Find out more about the Spiritual Abuse Institute and the Church Disrupted Podcast at https://www.spiritualabuse.institute/.Want to support SAI financially?https://donorbox.org/sai-initial-funding-campaignJoin the church disrupted COMMUNITY here: https://discord.gg/nbWwg8Sz6ZLearn more about the Safe Church Pledge Here: https://www.spiritualabuse.institute/safechurchpledgeCheck out our Awareness Apparel HERE: https://church-disrupted.sellfy.storePlease Subscribe and Share!Fair Use Disclaimer:This video may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. All clips used are protected by the Fair Use Doctrine within Title 17 of the United States Code. This doctrine safeguards the use of copyrighted material for transformative purposes, such as commentary, criticism, review and news reporting. Under Title 17 U.S.C. § 512(f), any person who makes a false, bad faith, or misleading copyright claim or uses a copyright takedown to infringe on free speech, criticism, or commentary can be held liable for damages to the content creator.Hosseinzadeh v. Klein, 276 F.Supp.3d 34 (S.D.N.Y. 2017); Equals Three, LLC v. Jukin Media, Inc., 139 F. Supp. 3d 1094 (C.D. Cal. 2015).

What is the church actually for?In Part 5 of the Deconstructing the Church series, we go back to 1 Corinthians and let Paul answer that question directly. His answer is simpler than you might expect — and more convicting than most churches are comfortable with.Everything the church does when it gathers should do ONE THING And everyone should do it.. Not some people. Everyone. If that doesn't describe your church, Paul has a word for that too.⬇️ Does your church pass the biblical purpose test? TFind out more about the Spiritual Abuse Institute and the Church Disrupted Podcast at https://www.spiritualabuse.institute/.Want to support SAI financially?https://donorbox.org/sai-initial-funding-campaignLearn more about the Safe Church Pledge Here: https://www.spiritualabuse.institute/safechurchpledgePlease Subscribe and Share!Fair Use Disclaimer:This video may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. All clips used are protected by the Fair Use Doctrine within Title 17 of the United States Code. This doctrine safeguards the use of copyrighted material for transformative purposes, such as commentary, criticism, review and news reporting. Under Title 17 U.S.C. § 512(f), any person who makes a false, bad faith, or misleading copyright claim or uses a copyright takedown to infringe on free speech, criticism, or commentary can be held liable for damages to the content creator.Hosseinzadeh v. Klein, 276 F.Supp.3d 34 (S.D.N.Y. 2017); Equals Three, LLC v. Jukin Media, Inc., 139 F. Supp. 3d 1094 (C.D. Cal. 2015).

Recently, Life.Church responded to our NDA report. Their answer raised more questions than it answered — but we were still hopeful.Then the Roy's Report dropped.In this episode, we walk through the new allegations against Life.Church and Senior Pastor Craig Groeschel — a reported chokehold incident in the HR office, a toxic work culture described by more than a dozen former employees, forced vulnerability used against staff, and a pattern of PR spin that is starting to feel like gaslighting.This isn't about tearing down Life.Church or Craig Groeschel. Repentance is available. Change is possible. And if a church this influential gets this right, churches across the country will follow.But getting it right starts with stopping the spin.Find out more about the Spiritual Abuse Institute and the Church Disrupted Podcast at https://www.spiritualabuse.institute/.Want to support SAI financially?https://donorbox.org/sai-initial-funding-campaignLearn more about the Safe Church Pledge Here: https://www.spiritualabuse.institute/safechurchpledgePlease Subscribe and Share!Fair Use Disclaimer:This video may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. All clips used are protected by the Fair Use Doctrine within Title 17 of the United States Code. This doctrine safeguards the use of copyrighted material for transformative purposes, such as commentary, criticism, review and news reporting. Under Title 17 U.S.C. § 512(f), any person who makes a false, bad faith, or misleading copyright claim or uses a copyright takedown to infringe on free speech, criticism, or commentary can be held liable for damages to the content creator.Hosseinzadeh v. Klein, 276 F.Supp.3d 34 (S.D.N.Y. 2017); Equals Three, LLC v. Jukin Media, Inc., 139 F. Supp. 3d 1094 (C.D. Cal. 2015).

