The Desert Sanctuary

Bruce Epperly has served as a congregational pastor and university chaplain, university and seminary professor and administrator, and is a prolific author and lectionary commentator. With over forty years joining pulpit and classroom, Bruce recently retired from congregational ministry after serving eight years as Senior Pastor of South Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, Centerville, MA . He has relocated from Cape Cod to the Washington DC suburbs to be closer to his family. He continues to teach as Adjunct Faculty
at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington DC.

Ordained in the United Church of Christ and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), he is the author of more than 80 books in theology, spirituality, healing and wholeness, scripture, and clergy wellbeing, including Jesus: Mystic, Healer, and Prophet; The Elephant is Running: Process and Open and Relational Theology and Religious Pluralism; and Simplicity, Spirituality, and Service: The Timeless Wisdom of Francis, Clare, and Bonaventure; The Jubilee Years: Embracing Clergy Retirement; A Center in a Cyclone: Twentieth Century Clergy Selfcare;  Francis of Assisi: From Privilege to Activism; Mystics in Action: 12 Saints for Today; Prophetic Healing: Howard Thurman’s Vision of Contemplative Activism; 101 Soul Seeds for Grandparents Working for a Better World;  Process Theology: Embracing Adventure with God; 101 Soul Seeds for a Joyful
Retirement. His publications are available on Amazon and from his publishers as well as your local bookstore.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/LJhjoVf-GSQ

Treasure Trove of Trauma Resources

https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-desert-sanctuary/id1345562241

Karl Forehand is a former pastor, podcaster, and award-winning author. His books include Out into the Desert, Leaning Forward, Apparent Faith: What Fatherhood Taught Me About the Father’s Heart, The Tea Shop, and Being: A Journey Toward Presence and Authenticity. He is the creator of The Desert Sanctuary podcast and community. He has been married to his wife Laura for 35 years and has one dog named Winston. His three children are grown and are beginning to multiply! You can read more about the author here.

NEW ALBUM RELEASE

A 30+ year music industry veteran, Derek Webb has sold millions of albums as a founding member of Texas-based folk/rock band Caedmon’s Call and ruffled political & spiritual feathers alike during his over 25-year solo career.

His latest project, Survival Songs, is no exception. Written and recorded in just one month, the new album is a powerful response to the urgent need for comfort, courage, and empowerment, especially for queer youth facing growing threats in today’s culture.

As an artist, citizen, and dad of teens, Webb invites listeners to join him on tour and experience these powerful songs live: a soundtrack for survival in dangerous times.

Derek Webb’s new album offers songs for LGBTQ solidarity – The Christian Century

https://www.derekwebb.com/epk

https://www.derekwebb.com/shows

https://www.youtube.com/embed/LJhjoVf-GSQ

Treasure Trove of Trauma Resources

https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-desert-sanctuary/id1345562241

Karl Forehand is a former pastor, podcaster, and award-winning author. His books include Out into the Desert, Leaning Forward, Apparent Faith: What Fatherhood Taught Me About the Father’s Heart, The Tea Shop, and Being: A Journey Toward Presence and Authenticity. He is the creator of The Desert Sanctuary podcast and community. He has been married to his wife Laura for 35 years and has one dog named Winston. His three children are grown and are beginning to multiply! You can read more about the author here.

Bruce Epperly has served as a congregational pastor and university chaplain, university and seminary professor and administrator, and is a prolific author and lectionary commentator. With over forty years joining pulpit and classroom, Bruce recently retired from congregational ministry after serving eight years as Senior Pastor of South Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, Centerville, MA . He has relocated from Cape Cod to the Washington DC suburbs to be closer to his family. He continues to teach as Adjunct Faculty
at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington DC.

Ordained in the United Church of Christ and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), he is the author of more than 80 books in theology, spirituality, healing and wholeness, scripture, and clergy wellbeing, including Jesus: Mystic, Healer, and Prophet; The Elephant is Running: Process and Open and Relational Theology and Religious Pluralism; and Simplicity, Spirituality, and Service: The Timeless Wisdom of Francis, Clare, and Bonaventure; The Jubilee Years: Embracing Clergy Retirement; A Center in a Cyclone: Twentieth Century Clergy Selfcare;  Francis of Assisi: From Privilege to Activism; Mystics in Action: 12 Saints for Today; Prophetic Healing: Howard Thurman’s Vision of Contemplative Activism; 101 Soul Seeds for Grandparents Working for a Better World;  Process Theology: Embracing Adventure with God; 101 Soul Seeds for a Joyful
Retirement. His publications are available on Amazon and from his publishers as well as your local bookstore.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/LJhjoVf-GSQ

