This article is written by a Christian for Christians, carrying with it an ethos that Christianity adheres to. It is important to note that Christianity in its most ideal state must not be dismissive of claims that individuals bring up toward the actions of those who hold power in local and global churches and/or ministries. With that said, readers of this article may find some statements and conclusions that this author comes to diverge from that of their personal beliefs/ideologies in terms of the work of God in the earth through restitution, restoration, forgiveness, redemption, and so forth. I must stress again that I in no way seek to devalue those who bring up abuse claims against a minister and/or church body. What you may find is that we agree on the issues at hand and desire to see justice upheld; my hope is that no matter your background, at some level you resonate with what is said, but the caveat is this: I am primarily writing this for Christians and how they ought to respond with the beliefs they assert to uphold.
I start with this claim: “God may work through you, but not in you.”
The clearest example of this statement can be found in the story of King Saul in the Old Testament (1 Samuel 9–31). Space does not allow for a detailed exposition of this story, and many perspectives and…
