What next?

[Anna Marta]

Steinar answered the phone and I could see on his face that it was bad... He prayed for the person and invited him over the next day. After hanging up he looked at me and said, I am sick, my stomach is upset and my gut actually hurts.

The call was from the ass't pastor who helped us several years ago out of the abusive situation with the psychopathic leaders at a school where I taught sponsored by that huge church. He said at that time he was watching how the senior pastor and board handled us.

The man who came to our door looked 70 yrs old, he is a 40 yr old. His skin was wrinkled and wizened and he was actually bent over. The pain in his eyes was almost too much to bear to see. He sat and cried, sobbed actually. He was the newest victim and he had been experiencing nearly the same things.

What a relief for him to hear how God had gone before him by giving us the compassionate experience and means to minister to him. As we talked and prayed he gained more perspective and understanding. He is waiting to be fired. How dare he preach and teach "my grace is enough" in a legalistic place where people know full well there are hoops to be jumped through inorder to keep one's salvation and confession and deliverance and miracles are the only roads to healing. :mad: :mad: :mad:

We could share "Jake's story" and "He Loves Me" which Steinar had prepared for him on a CD. He has a docs app't this week and will be placed on a long sick leave. We were able to prepare him for the long and painful road toward recovery. This is apparently not his first brush with being abused, but before he was so young that he chalked it up to his own niaveté. This time he is in shock and seriously traumatized.

Am sharing this so that you all can see that it isn't just the sheep that get beaten, chewed up and spit out. Should you have any spare energy pray for this man... God knows his name, we don't need to put in writing.

[Jerry]

Shaking head in disgust,,,,,,,,sending up a prayer for the guy :(
Love Jerry

[ex-shep]

I am sorry to hear of the story. I hope this might be the beginning of his exit from the group. Were you from Norway? I remember there is a strong anti-cult network with former member networking. You might want to contact Wellspring for the particulars or referals.

http://wellspringretreat.org/

With your permission, I can pass along to the prayer chain at church.

[Carmen]

I'm praying for the poor man. Maybe he can go to physical therapy too, work on things from two fronts. He probably has tensed up shoulders, neck and diaphragm like me. I'll think of him when I start therapy up again in a few weeks.

[hornblower]

I agree with Carmen it would be so good for him to be able to get some relief in a setting like physical therapy. Massage and heat and exercise do wonders to releave the stress of all of these painful emotions. Having a broken heart is just what it says it is. You know babies die from no touch and love so why is it that we think that grown people can survive? They cant. Its no wonder the word says that the letter of the law brings death.

It does!!!!!!!!! Where is the grace God? Oh how I do know that pastors can be hurt like this. God sent me to one one time at my Mothers church. He was crushed. His whole family was being persecuted. Why? He wanted to institute prayer into the service! Southern Baptists hey you dont mess with em! I lost touch with him. I have a feeling it didnt go well for him at all. At the time he told me that a big name pastor here in Dallas was going to help him. I know of this guy and believe me I dont think this poor man got help at all there.

I will most certainly pray for him bless his heart. Be sure to tell him we love him and hes not alone.
This is why it is the action of abuse not just the authorities in a church. I think it boils down to people not knowing how to minister to one another. I do like what Joyce Meyer said the other day, Welcome to the Holy Spirits hospital..........speaking about churches.
This man is so fortunate to have you. Keep us updated on his recovery. Im pretty sure there are several places on the internet for abused pastors and their wives.