This podcast discusses the toxic culture of megachurches, including manipulation tactics like plausible deniability. It explores the pressure for constant growth and the negative impact of toxic positivity and burnout. The podcast also delves into the controlled narrative of the church, comparing it to a casino, and emphasizes the importance of understanding the complexities of life.
Constant focus on growth in churches can compromise healthy practices and disregard individual well-being.
Plausible deniability allows manipulative leadership to dismiss concerns and perpetuates a culture of domination.
Toxic positivity in church culture suppresses negative emotions and promotes an unrealistic narrative of constant growth.
Deep dives
The negative effects of growth-focused church culture
The podcast episode discusses the negative consequences of a church culture that prioritizes growth above all else. One of the problems highlighted is the inability to stop or slow down the pursuit of growth, leading to the compromise of healthy practices and the disregard for the well-being of individuals. This constant focus on growth also creates unrealistic expectations, promoting a toxic positivity that denies the existence of negative emotions or challenges. It reinforces the narrative of breakthroughs and continuous improvement, leaving no room for acknowledging difficulties or personal struggles. The pressure to always be growing forces individuals and church leadership to justify any means necessary to achieve growth, even if it means compromising integrity or disregarding the well-being of the community.
Plausible deniability and the culture of domination
Another key point discussed in the podcast is the concept of plausible deniability and how it contributes to a culture of domination. Through clever communication and manipulation tactics, leaders create an environment where any challenges or concerns raised by others can be dismissed or belittled. This form of gaslighting allows for the abuse of power to go unnoticed or be explained away as harmless or misunderstood. It also perpetuates a culture of bullying, where actions that may seem playful or harmless on the surface can actually be harmful and degrading. Plausible deniability and the culture of domination are intertwined with the relentless pursuit of growth, as they help maintain the power dynamics and control within the church organization.
The pitfalls of toxic positivity and narrative construction
The podcast episode also dives into the pitfalls of toxic positivity and narrative construction within church culture. The constant emphasis on growth and breakthroughs leads to a culture that suppresses any negative emotions or experiences. Individuals are expected to maintain a positive attitude, which often involves ignoring their own struggles and hardships. This creates a false narrative of upward trajectories and continuous improvement, masking the reality of personal challenges and making it difficult for individuals to seek help or admit they are struggling. The church services themselves are carefully structured to evoke a sense of excitement and triumph, reinforcing the belief in constant growth and avoiding any disruptions to the idealized narrative.
Churches prioritizing growth goals over their original promises
Some churches, like Hillsong College, initially promised to send Bible college students back to their home congregations, only to revise this policy when they realized the value of these students in their own growth. This opportunistic mindset has led to the proliferation of internship programs in churches, which can range from toxic to beneficial.
The pressure for constant growth and its negative consequences
The growth mentality in churches creates a relentless pursuit of growth at all costs. To maintain momentum, churches cannot afford to slow down or take breaks, resulting in overworked staff and unsustainable practices. The emphasis on growth also leads to unrealistic visions, which can be abandoned quietly rather than being openly acknowledged as failures. Additionally, the pressure to maintain the brand and reputation of the church often leads to hiding flaws and disregarding the well-being of individuals within the community.
Episode 57: Shane and I are back at it, talking about megachurch culture and some of the central themes that help us understand what's going on. In this conversation we talk about the emphasis on unending growth (at all costs), and the way in which language of "another level", "breakthrough", and the "best is yet to come" can drive a culture of toxic positivity and burnout. We also talk about the church as a contextless place, a thing that happens "to" people and which can get caught up with the establishment and defence of a brand.
But first, we begin with a discussion about "plausible deniability" as a tactic of manipulative and coercive leadership. This relates to the problematic but very effective behaviour and rhetoric that is couched in such a way that it can often be excused by "you're too sensitive", "we were just joking around", "you've misunderstood us" and so on. This kind of gaslighting allows leaders to deny responsibility and lay the blame for any offence on the harmed person rather than on the one carrying out the abusive behaviour.
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