Insufficiently Biblically Submissive

This one's personal.

Sometimes the control dynamics are subtle, hidden. And sometimes the church leaders will come right out and say the quiet part out loud. In my case, I was given the label "insuffiently biblically submissive" and told not to come back, ever. Because I didn't make my leaders happy. Sometimes when I remember this it seems so silly I feel like I must be exaggerating, so I appreciate that I have this in writing.

How does this fit as the subject of a salvage mission? Before I go getting lost in anger or bypassing the painfulness of it, I'm going to use this as an example of how a salvage mission mindset can help me sort through this experience. First, it contains it. It lets me acknowledge what a wreck this theology is. I can just name it, as the excuse for authoritarian abuse that it is, without having to go into too much more depth than that. I could provide details, analysis, context, justification, self defense. There's a time and a place for that too! But on the other hand, what is the point? The leaders of that church feel justified in their judgment, and I think they are demonstrating the antithesis of Jesus' teachings on reconciliation and what the church should be. So for now, before I try to salvage anything, I'll actually sit with the grief for a little while. That judgment on my spiritual fitness, that explicit unwelcoming of me from the church community, was wrong. And I'll just leave that salvage mission there for now. I will prioritize my own well being, and take all the time I need. I think I see a glimmer, but there's no rush.