Trends Challenges Issues Treatment Pastoral Sexual Abuse

Trends, Challenges, Issues & Treatment Pastoral Sexual Abuse: Diane M. Langberg, Ph. D Diane Langberg & Associates Philip G. Monroe, Psy. D Biblical Seminary

Seminar Topics The profile of pastoral abuse Impact of abuse Intervention strategies Prevention strategies Troubleshooting common pitfalls counselors face Q & A

I. The Profile of Pastoral Abuse Components of pastoral abuse Climate factors ▪ Focus on expertise and charisma in leaders Personal history and character factors Deception Power (note various forms of power in the person of the pastor) and vulnerability

Some additional thoughts Who is to blame for pastoral sexual abuse? Only “bad apples” abuse? What about the system? Challenges in Ministry Stress Statistics: What is the biggest stressor? System “germs” Believing that capable leaders apply their own words ▪ Pastors know their spiritual needs best and will ask for help when in need Making secondary work primary

And there is more to this recipe… Courting narcissism? The seminary’s tendency to neglect the interior of the Christian life Lack of pastoral oversight & discipleship

II. Pastor Abuse & its Impact Consider the ripples beyond the immediate families involved The church family Victims of prior abuse If minor involved then all parents impacted The larger community if media gives attention to the situation The church staff

Gird yourself! The work of guiding and shepherding the various constituents cannot be done without doing your own work Study the Word together Pray together Avoid rushing to get “there” Remember: the process itself IS the work of God

III. Intervention Strategies Overview From 30, 000 feet: Clinician opportunities Decision tree map introduction Goals (the good and the ugly) Prioritizing safety Clarifying roles, communication, ethical and moral obligations

Abuse Event Set Guiding Goals Gather Data Employment Decisions Congregational Communications Terminate Suspend

Intervention Planning Determine key constituents to help Choose & train SCTs Develop SCT goals & objectives Use of outside consultants for groups or members SCT time together SCT time with key others

Systems review before you begin Crises reveal character –O. Chambers Systems have character… Listen for what is of utmost importance among the leadership (appearances, business success, fear of conflict, cynicism, etc. ) Watch for the following reactions Reactivity Herding Blame Quick-fix Undifferentiated leadership

System evaluation summary If your primary allegiance is to your church, to the institution’s preservation, then you will sin to preserve it. If your allegiance is to Christ, you will relinquish the church, the institution, rather than sin. Consider Spurgeon: If a thing be wrong, though you gain by it, you must spurn it. If a thing be right, though you lose by it, you must do it for the Master’s sake.

But lest we think the church is the only one with a problem… The conflict and indifference between religion and psychology is a curious state of affairs. Although both clergy and practicing psychologists are involved in counseling relationships and interested in emotional and behavioral outcomes among those with whom they work, they generally appear to do so in isolation without much guidance from each other. Thomas Plante Professional Psychology: Research & Practice, 1999

Why the divide? Stepping on toes? Whose turf? Lack of vision for collaboration Counselors take difficult parishioners Clergy are a good source of referrals Is that it? Anecdotes (and story-telling) form reality Counselor missteps? Bad theology/exegetical errors & “integration” errors Protecting the victim without a proper foundation Indiscrete criticism of the church

Are we competent to serve clergy? How are we doing in our communication, respect, shared values? Consider this survey: ¼ of pastors described a positive experience with good communication. But most didn’t. Seems to rarely happen and too frequently negative Clergy perceive we don’t respect them ▪ 13% describe us as arrogant and uncooperative. “no respect for what I had to bring to the table. ” ▪ Clergy do see us as having skills they do not possess but psychologists do not return this view We often fail to find common goals/values We fail to speak a similar vocabulary Mc. Minn, Aikins & Lish (2003). Basic and advanced competence in collaborating with clergy. PP: R&P, 34, 1972002

Bridge the gap by… Communicate! Defuse conflict, fear, confusion with transparency & openness Learn their language and their values; validate! Address ethical and funding matters up front Build trust with leadership Do what you say you will do. Don’t overpromise Remember it takes time to undo prior suspicion Give evidence that you can learn from and be influenced by leadership Show the fruit of humility and fraternity Offer both indirect and direct aid

Victim related interventions Address safety matters Prioritize the victim’s connection to worship Determine leadership oversight (don’t forget gender issues) Form small group of “listeners” who can also be the victim’s voice Speak to attempts to lay blame If possible, provide separate victim and church counselors

Offender related interventions Your job: help them wake from a coma The use of SCTs along with traditional counseling and discipleship

Develop a map for success Ideally, we should: Study the vast array of issues, teach the whole congregation from front and back, develop prevention plans, and address problems as they occur But, realistically… Build committed Spiritual Care Teams, learn together the key issues, develop a plan of action for healing, Communicate and educate, Plan for future prevention

