Christian Authors and Ministries in Our Hall of Blind Guides

I am not making any personal aspersions or accusations against the character of any person or organization listed here. This list simply represents well-known organizations, theologians, pastors, counselors and others who are, in my opinion, not safe resources for abuse victims.

Two people I need to caution my readers about, although they are not as bad as the others listed below.

Leslie Vernick, author and counselor

Some victims of domestic abuse find Leslie Vernick’s work helpful; others find it confusing and even dangerous. This post explains why.

Chris Moles, author, counselor & pastor. PeaceWorks.

See my Chris Moles Digest for my praises and my concerns about his teaching.

The list below is in alphabetical order by Author or Ministry

Barbara Mouser, author

She and her husband are the directors of the International Council for Gender Studies (ICGS). She is the author of Five Aspects of Woman (A Biblical Theology of Femininity).

Biblical counseling organizations – caution needed

The biblical counseling movement was started by Jay Adams and called NANC – National Association of Nouthetic Counselors. NANC changed its name to ACBC – Association of Certified Biblical Counselors The movement has other offshoots including IBCD – Institute for Biblical Counseling and Discipleship, and CCEF – Christian Counseling and Education Foundation.

While you may come across a counselor trained by the one of these associations and that counselor understands abuse, we have heard many reports of counselors trained under these systems doing more harm than good to victims of domestic abuse. See the following tags: Nouthetic Counseling  Biblical Counseling  CCEF.

Biblical Gender Roles

The website called Biblical Gender Roles is very dangerous. It has a page that says God wants people to stay in abusive marriages. And it endorses “domestic discipline” which is a euphemism for sado-masochism where the husband beats his wife under the guise of him supposedly disciplining her for not adhering to her prescribed gender role.

Bob Jones University

BJU has a long history of hard patriarchy, misogyny, and biblical counseling that does not understand trauma and therefore misjudges and mistreats victims of abuse.

Celebrate Recovery

Many victims of domestic abuse have told me that their abusers attended Celebrate Recovery groups and it made absolutely no difference to the level of abuse the victim was subjected to. It is apparent that most people who lead Celebrate Recovery groups have very little or no understanding of domestic abuse, and in “helping” the addict recover from addiction they sometimes stroke the ego of the abuser. Going by the feedback I’ve heard from victims of domestic abuse, the people who lead Celebrate Recovery groups often end up being witting or unwitting allies in the abuser’s ongoing project of oppressing his victim.

Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation (CCEF)

While CCEF is teaching and writing about how to respond to domestic abuse, I suggest this organisation and the people who work there need to be approached with caution. I would have more confidence in CCEF if it publicly renounced and apologized for the things it has taught which have hurt victims of abuse and PTSD sufferers. See also Ed Welch who I list on lower down on this page. See also our CCEF tag.

Dan Allender

The Wounded Heart
See this comment by Barbara Roberts.
In case something happens to either Sam’s Wondering or the specific thread that Barb linked to in her comment, click here for an Internet Archive copy of the entire thread.

Barbara Roberts noted with concern that Dan Allender was presented as an “expert” in Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets [Internet Archive link].

David Clarke

David Clarke has written a book I Don’t Want a Divorce: a 90-Day Guide to Saving Your Marriage. Go here to read my concerns about his book.

David Hawkins

David Hawkins gives bad counsel for marriages where one spouse is narcissistic and emotionally abusive. My listing under James Dobson contains links with more information.

Day One Publications (in the U.K.)

Day One has published a “Help!” series in small booklet form. Titles include Help! Someone I Love Has Been Abused, and Help! I Can’t Forgive, and Help! I Can’t Submit to My Husband, and others. As with most such material there is some good in these, but they contain enough serious error that I have to place them on this list. The Editor is Dr. Paul Tautges, a NANC counselor and pastor. The booklet on submission to husbands, by Glenda Hotton, cites as references such notorious works as Nancy DeMoss’ Lies Women Believe, Elizabeth Rice Hanford’s Me? Obey Him? and John Piper.

Go here for more information on issues with Glenda Hotton’s booklet, Help! I Can’t Submit to My Husband.

