After Church Hurt

The local church is meant to function as a healing and helping community that cares for God’s people. But what if, instead of grace and care, someone experienced harm and hurt? When the church becomes a place of abuse and silence, the pain leaves people spiritually disoriented and alone. These individuals may wonder if they will ever feel safe around God’s people again. Instead of running to God and his people, they run as far away as possible.

St. John defines church hurt as any unrepentant sin that is minimized, normalized, or promoted by a church culture and its leadership. In After Church Hurt, he invites sufferers into the gentle care of their Good Shepherd, offering hope, clarity, and guidance for healing in his grace. Through real-life stories, biblical insights, and practical tools, this book provides a path to understanding church hurt, embracing grace, and courageously moving toward a healthy community.

Author Biography

Timothy St. John, MDiv, ThM, serves as the counseling pastor at Lighthouse Community Church in Torrance, CA. His passion is to see the grace of gospel-centered counseling grow and thrive in local churches. Tim also serves on the council board for the BCC (Biblical Counseling Coalition), the editorial board for the SOLA network, and is a frequent speaker at conferences and retreats. He is the author of the minibook Uncovering Domestic Abuse.

Jonathan Holmes, MA, is the Founder and Executive Director of Fieldstone Counseling. He previously served for fifteen years on the pastoral teams of Parkside Church and Parkside Green. He is the author of several books, including Counsel for Couples, Rescue Skills, and Rescue Plan. Jonathan serves as a visiting faculty member and on the Board of Trustees for CCEF (Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation), as well as an instructor at Westminster Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Jennifer, have four daughters.