Podcasts about independent baptist

Episode Summary:In this episode, Dr. Jim Van Gelderen shares insights from a recent conference and reflects on a powerful message he heard from Pastor Rene Ouellette. Drawing from Mark 5, he highlights Jesus' response to Jairus when his daughter was declared dead: "Be not afraid, only believe." Dr. Jim expounds on the significance of faith in the face of fear, encouraging young people to trust God even when life seems uncertain or discouraging.Topics Discussed:Dr. Jim's recent travels, including the Global Independent Baptist Fellowship meeting.Pastor Rene Ouellette's testimony and the impact of his message.The biblical account of Jairus and the woman with the issue of blood (Mark 5).How fear and faith cannot coexist and the necessity of trusting God in difficult moments.Applications for young people facing challenges such as sin struggles, life decisions, and personal fears.Key Takeaways:Faith conquers fear – When fear tries to dominate, the solution is to trust God.God's timing is perfect – Even when delays seem inconvenient, God is working.Victory is possible – No matter the struggle, believing in God's power leads to spiritual breakthroughs.Trust leads to surrender – A life fully dependent on God is the pathway to peace. If you've been encouraged by this podcast, please take the time to give us a five-star rating and write a brief review. That would help tremendously in getting the word out and raising the visibility of the Thee Generation for others. For more faith inspiring resources and information about joining Thee Generation, please visit theegeneration.org.

Nancy Freund, veteran of the Global Ministry Center staff and resident historian joins host Steve Anderson for a conversation about her newly published biography of William Haas. The Reward Unseen is the definitive guide to the life and ministry of the man who God used to start a global revolution in missions ministry through Independent Baptist churches. You will not want to miss this story. Buy Your Copy of The Reward Unseen here: resources.bmm.org

 Tia Levings is a former trad wife and self-described “anti-fundamentalist,” who for decades was trapped in a cycle of domestic abuse and further indoctrination into the Independent Baptist church cult which groomed her from a young age and sanctioned her abuse. Now free, Levings is an author and content creator - one who's open to secular influence, curiosity, and is more comfortable being lost than found.  Get early access to ad-free episodes, bonus content, and more by supporting Labyrinths on patreon. https://www.patreon.com/knoxrobinson https://www.amandaknox.com Twitter: @amandaknox | @manunderbridge IG: @amamaknox | @emceecarbon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of FACTS, Dr. Boyce is joined by special guest Fr. James Gadomski from the “Barely Protestant” channel. Both Dr. Boyce and Fr. James were raised in the Independent Baptist tradition, but through years of study and personal discovery, they found their way to Anglicanism. Together, they'll share the pivotal moments that shaped their spiritual journeys and discuss how their Baptist backgrounds played a crucial role in leading them to the Anglican Church. If you'd like to donate to our ministry or be a monthly partner that receives newsletters and one on one discussions with Dr. Boyce, here's a link: https://give.tithe.ly/?formId=6381a2ee-b82f-42a7-809e-6b733cec05a7 Here is a link to Fr. James's channel: http://www.youtube.com/@barelyprotestant5365 Here is a link to the upcoming Perseus Men's Conference: https://perseus-conference-473202.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/2377583

Preaching by Jimmy Ruckman from the radio broadcast, Back to the Book. Join us every week for a new message. Send us a Text Message.

They guys compare some other churches and groups to the Independent Baptist doctrine to determine who might be more like them than not.

A great question for a listener is the title question today. Pastor Wolvin and Dr. Stone dive in head first into this one. They also look at some other groups as well to compare.

