Not Ashamed

Have you ever caught yourself identifying more with your church group then with Christ? Did you experience an identity crisis after transitioning out of a high-control church or movement?

In our final podcast episode of Not Ashamed Season #1, we dive into the topic of untangling group identity and learning to place our identity in Christ first and foremost.

Have you ever found yourself nervous to choose a new church, worried that you may end up in a spiritually abusive environment? Have you ever felt something was off in the church you were currently attending, but didn't know how to be sure? In this month's episode, we'll be discussing these questions and more, as we dive into our discussion regarding red flags of an unhealthy church. Our special guest for this month's panel discussion is Dulce Johnson.

Dulce, along with her husband and children, left a G12 church that taught a prosperity gospel, Word of Faith, the "little gods" doctrine, and was very similar to hyper fundamentalism with its authoritarianism, elitism, and tribalism. Dulce shares her story of finding the true gospel, as well as what she learned along the way about recognizing red flags and green flags when evaluating churches. Joining her in this discussion are Andrew, Natalie, and for the first time on the Not Ashamed podcast, Natalie's husband, Cole.

Did you attend the Called to Freedom conference and would love to hear what others are saying about it? Were you unable to come but are excited to hear how it went? In this month's episode, we'll be discussing how God was present and faithful at Called to Freedom, encouraging and strengthening attendees through the content and fellowship.

Our special guest for this month's panel discussion is Jennifer Brewer, joined by Andrew, Bethany, and Natalie. Together, they discuss their highlights and takeaways from Called to Freedom, read survey responses, and discuss the "'Freedom' is a New Name for Bondage" post that circulated during the event and was unfortunately weaponized (by some who shared it) against CTF attendees.

Have you ever found yourself conforming to a group rather than following the leading of the Spirit? Have you ever struggled with prioritizing pleasing people over pleasing God? How does one practice spiritual disciplines in a healthy way? In this month's episode, we'll be discussing all these questions and more, as we dive into our discussion regarding what it looks like to have a personal relationship with Christ.

Our special guests for this month's panel discussion are Jennifer Brallier and Liz Johnson, joined by Bethany and Natalie. While their backgrounds are in different groups—Holiness Pentecostalism, Oneness Pentecostalism, and Independent Fundamental Baptist churches—they experienced many similar misunderstandings about who God is and what it looks like to walk with Him personally. Together, they share their stories of how God was faithful to lead them out of hyper-fundamentalism and into a better understanding of the gospel of grace.

Have you ever found yourself attending church services three, four, or more times a week, but with little time and opportunity to live out the Great Commission with other believers? Or, on the other hand, have you given up on church attendance altogether? Do you feel apart from God in seasons without a home church? Does attending a church service trigger anxiety and/or panic? In this month's episode, we'll tackle all these questions and more, as we dive into our discussion on the role of faith community and its overlap with church attendance.

Sometimes, "Where do we draw the lines?" is asked out of sincere concern of falling down the slippery slope, especially in regards to believers who move away from hyper-fundamentalism. After all, if our pastor and church group don't draw the lines for us, who will?

Other times, "Where do we draw the lines?" is asked as a way to use fear and shame to pressure believers into extra-biblical rules they are not "fully persuaded" of in their own minds (Romans 14:5). Either way, it's a question that deserves to be grappled with, and that's exactly what we do in this month's episode.

Have you ever started to share your story or your beliefs only to be cut-off with the accusation of "You're just bitter?" Have you ever wondered if maybe you are bitter, but you're not sure how to know, much less how to heal from it? Have you ever felt guilty for feeling disappointment, anger, or grief, wondering if these negative emotions are evidence of bitterness? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, this episode is for you.

Within hyper-fundamentalism, false accusations of bitterness are commonly used to silence and discredit those who share information, or a personal story, that makes a group uncomfortable. At the same time, bitterness, biblically defined, is a real issue for believers to grapple with and avoid. In this month's episode, we'll tackle how to process the false accusations of bitterness, as well as how to avoid and heal from the real thing.

Our special guest for this month's panel discussion is Amber Jones, founder and president of GraceStory Ministries. Also on the panel are Bethany, Andrew, and Natalie. Thank you for joining us as we rebuild theology in light of God's grace, love, and the true meaning of holiness!

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Have you ever heard someone pressure extra-biblical standards by saying, "Wouldn't you rather be safe than sorry?" Have you ever struggled with the fear of not being able to do enough to please God? Or fear of not knowing how to please Him? Have you ever grappled with deep shame—feelings of being worthless, unwanted, even unlovable? 

Within hyper-fundamentalism, fear tactics and shaming are often resorted to as a way of enforcing strict standards. This can wreak havoc on members' view of God, themselves, and their understanding of salvation. In this month's episode, we will look deeper into how these tactics distort the gospel with fear and shame. We'll discuss overarching concepts, share personal stories, and examine nearly two dozen sayings that are real-life examples of how the gospel is skewed by those who are zealous to enforce strict standards. 

Our special guest for this month's panel discussion is Tracy Bowen, a fellow Berean Holiness volunteer. Tracy grew up in the Conservative Holiness Movement, but today she and her husband serve in full-time ministry at their non-denominational church in Florida. 

Also on the panel are Bethany and Andrew (both from Oneness Apostolic backgrounds), and Natalie (from a Trinitarian Holiness background). We're excited to come together and share how God is transforming our understanding of the gospel through the study of His Word. Thank you for joining us as we rebuild theology in light of God's grace, love, and the true meaning of holiness!

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes..." —Romans 1:16

Resources:

Jesus prayed that believers would be one, unified in Him (John 17:10-11, 20-23). But with so many different churches, denominations, and beliefs, how can believers have this unity today? What does excellent Christian unity look like practically? Can we collaborate across denominational lines without compromising our convictions? 

What does the Bible teach us about holiness? What is it? How do we obtain it? How is holiness lived out practically? We'll be diving into all these questions and more in this month's panel discussion with special guest Josh Ratliff. Although Josh has family ties to both Independent Fundamental Baptists and Independent Holiness Pentecostals, he is now in the Wesleyan Church where he is an ordained minister and lead pastor. He holds a master's degree in Biblical Studies from Asbury Seminary. 

Also on the panel today are Bethany and Andrew (both from Oneness Apostolic backgrounds), and Natalie (from a Trinitarian Holiness background). We're excited to come together and share how God is transforming our understanding of holiness through the study of His Word. Thank you for joining us as we rebuild theology in light of God's grace, love, and the true meaning of holiness!

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes..." —Romans 1:16

Resources: