Together with John, I am camping on Canna, a wild and virtually uninhabited island off the coast of Scotland. Will our argument from the previous day be resolved? At five o’clock in the morning, I am wide awake. The first thing I think about is our argument from last night. John didn’t move his tent somewhere else, he just went to bed early without talking. The sun is already up. Here in the north of Scotland, the nights are short.... Read more
Discover the profound psychological insights of Carl Jung as they intersect with the realities of modern church leadership. This article delves into the hidden consequences of suppressing one’s true self, a common yet unspoken challenge faced by pastors and church leaders. ‘What you suppress becomes demonic’ The famous psychologist Jung once said, “What you suppress becomes demonic.” He did not mean that by doing so, a demon would actually gain space in your life. Jung had a different worldview than... Read more
I’ve agreed to take John with me on a retreat to Scotland. But did I make the right decision? In the departure hall of Baltimore International Airport, I meet John at the agreed time. He bought all his gear new this week. Both of us with backpacks just under twenty kilos, we get checked in. We fly to Glasgow, where we take a bus to the Scottish Highlands. In the town of Fort William, we have to change to... Read more
In the past year, here in the Netherlands we have been shocked several times by news reports of someone digging large pitfalls on a forest path. He placed long sharp spikes in the pitfall with the aim of injuring the victim as much as possible. Afterward, the pitfall was covered, in the hope that someone would step into it. Fortunately, real accidents have so far been avoided, but you would say, ‘what a sick mind’. Who does something like this?... Read more
It’s 2020. I’ve traveled to Baltimore to check on John. I’m not sure if he’s home or if he even wants to see me. I’m standing at the door of his apartment in Baltimore. It was easy to find. When I ring the bell, John opens the door, surprised. This time, there’s no big hug or beaming smile. It’s been a year since I last saw John at a seminar. He’s aged a lot. He’s sporting a several-days-old beard. He... Read more
The Root of the Fall When good men fall, it’s often linked to issues related to sex, money, or power. We express shame regarding the immoral behavior of our spiritual heroes. How can they descend to such depths? How can they let us down so profoundly? We wonder why they couldn’t simply say ‘no,’ as many of us do. Why did their selfish behavior have to cause us harm? The Hidden Struggle A Long Battle in Silence As experience shows,... Read more
It’s 2019. John’s father passes away, and shortly after, John begins an affair. How will Abigail react? And the congregation of Joy Church? In the year John turns 48, his father dies. John hasn’t had contact with his parents for years, not since he ousted his father as pastor 24 years ago. His father tried for years with letters, cards, and phone calls, but John avoided all contact. Now his father is dead. The man he had wanted to... Read more
In the compelling faith serial “The Anointed,” we follow the journey of Pastor John, a character whose life trajectory holds a mirror to many American pastors and church leaders today. The Rise of Pastor John: A Tale of Unsustainable Ambition John’s life is now rapidly progressing. By the time he’s forty, he has a national ministry. He’s immensely wealthy, driving the finest cars. He has that large congregation he dreamed of, but it’s still not enough. It’s never enough. There... Read more
It’s 2015. John gains national attention with his show ‘Time for Joy’ on national television. Nathan, the pastor of an ’emerging’ church in New York, makes me think about John’s leadership. The regional television broadcasts of the Joy Church’s services go national. John is now on national television every week. Every Sunday morning from ten to eleven, the whole of the States can watch ‘Time for Joy’ on Ion Television, hosted by John and Abigail. The cost of this... Read more
From the Joy Church, we received a donation of ten thousand dollars for our missional church planting project in Philadelphia. As a team, we discuss the options for what we can do with such a large amount of money. But did we celebrate too soon? When I get home, I tell our church planting team about the great donation we received for our work. We immediately start planning how to best spend this money. We decide to use the... Read more
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