Matthew 18: Misunderstanding and Misuse in Conflict Resolution

Misusing Matthew 18

The Misuse and Abuse of Matthew 18

The heavy-handed application of Matthew 18:15-20 leaves a trail of pain, broken relationships, and human carnage among God’s people. Controlling authoritarians use Matthew 18 to silence dissenting speech, prophetic criticism, and to label people as trouble makers–sources of contamination in the assembly that must be purged.

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Christian Anti-Intellectualism: A Work of the Flesh: 'Scholars Aren't the Enemy'

Anti-Intellectualism

Christian Anti-Intellectualism

Whenever I bring up the topic of the importance of culture and context in understanding the Scriptures, folks sometimes respond with: “What about new converts, or uneducated people?” Aren’t you putting the gospel out of reach of the “non-scholar masses?”

EMPHATICALLY, NO.

However, Christian anti-intellectualism is a work of the flesh just as much as sexual immorality. Only it is more dangerous as it has been given tacit approval under a form of perceived superior spirituality in large segments of the Body of Christ.

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Spiritual Abuse Recovery: The New Jezebel Podcast: 'You Can Recover from Spiritual Abuse - You're Not a Jezebel'

recovery from spiritual abuse

spiritual abuse recovery

I recently had the privilege of doing a podcast with my friends, SJ Hill and Stevie Bremner, on the topic of “The New Jezebel” and the need for spiritual abuse recovery for many people.  Here’s the link if you would like to listen.

http://firenederland.podbean.com/2012/05/29/episode-93-the-new-jezebel/

The New Jezebel  is nothing more than a newly packaged old lie, which basically discourages anybody from asking questions or challenging things that are said or done.  It’s a subtle form of manipulation that some leaders use in order to insulate themselves from being challenged.  It’s a form of manipulation, plain and simple.

We discuss how this works, and spend the second half of the conversation discussing practical ways we can change this in our own personal lives and in our fellowship with one another.  If you believe you might be a candidate for ministry related to spiritual abuse recovery, give it a listen as it’s definitely the most insightful conversation the three of us have had together on the podcast so far.

Copyright 2012,  Dr. Stephen R. Crosby, www.swordofthekingdom.com. Permission is granted to copy, forward, or distribute this article for non-commercial use only, as long as this copyright byline, in totality, is maintained in all duplications, copies, and link references.  For reprint permission for any commercial use, in any form of media, please contact stephcros9@aol.com.