Life Church — one of the largest churches in America — finally responded to our report on their use of silencing NDAs. And while I genuinely appreciate that they responded, their statement raised as many questions as it answered.In this episode, I walk through their response point by point — what I appreciated, what concerned me, and what I'm still waiting to see.We cover:- Why calling it a "severance agreement" instead of an NDA doesn't necessarily make it one- The part of our own definition they used — and the part they left out- Why "we only restrict knowingly false statements" sounds good but misses the point- The difference between transparent and translucent — and which one Life Church is actually practicing- Why their statement gave me genuine hope, and why I'm still not satisfiedThis isn't about tearing down Life Church. They responded when most churches don't, and they left the door open for more conversation. My hope is that if a church this size makes meaningful changes, churches across the country will follow.But hope isn't the same as confidence. And until I can see their current agreements, I can't tell you the concerns are resolved.Read the full article at spiritualabuse.institute.Find out more about the Spiritual Abuse Institute and the Church Disrupted Podcast at https://www.spiritualabuse.institute/.Want to support SAI financially?https://donorbox.org/sai-initial-funding-campaignLearn more about the Safe Church Pledge Here: https://www.spiritualabuse.institute/safechurchpledgePlease Subscribe and Share!Fair Use Disclaimer:This video may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. All clips used are protected by the Fair Use Doctrine within Title 17 of the United States Code. This doctrine safeguards the use of copyrighted material for transformative purposes, such as commentary, criticism, review and news reporting. Under Title 17 U.S.C. § 512(f), any person who makes a false, bad faith, or misleading copyright claim or uses a copyright takedown to infringe on free speech, criticism, or commentary can be held liable for damages to the content creator.Hosseinzadeh v. Klein, 276 F.Supp.3d 34 (S.D.N.Y. 2017); Equals Three, LLC v. Jukin Media, Inc., 139 F. Supp. 3d 1094 (C.D. Cal. 2015).

What does the Bible actually say about church leadership? And is the modern pastor even in it?In Part 4 of the Deconstructing the Church series, we do a deep dive into the three leadership roles the early church actually had — apostles, elders, and deacons — and compare them honestly to what we see in most churches today. What we find might surprise you.We cover:- What elders and overseers actually were in scripture — and why they looked nothing like a senior pastor.- Why biblical elders were itinerant leaders over cities, not resident leaders of individual congregations.- How deacons are actually the closest biblical parallel to modern church staff.- Whether pastors should be paid — and a practical, scripture-based framework for what fair compensation actually looks like.- How Ignatius of Antioch started a shift in the second century that changed the church forever.- Why the Reformation didn't go far enough — and what it would look like to actually recover the biblical model.This isn't an attack on pastors. Most of them are servants doing their best. But unbiblical doesn't mean evil — it just means it's not in the blueprint. And we need to know what the blueprint actually is.If you haven't caught Parts 1–3, start there: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtKEPmKrIBitw5zOYXgfjSNA20fqllaa3*This video originally aired as a segment on our April 9th livestream.Find out more about the Spiritual Abuse Institute and the Church Disrupted Podcast at https://www.spiritualabuse.institute/.Want to support SAI financially?https://donorbox.org/sai-initial-funding-campaignLearn more about the Safe Church Pledge Here: https://www.spiritualabuse.institute/safechurchpledgePlease Subscribe and Share!Fair Use Disclaimer:This video may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. All clips used are protected by the Fair Use Doctrine within Title 17 of the United States Code. This doctrine safeguards the use of copyrighted material for transformative purposes, such as commentary, criticism, review and news reporting. Under Title 17 U.S.C. § 512(f), any person who makes a false, bad faith, or misleading copyright claim or uses a copyright takedown to infringe on free speech, criticism, or commentary can be held liable for damages to the content creator.Hosseinzadeh v. Klein, 276 F.Supp.3d 34 (S.D.N.Y. 2017); Equals Three, LLC v. Jukin Media, Inc., 139 F. Supp. 3d 1094 (C.D. Cal. 2015).

What did the early church actually look like when it gathered — and who was in charge?

