Sometimes cults are easy to spot. Most everyone knows about the Jim Jones cult (People’s Temple), or David Koresh’s group in Waco, Texas (Branch Davidians). Those cults are easy to spot because doomsday theology and mass killing tend to make headlines. But some cults aren’t so easy to see. Personality cults can be hard to spot.
When people call a religious group a “cult” it usually means one of two things.
TWO TYPES OF CULTS
Type 1: Theological Cult – heretical theology deviating from core orthodox teachings of that religion. These cults spring from a parent-religion. Ex., Mormonism and Jehovah’s Witnesses are cult offshoots of Christianity.
Type 2: Sociological Cult – socially and psychologically dangerous practices like authoritarian and manipulative leadership, social isolation, abuse, threats, blackmail, “mind-control” etc. These may or may not have a parent religion.
This post is about personality cults, which fall under the second type. Personality cults may line up perfectly with historic Christian teaching, have all the right creeds, prayers, liturgy, and so on. But they have dangerous practices centering on a personality-driven leadership model. Often that means one leader calls all the shots and may resort to underhanded and manipulative behavior to get his (or her) way. Here are the first six out of twelve signs that can help you identify if your church is a personality cult.
SIGNS OF A PERSONALITY CULT
1. One Charismatic Leader Is the Face of the Church
Personality cults center on one primary person, who typically has a magnetic and winsome personality. When he or she speaks, people listen. We’ll call this leader “Alpha” or “Al” for short. Alphas are often gregarious and extroverted, feeding off the respect and praise (or fear) of others. They are charismatic in the sense of persuasive influence. They are often natural leaders, drawing crowds most everywhere they go. Sometimes they are also charismatic in the sense of spiritual gifts (tongues, prophecy, visions, mysticism), but that’s not always the case. Bear in mind, there is nothing wrong with being a leadership-oriented charismatic person. Just because a person has tremendous social power within the church doesn’t mean they are abusing that power. But the more power people have, the more tempting it can be to abuse it, especially when they don’t have any accountability for their actions. Remember, “power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely” (Lord Acton, 1887). That’s why personality cults always have a strong personality at the center.
2. Narcissistic Leader
Al isn’t just a charismatic leader, he also has a big ego. I’m not just talking about confidence, and bravado, I’m talking about clinical narcissism. He tends to view all social dynamics as a competition, or a zero-sum game, that he’s trying to win. He can be remarkably crafty and manipulative in navigating social dynamics to acquire more allies, or to silence and cut off anyone who disagrees with him. Al’s ego is too insecure to tolerate a truth-teller disagreeing with him. That’s like having a spy in your ranks or letting an opponent play on your team. Al also craves an approving audience (whether he admits it or not) and if anyone disapproves he can be so devastatingly hurt/angered/indignant that he resorts to extreme measures against them.
Narcissism is fairly common in the U.S., so Al may have come across it naturally. Western cultures tend to reward confident dynamic people with jobs, promotions, and leadership positions. Narcissists exploit that fact. They are experts at talking-big, acting important, and dictating every narrative into a story about how great they are. Narcissistic alphas have tremendous pride about their ability to lead, their vision for the church, and so on. But they lack the humility, maturity, and emotional security to fill out that self-assured pride with actual competence. Likewise, Alphas tend to objectify people. Al may act like he values other people more than himself, as in Philippians 2:3, but he’s really just acting. In reality, he’s often just using people to feed his ego.
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,” Philippians 2:3 (NIV).
3. Authoritarian Leadership-Model
Al is also the power broker for the church. Al may delegate minor decisions to other people (especially for matters that don’t interest him). But when it comes to major decisions about church direction, big events, membership policies, church discipline, and especially finances, Al sits at the head of the table. Sometimes Alphas are heavy-handed in exercising authority. But many times they are indirect, manipulative, and evasive. That way they can still get their way while still rationalizing the outcome as a “team effort” or a “group decision.”
Because of Al’s authoritarian role, church discipline is typically a straight-line from him to whomever, he believes, needs correction. Al often bypasses any “due process,” like the checks and balances prescribed in Matthew 18:15-17. In personality cults, church discipline often comes down directly from Al like a monarch declaring an absolute verdict. He may appeal to the elder board, presbytery, or leadership team. But as long as they are just “yes men” (see #4 – Yes Men) and he gets to dictate the narrative, then he still gets what he wants.
“If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.”
Matthew 18:15-17 (NIV)
4. Other Leaders in the Church Are “Yes Men”
Al typically has several other “leaders” on his team, but he doesn’t really share power with them. They may have been invited into leadership, in the past, because they have clout, character and strong leadership ability, but they are only allowed to stay in leadership because they cooperate with Al. He likes them because they “rubber stamp” everything he says. It’s circular reinforcement. He likes how they rubber stamp everything he proposes, and they like being part of his elite circle of leaders, the few and the proud who have the heart of such an important man.
