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About the Episode
In this episode of the Hope + Help Podcast, host Christine Chappell interviews Tim St. John about his book, After Church Hurt: Healing in the Care of the Good Shepherd. During the conversation, Tim discusses the complex issue of church hurt, how to identify it, and how helpers can compassionately support those affected. He shares practical insights from his book and biblical perspectives to guide counselors and discipleship leaders.
Key Topics:
- Definition of church hurt and its biblical basis
- Identifying signs of church hurt in counseling sessions
- The importance of slow, compassionate listening before problem-solving
- Common mistakes helpers make when addressing church hurt
- Practical tools for triaging and understanding suffering
- The role of Christ as the ultimate shepherd in healing
- Anger After Church Hurt (Blog by Tim St. John)
- Abuse Behavior Inventory
- Hope + Help for Church Hurt with Megan Hill
About the Guest
Tim St. John MDiv, ThM, serves as the counseling pastor at Lighthouse Community Church in Torrance, CA. His passion is to see the grace of gospel-centered counseling grow and thrive in local churches. Tim also serves on the council board for the Biblical Counseling Coalition, the editorial board for the SOLA network, and is a frequent speaker at conferences and retreats. He is the author of After Church Hurt and the minibook Uncovering Domestic Abuse. Connect with Tim at timstjohn.com.
About the Book
The local church is meant to function as a healing and helping community that cares for God’s people. But what if, instead of grace and care, someone experienced harm and hurt? When the church becomes a place of abuse and silence, the pain leaves people spiritually disoriented and alone. These individuals may wonder if they will ever feel safe around God’s people again. Instead of running to God and his people, they run as far away as possible.
Tim St. John defines church hurt as any unrepentant sin that is minimized, normalized, or promoted by a church culture and its leadership. In After Church Hurt, he invites sufferers into the gentle care of their Good Shepherd, offering hope, clarity, and guidance for healing in his grace. Through real-life stories, biblical insights, and practical tools, this book provides a path to understanding church hurt, embracing grace, and courageously moving toward a healthy community.
Related Free Audio Resources from IBCD
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- Counseling Church Hurt (Tim St. John)
- Three Ways to Help Someone Hurt by Their Previous Church (Tim St. John)
- Building a Counseling Culture in the Church (Tim St. John)
- The Necessity of the Church in Counseling (Jim Newheiser)
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