Surviving Spiritual Abuse, Jennifer LeClaire Offers Advice on Overcoming Church Hurt on Love and Life Radio
Fort Lauderdale, FL (PRWEB) January 30, 2014 -- From simple offenses to deep spiritual abuse, “church hurt” is an epidemic in the Body of Christ. With news headlines suggesting a generation is leaving the church even while older believers are church hopping in the wake of wounds, prophetic author Jennifer LeClaire joined Stephanie D. McKenzie, also known as Coach Steph, to discuss how to handle church hurt.
“I understand church hurt because I was deeply hurt—actually spiritually abused—in a church early in my walk with the Lord,” says LeClaire, who serves as news editor at Charisma magazine. “Even simple offenses can send people running from the pews and out the back door, so it’s important that we understand a healthy way to deal with church hurt.”
LeClaire and Coach Steph discussed the topic on Love and Life Radio, a weekly radio show that airs on Sundays at 5 p.m. ET on KKHT 100.7 FM. Coach Steph, a certified relationship/life/bereavement coach, college educator and author, hosts the broadcast. The show features a variety of topics that affect love and life.
“We’re all super busy these days and most people want more from pastors or even brothers and sisters in Christ than they can possibly offer,” says LeClaire, author of Breakthrough: Develop the 7 Habits of Highly Effective Christians. “We need to walk in love to the best of our ability, be sensitive to the Holy Spirit, and if we sense that there has been an offense we should be proactive about reaching out to correct it.”
LeClaire acknowledges that some people look at the world through a lens of hurt and are, therefore, easily hurt—and often hurt others. Hurting people hurt people and are easily hurt.
“We always need to check our hearts. Is the person really being hurtful or are we looking at it through filters of past hurts or rejection or anger that cloud the truth? Ask the Lord,” says LeClaire, who serves as director of the International House of Prayer Fort Lauderdale Missions Base. “It could be that the Lord is working something out in us. Maybe we’re too sensitive.”
The bottom line, says LeClaire, is that church hurt is real and most of the time when folks are hurt in church there is a legitimate reason. Click here to listen to the radio broadcast on Love and Life Radio. For more on this topic, check out LeClaire’s article: Overcoming Hurt Feelings God’s Way.
“It was a privilege to have someone with Jennifer's level of spiritual wisdom on Love and Life Radio to address this rarely discussed topic,” says McKenzie. “My hope is that people will hear this show and begin a much needed healing process.”
About Jennifer LeClaire
Jennifer is the director for International House of Prayer-Fort Lauderdale Missions Base. Jennifer also serves as news editor at Charisma magazine. Her work also appeared in a Charisma House book entitled Understanding the Five-Fold Ministry which offers a biblical study to uncover the true purpose for the fivefold ministry and The Spiritual Warfare Bible, which is designed to help you use the Bible to access the power of the Holy Spirit against demonic strongholds and activity. Some of Jennifer’s work is also archived in the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Museum. Jennifer is a prolific author who has written several books, including The Heart of the Prophetic, A Prophet’s Heart, Fervent Faith, Did the Spirit of God Say That? 27 Keys to Judging Prophecy, Breakthrough!, Doubtless: Faith that Overcomes the World, and Developing Faith for the Working of Miracles. Materials have been translated into Spanish and Korean.
Jennifer LeClaire, Jennifer LeClaire Ministries, http://www.jenniferleclaire.org, +1 954-830-8455, [email protected]
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