Some of these cooperators are “yes-men” by nature, that’s their personality type. They’re peace-keepers who “go along to get along.” Often they enjoy the privilege and status of being in the “inner circle,” so they don’t want to rock the boat. Other times people adapt to a “yes man” mentality because of group pressure, peer culture, or their growing appetite for Al’s approval.
Individually these people might be terrific independent thinkers, courageous, independent, and wise. But, when they get together at an 11am business meeting, and everyone is already hungry for lunch, their resolve may wane. When Al cleverly raises the most controversial proposal at 11:55am, “yes men” culture sinks in and all the “leaders” just follow the crowd, approving anything that lets them finish by noon. “Yes men” don’t have to be “suck-ups” (sycophants), but often they are. Mainly the yes men act as extensions of Al’s authority. They don’t offer any serious challenge, critique, or correction against Al even when he needs it most.
5. “Lone Wolf” Approach to Decision-Making
As much as Al can, he makes decisions directly without any serious input from the rest of the church. In his mind, he sees himself as the hero. Like the dashing and talented quarterback, he thinks of himself as the most important person on the team and the on-field coach. Everyone else’s job is to support Him so he can win the game for them. This direct-decision making style, to him, seems like common sense to him. By making as many decisions as possible by himself, it’s easier and more efficient for everybody. After all, it can keep the whole church working together toward the same unified vision of ministry without wasting time and energy quibbling through business meetings and deliberating over every vote.
6. Vindictive Church Discipline
Church discipline is a Biblical concept (see Titus 2:15; 2 Thessalonians 3:14). But in personality cults, church discipline is less like routine healthcare, and more like a spontaneous amputation. It isn’t healthy. It’s often petty and vindictive instead of restorative (Galatians 6:1). Often personality cults, under Al’s leadership, use gossip, shame, and backbiting to publicly humiliate people by either crushing their spirit so they leave forever or putting them in a dangerously vulnerable position for Al to swoop in like their savior and “restore” them (i.e., creating a codependent loyalist). When Al employs church discipline he is not necessarily aiming to use God’s word to correct false teachers (and every earthly teacher makes mistakes), though he may do some of that. Mainly he’s aiming at silencing critics, so the church is united around him. Never mind if those critics are speaking from God’s word, appealing to historic Christian teaching, or expressing humble godly wisdom. If they are criticizing Al or second-guessing his decisions then they are dissenters, trouble-makers, and enemies of the faith. Al can rationalize punishing them with vindictive discipline to protect the fragile unity of his church.
“Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.” Galatians 6:1 (NIV)
For the next six signs of a personality cult
Stay tuned for “Is Your Church a Personality Cult? Part 2”!
Recommended resources related to the topic:
Intellectual Predators: How Professors Prey on Christian Students by Frank Turek (mp4 Download) (mp3) (DVD)
Your Most Important Thinking Skill by Dr. Frank Turek DVD, (mp4 download)
Proverbs: Making Your Paths Straight Complete 9-part Series by Frank Turek DVD and Download
Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions by Greg Koukl (Book)
Letters to a Young Progressive by Mike Adams (Book)
Another Gospel? by Alisa Childers (book)
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Dr. John D. Ferrer is a speaker and content creator with Crossexamined. He’s also a graduate from the very first class of Crossexamined Instructors Academy. Having earned degrees from Southern Evangelical Seminary (MDiv) and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (ThM, PhD), he’s now active in the pro-life community and in his home church in Pella Iowa. When he’s not helping his wife Hillary Ferrer with her ministry Mama Bear Apologetics, you can usually find John writing, researching, and teaching cultural apologetics.
Original post: https://bit.ly/46ndmfs
Is Your Church a Personality Cult? Part 1
Culture CrossExaminedSometimes cults are easy to spot. Most everyone knows about the Jim Jones cult (People’s Temple), or David Koresh’s group in Waco, Texas (Branch Davidians). Those cults are easy to spot because doomsday theology and mass killing tend to make headlines. But some cults aren’t so easy to see. Personality cults can be hard to spot.
When people call a religious group a “cult” it usually means one of two things.
This post is about personality cults, which fall under the second type. Personality cults may line up perfectly with historic Christian teaching, have all the right creeds, prayers, liturgy, and so on. But they have dangerous practices centering on a personality-driven leadership model. Often that means one leader calls all the shots and may resort to underhanded and manipulative behavior to get his (or her) way. Here are the first six out of twelve signs that can help you identify if your church is a personality cult.
SIGNS OF A PERSONALITY CULT
1. One Charismatic Leader Is the Face of the Church
Personality cults center on one primary person, who typically has a magnetic and winsome personality. When he or she speaks, people listen. We’ll call this leader “Alpha” or “Al” for short. Alphas are often gregarious and extroverted, feeding off the respect and praise (or fear) of others. They are charismatic in the sense of persuasive influence. They are often natural leaders, drawing crowds most everywhere they go. Sometimes they are also charismatic in the sense of spiritual gifts (tongues, prophecy, visions, mysticism), but that’s not always the case. Bear in mind, there is nothing wrong with being a leadership-oriented charismatic person. Just because a person has tremendous social power within the church doesn’t mean they are abusing that power. But the more power people have, the more tempting it can be to abuse it, especially when they don’t have any accountability for their actions. Remember, “power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely” (Lord Acton, 1887). That’s why personality cults always have a strong personality at the center.
