Church Disrupted

What happens when a mega church pastor gets honest about spiritual abuse in the church? We're about to find out. In this episode of the Church Disrupted Podcast, Jeff Cochran is joined by a current pastor on a mega church staff. They discuss how spiritual abuse can happen in smaller churches as well as the systems that contribute to it. This pastor shares his personal experience of spiritual abuse in small churches, where narcissism, arrogance, and nepotism were prevalent. They also discuss the importance of accountability in church leadership and the need for external oversight to prevent abuse, as well as how churches can decide upfront how they will honestly and openly investigate any and all spiritual abuse allegations.

In this episode of the Church Disrupted Podcast, Jeff Cochran and Lori Morrison (host of the Unlovely Truth Podcast & Author) discuss the importance of addressing spiritual abuse and safety within the church. They explore the need for holistic care, the role of independent investigations, and the significance of effective communication in handling abuse allegations.

In this episode of the Church Disrupted podcast, Jeff Cochran interviews Scott McKnight, a theologian and advocate for spiritual abuse victims. They discuss the complexities of spiritual abuse, the power dynamics involved, and the impact on individuals and communities. Scott shares his journey of advocating for spiritual abuse victims and teaching churches to build a Tove culture. They also explore the challenges of recognizing and responding to spiritual abuse within the church. The conversation covers various aspects of spiritual abuse, including realistic expectations, time limits, and the impact of church systems. It also delves into the evolution of pastoral roles, the impact of mega-churches, and the modern-day church playbook for addressing the scandal. Additionally, it explores the trauma experienced by pastors and the need for a trauma-informed approach in the church.

This episode of the Church Disrupted podcast explores the topic of volunteer exploitation in churches. Host Jeff Cochran, joined by Nick Flores, discusses the damaging effects of volunteering gone wrong and how churches can better protect their volunteers. They share personal experiences of volunteer exploitation and highlight the importance of setting boundaries and providing support for volunteers.

In this episode of the Church Disrupted Podcast, Jef Cochran is joined by Tim Whitaker of The New Evangelicals to talk about the state of the church, why people are leaving the evangelical church and deconstructing, how political entanglement has played a role, and ways we can stop spiritual abuse in churches. This was a fantastic conversation between Tim and Jeff, and while everyone won't agree with everything said, we can and should all learn something. Want to support Church Disrupted financially?https://www.disrupted.church/giveFind out more about Tim's work with TNE here: https://www.thenewevangelicals.com/

With the recent launch of the Spiritual Abuse Institute (SAI,) Jeff Cochran takes this episode of the Church Disrupted Podcast to answer listener questions about SAI, discuss how we'll help people heal from spiritual abuse and church hurt, and our plan to build healthier churches.

What happens when you invite a vocal critic onto onto the podcast?! Well, we’re about to find out!

In this episode of the Church Disrupted podcast, Jeff Cochran and Author Laura McKnight Barringer discuss spiritual abuse and toxic church cultures. She shares the moment that woke her up to the reality of spiritual abuse. They also explore the concept of 'tov' (goodness) in the church, the features of narcissistic pastors, and the characteristics of toxic Christian workplaces.

What does Narcissism look like when it puts on church clothes?! Narcissism and its effects are common in churches today, but the church is often the last place we would expect to find narcissistic people and behaviors.

Unfortunately, many modern church systems actually attract narcissistic leaders. But what does narcissism look like when it's in a church? How can we recognize spiritual narcissists and narcissistic systems? And when you recognize it, what should you do?

Spiritual abuse is always heartbreaking, but what happens when you experience it at home and church? In this episode of the Church Disrupted Podcast, Joyce Hindle joins the conversation to share her story of overcoming spiritual abuse. Joyce was a pastor's wife and experienced both sides of religious trauma. From her story, we can learn a lot about how to recognize spiritual abuse, how to heal from it, and how to overcome it and thrive. If you have experienced religious trauma, we believe this conversation will be helpful and an encouraging reminder that you can heal over time.