Clergy Killers: Guidance for Pastors and Congregations under Attack

by G. Lloyd Rediger

Though some conflict in the church may be normal, there are some types of conflict which are abnormal and abusive. Within some congregations there are personalities who seek to unsettle the relationship between minister and congregation. In this engaging and useful book, G. Lloyd Rediger offers strategies to prevent abuse, support clergy, and to build healthier congregations.

Genres: Leadership

200 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

Reviews

[Terry Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic book! I went through something very similar a few years ago. I was the head of a Faith Based Ministry, and was blind sided by some false accusations that eventually cost me my position. I read this book shortly after this happened to me. How I wish someone would have recommended it to me before this happened. There is a good chance it would have prevented my losing my position.

I highly recommend this book to anyone in ministry, whether in a paid or volunteer position.

[Leah Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

The most valuable aspect of my experience of reading this book was that I realized the term “clergy killers” didn’t apply to the challenges I was facing as clergy. A “clergy killer” is someone whose primary goal is to take down a person or institution, not someone who makes trouble in spite of being well-intentioned. It made me more sympathetic to my difficult congregants. The book also served as a reminder of the importance of working on pastoral health and creating processes to handle difficult situations within a congregation. I’m not sure I agree with his assessment that some people are just “evil,” but he does open up the possibility that you can’t fix every problem by being open and welcoming.

[Chris Crain · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would love to meet Lloyd Rediger. He has a broad knowledge of the social sciences which he brings to the table in this book. He breaks down the issues of Clergy Killers and "killer clergy" quite well. His discussion of normal, abnormal, and spiritual conflict gives the reader three categories to help triage conflict and approach it with discernment.

One of the better books on the subject. I would rank it up there with "The Antagonist in the Church."

[Deborah Porras · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a classic, for a reason. Super helpful and the practical advice does work. Also, it provides some care through the pages for the weary pastor:)

[Joshua Reitano · Rating 2 out of 5]

Clergy Killers is a book about antagonists in the church intent on destroying pastors. The great strength of the book is in documenting the pervasiveness of the problem - with case studies and statistics detailing the abuse clergy receive at the hands of antagonistic members. (FYI: Rediger also has a chapter on Killer Clergy, who destroy their congregations).

I've seen just enough of this in the lives of pastors I know to understand this is a real danger. The long-term retention rate for pastors in their vocation is not very good, and clergy killers are one of the reasons. Rediger makes clear that there is normal conflict in any church, even healthy churches. But he goes on to discuss unusual and abnormal conflict: resulting from people either with some kind of serious problem (in some cases mental, most often spiritual). Perhaps the saddest reality is the collateral damage (harm done to the pastor's spouse and children). It's sad when anyone has problems at work, and a child may see their father suffer and come to hate their dad's workplace. How much worse when what they hate is the church (and sometimes, by extension, God).

What worked: Rediger does a pretty good job laying out the problem, or at least establishing that there is one. And also presenting the case that most of us are unprepared for it (pastors, churches, and denominations).

What didn't: I was severely underwhelmed by his prescriptions for dealing with the problems. He relies heavily on strategies for intervention and basic psychotherapy techniques for mental wellness. It seemed pretty sterile, and frankly, not all that helpful. What I would have liked to have seen were basic strategies for a pastor to practice self-care: a detailed discussion on spiritual disciplines, healthy living practices, and encouragement to build a healthy family life and close friendships. All these things get mentions, but aren't fleshed out with any real thoughtfulness.

Additionally, this book begs for a healthy discussion of the role of the elders in shepherding the pastor. How does an elder board or session care for and protect its pastor? A large discussion of Matthew 18 is needed and wanting in this book, as well as discussions about the importance of church discipline and how to practice excommunication, when needed.

Rediger does talk about exorcism a good bit - literally the casting out of evil. This is normally a term used for casting out demons, but he uses it more broadly here to mean dealing with evil of any kind. These sections were helpful, and I need to do a good bit more thinking about this.

Read it if: you can't find any other good books on conflict in the church. Elders may want to read it to think about how they can better care for their pastors.

There's got to be better books out there on this subject. Can anyone make some recommendations?

[Drew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rediger's book, despite the alarming title, is a classic in the field for a reason: no one more clearly names the ugly "clergy killer" phenomenon and offers useful strategies to for confronting it. Rediger - whose background is in counseling pastors - delineates between normal, abnormal, and spiritual conflict and gives tips for each situation. This in itself is worth the price of admission, because not every form of conflict responds to typical models that leaders are taught (if taught at all). Though not new, Clergy Killers is still quite a valuable read, as churches are increasingly places infected by the conflictual nature of our society as a whole. Read it now before you need to read it, and you will be ready to respond when conflict happens - as they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!

[Lori Schwilling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rediger raises awareness about a very difficult subject. Emotionally, this is hard to read. But it is helpful.

[Hank Pharis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Most of this is somewhat obvious to those who have served in ministry. It is however a good eye opener for those who haven't.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

For any pastor who has faced this phenomenon, this book offers great suggestions but above all the assurance that you are not alone

[Michael McCue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wish I had read it before I experienced it.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Partly great new insights, partly grad school papers pieced together. BUT -- the whole book is worth the reading for its recognition of the power of evil in the church. For this, the book is a rare find. The rest of the book is three stars, this part is five. So I gave it a four.