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
04/30/17

I Would Never Do That: Facing the Lie We Tell Ourselves

We pray for God to deliver us from ourselves. To forgive us, for Jesus’s sake, when we do evil.
Donavon Riley
Donavon Riley
04/25/17

The Gospel for Those Angry at God

The angriest people I meet are former Christians.
Erick Sorensen
Erick Sorensen
04/14/17

Why “Good” Friday?

Have you ever wondered, of all the adjectives we could use to describe this day why in the world we chose the word “good?” Yeah, me too.
Wade Johnston
Wade Johnston
04/13/17

Jesus, Be Jesus for Me

Jesus is many things. He’s an example. He’s a teacher. He’s a great thinker and philosopher. But He’s also so much more, and He’s one thing above all else: He is Jesus, Savior.
Scott Keith
Scott Keith
04/03/17

The Gospel as the Dynamite of Salvation and Vocation as the Scaffolding of the Christian Life

What on God’s green earth does dynamite, a chemical explosive, have to do with the Gospel of Christ?
Cindy Koch
Cindy Koch
03/30/17

Broken Promises

This had been a lonely year, though. She could keep herself busy for a while with friends and she could distract herself for a few weekends by leaving town, but something was definitely missing.
Donavon Riley
Donavon Riley
03/28/17

The Worrisome Gospel

True faith, saving faith that receives the good news about the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world is a faith created in us by the Holy Spirit through the Gospel (Eph 2:8-9).
Bror Erickson
Bror Erickson
03/24/17

Do We Evangelize or Proselytize?

If you don’t believe Jesus Christ—that is, God in the man born of the Virgin Mary—died for the sins of the world, then you can’t evangelize.
Donavon Riley
Donavon Riley
03/21/17

God's Love Is Messy

The God who's lifted up above Calvary, abandoned and forsaken, should draw a more discerning crowd of followers.
Dominick Santore
Dominick Santore
03/02/17

The Gospel: No Strings Attached

I don't remember the first time I heard the gospel, but I do remember the first time I began to understand it.
Bruce Hillman
Bruce Hillman
03/01/17

Living Out Forgiveness

One of the common things I see my congregants struggle with is the concept of forgiveness. Contrary to what I had assumed would be the case, I find congregants don’t struggle so much with giving forgiveness as they do living with forgiveness.
Donavon Riley
Donavon Riley
03/01/17

The Only Free Lunch We'll Ever Get

We just can't stop ourselves from putting the brakes on the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
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