Wounded Leadership

"Helping those who have been wounded find healing."

The Wounded Pastor

The calling to shepherd the church is one that involves some of the greatest adventures and joys one can experience. Yet, it is a call that also comes with many pitfalls and battles every pastor must be ready to face. The Wounded Pastor explores once such battle that nearly every pastor will face at least once in their ministry. This hidden danger and impending battle looming in the Evangelical world is the unjustified termination, or forced resignation, of pastors from a church.

The Wounded Pastor will explore stories of those who have journeyed such a path, define the scope of the problem in Evangelical churches today, explore Biblical examples, and put forth a strategy that will enable pastors to fulfill their Biblical calling by successfully entering back into vocational ministry, better equipped for the next assignment. With God's help and a bit of hard work the wounded pastor can experience healing and vibrant ministry again.

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Recommendations

"In recent years, several books and studies have been written about pastoral abuses of power. Less attention, however, has been given to the other side: the abuses pastors themselves have endured at the hands of powerful members of the congregation. Matt Tanner is one of the few to have written about this deeply troubling trend of pastors being unjustifiably forced out of their churches. His insights are based not only on his personal experience of forced termination, but on his interviews with other pastors who have suffered the same. His goal is to offer a pathway toward coping and healing from the trauma and growing as a leader. Tanner has gifted us with a sobering, courageous, and hopeful book."

Cameron Lee, PhD,

Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, CA, USA

Testimonials

"If you are a believer I highly recommend you read this work! While the existence of such a book is a sober reminder that the church is just as broken as our fallen world and how believers are capable of inflicting such malicious evil, within its pages the reader will find reassurance that they are not alone, a path to move forward, and hope for a future. I cannot recommend this book enough and hope that other resources like it will become available. As outlined in the book, this tragic phenomenon is on the rise and nearly every pastor will face this at least once in their ministry. The wounded pastor needs to know that they are not alone and that others have come through to the other side after their ministry and lives have been shattered and are able to successfully reenter ministry."

We need more resources like this! -Cee

"In this published version of his doctoral project, Matthew Tanner walks his audience through both the reality and causes of pastors being severely wounded in their service to Christ. As one of those who has experienced deep wounds, I appreciate Matthew's pastoral heart of compassion for other brothers who have passed through or are in the midst of these types of trials. I recommend this book to all pastors, denominational leaders, or church leaders, particularly as part of a pastoral search team. This is a solid academic work that hopefully leads to exposure of a real problem and to real help for those who often are unsure where to find such help. A blessing for sure.

-Pastor to Pastor

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Matthew Tanner was born in Bellville Illinois to Dr. Steve and Mary Tanner in March 1977. Matthew and his twin brother were given a ten percent chance of making through the first night. Trusting in God's Sovereign plan, their parents dedicated them to the Lord, and both now live healthy lives in service to the Lord.

Dr. Tanner attended the College of the Ozarks, graduating with a Bachelor's of Arts in Administration of Justice and Psychology. While attending college met his wife Heather, who were married in 2002 and now have three beautiful daughters.

Dr. Tanner has served in ministry as pastor, director of missions, interim pastor, and many other roles in the last 20 years. He carries a Master's of Divinity, a Master's of Theology, and a Doctorate of Ministry in Leadership Development.

Dr. Tanner currently serves as the founder and lead counselor for The Wounded Leadership Center for Biblical Counseling, Adjunct Professor of New Testament Studies and Leadership at Hannibal Lagrange University, and pastor of Providence Baptist Church, Hannibal Missouri.