"Climbing the Mountain" mode

Shabbat shalom!

I would appreciate prayer because over the next several weeks, I have set aside time to write the book that I mentioned to you last week, When Shepherds Prey, seeking to educate believers on the plague of clergy sexual abuse. Some have ignorantly described the efforts of advocates and whistleblowers as a left-wing, woke agenda. I did not know that protecting people from abuse was “woke.” I thought it was what godly people do (Prov. 31:8-). If I’m honest, I think labeling righteous work as evil is a tactic of deflection, often coming from people who do not want to see this hideous sin exposed.

And it’s not just about exposing—it’s about learning. We as a body need to understand what someone goes through when they have been groomed for abuse. Without education, we ask ignorant questions that cause more pain: Why didn’t you say anything? Did you know that the most victims of abuse do not disclose what they went through until “3 to 18 years on average” after the fact, according to sexual abuse investigator Jim Holler. “Factors such as trauma, fear of not being believed, societal stigma, and a lack of understanding about the abuse contribute to this hesitation.” Not to mention being blamed by the perpetrator as being the cause, or worse, blamed by the congregation for bringing a pastor down.

With minors, it is worse. More than half of the survivors of childhood sexual abuse only disclose after they turn 50 years old.¹ So yes, this is a very real issue that needs to be addressed and is being addressed.

Yesterday, I had a meeting with a publisher. My plan was simply to self-publish this book, but she heard about the project and reached out. We had a very good meeting and will probably sign a contract. But even if not, I was so encouraged to see how passionate she was about this book.

Over the past week, as I knew I was about to begin to write, I was plagued with tremendous self-doubt. I am a student rather than an expert, but I’ve had one crazy year, and I have seen the webs of deception that some who claim to be holy or special will weave. In the midst of the self-doubt, I felt encouraged by the Lord to begin. Whenever you write a book, writing those first words is the most difficult part. But once you do, you find your groove very quickly.

If you’ve ever climbed a mountain, the hardest part is typically the first hundred steps before your body realizes what you’re doing. You’re quickly out of breath, your legs are tired, and you’re tempted to quit. Your body tells you that there is no way you can make it to the top. But if you don’t quit, suddenly you begin to find a rhythm in breathing, your legs stop hurting as endorphins kick in. Then when you get to the top of the mountain, you know it was all worth It.

So I am in that mode right now of climbing the mountain—writing the book. The first third of the book is testimony, and the remaining two-thirds are educational chapters. Here are a few sample chapter titles:

• “God Told Me…”: How Predators Fake the Voice of God to Manipulate

• Unmasking the Real Accuser of the Brethren

• The Power of Humility: Lessons from Matthew 18:1–6

• The Advocate’s Call: The Role of the Whistleblower in God’s House

• Offended or Offended? Righteous Outrage vs. Personal Bitterness

I’m sure I will tweak them. The goal is to be published by the beginning of December. No, I don’t think a book on predatory behavior will make a good holiday gift, but it is a time when people have more free time to read.

If you agree with me that this is an important topic, please keep me in prayer over the next two weeks as I have set aside time for writing.

Thank you!

---

 [1] “Delayed Disclosure, Child USA 2024 Factsheet,” https://childusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Delayed-Disclosure-2024.pdf.