In Shame Interrupted, bestselling author Edward T. Welch empowers readers to live in light of the gospel of God’s grace, which breaks the lingering power of shame.
Providing immediate application to every reader’s spiritual journey, Welch’s book guides men and women to seek freedom from the shame of their own relational and sexual brokenness.
Shame controls far too many of us, and the Bible addresses the issue of shame from start to finish. Shame Interrupted reminds readers that God cares for the shamed, and that through Jesus, they are covered, adopted, cleansed, and healed.
Shame Interrupted creates a safe place to deal with shame, shining a light on the dynamics of sin and how it is overcome through the power of Christ. By identifying with our shame on the cross, Jesus gives believers freedom from the paralyzing effects of sin and shame.
As someone who is familiar with the effects and crushing weight of shame—and the overwhelming freedom found in Christ—Welch invites readers to find confidence in the cleansing work of Christ in this raw and brutally honest book.
By examining the depths of the human heart, Welch has made accessible invaluable tools for counseling, soul care, and pastoral work. Shame Interrupted dwells on hope and healing, providing gospel answers to difficult questions.
AUTHOR
Edward T. Welch, MDiv, PhD, is a licensed psychologist and faculty member at the Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation (CCEF). He earned a PhD in counseling (neuropsychology) from the University of Utah and has a Master of Divinity degree from Biblical Theological Seminary. Ed has been counseling for over thirty years and has written extensively on the topics of depression, fear, and addictions. His biblical counseling books include Shame Interrupted; When People Are Big and God Is Small; Addictions: A Banquet in the Grave; Depression: Looking Up from the Stubborn Darkness; Crossroads: A Step-by-Step Guide Away from Addiction; Running Scared: Fear, Worry, and the God of Rest; When I Am Afraid: A Step-by-Step Guide Away from Fear and Anxiety; Side by Side: Walking with Others in Wisdom and Love; and A Small Book about a Big Problem: Meditations on Anger, Patience, and Peace.
"This is more than an important and redemptive book; it is a labor that could open the field of counseling, soul care, and pastoral work to a vital reformation that comes when one has cut open a path that has laid dormant for too long."
Dan B. Allender, PhD, Professor of Counseling Psychology and Founding President The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology; author of The Wounded Heart: Help for Adult Victims of Childhood Sexual Abuse
"As someone who has had a long struggle with the demeaning, paralyzing, idol-fueling power of shame, I am so thankful for Ed Welch's newest book, Shame Interrupted. Ed shows us how the gospel of God's grace not only cancels the legal guilt of sin, but also how it breaks the lingering power of shame. As Jesus works in our hearts, to heal and free us from shame, we don't become proud triumphalists, but 'boasters in weakness'—men and women, gladdened and gentled by the irrepressible love of our grace-full Bridegroom, Jesus, set free to serve him and love others. This is such a practical and encouraging read!"
Scotty Smith, Founding pastor of Christ Community Church in Franklin, Tennessee; author of Everyday Prayers: 365 Days to a Gospel-Centered Faith
"This book proclaims a message of hope and healing. Ed Welch calls us to identify with Jesus because he identified with us, and shows that the answer is to turn to Christ for relief from shame, not inward. Ed's book is a robustly biblical, deeply personal, and powerfully high-octane gospel answer to the universal human experience of shame."
Justin Holcomb, Adjunct Professor of Theology, Reformed Theological Seminary; coauthor, Rid of My Disgrace: Hope and Healing for Victims of Sexual Assault
"Ed's book has immediate application into my own spiritual journey and the women I journey with who are seeking freedom from the shame of their own relational and sexual brokenness. Shame Interrupted encouraged and nurtured me in the sweet truths of the gospel that come when we face shame through Jesus Christ and the lens of God's Word."
Ellen Dykas, Women's Ministry Coordinator, Harvest USA; editor of Sexual Sanity for Women
"Ed Welch has given the family of God a tremendous treasure in his book, Shame Interrupted. Serving for many years as a pastor and shepherd of people, I know firsthand how this issue plagues many in the body of Christ. As always, Dr. Welch has written with loving concern for those who are hurting and with biblical accuracy. That combination makes his handling of this topic a resource that will help people address shame properly and will help those who seek to equip others in this process."
Bryan Hughes, DMin, Senior Pastor of Grace Bible Church in Bozeman, MT
"Welch has given us a profound and comprehensive work on the often neglected topic of shame, addressing the issue with pastoral sensitivity, biblical acuity, and practical advice. In our world, people are asking less about guilt and more about how to deal with shame in their lives and in their past. This is a great resource for pastors, counselors, and for anyone interested."
Rankin Wilbourne, Lead Pastor, Pacific Crossroads Church, Los Angeles, CA
"With the skill and care of a farmer turning over his soil in spring, Ed manages to unearth the shame buried within the human heart. The title will cause some to shy away with a degree of self-denial saying, "I don't have this problem." If you came from the line of Adam, you have this problem. Having taught the Word for many years, I am not ashamed to admit how much I learned about my own heart and the redemptive power of the gospel to set me free."
D. Michael Minter, Senior Pastor of Reston Bible Church in Virginia
"Ed Welch creates a safe place to deal with shame. Whether your shame is worn as a scarlet letter for all to see, or invisibly written on your heart, he turns shame on its head, showing us how to move away from shame and proudly wear the robes of honor that God himself bestows on us. Whether you are trying to deal with shame yourself or ministering to others, I would encourage you to read this book to guide you in the process of restoring hope and joy to those who hang their heads in shame."
