040: A Pastor's INSIDER Look At Spiritual Abuse & Why It's NOT Just A Mega Church Problem

What happens when a mega church pastor gets honest about spiritual abuse in the church? We're about to find out. In this episode of the Church Disrupted Podcast, Jeff Cochran is joined by a current pastor on a mega church staff. They discuss how spiritual abuse can happen in smaller churches as well as the systems that contribute to it. This pastor shares his personal experience of spiritual abuse in small churches, where narcissism, arrogance, and nepotism were prevalent. They also discuss the importance of accountability in church leadership and the need for external oversight to prevent abuse, as well as how churches can decide upfront how they will honestly and openly investigate any and all spiritual abuse allegations. Want to support SAI financially? https://donorbox.org/sai-initial-funding-campaign THANK YOU to our podcast partner, the East TN Mentorship Association! Find out more information about what they do or connect with them at https://earnyoursanctuary.com/ . TELL THEM WE SENT YOU for a special rate that is ONLY for Church Disrupted Podcast listeners. Find out MORE about our podcast partners here: https://www.disrupted.church/sponsors. Find out more about the Church Disrupted Podcast at https://www.disrupted.church/. Join the church disrupted COMMUNITY here: https://discord.gg/nbWwg8Sz6Z Please Subscribe and Share! Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Overview 06:09 Loren's Experience of Spiritual Abuse in Small Churches 13:47 The Presence of Narcissism, Arrogance, and Nepotism in Church Systems 28:26 The Need for External Oversight to Prevent Spiritual Abuse 33:12 The Risk of Standing Up Against Spiritual Abuse 37:32 Creating Safe Spaces for Staff 46:15 Prioritizing Family Care as a Pastor 50:08 The Importance of Independent Investigations 57:47 Listening and Caring for Those Who Have Experienced Hurt