Thursday, July 27, 2017

Wounded in the Church by Ray Beeson and Chris Hayward


To purchase your copy, click here.

About the Book


 Book title: Wounded in the Church  
Author: Ray Beeson & Chris Hayward  
Release date: March 14, 2017
Genre: Non-fiction

 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. Leaders and laypeople alike will learn how to grieve over abuse, to leave unhealthy attitudes and patterns that cause pain, and to trust in God’s real, delivering work through churches that build up, not tear down. Thanks to the grace of God, there is always hope beyond the pain.


My Review:


This is a great book for anyone who has been wounded in a church experience. It validates that emotional hurt does happen by giving many personal accounts. Some of the stories were just heart breaking. But the authors don't leave the reader hurting. They go further and offer healing help to the wounded.

I was impressed with the extensive exploration of being wounded. They look at rejection, shame, legalism, control, dogmatism, neglect, and more. They include a good section on how to identify spiritual abuse and give practical help for spiritual warfare.

I really liked that they provide insights into what to look for before being wounded. An example would be a demand for submission or loyalty.

They give good suggestions on how to respond when wounded, including good teachings on forgiveness, releasing judgment to God, and establishing our identity in Christ.

They also add a section on how to identify a church that has real biblical leadership and one that is healthy in general.

Having been wounded myself by an overly authoritative church leader, I really appreciated this book. I highly recommend it to anyone who has been wounded in a church experience. Your hurt will be validated, you will have good suggestions on what to do, and will receive insight in what to look for in a healthy church. I also recommend this book to church leaders as the authors include insights from the pastor's perspective.

 You can watch the trailer at http://woundedinthechurch.com/.

My rating: 5/5 stars.


About the Authors


 Ray Beeson is the director of Overcomers Ministries, a teaching ministry with a special emphasis on spiritual warfare and prayer. Ray teaches seminars on spiritual warfare, prayer, and Christlike living and is the author of numerous books including Signed in His Blood (Charisma House, 2014) and The Hidden Price of Greatness (Overcomers, 2000). Ray and his wife, Linda, live in Ventura, CA. Chris Hayward has had over thirty-six years of pastoral ministry and is currently serving as president of Cleansing Stream Ministries, a discipleship ministry that works with the local church around the world. He is also the author of God’s Cleansing Stream (Chosen Books, 2004) and The End of Rejection (Chosen Books, 2007). Chris and his wife, Karen, live in Castaic, CA.


Guest Post from Ray Beeson & Chris Hayward


 When we tell people we’ve written a book entitled “Wounded in the Church,” many nod knowingly. Sadly, the pain and heartache that happens in churches is all too common. Collectively, the two of us have spent more than 70 years in ministry. During that time we have seen neglect, tactlessness, and blatant insensitivity fostered by some leaders and congregations resulting in the wounding of others. We realize it is not prolific in every church, but the wounding is significant and it needs to be exposed. That is why we wrote this book – we share real stories of real people who were wounded in church, a place that should be a shelter of God’s love and peace. Sometimes people are abused by leaders or church members. There are also times when leaders are abused by people within the congregation. As you read, perhaps you’ll identify with some of the situations described. If so, be assured you are not alone. If you have been wounded, it is our hope and prayer God uses this book to facilitate healing. Because of Jesus Christ, there is hope beyond the pain.

Blog Stops

July 29: cherylbbookblog
July 29: Mary Hake
July 31: Remembrancy
August 1: Carpe Diem
August 5: The Power of Words
August 7: Just Jo’Anne
August 8: Lots of Helpers
August 8: God’s Little Bookworm

 I received a complimentary digital copy of this book through Celebrate Lit. My review is an honest and independent one. The rest of the copy in this post was provided by Celebrate Lit.
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