UK pastor RICHARD KINGSLEY THOMAS looks at why we need to beware of wolves in the church…
There’s a campaign in Britain – spearheaded by Rewilding Britain – which aims to see wolves return to the UK. There’s no need for such a campaign, however, when it comes to Britain’s churches. Despite Jesus’s warning that He would send us out “like sheep among wolves”, endless scandals and countless victims show we have failed to heed His words. While the Rewilding Britain campaign may benefit forests and environmental balance, wolves in churches poison the environment and harm the innocent.
But not all wolves are dressed the same. Unsurprisingly, there are wolves in wolf’s clothing. I remember one well. He was a youth leader with a foul, violent temper and myself and other youths found provoking him hilarious. When he was arrested, in my naivety I was convinced he was innocent – I could not imagine that someone I knew could treat a child that way! Then he pleaded guilty and I knew that I was wrong. Years later I encountered him again and he scared me like few people ever have. It wasn’t that I felt threatened but that he had the aura of one who deliberately hurts the most innocent. Like us all, he needs serious healing but I will always want to build a wall between his pack and the vulnerable. Many of these wolves are slicker and smarter than he was, but they are still wolves who savage and scatter. Don’t ignore them.
Beware of wolves in the church, writes Richard Kingsley Thomas, no matter what they’re wearing. PICTURE: Chris Ensminger/Unsplash.
Wolves who wear sheep’s clothing, on the other hand, were first identified by Jesus. He warned of prophets whose goodness is false; who are essentially ferocious. They pray with one eye on their prey. A retired local priest recently grabbed the national headlines due to decades of spiritual abuse. Over the years, I saw him often but he never had much time for me – thank God. He didn’t send me his harsh, critical letters or ask me to his house. I was not aware of his hidden and brutal naked ‘spiritual’ exercises with his victims. Once he publicly flattered me about a sermon I had preached and, such was his power, that I must admit it felt good. I didn’t like his preaching but others sensed the touch of God when he spoke – they are his victims too. When this happens we have to sift a petty punitive Gospel from the gracious good news of Jesus. When these wolves are caught with their fleece off, they sulk sheepishly before vanishing in a cloak of non-disclosure. They know that there are other pastures just as good for hunting. Carnage is in their trail and none of us can fathom the depth of the scars inflicted in the name of a lesser god.
“This is what I learned about wolves – what big eyes they have! They search and scrounge and scavenge for possible flaws until they find the splinter in your eye or make one up. Those big bloodshot eyes don’t spare your spouse, your children, your congregation or your health. When they do find something, what big mouths they have to spew contempt and shame your way.”
A more modern phenomenon are the wolves in silk pyjamas. They don’t just attack churches. Cruel people, they love to troll celebrities, politicians, the disabled and others (this should not be confused with rigorous, respectful open discussion). They probably don’t really wear silk pyjamas but since their words are so putrid I’d like to think there is something pleasant about them. Some threaten to rape women who stand against sexism. Others deny their homophobia with violent threats. Their messages sometimes reach people when they are at their lowest and alone, sometimes even resulting in the tragic loss of life.
Recently, our church, my wife and I have received such attacks (though more diluted) from fake accounts. This is what I learned about wolves – what big eyes they have! They search and scrounge and scavenge for possible flaws until they find the splinter in your eye or make one up. Those big bloodshot eyes don’t spare your spouse, your children, your congregation or your health. When they do find something, what big mouths they have to spew contempt and shame your way.
US theologian D Scott Hildreth wrote recently that there has been a big shift in attitudes towards pastors in recent times. “Pastors are being criticised, vilified and abandoned,” he said, adding that “social media has only intensified the hostility”. During the livestream of our church service a few weeks ago, one of these wolves signed me up for a Tinder account! Presumably, they wrote a profile that my wife, my church or anyone else would not approve. Why? Because they’re hellbent on making things hellish for people who pray for the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth. So what can we do?
I eagerly await the release of A Church Called Tov by Scot McKnight and Laura Barringer. It seems that their premise is that ‘goodness’ (for which TOV is the Hebrew word) is the best antidote to the wolfish culture of abuse that exists in far too many churches. Goodness is the right word. And I think the biggest enemy of ‘tov’ or ‘goodness’ is not evilness but niceness. Nice people often become henchmen for the wolves and all too easily become culpable in the crimes.
Early in my ministry, I met a single mother whose young son had been damaged because a ‘nice’ leader didn’t want to warn her or the police of someone’s criminal past. In that situation nice is not good. Jesus was not nice. The traders in the Temple thought He was horrid. He was not nice to the Pharisees, the scribes, the disciples and even, on occasions, to His family. When Herod (more of a fox than a wolf) wanted a sign, Jesus wasn’t even nice enough to talk to him. He’s not particularly nice to me – but He is so good. He was indeed gentle with the vulnerable and compassionate but never really nice. When dealing with wolves, He said to be as shrewd as a snake. Snakes aren’t nice either.
“Prophets tell of a day when the wolf will lie with the lamb and the child will play with the cobra. But until that time comes to pass, we are told to beware. Don’t let a cobra in your Sunday School. Abandon nice, pursue goodness; forgive as we all have been forgiven and pray like you can’t do things alone because you really can’t.”
Dr Henry Cloud writes about the wise, the foolish and the evil. The main difference between the first two is how we respond to helpful correction. When we are wise we make changes, but when we are foolish we don’t. Evil is different. Cloud tells us that “there are people in the world who hurt you…because they want to”. For example, if a wife finds the strength to leave an abusive man, he will try to find ways to control her, using their children if necessary. If you fired a woman who is evil, she will try to bring your whole company down. Cloud writes: “The bottom line with evil is to stay away…Use your lawyers, law enforcement, and your financial resources to make sure that you will not be hurt by someone who is trying to destroy you or the things that matter to you.”
You might suggest wolves can be domesticated. Our puppy, Osian (who often acts like a wolf) insists they can (it is taking some time to convince him otherwise). Eschatologically, the Scriptures agree with him but it is eschatological. Prophets tell of a day when the wolf will lie with the lamb and the child will play with the cobra. But until that time comes to pass, we are told to beware. Don’t let a cobra in your Sunday School. Abandon nice, pursue goodness; forgive as we all have been forgiven and pray like you can’t do things alone because you really can’t. Perhaps we should adapt the prayer for the cruel Czar from the Fiddler on the Roof – “May God bless and keep the wolf far away from us.”
Richard Kingsley Thomas is pastor of Hillside Church in Wimbledon, London.
