Suffer The Little Children: Understanding and Overcoming Spiritual Abuse

Do you leave church each week feeling humiliated or mistreated? Do members in leadership positions pressure you to do things that you know are not right or do they condemn you whenever you ask questions about how the church is being run? Does your pastor or church insist that you spend more time at church than with your family? Does your pastor become defensive or confrontational whenever he or she is asked about their spending habits with the church's finances? Do they refuse to provide a financial report or receipts for purchases made from the church's expense account? Do they insist that they are infallible and say "Touch Not My Anointed" when they are challenged by others? Does your pastor live a lavish lifestyle while most of the congregation lives in poverty? Does your pastor or spiritual leader engage in inappropriate relationships with you or members of your congregation?
Do the people in your church or group insist that you do unusual things like stay in church services for long hours?

All of these are signs that you may be a victim of spiritual abuse or that you may be a member of a Charismatic church cult. You might be a victim of spiritual abuse without even knowing it - almost every victim of this kind of abuse never realizes it until it is too late. Many cultic leaders like Jim Jones and David Koresh have led people to their deaths because their followers did not see the warning signs that these men were spiritual abusers.

The new book by W. William Hobson entitled "Suffer The Little Children: Understanding and Overcoming Spiritual Abuse", reveals how to recognize spiritual abuse and, most importantly, how to overcome it. The author is a former victim and a minister who has counseled its victims. He has found that this is a growing epidemic in both the Christian and non Christian communities. During his 20 years in ministry, he has seen firsthand, just how damaging this kind of abuse by spiritual leaders can be. This book provides actual stories and accounts from men and women who have been through very disturbing experiences at the hands of abusive pastors. One young woman (who is referred to as “Lady J.” in the book) has been so traumatized by her former pastor that she never wanted to set foot in a church again. Another victim of the same pastor now experiences headaches and seizures due to the trauma that she and her children experienced. This book serves as a guide for knowing the signs of an abusive leader. Though most Christians (and other religious followers) don’t realize it, spiritual abuse is devastating and can lead to permanent psychological damage and even death.

This kind of abuse often comes in many forms including sexual, psychological (humiliation), and financial (pastors living lavishly at the followers’ expense). Millions all over the world are being taken advantage of by cultic church leaders. Are you an unknowing victim? "Suffer The Little Children: Understanding and Overcoming Spiritual Abuse" will show you the warning signs of an abusive church or leader. The book also addresses the lack of qualifications by these abusive leaders and the unorthodox and un-Scriptural methods that they use to deceive followers. It exposes the true purposes behind their disregard for their followers’ wellbeing. The author has spent numerous hours researching the subject and presents information from articles and books by the most noted and renowned psychologists on the subject. Read what experts have to say about cultic churches and abusive leaders. Resource sections and websites for more information on spiritual abuse and cultic churches are provided at the end of each chapter.

If you believe that you are being spiritually abused, you are not alone! Countless others are victims as well. You can be free from an abusive pastor or cultic church. This 300 plus page book will truly open your eyes to this spiritual epidemic.