Clergy abusers can be either identified with or supported by what some psychologists call pathological antagonists. Kenneth Haugk defines antagonists as ‘individuals who, on the basis of nonsubstantive evidence, go out of their way to make insatiable demands, usually attacking the person or performance of others. These attacks are selfish in nature, tearing down rather than buiding up, and are frequently directed against those in a leadership capacity.’ Clergy abusers are pathological because their attitude and behavior are abnormal, that is characteristic of disease.

Jesus told his disciples, “If people hated me, guess what, they’ll hate you too. And if they killed me, be ready, they’ll kill you too.” From the outset anyone who enters into the ministry understands that they will deal with conflict. Every minister knows that they will deal with people who are hard to deal with and situations that are less than desirable. Agendas will raise their ugly heads and people will argue and fight. It is a sad reality that every minister theoretically understands. Theoretically.

What young ministers (myself included) fail to realize is that there are some individuals who are simply unwilling to work with you. For whatever reason, some people have to take things out on their ministers. These people may be more that argumenative. Greenfield writes that clergy killers are not a way to “label the person who happens to disagree with a minister.” No, “this term identifies persons who have a very mean-spirited dispostion toward ministers and intentionally target ministers for termination.” These people may be diseased. I know that this is a hard truth but I beleive it. Some of the people that you will deal with in ministry will do everything in their power to bring the minister down. Not the ministry. The Minister. Their problems will move from a specific problem with the way you do something (a program or a mission trip) to an unspecific personal issue with you (“He is unbiblical.” “She’s headed toward a slippery slope.”). These people are affectionately called clergy killers.

According to Guy Greenfield’s The Wounded Minister there are six characteristics that all clergy killers have. Over the next few days I would like to discuss these 6 charcteristics in an effort to help educate young ministers and to create a dialogue with one another. Clergy abuse doesn’t just disappear. If these abusers destroy you, they will destroy the minister after you too. Below I have listed these 6 characteristic as a preview for the days to come. I hope that none of us have even one of these traits. These traits are anti-Christ. Jesus would not employ these tactics yet sometimes his followers do. Thinking back to the different churches that I’ve work for or been a part of I have seen these characteristics in action. I’ve seen elders, deacons, and even other ministers on staff who are clergy abusers. No one is safe from these behaviors. Ministry can be the most difficult job when those around the minister fail to encourage and to protect him/her from clergy killers. I hope that the next few days will be an educational experienec for us all. As the body of Christ we need to avoid this unhealthy behavior. These are lose-lose characteristics. The Minister suffers. The Minister’s Family suffers. The antagonist will suffer. The church suffers. Christ suffers. The only winner is Satan because he has triumphed over good yet again and had destroyed yet another church. Let’s stop these behaviors together. Knowing is half the battle.

The arguments of a pathological antagonist are usually founded on little or terribly misrepresented evidence

The pathological antagonist will initiate trouble.

The pathological antagonist is never satisfied.

The pathological antagonist will lead a campaign of attack on the minister.

The attacking behavior of the pathological antagonist is selfish in nature but is wrapped in a shroud of altruism.

The attacks are for destruction rather than construction.

Link