In this episode of the Church Disrupted Podcast, Jeff Cochran and Rebecca Davis (Author of the Untwisting Scripture book series) discuss the misuse and abuse of scriptures in spiritual contexts. They highlight the importance of understanding the true meaning of scriptures and the dangers of twisting them to manipulate and control people. They talk about topics like loyalty, sin leveling, the misuse of the terms 'root of bitterness' and 'spirit of offense', and the idea of tearing down the body of Christ. Rebecca emphasizes the importance of recognizing and addressing abuse, as well as the need for biblical literacy and listening to the experiences of abuse survivors. The conversation concludes with hope for survivors and a call for church leaders to listen and learn. Want to support SAI financially? https://donorbox.org/sai-initial-funding-campaign Get Rebecca's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B001K8GE7O?ingress=0&visitId=281658ae-f8e0-4b2a-8ef4-1c0dc64fbd0c&ref_=ap_rdr THANK YOU to our podcast partner, the East TN Mentorship Association! Find out more information about what they do or connect with them at https://earnyoursanctuary.com/ . TELL THEM WE SENT YOU for a special rate that is ONLY for Church Disrupted Podcast listeners. Find out more about the Spiritual Abuse Institute and the Church Disrupted Podcast at https://www.spiritualabuse.institute/. Join the church disrupted COMMUNITY here: https://discord.gg/nbWwg8Sz6Z Please Subscribe and Share! Chapters 00:00 Introduction: The Misuse of Scriptures and Control 24:41 Loyalty vs. Faithfulness 32:44 The Dynamics of Bullying in the Church 41:12 Silence is Complicity 43:43 Restoration and Accountability 45:08 Recognizing Wickedness and Righteousness 46:05 The Spiritual Abuser's Playbook: Loyalty 47:31 The Misuse of 'Root of Bitterness' and 'Spirit of Offense' 52:30 Understanding the Root of Bitterness 56:18 The Danger of Misinterpreting Hebrews 01:07:02 Exposing Sin vs. Tearing Down the Body of Christ 01:13:50 Rejecting the Notion of Victim Mentality 01:21:15 Words of Hope and Listening