Unfortunate Abuser Protection Tactics Used in the Church

The church is being sifted it seems. I follow numerous USA accounts on 'X' (formerly Twitter) and am shocked by the recent surge in reports exposing various forms of abuse within the church. Some instances date back years, only now coming to light. The range of abuses includes pedophilia, sexual abuse, abuse of power, financial exploitation, and more.

Lori Adams-Brown, Podcast Host & Exec Producer posted an inciteful thread on her X account on February 2, 2024, calling out tactics used by what she calls predapastors to gaslight or silence followers.

Adams-Brown's thread is incredibly significant and warrants sharing. It's crucial to pay close attention and assess whether you might be in an environment that exhibits such concerning traits within the church you frequent.

Adams-Brown says, "Predapastors groom their congregations so when their abuse is exposed and/or they are arrested for their crimes, the congregation knows exactly what to say to control the narrative, silence whistleblowers, and rally behind the abusive pastor. 

"I hear these things often:

1. “We are praying for the pastor.” (This centers on the abuser, not the victims.)

2. “There are people out to get him.” (#DARVO 2 make u believe the abuser is a victim)

3. “The accuser is trying to use this to build their career.” (This is an easy sell if the accuser is a woman.)"

(Break here to give readers the definition of #DARVO:

#DARVO

Deny

Attack

Reverse the roles of

Victim & Offender

A tactic used to avoid taking responsibility & shifting blame onto their victim.)

Adams-Brown goes on,

4. “God has forgiven the pastor.” (Implying you should also forgive, forget and be business as usual too.) 

5. “God has big plans for the pastor.” (Grandiosity to distract from abuse.) 

6. “Who among us hasn’t sinned?” (Downplaying abuse/crime.) 

7. “We shouldn’t judge.” (#DARVO)

8. “We need to be unified.” (Culty language not to unify around the victim, but around abuser, intended to silence #whistleblowers.)

9. “Spiritual warfare,” or “God wants to do big things, and it needs to start with us.” (Using fear to imply you are on the wrong side if u speak.)

10. “We have to change this way of thinking that is judgmental.” (Get in line, and don’t talk about Bruno.)

11. “We are no one. The only one who can judge is God.” (Worm theology.)"

An added post from X user Joan,

"12. There are still good things happening here. People are getting saved. Look at the bigger picture. This is just the work of the enemy going after our church because we are doing such a good work."

These are good cautions for us all. Let us be vigilant and discerning in our faith communities. The revelations surfacing demand our attention and call for collective introspection. 

May this awareness prompt us to foster environments of transparency, accountability, and support within our churches. Together, let's strive for a community that stands against any form of abuse, ensuring the well-being of all its members.