2. Narcissistic Leader
Al isn’t just a charismatic leader, he also has a big ego. I’m not just talking about confidence, and bravado, I’m talking about clinical narcissism. He tends to view all social dynamics as a competition, or a zero-sum game, that he’s trying to win. He can be remarkably crafty and manipulative in navigating social dynamics to acquire more allies, or to silence and cut off anyone who disagrees with him. Al’s ego is too insecure to tolerate a truth-teller disagreeing with him. That’s like having a spy in your ranks or letting an opponent play on your team. Al also craves an approving audience (whether he admits it or not) and if anyone disapproves he can be so devastatingly hurt/angered/indignant that he resorts to extreme measures against them.
Narcissism is fairly common in the U.S., so Al may have come across it naturally. Western cultures tend to reward confident dynamic people with jobs, promotions, and leadership positions. Narcissists exploit that fact. They are experts at talking-big, acting important, and dictating every narrative into a story about how great they are. Narcissistic alphas have tremendous pride about their ability to lead, their vision for the church, and so on. But they lack the humility, maturity, and emotional security to fill out that self-assured pride with actual competence. Likewise, Alphas tend to objectify people. Al may act like he values other people more than himself, as in Philippians 2:3, but he’s really just acting. In reality, he’s often just using people to feed his ego.
3. Authoritarian Leadership-Model
Al is also the power broker for the church. Al may delegate minor decisions to other people (especially for matters that don’t interest him). But when it comes to major decisions about church direction, big events, membership policies, church discipline, and especially finances, Al sits at the head of the table. Sometimes Alphas are heavy-handed in exercising authority. But many times they are indirect, manipulative, and evasive. That way they can still get their way while still rationalizing the outcome as a “team effort” or a “group decision.”
Because of Al’s authoritarian role, church discipline is typically a straight-line from him to whomever, he believes, needs correction. Al often bypasses any “due process,” like the checks and balances prescribed in Matthew 18:15-17. In personality cults, church discipline often comes down directly from Al like a monarch declaring an absolute verdict. He may appeal to the elder board, presbytery, or leadership team. But as long as they are just “yes men” (see #4 – Yes Men) and he gets to dictate the narrative, then he still gets what he wants.
4. Other Leaders in the Church Are “Yes Men”
Al typically has several other “leaders” on his team, but he doesn’t really share power with them. They may have been invited into leadership, in the past, because they have clout, character and strong leadership ability, but they are only allowed to stay in leadership because they cooperate with Al. He likes them because they “rubber stamp” everything he says. It’s circular reinforcement. He likes how they rubber stamp everything he proposes, and they like being part of his elite circle of leaders, the few and the proud who have the heart of such an important man.
Some of these cooperators are “yes-men” by nature, that’s their personality type. They’re peace-keepers who “go along to get along.” Often they enjoy the privilege and status of being in the “inner circle,” so they don’t want to rock the boat. Other times people adapt to a “yes man” mentality because of group pressure, peer culture, or their growing appetite for Al’s approval.
Individually these people might be terrific independent thinkers, courageous, independent, and wise. But, when they get together at an 11am business meeting, and everyone is already hungry for lunch, their resolve may wane. When Al cleverly raises the most controversial proposal at 11:55am, “yes men” culture sinks in and all the “leaders” just follow the crowd, approving anything that lets them finish by noon. “Yes men” don’t have to be “suck-ups” (sycophants), but often they are. Mainly the yes men act as extensions of Al’s authority. They don’t offer any serious challenge, critique, or correction against Al even when he needs it most.
5. “Lone Wolf” Approach to Decision-Making
As much as Al can, he makes decisions directly without any serious input from the rest of the church. In his mind, he sees himself as the hero. Like the dashing and talented quarterback, he thinks of himself as the most important person on the team and the on-field coach. Everyone else’s job is to support Him so he can win the game for them. This direct-decision making style, to him, seems like common sense to him. By making as many decisions as possible by himself, it’s easier and more efficient for everybody. After all, it can keep the whole church working together toward the same unified vision of ministry without wasting time and energy quibbling through business meetings and deliberating over every vote.
6. Vindictive Church Discipline
Church discipline is a Biblical concept (see Titus 2:15; 2 Thessalonians 3:14). But in personality cults, church discipline is less like routine healthcare, and more like a spontaneous amputation. It isn’t healthy. It’s often petty and vindictive instead of restorative (Galatians 6:1). Often personality cults, under Al’s leadership, use gossip, shame, and backbiting to publicly humiliate people by either crushing their spirit so they leave forever or putting them in a dangerously vulnerable position for Al to swoop in like their savior and “restore” them (i.e., creating a codependent loyalist). When Al employs church discipline he is not necessarily aiming to use God’s word to correct false teachers (and every earthly teacher makes mistakes), though he may do some of that. Mainly he’s aiming at silencing critics, so the church is united around him. Never mind if those critics are speaking from God’s word, appealing to historic Christian teaching, or expressing humble godly wisdom. If they are criticizing Al or second-guessing his decisions then they are dissenters, trouble-makers, and enemies of the faith. Al can rationalize punishing them with vindictive discipline to protect the fragile unity of his church.
“Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.” Galatians 6:1 (NIV)
For the next six signs of a personality cult
Stay tuned for “Is Your Church a Personality Cult? Part 2”!
Recommended resources related to the topic:
Intellectual Predators: How Professors Prey on Christian Students by Frank Turek (mp4 Download) (mp3) (DVD)
Your Most Important Thinking Skill by Dr. Frank Turek DVD, (mp4 download)
Proverbs: Making Your Paths Straight Complete 9-part Series by Frank Turek DVD and Download
Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions by Greg Koukl (Book)
Letters to a Young Progressive by Mike Adams (Book)
Another Gospel? by Alisa Childers (book)
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Dr. John D. Ferrer is a speaker and content creator with Crossexamined. He’s also a graduate from the very first class of Crossexamined Instructors Academy. Having earned degrees from Southern Evangelical Seminary (MDiv) and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (ThM, PhD), he’s now active in the pro-life community and in his home church in Pella Iowa. When he’s not helping his wife Hillary Ferrer with her ministry Mama Bear Apologetics, you can usually find John writing, researching, and teaching cultural apologetics.
Original post: https://bit.ly/46ndmfs
Are Christian Politicians Trying to Set Up a Theocracy?
PodcastAre Christian politicians plotting to turn America into a theocracy? That’s precisely what the woke media outlets want you to think, often accusing Christians of trying to violate the “separation of church and state”. They also accuse Christians of trying to legislate morality. But if Christians and conservatives don’t have the “right” to legislate morality, who does?
House Speaker, Mike Johnson, was recently accused of being a theocrat in an article published by The Guardian titled ‘Mike Johnson, Theocrat: The House Speaker and a Plot Against America.’ In this week’s podcast episode, Frank reviews the scathing article that was written by attorney Marci A. Hamilton who analyzes an old clip from Representative Mike Johnson. Frank will also address questions like:
Listen as Frank addresses some of the erroneous charges made against Mike Johnson and unpacks some of the political, moral, and apologetic implications of Hamilton’s accusations. Who exactly is the moral authority for non-Christians and those on the far left? All this and more will be discussed in this thought-provoking episode!
To view the entire VIDEO PODCAST be sure to join our CrossExamined private community. It’s the perfect place to jump into some great discussions with like-minded Christians while simultaneously providing financial support for our ministry.
You can also SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE.
Ossuaries, Tombs, and Archaeological Evidence for the New Testament | with Joel Kramer
PodcastHow much does archaeology actually reveal about the claims made in the New Testament? The four Gospels give us key details into the life and ministry of Jesus, the disciples, and the culture of Jerusalem at that time. But can a solid case for the truth of Christianity be made based on archaeological discoveries alone? Furthermore, can the secular worldview of most archaeologists account for these discoveries?
In this exciting follow-up podcast episode, best-selling author and leading archaeologist, Joel P. Kramer, returns to share several convincing pieces of evidence that support the historical reliability of the New Testament. How do we know the location of Jesus’ tomb? Did archaeologists really find the bones of Jesus? What other names mentioned in the New Testament have been tied to modern-day archaeological finds? You won’t want to miss this insightful conversation between Frank and Joel as they tackle these questions and much more!
To view the entire VIDEO PODCAST be sure to join our CrossExamined private community. It’s the perfect place to jump into some great discussions with like-minded Christians while simultaneously providing financial support for our ministry.
You can also SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE.
Expedition Bible on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ExpeditionBible
Joel’s book: https://a.co/d/77yRIyJ
Why Did God Put That Tree in the Garden of Eden?
Theology and Christian ApologeticsGod created humans in a state of sinless perfection, but all of that changed when Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. “The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (Gen 2:15-17 ESV). So why did God put that tree in the Garden in the first place? Not only that, He put it right in the middle of the Garden! It wasn’t in some remote corner. Was He trying to set a trap for them?
Would you rather have Dangerous Freedom or Safe Determinism?
To better understand this, you might begin by asking yourself if you would rather hear the words “I love you” from another human being or from an AI computer like Siri or Alexa. One might ask, “What’s the difference? The same audible sounds are coming your way, right?”
Of course, even a child knows and feels the difference to that question, and it touches on God’s intentions in the Garden. Simply put, God didn’t create us to relate to Him like a Siri, Alexa, or any other such robotic creation that responds from a soup of pre-arranged equations. God is love, and He wants genuine love in return (as we all do, if we’re honest). But genuine love cannot be demonstrated unless there is the freedom to choose otherwise (to hate). Hence the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
Just before they ate the fruit, did God zap the tree to make it disappear? No, He did not. Could He have? Yes, of course. But that would have violated the very freedom He had given to them, and He would be kidding Himself to think that would solve their heart problem.
