Greg Howlett: The Abuse Series
I have never been through an experience that impacted me more than the series of events that I write about below. Furthermore, I have never written anything that has impacted more people than this series. It makes music look insignificant in comparison.
It all started in 2015 and it would be tempting to say it culminated with the disastrous ending in 2018. But, of course, it didn’t. Lives were destroyed and people were set on different paths, some for the better but most for the worse. A church was blown apart and has never recovered. The fallout is there to this day and will be there for decades to come.
The place was a little church in Dacula, Georgia. It was called Grace Baptist Church. It was not named very accurately…
Part 1: My story of abuse (Introduction)
Part 2: Seven things you need to know about abusers
Part 3: Dealing with victims of abuse
Part 4: It started with a crossword puzzle
Part 5: Getting help for an abuse victim
Part 6: Taking the next step
Part 7: My church’s initial response to abuse
Part 8: Your marriage counselor may destroy your marriage
Part 9: Cutting off communication
Part 10: How to choose sides in an abusive situation
Part 11: The strangeness of a spring break
Part 12: Filings for divorce and early rumblings at church
Part 13: What are those deacons good for anyway?
Part 14: The “repentance” game
Part 15: Isolation
Part 16: When the church goes off the rails
Part 17: When the church goes off the rails even further
Part 18: Final church problems
Part 19: How to neutralize an abuser
Part 20: The saga concludes
Part 21: Updates
Part 22: The very end