Guest Bios Show Transcript https://youtu.be/ok7qRXGZYroFor nearly two decades, one woman stood up to the Southern Baptist Convention, forcing it to face its sex abuse crisis. She was gaslit, maligned, and threatened with legal action. But she didn't back down. And on this edition of The Roys Report, you'll hear her story. Joining host Julie Roys is Christa Brown, an abuse survivor who overcame the odds in pursuit of justice. As a 16-year-old girl, Christa was repeatedly raped by the youth pastor at her Southern Baptist Church. And when she told the music minister at her church what had happened, he told her never to speak of it. For 35 years, Christa kept silent, accepting the shame that rightly belonged to her rapist. But in the early 2000s, Christa broke her silence—and confronted her childhood church with what had happened. She thought they would do the right thing. But instead, they attacked her. That began a nearly 20-year battle with the Southern Baptist Convention—and led to two major investigations, showing that hundreds of Baptist leaders and volunteers had sexually abused congregants. She recounts it all in detail in her just released memoir, Baptistland. Christa found her voice, rising above her past trauma to become a leading voice in the national and global abuse survivor community. She speaks with unrelenting honesty about the patterns of abuse in evangelical churches—and the necessary steps to bring reform. Guests Christa Brown Named as one of the "top 10 religion newsmakers" of 2022, Christa Brown has persisted for two decades in working to peel back the truth about clergy sex abuse and coverups in the nation's largest Protestant denomination, the Southern Baptist Convention. As one of the first to go public with substantiated child molestation allegations against a Baptist minister—and documentation that others knew—she has consistently demanded reforms to make other kids and congregants safer. She is the author of Baptistland and This Little Light: Beyond a Baptist Preacher Predator and His Gang. Christa, who is retired appellate attorney, a mom, and a grandma, lives with her husband in Colorado. Show Transcript SPEAKERSCHRISTA BROWN, Julie Roys Julie Roys  00:04For nearly two decades, one woman stood up to the Southern Baptist Convention, forcing it to face its sex abuse crisis. She was gaslit, maligned, and threatened with legal action. But she didn’t back down and on this podcast, you’ll hear her story. Welcome to The Roys Report, a podcast dedicated to reporting the truth and restoring the church. I’m Julie Roys. And joining me today is Christa Brown, someone who’s become a sort of legend in the abuse survivor community. As a 16- year-old girl, Christa was repeatedly raped by the youth pastor at her Southern Baptist Church. And when she told the music minister at her church what had happened, he told her to never speak of it. For 35 years, Christa kept silent, accepting the shame that rightly belongs to her rapist. But in the early 2000s, Christa broke her silence and confronted her childhood church with what had happened. She thought they would do the right thing, but instead, they attacked her. And that began a nearly 20-year battle with the Southern Baptist Convention and led to two major investigations, showing that hundreds of Baptist leaders and volunteers had sexually abused congregants. Joining me is Christa Brown, someone who for decades fought to expose sex abuse and cover up within the Southern Baptist Convention. She has been dubbed the mother of all abuse bloggers, and also is named by the Religion News Association as one of the top 10 religion newsmakers of 2022. She’s also a retired appellate attorney, a mom, and a grandma. So Christa, welcome. It is such a privilege to have you on this podcast.   CHRISTA BROWN  03:22 Thank you, Julie, I really appreciate it. I’m so glad to be with you.   Julie Roys  03:26 And you’re kind of like a legend. I don’t know if you recognize this, but you have been at this a very, very long time and the persistence that you have had to expose what’s been going on within the Southern Baptist Convention, it didn’t just happen to you, it happened to so so many women and men who have been victims. And so just as somebody who’s been in this space for a really long time, not nearly as long as you, I just really appreciate your work. So thank you.   CHRISTA BROWN  04:16 Thanks. And of course, this is something that is still continuing to happen too.   Julie Roys  04:21 That’s true. So I just finished your book, Baptistland, and really emotionally, still wrestling to come to terms  with everything I read. I think there were several things that really struck me from your book. Of course, the horror of the sex abuse that you had at the hands of your own youth pastor, somebody that you trusted, and the spiritual abuse involved in that was just absolutely horrific. But I think too, the abuse within your own family and the psychological and emotional abuse that was there and kind of how that conditioned you for the abuse and to kind of keep secrets. And so it kind of contributed to everything that happened. But I think lastly, was your resiliency, which is amazing in the face of what you encountered, your resiliency. And I don’t know how you did that. I mean, what do you attribute the resiliency that you’ve had to overcome so many hurdles in your life?   CHRISTA BROWN  05:26 I don’t know. In part, I think I’m a little stubborn by nature. I think that is there. In part, I think I had the enormous good fortune to encounter a wonderful husband and wonderful spouse, who has been nothing but supportive. And I think, when someone has that kind of support in their life, I mean, that came, of course, later as an adult, but that too, of course, has just been an enormous source of stability for me. So yeah, I’ve had those things. And in that sense, I’ve been very, very fortunate.   Julie Roys  06:10 If someone has just even one person in their life that’s advocating for them, that’s behind them, it makes a huge difference. And I know my spouse has been with me 100% in the work I’ve done as well. And I credit him for a lot of what I’ve been able to do as well. So I can relate to that.   CHRISTA BROWN  06:28 Yeah. I mean, he’s a behind-the-scenes kind of guy. No one knows my husband, but he is very much there for me.   Julie Roys  06:38  You divide your memoir into four different deaths, as you call them. And of course, there’s an element of resurrection and all of that, too. But your deaths start, the very first death that you write about is the abuse that you suffered by, again, your own youth pastor. But as I mentioned, there was some dysfunction in your own home, that kind of conditioned you to be able to have this abuse, and maybe to keep it quiet. Would you talk a little bit about that, the home situation that conditioned you to stay quiet about the abuse?   CHRISTA BROWN  07:19 Yeah. I mean, I grew up in the sort of home that it’s like, we all pretend we’re happy. What happened didn’t happen. And when someone blows up and throws plates across the wall, we clean it up, and we act like nothing ever happened. When my father explodes, we all just go on. My father had serious PTSD problems, but back then, we would not have even had that acronym PTSD, we didn’t know what to call it. We just all, as with many families across America, when war veterans come home, we all just do the best we can. But that very dynamic of never talking about it, and just always putting you in the background and moving on, conditioned me to keep quiet and to not talk about things in the family. We did not talk about the family with outsiders. That was for sure. And so all of that, I think is part of what conditioned me. Then when I was abused by the pastor, why would I talk about it? I had no experience in talking about anything troubling in my life, None. What was normal was never to talk about things. And I hope people will see that because of course, that’s one of the very common questions that people often ask, Well, why didn’t you tell someone sooner? Why didn’t you talk about it? I hope people will see in my book, the only rational question is, why would she have ever talked about it? And then, of course, the fact that I did try with a couple people and that only made things worse.   Julie Roys  09:08 Yeah. And there was also this element of spiritual abuse, which honestly, when I was reading your book, and I’ve heard a lot of spiritual abuse, but I would say this was almost just so wicked, because in your case, you were so trusting, you had such a childlike faith in God. And he just completely exploited that. Would you talk about the spiritual abuse and how that how that really gave him power over you?   CHRISTA BROWN  09:40 Oh, it gave him enormous power. And I hope people will see that the enormous power that earnest that a person’s faith can hold when it is weaponized against them, because that is what gave him power. I mean, I think there are many people who would wish to believe that this happens to kids who are in some way, oh, morally lacks or they want to blame the kid for some reason, that the reality is what made me vulnerable? What made me a target? What made me easy prey? was the very fact that I love God so much. My faith was earnest and pure and that is precisely what was weaponized against me literally. I was raised from toddlerhood to believe that you trust these men who carry the voice of God, that they are men and God. In the framework I held in my mind at that time., there was no other possibility other than to obey.   Julie Roys  11:00 You know, it’s interesting, because I just had a conversation with my daughter this morning. And I feel kind of bad sometimes because of the work that I’m in, that they’re exposed to the evil of it. But at the same time, I realized this morning, as we were talking about some things, she knows to be skeptical, that trust is earned. I don’t care what title someone holds. She knows that you still need to know that this person may not be trustworthy, you need to watch them over time. But I think especially in our generation growing up. I mean, I never would have dreamed that a pastor could be involved in any kind of wrongdoing. It just wasn’t in my worldview. So I totally get that. And the other thing is, and this is probably the most wicked is the way that he made you feel then that you are somehow evil because you had participated in this and even did like an exorcism on you or something, right?   CHRISTA BROWN  12:05 Yes. After this had gone on for months and months, seven, eight months. And it escalated, of course, and got worse. And then toward the end, he began to tell me that I had harbored Satan. And I was a temptress. And finally, then he called me into his office one day and made me kneel. While he, with one hand on my shoulder and one hand raised, stood over me as I was kneeling, praying on and on for God to cast Satan from me. But as a kid. I mean, that was just, that was terrifying. I mean, I didn’t know how I had let Satan in, and I didn’t know what I had done. If I didn’t know how I’d let Satan in I didn’t know how to make Satan leave me. And the very thought that I held Satan within me, made me think I was going to hell, which, as a kid, I was raised with a very literal version of hell, where you burn forever with no reprieve. This was absolutely terrifying. And of course, in hindsight, I think that’s exactly what he wanted was to put this enormous, just exponentially greater shame onto me, so that I would not talk about it. Because why would I want anyone to know that I harbored Satan?   Julie Roys  13:36 Unbelievable And yet when you did speak, like you referenced, nothing was done to help you. And you initially spoke with it was your music minister, right?   CHRISTA BROWN  13:49 Yes, that’s right. And he was also my piano teacher. I always had my piano lessons in the church sanctuary on the baby grand there. He was the music minister. And it was because I had just developed this enormous fear that I must surely be going to hell. And so one day at my piano lesson, I just, I mean, psychologically, I was at a point where I was just breaking then, and I just completely froze. I mean, my hands literally would not move on the keys. And I told the music minister that I was afraid I was going to hell, and I asked him, “Am I going to hell? Then I told him that I’ve had an affair. And that was my own word an affair with the pastor. And he basically just told me to never talk about it again, at all. And he said, I wouldn’t go to hell, but it wasn’t much comfort, really, at that time. He told me never to talk about it. He did nothing. And many, many years later, I learned that he had already known even at that point in time, because the youth pastor himself had talked about it with him.   Julie Roys  15:00 That level of complicity and silence, I just I don’t understand like, do you have any idea why he would do that? Why would a music minister say nothing about a pastor that he knows is sexually abusing a teenage girl?   CHRISTA BROWN  15:26 It’s very hard for me to explain. He was a father himself. He had a young daughter at that time. And so it’s hard for me to understand why he couldn’t think about his own daughter and imagine how he would feel if it were her. And it’s very, very hard for me to comprehend. I think that instinct among some religious leaders who kind of circle the wagons and protect themselves is very, very strong. Also the sense of protecting the institution, the sense of not doing anything that would bring, that would hurt the cause of Christ that would hurt the witness. I think all of that is a part of it. And yet, of course, none of that excuses it.   Julie Roys  16:21 No, and it’s not really biblical. I mean, Scripture tells us to confess our sins, not to bury our sins, and yet, that’s what the church has been doing for so long. Not all churches, but certainly within the Southern Baptist Convention this has been a widespread problem. So Tommy Gilmore, who was your youth pastor,, did eventually leave the church, was given what I understand sort of a hero’s send-off. Yes. And then, which I just can’t even imagine you as a kid, like, you have to go through an exorcism. Meanwhile, your abuser gets a hero send-off, and then you go home to live like, just go on, right? Like nothing’s happened, right?   CHRISTA BROWN  17:07 That’s right. He did indeed have a hero sendoff. He went to a bigger church; I was told that he would have a better salary. The senior pastor praised him for the pulpit and talk of how fortunate we all were, how blessed we were to have had such a man of God in our midst for so long, there was a big church reception where everyone brought their casseroles and stuff. And in hindsight, I don’t know how as a kid, I could have thought anything else. I mean, here was a great man of God, praised by everyone. I was the girl who harbored Satan.   Julie Roys  17:43 Just awful. And when you did go home, you did confess to one of your sisters what had happened. Her response was pretty horrific.   CHRISTA BROWN  17:53 Yes, she called me a slut.   Julie Roys  17:55 Unbelievable. And so the shame that you must have felt that you shouldn’t have felt but I’m sure you did, must have been just just awful. But you were given, I mean, sound like the pastor then arranged for you to have a job at the library. And your mother kind of encouraged you for this maybe? What was it he said that he thought you should be busy or something? Or I mean, kind of like he knew what had happened.   CHRISTA BROWN  18:23 Yeah exactly. None of this was really explained to me. But my mom said, Brother Hayden thinks you need to stay busy. And so they set me up with a job at the Farmers Branch Public Library, which I started immediately, which turned out to be even though I had never sought this job. But it turned out to be a very, very good thing. I loved working at the library.   