Join us as we dive into the hidden world of spiritual abuse within church communities, uncovering shocking revelations and the urgent need for justice. What happens, though, when the very institutions meant to provide solace and support become complicit in perpetuating harm? Tune in to find out what happens next in part 2 with former Acts 29 worship leader, spiritual abuse survivor, and advocate Johnna Harris.
If you’re feeling frustrated and helpless because your efforts to stop abuse in your church or faith community are being ignored, then you are not alone! You may have already tried reporting the abuse to church leaders or authorities, only to see it swept under the rug or dismissed. Instead of seeing justice and accountability, you may be witnessing the perpetrators being protected and the victims being silenced. It’s time to come together and take action to demand change and ensure that everyone in your community is safe and treated with respect.
My special guest is Johnna Harris
Johnna Harris, a dedicated advocate and co-host of the Bodies behind the Bus podcast, brings a wealth of experience and empathy to the conversation around spiritual abuse in church and faith communities. Her unwavering commitment to amplifying the voices of survivors and promoting awareness is truly commendable. With a unique blend of personal insight and professional dedication, Johnna’s work is making a real impact in the lives of many. Her passion for fostering healing and understanding shines through in her thoughtful approach to advocacy, making her a valuable voice in the ongoing dialogue about supporting survivors and creating positive change within faith spaces.
We have to be willing to say no person is perfect, and no person is above questioning. And our church leaders, our pastors, these ministry organizations, all of them, we have a rubric for what their integrity and character should look like. That has been thrown into survivor faces over and over and over again in the SBC. It’s thrown into women’s faces. You cannot be here. You cannot be leading if you are a woman, because it needs to be a man. Here’s what it says in the Bible. Yet we’re not holding them to those standards. All I’m asking people is to actually be consistent and hold our leaders, hold our churches to the standards that we were told matter to them, that we were told matter to God. – Johnna Harris
In this episode, you will be able to:
- Understand how to address Southern Baptist Convention sexual abuse.
- Discover survivor stories and advocacy for change.
- Embrace the importance of justice and accountability in faith communities.
- Take action against spiritual abuse within your church.
- Join a Patreon community for difference-makers in promoting justice.
Hear survivor stories
Listening to survivors’ narratives is a powerful way of understanding the gravity and reality of spiritual abuse in faith communities. Each story offers a firsthand perspective that illuminates the complexity and nuance of this issue. It is through these narratives that we can become better allies, advocates, and agents of change within our communities.
The resources mentioned in this episode are:
- Join the Defund the SBC movement by designating your donations to specific areas in your church and asking for transparency on where the money goes, especially in relation to legal fees and image management efforts.
- Send letters, emails, and make phone calls to church leaders and denomination policymakers to advocate for justice and transparency in handling abuse cases.
- Follow abuse survivors in the SBC on social media and read their stories to understand the impact and importance of seeking justice for survivors.
- Consider making a New Year’s resolution to actively do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God in your circle of influence, taking tangible steps to make a difference.
- Join the Difference Maker community on Patreon to access exclusive episodes and engage in deeper conversations about advocacy and making a difference in various spaces at www.patreon.com/aworldofdifference.
- Key Takeaways:
- Understand the impact of Southern Baptist Convention sexual abuse on individuals and communities.
- Hear survivor stories and learn about their advocacy efforts for change.
- Recognize the importance of justice and accountability within faith communities.
- Take actionable steps to combat spiritual abuse in church settings.
- Join a Patreon community for difference-makers in promoting justice and accountability in faith communities.
The key moments in this episode are:
00:00:00 – Introduction to Johnna Harris’s advocacy work
00:04:02 – Trigger warning and self-care
00:08:47 – Impact of spiritual abuse on women’s voices
00:11:45 – Healing journey and self-care
00:13:10 – Connection between Acts 29 and the SBC
00:15:16 – Sexual Abuse Scandals in the SBC
00:16:01 – Corruption Within the SBC
00:17:48 – Samantha Killary’s Lawsuit
00:21:49 – Transparency with Cooperative Program Funds
00:30:42 – Hope for Change
00:33:33 – SBC’s involvement in thwarting justice
00:35:23 – The role of good people in complicity
00:37:40 – Holding church leaders accountable
00:41:18 – Making wrongs right
00:43:38 – Taking action for justice
00:49:17 – The Power of Stories and Advocacy
00:49:42 – New Year’s Resolution for Justice
00:50:22 – Invitation to Do Justice
00:51:05 – Join the Patreon Community
00:52:40 – Reflecting on the Year and Making a Difference
Timestamped summary of this episode:
00:00:00 – Introduction to Johnna Harris’s advocacy work
Johnna Harris discusses her advocacy work on behalf of Southern Baptist Convention and the Acts 29 network survivors, focusing on survivors of spiritual abuse themselves.
