Church trauma, also known as religious trauma, is more common than one may think. Statistics show that 27-33% of Americans have religious trauma. With numbers as high as 33%, it is not surprising that many people choose to stay away from the church. 

Church trauma or religious trauma is defined by Therapist.com as, “Religious trauma occurs when a person’s religious experience is stressful, degrading, dangerous, abusive, or damaging. Traumatic religious experiences may harm or threaten to harm someone’s physical, emotional, mental, sexual, or spiritual health and safety.” As sad as it is, church trauma is very common and can affect anyone of any age, socioeconomic class, gender, or ethnicity. 

Leaving a church because you suffered from church trauma is completely okay. You are not less of a Christian by not going to church. Nowhere in the Bible are we told we must go to church to be saved. Rather, we are given salvation by placing faith in Jesus—not by doing good works or attending church service every Sunday (Ephesians 2:8-9). 

Recovering from church trauma can be quite difficult, but it is not impossible. There are many things you can do on your own as well as there are many things you can bring to the feet of Jesus. Know that it is okay to take time before you are ready to process the church trauma and move forward. Healing from something as traumatic as church trauma will take time, and it is nothing to rush. 

As you are going through this healing journey, lean on Jesus. Trust Him with the outcome and know that He will never leave you. Through every valley, He will be walking beside you (Psalm 23). God can provide healing to every wound and restore your broken hope in churches. 

When you are ready to start the healing process, consider taking part in a few things that will be able to help you. Here are six healthy ways to recover from church trauma.

Photo Credit: Unsplash/thomasvitali