Forgiveness & Church Hurts: A Conversation with Andrew Kitchen

In this episode we ask some though questions about forgiveness in the church. We know that we are commanded to forgive, but is forgiveness also a process? Andrew wrote a paper that has received criticism due to his perspective on forgiveness. I invited him onto the channel to discuss his perspective and the criticism he has received.
For more information visit andrewkitchen.com.au/

[@gretajohnson6503]

I'm up at 3am and stumbled upon yet another timely life saving life saving podcast!!! OMG 😢 my heart is rejoicing as I pray to continue this journey of understanding and learning! Luv you brother Kyle S.

[@TruthTraumaTheology]

Welcome!!

[@Jaxxie1981]

I'm enjoying these podcasts. I walked away from God and my faith for several years, largely due to abuse I experienced in church. The deep, deep betrayal committed by people I thought were my brothers and sisters in Christ. Had it been an isolated incident, it may not have shaken my faith like it did; however, after it occurred in multiple churches, it began to feel like this was a systemic issue with the faith itself, rather than broken people projecting. I blamed Christianity. I blamed the Bible. I rejected the Lord and decided the empty feeling was better than being hurt over and over again by people who were supposed to embody Jesus Christ. I rebelled, and rebelled hard. I didn't simply identify as an atheist, but am antitheist. And yet, I still found myself late at night looking up KZbin video sermons and missing hearing the Christian music station on my car radio. I eventually found that I didn't need a deconversion. I needed a deconstruction then reconstruction of my faith. I'm working through layers of trauma through prayer, Scripture and watching these videos that help me feel less broken and alone. God bless you for this series❤

[@TruthTraumaTheology]

Wow!!! This is an amazing account of grace!

[@marciaredd5538]

Thank you so much again for this podcast. I must listen to it again. The last 4 years I have been learning so much about lament that I had no idea about before. Reading through the Psalms twice a year I realized this is exactly how David and so many others in the Old Testament cried out to God. Lament is so healing and such a part of our drawing close to God and to others. I'm still learning so much and I will continue to study it out and share it. I'm still amazed that this has not been a part of our church culture, perhaps because we were coming from the Western mindset spoken of in your podcast.

[@alekseichernikin6050]

Dear Kyle, Hello from Vladivostok, Russia! We met each other at a conference in San Antonio in March 2019. And in 2002 I first came across Andrew's lessons on the internet. And now I'm watching both of you. It's amazing. But I jumped up off the couch when Andrew said that the Great Commandment after baptism is to teach the Sermon on the Mount. Those are literally the same words I came to a couple years ago. This includes thanks to Dr. Glen Giles and his course on SOM at RMSMT and Dr. Steve Kinnard with his book Crowning of the King. My paradigm before that was disciples baptize disciples and teach them to baptize disciples who will baptize.... And that's fine on one hand, but I wish I knew where the omission was here. To my feeling the Sermon on the Mount (from my experience in Russia) was like something desirable but not the main thing, something on the periphery. I don't know if there was or is such a practice in English-speaking churches to substitute their name for the word love when reading 1 Corinthians 13. At some point I began to think that this is the way to do the beatitudes. It is amazing that God gives the same insights to people in different nations. Glory to Him!

[@gretajohnson6503]

Amen Amen ❤

[@davidvartanian]

Loved the convo. I was talking about gentleness with some friends a few weeks ago. Every now and then I hear people say “we need to get back to discipling.” But if gentleness is apart of the definition of how to teach, correct, admonish, rebuke someone, then we’re just going to keep driving people away.

[@JTXRP]

Love the Love God and love others focus.

[@Riley24513]

❤❤❤🙏🤗

[@betterimagephoto]

I have enjoyed your podcast as my situation makes it hard to connect to anything Biblical. I don't know how to find a safe church. I missed the part about justice, what Jesus called the weightier matter to the pharasees Matthew 23:23. Too often people think those seeking justice are seeking vengeance. We are not. I was sexually harassed by an Assembly of God pastors nephew, reported to them and was told I was wronged. In the very next breath, pastor said your relative died. Are you sure you know what is upsetting you. Pastor did nothing. I went to civil authorities and pastor lied to the EEOC investigator. I was terminated the week I went to the EEOC. Pastors nephew was names vice president of the family business. The state and national office have Assembly of God have refused to listen. 2 years later do not feel safe to enter a church. I have tried. I went to a support group and was shushed by the pastor. I need someone to bare my burdens.