DAMAGED DISCIPLES
by Ron and Vicki Burks
Zondervan Publishing House, 176 pages, $8.99

Ron and Vicki Burks have experienced first-hand the spiritual abuse evidenced in the authoritarian movement known as discipleship or shepherding. A deep desire to express their faith in God led to their involvement in the movement originally led Bob Mumford, Derek Prince, Don Basham and Charles Simpson.

Ron is now the psychological assistant and research specialist at Wellspring Retreat and Resource Center in Ohio.

The Burkses describe the manipulative method of pastor-disciple relationships that holds a shepherding church together. Both major and minor decision making is placed in the hands of one’s pastor, holding the follower’s free will hostage and robbing him of his personhood. Those who question the pastor are suspected of disloyalty. Acceptance in the movement is based upon one’s commitment to it.

A section at the end of the book deals with the subject of “forgiveness” (pp. 154-159). There are a few points in these pages that miss the mark biblically. For example, their concept of “forgiving God” suggests that God, who is our standard of righteousness, needs to be forgiven. This reviewer does not agree. (A scripturally exhaustive study on the theme of forgiveness can be found in the publication by Jay Adams, From Forgiven to Forgiving, Calvary Press.)

Nonetheless, Damaged Disciples is appropriate reading for those wanting a better understanding of the effects of the shepherding movement. It also will help those who are now out of the movement with their confusion as they struggle to re-establish their lives.

—AMG

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