Fast forward a few years to the first murder when Cain killed his brother Abel. Before the tragedy, God approached Cain and warned him — pleaded with him — to not do it. “Sin is crouching at your door, but you must master it” (Genesis 4:7). Sadly, we see that Cain did not heed the warning. But couldn’t God have zapped the weapon (or whatever means) Cain used just prior to the murder? Sure. But if that had happened, do you think Cain would have given up on his intentions? Human nature makes it quite plausible to surmise that he would have continued looking for another weapon nearby since the murder had already taken place in Cain’s heart. If God had interfered with the scenario, He would have been taking away the very gift He has given to all humans: the freedom to choose.
Freedom to Love Includes Freedom to Hate
If we want to sing “all we need is love” then we must be willing to accept that this is not possible without room to hate. God’s gift of freedom must have a means of testing (e.g., the tree in the Garden). Otherwise we’re back to a “Siri, tell me you love me” relationship. In this life there will always be those who will reject love alongside those who accept it. Despite our best efforts, no amount of social reform can erase these extremes. This is not to say that we should not be involved in social reforms. Quite the opposite! Love compels us to seek the welfare of those around us. But it is frivolous when we see ourselves as the solution and that one day evil can be erased if we just try harder or pass enough laws. The only way out of this mess is to recognize the need to appeal to a higher power – to God Himself. It is pure hubris to think we humans can do this on our own strength. We cannot. And because God gave us the freedom to choose or reject Him, He will not force us to ask Him for help (though He desires us to ask). To do so forcefully would violate His own nature. And so we see the continuation of both love and hatred, as it has been since the Garden.
In one bit of news there are moments of incredible selfless beauty, followed immediately by stories of gross abuse. And yet our penchant is to tell ourselves that we’ll eventually overcome hate by our own strength. Deep down nobody really believes that at the gut level. Do you really think jealousy and envy will be gone forever with enough social reform? That never again will someone curse another in their heart? No, only a total transformation of our hearts can overcome this. Thank God He has given us a Rescuer through His Son, Jesus (Acts 4:12). His publicly attested death, burial & resurrection from the grave prove that He has power over sin & death. But here’s the rub: He leaves it up to you to freely accept or reject His gift (hence John 3:16). As CS Lewis said in the The Great Divorce:
Divine Restoration Through Christ Alone
God’s heart is always bent on restoration. If that weren’t the case He’d have destroyed us in the Garden. But He didn’t. Death came through Adam, but restoring life has come through Jesus. Now that’s great news! “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life” (Rom 5:10). So which tree do you choose? The tree in the Garden that exalts yourself as ruler, bringing eternal enslavement and death? Or the tree on which Jesus hung and bled that brings you eternal freedom and life? So simple, yet so costly
Recommended Resources Related to this Topic
If God, Why Evil? (DVD Set), (MP3 Set), and (mp4 Download Set) by Frank Turek
Why Doesn’t God Intervene More? (DVD Set), (MP3 Set), and (mp4 Download Set) by Frank Turek
Why does God allow Bad Things to Happen to Good People? (DVD) and (mp4 Download) by Frank Turek
Hell? The Truth about Eternity (MP3 Set), (DVD Set), and (Mp4 Download Set) by Dr. Frank Turek
Short Answers to Long Questions (DVD) and (mp4 Download) by Dr. Frank Turek
Was Jesus Intolerant? (DVD) and (Mp4 Download) by Dr. Frank Turek
Oh, Why Didn’t I Say That? Is the Bible Historically Reliable? by Dr. Frank Turek DVD, Mp4, Mp3 Download.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Kent Suter was raised in Atlanta, GA and earned his Bachelor’s degrees in Biblical Studies and in Christian Education from Bryan College in Dayton, TN (2002). From there he attained a Master’s degree in Christian Apologetics from Southern Evangelical Seminary (2008) where he served as student assistant to his late mentor and friend, Dr. Norman Geisler. Following his time at SES, he moved back to Atlanta and served as Youth Pastor for middle and high school students for 15 years at Cornerstone Bible Church. Today he and his wife of 20 years, Brook, and their four children reside in Orlando, FL, where he now serves as a financial advisor with OneAmerica Securities. You can read more about Kent’s story at ksuter.com.
5 AMAZING Archaeological Finds from the Old Testament | with Joel P. Kramer
PodcastWhat can recent archaeological discoveries tell us about the historicity of the Bible? The miraculous destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and the equally miraculous fall of Jericho seem far-fetched to modern-day skeptics and Bible critics. But is it reasonable to discount what’s written in the Bible when excavation findings have consistently corroborated events recorded in the Old Testament?
