Let Us Prey: The Plague of Narcissist Pastors and What We Can Do About It

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Jesus warned of wolves carefully disguised as shepherds who would come into the local church as pastors. It is the perfect disguise from which to devour the flock one lamb at a time. The authors were the first to study this phenomenon in North America and discover how serious the problem is. What they uncovered is shocking. The enemy has infiltrated the North American church. In this study of a large Canadian denomination, just under one in three pastors met the diagnostic criteria of Narcissistic Personality Disorder . This is one of the most destructive and least treatable of all mental disorders, but is often well hidden behind layers of "sacred" deception. Some are charismatic while others are quiet and even awkward, but they share the same needs for power, control, praise, and public recognition. They are also rigid, unbending, never wrong, demanding, and full of hidden rage, leaving the people working for them in demoralized fear. They see you as inferior and God as a rival, while the worst see themselves as God. If they see you as a threat, they will do everything possible to destroy you spiritually and emotionally. Is your pastor one of them?

"Armed with research data and real-life examples, Puls and Ball provide an absorbing and alarming analysis of Christian clergy who suffer from Narcissistic Personality Disorder, describing the toll these 'wolves in sheep's clothing' wreak upon their congregations and co-workers. A must-read for clergy and those who supervise and support them."
--Kevin Livingston, Associate Professor of Pastoral Ministry, Tyndale Seminary, Toronto

"Ball and Pulls do an amazing job of bringing a sensitive issue to the light. Filled with powerful stories, up-to-date research, and godly counsel, Let Us Prey is a great resource that brings wisdom, guidance, and healing to Christian leaders and church communities."
--Tim Clinton, President, American Association of Christian Counselors

"Let Us Prey contains ground-breaking research regarding the plague of narcissism in the church. It also provides practical direction for the diagnosis, intervention, and mitigation of narcissism in our pastorate and our congregations. A must-read . . ."
--Michael Patterson, PhD, LMHC, NCC, BCPCC, Chair, Department of Behavioral Science, Corban University

"Painstakingly researched and terrifyingly realistic, this book shocks us into facing up to the monsters within the body of Christ who prey on the sheep rather than pray for them. Read it and equip yourself to identify and confront these predators with firmness and faith."
--David Murray, Pastor, Grand Rapids Free Reformed Church; Professor of Practical Theology, Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary

Darrell Puls is a professional conflict interventionist with forty years of experience, and founder of Peacebridge Ministries, a Christian nonprofit that works directly with faith communities experiencing internal conflict. He is the author of The Road Home: A Guided Journey to Church Forgiveness and Reconciliation .

R. Glenn Ball is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church in Canada, where he has served for more than thirty years in parish ministry and as a specialist working with distressed churches.