When Pastors Are Abused by Their Congregations
By Donavon Riley
10/01/25
13mins

When Pastors Are Abused by Their Congregations

This article is the first part of a two-part series. The second part will take a look at when pastors abuse their congregations.
An Excerpt from Untamed Prayers: Psalm 123 and Psalm 136
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
09/30/25

An Excerpt from Untamed Prayers: Psalm 123 and Psalm 136

The following entries are excerpts from Chad Bird’s new book, Untamed Prayers: 365 Daily Devotions on Christ in the Book of the Psalms (1517 Publishing, 2025), pgs. 311 and 335
St. Michael, Defender of God’s People
Amy Mantravadi
Amy Mantravadi
09/29/25

St. Michael, Defender of God’s People

Why did the church dedicate a day to St. Michael anyway? Who is he, and what does he do?

All Articles

Bonnie Petroschuk
Bonnie Petroschuk
08/13/19

This is Love

It wasn’t that I didn’t love. I loved deeply, but I was also aware of the much deeper reservoir of self-love that kept me from ever loving fully.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
08/13/19

You’re Not Fine Just the Way You Are

Contrary to what pop-psychology, social media memes, and your sweet grandmother told you, you are not fine just the way you are.
Valerie Thur
Valerie Thur
08/12/19

Killed the Word

Mere confrontation in the form of, “What you’re doing is wrong—you need to change yourself,” can never solve the root of our problem.
Grant Klembara
Grant Klembara
08/05/19

Killing Our Hero, Martin Luther

Martin Luther is not–or, at least should not–be the object of our affection.
Bob Hiller
Bob Hiller
07/29/19

Protected from Baptism

The real problem with the way we talk about Baptism in particular, and the sacraments at all, is that we are simply afraid of letting God’s Word get us.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
07/27/19

Three Hidden Hebrew Treasures in Psalm 23

These treasures show us that, no matter how well we think we know this poem, there’s always more layers to uncover.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
07/24/19

The iChisel: Defaced Images and the Human-Faced God

It’s no wonder we’re so attached to images; we are one. We are human hyphens between the celestial and the terrestrial.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
07/15/19

Can the Church Save Singing? Three Simple Recommendations

Imagine yourself at an advanced age. What do you want to remember when you’ve forgotten virtually everything else? Sing that.
Donavon Riley
Donavon Riley
07/09/19

God the Father

All God's fatherly goodness and mercy is concrete and real, born of a virgin, crucified for our trespasses, raised for our justification.
Valerie Thur
Valerie Thur
07/08/19

Three Words and the Truth

“I love you” is great, as long as whatever commitment I may or may not be intimating is mutually beneficial and causes the least amount of emotional strain to me.
Dan van Voorhis
Dan van Voorhis
07/03/19

On Reading Broadly

We can’t all afford to travel the world, but the more we read from outside our own context, the bigger we see the world.
Bruce Hillman
Bruce Hillman
06/26/19

The God Who Says, “Hide!”

God may be all-powerful, but he has an odd way of showing it. He tends to work his power through weakness, brokenness, even a cross.
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