In this fascinating podcast episode, Frank invites best-selling author and archaeologist, Joel P. Kramer, to unpack some of the greatest archaeological evidence for the validity of both history and prophecy recorded in the Bible. On his popular YouTube channel, Expedition Bible, Joel documents many of the sites referenced in Scripture, giving viewers the opportunity to see the Bible come to life! Throughout their talk, Frank and Joel will cover topics like:
As you’ll hear during this episode, archaeology and the Bible work together like a jigsaw puzzle. As experts in the field continue to uncover ancient artifacts, the Bible gives context to many of those unique finds. To learn more about the exciting advances in biblical archaeology, be sure to check out Joel’s YouTube channel and purchase his best-selling book, ‘Where God Came Down.’
To view the entire VIDEO PODCAST be sure to join our CrossExamined private community. It’s the perfect place to jump into some great discussions with like-minded Christians while simultaneously providing financial support for our ministry.
You can also SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE.
Expedition Bible on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ExpeditionBible
Joel’s book: https://a.co/d/77yRIyJ
The Mission and Vision of Core Apologetics | with Dr. Ben Shaw
PodcastHas the idea of biblical inerrancy gone out of style? In today’s modern church we’ve seen far too many professing Christians and even pastors struggle with biblical illiteracy, some choosing to abandon the biblical worldview altogether. As hostility towards the Christian faith continues to grow and commitment to the Gospel continues to decline, how can true followers of Christ equip themselves to learn, live out, and defend the truth of Christianity?
In this midweek podcast episode, Dan Hodges, Executive Director of CrossExamined, sits down with Dr. Ben Shaw, president of Core Apologetics, to talk about Ben’s faith journey and how his love for Jesus, evangelism, (and hockey of all things!) led him to a career and ministry in New Testament scholarship, working alongside the world-renowned resurrection scholar, Gary Habermas. What is the mission of Core Apologetics and how has Gary Habermas’ lifelong research impacted this much needed ministry? How do you live out a biblical worldview if you’re in a career like medicine or law enforcement? All this and more will be discussed in this special follow-up conversation with Dr. Ben Shaw!
To view the entire VIDEO PODCAST be sure to join our CrossExamined private community. It’s the perfect place to jump into some great discussions with like-minded Christians while simultaneously providing financial support for our ministry.
You can also SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE.
Pre-Order Volume 1 of Gary Habermas’ magnum opus: https://a.co/d/0sl9qhu
Core Apologetics: https://www.coreapologetics.com/
The Surprising Way Tinkerbell Shows the Flaw in the Transgender Identity Crisis
Culture CrossExamined, Legislating Morality, Culture & PoliticsI know what you might be thinking. “Tinkerbell, Melissa? Seriously?” But stay with me here. The pre-woke movie era had some good stuff in it that’s surprisingly relevant and counter-cultural by 2023 standards.
Tinkerbell (2008)
So first, here is a brief movie synopsis for those who may not have seen the movie: The first Tinkerbell movie was made in 2008. The story starts with Tinkerbell as a new fairy. She was a fairy who was born a certain way, as what’s called a tinker fairy, where she “tinkers” with things to build them. But she hates it. The main setting is in a magical place in Neverland called Pixie Hollow where there are other “talents” that other fairies have, such as water, animal, light, wind, or flower fairies. She struggles with who she is as a tinker fairy and who she wants to be, especially after finding out that tinker fairies don’t get to go to the Mainland for spring. She wants to be anything but a tinker fairy. She refused to accept the truth that this was actually who she was and instead stubbornly embraced her truth.
The entire movie is about her trying to be every other fairy type, anything other than who she was born to be. Her supportive friends knew she was a tinker and tried to tell her many times that this was who she was. Good for them. At the end of the movie, she finally accepts that she shouldn’t deny her true identity by trying to be something she’s not. She ends up happily embracing being a tinker fairy.
The Truth About Tinkerbell
I’m sure you already know what I’m getting at. The parallel to today’s identity crisis are clear, and quite the opposite message from this movie: you can’t change the truth to your truth.
Let me say this. First, I feel for those who struggle with their identity. There’s a deep and intense struggle to change who we are to be accepted by others or seen how we want to be seen. But there’s freedom in loving how God made you. And I mean how he actually made you. What I mean by that is some people might say, “But God made me with this identity! I didn’t choose to be a man in a woman’s body, or this race, or even this species!” I want to lovingly counter this idea with these questions:
If God has revealed Himself, He did so in the person of Jesus. I didn’t make this claim. Jesus did. If Jesus is who He says He is, then how would we find out information about Him? Here’s the answer: The Bible. People that walked and talked with Jesus and witnessed His life, resurrection, and miracles recorded them, then died horrendous deaths, never denying any of it was false. In other words, if Jesus is everything He says He is, I trust the Book that tells me who He is and what He taught, and what He commanded His disciples to do and teach.
Identity in Christ
And what He says about how you are made matters when it comes to this topic: you were born one way, but He says to be born another way. He says to be born again.