Choose spiritual care teams Teams for congregation, offender, victims Consider the character of potential members ▪ Spiritually mature, prayerful, self-aware, able to listen, willing to learn, gentle but willing to confront, confidential, safe, not controlling, collaborative, patient Require 2 year minimum commitment of time ▪ Determine how the group will make decisions, learn together, and function together Determine how to collaborate with other teams, leadership, and outside agencies

A tale of two teams… Team 1 Strong leaders, strong personalities, no-nonsense attitudes. Sees job as exposing the sins and weaknesses of the victim Too busy, long periods of time without contact Team 2 Meets weekly to pray and fellowship Educator background Identifies progress and needs but not pressing

The purpose of the SCT is… To provide support and assistance to a person with acute spiritual needs and return person to fellowship with God, family and fellow believers To provide the opportunity for shattered people to receive comfort, opportunity to dig deeply and repent deeply, and grow spiritually (there may be other roots, but team will explore spiritual roots) To bring hope to those who are broken, disillusioned, and in need of restoration To penetrate denial and clarify reality Intercession and combined wisdom in leading Provide guidance, accountability, and direction to for others seeking to help shattered individuals and families Encourage the whole community that the church is part of the healing process and so avoid the tendency to either throw out the sinner or the victim or ignore the sinner and victim. From Wilson et al, Restoring the Fallen

It is not to… Provide professional counseling Determine veracity of facts Make church judicial decisions

Prepare the SCTs Spiritual work means warfare Worship and study together Group learning (biblical and experiential) Abuse, abuse of power, deception/denial, their impact on others, protection, true and false repentance, restoration, restitution, forgiveness, healing, etc. Restoration processes (time, process, fruit? ) ▪ Who or what will drive the group’s work? Group training Creating a plan of action

Group training Explore how the group functions together with and without their ministry target When it comes to data collection, exploration, confrontation, assessment, decision-making When it comes to worship, fun, personal issues When it comes to collaborating with outsiders (some of whom may not share the group’s view) Common areas of weakness? Validation; good questions, listening for what is missing

SCT Plan of Action for restoration Protection from self and others; boundaries set Truth-telling about the abuse Submission to process and acceptance of spiritual mentors Discovery of roots of abuse and other sin (naming things from God’s view; hearing from others) Deeper Truth-telling about life patterns and God’s sanctifying work Restitution (acknowledges injustice and seeks to correct it) Repentance (from actions and attitudes) Reconnection to the larger body of Christ

Your relationship to the SCT Summarize and synthesize the data collected by the SCT Focus questions and areas of growth Identify dynamic or personal barriers to the work of the SCT Keep track of growth, hope, and future directions Review communication to the larger leadership and congregation

(Preventing Leader Abuse? ) Indirect service: Develop SCTs for pastor families Direct service Provide confidential sessions (therapy or spiritual direction) for leaders and family members

Troubleshooting problems When progress stalls Waiting for someone to be repentant? When a group doesn’t work or is worn out Premature restoration Mechanical vs. spiritual restoration (Tavis Smiley) Fairness vs. blessing the victim Power conflicts and system issues Dual relationships: Who is your client? Abuse reporting and theological grounding

Church wide interventions Give opportunities to express hurts/pains Educate regarding key topics about sin, righteousness, leadership, abuse, etc. Provide information regarding common responses to leader abuse Cast a vision from Philippians 3: 12 f

Counselor Summary Prepare yourself Education Develop a map for success using SCTs Prep for common problems Train and supervise SCTs

Prepare Yourself Evaluate your readiness to love the congregation with patience, truth-telling, and humility Remember the overarching goals and facets of a biblical response to abuse Identify deficiencies (spiritual, professional, etc. ) Memorize your consultant mantra: listen well; be willing to learn; validate the dreams and concerns of leadership; provide reasoning for the clear direction you offer; leave final decisions to the leadership

FAQs Where is the finish line? How do you know when restoration is complete? When repentance is enough? Why does the victim get the final say? Who drives the decisions of protection? What if victims are in charge? Can a Christian leader ever return to ministry? Ezek. 44? What are the pit-falls of this kind of work?

Know your five R’s Know the differences between: Restriction Repentance Restitution Reconciliation Restoration

Helpful Books Armstrong, J. H. (1995). Can fallen pastors be restored? Chicago, IL: Moody Press. Friedman, E. H. (1985). From generation to generation: Family Process in church and Synagogue. NY: Guilford Press. Freidman, E. H. (2007). A failure of nerve: Leadership in the age of the quick fix. Seabury Books. Grenz, S. & Bell, R. (1995). Betrayal of trust: Sexual misconduct in the pastorate. Downers Grove: IVP. Hoge, D. R. , & Wenger, J. E. (2005). Pastors in transition: Why clergy leave local church ministry. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. Hopkins, N. M. (1998). The congregational response to clergy betrayals of trust. Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press.

