Church should be a safe place, right? Then why do so many get hurt there?
Ray Beeson and Chris Hayward combine their years of ministry experience to address head-on the elephant in the room: church members and church leaders hurt Christians. All the time. And the long-lasting effects – rejection, shame, despair, loneliness, fear – can be devastating. The authors have witnessed the rise of the “dones,” those who are just done with God thanks to scars from church. With first-person stories of hurt and loss, this book is a wake-up call for any who deny woundedness in the church but is also a redemptive message for any who hurt from church wounds.
The Participant’s Guide contains eight sessions based on the contents of the book. It includes questions for discussion and personal reflection for each session, plus key Scriptures, quotes to ponder, and a closing prayer. Ideal for group study or personal devotions.
Table of Contents:
Introduction: Expectations of Church
Session 1: The Pain
Session 2: Neglect and Rejection
Session 3: Shame, Manipulation, Loneliness
Session 4: Forgiveness and Moving Past Pain
Session 5: Identity and the Role of the Law
Session 6: The Religious Spirit and Perfectionism
Session 7: Rejecting Clichés and Finding a Church Home
Session 8: Hope Beyond the Pain
Further Resources
About the Authors
About the Authors:
Chris Hayward has been the president of Cleansing Stream Ministries (CSM) for over eighteen years. CSM is an organization dedicated to equipping local churches for biblically balanced, sound and effective healing and deliverance ministry. He is also the author of God’s Cleansing Stream and The End of Rejection. He currently makes his home in Santa Clarita, CA, with his wife, Karen. They have three children and four grandchildren.
Ray Beeson is the director of Overcomers Ministries, a teaching ministry with a special emphasis on spiritual warfare and prayer. Ray was a junior high and senior high school mathematics teacher until joining the International Prayer corps with Dick Eastman. Ray has authored numerous books including Signed in His Blood and co-authored The Hidden Price of Greatness. He lives with his wife, Linda, in Ventura, CA, their home for over thirty-five years. They have four grown children.
