Podcast 125: When Narcissism Comes to Church (Alan with Chuck DeGroat)

We’ve seen the news stories and heard the rumors. Maybe we ourselves have been hurt by a narcissistic church leader. It’s easy to throw the term around and diagnose others from afar—but what is narcissism, really? And how does it infiltrate the church? 

Chuck DeGroat has been counseling pastors with narcissistic personality disorder, as well as those wounded by narcissistic leaders and systems, for over twenty years. He knows firsthand the devastation narcissism leaves in its wake and how insidious and painful it is. In When Narcissism Comes to Church, DeGroat takes a close look at narcissism not only in ministry leaders but also in church systems. He offers compassion and hope for those looking to heal from its systemic effects He also offers hope for narcissists themselves—not by any shortcut, but by the long, slow road of genuine recovery. 

Chuck DeGroat is professor of pastoral care and Christian spirituality at Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan, and senior fellow at Newbigin House of Studies in San Francisco. He served as a pastor at churches in Orlando and San Francisco and founded two church-based counseling centers. He is a licensed therapist, spiritual director, and the author of Toughest People to Love and Wholeheartedness. 

Follow Chuck on social media at:
Instagram @chuckdegroat
Facebook @chuckdegroat
Twitter@chuckdegroat