The Research Questionnaire is available to download–see link below.

YOU can ‘Add Your Voice’ to this issue by completing a survey.

Introduction

My ongoing file, a collection of completed questionnaires, are contributions from people who have worked though their ‘muddy tunnel church experiences’ and are now at a place of reasonable spiritual harmony in their lives.

Your survey responses will be added to the original surveys regarding how people recovered from spiritual abuse in their local churches.

All survey responses become welcome data for my continued interest to ‘raise the awareness’ of this dysfunction in the Church today.

CRITERIA FOR THIS STUDY

My questions to you would be:

1.  Have you processed your pain and disillusionment through your experience of spiritual abuse in your church towards a point of reasonable spiritual harmony?

2.  Have you moved beyond your pain to a point which you can reflect back on the ‘process’—knowing that Christ has enabled you, by His Spirit, to find restoration?

3.  Even though you may feel that you may not be fully there, what spiritual practices, helps, or insights have led you to a place of healing and reflection?

Do you feel comfortable sharing these insights?  Are you sure that such reflection will not create harmful emotional distress in you?

                    BEFORE YOU BEGIN:

1.  Carefully read through the above criteria.

2.  If you have considered this criteria, and can answer “Yes” to these questions, and you feel that you will not be harmed by answering the survey questions, please proceed.

3.  If you feel that this exercise would be therapeutic as well as help to bring you closure, please proceed.

4.  PLEASE CLICK HERE for the Participant Questionnaire.

There are 26 questions.  I would encourage you to take breaks when filling out the questionnaire, rather than attempting to complete it all in one sitting.  Any question that you feel uncomfortable responding to, can be omitted.

5.  The information given by those participating in this survey will be kept strictly confidential.  It will be used only for my purposes.

6.  Thank you for your interest and participation in this survey.

I appreciate the time and effort that it takes to further consider these issues in your own life.  There is some risk associated with participating in this survey.  Specifically, these issues and the questionnaire may stir up unpleasant memories of some aspects of church life.

If you feel overwhelmed, take a break or talk to someone. If you experience distress, please contact your spiritual advisor or a professional counselor.  In terms of potential benefits, I pray that your reflection on this topic will give you further insights into your own personal journey with Christ, as well as to confirm that this issue is, in fact, a problem in the church today, and that it needs to be addressed. Thank you for your courage and prayerful input.

Your completed questionnaire will be added to my ongoing file.  If needed, some pertinent comments may be selected to quote.  But anonymity is assured and your name will not be linked with information you share about your experiences. 

Your ‘Voice’ will be added to the mounting statistics of others willing to expose this issue.

Thank You for being willing to share your story with me!

Regards,
Dr. Barb Orlowski