00:04:02 – Trigger warning and self-care
The host provides a trigger warning for the discussion on abuse and emphasizes the importance of self-care for those who have experienced religious trauma.
00:08:47 – Impact of spiritual abuse on women’s voices
Johnna and Lori discuss the silencing of women’s voices in some religious spaces, sharing their own experiences and the challenges they faced as women in leadership roles.
00:11:45 – Healing journey and self-care
Johnna shares her healing journey, including therapy and avoiding retraumatization in religious settings, highlighting the importance of self-care for survivors of spiritual abuse.
00:13:10 – Connection between Acts 29 and the SBC
The discussion delves into the connection between the Acts 29 network and the Southern Baptist Convention, shedding light on the lack of robust accountability structures within the SBC and its impact on survivors of spiritual abuse.
00:15:16 – Sexual Abuse Scandals in the SBC
Discussion on the handling of sexual abuse within the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) and the numerous lawsuits and scandals related to survivors coming forward.
00:16:01 – Corruption Within the SBC
The Guidepost report findings of corruption within the SBC in handling and reporting sexual abuse cases, with mention of multiple lawsuits in Kentucky.
00:17:48 – Samantha Killary’s Lawsuit
Details about Samantha Killary’s lawsuit, the entities involved, and the implication of the SBC’s intervention potentially affecting other abuse survivors in Kentucky.
00:21:49 – Impact of Cooperative Program Funds
Highlighting the use of Cooperative Program funds for legal actions and the potential negative impact on abuse survivors if the Supreme Court in KY rules in favor of the SBC’s stance.
00:30:42 – Hope for Change
Discussion on the challenges of bringing about accountability and change within the SBC and other western evangelical entities, expressing a desire for positive growth within churches.
00:33:33 – SBC’s involvement in thwarting justice
Johnna discusses the potential impact of the Southern Baptist Convention’s (SBC) amicus brief on the statute of limitations for second-party perpetrators. She highlights the potential consequences for survivors seeking justice and the disturbing reality of justice being thwarted by powerful entities.
00:35:23 – The role of good people in complicity
Johnna emphasizes the complicity of good people in allowing injustice to persist. She urges listeners to educate themselves and take action to hold leaders and organizations accountable for their actions, particularly in cases of abuse and cover-ups.
00:37:40 – Holding church leaders accountable
The conversation delves into the need for consistency in holding church leaders accountable to the standards they espouse. Johnna urges people to consider where their tithes and donations are directed, emphasizing the importance of transparency and responsible stewardship of financial contributions.
00:41:18 – Making wrongs right
The discussion emphasizes the importance of making wrongs right and pursuing justice, rather than succumbing to “himpathy.” It calls for a collective effort to address spiritual abuse and hold leaders accountable for their actions, advocating for defunding the SBC as a potentially necessary course of action.
00:43:38 – Taking action for justice
Johnna encourages listeners to take action in various ways, including defunding the SBC legal efforts by designating offerings, seeking transparency in financial contributions, and advocating for abuse survivors. The conversation underscores the need for accountability and highlights the role of individuals
00:49:17 – The Power of Stories and Advocacy
Lori and Johnna emphasize the importance of hearing abuse survivors’ stories in the SBC to understand the significance of advocating for justice. They encourage listeners to actively engage in advocacy efforts and share their ideas in a Patreon episode at www.patreon.com/aworldofdifference.
00:49:42 – New Year’s Resolution for Justice
Lori encourages listeners to make New Year’s resolutions focused on doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God. She emphasizes the importance of actively participating in advocacy efforts within their circle of influence.
00:50:22 – Invitation to Do Justice
Lori invites followers of God to consider how they can do justice within their denominational and church homes. She encourages listeners to join their Patreon community for deeper discussions on advocacy and making a difference.
00:51:05 – Join the Patreon Community
Lori invites listeners to join their Patreon community, where they can access exclusive episodes and engage in conversations about making a difference in their respective spaces. She welcomes individuals from diverse religious backgrounds to share their perspectives.
00:52:40 – Reflecting on the Year and Making a Difference
Lori encourages listeners to reflect on the past year and consider what they want to stop, start, or continue doing. She invites them to connect with her on social media to share their reflections and discuss their plans for making a difference.
- https://www.instagram.com/aworldof.difference/
- https://www.facebook.com/A-World-of-Difference-613933132591673/
- https://www.twitter.com/@awodpod
- https://www.youtube.com/@aworldofdifference
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/aworldofdifference/
- https://www.aworldofdifferencepodcast.com
- https://www.patreon.com/aworldofdifference
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