In this episode of the Church Disrupted podcast, Jeff Cochran and Author Laura McKnight Barringer discuss spiritual abuse and toxic church cultures. She shares the moment that woke her up to the reality of spiritual abuse. They also explore the concept of 'tov' (goodness) in the church, the features of narcissistic pastors, and the characteristics of toxic Christian workplaces.

They address the reasons people stay silent in the face of abuse, the response of churches to accusations against pastors, and the danger of internal investigations. All of these issues and more should massively concern us, but could the answer to them be as simple as creating TOV cultures? Join us for this conversation to find out the answer.

Connect with Laura here: https://www.laurabarringer.net/

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TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Introduction
07:10 Recognizing Spiritual Abuse
13:18 Understanding Tov and a Culture of Tov
16:25 Features of Narcissistic Pastors
24:45 Early Warning Signs of a Toxic Culture
28:15 Reasons for Silence and Fear of Speaking Out
34:45 Responses to Accusations Against Pastors
39:37 Internal Investigations and Lack of Independence
40:23 The Need for External Investigation
41:30 The Role of Retainers in Perpetuating Abuse
43:29 The Unawareness of Spiritual Abusers
44:59 The Result of Abuse Regardless of Intent
48:37 The Sanitization of Truth in Church Systems
49:04 Forming a Truth-Telling Culture
53:57 The Attraction of Narcissistic Leaders to the Modern Church
58:56 The Lack of Accountability in Church Systems
01:02:48 Transforming Church Culture through Power
01:03:06 Creating Pockets of Tove
01:09:29 Advice for Senior Leaders in Creating a Tove Culture
01:14:34 Advice for General Church Staff in Creating Pockets of Tove
01:16:24 Advice for Parishioners in Creating a Healthy Church
01:18:10 Advice for Victims of Spiritual Abuse in Healing and Creating Safe Spaces