041: A Conversation With Raised to Stay: "When the Church Is Beautiful... But its Behavior Isn't"

In this episode of the Church Disrupted Podcast, Jeff Cochran interviews Natalie Runion, the author of 'Raised to Stay' and the upcoming book 'The House that Jesus Built.' They discuss staying in a relationship with Jesus in the face of things like church hurt and spiritual abuse, and the importance of balance in addressing hard church issues. Natalie shares her personal experience of church hurt and how it led her to create a safe space for others to wrestle with their faith. They also touch on the topic of forgiveness and how it can be weaponized, the process of healing from church hurt, and the need for churches to create safe environments and address unhealthy systems. They offer advice for individuals who are hesitant to re-engage with the church and encourage pastors and church leaders to be a safe haven for those who have been hurt. Want to support SAI financially? https://donorbox.org/sai-initial-funding-campaign Find out more about Natali e'swork here: - https://www.instagram.com/raisedtostay/?hl=en - https://natalierunion.com/ - https://tinyurl.com/526vaaj2 - https://www.amazon.com/Raised-Stay-Persevering-Ministry-Million/dp/0830784608 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 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 to Natalie Runion and the Topic of Church Hurt 03:04 Healing from Church Hurt and Spiritual Abuse 07:41 Creating Safe Environments in Churches 13:41 Staying Connected to Jesus in Difficult Seasons 28:28 Navigating Church Relationships with Discernment 40:41 Supporting Church Staff Members in Abusive Situations 43:07 The Importance of Forgiveness and Healing 45:01 The Power of Empathy 49:39 Revival: A Heart Transformation 54:16 Addressing Issues in Church Systems