He wants you to find your identity in Him, not yourself. He wants you to love who He is and how He made you, not make a God in your own image that likes what you like and loves what you love. Jesus came for you too and says that He is the bread of life. What He’s saying is that this world will not satisfy, and looking within isn’t sustainable. He’s the standard for what’s good, true, and fulfilling.
A Lesson from American Idol
On a harder-to-accept level, people living “their truth” can sometimes look forced and awkward. Like someone trying to be something we all know they aren’t. It reminds me of one of those American Idol auditions where someone goes in thinking they’re a fantastic singer because everyone around them was telling them they were a great singer. But they open their mouth, and it’s total cringe. What’s stunning is their denying the fact that they are an objectively bad singer. Perhaps the people around them were afraid to tell the truth because the person was too sensitive or emotionally fragile to handle tough feedback. Everyone knew they weren’t a star. But everyone went along with it, perhaps out of fear. I see the same principle when it comes to today’s identity crisis.
Now isn’t it interesting, and rather ironic, that we live in a world that says self-love is the battle cry of the day but then the same instigators want you to deny everything about who you are for a fleeting feeling that changes? There’s wisdom in accepting yourself for who you are, not denying it to fill a void.
Recommended Resources Related to this Topic
Correct, Not Politically Correct: About Same-Sex Marriage and Transgenderism by Frank Turek (Book, MP4, PPT)
Hollywood Heroes: How Your Favorite Movies Reveal God by Frank Turek & Zach Turek (Book)
Another Gospel? by Alisa Childers (book)
Defending Absolutes in a Relativistic World (Mp3) by Frank Turek
Is Morality Absolute or Relative? (Mp3), (Mp4), and (DVD) by Frank Turek
Does Love and Tolerance Equal Affirmation? (DVD) (Mp4) by Dr. Frank Turek
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Melissa Dougherty is a Christian Apologist best known for her YouTube channel as an ex-new ager. She has two associate’s degrees, one in Early Childhood Multicultural Education, and the other in Liberal Arts. She also has a bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies at Southern Evangelical Seminary.
Are the New Testament Documents Historically Reliable? | with Dr. Ben Shaw
PodcastDo we have good enough reasons to believe that the New Testament documents are really telling the truth? One of the most effective ways to establish that Christianity is actually true is to demonstrate that Jesus rose from the dead. But do the Gospel accounts contain enough evidence to support a literal, historical, and miraculous first century resurrection?
During the recent Steadfast apologetics conference hosted by SES, Frank sat down with Dr. Ben Shaw of Liberty University, who is working alongside the great New Testament scholar, Dr. Gary Habermas, on four volumes of Gary’s magnum opus. Ben holds a PhD in Theology and Apologetics, serves as the president of the brand-new ministry Core Apologetics, and is also the author of the upcoming book entitled ‘Trustworthy: 13 Arguments for the Reliability of the New Testament’, which will be released in 2024. In this week’s podcast episode, Ben and Frank tackle questions like:
Early documents, eyewitnesses, and embarrassing testimonies are just a few pieces of evidence that show that the New Testament is a credible source for the historical Jesus. As you’ll hear in the show, mounting evidence for the resurrection continues to strengthen the claims of the risen Jesus, even causing non-Christians to acknowledge the evidence as valid. There’s no doubt you’ll be encouraged by what you learn in this discussion!
To view the entire VIDEO PODCAST be sure to join our CrossExamined private community. It’s the perfect place to jump into some great discussions with like-minded Christians while simultaneously providing financial support for our ministry.
You can also SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE.
Pre-Order Volume 1 of Gary Habermas’ magnum opus: https://a.co/d/0sl9qhu
Core Apologetics: https://www.coreapologetics.com/
What No One Ever Told You About “Gender Affirming Care” | with Dr. Jay Richards
PodcastWhat are the ins and outs of so-called “gender affirming care?” Although it’s a well-known FACT that it’s biologically impossible for anyone to change their sex, the process for sex trait modification (which can include hormonal drugs, experimental surgeries, and a long list of life-altering and even deadly complications), continues to be promoted by the left as a solution for gender dysphoria. What steps can Christians, conservatives, and concerned citizens take to stop the practice of mutilating perfectly healthy bodies (children included) from happening in our own communities?
In this special midweek podcast episode, Dr. Jay Richards from The Heritage Foundation returns to talk about the horrors of “gender transitioning” and the gains that have been made to end the practice on minors once and for all. What are the 4 steps of gender-affirming care (which should be more accurately labeled as ‘gender identity affirming treatment’) and who are some of the surprising allies that have joined Christians and conservatives in the fight against this dangerous social trend? Listen as Jay and Frank answer all these questions and more!
To view the entire VIDEO PODCAST be sure to join our CrossExamined private community. It’s the perfect place to jump into some great discussions with like-minded Christians while simultaneously providing financial support for our ministry.
You can also SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE.