Julie Roys  18:52 And you even said, I think later on your book, you credit some of your ability to come through all this to the books that you read, which opened your mind to a whole new world, which what a beautiful thing that in the midst of all of this awfulness, there was this oasis right?   CHRISTA BROWN  19:09 Oh, absolutely. The library was very much my safe place. Books were my safe place, always my refuge. A library has a certain kind of orderliness about it, and the neat rows and every book has its place. And that brought a level of comfort to me.   Julie Roys  19:28 Yeah. And one of the great things was that you were a very studious person, it sounds like, and that ended up being a route for you kind of out of some of your home life. But initially, you thought you would go off to college when you graduated from high school. It didn’t really turn out that way. Kind of like your mom sabotaged that. Is that a correct way of putting it?   CHRISTA BROWN  19:51 Yes, that is she did sabotage it. She wanted me at home for her own reasons, and I wound up staying home and commuting to college, and it was a very, very bad year, because she was struggling enormously. And both of my parents were struggling.   Julie Roys  20:13 The second death that you described is when your sister Rita was separated from her husband, Richard, and something happened. I’m gonna let you describe what happened, but also how that played out within your family and your family relationships.   CHRISTA BROWN  20:31 Well basically, I had gone over to babysit their young two-year-old daughter, and he made a move on me. Told me that he had married the wrong sister. That he should have married me. He picked the right family but picked the wrong sister. And I felt very trapped at the time. I did leave, of course. But I mean, this was someone I had grown up with. This was someone who was like a brother to me. This was my oldest sister. And so he had been a part of our family, since I was like 12 years old. So, in that sense, it just felt incredibly wrong and bizarre. But the one thing I knew with absolute certainty was that if I talked about it, I would be blamed for it. That even at that young age, I knew that for sure. And so ever after this was, again, another great secret that I had the key. It really kind of, I think, warped some of the relationships in our family. For every Thanksgiving, and all sorts of family gatherings thereafter, every single time, I would always try very, very hard to make sure I was never alone in the room with him. And yeah, that was the death of that kind of view of my family. I think.   Julie Roys  22:14 One of the things I’ve noticed just from my experience in ministry is that often a child that’s raised in a dysfunctional home, even though they recognize it’s a dysfunctional home, has trouble breaking those patterns, and often picks a spouse that is often very much like the dysfunctional parent or one of the dysfunctional parents. And yet you did the exact opposite. I mean, you turned down one proposal from someone who you didn’t love. And your mother pressured you quite a bit to marry because he had an engineering degree with some financial stability there. But instead you met a guy, Jim. What was it that really drew you to Jim, someone who was completely other than your family, and so healthy in so many ways? What really made you fall for Jim?   CHRISTA BROWN  23:13 Well. Initially, it was just that he had these gorgeous blue eyes.   Julie Roys  23:18 That helps, right?   CHRISTA BROWN  23:21 But it was just a connection there that I could not deny. You know, and with Jim, what you see is what you get. He is who he is, and there is never ever any kind of hidden agenda, any dagger behind that smile. That’s it. He is up for and in true. And that was always very clear to me. That mainly, it was just this connection that I felt with him. So much so that, I mean, it felt so powerful. And I felt fearful of it because I think I recognized immediately that this was something powerful, life-changing potentially. And so initially, what I did was to tell him that I could never be serious about someone who hadn’t read Anna Karenina.   Julie Roys  24:18 Well, of course! Who of us hasn’t said that, right?   CHRISTA BROWN  24:24 That was my effort in escaping because I was so afraid of this. But Jim proceeded to read Anna Karenina. So I had no excuse. And so we’ve been together ever since.   Julie Roys  24:37 That’s so funny. And then you went on to do something that nobody in your family thought possible. You went to law school, and even the application process and everything. I mean, to have the gumption to do that. Despite the fact your mother said you’re gonna fail. You’re not going to do well. Again, this incredible hurdle, what made you feel like you could go to law school?   CHRISTA BROWN  25:07 You know, I really only had, I came from a blue-collar family. And I really only had one friend at that point in time, who had been to law school. And I kind of thought, Well, I think I’m as smart as him. And he was a good deal more assertive than me by temperament. But I thought I could give it a chance. And initially, I really was very tentative about it. I kind of just kind of tip toed in and told myself, well, I’ll try it for one semester and see how it goes. But I did well, so then I continued. And with my family, I did not tell anyone I was even applying until I was already in, already accepted, already had my financial aid lined up. Because I was fearful of what the reaction would be. I was fearful of how negative it would be. And even intellectually, knowing that maybe that’s not right, your family’s words still carry power. And so I made sure I had things in place before I even told them.   Julie Roys  26:21 So true and so important. But yeah, I mean, even if  intellectually, that’s a lie. Or even if they’re saying this because of their own issues, right? It’s still hard to overcome that. And so the fact that you did, again, amazing resiliency. And then you had a daughter, which is just so beautiful. I have one daughter, I had two boys, and then my daughter. But daughters change us in remarkable ways. And you, even though you really didn’t have a model for healthy parenting, sounds like you did a really great job, and you broke some of those patterns of behavior that you saw in your family. What do you attribute that to?   CHRISTA BROWN  27:09 I attribute it to letting my daughter herself educate me, being observant of her, trying to attune myself to what’s going on with her. And recognizing that and trying to be sensitive to that. I do think that breaking long established patterns or familial dysfunction is very, very difficult. I mean, lots of people would like to make a decision and say, Oh, I won’t do things like my parents did. But the thing is, it’s not just a one-time decision. It’s something that has to be done in 1000s, of tiny, tiny little decisions, to choose to pause in the moment, to pay attention, to think about what’s happening. And that kind of attentiveness takes effort. And I think I attribute it to that. Also books I write,I don’t feel that I had a good roadmap to follow from my own upbringing. But  I was big on books.   Julie Roys  28:29 And that guided you. One book that you mentioned, you read your daughter was the Bible, but  chose not to raise her in the church, understandably because of your experience. But you decided to have her explore that herself with just reading her scripture and telling her Bible stories. As I was reading that, I just realized that my own experience within the church when I think of like your experience, my experience, things that for me, certain songs that for me are very comforting to you probably have a totally different connotation. Like for me, Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus is a beautiful song that reminds me of a wonderful, idyllic, really in comparison childhood that I had growing up in the church, where people were trustworthy, and people weren’t hypocrites. But yet for you were, how do you come to terms with that, and with what the church did? with God? with faith? How do you come to terms with that?   CHRISTA BROWN  29:53 For me, it’s very, very different. Because things like that. Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus. No, it was not sweet for me. Because trusting in Jesus, that was exactly what I did as a kid. That was my whole heart was to put every bit of trust in Jesus. And that led me down a very, very dark road. And that’s not the kind of thing that I can cognitively reason my way out of. Because the reality for me is that things like that, hymns like that, all sorts of Scripture like that, that for me now is kind of physiologically, neurologically networked with child rape. And that’s not something I can just say, Oh, no, I’m gonna think about this and not choose for it to be that way. No, that’s the way it is. And I accept that that is how it is. And I live with that. So yeah, for me, I mean, and that, I think, is what people need to realize is the enormous if you value your faith so much, then you need to be implementing serious accountability measures to make sure that these kinds of men do not church hop from church to church, because look at the damage that is done.   Julie Roys  31:20 Well. And that’s why I think spiritual abuse, and especially when it’s coupled with sexual abuse, has to be about the most profound harmful abuse there is, because you’re not just harming the body, but the soul in such a profound way. And it really is, I mean, that spiritual leaders or people who purport to be spiritual leaders, aren’t just horrified and wanting to root this out. I mean, says to me a lot about what they truly believe.   CHRISTA BROWN  31:55 Exactly. It is very, very hard. Certainly, for me, it is very hard to feel safe in faith, when faith itself has been used to eviscerate. And that doesn’t mean feeling safe in a church. That means feeling safe within myself in faith. It’s a very hard thing now,   Julie Roys  32:19 The shame that you felt as a kid, as I talk to you now, you seem to be very clear on the fact that you should have felt no shame, that you did nothing wrong. At what point did you get to that point where you realized this is not my fault? This is has been put on me by evil people. But it’s not my fault. I’m sure it was a process. But were there any points at which like, kind of a breakthrough where you’re like, this was not me?   CHRISTA BROWN  32:55 Yes. It was really my daughter who saved me, I think. Because when she was approaching the same age I had been at the time that the abuse, it was as though something exploded in my head. All these dark dusty boxes that were on the back shelf of my brain, that I had shoved back there and ignored for so long. All of a sudden, I kind of had to pull those boxes down and look at them and see what was in them. And that shifted thing. Suddenly, I saw things through the eyes of a mother in imagining what if someone did to my daughter what was done to me? And that was something I could not live with and could not accept. And really, that was  the singular kernel of truth from which everything else flowed. Because the one thing I knew for sure, and I didn’t know very much for sure. But I knew this, if someone did to my daughter what had been done to me, I would not blame her for one second, and I would be absolutely furious. And that shifted everything.   Julie Roys  34:20 Hmm. And so you did. You did at the age of 51, right? You publicly spoke out and really you talk about this as sort of the third death when you spoke about what had happened because of the response that you got. Although, before we talk about the response, just the fact that and I read in your book that the average age of someone coming forward is 52 which is insane to me, I would have guessed, like maybe late 20s early 30s you begin to sort of grapple with what had happened in your family or whatever. Why is it so late that people come forward about their childhood sexual abuse?   CHRISTA BROWN  35:13 I think the shame is so enormous. And as a kid, we absorbed that shame, and when we ossify into a few of what happened that blamed ourselves and we absorb that, as a kid, we solidify that view. It’s horrifying, we put that view, we put that into a box, put it up in their head, and put it on the back shelf. And we never want to look at it again, although, of course, it’s there. And it affects us in enormous ways. But I think it then just takes a very, very long time. And then there are these triggering events, like having kids of our own, to begin to understand, because we formed that view when we were young. And it impacted our whole identity.   Julie Roys  36:09 So when you did come forward, you spoke to your church, your childhood church. I’m not sure why you had optimism about that.   CHRISTA BROWN  36:19 I’m an optimistic person by nature.   Julie Roys  36:22 Yeah. I mean, you must. But I mean, when I read that I also thought,  when I first blew the whistle at Moody, I naively thought when I went to the trustees with the information I had, they would do the right thing. And that was not my experience. But I think we still hold on to this view that, man, these authority figures, they must not know. And so if I tell them, they will do something. Explain what happened when you did come forward to your church, and then I believe to, the Baptist Convention there in Texas as well.   CHRISTA BROWN  36:58 I was in my 50s,  early 50s. And I absolutely believe that they would do the right thing, that they want to help me. I was adamant about it. The same music minister who had known when I was a kid was still there at my same childhood church. I was absolutely convinced; I knew that he had raised a daughter by then. I thought he’s older now he will know better. He’ll wish he had done things differently. He will have learned some things; he will want to help me. And I have never been more wrong about anything in all my life then I was about that. Because the church’s first response was to threaten to seek legal recourse against me if I talked about it. And yeah, that was fairly intimidating. Even as someone who is a lawyer, I thought, whoa. And of course, you have to realize, I think, even as I’m doing this, at that point in time, I’m still trying to work through this process in my own mind, of unpacking everything that was done to me, of just dealing with it, of coming to terms with it. And that is a long emotional process because it was very traumatic. And at the same time then having the church threaten me, and try to bully me, that was just absolutely devastating. And then eventually, of course, yes, I also talked with people at the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Again, thinking these will know something. And I’ve contacted 18 Southern Baptist leaders in four different states, thinking surely there would be someone and there was no one. Absolutely no one who would do anything to help.   Julie Roys  38:59 One of the things that I thought back on when I was reading your book is about totalitarian states; that one of the things that a totalitarian state has to do is take over the press. And in Baptist land, they had their own press. Yes. And that was also weaponized against you, right?   CHRISTA BROWN  39:22 Yes, exactly. The Baptist Press published an article in which they said that I made false accusations, which, again, that was just absolutely devastating. But they’re in control of their own press, which gives them the ability to control the narrative, to present the picture that they want to present. That’s a very, very powerful tool.   