This episode was made possible by our incredible patrons who faithfully support the work of amplifying the voices of spiritual abuse survivors.

We are an extremely small team comprised of just two families with a passion for stories and image bears.

We committed early on to not monetizing any of the stories and rely solely on the donations of our Patreon community

to operate. If you value this work and are able to contribute, you can join for as little as

$5 a month. Another way you can support us is by following, rating, and reviewing the podcast.

It only takes a moment, but it has a big impact on our reach. Thank you for

daring to listen. This week, we will be sharing David and Margaret's story over two episodes.

Today, we will be featuring part one of David and Margaret's story. David and Margaret were thrilled when David was hired at an

SBC church in the Kansas City area. David's interview process was long and strenuous, but once he got the job,

he was eager to step into his new worship and youth pastor role. Margaret, who was working at the time,

quit her job and the family moved closer to the

church. But there were concerns early on. David was working full-time hours for part-time pay,

and they were struggling to take care of the basic needs of their family. There were unrealistic

and unhealthy expectations from David's lead pastor.

The environment was tense and toxic, and David's health began to be impacted.

Despite these challenges, David and Margaret loved their new community.

They opened their home for meals, late night talks, or to people who just needed a safe place to stay.

David and Margaret faithfully loved and counseled church leaders,

elders, and pastors of the church and their families.

But that faithfulness almost cost David his life.

And when he needed those same leaders to stand up for him and his family, they were met with silence.

I'm Jay Coyle, and this is The Bodies Behind the Bus podcast.

...