Janet Nygren, Coauthor in the Bringing the Bible to Life Series; Director of Assimilation at Princeton Presbyterian Church
"Many today are stained by a crushing sense of being not good enough—worthy only of rejection. Ed Welch understands the shame-based person so fluently that it is easy to forget that he is a professional counselor and theologian. He writes more like a friend and fellow sufferer, so his counsel is richly biblical and practical. This book filled me with confidence in the cleansing, adopting, and sanctifying work of the cross."
Tara Barthel, Author of Living the Gospel in Relationships and coauthor of Peacemaking Women and Redeeming Church Conflicts
"Ed Welch finds us hiding in our shame and draws us out to be re-clothed by Christ. He surprises us again with the deep relevance of God's Word—even Leviticus—to the secret fears that dominate our daily lives. This brutally honest book is for every one."
Mike Wilkerson, Pastor and Director of Biblical Counseling at Mars Hill Church; author, Redemption: Freed by Jesus from the Idols We Worship and the Wounds We Carry
"Shame is everywhere. It is obvious on the faces of those who have been abused. But because of sin, it lies in the depths of every human heart. Ed Welch shines the light of the gospel of Christ into the dynamics of shame, and explains how it is overcome in the honor Christ obtained for us through his identification with our shame on the cross."
Eric Johnson, Lawrence and Charlotte Hoover Professor of Pastoral Care, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; Director of the Society for Christian Psychology
"This side of heaven, we all struggle with shame and guilt. Ed Welch has served the church well by writing a thorough, practical, Christ-centered treatment of this difficult subject. Your love for Jesus will be greatly increased as you reflect on the way His work on the cross has freed you from the paralyzing effects of sin."
Steve Viars, Senior Pastor, Faith Church; Faith Biblical Counseling
"In Shame Interrupted, Ed Welch reminds us that the gospel really is good news. He provides a candid perspective on the suffocating reality of human shame with an honest courage that is only possible because of Christ's healing love. Dr. Welch brings the wisdom of an experienced counselor and the resilient hope of a Christ-follower into this compassionate book."
Mark R. McMinn, PhD, Author of Sin and Grace in Christian Counseling
"Dr. Welch seems to know what the reader needs long before he or she knows and recognizes that shamed people are often hopeless people. Shame Interrupted is not just a remedy for persons caught in paralyzing shame; it gives them hope that it is possible to live a life that feels clean and holy. That is a gift.""
Jeffrey S. Black, PhD, Chair and Professor Graduate Program in Counseling, Cairn University; Licensed Psychologist
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Edward T. Welch
David Powlison
Diane Langberg
Jeremy PIerre
I've read almost all of Brene Brown's books about shame and enjoyed them greatly. However, as illuminating as they were, I always thought they didn't tell the whole story about shame. Shame showed up immediately after sin in the garden of Eden. It isn't a modern discovery, it is a core part of our existence. So her books were like reading about a disease that I realized I suffered from. Shame is like emotional fibromyalgia--- everywhere I went and everything I did, there was the ache of its emotional reality inside me. However, it was a diagnosis the offered no real cure. It just told you how to live with the disease. Ed Welch's book offers THE CURE. It is through Christ that our sin is washed away and also our shame. For the first time I see what that truly means and can really grip it. To understand that Christ's walk to the cross was the vanquishing of my shame has illuminated a freedom that I have never known before. It is nothing short of miraculous. Indeed, I feel like the woman in the Gospels who was living her life with a crippled back that was bent over and Christ has healed me and empowered me to finally stand up straight pain free. I highly recommend everyone read this book but particularly those who are victims of sexual abuse. Shame from that abuse is exceptionally pervasive. It coats every aspect of your life in its creeping black mold--or possibly more accurately, emotional leprosy. I finally understand how Jesus came particularly to heal the outcast leper so they can be clean--meaning they can enjoy relationship with other people. But way beyond that, He makes us holy--able to belong to God and enjoy relationship with Him. He doesn't just remove our shame, He delights in us. He honors us with the ring on the finger, royal robe and killing the fatted calf for us. He rejoices over us. The God who knows every square inch of us rejoices over us. Friends, there's no greater joy than that.
I found this to be a good book, particularly for someone who hasn't read much on the subject. I believe God could use it to help someone in need of unburdening. Thank you!
I've not finished the entire book yet, but all I have read so far is right on! Having been a bearer of the pain of shame, I can relate to what the author is claiming. I've carried the shame of certain life events with me for many years and believe I am finally able to see my situation from God's perspective and how it plays out in His plan for me. I am immensely grateful to Mr. Welch for this writing, and expect I will be referring others to his book. The only reason I give it a 4 and not 5 star is because I have not completed the reading yet.
While I don't normally read this type of book, it was well written and informative, I liked the discussion questions
This book, when taken for what it was meant, inhibits you to realize the Holy Spirit in your life. Reach out, stop isolating yourself and allow the body to help heal you through Jesus. I feel like the dynamics of my everyday life was changed through the scriptures used .
This book was great at addressing the chaos of defeat and shame going on in my heart and giving direction on how to heal. My main complaint is that it is not a very easy to read book and at times where the depression and defeat and thoughts were rampant it was hard to absorb what I was reading and I often had to go back and reread several paragraphs because my mind would easily drift. It took me 7 months to read, but what I read was often where I was at in my healing process, so I would actually recommend going through this book slowly and giving yourself time to work through your struggles.
Shame Interrupted is an excellent book. A major benefit is the author's conceptualization of shame, describing how we internalize it, how it affects us and our self image and how it influences our behavior. Using his clinical experience as a psychologist and his depth of knowledge of the Bible, he cites many verses dealing with shame and challenges the reader to trust in God so the healing process can begin. He also describes the difference between shame caused by our actions and shame we feel caused by others.
