Christian women, Iโm not one to give a lot of dating advice but I find myself unable to recommend you marrying bros with the words eternal submission in their social media bios or their pinned tweets.
Pastors, we have to accept the reality that moving closer to Jesus has meant moving away from a church for many people.
No more excuses.
No more defensiveness.
No more trying to explain it away.
Itโs time for repentance and re-centering the way of Jesus.
A pastor will joke like - โIโm such a mess, I canโt believe yโall trust me!โor โAw shucks, Iโm just a nobody who knows Jesus!โ
That is not even in the same universe as admitting when youโre wrong, learning from others, and opening yourself to accountability and criticism.
Have you ever felt like the only thing that would hurt more than leaving is staying?
Listen in to this conversation between @drmoore and @BethMooreLPM on The #RussellMooreShow: https://t.co/Z3H70FObOw
The antidote to anxiety about the future
is not to discern the future,
but to remember the past.
Instead of straining your gaze forward,
look over your shoulder
and rehearse Godโs faithfulness to you,
and to all generations.