Why are we called Control Freak Christianity and why are we here? We recognize the reality that there are control freaks who love to use the name of Jesus and His church for their own selfish purposes. It's all over the Bible, though it's rarely talked about in churches. Joe and Rachel introduce this topic and why we need to address control freaks in Christianity, today.

Listen in as Joe and Rachel talk through seven devotional thoughts Rachel wrote for Advent after being disappointed by the advent devotionals she picked up this year. Whether you love or hate Christmas, we hope that digging a little deeper into the theology of Christmas encourages your heart this season. WARNING: May contain nerdy tangents and the bashing of Gnostic heresies.   _____ LINKS: WATCH this episode as a video on YouTube! https://youtu.be/WVfGS8Rurh8   Watch Rachel's full advent video series here: bit.ly/advent-biz-devotionals   Support Our Podcast: https://www.patreon.com/controlfreakc...

In a series of letters to a fictional girl, Doug Wilson gives advice on how to handle being a victim of sexual abuse. Joe and Rachel are joined by Bethany Tenney, a real survivor, to discuss the quality of that advice in light of her experiences and the hope she has found in God and the Scriptures. Support Our Channel: https://www.patreon.com/controlfreakc... Original Source of "Letters to a Broken Girl" by Doug Wilson: https://dougwils.com/tag/letters-to-a...

This episode contains various accounts of abuse against women and children. John MacArthur is a well-known pastor of Grace Community Church, as well as an author and commonly heard voice on the radio. Recently, troubling details of a church discipline, carried out by John MacArthur in 2001, indicates poor judgment and improper use of church discipline. Joe and Rachel discuss how the legacy of John MacArthur has impacted their own lives and how they are thinking through the issues that arise from these allegations.

We are created in the Image of God. What does this mean, and how does it impact how we live? Join Joe and Rachel as they discuss ways we get Imago Dei right, and ways we can get it wrong. 

The holidays can bring with them a lot of expectations, especially from family. Joe and Rachel talk about their different perspectives on holiday cheer, how to have healthy boundaries over the holidays, and examples of Jesus' boundaries in Scripture. 

Joe and Rachel share news of recent spiritual abuse and how it's affecting them, their church, friends, and even the podcast. 

Many raised in Authoritarian Fundamentalism struggle to be as productive as they believe they should. Have they been set up for failure with shame, fear, idealism, and perfectionism eating away at their abilities? Joe and Rachel discuss this along with their own struggles to work well. 

Courtship led to some crazy stories, right? And yet, even more bizarre ideas are trying to take root out in the world of Authoritarian Fundamentalism. Joe and Rachel go through a book written to convince Christians of the virtues of betrothal and arranged marriages. 

Cults can be wildly different in beliefs, organization, teachings, and operations. But the culture of cults can be in things that seem innocuous on the surface. Inside Christianity, whether in churches, movements, families, or organizations, cult-like practices can cause incredible damage. Join Joe and Rachel as they discuss twelve things that can demonstrate cult-like behavior in a community.