_edited.png){kind=logo}
How Calling Out Spiritual Abuse Holds the Church Accountable (bE+)
- Lindsey Medenwaldt
- Jun 30
- 9 min read
I’ve been called a troublemaker and a gossip. I’ve been blacklisted and blocked. And I’ve experienced the loss of friendships. All (or at least in significant part) because I called out spiritual abuse in a church I used to attend. I never thought I’d be a victim of spiritual abuse[1], and this road hasn’t been easy, but for me, it’s been worth it because once I started sharing my experiences, at least a few of my friends got out and moved to other churches. We’ve spent time in previous blogs defining spiritual abuse and highlighting red flags for spiritually abusive leaders, but in this blog, I want to address why we must call out spiritual abuse when we see it. I’m going to tell you about my own experience because I think it’s relevant. This isn’t to give myself a pat on the back; rather, it’s to remind myself that what I did was right, despite the fallout. As is often the case with whistleblowers, we sometimes feel guilt and regret for our actions. If you’re in a situation where you feel like you may need to call out spiritual abuse, I hope this is an encouragement to you; the road may be long, and you may lose some people along the way, but find hope in the knowledge that you are doing what is biblical and right. I also want to point out that for some of you, you may not feel safe calling out the abuse. I’ll offer some suggestions for you, too.
