Am I "bitter" towards my old denomination? No. - Divorce Minister
Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.
-Hebrews 12:15b, NLT
When I went through my divorce from a cheater, my (now) former denomination required me to undergo an ecclesiastical trial (now altered in process) to retain my ministerial credentials. I succeeded in retaining my credentials as the board of ministers agreed that my (now) ex-wife committed adultery and divorce for that is acceptable grounds.
We parted ways when the denomination decided to tack on a year of “supervision” to “monitor” my healing.
Subsequently, I decided I needed to find a denomination home better suited to support me. Plus, it finally pushed me to find a denomination closer to my theological convictions.
No, I am grateful for what I learned through this painful experience.
This blog was launched in part from what I learned. Namely, I learned that seasoned pastors are dangerously naive about the dynamics of adultery. This means their congregations are left without equipped shepherds who can give them effective aid in critical times.
So, I created Divorce Minister: Taking Adultery Seriously.
If asked, I would be open to consulting with churches or the denomination on these issues in the future. In fact, I preached in a church from the denomination about these matters shortly after starting my blog.
God does not waste our painful experiences, and I know God continues to move in my former denomination. I wish them the best and hope someday that they will mature in this area as well.
