How to Avoid Being a Damaged Soul

Recently I posted a blog about the modern phenomenon of women leaving the church. The reasons many of the surveyed women gave for leaving included:

• Gender hierarchies in the church
• Expectation of chastity
• Churches being against abortion
• Churches being against homosexual rights
• Non-biblical priorities in life

I went on to observe that it is not just women, but we see this happening in virtually every demographic. What is really going on is that many people are simply buying into the naturalistic worldview beliefs that dominate modern society, and discarding the biblical beliefs that our nation was founded upon.

In response to that article, one of my readers replied with a personal note and extended the discussion into a broader area. He noted that not only are people buying into modern secular philosophy, but many of those leaving are doing so because to they have been hurt by the church. He wrote:

Many ex-Christians suffer from PTSD. Some have been physically abused while others have suffered from psychological manipulation. From what I've heard, many of those victims of clergy abuse blame God rather than those wicked people.

And he’s exactly right! There are many churches that are basically churches in name only – some physically abuse certain weak members. Others teach beliefs that are not biblical and use those false beliefs to psychologically manipulate their members. In effect they act like cults.

This reader went on to say:

I used to get a lot of grief about my eyes not getting healed. That house church blamed me for lacking faith, having ancestral sins, harboring unforgiveness, demon possession, unconfessed sins, and lusting for sight that I'd use for my own financial gain.

Wow!!! It’s hard to believe that a church would act in that way toward one of its members, but, sadly, it’s all too common. And it is this kind of thing that is the reason many people leave the church and push God away.

Finally he wrote

Thanks for your prayers. Psychological damage takes time to heal. Many never do. I'm glad I got good council from folks who know the Bible and can answer tough questions. It's also why your work is so important. I'll also pray for your success in reaching people who desire the truth.

I believe this last statement brings everything into focus ... false beliefs actually do damage to people. This is why it’s so critical for Christians to get up to speed with the truth. There are a couple of places where the truth gets skewed.

First, too many people are looking to satisfy their spiritual needs with material solutions. It never has worked and it never will. We can certainly enjoy the fruits of our material life, and in some respects there’s nothing wrong with that. But in doing it, we must recognize that there are some acts related to our material life that are consistent with spiritual truth, and some that are not. The ones that are will provide us with peace and joy, while the ones that are not will ultimately lead to distress and destruction in life.

The other place where truth gets skewed relates to false beliefs. This is particularly evident in many churches where the emphasis is on legalism, or in those that actually teach false theology.

Both of these are the primary reasons for the exodus we see happening in churches today. Biblical Christianity does not teach, advocate, or condone the use of material means to satisfy people’s spiritual needs. Additionally, biblical Christianity does not teach or promote beliefs that lead people away from God.

But in practical terms, how do we avoid these pitfalls? We do it by having a solid grip on a biblical worldview.

First of all, a biblical worldview involves knowledge and understanding of the teachings of the Bible. You can’t follow what you don’t know. Christian discipleship training is probably the most difficult thing to properly incorporate into a church program because it requires more time, effort, and commitment than just about anything else the church does – both on the part of the leadership and the members.

Second, a biblical worldview involves honestly and faithfully living out the teachings of the Bible. It is not enough just to know the right things. One’s worldview is the way they understand reality to be structured. If you are living life in ways that are contrary to what you say you believe, what you say does not really correspond to what you actually believe.

If you want to avoid being a damaged soul, the secret to pulling that off is to know and live the truth. It is as straightforward as that. God loves you and provided a way for you to know Him in a personal relationship. Make the effort to understand what that means, and live in that relationship. With that, you will avoid the acts and beliefs that rip out people’s souls.

---

Freddy Davis is the president of MarketFaith Ministries. He is the author of numerous books entitled The Truth Mirage, Rules for Christians Radicals, Liberalism vs. Conservatism, and his latest book Shattering the Truth Mirage and has a background as an international missionary, pastor, radio host, worldview trainer, and entrepreneur. Freddy is a graduate of Florida State University with a BS in Communication, and holds MDiv and DMin degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is a popular speaker, particularly on the topic of worldview and its practical implications for the Christian life. He lives in Tallahassee, FL, with his wife Deborah.

You may also contact Freddy at Leadership Speakers Bureau to schedule him for speaking or leadership engagements.

To set up an appointment to speak to a Literary Agent:
Email: Alfredo Baguio
Call: (702) 605-4354