Church Disrupted

After SAI added Lakepointe Church to the Church NDA Disclosure Database, former staff and members responded publicly, and critics pushed back hard. This episode looks at those new claims (including those of six figure NDAs), the defenses people offered, and what 1 Timothy 5:19-21 says the church should do when multiple witnesses bring a reproach against a leader.Read the original report at https://www.spiritualabuse.institute/about/the-way-the-truth-and-the-church-nda.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!00:00 Six Figure NDA Claims03:46 Two or Three Witnesses?11:36 Why Staff Sign NDAs16:14 Scripts and True Lies?24:33 Turnover and Red Flags27:42 Critics Defend & Deflect37:52 Seeking Both Sides39:35 Member Minimizes Church NDA Use48:14 The Biblical Framework55:09 Applying Witness Standard58:54 A Call to Transparency and Open ConversationsFair 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).

One of America's fastest-growing churches preaches bold truth and freedom, but their legal documents tell a different story. In this episode, we look into Lakepointe Church and Pastor Josh Howerton’s reported use of silencing NDAs. From his meteoric rise online and appearance on the Sean Ryan Show to allegations of plagiarism and questionable apologies, we examine whether a megachurch reaching 30,000 people a week is trading transparency for narrative control. 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).

In Part 6 of the Deconstructing the Church series, we go back to scripture and first-century history to rebuild a biblical doctrine of baptism and communion from the ground up. What we find is that baptism was a dangerous, public act of allegiance that could cost you your family, your business, and your life. And communion wasn't a 90-second ritual — it was a full feast that collapsed class divisions, fed the poor, and gave the church a foretaste of the kingdom to come.The question we're left with: can our current forms of baptism and communion actually carry the weight they were designed to carry?CHAPTERS00:00 Sacraments Under Fire01:54 Why Baptism Matters04:25 Jewish Roots of Immersion07:19 Status Change and Conversion11:59 Baptized Into a Name16:12 Jesus and Johns Baptism21:51 Jordan and New Covenant26:04 Immediate Baptism37:10 Sinners Prayer vs Baptism40:14 Love Feast Origins45:30 House Church Table Communion47:44 Potluck Love Feast53:41 Ignatius And Bishops01:01:45 Why The Meal Matters01:07:44 How It Drifted01:17:04 Modern Versus Apostolic01:21:01 Hard Questions Today01:27:40 Costly ChristianityFind 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).

In a recent interview, a well-known megachurch pastor talked candidly about church NDAs. And a lot of what he said sounded really good. But it didn’t all hold up during scrutiny, and he may have revealed more about church NDA practices than he realized.In this episode of the Church Disrupted Podcast, Jeff reacts to the interview and challenges some of the common and well-sounding narratives that church leaders use to justify NDAs in the Church.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).

Two Christian creators went from disagreeing to dunking on each other in public with out-of-context clips and personal attacks. In this video, Jeff breaks down what Nathan Apfel and Ruslan each got right, where it went wrong, and why the arguing distracts from the bigger conversation we need to have.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).

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).