The Dysfunctional Church

Reduced to its simplest form, The Dysfunctional Church maintains that: -The Catholic church is an addict, an institutional addict. - It's addicted to preserving the male, celibate, clerical model of the church. - Many Catholics exhibit patterns of classic codependency which reinforce this addiction. - The result is a dysfunctional church unable to confront a problem many members know is there. Michael Crosby breaks the silence to talk openly about the abuse of authority in the Catholic church. He does this in a way that offers comfort, hope, and challenge to the frustrated but caring members of its family. He traces the historical gathering of powers by the hierarchy into its own hands and its ramification for today. Applying the approach that Matthew's Jesus took to the church leaders of his day, Crosby brings the discerning light of scripture into the dark corners of growing addiction. The Dysfunctional Church is a clear, loving, and unequivocal intervention. The author calls on church leaders and all other codependents in the church to face their addiction and seek recovery through spiritual conversion. Acknowledging that he himself is a recovering codependent, he invites us all to turn to God to fill the "hole" in our wholeness. This involves coming under the authority of a higher power as well as finding support in prophetic communities modeled on the Twelve Steps. For those who left the church in anger, Crosby's analysis invites compassion; for those who remain in frustration, it offers hope; and for the many who feel condemned to the church's use of authority, if offers a way of recovery.

On the path to find truth, it can be hard to find God's direction when the church appears so dysfunctional. InThe Cure for the Dysfunctional Church, pastor and author Barry W Barnett Jr. guides readers by offering wisdom that he has gathered from years of serving God. With his no-nonsense approach,The Cure for the Dysfunctional Churchcuts through the haze and delivers straightforward, clear answers. Look past the fog as Barry points you back toward the Bible to become all that you were created to be. bull; Understand the root causes of dysfunction within the church bull; See clearly why churches and Christians cease to be what they were meant to be bull; Find the solutions you, your family, and your church need to return to a meaningful, fulfilling walk with God Author Barry W. Barnett Jr. and his wife, Michelle, reside in Poynette, Wisconsin. They have raised four biological children and have recently adopted five more children. They have worked with over forty treatment level foster children. Barry holds a B.S. in Religion and is currently working on a Master of Ministry in Biblical Counseling. He has served God in a variety of ministries over the years. After seven years in youth ministry, he is now the founder and president of Lighthouse Family Ministries and Guardian Christian Academy.

Christians don’t check their dysfunctional habits at the church door. Coiffed and buttoned-down on the outside, inside we still bring our compulsions and addictions, our urges to criticize, compare, and deny. Try as we might to cover up, we often behave in church just like we do at home. It’s time to stop pretending. No church is perfect, just as no family is perfect. This book calls us to accept the church’s humanness – the fact that we tend to make messes of our lives – as it explores eight common dysfunctions. But it also calls us to reaffirm that each local congregation in the body of Christ ought to be a place where we can come and feel loved, helped, forgiven – and given hope to go out and do better next time. After all, God created the church to be the best family in the whole world. Small group discussion questions and helpful excerpts from other books are included with each chapter.

Reduced to its simplest form, The Dysfunctional Church maintains that: -The Catholic church is an addict, an institutional addict. - It's addicted to preserving the male, celibate, clerical model of the church. - Many Catholics exhibit patterns of classic codependency which reinforce this addiction. - The result is a dysfunctional church unable to confront a problem many members know is there. Michael Crosby breaks the silence to talk openly about the abuse of authority in the Catholic church. He does this in a way that offers comfort, hope, and challenge to the frustrated but caring members of its family. He traces the historical gathering of powers by the hierarchy into its own hands and its ramification for today. Applying the approach that Matthew's Jesus took to the church leaders of his day, Crosby brings the discerning light of scripture into the dark corners of growing addiction. The Dysfunctional Church is a clear, loving, and unequivocal intervention. The author calls on church leaders and all other codependents in the church to face their addiction and seek recovery through spiritual conversion. Acknowledging that he himself is a recovering codependent, he invites us all to turn to God to fill the hole in our wholeness. This involves coming under the authority of a higher power as well as finding support in prophetic communities modeled on the Twelve Steps. For those who left the church in anger, Crosby's analysis invites compassion; for those who remain in frustration, it offers hope; and for the many who feel condemned to the church's use of authority, if offers a way of recovery.

No church is perfect, just as no family is perfect. This profound and honest book calls us to accept the church's humanness as it explores common dysfunctions. But it also calls upon us to view each local congregation as a place where we can feel loved, helped, and forgiven.

No church founder or planter likely intends to start a church with the stated goal of allowing abuse or abusing those within it. Yet sadly and too often, even in the best of churches abuse does occur. The bitter fruit of abuse does not appear from nowhere. Its origins, the soil in which it grows, and the structures that support it need be understood if we are to eradicate this fruit from within our churches and Christian organizations. Bitter Fruit: Dysfunction and Abuse in the Local Church describes those psychologies, social psychologies, and inadequate theologies that are frequently true in churches that enable abuse, regardless of the form the abuse may take. It is vital that you understand these things if you are a pastor, leader, or lay person seeking to maintain a healthy church environment.