I have also witnessed the long term effects of church life where people hide their sin, sweep conflicts under the rug, ask dissenters to leave, and refuse to make confession and restitution where there is wrong. They live to protect their reputation and each others egos. Their motto: “It’s in the past, it’s behind us.” The result of such self-protective disobedience is a church infested with mistrust, indirect communication, gossip, and power plays. No one dared step forward for help and no one would