The Drift into Deception: The Eight Characteristics of Abusive Christianity [Paperback]

Agnes C. Lawless (Author), John W. Lawless (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 17, 1995

Reflecting on their own experiences, the Lawlesses identify eight common characteristics of Christian groups that begin with a biblical ministry but drift into heresy.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Agnes C. Lawless is a graduate of Prairie Bible College and Seattle Pacific University and has also studied at the University of North Dakota, the Hartford Seminary Foundation, and Syracuse University. She taught English and writing at Northwest College and Cascade Bible College and is active in the Northwest Christian Writer's Association.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Kregel Publications (August 17, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0825431638
• ISBN-13: 978-0825431630
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #962,114 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of many good books on this subject, May 17, 2010

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Duane Waller - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Drift into Deception: The Eight Characteristics of Abusive Christianity (Paperback)

This is a book on ministerial abuse.
I am looking for books which provide more in-depth information specific to the discipleship movement of the 70s, 80s and 90s.

The topic of ministerial abuse is a supremely vital topic to evangelicalism.
We should not continue to allow ministry to sweep this topic under the rug.
We are very familiar with the length to which the Catholic church has worked to conceal [pedophilia] abuses by its ministry.
Evangelicals should wake up and see that their organizations are responding to their own ministerial abuse exactly the same way.
You will notice that most of these books are either written be specialists who are not in the church's "inner circle", or by someone who is a survivor of ministerial abuse and is therefore no longer an "insider".

The strategic cloaking of ministerial abuse can be exemplified in books like "the bait of Satan" by John Bevere which strategically paints ministry as the (innocent, loving, caring, giving, self-sacrificing, bend-over-backwards-for-you, walking on egg-shells, GOOD GUY)
While he paints the picture of the church members as the (evil, sin prone, thin-skinned, offended-by-the-least-little-thing, selfish, self-centered, BAD GUYS) who leave the church just as soon as their angelic pastor "speaks the truth in love", or makes the least little mistake.
If you are savvy to the latest Barna poles you will know that people have been leaving churches at an all time high, and saying that they are leaving to "preserve their faith", which is a staggering statement.
Bevere's strategy is to put the blame on the victims of ministerial abuse, and then fill them with the fear that Satan is going to "get" them if they don't run back to their evangelical church like a good lemming should.

This is a small book and a quick read.
However, it is one of the books that dares to lift the hood and let you look inside.
I also recommend: "The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse" by Johnson & Vanderend, "Churches that abuse" by Enroth and "Twisted Scriptures" by Chrnalogar.