Connect with Dr. Jay Richards
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrJayRichards
The Heritage Foundation: https://www.heritage.org/staff/jay-w-richards-phd
Where Rebellion Against God Leads
Theology and Christian ApologeticsImagine a time in the not-too-distant future. Trying to compensate for a declining population, scientists use advanced technology to build a “race” of robots, giving them not only human appearance and abilities, but also increasing amounts of AI. Things work smoothly in the short run, as the robots’ nearly limitless energy for work transforms Earth into a near paradise. But the programmers, seeking to give their creation a chance at true relationship with their human masters, give the robots freedom of will, grafting it on to their ability to think independently. Chaos soon ensues, as the robots rebel and rise up against the human population…
This is standard fare, of course, in science fiction circles. Shows like Battlestar Galactica explored the philosophical issues surrounding this scenario, and play out possible expected, and some unexpected, outcomes. Let’s do the same from a Christian standpoint.
How can a good God send anyone to hell?
A major stumbling block for non-Christians, and for many Christians as well, is the doctrine of Hell. How, they ask, can an “all-good” God consign his creation to a place of torment? Don’t we have a right to unending life, lived as we wish? Talking about rights like this flows readily from the American temperament. As beneficiaries of a system of ordered liberty, resorting to courts to settle our grievances, we seem to easily slip into thinking that man is autonomous, a force onto himself, with the unfettered right to advance his desire for control.
But though we resist thinking about this notion, we are in fact created beings. We did nothing to bring ourselves into existence and the basic equipment with which we experience the world was given to us at birth. However much we wish it were different, our aging bodies and tired souls remind us that that this good Earth is simply a waystation in a much longer journey. However much we assert our independence, exercise intelligence, and demand our “right” to do what we want, if we are honest with ourselves, we must realize that whatever brought us into existence may intend to reckon with us for what we have done while here. This creator may require an accounting.
Are we like robots, pots, and planes?
Most people who think through the implications of our contingent nature eventually realize that whatever did create us retains the right to do what he will with the fruit of his labor. After all, no one condemns the potter when he smashes the pot that does not meet his wishes, or the painter that slashes a painting if she so chooses. In the scenario depicted above, we realize that the programmers would be within their rights to “unplug” or otherwise disable their creation. Having made them, they retain the right to dispose of them, whether that be by putting them to forced labor or by dismantling them for parts. There is no moral outcry when, for example, the Air Force cannibalizes broken planes for parts that keep other planes flying.
But when we move to the arena of man and his Creator, our bias leads us to a totally different conclusion. But we are different, aren’t we? We think, and reason, and have free will that allows us to plan, to dream, to set goals. We form relationships that are meaningful to us. And most importantly, we feel. Pain is a constant threat and everyday companion. Does this not give us the right to do what we want? Especially if we mean well and don’t want to “hurt” anyone? To be “good,” God must simply get out of our way and let us … what, be God?
Actually, He doesn’t. Nothing changes in this analysis when the creatures under consideration are human beings. Having formed us from nothing, God can do what he wants with us. In fact, it appears that in the natural order of things, God has established rules that we violate at our peril, so that what he wants for us can be seen not only in his Revelation, but in the natural law. What changed is our perspective. Our bias in wanting our way is what leads us to cry foul when God’s created order bumps up against our plans and desires. As in the Garden of Eden, modern man insists not on serving God, but on replacing him… or displacing him, at the very least. Insistent on having our way, we see God as a nuisance, or worse yet, the enemy. We shake our fist at him, insisting that he move out of our way, and that he justify himself to us.
We’re supposed to relate to God on His terms
Unlike the robot analogy, God does not fear us or where our freedom may take us. We present no threat to him. But that does not mean that he must accept us into his fellowship, for to do so would be inconsistent with his holy nature. So, he reveals himself to us in a way which, though substantial, is not overwhelming. By adhering to that balance, he provides enough evidence of his reality without overcoming our freedom to choose to ignore him. Most importantly, he provides a way for us to reunite with him, but on his terms. That many people will use this freedom to remain in rebellion is not something for which he must explain.
None of this is easy for us to fully comprehend or to accept. Set in our rebellion, without God taking the initiative, all would be lost. But when we insist that God must bend to our will, that our freedom to choose must be accepted by him despite his contrary view, well, then we are living outside the order which God has created. And in the end, he can – and will – do what he, in his wisdom, deems right.
Better for us to begin to see this clearly than to persist in the notion that we can imagine God out of existence. He may seem largely hidden to us, but he is there.
Recommended Resources Related to this Topic
Hell? The Truth about Eternity (MP3 Set), (DVD Set), and (Mp4 Download Set) by Dr. Frank Turek
Short Answers to Long Questions (DVD) and (mp4 Download) by Dr. Frank Turek
Was Jesus Intolerant? (DVD) and (Mp4 Download) by Dr. Frank Turek
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Al Serrato earned his law degree from the University of California at Berkeley in 1985. He began his career as an FBI special agent before becoming a prosecutor in California, where he worked for 33 years. An introduction to CS Lewis’ works sparked his interest in Apologetics, which he has pursued for the past three decades. He got his start writing Apologetics with J. Warner Wallace and Pleaseconvinceme.com.