Did you know there are individuals in our churches who seek to destroy pastors?
There is a term for such people: “clergy killers.”
I first heard the phrase used by Dr. Lloyd Rediger in an article promoting his book Clergy Killers which was published in the late 1990s.
The late Dr. Rediger was an ordained Presbyterian minister, a pastoral counselor, a church consultant, and the author of books on clergy burnout and toxic congregations, among others.
In 2011, when I learned that Dr. Rediger lived in the Southwest, I contacted him about the possibility of meeting someday. However, he told me he couldn’t meet because he was busy working on a film about the clergy killer phenomenon.
The film has now been released, and it’s called Betrayed: The Clergy Killer’s DNA.
My wife and I recently viewed the 90-minute film in its entirety … hitting the pause button along the way to discuss what we had just heard. (I can be annoying that way.)
The film features unscripted interviews with pastors, psychiatrists, and Christian leaders who seek to expose what they say has been “the best kept secret in the Church.”
And these leaders hail from evangelical, mainline, and Roman Catholic congregations.
Those who are interviewed discuss the motivations of those who attack clergy … our need to label this kind of behavior as “evil” … the viciousness of the attacks … the role of Satan and spiritual warfare … and the heavy cost that clergy killers exact on pastors, their families, and congregations.
In fact, clergy killers consider themselves to be on a mission: to destroy a pastor at all costs … regardless of how much the CK hurts others.
The film not only exposes people who attempt to harm their pastors, but also indicts churchgoers who allow this “emotional terrorism” to happen without doing anything.
I encourage you to order this film and watch it with other believers. It’s one of the best things you can do to keep your church healthy … and to protect your pastor from unwarranted attacks.
In fact, if you’re in a small group, I encourage you to show the film sometime and discuss it afterwards.
You can order the film from the following website (and they’ll send it right out):
http://www.betrayedthemovie.com
It’s one of the best moves you can make to protect your pastor … and your church … from clergy killers.
Check out our website at www.restoringkingdombuilders.org You’ll find Jim’s story, recommended resources on conflict, and a forum where you can ask questions about conflict situations in your church.
Restoring Kingdom Builders 