As one who has been beating on this drum for some time regarding the churches propensity to cover up abuses of ALL kinds for the sake of anything (let’s be honest and call it what it is the love of the almighty mammon) BUT their perverse brand of the so called “gospel”, Rachael Denhollander’s words on this serious ongoing story are absolutely and hauntingly true.

Powerful article and interview.

Excerpts-

Christianity Today
“In your impact statement, you mention that it took you a long time to reveal your own abuse with other people. Was church included in that?”

Rachael Denhollander
“Yes. Church is one of the least safe places to acknowledge abuse because the way it is counseled is, more often than not, damaging to the victim. There is an abhorrent lack of knowledge for the damage and devastation that sexual assault brings. It is with deep regret that I say the church is one of the worst places to go for help. That’s a hard thing to say, because I am a very conservative evangelical, but that is the truth. There are very, very few who have ever found true help in the church.”

“…The ultimate reality that I live with is that if my abuser had been Nathaniel Morales instead of Larry Nassar, if my enabler had been [an SGM pastor] instead of [MSU gymnastics coach] Kathie Klages, if the organization I was speaking out against was Sovereign Grace under the leadership of [Mahaney] instead of MSU under the leadership of Lou Anna Simon, I would not only not have evangelical support, I would be actively vilified and lied about by every single evangelical leader out there. The only reason I am able to have the support of these leaders now is because I am speaking out against an organization not within their community. Had I been so unfortunate so as to have been victimized by someone in their community, someone in the Sovereign Grace network, I would not only not have their support, I would be massively shunned. That’s the reality.”
End quote.

She is absolutely correct in ALL her assertions. Her use of the term “abhorrent” might even be considered a significant understatement.

As I’ve often stated many of today’s churches (primarily its compromised paid “leadership” and their cronies) can actually be a place to inevitably end up either in a hyper state of addictive religious inoculated bliss OR a state of dystopian cognitive dissonance resulting in mental health challenges and a confusing or more accurately counterfeit brand of (light, freedom) “peace” that truly does “pass (defy) understanding” as they love to quote “from the scriptures” .

Rachael Denhollander’s story is further ongoing evidence that “belonging” in these “family” and mob environments can be as deep and fickle as your coveted one dollar bill (however they would prefer you “sacrifice” with larger bills) the moment you dare to ask questions or stand against abuse or withdraw your ” ‘covenant’ loyal $upport”. From that point onward once they’ve checked your “giving” history and run their version of a cost benefit analysis on you between the money they will lose vs the issue to be addressed in their minds (this absolutely happens) then the “good feeling’s gone” (to quote Dory, correction Marlin) and you no longer belong to the so called “family” collective. Much like Rachael describes, lest the truth (“gossip” as they prefer to call it) of abuse spread and their “calling” comes into question or to an abrupt end like so many have and should. Those mental health critical moments, as difficult as they end up being, are often the best thing that could happen for one’s spiritual journey into knowing the real Christ of the Bible.

It truly is a beautiful testimony to know of growing numbers of disruptors who have His spirit walking and working in their lives independent of the many whitewashed institutions and their hirelings who are more consumed with managing their precious coffers. Initially lonely disruptors boldly telling their stories of survival while so many pine and posture for positions “playing church” doing the “obedient” living and bidding of their pedestalic “teachers”.

As SGM now SGC attempts to engage in “conversation” anything that comes out of “Sovereign Grace Churches” and many like them as long as their lips are moving is mere piles of bulls**t after years of proven coverups and smear campaigns against victims not to mention the attempt to force in house “biblical restoration” between victims and perpetrators placing the primary pressure and responsibility in achieving that on the victim even requiring victims to seek forgiveness from their assailants. Truly f***ed up beyond any recognition, all while “Loving Jesus, Loving His church, Making Him known, and Making Disciples”.

As many know, that was the reason disruptors created the much hated (by those paid to mediate “truth” at a price) SGMsurvivors.com to uncover the bulls**t. Despite all the claims of being merely a vengeful gossip site many churches proceeded to conveniently disassociate themselves from their former Mecca (as we “affectionately” called them) overlords including our once local Langley affiliated Church and its now widely dispersed former “leadership” toxic “Bro” culture. Nonsense through and through.

As truth may have it “Sometimes it’s better to go against the crowd and feel alone, than to agree and have a false sense of belonging.”- Steven Aitchison