Spiritual Child Abuse Within the Church.

"With relevance to the wicked exploitation of children in the 21st century, His warnings apply with great ferocity to all who abuse children in any way, spiritually or physically. They deserve drowning with a millstone round their necks! It is far better to seek the eradication of perverted tendencies than to sin and be damned! It is better to lose a sin-inducing limb or eye than to suffer uncorrected in hell (see vs. 8-9)." These words from Dr Alan C Clifford, minister, Norwich Reformed Church, come from a study he conducted on Mt.18:1-14.


While the physical abuse of Christ's 'little ones' is deplorable, Dr Clifford draws attention to an often forgotten or deliberately overlooked matter - the spiritual abuse of 'these little ones' not only within the church but by the church!  How is this done?  Well, when the church promotes the services of non-Christians in Sunday School teaching roles, she is guilty of the spiritual abuse of children.  When she tolerates the holding of the office of leadership within youth organisations by unconverted people, she is promoting child spiritual abuse.  When she accepts opening ungodly men into the eldership of the church, thus giving them spiritual oversight within every aspect of the congregation's life and work, she is promoting child spiritual abuse.  


This is now of epidemic proportions within many mainline denominations in Northern Ireland. The vast majority of mainline church members are not Christians (I know this is possibly a careless statement/judgement), yet they are actively involved in the training and teaching of children.  If they withhold the Gospel from them, and by default, they must do, then they are actively involved in child spiritual abuse of the most despicable kind.


Clifford says that those who do such things "deserve drowning with a millstone round their necks!" And He got that from the church's only King and Head, Jesus Christ!  These are the words of "gentle Jesus meek and mild."  This is the judgement of the Son of God on those who do such terrible things.  And this judgement spills over into the church's eldership who tolerate such perversions.


How does your church fair in this matter?  Are the children in your congregation being spiritually abused by the devil's servants who teach them?  Are those responsible for the training and teaching of the children genuine Christians who love Christ first and foremost?  Or is their first love the position they hold within the church as visible?  Are they in it for the honours that this position confers upon them?  If this is true, then an indescribable eternity awaits all child abusers in the church, unless they repent of their sins immediately.


Spiritual Child Abuse Within the Church must be STOPPED IMMEDIATELY.  Help stamp it out before another generation is destroyed by being under the teaching and influence of Satan's servants within the churches.  If you have concerns, go to your minister and raise these with him.  If you have evidence of foul-mouthed youth leaders, tell him.  Bring other witnesses along with you.  But you must act to stamp this evil out of the churches, for if you don't try, and children and young people go to hell as a result, then you will have to answer for your lack of love to Him - and to them!