Treasure Trove of Trauma Resources

https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-desert-sanctuary/id1345562241

Karl Forehand is a former pastor, podcaster, and award-winning author. His books include Out into the Desert, Leaning Forward, Apparent Faith: What Fatherhood Taught Me About the Father’s Heart, The Tea Shop, and Being: A Journey Toward Presence and Authenticity. He is the creator of The Desert Sanctuary podcast and community. He has been married to his wife Laura for 35 years and has one dog named Winston. His three children are grown and are beginning to multiply! You can read more about the author here.

Robert Minor holds a Ph.D. from the University of Iowa and has done research in India,Japan, Taiwan, the Near East, and Europe. Besides his interest in history of religions methodology, he concentrates on Indian religious thought and texts, and religion and gender. Among his publications are numerous articles and eight books, three of which were published both in the United States and India: Sri Aurobindo: The Perfect and the Good; Bhagavadgita: An Exegetical Commentary and Modern Indian Interpreters of the Bhagavadgita.

His recent books include The Religious, the Spiritual, and the Secular: Auroville and Secular India (SUNY Press), Scared Straight: Why It’s So Hard to Accept Gay People and Why It’s So Hard to be Human (HumanityWorks!) and When Religion Is an Addiction

Treasure Trove of Trauma Resources

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-desert-sanctuary/id1345562241

Karl Forehand is a former pastor, podcaster, and award-winning author. His books include Out into the Desert, Leaning Forward,  Apparent Faith: What Fatherhood Taught Me About the Father’s Heart, The Tea Shop and Being: A Journey Toward Presence and Authenticity.  He is the creator of The Desert Sanctuary podcast and community.  He is married to his wife Laura of 35 years and has one dog named Winston.  His three children are grown and are beginning to multiply! You can read more about the author here.

Stay tuned for part 4 with Robert N. Minor, PhD

Robert Minor holds a Ph.D. from the University of Iowa and has done research in India,Japan, Taiwan, the Near East, and Europe. Besides his interest in history of religions methodology, he concentrates on Indian religious thought and texts, and religion and gender. Among his publications are numerous articles and eight books, three of which were published both in the United States and India: Sri Aurobindo: The Perfect and the Good; Bhagavadgita: An Exegetical Commentary and Modern Indian Interpreters of the Bhagavadgita.

His recent books include The Religious, the Spiritual, and the Secular: Auroville and Secular India (SUNY Press), Scared Straight: Why It’s So Hard to Accept Gay People and Why It’s So Hard to be Human (HumanityWorks!) and When Religion Is an Addiction

Treasure Trove of Trauma Resources

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-desert-sanctuary/id1345562241

Karl Forehand is a former pastor, podcaster, and award-winning author. His books include Out into the Desert, Leaning Forward,  Apparent Faith: What Fatherhood Taught Me About the Father’s Heart, The Tea Shop and Being: A Journey Toward Presence and Authenticity.  He is the creator of The Desert Sa

Stay tuned for part 3 and 4 with Robert N. Minor, PhD

Robert Minor holds a Ph.D. from the University of Iowa and has done research in India,Japan, Taiwan, the Near East, and Europe. Besides his interest in history of religions methodology, he concentrates on Indian religious thought and texts, and religion and gender. Among his publications are numerous articles and eight books, three of which were published both in the United States and India: Sri Aurobindo: The Perfect and the Good; Bhagavadgita: An Exegetical Commentary and Modern Indian Interpreters of the Bhagavadgita.

His recent books include The Religious, the Spiritual, and the Secular: Auroville and Secular India (SUNY Press), Scared Straight: Why It’s So Hard to Accept Gay People and Why It’s So Hard to be Human (HumanityWorks!) and When Religion Is an Addiction

Treasure Trove of Trauma Resources

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-desert-sanctuary/id1345562241

Karl Forehand is a former pastor, podcaster, and award-winning author. His books include Out into the Desert, Leaning Forward,  Apparent Faith: What Fatherhood Taught Me About the Father’s Heart, The Tea Shop and Being: A Journey Toward Presence and Authenticity.  He is the creator of The Desert Sanctuary podcast and community.  He is married to his wife Laura of 35 years and has one dog named Winston.  His three children are grown and are beginning to multiply! You can read more about the author here.