 Douglas Philips

Once more, it is patriarchy among numerous other teachings which I believe to be unbiblical that places Philips and the former Vision Forum crowd on this list.

Douglas Wilson, pastor (Christ Church, Moscow, ID) and author

Wilson’s patriarchal views qualify him for the Hall. The association he belongs to is the Communion of Reformed Evangelicals (CREC).

Ed Welch

Ed Welch Has Abuse All Wrong, and so does the Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC)  Ed Welch is one of the leaders at CCEF.

Elizabeth Rice Handford

Read Rebellion Against God, Avid Reader’s one-star Amazon review of Elizabeth Rice Handford’s book, Me? Obey Him?: The Obedient Wife and God’s Way of Happiness and Blessing in the Home.

Faith Trust Institute & Marie Fortune

Faith Trust Institute is known for having resources on domestic and sexual abuse, but it has liberal theology. The founder of the Institute, Marie Fortune, is an openly practicing lesbian (see links below).

Faith Trust Institute: The Wedding Season…for Some

United Church Actions on Lesbian and Gay Rights

Family Life’s Men Stepping Up (mensteppingup.com)

This program is on the list because it includes presentations by Voddie Baucham and Mark Driscoll.

Family Talk

See James Dobson, below.

Focus on the Family

While Focus on the Family has made some good statements about abuse of late, I still do not believe that they are ready to be given confidence. See my Focus on the Family tag.

Gary Chapman, author and counselor

Gary Chapman pushes the power of positive thinking, stresses marital reconciliation, and doesn’t endorse divorce for abuse.
How an abusive husband used Chapman’s Five Love Languages model to oppress his wife.
Desperate Marriages by Gary Chapman reviewed here.
Hope for the Separated by Gary Chapman reviewed here.

Gary Thomas, pastor and author

In my opinion, Gary Thomas is unteachable. He has a long history of playing both sides. He does just enough advocacy against abuse to entice naive victims into admiring him. But he patronises or censors victims and advocates who offer him constructive criticism. I assembled and documented evidence of Gary doing this in 2017, after he wrote his article titled Enough Is Enough in which he was portraying himself as deploring domestic abuse. To see the evidence of Gary patronising and censoring those who were trying to educate him, click here and read through the comments.

Glenda Hotton

Glenda Hotton booklet Help! I Can’t Submit to My Husband is dangerous.

Heath Lambert, Executive Director of ACBC

Lambert’s teachings are dangerous for abuse victims. If God put you together you’re not allowed to separate – says Dr. Heath Lambert exposes his twisted theology.

James Dobson

A “Gauntlet Down” Challenge to James Dobson, Focus on the Family, and Other Christian Ministries of Fame explains some concerns about James Dobson.

Is Dr. James Dobson’s Advice to Abuse Victims Dangerous? — by Danni Moss.

Dobson has not changed. In a February 18, 2019 broadcast titled When Loving Him is Hurting You, he concurred with bad advice for marriages where one spouse is narcissistic and emotionally abusive. This links to the broadcast, and this links to a transcript of the broadcast. This broadcast was with James Dobson, Tim Clinton, and David Hawkins.

Jason Meyer, pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church (BBC)

Meyer is senior pastor at BBC (John Piper’s former church). In spite of having been trained about domestic abuse by Chris Moles and the church having a statement about domestic abuse, it is clear that Meyer and the leadership at BBC do not understand domestic abuse and do not have the needs and safety of victims as a priority. Here are some ACFJ posts that explain:

Jason Meyer doesn’t understand domestic abuse very well

When Ps Jason Meyer mutualized the blame in domestic abuse

My Defense Against the Public Attack by Bethlehem Baptist Church — a reblog from Natalie

Jay Adams, author, “father” of nouthetic counseling

While Adams’ position on divorce for abuse may be better than others, we cannot recommend him or nouthetic counseling for abuse victims. See our Nouthetic Counseling tag.

