Counselor Timothy St. John offers compassion and hope to individuals who have experienced hurt in emotionally and spiritually damaging church cultures.
The local church is meant to function as a healing and helping community that cares for God's people. But what if, instead of grace and care, someone experienced harm and hurt? When the church becomes a place of abuse and silence, the pain leaves people spiritually disoriented and alone. These individuals may wonder if they will ever feel safe around God's people again. Instead of running to God and his people, they run as far away as possible.
St. John defines church hurt as any unrepentant sin that is minimized, normalized, or promoted by a church culture and its leadership. In After Church Hurt, he invites sufferers into the gentle care of their Good Shepherd, offering hope, clarity, and guidance for healing in his grace. Through real-life stories, biblical insights, and practical tools, this book provides a path to understanding church hurt, embracing grace, and courageously moving toward a healthy community.
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Helps sufferers process their emotions and reflect on their painful experiences through the lens of Scripture.
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Provides practical advice for finding a new church, assessing its culture, and rebuilding trust in relationships.
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Equips counselors and helpers for walking alongside those who have been wounded by their churches.
Timothy St. John, MDiv, ThM, serves as the counseling pastor at Lighthouse Community Church in Torrance, CA. His passion is to see the grace of gospel-centered counseling grow and thrive in local churches. Tim also serves on the council board for the BCC (Biblical Counseling Coalition), the editorial board for the SOLA network, and is a frequent speaker at conferences and retreats. He is the author of the minibook Uncovering Domestic Abuse.