Julie Roys  39:47 Although they don’t control all of it. And this is the thing that I have been so grateful for before the internet. Really, you had to go through all the gatekeepers, and I know, I couldn’t have done the reporting I’ve done had I had to go through the gatekeepers of the major Christian publications because they didn’t want to report half of this. Right. And I think the whole ME-TOO movement has taken off because of that. The Church TOO movement has taken off, because now, we have our own platforms, we have our own megaphones. And we can expose this stuff, and you did not stop. You just kept coming. And I’m guessing that that you’re one of so many, and so many people who have been suffering the same way as you have. But you went to the Southern Baptist Convention, you spoke out. Talk about your literally decades of advocacy, and what has kept you going through that.   CHRISTA BROWN  40:56 What has always kept me going has been the stories of other survivors, the very awareness that I wasn’t alone, and that there were so many others who did not have the ability, the resources, the educational background, the stamina, or maybe they just had toddlers under foot at home, they didn’t have the energy available for this. Back in 2006, I managed to publish an op-ed piece with the Dallas Morning News. And that was very early for me in this process. And it was after I did that, and I had my email address at the end of it, I was just flooded with emails. And that was when I really began to understand how pervasive this was. And most of those voices, most of those people are stories that no one ever hears about. And so that is always what has been a very powerful, made me feel a powerful sense of obligation. Because I’m very aware of those people. And I also want to say, the name of my book is Baptistland. And yes, I think there is this overarching kind of inculturation that this authoritarian type of Baptistland influences in our culture. But as you say, way back when, one of the earliest news media sources to begin reporting these stories was Associated Baptist Press, which is not affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, they’re Independent Baptist press. And they were some of the very first. We would not have some of the history we have and the documentation of this long problem if they had not been doing that work. And it continues today with Baptist News Global, which again, is not affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. I frequently write for them. So, yes, there have been other avenues, kind of on the fringes of Baptistland, that have been helpful in documenting this problem. And for that, I’ve been enormously grateful.   Julie Roys  43:14 So much has happened, especially in the past five years. The Houston Chronicle. That report showing literally hundreds of Southern Baptists leaders and volunteers engaged in credible abuse, effecting we know now over 700 victims. And again, that’s probably a fraction of it, because so many don’t speak, so many don’t come forward. We have Guidepost Solutions, who did their review, independent investigation of the executive committee the way that abuse survivors were treated. We know now that you were treated horribly, not just you, although you’re mentioned quite a bit in that report. But many survivors have been treated this way. SBC has initiated seemingly some reforms, the Caring Well Conference. But when it comes to substantive reform, have we seen substantive reform in the SBC?   CHRISTA BROWN  44:22 No, we have not. In my view, almost everything that they have done has been performative in nature. They still have no  names of credibly accused pastors on a database. They have talked and talked and talked. We’ve seen committee after committee, taskforce after task force. But no institutionally, they are not making progress. If they viewed this as a high priority, things would be very different. And you’re right. It is such a tragedy. It has been five years now since the Houston Chronicle Abuse of Faith series. It’s been two years since the Guidepost Report. That is enough time that we should see a great deal more change then we do. And yes, I’m named 70 times in that Guidepost Report, precisely because the executive committee treated me so terribly, and that’s now documented there. And that is just one report about one small entity of the Southern Baptist Convention, the executive committee. And what it reflects is pretty incredibly awful. And yet, the executive committee itself, it doesn’t make amends for its wrongdoing. It doesn’t impose consequences on those who treated me so terribly. No. And so what kind of example do they set for the rest of the Southern Baptist Convention? And they could take responsibility and accountability for their own wrong without anything to do with local church autonomy. They could do that themselves. No, they do not.   Julie Roys  46:15 And that was the big excuse for so many years was the SBC saying, listen, we’re a denomination that really honors local church autonomy. So we can’t really impose anything on these local churches. And you are asking for very common-sense reforms. I mean, a list for example, of all of the credibly accused or convicted pastors or leaders within the SBC. We just want a database, right? asking for this and them saying, oh, we can’t do that because of autonomy. And yet when this Guidepost Solutions report comes out, we find out they’re keeping their own list.   CHRISTA BROWN  46:52 Yes, they’ve been doing it all along, ever since 2007, while simultaneously claiming that they can’t keep a list. And of course, keeping records and sharing information on credibly accused clergy sex abusers, there’s nothing about that, that intrudes on the autonomy of local churches. To the contrary, that kind of information-sharing system could provide local churches with the resources that they need to exercise their autonomy more responsibly. That’s not on behalf of the local churches that their doing that. It’s on behalf of the larger denominational structures of the Southern Baptist Convention, that they’re protecting themselves.   Julie Roys  47:49 Wow. And we still don’t have it. We still don’t have a good database. This is not brain surgery, folks. This is really, really simple. But it shows the lack of will on the part of the Southern Baptist Convention. I think I just tweeted something out, not tweeted, posted on X. I can’t get used to that. But something recently; Southern Baptist minister saying, hey we’ve got the sex abuse crisis and everything else. But we need to get back to the really important things of winning people for Christ. That, to me is so infuriating that we don’t see, Jesus cared for the least of these, throughout Scripture talks about the least of these. How do we think what are we winning people to if our churches don’t reflect the heart of God? It’s so perverse and so frustrating. And I’m curious at this point, I mean, do you have hope for reform within the SBC? or do you feel like it’s a lost cause?   CHRISTA BROWN  48:56 I certainly don’t think that we will see meaningful reform in my lifetime. I really don’t. I just don’t think this institution is going that direction. They’ve given us no evidence on which to believe that they’re serious about this at all. And they have had multiple opportunities over the past 20 years to reckon with this, really serious opportunities, when they could have chosen to do so. And again, and again, they do not. So no, I do not hold hope for the institution. I do hold hope for individuals. I think there is value in putting the truth out there, regardless of what the Southern Baptist Convention may or may not ever do. Thank goodness, my hope does not rest on them.   Julie Roys  49:48 Amen. I mean, honestly, I think the truth has its own power and how it works itself out. That’s not in our hands. There’s nothing we can do about it. We’re not that powerful. But I know there’s a lot of different ways to look at this. I mean, some people come up to me and they’re like, Well, why is all of this being exposed now? What is going on? You know, it’s something awful in the church. And I’m like, Well, what we’re exposing most of what we’re exposing is decades old. Some of its recent, but a lot of it is decades old, that just hasn’t been exposed. And I do think God’s angry about it. I mean, that’s my personal belief on this. And that some of this is being exposed, that there is judgment coming. And there’s a reckoning coming. I do take heart in the fact that at least the truth is getting out there. But what people do with it, pretty tough. But I do think it will be a decade’s-long process, I thought at first it’d be a year or two few years. It’ll be a decade’s long process of this being exposed. But I do pray that something, some good structures grow out of it.   CHRISTA BROWN  51:13 I do believe that in years to come, and maybe decades to come, that ordinary human beings will look back on all this. Which is why I’m so glad things are being documented. We’ll look back on all this, and it will be so aberrant as to be almost inconceivable. And they will say, you? a multibillion-dollar tentacular institution? used this excuse of church autonomy to avoid protecting kids against clergy sex abuse? really? And it will seem so horrifying as to be almost inconceivable. I think that will happen. And this institution is on the wrong side of history.   Julie Roys  52:02 I agree with that.100%. And I’ll also say that when I talk to abuse survivors, it’s often not the abuser. I mean, the abuser obviously does horrific harm. But it’s the protectors, the allies, the bystanders that do nothing, or worse than that actually contribute to the crime by covering it up. That is what really, really causes the harm. And so I mean, to Southern Baptist leaders who probably won’t listen to this podcast, but if you do, shame on you! do something. I mean, this is unconscionable that you call yourselves Christians and you don’t do anything about abuse survivors. That is, to me, a test of the authenticity of your faith.   CHRISTA BROWN  52:52 You know you’re absolutely right Julie. This is perhaps the single most universal commonality that I find in survivor stories is almost invariably, as awful, and horrific as the sexual abuse itself is, what does even greater damage is how terribly survivors are treated by religious leaders, by churches, by people of faith. That is hard to reckon with and hard to come to terms with. It is one thing to come to terms with the evil that one man can do, but it is quite another thing to try to come to terms with, And everyone else acts as though it’s okay. And this kind of systemic institutional problem does not come about without the complicity of countless others who enable these things. And that is where the real problem lies.   Julie Roys  54:00 The fourth death that you talk about in your book is when your mother died, and your own sisters cut you out of an inheritance. And a lot of it though, based in the fact that your family didn’t want you talking about this. I can only imagine. I mean, I felt it as I read the book, but the pain that I’m sure you still carry from that. Why is it that your family wanted to silence you so much on this issue, so much that they would retaliate in this way?   CHRISTA BROWN  54:45 I think because they felt it brought shame onto the family. And because I grew up in a sort of family that says you pull yourself up by your bootstraps. You never talk about difficult things. You never talk about the family. My sister blamed me for what they said was making mom feel guilty because I had talked about this. Mom herself before she died, as I was speaking out numerous times would tell me that she thought I needed to own my part in it. Even though of course, I had been a kid. But she too had been, I think, misled, and manipulated by Brother Hayden, the senior pastor of our church at that time. And he’s now deceased. Because years later, many years later, I learned that he had told her that I would just forget about it. So that was a way of silencing my mom as well. And on some level, I think my mom must have felt guilty for that. As many mothers would feel guilt if something really terrible happens to a kid.  But I think she felt an enlarged level of guilt, which she could not really process. And it’s not as if people in my family went to counseling, right? And then because my mom felt guilty, my sister, I never put blame on her. I never ever put blame on her. But nevertheless, my sisters blamed me for making mom feel guilty. But, in some way if I think that’s all , scapegoating is something that human beings do. It’s something as old as time. And I think that’s what my sister did to me. Wrong. And in some ways, then they scapegoated me, and that was just kind of the rationalization for legitimizing what they did. And yes, to say it was painful, would be a real understatement. It was extremely painful.   Julie Roys  57:01 So sorry. You end your book with an afterword to childhood or clergy sex abuse survivors. And I know, our podcast, many survivors listen to this podcast. What message do you have for them?   CHRISTA BROWN  57:21 First and foremost, you are so worthy, you are a human being of infinite value. Whatever has been done to you within this faith community, it does not define who you are. Whoever you are at this point in your life right now, whether you are a person of faith or no faith, I don’t care. You are of infinite value and all of this other stuff that the faith community has communicated to you. Which abuse does this to people. It inculcates in you this notion that somehow you are not worthy. And that is a lie. That is a lie. So that would be the first thing I would say. And secondly, I would say, to all survivors and advocates, and really almost anyone out there, cultivate your skepticism. And sadly, when we see that faith itself is weaponized for power, that the accoutrements of faith are used to help propagandize and the perpetuation of status quo power structures, then it behooves us to apply our skepticism even to matters of faith. And I say, do not feel guilty for skepticism; not one bit. People need to earn trust. There’s nothing wrong with you for, for holding doubt.   Julie Roys  59:10 And I believe that if God is God, that he can handle our doubt, he can handle our hurt, he can handle our anger. And it’s justified in these cases. And it’s one of the greatest conundrums of the human experience. If God is great, and God is good, how do these horrible things happen to innocent people? It’s above my paygrade; it’s certainly one question that I’ve wrestled with an awful lot in my life and continue to, but I appreciate so much Christa, you’re honest, you’re honest  recounting your story and where you’re at, and you are a hero to the survivor community. And again, you have been in it so much longer than I have been. And I just look to folks like you who have really blazed a trail. And just so, so, so grateful for your work. So thank you.   CHRISTA BROWN  1:00:21 Thanks, Julie. Thanks for having me here. I really appreciate it.   Julie Roys  1:00:28 Thanks so much for listening to The Roys Report, a podcast dedicated to reporting the truth and restoring the church. I’m Julie Roys. And if you’d like a copy of Christa’s book called Baptistland, you can get one when you give $30 or more to The Roys report this month. As I’ve often said, we don’t have advertisers or many large donors, we simply have you, the people who care about exposing abuse and corruption in the church so she can be restored. So if you’d like to help us out and get a copy of Baptistland, just go to JULIEROYS.COM/DONATE. Also, just a quick reminder to subscribe to The Roys report on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. That way, you won’t miss any of these episodes. And while you’re at it, I’d really appreciate it if you’d help us spread the word about the podcast by leaving a review. And then please share the podcast on social media so more people can hear about this great content. Again, thanks so much for joining me today. I hope you were blessed and encouraged. Read more