In Part 3 of the Deconstructing the Church series, we walk through 1 Corinthians as it was meant to be read: as a complete letter, not a collection of isolated verses. What emerges is a picture of church leadership that looks almost nothing like what most of us experience on Sunday morning.We cover:

• Why Paul spent the first four chapters of 1 Corinthians warning against over-elevating church leaders?
• What roles the early church gathering actually had — and the one role that's conspicuously absent?
• Why the "fivefold ministry" of Ephesians 4:11 doesn't mean what most churches think it means?
• The argument for why the pastoral role, as we know it today, may not be biblical at all?

This isn't about tearing down your church or your pastor. It's about going back to scripture and asking an honest question: what did Jesus actually build?

If you missed Part 1 or Part 2, start there — this series builds.⬇️ Drop your questions and pushback in the comments.

Find out more about the Spiritual Abuse Institute and the Church Disrupted Podcast at https://www.spiritualabuse.institute/

Want to support SAI financially?https://donorbox.org/sai-initial-funding-campaign

Learn more about the Safe Church Pledge Here: https://www.spiritualabuse.institute/safechurchpledge

Please Subscribe and Share!

Fair Use Disclaimer:This video may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. All clips used are protected by the Fair Use Doctrine within Title 17 of the United States Code. This doctrine safeguards the use of copyrighted material for transformative purposes, such as commentary, criticism, review and news reporting. Under Title 17 U.S.C. § 512(f), any person who makes a false, bad faith, or misleading copyright claim or uses a copyright takedown to infringe on free speech, criticism, or commentary can be held liable for damages to the content creator.Hosseinzadeh v. Klein, 276 F.Supp.3d 34 (S.D.N.Y. 2017); Equals Three, LLC v. Jukin Media, Inc., 139 F. Supp. 3d 1094 (C.D. Cal. 2015).

What does a church gathering actually look like according to Scripture? Most of us picture a stage, a band, and a sermon — but is that what Jesus designed?

In Part 2 of Deconstructing the Church, we dig deep into 1 Corinthians 11-14 and Acts 2 to uncover the biblical blueprint for the church gathering. What we find might surprise you — and challenge everything you thought you knew about Sunday morning.

If you missed Part 1, watch it here: https://youtu.be/At2NI8wavI8

Find out more about the Spiritual Abuse Institute and the Church Disrupted Podcast at https://www.spiritualabuse.institute/.Want to support SAI financially?https://donorbox.org/sai-initial-funding-campaignLearn more about the Safe Church Pledge Here: https://www.spiritualabuse.institute/safechurchpledgePlease Subscribe and Share!Fair Use Disclaimer:This video may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. All clips used are protected by the Fair Use Doctrine within Title 17 of the United States Code. This doctrine safeguards the use of copyrighted material for transformative purposes, such as commentary, criticism, review and news reporting. Under Title 17 U.S.C. § 512(f), any person who makes a false, bad faith, or misleading copyright claim or uses a copyright takedown to infringe on free speech, criticism, or commentary can be held liable for damages to the content creator.Hosseinzadeh v. Klein, 276 F.Supp.3d 34 (S.D.N.Y. 2017); Equals Three, LLC v. Jukin Media, Inc., 139 F. Supp. 3d 1094 (C.D. Cal. 2015).

What if much of what we call “church” today isn’t what Scripture actually describes?

In this first episode of Deconstructing the Church, we go back to the Bible and ask a foundational question: What is the church — really? Is it a building? A Sunday event? A production? Or something far deeper?

Before we critique leadership, systems, or culture, we have to define the church biblically. This is Part 1 of a 15+ part series examining how far modern church culture may have drifted from the New Testament blueprint.

Find out more about the Spiritual Abuse Institute and the Church Disrupted Podcast at https://www.spiritualabuse.institute/.Want to support SAI financially?https://donorbox.org/sai-initial-funding-campaignLearn more about the Safe Church Pledge Here: https://www.spiritualabuse.institute/safechurchpledgeCheck out our Awareness Apparel HERE: https://church-disrupted.sellfy.storePlease Subscribe and Share!