This Episode will be released on both The Unlearning Curve and the Desert Sanctuary podcasts. This episode is an introduction to the situation, and the second episode dives deeper into how we have operated in the past and how people enable the abuser to behave badly (led by Megan South Benninger).

History

During the 2023 incident with platforming an accused abuser at the Theo bros beer camp, The New Evangelicals and Tim Whitaker were deeply involved in participating and promoting. When abuse survivors asked for an explanation, they were ignored, dismissed, and harassed, including me.

Megan Benninger joined us on the Desert Sanctuary Podcast to discuss the incident, but very few supportive actions were taken by the speakers who were encouraged to speak up. Tim responded with a video, after 5 minutes of research and talking to the accused abuser, that was eventually removed by his board. Here is our podcast episodes if you want that history. I will also include other episodes that followed, with several others.

The Current Situation

Last year (2024), there was an incident between Tim Whitaker and a female employee, which was severe enough to warrant an investigation by Grace, an organization suited to helping groups like churches get the facts about issues that arise.

Here are some of the blogs that came out.

The Organization Comes First – Karl Forehand

 TNE Reckoning Announcement – from RV and W1(link to report)

Allegations against Tim Whitaker and The New Evangelicals show how hierarchy transfers to progressive ministries – Rick Pidcock

That time I got an angry call from the subject of an article about anger and abuse –

Rick Pidcock

Is Nowhere Safe? 5 Things Whistleblower Helpers Should Do Instead of Repeating Harmful History – Rebecca Hopkins

TNE and Trauma: Not So Fast is Wiser than Let’s Move On – Tia Levings

Bodies Behind the Bus Podcast

The Net Grace report was a thorough report, but even while the online communities were trying to digest it and report on the situation, Tim Whittaker behaved badly and tried actively to convince people not to make this a big deal. The incident involved rage driving, which traumatized the victim, and Tam posted a video at his workout facility with the song “Student Driver.” Various things led us to believe that he was not serious about changing or the allegations, TNE was partially responsible for enabling this behavior.

Travel Tips for the Desert – Part 3

Travel Tips for the Desert – Part 2

Travel Tips for the Desert – Part 1

How to Survive a Stroke

Treasure Trove of Trauma Resources

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-desert-sanctuary/id1345562241

Karl Forehand is a former pastor, podcaster, and award-winning author. His books include Out into the Desert, Leaning Forward,  Apparent Faith: What Fatherhood Taught Me About the Father’s Heart, The Tea Shop and Being: A Journey Toward Presence and Authenticity.  He is the creator of The Desert Sanctuary podcast and community.  He is married to his wife Laura of 35 years and has one dog named Winston.  His three children are grown and are beginning to multiply! You can read more about the author here.

401 – Tim Whitaker & TNE – Still Not Getting It

This Episode will be released on both The Unlearning Curve and the Desert Sanctuary podcasts. This episode is an introduction to the situation, and the second episode dives deeper into how we have operated in the past and how people enable the abuser to behave badly (led by Megan South Benninger).

History

During the 2023 incident with platforming an accused abuser at the Theo bros beer camp, The New Evangelicals and Tim Whitaker were deeply involved in participating and promoting. When abuse survivors asked for an explanation, they were ignored, dismissed, and harassed, including me.

Megan Benninger joined us on the Desert Sanctuary Podcast to discuss the incident, but very few supportive actions were taken by the speakers who were encouraged to speak up. Tim responded with a video, after 5 minutes of research and talking to the accused abuser, that was eventually removed by his board. Here is our podcast episodes if you want that history. I will also include other episodes that followed, with several others.

The Current Situation

Last year (2024), there was an incident between Tim Whitaker and a female employee, which was severe enough to warrant an investigation by Grace, an organization suited to helping groups like churches get the facts about issues that arise.

Here are some of the blogs that came out.

The Organization Comes First – Karl Forehand

 TNE Reckoning Announcement – from RV and W1(link to report)

Allegations against Tim Whitaker and The New Evangelicals show how hierarchy transfers to progressive ministries – Rick Pidcock

That time I got an angry call from the subject of an article about anger and abuse –

Rick Pidcock

Is Nowhere Safe? 5 Things Whistleblower Helpers Should Do Instead of Repeating Harmful History – Rebecca Hopkins

TNE and Trauma: Not So Fast is Wiser than Let’s Move On – Tia Levings

Bodies Behind the Bus Podcast

The Net Grace report was a thorough report, but even while the online communities were trying to digest it and report on the situation, Tim Whittaker behaved badly and tried actively to convince people not to make this a big deal. The incident involved rage driving, which traumatized the victim, and Tam posted a video at his workout facility with the song “Student Driver.” Various things led us to believe that he was not serious about changing or the allegations, TNE was partially responsible for enabling this behavior.

