Reconstructing Your Faith with Sarabeth Kapusta

We've got another great episode with Audrey today! We do a little deeper dive into her faith and into a season of doubt in which Audrey explains some of the ways that her time growing up in a spiritually abusive environment informed how she felt about her questions and doubts, but ultimately, she faced her questions head on and found out that there were answers. I wanted to make a little disclaimer for my listeners. Many of you, like me, can be quite sensitive when recommendations for particular pastors or leaders come up. In this episode, Audrey credits a YouTube video by Voddie Baucham called, Why You Can Believe the Bible, as having a big impact on her life. This podcast is NOT a discernment ministry, but I wanted to make a small statement that, in the past, and possibly even today, since I have not found statements to the contrary, Voddie Baucham has taught and aligned himself with teachings that have been used in heavy patriarchal circles, and participated in the "Stay at Home Daughter" movement. I do feel that I would be negligent if I didn't at least address the problematic side of some of his teaching, even if it is only in the past. The fact is, the Truth is the truth, and that video contained objective truth that helped Audrey in her time of doubt, so I was compelled to leave that part of her story in the episode. Christian leaders are still fallen humans, and we each have to be careful and use wisdom in discernment when listening to anyone teach the Word. But I wanted to at least clarify for the sake of my listeners, many of whom have been abused in circles that taught these heavily patriarchal teachings of things like the Stay at Home Daughter movement, I do not support this teaching, believe that it is extra-biblical, and can be easily used to spiritually abuse women. It's also impossible to completely review any recommendation, so it should be noted that on this podcast, recommendations for resources do not necessarily equal a full endorsement. Audrey made a lot of resource recommendations (she's great at finding resources!): Voddie Baucham video Michael Kruger Women in Apoligetics Os Guinness John Lennox Veritas Forum Jason Lisle Sean McDowell J Warner Wallace Phylicia Masonheimer I wanted to add a few of podcast episodes from The White Horse Inn on the resurrection of Christ from earlier this year: Six Minimal Facts Resurrection Objections Christ Is Risen Indeed I would love to hear from you! Please reach out: IG: @ReconstructingYourFaith Twitter: @FaithAfterAbuse Follow on Facebook: @ReconstructingYourFaith Email: reconstructingyourfaith@gmail.com If you would like to reach out to Audrey about resources, send me a message, and I will connect you.

I'm excited about today's episode! As you might remember, Audrey Yadon interviewed me for my first episode, and today, I get to interview her. What you are going to hear is a story of redemption in an unlikely circumstance. In part of one of our conversation, we discuss Audrey's experience growing up in the same cult that I did, how that affected her general perspective on God and the Gospel, and ultimately how she came to saving faith. As with all of my episodes, the content is appropriate and clean, but it is potentially triggering and/or more mature and heavy in nature, dealing with issues surrounding abuse, so listen with caution around young ears. I would love to hear from you! IG: @reconstructingyourfaith Twitter: @faithafterabuse Email: Reconstructingyourfaith@gmail.com

We're picking up where we left off in episode 6, finishing up this conversation about doubt in the life of a Christian. I hope this helps you get these kinds of conversations started in your community. You don't have to struggle through your doubts alone, and you don't have to stay in them, either. Reach out: email: reconstructingyourfaith@gmail.com IG: @reconstructingyourfaith

This week, I am delaying the release of Part 2 of Addressing Our Doubts because I felt it was important to speak to the recent Roys Report article about John MacArthur's church, Grace Community Church. Next week, we will get back to our regular schedule and finish up my conversation with Pastor Greg Smith, but you can expect that we will have some episodes in the future dedicated to diving deeper into some of the theological points you'll hear in this episode. For this episode, I am using the article as an outline, so if you haven't read it, you can find that here: Roys Report Reach out: IG: @reconstructingyourfaith Email: reconstructingyourfaith@gmail.com

This week, we're diving right into the subject of doubt in a Christian's life and talking about some reasons why the issues of doubt and deconstruction are so prevalent today. We're interviewing Audrey Yadon's (she interviewed me in the first episode) pastor from Grace on the Ashely in Charleston, South Carolina. A few weeks ago, Greg preached on a passage from Luke about John's doubts. Find that on YouTube here. (Sermon begins at about 22 minutes.) Reach out: email: reconstructingyourfaith@gmail.com IG: @reconstructingyourfaith Don't forget to rate and review!

Going back to church after spiritual abuse can be extremely difficult, and that's why I want to talk about it. In a variety of ways, many pastors and churches have and are failing to function in line with the standards of scripture, resulting in widespread abuse. This week we are chatting with my pastor, Bryan Rigg, about some of the basics of what a healthy and safe church looks like, why Christians belong in church with other believers, and God's heart for those who have been abused by pastors. Reach out: IG: @reconstructingyourfaith Email: Reconstructingyourfaith@gmail.com

Sarabeth discusses the details surrounding her escape from the cult she grew up in, and how healing often comes in tiny, baby steps. She is celebrating 9 years of freedom from the cult this week.  Resources:  The Scars That Have Shaped Me by Vaneetha Rendall Risner Contact:  IG: @reconstructingyourfaith Email: Reconstructingyourfaith@gmail.com

Sarabeth gets right to the point of one of the common results of spiritual abuse-- difficulty reading scripture. She gives 7 things to do when reading the Bible is a trigger. Book Recommendations: Women of the Word by Jen Wilkin Ragged: Spiritual Disciplines for the Spiritually Exhausted by Gretchen Ronnevik Reach Out: Instagram: @reconstructingyourfaith Email: reconstructingyourfaith@gmail.com

Sarabeth discusses part of her own story and gives a definition of spiritual abuse, as well as some general signs and symptoms of a cult or controlling environment. Book Recommendation: Healing from Hidden Abuse by Shannon Thomas, LCSW Reach out: Email: reconstructingyourfaith@gmail.com Instagram: @reconstructingyourfaith

Sarabeth is interviewed by her lifelong friend, Audrey Yadon, and they discuss some of Sarabeth's background and why she would like to talk about reconstructing faith.