••• Accessing Your Divine Inheritance by Forging a Relationship with Christ - Ep314 . ••• Bible Study Verses: Ephesians 1:3-12, Romans 8:16-17, I Peter 1:3-5, II Corinthians 5:17-21, I Peter 2:24, Colossians 1:13-14, II Corinthians 8:9, Luke 15:11-12, II Corinthians 4:3-4, Matthew 28:18-19, Acts 2:38, Romans 10:10, I Corinthians 2:9 . ••• “If you were to go about telling people that you had an inheritance worth a million worlds, and yet were out of temper for a trifle--they would not believe you”, William Tiptaft, 1803-1864, Independent Baptist preacher who seceded from the Church of England, He was eminently known as the poor man's friend . ••• “...according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire”, 1 Peter 1.3-7, NKJV .••• What are 3-aspects of divine inheritance? ••• What is inheritance? ••• What is the biblical definition of prosperity? ••• What are 4-key components our inheritance in Christ? ••• What are the 3-natures of inheritance? ••• How do we access our inheritance in Christ? ••• What are the negative consequences of refusing a relationship with Our Creator, the Lord Christ Jesus? ••• What are 2-reasons why some refuse a relationship with Christ? ••• What are 5-live actions in forging a relationship with Christ? ••• Are you going to ask your small group to pray that all your neighbors, friends and family will truly forge a relationship with Christ through the power of Holy Spirit? ••• Pastor Godwin Otuno expounds on this and much more on the exciting journey of Fresh Encounters Radio Podcast originally aired on February 3, 2024 on WNQM, Nashville Quality Ministries and WWCR World Wide Christian Radio broadcasted to all 7-continents on this big beautiful blue marble, earth, floating through space. Please be prayerful before studying The Word of God so that you will receive the most inspiration possible .••• This Discipleship Teaching Podcast is brought to you by Christian Leadership International and all the beloved of God who believe in it's mission through prayer and support. Thank you . ••• SHARING LINK: https://shows.acast.com/fresh-encounter-radio-podcast/240203-accessing-your-divine-inheritance-by-forging-part-5 .••• Exceeding Thanks to Universe Creator Christ Jesus AND photos by Andrew Ruiz Photography, Mesa, Arizona, https://www.andrew-ruiz.com/ , https://www.instagram.com/andrew.r.ruiz/ , https://www.behance.net/andrewruiz AND www.hotpot.ai. Art Direction by gil on his mac with free mac layout software . ••• † http://christian-quotes.ochristian.com/William-Tiptaft-Quotes/ .••• Study Guides at - https://shows.acast.com/fresh-encounter-radio-podcast/episodes . ••• Broadcaster's Website - https://www.lifelonganointing.com/ .••• RESOURCE - https://www.soundcloud.com/thewaytogod/ .••• RESOURCE - https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/kjv/john.1%20 .••• FERP240203 Episode#314 GOT240203Ep314 .••• Living The Overcomer's Life Part-5 ~, Accessing Your Divine Inheritance by Forging a Relationship with Christ .Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/fresh-encounter-radio-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"The Apostle's Apprehension," with Pastor Dan. Acts Chapter 9. Anchor of Hope Baptist Church is an Independent Baptist church located at: 2613 Lakeview Drive Rossville Georgia 30741 We would love to have you visit! Our service hours, mailing address, calendar of events, and much more can be found on our website: https://aohbc.org

