Logos Productions Inc.
licensed to Westminster John Knox Press
(Now in its Eighth Printing)
About the Book
Through conflict is common in church life, not all types of conflict are normal—some are in fact abusive. Clergy Killers offers remedial strategies for pastors and congregations who want to prevent such abuse, support spiritual leaders more adequately, and build healthy congregations where conflict is not abusive.
Endorsements
The victims of this syndrome can read this book to discover what really happened to them—and how to keep it from happening again.”
—Lyle E. Schaller, Parish consultant
“Ministries have been destroyed by parishioners with personality disorders, mental illnesses, and mean streaks whom it is impossible to pacify with gentle kindness and rational negotiation. Congregations have also been decimated by clergy with similar problems. Rediger offers insightful analysis and practical suggestions to enable healthy survival of both ‘clergy killers’ and ‘killer clergy.’ Pastors and lay leaders do well to heed his wisdom.”
—Lowell O. Erdahl, Bishop Emeritus, Saint Paul Area Synod of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
“This book presents a practical approach to dealing with a painful reality that has always existed within the church, but now seems to be increasing. This is a wonderful addition to the field that tells it like it is.”
—Kenneth C. Haugk, Executive Director, Stephen Ministries
“In this important new book, G. Lloyd Rediger argues a novel and controversial thesis: that clergy killer congregations, energized by mentally ill or disordered people, or people of evil character and purpose, destroy their pastors. Active intervention and exorcism are required to stop such destruction. Though at times excessively broad in its judgments, this book is must reading for clergy, denominational executives, and seminary professors.”
—Clyde J. Steckel, Executive Editor of The Clergy Journal
Reviews
“The title of Lloyd Rediger’s book is shocking, but not as much as the behavior described inside its covers. Clergy killers are people who seek to destroy the credibility, reputation, and career of pastors. Certainly, many unhappy separations of pastor and people occur without clergy killers being involved. But Rediger’s clinical experience as a pastorial psychotherapist confirms what I have seen happen again and again to friends and acquaintances in the pastorate, especially in the last 20 years.... His knife sometimes cuts close to the bone. If we submit to his surgery now, however, we will be better prepared to deal with the problem of genuinely malicious attacks against pastors.”
—Everett L. Wilson, Christianity Today
“This book is highly recommend for clergy, for members of pastoral relations committees and for denominational executives.”
—Kenneth Wray Conners, National Christian Reporter
“This book is a survival manual for pastors, as well as a useful guide to congregations whose pastors come under attack by members or groups within the church. It is concerned with the welfare of both pastor and church.... This book is dedicated to ‘the thousands of clergy who have suffered anonymously and publicly without the support they deserved.’ But its aim is to provide insight and resource for a whole and healthy church.”
—David W. A. Taylor, Presbyterian Outlook
“Bottom line—this stuff should be taught in seminary ... before we get out in the trenches.”
—Rev. Debbie Scott, as quoted in the UM Connection
“With the title of this book, Rediger names a demon which afflicts most pastors at some time in their professional careers: The person who, consciously or unconsciously, makes it their goal to undermine and destroy the pastor’s ministry in that place.... Of the many books and articles written about conflict in the church, this is the first one actually to ‘name the demon’ and provide realistic spiritual counsel about how to approach this very serious problem.”
—Don Nevile, Consensus
“A much-needed book that shouldn’t have to be written. However, it provides a great primer for the typical established church, ruled by a handful of people who have a headlock on the rest of the congregation. This book is for clergy or church leaders dealing with serious conflict in their churches.”
—Net Results
“I give Clergy Killers an ‘A’ for alerting us to an evil of long standing in all churches.”
—Rev. George M. Thompson, Congregationalist NACCC
Table of Contents
Introduction
1 Clergy Killers
The Nature of the Problem
Who Are the Clergy Killers?
A Growing Phenomenon
Collateral Damage
2 Clergy Killer Context
Societal Context
Changing Clergy Roles
Institutional Context
3 Collateral Damage
Case Study: “Abuse of Clergy Spouse and Children”
Pastoral Role
Learned Patterns
Strategies
A Personal Strategy
4 Is Conflict in the Church Normal?
The Context
Types of Conflict
5 Types of Conflict
Normal Conflict
Abnormal Conflict
Spiritual Conflict
6 Normal Conflict
The Case: “Making Lemonade”
The Case: “Powerbroker”
7 Abnormal Conflict
The Case: “The Abused Abuser”
The Case: “Primal Fear in Action”
8 Spiritual Conflict
The Case: “The Generic Case”
The Case: “The Garbed Killer”
9 Killer Clergy
The Case: “Killer Pastor”
Managing the Killer Clergy Phenomenon
10 Why People Act Like They Do
Agendas for Human Behavior
Motivations that Drive Human Behavior
11 Managing the Clergy Killer Phenomenon
Survival Skills for Clergy
First Aid
Skills for Congregations
Skills for Denominations
12 Building Support Systems
Basic Principles
Understanding Personal Energy
The Ingredients of Support
The Pastor Needs a Pastor
Finding a Pastor
Peer Keeper Groups
Professional Organizations and Networks
Pseudosupport
13 Pastoral Fitness
Fitness as a Way of Life
Fitness for the Body
Fitness for the Mind
Fitness for the Spirit
Spiritual Disciplines for Spiritual Fitness
14 Healthy Congregations
Health is a Three-Letter Word
Other Characteristics of Health
Appendix
A Energy Management Inventory
B Supportive Relationship Inventory
Selected Bibliography
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