Wounded Minister, The: Healing from and Preventing Personal Attacks

Every church deals with personality conflicts and intermittent discord. But in some churches, what should be normal clashes has become a devastating form of abuse-pastoral abuse. A growing phenomenon that cuts across denominational lines and impacts every level of ministry, pastoral abuse leaves in its wake thousands of wounded clergymen with ruined ministries, broken relationships, damaged health, even shattered faith.The Wounded Minister: Healing for Abused Clergy, written by a clinically trained pastoral counselor, examines the reality of evil in churches and the ways in which "pathological antagonists" emotionally and spiritually batter pastors. A deft mix of personal experience and in-depth research, this resource will help wounded men and women of all ministerial positions learn how to recover their broken hearts while rebuilding their lives. And as preventative medicine, it also provides guidelines on how spiritually sensitive Christians can develop a church structure that protects their pastors from this tragedy. Both compassionate and proactive, this book is an excellent resource for hurting pastors as well as lay leadership pursuing healthy church life. Are you a hurting pastor seeking healing? Are you a lay leader wanting to protect your pastor? Here is a compassionate, proactive look at pastoral abuse, a tragic reality that you can do something about. Every church deals with personality conflicts and intermittent discord. But in some congregations, there are people who intentionally attack leaders and initiate a devastating form of abuse-pastoral abuse. A growing phenomenon that cuts across denominational lines and impacts every level of ministry, pastoral abuse leaves in its wake wounded people with ruined ministries, broken relationships, damaged health, even shattered faith. The Wounded Minister examines the reality of evil in churches and the ways in which "clergy killers" or "pathological antagonists" emotionally and spiritually batter pastors. A deft mix of personal experience and in-depth research, this resource will help wounded people of all ministerial positions learn how to recover their broken hearts while rebuilding their lives. As preventive medicine, it also provides guidelines on how sensitive Christians can develop a church structure that protects their pastors from this tragedy. About the Author Guy Greenfield is a former pastor and seminary professor who now performs counseling services through Panhandle Pastoral Counseling Ministry, which he founded. He is a member of the American Association of Pastoral Counselors and the American Association of Christian Counselors. Greenfield is also the author of several books, including The Wounded Parent and Reigniting Love and Passion. He lives in Amarillo, Texas.