"The Way To Damascus," with Pastor Dan. Acts Chapter 9. Anchor of Hope Baptist Church is an Independent Baptist church located at: 2613 Lakeview Drive Rossville Georgia 30741 We would love to have you visit! Our service hours, mailing address, calendar of events, and much more can be found on our website: https://aohbc.org

"God in the Background," with Pastor Bryce Williams. Romans Chapter 8. Anchor of Hope Baptist Church is an Independent Baptist church located at: 2613 Lakeview Drive Rossville Georgia 30741 We would love to have you visit! Our service hours, mailing address, calendar of events, and much more can be found on our website: https://aohbc.org

"The Ethiopian's Conversion," with Pastor Dan. Acts Chapter 8. Anchor of Hope Baptist Church is an Independent Baptist church located at: 2613 Lakeview Drive Rossville Georgia 30741 We would love to have you visit! Our service hours, mailing address, calendar of events, and much more can be found on our website: https://aohbc.org

"The Problem of Simon," with Pastor Dan. Acts Chapter 8. Anchor of Hope Baptist Church is an Independent Baptist church located at: 2613 Lakeview Drive Rossville Georgia 30741 We would love to have you visit! Our service hours, mailing address, calendar of events, and much more can be found on our website: https://aohbc.org

"The Preaching of Philip," with Pastor Dan. Acts Chapter 8. Anchor of Hope Baptist Church is an Independent Baptist church located at: 2613 Lakeview Drive Rossville Georgia 30741 We would love to have you visit! Our service hours, mailing address, calendar of events, and much more can be found on our website: https://aohbc.org

"Joy Unspeakable," with Pastor Dan. Luke Chapter 2. Anchor of Hope Baptist Church is an Independent Baptist church located at: 2613 Lakeview Drive Rossville Georgia 30741 We would love to have you visit! Our service hours, mailing address, calendar of events, and much more can be found on our website: https://aohbc.org

"The Stoning of Stephen," with Pastor Dan. Acts Chapter 7. Anchor of Hope Baptist Church is an Independent Baptist church located at: 2613 Lakeview Drive Rossville Georgia 30741 We would love to have you visit! Our service hours, mailing address, calendar of events, and much more can be found on our website: https://aohbc.org

"Unto the Days of David," with Pastor Dan. Acts Chapter 7. Anchor of Hope Baptist Church is an Independent Baptist church located at: 2613 Lakeview Drive Rossville Georgia 30741 We would love to have you visit! Our service hours, mailing address, calendar of events, and much more can be found on our website: https://aohbc.org

