In “How Willow Creek exposed our sins,” Kyle Strobel and Jamin Goggin suggest the mess at Willow Creek Church is a symptom of a much bigger problem in American evangelicalism.
Strobel diagnoses the problem Willow Creek exposes as:
The fundamental ailment of the evangelical church today is toxic power. Toxic power is anchored in prideful autonomy and manifested in forms of competition, coercion, domination and abuse.
I totally agree.
This toxic power comes into play often in infidelity situations as well. Pastors and other Christian leaders believe they are the ones who get to decide the fate of an adultery ravaged marriage.
Instead of releasing healing and trusting Holy Spirit to guide a faithful spouse, too many pastors use their power to tell the faithful spouse whether or not–usually not–they can seek a divorce from their unrepentant cheater.
They play the “expert” telling the faithful spouse to “forgive” and stop being “angry” as that is “sinful.” This is toxic power at work.
A pastor or leader not operating in toxic power is a humble leader. He or she offers support with an open hand and respects the healing, grieving process of each individual as unique.
This pastor trust Holy Spirit to convict and guide when appropriate.
Control and spiritual manipulation are conspicuously absent from the leadership of such a pastor.
Yes, toxic power was a hallmark of the Willow Creek situation. And it sadly is all too familiar for faithful spouses interacting with many church leaders following adultery discovery.
