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 church people, and who are determined to never step inside another church building. However, they are not done with God. With first-person stories of hurt and loss, Standing Up to Spiritual Bullies 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.
The Participants' Guide contains eight sessions based on the contents of the book. It includes questions for discussion and personal reflections for each person plus key scriptures, "to ponder, and the closing prayer. Ideal for a group study or personal devotions.
Session 1: The Pain
Session 2: Neglect and Rejection
Session 3: Shame, Manipulation, and Loneliness
Session 4: Forgiveness and Moving Past the Pain
Session 5: Identity and the Role of the Law
Session 6: The Religious Spirit and Perfectionism
Session 7: Rejecting Clich