Hope in the Night - Hope in the Night - Abuse

March 29, 2026·57 min·5 clips

Chris describes how her mother pulled her by the hair and hit her, telling her she was going to hell for becoming a Protestant.

This episode of "Hope in the Night" addresses spiritual abuse and unhealthy dynamics within churches. Host June Hunt, founder of Hope for the Heart, and her co-host Tom converse with a caller named Chris about negative religious experiences. June Hunt draws from her personal background and writing on spiritual abuse to frame the discussion. June recounts a story from her Bible study about a nurse condemned by her pastor for wearing a high school class ring. She shares another anecdote where a preacher publicly rebuked a woman for wearing a red dress and jewelry, calling her a "harlot." June references Proverbs 31:21 to counter prohibitions against the color red, noting the ideal woman clothes her household in scarlet. Caller Chris describes being told not to return to a church for raising her hands during worship. Chris discusses the concept of a "foul spiritual odor" from defilement, citing literature from Berean Publications about healing the human spirit. Chris asserts that narcissistic personalities and sexual predators can infiltrate church leadership, "sniffing out" vulnerable individuals. She connects this to her own history of an abusive childhood, detailing physical attacks from her mother and abuse in Catholic school. June emphasizes biblical warnings against pride, quoting James 4:6 and multiple Proverbs, linking pridefulness to narcissistic behavior. Chris describes a pastor responding with arrogance when she questioned him via text, which she interprets as a defense mechanism. June explains the purpose of a Christian life is to be "conformed to the likeness of his son," as stated in Romans 8:29. Chris references Mark 7:20-23, listing evils like pride and arrogance that can defile a person. She expresses concern about an "Antichrist spirit" and a controlling "religious spirit" being present even in Bible-believing churches. The conversation concludes with June praying Chris finds a healthy church and is used by God in her ministry to others. The tone is pastoral, educational, and conversational, blending personal testimony with scriptural analysis. Listeners interested in Christian counseling, spiritual recovery, or church dynamics would find this episode compelling. Those seeking purely theological debate or non-religious perspectives on abuse might find it less applicable.

As heard by us

A faith-forward look at church hurt, spiritual abuse, and the long work of healing.

The episode stays with spiritual abuse and the damage that can follow when a church turns unhealthy or leaves people carrying negative experience. It moves from memory into the harder work of naming hurt, then toward practical hope for people living with church wounds.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Press play if church hurt is still sitting heavy and you want biblical hope plus practical help, not just sympathy.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from Click Here For Full Schedule