Wounded in the Church Participant's Guide: Hope Beyond the Pain

Church should be a safe place, right? Then why do so many get hurt there? Ray Beeson and Chris Hayward combine their years of ministry experience to address head-on the elephant in the room: church members and church leaders hurt Christians. All the time. And the long-lasting effects—rejection, shame, despair, loneliness, fear—can be devastating. The authors have witnessed the rise of the “dones,” those who are just done with God thanks to scars from church. With first-person stories of hurt and loss, Wounded in the Church is a wake-up call for any who deny woundedness in the church but is also a redemptive message for any who hurt from church wounds. The Participant’s Guide contains eight sessions based on the contents of the book, and includes questions for discussion and personal reflection for each session, as well as key Scriptures, quotes to ponder, and a closing prayer. Ideal for group study or personal devotions. Session 1: The Pain Session 2: Neglect and Rejection Session 3: Shame, Manipulation, and Loneliness Session 4: Forgiveness and Moving Past the Pain Session 5: Identity and the Role of the Law Session 6: The Religious Spirit and Perfectionism Session 7: Rejecting Clichés and Finding a Church Home Session 8: Hope Beyond the Pain