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

Chad Bird
Chad Bird
05/25/16

God Isn't Looking for Brown-Nosers

Faith does not require that we always Hoorah what the Lord does. God wants children, not brown-nosers.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
05/09/16

Is There Any Hope for Me? Can These Bones Live?

O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus he says to these bones. Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live.
Bonnie Petroschuk
Bonnie Petroschuk
05/02/16

An Evil, Untrustworthy Bunch

“We humans are an evil, untrustworthy bunch.” I said to a friend recently, by way of explanation/cold comfort, after he had been cut to the core by fellow Christians who were uncomfortable with his vulnerability.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
04/19/16

Church and the Toilet Flush

Burdened within and without, we cross the threshold into church. We don't leave behind our earthiness, our tragedies, our white-knuckled grip on the last vestige of dignity in our sad lives.
Daniel Emery Price
Daniel Emery Price
04/11/16

Sinners Get To Wear White

Years ago a young woman approached her pastor with a request. It wasn’t a strange request. She simply asked if he would perform her wedding ceremony.
Cindy Koch
Cindy Koch
04/06/16

Easter 101 with Satan

Before you ever know what happened, Satan has taught us to doubt the promise of the crucified and risen Christ.
Dominick Santore
Dominick Santore
03/31/16

Repentant Enough

If you’ve been in church long enough, you might have seen the worst of someone’s unrepentant sin get them kicked out, cast out, excommunicated or “handed over to Satan so their flesh might die and their soul might live.”
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
03/22/16

Putting a Gag Order on the Gospel

The first person who attempted to stop people from talking about Jesus was not a tyrant, a secular government, or a bully religious mob.
Rick Ritchie
Rick Ritchie
03/15/16

If God is Better than My Father, He's Really Good

God the Father Almighty is good. And He must be good in ways that surpass my earthly father.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
03/03/16

Dirty Little Secrets

Your sins do not exist because He who called heaven and earth into existence, has called your sins out of existence. He who made everything from nothing unmakes your sins into nothing.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
02/21/16

Our Precious Sins We Don't Want God to Forgive

We hang on to our sins not despite the fact that they hurt, but precisely because they do hurt. We need to hurt, to fret over them, to cry over them, to make amends over them, because by doing so, we will grease the wheels of God’s forgiveness.
Paul Dunk
Paul Dunk
02/10/16

Grace For Me: Justice for You

Grace is easier to tweet about than extend. When we are talking about my sin and the impact it has on others, I want grace.
1517 is a Christian non-profit (501(c)3) multi-media organization. Our mission is to declare and defend the Good News that we are forgiven and free on account of the death and resurrection of Jesus alone.
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