Social media has been flooded with heart breaking testimonies from various individuals who have experienced horrendous sexual abuse in the church. Ranging from questionable and inappropriate behaviors to outright abuse and assault, these stories have not only greatly wounded many individuals and their families, but have caused some to even walk away from their faith in God. Because of the lack of proper oversight and accountability, some of these victims have totally lost their trust in a loving Heavenly Father. Feeling betrayed and broken, they have walked away from their relationship with Christ along with any dreams of spiritual destiny. For many of these victims, much of what they were taught concerning God’s gifts, miracles, and encounters with the Holy Spirit have become empty and meaningless in the light of the compromise, hypocrisy, and downright deceptive practices.
As I read the online comments and responses to these stories, my heart is grieved. I read the shocking details and am dumbfounded how these sinful and corrupted practices could actually take place within any house of God. It is no wonder that a righteous indignation is stirring and many are crying out for justice and reform.
But even as I acknowledge the realities of these sins and the need for proper accountability and justice, I see another reality. It is the need for true and authentic faith in God to rise up and overcome the disappointments and unbelief that are being rooted in our collective psyche because of all these exposures. We must guard our hearts and minds from getting sucked into a bottomless pit of discontent and failure. Many who have been disappointed and disenfranchised are entering these conversations with valid questions as well as stinging criticisms. I do not fault them for their pain. I don’t blame them for their anger. I believe the sins being exposed have such far reaching effects, we will probably be dealing with them for another generation. It’s that messy.
As a leader in the Body of Christ, I want to acknowledge the questions, the challenges, and even the critical commentaries. As leaders, this is part of the package. This is part of our call. To listen. To acknowledge. Regardless of how uncomfortable we may feel or how agonizing the truths are to hear, we must be willing to listen to those voices that have felt silenced and shamed. Even when falsely accused or blamed for things we have no personal control over, we must acknowledge the wrongs in hopes that trust can be reestablished. Trust among the saints, as well as trust with true and godly leaders in the Body of Christ. But mostly, we must help reestablish trust in God Himself. This must be the ultimate goal. To stop focusing so much on our preaching points and prophetic declarations and realize our responsibility in winning these wounded hearts back to their Healer.
This is why in the midst of these skeptical narratives and challenging conversations, those who STILL BELIEVE must give voice to our Hope and the reason for which we stand. Regardless of the level of depravity being uncovered in the house of God, we must never apologize for our faith in a supernatural God who is altogether good and passionate for justice. Even as I weep for those who were uncovered and unprotected in their hour of need, I still believe in a God of Perfect Love who delivers us from all evil. Even as I acknowledge the false messengers and those who have defamed and defrauded God’s people, I still believe in God’s plan for anointed men and women to equip and empower the saints in knowing the realities of His unseen Kingdom.
Even as our experiences are examined and our encounters are scrutinized, I still believe in a miraculous God. He moves without permission and shows Himself without consent. He is bigger than our setbacks and far more powerful than our persecutors. Even as the enemy seeks to discredit His rule and censure His power, my God will never stop being God. Yes, we are being tested and have been found wanting. But our God does not lack. He is more than enough to bring us out of these pits and breathe life into these dead bones once again.
For those who have lost hope and faith, I hear you. But hear me. God is better than you know. He is not defined by His leaders. He is not constrained by compromised shepherds or silenced by false prophets. He is not deterred by the wolves or caught unawares by the counterfeit. He sees our collective pain and has understood our plight. He is the One shining the light on these atrocities and coming with recompense in His hands. But we must choose to believe. Even in our hurt and disappointment, we can choose to believe in His goodness and walk through these fires to come out on the other side as refined gold.
More exposures may come and the cries of injustice may continue to ring. But, I will not allow the weaknesses of men or failures of the Church to rob me of my faith. I choose this. I still believe.
Now faith is the assurance of what we hope for and the certainty of what we do not see.
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Wanda has been in ministry for over 35 years as a worship leader, teacher, author, deliverance counselor, and speaker.
