Control Freak Christianity | A most important podcast
“Thousands of people have been taught forms of Christianity that led them into more bondage than freedom. Why do we feel like we have been enslaved by the truth when it’s supposed to set us free?
Join us as we discuss how to fight disillusionment and move forward in the hope of Jesus Christ. Our prayer is that this podcast will encourage you as you hear the stories of others who have gone through similar experiences, and that we will be able to process alongside you as you move forward in healthy ways.”
You really should listen to the Control Freak Christianity podcast.
As I listened to the above episode introduction I thought to myself how important this message is. Christians have hundreds of podcasts delivering a faithful Gospel message and the world also has many podcasts that talk about abuse and trauma. To find a podcast that faithfully applies the Gospel to abuse, trauma, and authoritarianism is to find something special. Control Freak Christianity does not minimize the hurt and damage authoritarian fundamentalism can cause, but it also seeks to point victims and abusers alike to Christ. There is real pain, suffering, and trauma, but there's also hope.
Joe and Rachel Tenney started Control Freak Christianity this last February and are 25 episodes in. Topics have ranged from heartbreaking interviews covering sexual and ecclesiastical abuse, Gospel culture versus Gospel theology, the authority of parents, racial abuse, the Holy Trinity, and much more. Also, as rookie podcasters (such as myself), their audio quality is only getting better and better.
Here are a few of my favorite episodes with their descriptions.
Is God Like an Egg? - God's nature has often been described in goofy ways, yet the doctrine of the Trinity has some beautiful truths. These truths help us dismantle views of God that cause suffering, confusion, and sometimes even abuse. Joe and Rachel start to scratch the surface on this doctrine, and how it's led them to more joy and trust in God.
Authoritarian Fundamentalism - A toxic culture in Christianity and where it came from.
Ten Ways Courtship Can Go Wrong - Courtship is a common method in Authoritarian Fundamentalism to replace dating. Rachel and Joe discuss their own experiences and go through ten ways they've seen courtships go wrong.
Singleness - Many single Christians impacted by Fundamentalism feel lesser for being unmarried. Joe and Rachel discuss the terrible ideas that made their singleness harder and how local churches should treat single Christians. They talk about the fear of missing out on sex and how we should hope in the future marriage of Christ and His Church.
Why is there so much Sexual Abuse in Authoritarian Fundamentalism? - Hosts Joe and Rachel lay out the case that sexual abuse is common in many families, churches and organizations that claim Christ. Why is this evil so common? And what can we do about it? Through it all we can have hope that Jesus is bigger than evil and He can help us.
From Abused to Abuser - When a person is abused, they often are tempted into becoming abusers themselves. Rachel and Joe discuss why abuse is so damaging and why it can draw its victims into continuing cycles of hurt and destruction. Only the gospel of Jesus allows us to break free from abuse cycles and into freedom and joy.
We must take God’s law seriously, but few things are more commonly misunderstood than the nature and function of God’s law. It is all too commonly twisted to be an authoritarian rule by self-appointed men who pompously claim to rule for God. We too often have man’s law masquerading as God’s law, and that burden is always heavy. The truth is that God’s law brings freedom in Christ, not the rule of man over man. Because of this far too common error, Control Freak Christianity is a most important podcast.
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