Jeff Crippen, Christ Reformation Church, Tillamook (Oregon)

To learn why Ps Jeff Crippen and his ministry are on this list, read Tillamook Speaks, and Tillamook Testimony Concerning Jeff Crippen. Also go to Sister’s blog and download the PDF Jeff Crippen is Unsafe — by Sister, Sept 2019. (Or you can click here or here [Internet Archive link] for the PDF.)

Jenny Bolt Price, iwokeupyesterday.com

A pastor’s wife and life coach in south Florida, Price’s blog contains articles that would lead an abuse victim down a very wrong path.

Jim Newheiser,  Director of  ICBC – the Institute for Biblical Counseling and Discipleship 

Pastor and professor at Reformed Theological Seminary, Newheiser rehashes the same old enslaving party lines about marriage and abuse.  Our post, Another abuser-enabling, victim-enslaving book: Jim Newheiser’s “Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage” exposes his dangerous, unbiblical teachings.

At Ps Jeff Crippen’s blog, Light for Dark Times, he also exposes Jim and Carolyn Newheiser in his post ‘Biblical Counserlors’ Such as the Newheisers Would Tell Phinheas that he Had Sinned [Internet Archive link].

John MacArthur, Jr., pastor, author

MacArthur has consistently denied that abuse is grounds for divorce. He has also spiritually abused women who are victims of domestic abuse. He exommunicated a woman for not reconciling with her unrepentantly abusive husband. See our John MacArthur tag.

John Piper, author, founder of Desiring God, and retired pastor

Piper teaches the permanence view of marriage which allows no divorce while the other partner is still living. He says all divorce is sin and irrespective of why the divorce took place, a divorced person must ask God’s forgiveness for being divorced. He also has an unorthodox doctrine of salvation.

Critiques of John Piper’s unsound teaching:
How John Piper’s theology allows domestic violence
What is the purpose of marriage? Is it to display Christ’s love for the church?
Literary flourishes and Christian Hedonism: the pretty ribbon round John Piper’s pietistic asceticism
John Piper’s Erroneous Teaching on the Unpardonable Sin
Utter nonsense from Desiring God, designed to isolate women
Laura Shola’s critical review of John Piper’s book This Momentary Marriage. After the link opens at the Internet Archive, click the Reviews tab.
“John Piper is Living in a Parallel Universe” — Ruth Tucker
Similarities between the Word of Faith Movement and Christian Hedonism
The compulsory pursuit of joy in Christian Hedonism = compounded mind control for victims of abuse
John Piper: Love your neighbour as yourself
John Piper’s Divorce Doctrine: Opinion Turned Into God’s Law
Shocking Revelation Concerning John Piper’s Theology
John Piper’s “Clarifying Words on Wife Abuse” – are they helpful?
A open letter to John Piper about his view on divorce

Jon Uhler, Survivor Support, and Church Protect

Why I do not recommend Jon Uhler as an advocate or a mental health professional

June Hunt

Why June Hunt’s booklet “Verbal and Emotional Abuse” is bad.

Justin Holcomb, pastor and author and his wife Lindsey Holcomb

Justin and Lindsey Holcomb’s book Is It My Fault? — Hope and Healing for Those Suffering Domestic Abuse has some good points, but I have several concerns about the book:

Divorce, language use, suffering and substitution, in Is It My Fault?

The concept of Grace in Is It My Fault?

More confusing messages in Is It My Fault?

Lou Priolo, founder and president of Competent to Counsel

Testimony by one of our readers who wishes to remain anonymous:
“Priolo acted appalled that I didn’t want to be married anymore even before getting any details. He said something like: ‘Why would you expect that your kids won’t be bitter at you if you are bitter at your husband? You need to apologize to your kids for your marriage.’  His tone was very rude, so I never contacted him again.”

Mark Driscoll, former pastor of Mars Hill, Seattle, Washington

Driscoll’s bullying style in addition to his teaching content earns him a definite place on this page.

Martha Peace, author

Author of The Excellent Wife (and several other books) Martha’s teachings keep abuse victims in bondage.

Amazon review by Avid Reader that exposes Martha’s twisting of scripture.

Is Martha Peace a strong advocate for women who are being abused?