Helpful Books Hopkins, N. M. & Laaser, M. (1995). Restoring the soul of a church: Healing congregations wounded by clergy sexual misconduct. Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press. Langberg, D. (2003). Counseling survivors of sexual abuse. Xulon Press. Langberg, D. (1999). On the threshold of hope: Opening the door to healing for survivors of sexual abuse. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House. Pedigo, T. L. (2004). Restoration manual: A workbook for restoring fallen ministers and religious leaders. Colorado Springs: Winning Edge Ministries. Wilson, E. & S. , Friesen, P & V, Paulson, L & N. (1997). Restoring the fallen: A team approach to caring, confronting, & reconciling. Downers Grove, IL: IVP. Yantzi, M. (1998). Sexual offending and restoration. Scottsdale, PA: Herald Press.

Helpful Websites http: //www. netgrace. org. G. R. A. C. E (Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment). http: //www. peaceandsafety. com. PASCH (Peace and Safety in the Christian Home)

Helpful articles & chapters Langberg, D. (1996). Clergy sexual abuse. In Kroeger & Beck (eds) Women, abuse, and the Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books. Maxwell, J. (2006). Devastated by an affair: How churches heal after the pastor commits adultery. Christianity Today. http: //www. ctlibrary. com/39606. Monroe, P. (2006). Abusers & true repentance. Christian Counseling Today, 13: 3, 48 -49. Found at: http: //www. ecounseling. com/articles/690 Reed, E. (Winter, 2006). Restoring fallen pastors. Leadership Magazine. Found at: http: //www. ctlibrary. com/le/2006/winter/22. 21. html

Church/Psychology Collaboration Book title Mc. Minn, M. R. , & Dominguez, A. W. (2005). Psychology and the Church. Hauppauge, NY: Nova Science Publishers. [collection of articles] Key Article titles What evangelicals want to know about psychology (JPT, 29(2), 2001, pp 99 -105) Training Psychologists to work with religious organizations (Professional Psychology: Research & Practice, 32(3), 2001, pp 324 -328) Psychology and the church: an exemplar…of collaboration (PP: R&P 31(5), 2000, pp 515 -520) A collaborative relationship between professional psychology and the Roman Catholic Church (PP: R&P 30(6), 1999, pp 541546.

The following slides provide Information you may find helpful in communicating to church leaders Sample information about abuse Sample goals Biblical vision for the church Sample education for the church 10 Overarching principles ▪ From Langberg & Monroe, 2007 World Conference

Sample information about abuse Types It takes many forms—both subtle and obvious 2 categories: family abuse; leader abuse Victims and offenders rarely fit neat categories The effect The ripple effect: an enlarging pool of victims Division always ensues due to conflicting pressures, emphases, and goals The need A vision in the church for the protection and healing of the abused

Common church responses Deceptive responses Denial: It didn’t happen, she’s crazy! Minimization: It only happened once. We all sin Misnaming: It was an affair (leader abuse) Impulsive responses Premature reconciliation (Jesus comes to redeem) Demanding cut-offs (throw the evil-doer out) Harshness (discipline; speaking truth in love) Abandonment Moving victims on to new churches Secrecy (it will harm too many to know it…)

A vision for the church? I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. ISA 61: 1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion--to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. PHP 3: 12

Sample goals for the church Providing safety for bruised reeds Bearing witness Dealing with fear, anger, hopelessness Encouraging restoration and healing (without demanding it) Providing mercy ministry Introducing the Resurrection as THE healing power Uncovering lies and pointing to the truth

Education Probable Topics Abuse (deception plus power), impact of abuse, patterns of healing (victim, offender, congregation), repentance, forgiveness, restoration, reconciliation, truth telling, leader responsibilities, legal/ethical matters Common restorative practices Necessity of team approach Systemic assessments Audience Key leaders Broader congregation QUESTION: Are you speaking a language they understand?

10 Overarching principles Abuse in the church impacts many Leaders need a large umbrella if they are going to serve those involved When many are impacted, division is common Leaders remember they must be advocates for truth, justice, and grace Protection of the “least of these” takes precedence Leaders understand abuse of power and provide tangible protection for the body of Christ

10 Overarching principles Never underestimate the power of selfdeception Caretakers recognize and work for true repentance “As if you too…” Caretakers work to understand the world and experiences of abuser and abused “as if” they themselves were in their shoes

10 Overarching principles Premature restoration is tempting Leaders resist the temptation to rush back to life “the way it used to be” but work to cultivate maturity, healing, and holy obedience to God Wisdom comes from God—not committees Leaders immerse themselves in the study of God’s Word and prayer to discern His perspective on all issues pertaining to abuse and restoration Crises reveal character Leaders use crises to explore and correct individual and systemic defects

10 Overarching principles The Church is not ours Leaders remember not to harm the church: to purify themselves first before working to purify the bride of Christ The redemptive work of Christ in ALL is our goal Leaders promote an atmosphere of grace, mercy and justice for all

www. wisecounsel. wordpress. com Phil’s email: pmonroe@biblical. edu