CHAPTERS:

00:00 What Is Church

03:13 Blueprint vs Additions

05:26 Why This Fights Spiritual Abuse

07:41 Ecclesia Defined12:22 Three Biblical Uses

15:39 What Jesus Said

26:43 Paul on the Church

29:07 Gathering VS Identity

31:03 Why We Misdefine Church

36:17 Great Commission As You Go

40:38 Organism Not Organization

44:57 Systems Commodities And Abuse

50:05 Followers Of The Way

54:49 Are You Being the Church?Fair Use Disclaimer:This video may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. All clips used are protected by the Fair Use Doctrine within Title 17 of the United States Code. This doctrine safeguards the use of copyrighted material for transformative purposes, such as commentary, criticism, review and news reporting. Under Title 17 U.S.C. § 512(f), any person who makes a false, bad faith, or misleading copyright claim or uses a copyright takedown to infringe on free speech, criticism, or commentary can be held liable for damages to the content creator.Hosseinzadeh v. Klein, 276 F.Supp.3d 34 (S.D.N.Y. 2017); Equals Three, LLC v. Jukin Media, Inc., 139 F. Supp. 3d 1094 (C.D. Cal. 2015).

Should fallen pastors ever return to ministry?In this episode, we open Scripture, not sentiment, to examine what the Bible actually says about disqualified leaders. Is restoration to fellowship the same thing as restoration to church leadership? And does the New Testament give a pathway for elders to regain qualification after public moral failure?Let’s wrestle with it together.Find out more about the Spiritual Abuse Institute and the Church Disrupted Podcast at https://www.spiritualabuse.institute/Want to support SAI financially?https://donorbox.org/sai-initial-funding-campaignLearn more about the Safe Church Pledge Here: https://www.spiritualabuse.institute/safechurchpledgeCheck out our Awareness Apparel HERE: https://church-disrupted.sellfy.storePlease Subscribe and Share!

Chapters:00:00 Introduction: Should We Restore Fallen Pastors?02:12 Controversial Instagram Post04:56 Common Arguments and Misconceptions08:54 The Case of King David34:29 The Case of Peter41:10 Paul's Transformation and Leadership44:47 Restoration of Elders: Biblical Perspective54:58 Biblical Standards for Elders01:09:20 Modern Examples and Conclusion01:11:27 Case Study: Pastor Micahn Carter01:16:44 Challenges in Restoring Fallen Pastors01:23:19 The Role of Grace and Accountability01:26:39 Jeff’s Personal Experiences and Reflections01:44:48 Final Thoughts and Call to ActionFair Use Disclaimer:This video may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. All clips used are protected by the Fair Use Doctrine within Title 17 of the United States Code. This doctrine safeguards the use of copyrighted material for transformative purposes, such as commentary, criticism, review and news reporting. Under Title 17 U.S.C. § 512(f), any person who makes a false, bad faith, or misleading copyright claim or uses a copyright takedown to infringe on free speech, criticism, or commentary can be held liable for damages to the content creator.Hosseinzadeh v. Klein, 276 F.Supp.3d 34 (S.D.N.Y. 2017); Equals Three, LLC v. Jukin Media, Inc., 139 F. Supp. 3d 1094 (C.D. Cal. 2015).

Bethel’s public response to recent allegations raises serious questions every Christian should pause and consider.

In this video, Jeff Cochran walks through what was actually said, what was noticeably avoided, and why these patterns matter when church leaders are confronted with sin, accountability, and transparency.

This conversation isn’t about tearing down the church. It’s about loving the Church enough to ask hard questions, recognize red flags, and refuse to confuse unity with silence.

Find out more about the Spiritual Abuse Institute and the Church Disrupted Podcast at https://www.spiritualabuse.institute/.Want to support SAI financially?https://donorbox.org/sai-initial-funding-campaignLearn more about the Safe Church Pledge Here: https://www.spiritualabuse.institute/safechurchpledgeCheck out our Awareness Apparel HERE: https://church-disrupted.sellfy.storePlease Subscribe and Share!Fair Use Disclaimer:This video may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. All clips used are protected by the Fair Use Doctrine within Title 17 of the United States Code. This doctrine safeguards the use of copyrighted material for transformative purposes, such as commentary, criticism, review and news reporting. Under Title 17 U.S.C. § 512(f), any person who makes a false, bad faith, or misleading copyright claim or uses a copyright takedown to infringe on free speech, criticism, or commentary can be held liable for damages to the content creator.Hosseinzadeh v. Klein, 276 F.Supp.3d 34 (S.D.N.Y. 2017); Equals Three, LLC v. Jukin Media, Inc., 139 F. Supp. 3d 1094 (C.D. Cal. 2015).