Michael and Debi Pearl, authors

Debi Pearl’s book Created to be his Help Meet has done immense harm to many victims of domestic abuse — see this review of the book. The Pearls’ hyper-patriarchy wins them a place on our list.

Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth, Revive Our Hearts women’s ministry

Nancy is quite uninformed as to the nature and tactics of abuse. The advice she provides to abuse victims has frequently been very deficient.

Nancy Leigh DeMoss Says Women Victims Must Reverence Their Abuser

Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth is so undiscerning she can’t recognize pagan witchcraft & heretical teachers.

Bad News for Victims from Nancy Leigh DeMoss and Holly Elliff.

Neil Anderson & Freedom In Christ Ministries

Neil Anderson speaks of “soul ties” and various concepts popular in the church that don’t appear to have scriptural underpinning. While there is no doubt in the minds of many abuse survivors that satanic oppression and influence occurs in abusers, some of the cure Anderson proposes isn’t scriptural, rather, it is popular inner-healing methods that produce much trauma in some of those that get taken in by it. I am cautious about any teaching which emphasizes the demonic and supernatural but fails to address the ordinary everyday non-supernatural tactics that are the bread and butter of abusers’ behaviour. The abuser typically chooses and selects, in his own flesh, the tactics of abuse and coercive control he uses against his target. Any teacher on demonization who does not understand the mindset of entitlement which abusers cultivate, will not be equipped to provide balanced and wise help to domestic abusers or their targets.

Neil Anderson’s “The Bondage Breaker” is not good for victims of domestic abuse

A Naive Statement by Neil Anderson

Paul Washer

See Abuse and Scripture: Paul Washer and the Doctrine of the Sufficiency of Scripture — and make sure you read the comments thread too.

Peacemakers Ministries

Started by Ken Sande in 1982, this organization’s materials and philosophy do not adequately consider the abuse scenario. (They have stated in writing that they have no policy on domestic abuse.) As a result, victims can be harmed and abusers enabled by this approach. Sande’s well-known book The Peacemaker, is in my opinion biblically inaccurate, particularly in its treatment of the subject of forgiveness and reconciliation. See our Peacemakers tag.

 Pure Life Ministries

Founded by Steve and Kathy Gallagher, this so-called ministry deals with sexual addiction.  While their program may claim to have some success stories, they show a lack of biblical understanding (i.e. teaching that God Hates Divorce) and victim blaming and minimization.  See a reader’s comment here.

Stephen Gola & Divorcehope.com

Read this post to understand why I do not recommend Stephen Gola’s book Divorce: Gods’ Will? 

2equal1 International (combined ministries of Nova Shalom, Marriage Ministries International and University of the Family)

U.S. Directors: Mike and Marilyn Philipps;  Australia Directors: Ian and Jan Watts

This ministry is based on the unbiblical concept that a covenant is forever binding and God expects couples who take a vow to keep that vow “even to (one’s) own hurt.” They say a divorced person can’t remarry because God is holding you to your vow. This concept is damaging and harmful to abuse victims.

Note:  There are other ministries that follow the 2equal1 materials though they may have different names. One such example is the: standforyourmarriage.org website. For more info, check out my Marriage Ministries tag.

Tim Clinton

Tim Clinton gives bad counsel for marriages where one spouse is narcissistic and emotionally abusive. For more info see the entry for James Dobson, above.

Voddie Baucham, pastor and author

Like John Piper, Baucham is a permanence view teacher (no divorce ever). See my Voddie Baucham tag.

Walter Callison

Walter Callison’s book Divorce: A Gift of God’s Love (2002) claims that word meanings are the key to untangling the knotty passages about divorce. Click here to read why this idea is not true.

Walter Fremont (a professor at BJU, Bob Jones University)

An ACFJ follower says:
“Fremont’s book Formula for Family Unity might be a good book for normal, Christian marriages, but not for where there’s abuse in marriage. That’s a book my husband ‘clobbered’ me with. He used that one, and the Bible, before I understood how the Bible verses get twisted. I was brought up in a Christian church in the 60’s and 70’ so I needed help with untwisting things.”