Lies can hide in plain sight.
When lies get compounded onto themselves over and over, the narratives people want to believe become the only possible narrative they can hear. It becomes so crucial to the system that everyone buy into the collective lie that pits any dissenter as an enemy of the system itself.
In cases of abuse of authority, whether emotional/spiritual or sexual which is also a spiritual abuse, the church leadership and all influential parties will have to be intentional about parsing out truth from lies and false witness. Not clarifying information is a lie. Not telling as much as you can to anyone and everyone who has the wrong idea is a lie. Not giving voice to victims to clear their own name if they so choose is a lie.
It is no wonder that gossipers will not inherit the kingdom. Gossip undermines the integrity of the kingdom. Gossip and slander crush the building blocks of honesty and honor in the kingdom. How can you build a church on lies? You will build something. It will not be part of the kingdom.
Whenever a sin has become public and notorious, the work of the kingdom is to call to repentance, to arm themselves with weapons against the enemies of Deceit, Slander, False Public Perceptions, and Fear. If churches are not actively, intentionally, laboriously working toward restoring the names of victims of abuse in their midst, they are not doing kingdom work.
Unrepented sin will crush your ministry. Leaders who refuse to come clean will destroy whatever work you think you are doing and it will be wiped out within one generation. All your work will be cast into the fire. Only what God has done will remain. Repair the breach. Publicly. Thoroughly. Redemptively.
Hear our prayers, oh Lord. Hear the cries of your beloved, calling out for justice, for the end of false witness on our behalf. Restore us, o Lord!
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Asking For Me 
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