"Mission Trip To Africa," Children's Evangelist. Luke 18:15-16. Anchor of Hope Baptist Church is an Independent Baptist church located at: 2613 Lakeview Drive Rossville Georgia 30741 We would love to have you visit! Our service hours, mailing address, calendar of events, and much more can be found on our website: https://aohbc.org

"Don't Look Back," with Pastor Dan. Acts Chapter 7. Anchor of Hope Baptist Church is an Independent Baptist church located at: 2613 Lakeview Drive Rossville Georgia 30741 We would love to have you visit! Our service hours, mailing address, calendar of events, and much more can be found on our website: https://aohbc.org

"The Place of Worship," with Pastor Dan. Acts Chapter 7. Anchor of Hope Baptist Church is an Independent Baptist church located at: 2613 Lakeview Drive Rossville Georgia 30741 We would love to have you visit! Our service hours, mailing address, calendar of events, and much more can be found on our website: https://aohbc.org

"The Comparison with Moses," with Pastor Dan. Acts Chapter 7. Anchor of Hope Baptist Church is an Independent Baptist church located at: 2613 Lakeview Drive Rossville Georgia 30741 We would love to have you visit! Our service hours, mailing address, calendar of events, and much more can be found on our website: https://aohbc.org

You probably are pretty familiar with the Duggar family, from TLC's hit show 19 and Counting. But do you know about the sexual abuse they hid for years? And do you know about the organization, often called a dangerous cult, that shaped their beliefs that may have led to them downplay that sexual abuse, The Institute in Basic Life Principles? Wild one today.  A lot more talk about riding bikes than I anticipated. Hail Nimrod! GIVING TREE INFORMATION: If you would like to donate this year, go to amazon.com and purchase a gift card. When you fill out the box of whom to send this gift card to, simply enter the following email address: givingtree2023@badmagicproductions.com.If you want to be a recipient of the Giving Tree - on Tuesday November 21st at 12:00 noon PT, we will be begin accepting applications on our website, badmagicmerch.com. THIS WILL BE THE ONE AND ONLY WAY TO SUBMIT YOUR FAMILY.Act fast! When the maximum number of families we can help have submitted, the application will stop working. Good luck and Hail Nimrod! Get tour tickets at dancummins.tv Watch the Suck on YouTube: https://youtu.be/P8KMFbdbGU4Merch: https://www.badmagicmerch.comTimesuck Discord! https://discord.gg/tqzH89vWant to join the Cult of the Curious private Facebook Group? Go directly to Facebook and search for "Cult of the Curious" in order to locate whatever happens to be our most current page :)For all merch related questions/problems: store@badmagicproductions.com (copy and paste)Please rate and subscribe on Apple Podcasts and elsewhere and follow the suck on social media!! @timesuckpodcast on IG and http://www.facebook.com/timesuckpodcastWanna become a Space Lizard?  Click here: https://www.patreon.com/timesuckpodcastSign up through Patreon and for $5 a month you get access to the entire Secret Suck catalog  (295 episodes) PLUS the entire catalog of Timesuck, AD FREE.  You'll also get 20% off of all regular Timesuck merch PLUS access to exclusive Space Lizard merch.  And you get the download link for my secret standup  album, Feel the Heat.

"Forgetting Amalek," with Pastor Dan. Deuteronomy 25. Anchor of Hope Baptist Church is an Independent Baptist church located at: 2613 Lakeview Drive Rossville Georgia 30741 We would love to have you visit! Our service hours, mailing address, calendar of events, and much more can be found on our website: https://aohbc.org

"The Plan of God," with Pastor Dan. Acts Chapter 7. Anchor of Hope Baptist Church is an Independent Baptist church located at: 2613 Lakeview Drive Rossville Georgia 30741 We would love to have you visit! Our service hours, mailing address, calendar of events, and much more can be found on our website: https://aohbc.org

"Abraham Would Doubt," with Pastor Dan. Acts Chapter 7. Anchor of Hope Baptist Church is an Independent Baptist church located at: 2613 Lakeview Drive Rossville Georgia 30741 We would love to have you visit! Our service hours, mailing address, calendar of events, and much more can be found on our website: https://aohbc.org

"The Accusation Against Stephen," with Pastor Dan. Acts Chapter 6. Anchor of Hope Baptist Church is an Independent Baptist church located at: 2613 Lakeview Drive Rossville Georgia 30741 We would love to have you visit! Our service hours, mailing address, calendar of events, and much more can be found on our website: https://aohbc.org

"Saved With Benefits," with Pastor Bryce Williams. Romans Chapter 5. Anchor of Hope Baptist Church is an Independent Baptist church located at: 2613 Lakeview Drive Rossville Georgia 30741 We would love to have you visit! Our service hours, mailing address, calendar of events, and much more can be found on our website: https://aohbc.org

"The Choosing of the Servants," with Pastor Dan. Acts Chapter 6. Anchor of Hope Baptist Church is an Independent Baptist church located at: 2613 Lakeview Drive Rossville Georgia 30741 We would love to have you visit! Our service hours, mailing address, calendar of events, and much more can be found on our website: https://aohbc.org

Two new listener stories! One from Shelly about her time in the Independent Baptist Movement under pastor Jack Hyles and the cult recovery work she is doing now, and one from Claire about the manipulation she experienced under her capoeira teacher. Trust Me is brought to you by Progressive! Quote your car insurance at Progressive.com to join the over 28 million drivers who trust Progressive! Learn more about Shelly HERE! Got your own story about cults, extreme belief, or abuse of power? Leave a voicemail or text us at 347-86-TRUST (347-868-7878) OR shoot us an email at TrustMePod@gmail.com CHECK OUT OUR MERCH!! bit.ly/trustmemerch INSTAGRAM: @TrustMePodcast @oohlalola @meaganelizabeth11 TWITTER: @TrustMeCultPod @ohlalola @baberahamhicks TIKTOK: @TrustMeCultPodcast

"The Healing of Everyone," with Pastor Dan. Acts Chapter 5. Anchor of Hope Baptist Church is an Independent Baptist church located at: 2613 Lakeview Drive Rossville Georgia 30741 We would love to have you visit! Our service hours, mailing address, calendar of events, and much more can be found on our website: https://aohbc.org

"Faith," with guest speaker, Pastor Tim Wolf. Homecoming 2023. Anchor of Hope Baptist Church is an Independent Baptist church located at: 2613 Lakeview Drive Rossville Georgia 30741 We would love to have you visit! Our service hours, mailing address, calendar of events, and much more can be found on our website: https://aohbc.org

"God's Judgement," with Pastor Bryce Williams. Romans Chapter 2. Anchor of Hope Baptist Church is an Independent Baptist church located at: 2613 Lakeview Drive Rossville Georgia 30741 We would love to have you visit! Our service hours, mailing address, calendar of events, and much more can be found on our website: https://aohbc.org

"The Wages of Sin," with Pastor Dan. Acts Chapter 5. Anchor of Hope Baptist Church is an Independent Baptist church located at: 2613 Lakeview Drive Rossville Georgia 30741 We would love to have you visit! Our service hours, mailing address, calendar of events, and much more can be found on our website: https://aohbc.org

"The Common Things They Shared," with Pastor Dan. Acts Chapter 4. Anchor of Hope Baptist Church is an Independent Baptist church located at: 2613 Lakeview Drive Rossville Georgia 30741 We would love to have you visit! Our service hours, mailing address, calendar of events, and much more can be found on our website: https://aohbc.org

"The Courage of the Apostles," with Pastor Dan. Acts Chapter 4. Anchor of Hope Baptist Church is an Independent Baptist church located at: 2613 Lakeview Drive Rossville Georgia 30741 We would love to have you visit! Our service hours, mailing address, calendar of events, and much more can be found on our website: https://aohbc.org