Travel Tips for the Desert – Part 3

Travel Tips for the Desert – Part 2

Travel Tips for the Desert – Part 1

How to Survive a Stroke

Treasure Trove of Trauma Resources

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-desert-sanctuary/id1345562241

Karl Forehand is a former pastor, podcaster, and award-winning author. His books include Out into the Desert, Leaning Forward,  Apparent Faith: What Fatherhood Taught Me About the Father’s Heart, The Tea Shop and Being: A Journey Toward Presence and Authenticity.  He is the creator of The Desert Sanctuary podcast and community.  He is married to his wife Laura of 35 years and has one dog named Winston.  His three children are grown and are beginning to multiply! You can read more about the author here.

So it begins, our 4 part interview with Robert N. Minor, PhD

Robert Minor holds a Ph.D. from the University of Iowa and has done research in India,Japan, Taiwan, the Near East, and Europe. Besides his interest in history of religions methodology, he concentrates on Indian religious thought and texts, and religion and gender. Among his publications are numerous articles and eight books, three of which were published both in the United States and India: Sri Aurobindo: The Perfect and the Good; Bhagavadgita: An Exegetical Commentary and Modern Indian Interpreters of the Bhagavadgita.

His recent books include The Religious, the Spiritual, and the Secular: Auroville and Secular India (SUNY Press), Scared Straight: Why It’s So Hard to Accept Gay People and Why It’s So Hard to be Human (HumanityWorks!) and When Religion Is an Addiction (HumanityWorks!).

Travel Tips for the Desert – Part 3

Travel Tips for the Desert – Part 2

Travel Tips for the Desert – Part 1

How to Survive a Stroke

Treasure Trove of Trauma Resources

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-desert-sanctuary/id1345562241

Karl Forehand is a former pastor, podcaster, and award-winning author. His books include Out into the Desert, Leaning Forward,  Apparent Faith: What Fatherhood Taught Me About the Father’s Heart, The Tea Shop and Being: A Journey Toward Presence and Authenticity.  He is the creator of The Desert Sanctuary podcast and community.  He is married to his wife Laura of 35 years and has one dog named Winston.  His three children are grown and are beginning to multiply! You can read more about the author here.

Campfires are essential to our history as gathering spots for various cultures and faiths. Their circular setup encourages equal involvement among community members. With fire at the heart, we focus on each other, fostering an environment for sharing experiences and perspectives in the broader world. Campfires have sparked numerous myths and tales. This book culminates nearly 400 discussions from our podcast, The Desert Sanctuary.

We use the desert metaphor because it illustrates how individuals often feel when they question their religion and cultural norms. They frequently experience an identity crisis, reflecting on questions like, “Who am I?” and “What should I do next?”

Think of each chapter as a gathering around a campfire, where you can listen to stories and share experiences with fellow travelers. These campfire sessions aren’t lectures that demand your agreement; instead, each chapter serves as a platform for discussion, encouraging us to release our certainties while exploring the truths we uncover from various campfires.

Section 1 offers Travel Tips for Deconstruction, designed as conversation starters to inspire thought-provoking discussions. Section 2 summarizes Good Questions collected from the campfires we attended. We hope this travel guide helps you navigate your journey of discovery more effectively, allowing you to embrace who you are and where you are while finding peace!

Travel Tips for the Desert – Part 3

Travel Tips for the Desert – Part 2

Travel Tips for the Desert – Part 1

A Stroke and a Song

Our New Course is ready to review for FREE! Start Here 

YouTube Playlist – click here

Religious Trauma Resources

Treasure Trove of Trauma Resources

The Desert Sanctuary Podcast

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-desert-sanctuary/id1345562241

Karl Forehand is a former pastor, podcaster, and award-winning author. His books include Out into the Desert, Leaning Forward,  Apparent Faith: What Fatherhood Taught Me About the Father’s Heart, The Tea Shop and Being: A Journey Toward Presence and Authenticity.  He is the creator of The Desert Sanctuary podcast and community.  He is married to his wife Laura of 35 years and has one dog named Winston.  His three children are grown and are beginning to multiply! You can read more about the author here.