9 Responses
My soul has been grieving for my brothers and sisters in Christ, being burdened to pray for His Bride throughout every day without the details of why I am praying for us with such intensity. I just pray the way Holy Spirit leads me. Our Heavenly Fathers ‘pain’ (the word I am using to describe the burden I experience for His sons and daughters) is deeply moving when I pray because it comes from His love. My husband and I ask the Lord to honor our prayers for His children and we bind the evil one and his minions from every brother and sister in Christ, that He deliver them from all evil spirits and their lies. We pray for all who don’t know Christ, the ones our enemy possesses and uses against us, for their freedom from sin. These are darkest of times but we stand in His truth and trust Him for deliverance. His Word daily has been key for my husband and myself to be able to stand. He is His Word. Gods love to us all in Jesus Name. Amen
Thanks. I needed that.
I am grieved over the condition of much of the church in America. I’ve been disappointed with leaders who were supposed to be better than that, but yes, we must keep trusting in our faithful God, who hears our cries for the wounded and vulnerable. My husband and I haven’t been active in a local church for about 6 yrs now, but we continue to pray and have devotions every morning and are staying faithful to trust in our faithful Lord. The Lord led me to Jer 17:5-10, I believe as a warning for us NOT to put our trust in man – but in our faithful Lord. Also,” the heart is deceitful than all else and is desperately sick, who can understand it? I, the Lord search the heart, and test the mind. This scripture has really ministered to us during a hard time in our nation. We are to grow in our intimate times with the Lord daily, and look to Him to keep us stable.
Jeni, same here for my husband and I. About 7 years now we’ve been doing church together in our home and growing leaps and bounds I might add. We ‘do’ church with others every time the Spirit of God leads us to. For a long time I felt very alone but am finding out He has been leading others the same way. He is so faithful. Prayers over all of us to continue on.
This article is a step in the right direction. But Jesus requires total forgiveness.
How is sympathy helping when it is destroying their souls. Jesus can work out all the nuances later. Like did you say no.
Dr RT Kendall lists 6 steps to test yourself.
:
1. You tell nobody what they did to you.
With the exception of telling one other person for therapeutic reasons, or for legal reasons, do not tell anybody what offence was committed against you.
2. You will not let them be afraid of you.
3. You will not let them feel guilty.
Kendall says that the majority of people you need to forgive don’t even know they have done anything wrong it takes more grace to forgive someone who is not sorry.
4. You will protect their self-esteem.
5. You will protect them from their darkest secret.
6. You will pray for them.
Do not just say, “Lord, I commit this person to you.” Pray blessings upon them just as God has blessed you with His undeserved love.
This is very good for many cases of unforgiveness against an individual. But we’re talking about sexual sins where someone has been physically violated. Yes, forgiveness is the first step, but these steps simply do not speak to the atrocity of the sin or the ramifications for the victim. Yes, it is important to forgive from the heart and still pray for those who persecute and abuse us. But in many of these situations, police need to be brought in, charges need to be filed, and people need to go to jail. Let’s make sure any counsel is rightly placed.
Thank you so much, Wanda, for this balanced, faithful, and hopeful analysis of what is going on in the church. As all these exposures have come to light I began to realize how much I had been been taken advantage of by a number of ministers concerning the healing I sought for my daughter. I know my experience is common to many believers in the church as they have sought help either for themselves or loved ones. Although, what I experienced isn’t anywhere near as painful and damaging as being abused it did begin to affect me as one after another of these ministers fell. The Body has been hurt but the knowledge that exposure and cleansing will bring healing and joy back is something we need to hold onto. Our God is good even when man fails. Let us love one another back to the joy of our salvation.
Thanks, this helps bring so much clarity in mind.
I cannot thank you enough Wanda for your words in this blog. I am crying on the inside for these victims of sexual abuse. It is so disheartening. But, thank god we can still believe as you stated in your awesome words of hope. I do love the way everything was explained. Helps me pray in a more clear way for all involved. Jesus touch all of these lives as we can never lose hope. Our hope is in you!
Thank you again…
Karen