"They Had Been With Jesus" with Pastor Dan. Acts Chapter 4. Anchor of Hope Baptist Church is an Independent Baptist church located at: 2613 Lakeview Drive Rossville Georgia 30741 We would love to have you visit! Our service hours, mailing address, calendar of events, and much more can be found on our website: https://aohbc.org

"I Am Unashamed," with Pastor Bryce Williams. Romans Chapter 1. Anchor of Hope Baptist Church is an Independent Baptist church located at: 2613 Lakeview Drive Rossville Georgia 30741 We would love to have you visit! Our service hours, mailing address, calendar of events, and much more can be found on our website: https://aohbc.org

"The Second Sermon of Peter," with Pastor Dan. Acts Chapter 3. Anchor of Hope Baptist Church is an Independent Baptist church located at: 2613 Lakeview Drive Rossville Georgia 30741 We would love to have you visit! Our service hours, mailing address, calendar of events, and much more can be found on our website: https://aohbc.org

"Witness One on One," with Pastor Dan. Acts Chapter 3. Anchor of Hope Baptist Church is an Independent Baptist church located at: 2613 Lakeview Drive Rossville Georgia 30741 We would love to have you visit! Our service hours, mailing address, calendar of events, and much more can be found on our website: https://aohbc.org

The Sure Foundation Baptist Church of Vancouver—already acknowledged as a "hate church"—became internationally known when one of their congregants, Tyler Dinsmoore, was arrested for anti-LGBTQ hate crimes. Video essayist Jordan L, also known as YouTube commentator Dead Domain, was shocked to discover that an Independent Baptist sister church in her backyard of Spokane, Washington, was preaching the same. She transformed herself to infiltrate the hate church to investigate the extent of their antisemitic and anti-LGBTQ views and to try and understand the hearts and minds of the congregants. Please join us for this extraordinary conversation with Jordan as she reveals what she uncovered during her weeks attending services and potluck dinners.Content warning: violent, racist, homophobic, and transphobic languageProduction: Stephen Janis, Taya GrahamStudio Production: David Hebden, Cameron GranadinoPost-Production: Alina NehlichHelp us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer: Donate: https://therealnews.com/donate-podSign up for our newsletter: https://therealnews.com/newsletter-podLike us on Facebook: https://facebook.com/therealnewsFollow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/therealnews

"Stand For God," with Pastor Dan. Acts Chapter 2. Anchor of Hope Baptist Church is an Independent Baptist church located at: 2613 Lakeview Drive Rossville Georgia 30741 We would love to have you visit! Our service hours, mailing address, calendar of events, and much more can be found on our website: https://aohbc.org

"Arise Youth Conference 2023," with AOH Youth. Youth Testimonials. Anchor of Hope Baptist Church is an Independent Baptist church located at: 2613 Lakeview Drive Rossville Georgia 30741 We would love to have you visit! Our service hours, mailing address, calendar of events, and much more can be found on our website: https://aohbc.org

"Peter Preaches of Jesus," with Pastor Dan. Acts Chapter 2. Anchor of Hope Baptist Church is an Independent Baptist church located at: 2613 Lakeview Drive Rossville Georgia 30741 We would love to have you visit! Our service hours, mailing address, calendar of events, and much more can be found on our website: https://aohbc.org

"God's Love" with brother Kenneth Brogan. The Book of Jude. Anchor of Hope Baptist Church is an Independent Baptist church located at: 2613 Lakeview Drive Rossville Georgia 30741 We would love to have you visit! Our service hours, mailing address, calendar of events, and much more can be found on our website: https://aohbc.org

Overview of the history and key doctrines of Mormons from an Independent Baptist perspective. If you are a Mormon and want to learn the true Gospel to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and personal Savior, click on these links: The Bible Way to Heaven How can I be saved?

Margaret investigates the origins of the Troubled Teen Industry from its roots in the Independent Baptist movement to Lester Roloff's legislative battles to build and run homes for troubled teens and foster kids, ultimately showing how closely tied the industry is tied to the architects of the Religious Right. After investigating the various streams of money into Freedom Village, the reality of Freedom Village's Adopt-A-Teen program and international connections to Ukrainian orphanages lead to haunting revelations. Created By: Director and Producer: Margaret Mayer Editor and Producer: Stefan Cepko w/ the help of Maggie Gelen Carlo Soriano Music Credits: K. Porcelain https://kporcelain.bandcamp.com/ GucciSilica https://soundcloud.com/guccisilica Ele47n : TimeZoneArt@outlook.com

Almost 2 years ago, we recorded an episode entitled "Should An Independent Baptist Watch 'The Chosen'?" That episode was extremely different from what we normally record and focus on here at Sandy Creek Stirrings. But! To ice the cake of "extremely different", we want to UPDATE that episode because...some things have changed. Join me in this episode as I discuss how my answer to that question has evolved over the past two years and why some things may still be the same.

••• The Power of Choice . ••• Bible Study Verses: Deuteronomy 30:15-20. Galatians 6:5-8, Joshua 1:8, Exodus 15:26, John 8:7, Romans 3:10, Romans 8:15, Psalm 119:9, Philippians 4:6, Deuteronomy 29:29, Proverbs 11:14, Proverbs 20:9, Proverbs 27:12, Proverbs 11:30, Joshua 24:15 . ••• “ When the believer is faced with a decision regarding a questionable matter, he should never proceed unless he has complete peace about it. If there is nothing wrong with it, then God is able to give complete peace ”, Curtis Hutson, Independent Baptist pastor and Editor of The Sword of the Lord (1980-1995) . † ••• “ Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths ”, Proverbs 3.5-6. NKJV . ••• Why Talk About Choices? ••• What choice did God give Adam? ••• Why was the Lord telling Israel about choices and its consequences? ••• What is the foundation of every action in our lives? ••• What are 5-reason this thing called Choice is so Important? ••• What are 4-reasons for indecision in making choices? ••• What are over 20-elements in the decision matrix on how do we make choices? ••• Why must we understand the Power of Choice? ••• What are 7 factors to consider when making good choices? ••• Are you going to trust The Lord, Christ Jesus and pray with your small group, that you will be the kind of person who good choices through Holy Spirit knowledge and wisdom? ••• Pastor Godwin Otuno expounds on this and much more on the exciting journey of Fresh Encounters Radio Podcast originally aired on February 25, 2023 on WNQM, Nashville Quality Ministries and WWCR World Wide Christian Radio broadcasted to all 7-continents on this big beautiful blue marble, earth, floating through space. Please be prayerful before studying The Word of God so that you will receive the most inspiration possible . ••• This Discipleship Teaching Podcast is brought to you by Christian Leadership International and all the beloved of God who believe in it's mission through prayer and support. Thank you . ••• Study Guides at - https://shows.acast.com/fresh-encounter-radio-podcast/episodes . ••• Exceeding Thanks to Universe Creator Christ Jesus AND photo by KoolShooters Film production company + creative content agency, Warsaw, Poland, https://koolshooters.com, art direction by gil on his mac . ••• † http://christian-quotes.ochristian.com/Curtis-Hutson-Quotes/ . ••• SHARING LINK - https://shows.acast.com/fresh-encounter-radio-podcast/230225-choicepower .••• Broadcaster's Website - https://www.lifelonganointing.com/ . ••• RESOURCE - https://www.soundcloud.com/thewaytogod/ . ••• RESOURCE - https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/kjv/john.1%20 . ••• The Devil is Not Your Problem…Poor Choices Are . Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/fresh-encounter-radio-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I cannot count the number of times I have been asked this question: "What's the difference between an Independent Baptist and a Southern Baptist?" Allow me to say: there is a difference. In this episode, I cover 7 reasons why I am not a Southern Baptist. I pray and hope this will adequately answer the question for those searching, as well as give those considering the future something to "chew" on.