Scot McKnight: How to be ‘TOV’ Not Toxic

Guest Bios

Show Transcript

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6SgkWJ9cmQ&mc_cid=5d513aee59&mc_eid=UNIQID

Narcissism, power through fear, and false narratives. These are some of the qualities of toxic churches. But what about truly good—or, in the Hebrew, “tov”—churches? What do these churches look like? And how do you become one?

In this session from the recent Restore Conference, world-renowned New Testament scholar Scot McKnight unpacks what it means for a Christian community to be truly good.  

After seeing multiple churches succumb to abuses of power, sexual abuse, and spiritual abuse, Scot realized the church needs a better blueprint. He described that vision in A Church Called TOV, coauthored with his daughter, Laura Barringer—which this talk expands on.

Scot addresses the celebrity culture rampant in our churches. “The church has one celebrity,” he says. “His name is Jesus. Everyone else is called a servant.”

He develops how empathy counters narcissism; grace counters a power-through-fear culture; and putting people first counters the institution creep so common at many large churches and Christian organizations.

If ever the church needed someone to describe a way forward, it’s now.

This Week’s Guest

Scot McKnight

Scot McKnight is a professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary in Lisle, Illinois. Scot has been a professor for nearly 40 years, is the author of many books, a preacher, and a blogger at Christianity Today. He is an ordained Anglican deacon and attends Church of the Redeemer in Highwood, Illinois. Scot has been married to his high school sweetheart, Kris, for 47 years and they enjoy long walks, gardening, and birdwatching. He is the father of two children and two grandchildren.

Show Transcript

SPEAKERS

SCOTT MCKNIGHT, JULIE ROYS

JULIE ROYS

Narcissism, power through fear, loyalty, and false narratives. These are just some of the qualities of toxic churches. But what about truly good—or TOV—churches? What do these churches look like? And how do you become one?

Welcome to The Roys Report—a podcast dedicated to reporting the truth and restoring the church. I’m Julie Roys.

And in this podcast, you’ll hear a message by world-renowned New Testament scholar Scot McKnight from the recent Restore Conference. Scot and his daughter, Laura Barringer, are the authors of “A Church Called TOV.”

TOV is the Hebrew word for “good.” And after seeing multiple churches succumb to abuses of power, sexual abuse, and spiritual abuse, Scot realized that the church needs a better blueprint. And in this enlightening talk, Scot describes that blueprint.

Scot addresses the celebrity culture rampant in our churches. “The church has one celebrity,” Scot says. “His name is Jesus. Everyone else is called a servant.”

Scot also talks about how empathy counters narcissism; grace counters a power-through-fear culture; and putting people first counters the institution creep so common at many large churches and Christian organizations.

I absolutely loved this talk, unpacking what it means for a Christian community to be truly good. And if ever we needed someone to describe a way forward, it’s now. So, I’m extremely eager to share this talk with you. But first I’d like to thank the sponsors of this podcast, Judson University and Marquardt of Barrington.

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