After Church Hurt: Healing in the Care of the Good Shepherd

“Read this, and the first thing you will notice is a hint of rest in your soul. You are understood; you are given words that were hard to find before. Just as questions are forming in your mind, Tim is talking about them. This book is from a wise, experienced, and compassionate guide.”

Edward T. Welch, CCEF Faculty; author of numerous titles, including The Humility Project for Men

“Timothy St. John has given the church exactly what it needs—a biblically faithful guide through one of our most painful realities. His careful grounding in Scripture provides both theological depth and pastoral wisdom for those hurt by the very communities meant to care for them. This book fills a critical gap, offering hope and practical direction for a problem that has long been ignored in our churches. I highly recommend this book.”

Chris Moles, Author of The Heart of Domestic Abuse: Gospel Solutions for Men Who Use Violence and Control in the Home 

“If you’ve been hurt by church shepherds and just want to hear the voice of the Good Shepherd again, this book directs your heart there. Don’t give up on the church. Jesus didn’t.”

Jeremy Pierre, Dean, The Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism, and Ministry

Lawrence & Charlotte Hoover Professor of Biblical Counseling & Practical Theology,
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary 

“Timothy St. John is one of the most gentle and compassionate pastors I know. And it’s with his characteristic gentleness that he addresses the incredibly sensitive topic of church hurt. I’m confident anyone who has experienced this pain will feel seen and known by reading this timely resource.”

Scott Mehl, Pastor, Cornerstone Church, West Los Angeles; managing director, The Institute for Biblical Counseling and Discipleship

“After Church Hurt is a much-needed and trustworthy guide for those wounded by people

entrusted with their care. With biblical clarity and pastoral gentleness, Timothy St. John offers

hope and wise direction toward healing, renewed trust, and the gracious presence of the Good

Shepherd.”

Darby Strickland, CCEF Faculty; author of Is It Abuse?

“This book radiates the abundant grace of Christ, the loving patience of the Father, and the comforting counsel of the Spirit. Timothy St. John walks alongside the wounded without fostering victimhood or isolation from Christ’s gift of the local church. These pages offer healing balm for the hurting and humble instruction for leaders seeking healthier church culture.”

Paul Tautges, Pastor; counselor; author of Remade: Embracing Your Complete Identity in Christ, A Small Book for the Hurting Heart, and Anxiety: Knowing God’s Peace

“Admittedly, I got angry after I read the introduction. The ten profiles of Christians and pastors who have been hurt by churches were painful to read. I felt the wrong and deep injustice of each situation. But then I knew I had to finish the rest of After Church Hurt. I need to know how to care for people like the Good Shepherd does and make sure our church was a safe place for the hurting. Timothy St. John has equipped the wider evangelical church with his years of experience and wisdom, and we are better for it.”

Deepak Reju, Senior Pastor, Ogletown Baptist Church; author of On Guard, She’s Got the Wrong Guy, and The Pastor and Counsel

“I know and have counseled so many who have experienced harm in the church—the very place where they sought safety and refuge. That's why I'm grateful that my friend Timothy St. John has written this book to help churches be safer, counselors be better equipped to help those who have been harmed, and church members be drawn closer to the care of the Good Shepherd. If you are a pastor, church leader, counselor, or a person who has been harmed, this book is a clear and helpful guide toward grace, healing, and reconnection.”

Greg Wilson, LPC Supervisor; counselor; coauthor of When Home Hurts: A Guide for Responding Wisely to Domestic Abuse in Your Church

“I am grateful God moved Tim to write After Church Hurt. His love for the church—pastors and sheep alike—permeates his book. His biblically wise, nuanced identification of sin and the reality of its impact, along with his teaching about healing repentance brings clarity, healing, and hope to what is often devastating harm. He helps church leaders assess their shepherding, educates brothers and sisters to recognize and respond helpfully when church hurt occurs, and ministers to those who have experienced a range of harms from church leaders. Tim’s book is a redemptive gift to the church and it gives me great joy to highly recommend it.”

Kïrsten Christianson, Biblical Counselor; congregational care consultant, Side-by-Side Biblical Counseling

“After Church Hurt is a trusted resource for when trust is needed most. Timothy St. John helps people honestly navigate the disorienting dynamics of church hurt with understanding, biblical clarity, and kindness. Whether the reader has been affected by an unbiblical church culture from church leadership or even while serving in leadership, this book offers practical insights to process their experience under the ultimate authority of Jesus Christ, our gracious Shepherd, Redeemer, and friend.”

Joe Keller, Executive Pastor, Grace Baptist Church, Santa Clarita, CA

“Tim St. John is thoroughly biblical, consistently practical, and unwavering in his love and compassion. It is for these reasons I can wholeheartedly endorse his book, which takes that same heart and looks at the hard but needed topic of church hurt."

Kim Kira, Preaching Pastor, Lighthouse Community Church, Torrance, CA