Customer Reviews

Antagonists in the Church

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Extremely brilliant insight into churches which have experienced more than just the ordinary conflicts. Recommended reading for clergy or staff before they encounter the practiced antagonist. Highly as a must for District Superintendents or others in charge of a large number of clergy. Often times these leaders are the last to understand the evil which can lurk inside a congregation. May alert them to the real difficulties encountered especially by entrance-level clergy before they are overcome by those who would rather see them fail than to succeed. Extremely important insight as to how dealing with the true antagonist differs from developing relationships with the average parishoner. The insights shared in this book may save a clergy, if not the congregation.

Several years ago, we found this book to be an incredibly important tool in riding the waves of congregational conflict. This book realistically addresses issues that few are ever taught in seminary. Book is great on boundaries, strategires, etc. probably best for protestant, Anglican, and non denominational churches. This book should be required reading for all clergy.

Kenneth Haugk presents a difficault subject in an enticing manner. He leads you through a maze of difficulty to a solution that, though not easy, is achievable. His style is easy to follow by non-psychologists, never reverting to the pretentious cover of esoteric language. Facts and conclusions are presented clearly and distinctly. You are guided to a course of action that you can control.

Some churches are vulnerable to one or more pathological antagonists whose background includes a dysfunctional family upbringing, abusive relationships by parents, immoral behavior of their own, or some deep-seated resentment of others including God. Haugk tells us how to identify these angry people who are hell-bent to destroy the minister's ministry, career, and possibly his marriage and family (as collateral damage). Pathological antagonists are not merely mentally ill; they are what psychiatrist M. Scott Peck calls "evil," since their behavior is so destructive. Since most parishoners are naive about such persons and their potential for injury, this book is must reading for the good and decent lay-leaders who could organize into a protective force for their ministers. To quote Cicero: "There are two kinds of injustice: the first is found in those who do an injury; the second in those who fail to protect another from injury when they can." Mi! ! nisters are especially vulnerable to attack by charming insider preacher-haters; Haugk shows us what can be done about them.

I came across this book five years ago when dealing with a difficult person in my church. It was invaluable then and remains so now.

I had about an hour and a half to skim *Antagonists in the Church* and extract very useful information before going into a meeting with this person and another church leader. Though I didn't do the book full justice, I did find that the writing was clear, the information laid out helpfully and accessibly, and the content very germane to the context I was facing. I was able to go into that meeting with much more confidence and a much greater sense of how to conduct my own behavior when confronted with this church member's antagonism.

I find the book helpful in helping to define antagonistic behavior and to differentiate it from other kinds of conflict behavior.

I recommend it.

Whether you are clergy or a lay person, this book is a must read. It is insightful and full of usefull suggestions for dealing with as well as explainations for the evil that one encounters in church work. I only wish I had read it before I made many of the mistakes the author warns against. However, now I am prepared for the next attack of the ever present antagonist, thanks to Dr. Haugk.

As moderator of a church in crises, this book helped me keep perspective and sanity. Unwillingness to believe that evil or intentionally hurtful people are in many, if not all churches, allows these antagonistic people to continue splitting the congregation and driving pastors away. This book helped prepare me to recognize the antagonist, deal with the antagonist and keep the Christian community safer from those that cause serious harm. Now I am in seminary and will be much better equipped to deal with these problems in a congregation.

I attended an outreach conference. This book was the first to sell out on the book table. Pastors think they are called to keep everyone happy. They have no idea about dysfunctional antagonists who first put you on a pedestal and then tear you down later when you somehow fail them and their agendae. Haugk counsels church leaders not to be paranoid, but to trust their sixth sense, too. Chapters four and five on the makeup and modus operandi of the antagonist are the key portion of the book. Sadly, antagonists, or potential antagonists, exist in every congregation. While this book will help you understand what is happening, it may not enable you to counter the destructive actions of that antagonist entirely. There is not always a happy ending.

What a great book. Haugk has preformed a great service to pastors by giving them the tools to deal with their greatest bane: antagonist in the church. He does so first by defining what an antagonism is and differentiates it from ordinary conflict. Second, he give the pastor the identifying characteristics, behaviors and warning signs of an antagonist. Third, he then deals with preventive issue, and finally, he gives the pastor strategies, skills and techniques that will help him cope with antagonist.

As I read this book I could identify in my minds eye various antagonist I have dealt with in twenty years of ministry. Although there has been only a handful of these difficult people, they have been very destructive of my ministry and family. If only I had this book back then! Anyone who has dealt with these people knows exactly what the author is taking about. This book is must reading for every pastor. I only wish that I read this book twenty years ago.

Extremely brilliant insight into churches which have experienced more than just the ordinary conflicts. Recommended reading for clergy or staff before they encounter the practiced antagonist. Highly as a must for District Superintendents or others in charge of a large number of clergy. Often times these leaders are the last to understand the evil which can lurk inside a congregation. May alert them to the real difficulties encountered especially by entrance-level clergy before they are overcome by those who would rather see them fail than to succeed. Extremely important insight as to how dealing with the true antagonist differs from developing relationships with the average parishoner. The insights shared in this book may save a clergy, if not the congregation.