http://www.patheos.com/blogs/pilgrimsroadtrip/2013/09/church-leader-what-happens-to-you-when-you-quit-after-conflict/

I find a lot of truth in the following quote taken from the article http://www.ministrymatters.com/all/blog/entry/4253/clergy-anger-the-urgency-of-a-true-spiritual-life:

“The reason many clergy are depressed is that they are angry. And the reason that they are angry is that they are consistently victimized by dysfunctional bullies who wield …[Read more]

http://paulwilkinson.wordpress.com/2013/07/07/how-to-play-church/

A very transparent podcast that hopefully freed up the people in this young man’s congregation.

http://thegodjourney.com/2013/07/05/the-unrelenting-thirst-for-connection/

http://www.lifestream.org/waynes-blog/eleven-sharing-your-journey

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steve-mcswain/a-fish-with-arms-what-the_b_3521473.html?utm_hp_ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false#sb=652347b=facebook

Shared this also at the private Facebook group.  #2 really resonated with me.

http://sojo.net/blogs/2013/07/02/7-marks-stereotypical-american-christian

David, I just want to say, Thank You!  I think with this space and all the other venues in which you share your art and your commentary, that you have created an immeasurable gift.  You have created a space in which people can share, grow, explore.  You give us space in which we can find ourselves, think out loud, vent and just become one with ou…[Read more]

This is also posted on the Facebook group.

I believe many experiences can be what each of us needs for a reason (but of course this doe not apply to all experiences. There are some things for which there are no explanations.). Thus, my having been in settings with people who are unreasonable, rigid, and intolerant, may be what I needed in the…[Read more]

Good blog post on the things we say to one another in our attempt to fix.  I put this under spiritual abuse, because often when you’re going through a tough time, it can feel abusive to hear well-meaning advice, when what you really need is a listening ear and a little compassion.

[Read more]

This probably could go under the Spiritual Abuse thread, although the pastor probably meant well, it’s just not good advice and is the kind of thing that can lead to poor theology well into adulthood.

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/jesuscreed/2013/06/22/how-would-you-respond-to-this/

(Also posted in the private TLS Facebook group.)

This is the kind of letting go I can get behind.

http://christianstiredofbeingmisrepresented.blogspot.ca/2013/06/dear-fellow-christians-losing-grip-then.html‘

(Also posted on the private TLS Facebook group.)

Thought this group could appreciate this quote:

“Expressions of sharp and even violent criticism of religion and the church have been welcomed [in this collection], for they usually imply sincerity of thought. If caustic criticism of religious institutions and practices is irreligious, then Amos, Isaiah, and Jesus were very irreligious men. In f…[Read more]

As a Clevelander, I was inspired to see various clergy groups gather today at the location where the three women were found this week and pray.  I don’t know that I’ve often seen a community do that before.  They’re supposed to have a prayer walk in another few days.  Who knows, maybe this event is what was needed to spur people to be the Church.  …[Read more]

I just have to vent this since I can’t actually do it on Facebook.  I’m Facebook friends with someone that is an acquaintance.  She’s part of a Charismatic church and I read her posts about traveling out of state with the ministry, getting home at ungodly hours, getting by on little sleep then running up to the church for the next service, coming h…[Read more]

I agree with much of what this young man wrote and I’m no millenial by a long stretch (48).

http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/2013/spring/why-i-wont-give-to-your-church.html?start=2

Good article by Michael Camp with resources listed at the end.

http://deepthoughtpub.blogspot.com/2013/02/is-your-church-guilty-of-spiritual.html

I don’t quite know how to word this, but I’ve come to a place where I’m pretty much turned off by celebrations of the various Christian holidays or rather the Christian observances of these holidays.  Like, while people got all into Lent, I did not.  I’ll go to church next weekend and I still love what the holidays themselves represent, but all t…[Read more]

I copied this excerpt out of a blog post entitled, “Loving Church Bullies” by James Sledge, a pastor in Virginia.  I think in this excerpt he nails well the church bully and how they are dealt with (or not).

“Churches have a remarkable knack for enabling and even encouraging anti-social, dysfunctional, and manipulative behaviors. Because …[Read more]

Good blog post by the author on the dechurched.  Check it ou and if you feel so inclined, respond.  I put in my two cents (you’ll see my comments from Patricia).  But I think the more of us that comment, the better.  Too often posts like these only get responses from the religious who only want to tell us how wrong we are, but more of us need to sp…[Read more]