With Pride And Contempt They Speak Arrogantly

"Let their lying lips be silenced, 

for with pride and contempt 

they speak arrogantly against the righteous."

Psalm 31:18 (NIV)

Spiritual abuse is rampant in churches today, particularly among charismatic churches. Here is a list of ten common signs to watch out for that cultivate the breeding grounds for spiritual abuse.

• The leaders in the church willingly lie or exaggerate the truth, and then expect others to show their loyalty by backing them up in their lies.
• There is no place for safe criticism. If anyone dares to question the leadership of the church, he/she is shamed and their concerns viewed as sinful and evil. The person who questioned the leadership becomes the problem and the original issue is cast aside.
• The church has a strict hierarchy in place and everyone must adhere to this chain of command.
• The leaders stress that they must always be called by his/her title. If questioned on a issue, they will throw in your face their years of education and experience, and your lack of it.
• The Word of God is not taught in its entirety, or is neglected.
• The main concerns among the church leaders are numbers and finances, not pleasing God and obeying His commands.
• Sexual purity is not given special attention or any attention at all.
• The giftings of other members of the church are minimized or ignored.
• A church leader will constantly reassert to those he/she is spiritually abusing, manipulating, and controlling that he/she is their friend.
• The greatest fear in the church is to be labeled as "critical," or "self-righteous," because these are viewed like a black dot on a white piece of paper — a death sentence. Once labelled, such a person has no choice but to leave.