The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse

This is an amazing book that will help open your eyes to notice signs of control and abuse. This book has helped educate me and my family learn how to spot genuine and false leadership. I HIGHLY recommend this book!!

"The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse" confronts in an open and honest way--and deals with in a clear and straightforward way--issues that too many in the Christian community too often refuse to admit and face up to and deal with because these serious issues are not clean and pretty and tidy--they're dirty and messy and embarrassing; and it takes time and much effort to make healthy changes. It takes a lot of courage for anyone to admit to the truth (and uncover the truth) of what goes on "behind closed doors" in some churches (and families). Until these serious issues are first acknowledged, nothing ever changes or has the opportunity to make the necessary healthy changes. It takes integrity and courage and unconditional love to take a stand. David Johnson and Jeff VanVonderen have written a tremendously courageous book. This book does not attack--it simply demonstrates the love and honor these men have for God and His principles and it demonstrates the courage these men have in standing up for those Biblical principles. This book, together with Mr. VanVonderen's other two books, "Tired of Trying to Measure Up" and "Families Where Grace Is In Place" are excellent resources for those who have been wounded by other Christians to receive hope and encouragement and the reassurance that not all Christians and not all churches are harmful--that emotional and spiritual healing can come about and the wounded can eventually be able to move on in life. We are encouraged to use wisdom and discernment and common sense. I recommend these books highly. Consider buying extra copies to give out to loved ones or friends who you know are hurting deeply because they've been wounded by the very people they trusted to love and care about them.

This was the first book that was recommended to me after I came across all kinds of information on the internet about the Watchtower Society and was looking for answers. My husband and I both left the Jehovah's Witnesses after being deep in it for 10 years. The subtle power of spiritual abuse, indeed!!! We were completely blinded all those years. Not anymore. This is an excellent book to get started with. I thank God for it.

Full disclosure is probably necessary at this point: I not only attend the church where the author (David) preaches, I work for him, too. I can attest to his personal integrity and his commitment to proper, evangelical Biblical exegesis. This book is one of the top two or three on the topic, and I highly recommend it to others. It's insightful, timely, and has plenty of examples to help "shine the light" on bad situations. I know it's effective, too: we receive hundreds of messages every year from those who have read the book and now feel liberated to love God again. In no way does the book encourge parishoners to villify their pastors, or go looking for occasions to "feel abused." It does, however, help expose an all-too-frequent phenomena of pastors who, in the name of God, abuse their authority to achieve their own destructive desires. God Bless!

It has been my experience that many Christians who speak of God's grace and mercy in fact live grace-less lives and inflict their grace-lessness on others. The result can be hurting souls that writhe in human-induced torment only to hear that they are resisting the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Or, they walk away from God because they are unable to tolerate the pain caused by the legalistic demands of others. Or, they give up on reading the Bible because their God-given intellect can't reconcile with the narrow, rigid interpretations that are presented as the one and only truth by their spiritual authority figures. This book helped me find a way to feel whole and Christian. While reading of this book, I was often dumbstruck with the authors' ability to describe in accurate detail the source of many hurts, confusions, and fears. (I thought their comments about the children's chorus "Be Careful Little Eyes What You See" were right on target! That song always gave me the willies!) I read this book with a healthy dose of skepticism. I resisted and continue to resist the tendency of some people to define themselves as a "survivor" of this or that type of abuse. Abuse of any kind follows a continuum. My personal experience wasn't nearly as extreme as some of those related in this book. I did not end this book feeling more convinced that I was a victim than when I began. I simply understood the dynamics and subtleties of the abuse more clearly. I recommend this book highly. I don't know that folks who participate in inflicting spiritual pain on others will recognize their behavior in this book. So often, they have the best of intentions and sincerely believe that there way is the (only) right way. But I think folks on the receiving end of abuse will have many "aha!!" moments while reading. Shalom and God Bless!