The Harvest Show Interview: Steve and Samantha Nelson
Steve and Samantha Nelson had the opportunity recently, to talk about pastoral sexual abuse, share their personal story, and discuss some of the ways that we can all guard ourselves and our churches from this type of destruction.
Follow the links below to watch these interviews on The Harvest Show
The Harvest Show—June 13, 2011
Shame in the Sanctuary: Samantha and Steve Nelson join us to share their disturbing story of pastoral sexual abuse.
Part 1: Listen here
(starts at 20:45)
The Harvest Show—June 14, 2011
Predators in the Pulpit: Samantha and Steve Nelson talk about clergy sexual abuse, and what YOU can do to protect yourself.
Part 2: Listen here
(starts at 18:47)
If you've experienced abuse by your pastor or spiritual leader, please contact us. We can help you.
Categories: In The News
Tags: The Harvest Show interview pastoral sexual abuse clergy misconduct sex affair
Thank you for writing this blog. I keep coming back to it and rereading it. I too believe that keeping things simple, humble, and taking one day at a time is the best way back to living my faith out and restoring my relationship to the Lord as I heal.
Today again, I came back to it because though I thought that I had moved on and was doing pretty good now, I am having an emotional and spiritual setback. I guess it is unreasonable to believe that there won't be setbacks occasionally.
When I went to the mailbox today, I received a card from a couple that use to go to our previous church that I liked real well. BUT, when I opened the card, inside were little notes and signatures from the leadership members, including the PASTOR,
that said they missed us, thanking us for our service and ministry and God's best to us in our new church home.
I started weeping and just threw the card down, because "he" also wrote a note that he missed us and best wishes on our new journey along with other leaders notes who treated me mostly with contempt or indifference during my time there.
I am not sure how to take this. A peace offering? Some show of repentence? A silent threat? An insinuation that they know where our church home is now despite trying to keep it hidden?
So here I am once again crying, anxious and stressed out that he might reach out to try to take away the peace and support that we have found in our new church home after we have recently taken steps to participate by joining the worship team, helping out with youth ministries, community outreach missions and getting to know the people at our new church.
I feel like storming my previous church ministry office and confronting him with his hypocrisy and throwing a bill at him for the past four months of counseling co-payments that I have had to pay while trying to heal emotionally and spiritually. BUT, I won't do that.
I really felt like we made the right decision in the best interest of our family to not file a complaint to the SPRC committee or the bishop and just leave, but now I am not too sure. It just seems like everytime I start to feel like I'm on an even keel that something happens and stirs things up again.
So, once again I fall on my face before God and just cry. I don't know what to pray, but He is there anyway and he knows my heart. Sometimes words just can't express what you need to say or ask what you don't know to ask. It is just enough to cry out to the Lord and trust that He knows just what you need at that time.
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Lynn, I am sure that many can relate to what you're going through--I know that I can, for sure. Certain gestures just seem like rubbing salt in our wound, yet we're left confused and almost without a rational argument when the behavior of those who've mistreated/abused us mimics something that in another situation might be considered decent, if not politically correct.
God truly does know all, including every hidden thought and motive, Lynn. Rest assured that there will be a day when everything is called into account, and God will not be mocked. I encourage you to keep putting one foot in front of the other and to continue down the healing path you're on.
If you need some private support, please email me, or another THOS counselor can be reached here.
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