REST: Recovering from Spiritual Trauma

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I'm going solo again on this episode to discuss a topic that my daughter and I couldn't believe that we haven't addressed here yet. She will be joining me along with a special guest on the next episode which will be a follow-up to this one. The three of us will be discussing the concept of Christian modesty. In this prequel I explore the history of modesty as well as some of the Biblical passages around it. 

Intro to Marg Mowczko

Marg Mowczko blog on women in 1 Timothy 2

Marg Mowczko blog on 1 Timothy 2:9

Bare Marriage Website

Bare Marriage YouTube Starter Pack on Why Complementarianism Doesn't Work

Bare Marriage YouTube Starter Pack on Healthy Sex

My Mastectomy Story

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In this episode I tell the story of Carol, a pastor’s wife in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. Her suicide in 2007 led her son to publish a book of her letters that he found after her death. He also elaborates on the letters and the possible reasons that his mother made her ultimate tragic choice. 

Carol’s Letters: The Story of my Mother’s Suicide

If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, you are not alone. There IS help. 

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

International Association for Suicide Prevention

 RE.S.T Episode: How God Sees Women | The End of Patriarchy Spotify Podcasts

RE.S.T Episode: How God Sees Women | The End of Patriarchy Apple Podcasts

Safe to Hope podcast: Bible Truth About Women

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Dr. Ann Maree Goudzwaard joins me today to share her story of spiritual abuse as well as her work as an advocate for women in abusive situations. She is the founder and Executive Director of Help[H]er, a nonprofit ministry that produces rich resources, offers comprehensive training, and provides specialized care for women in crisis in Christian organizations. She works to ensure that women receive compassionate, informed, and scripturally sound care.

She holds a Doctor of Ministry with a counseling emphasis and is trained in domestic abuse (CTPM:Called to Peace Ministries) and trauma care (GTRI: Global Trauma Recovery Institute). She is also an author and teacher, and has served as an expert advisor to the PCA’s (Presbyterian Church in America) Domestic Abuse & Sexual Assault (DASA) Ad Interim Study Committee. 

Help[H]er Ministry website

Help[H]er Substack

Help[H]er Instagram

Help[H]er Facebook

Safe to Hope Apple podcast

Safe to Hope Spotify podcast

Called to Peace Ministry for those affected by domestic abuse

Global Trauma Recovery Institute

How to leave your church when it resists

DASA Committee Report

Advocacy from the PCA Pew: resources for members

The Faithful Project: YouTube

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In this episode I continue my conversation with Stephanie Chernyavskiy, a woman who grew up in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and suffered under its abuses. She has also told her story on this podcast which would be a good preview to our interview.

Here are all the links we discuss in the interview:

Full report of her case by the Presbytery of Southeast, OPC

Stephanie's Statement to the Presbytery of the Southeast, September 2025

Stephanie's Supporting Witnesses list

Stephanie's Dad's email to her fiance

Admission of OPC heresy that they are able to absolve of guilt

OPC admitting a Catholic cannot have true faith

Letter from OPC falsely stating Stephanie and fiance cohabitating

Letter from the OPC stating that they will not allow Stephanie to leave the denomination per her request to be removed from membership

Are you in the OPC, and need help? Contact: Presbyterian Advocacy Coalition.

As always, we welcome all feedback. You can reach us at [email protected]

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode I continue my conversation with Stephanie Chernyavskiy, a woman who grew up in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and suffered under its abuses. She has also told her story on this podcast which would be a good preview to our interview.

This was initially recorded in December 2025 but due to counsel she was advised not to publish until after the OPC General Assembly which was held June 5-7, 2026. She was hopeful her case would be brought before the denomination’s highest court, but it was denied a hearing. 

Here are all the links we discuss in the interview:

Full report of her case by the Presbytery of the Southeast, OPC

Stephanie's Statement to the Presbytery of the Southeast, September 2025

Stephanie's Supporting Witnesses list

Stephanie's Dad's email to her fiance

Admission of OPC heresy that they are able to absolve of guilt

OPC admitting a Catholic cannot have true faith

Letter from OPC falsely stating Stephanie and fiance cohabitating

Letter from the OPC stating that they will not allow Stephanie to leave the denomination per her request to be removed from membership

The DASA report 

NAPARC Congregation Finder

Are you in the OPC, and need help? Contact: Presbyterian Advocacy Coalition.

As always, we welcome all feedback. You can reach us at [email protected]

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode I interview Stephanie Chernyavskiy, a woman who grew up in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and suffered under its abuses. She has also told her story on this podcast which would be a good preview to our interview.

This was initially recorded in December 2025 but due to counsel she was advised not to publish until after the OPC General Assembly which was held June 5-7, 2026. She was hopeful her case would be brought before the denomination’s highest court, but it was denied a hearing. 

Here are all the links we discuss in the interview:

Full report of her case by the Presbytery of the Southeast, OPC

Stephanie's Statement to the Presbytery of the Southeast, September 2025

Stephanie's Supporting Witnesses list

Stephanie's Dad's email to her fiance

Admission of OPC heresy that they are able to absolve of guilt

OPC admitting a Catholic cannot have true faith

Letter from OPC falsely stating Stephanie and fiance cohabitating

Letter from the OPC stating that they will not allow Stephanie to leave the denomination per her request to be removed from membership

Are you in the OPC, and need help? Contact: Presbyterian Advocacy Coalition.

As always, we welcome all feedback. You can reach us at [email protected]

Send us Fan Mail

She’s back! My daughter joins me again in this episode and we unpack our family’s story of regret around tithing. She gives us the perspective of a child growing up in a high control church culture, a perspective rarely if ever heard or heeded. 

We welcome all feedback. You can reach us at [email protected]

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In this episode, the history of Christian tithing is fully explored and its Biblical claims examined. 

Statistics quoted in the episode come from The Religion Business, a 7-part investigative docuseries that exposes a growing problem in the nonprofit and religious sector—lack of transparency and oversight. Through investigative reporting and real-world cases, it reveals how well-meaning intentions can mask financial mismanagement, ethical lapses, and broken trust with donors and communities.

The Religion Business website

The Religion Business Instagram

The Religion Business YouTube

We welcome all feedback. You can reach us at [email protected]

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I’m back today with Mike Adams of the UnSunday Show. A former pastor, he left organized religion once he discovered just how free he really is in Jesus under the New Covenant. He now seeks to “unsunday” the modern church by sharing his story on his UnSunday Show podcast and YouTube channel. If you’ve ever wondered just what Christians should -and should not- be doing with Sunday or a Sabbath Day, you’ve come to the right place. 

The UnSunday Show website
The UnSunday Show Instagram
The UnSunday show TikTok
The UnSunday Show YouTube Channel

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Our guest for this episode is Theresa Garcia Robertson, one of 5 girls - now women- who were abused by a pastor or elder in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC) and specifically the Presbytery of the Southeast (PSE). Her story first broke on the Sons of Patriarchy podcast which you can listen to here:

Sons of Patriarchy episode Apple Podcasts

Sons of Patriarchy episode Spotify podcasts

Caroline Garcia Osborne's (Theresa's younger sister and main victim of Boyd Miller) episode on Sons of Patriarchy

Noelle Well's report on the Presbytery of the Southeast's meeting about the case

Google drive docs of all the case files pertaining to Boyd Miller & Covenant OPC

Are you in the OPC, and need help? Contact: Presbyterian Advocacy Coalition

We welcome all feedback. You can reach us at: [email protected]