This is a loosely organized list of links about abuse in churches, organizations and families, as well as some with general theology. I do not endorse everything you will find on these sites, and trust you will read with appropriate discernment. If you see a problem or if you would like to suggest more sites, please e-mail me at virginiaknowles@gmail.com. Thank you!
All of the links on this page are to outside sites. Links to my top posts on this blog here: My Favorite Posts.
Recognizing and Recovering from Abuse or Legalism
- Spiritual Abuse Recovery Resources http://www.spiritualabuse.com/ This site by Jeff VanVonderen (author of The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse and Soul Repair) is full of articles and links to other sites.
- Signs of Spiritual Abuse: http://www.healingspiritualabuse.com/signs.html
- What is Spiritual Abuse? http://www.spiritualabuse.org/introduction.html (site is mainly addresses United Pentecostal Church abuses, but this page is good general info and includes a video interview with Stephen Arterburn about Toxic Faith: Surviving Spiritual Abuse)
- Church Abuse http://www.churchabuse.com/ -- another good general site with plenty of links and articles
- Spiritual Issues in Recovery http://www.geftakysassembly.com/Reflections/Recovery.htm (this site addresses the implosion of the Geftaky Assemblies, but has a lot of valuable information for spiritual abuse recognition and recovery)
- Ill-Legalism: http://ill-legalism.com/
More Sites by Victims of Church and Family Abuse
- Beauty n Mess: http://beautynmess.blogspot.com/ (by a former SGM member)
- Spiritual abuse – fifteen years later - by Sallie
- Possession Mistaken for Love by Ann
- Emerging from Broken: http://emergingfrombroken.com/
- Calvary Chapel Abuse (Visalia, CA) http://www.calvarychapelabuse.com/wordpress/
- Julie Anne Smith about Beaverton Grace Bible Church http://bgbcsurvivors.blogspot.com/
These blogs are dedicated to addressing the issues of abuse, authoritarian leadership, and legalism in in Sovereign Grace Ministries. Just to warn you, there are also stories of grossly mishandled sexual molestation and domestic violence cases. It is not pretty.
- Sovereign Grace Refuge and Reform has less traffic and tends to be more restrained. You can have followup comments e-mailed to you. http://www.sgmrefuge.com/
- Sovereign Grace Survivors is an active board and can be a little heated at times. http://www.sgmsurvivors.com/
- Brent Detwiler http://www.brentdetwiler.com/ -- Brent is a former SGM pastor who has leveled serious charges against CJ Mahaney. Disclaimer: Please note that I do not agree with everything Brent says or does in his fight against SGM.
- That Mom by Karen Campbell: http://www.thatmom.com/ -- the most complete source for information on the negative influences of legalistic or patriocentristic family dynamics and home schooling. Specific posts and series:
- Submission Is Not Silence by Elisabeth Pent Julin: http://submissionisnotsilence.com/ (for wives)
- Recovering Grace http://www.recoveringgrace.org/ - for families who have been involved in or negatively affected by Bill Gothard's IBLP and/or ATI organizations
- Quivering Daughters by Hilary McFarland - http://www.quiveringdaughters.com/ -- for young adult women (and people who care about them) who have struggled growing up in full quiver, legalistic and/or patriocentristic families
- Tulip Girl's Ezzo Posts and Ezzo.Info address problems with the Growing Kids God's Way and Babywise programs by Gary and Anne Marie Ezzo.
- Tulip Girl's Pearl/To Train Up a Child Posts - series on the serious problems in Michael and Debi Pearl's To Train Up a Child and No Greater Joy resources.
Theology (Orthodox and Otherwise)
- Practical Theology for Women by Wendy Horger Alsup, who has some experience with spiritual abuse: http://www.theologyforwomen.org/
- Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry (CARM): http://carm.org/ -- information on cults and aberrant theology
- Midwest Christian Outreach: http://www.midwestoutreach.org/ A Christian ministry countering anti-Biblical influences, both outside and within the true Church.
- Facts about Mormonism: http://4mormon.org/
- Facts about Jehovah's Witnesses: http://4jehovah.org/
- Facts about International Churches of Christ (Boston Movement) http://www.reveal.org/
Live in the Orlando area and need a good Christian counselor? Try Roger Shepherd at
Florida Counseling Foundation. He has a background in dealing with spiritual abuse, and his approach is empathetic and grace-filled.