Control Freak Christianity

What does God's rescue of the Israelites from Egypt have to do with your healing from trauma or spiritual abuse? In this live episode, we explore how the Exodus wasn't just about escape—it was about transformation. God's first command to His people after slavery was to rest. Why? Because He was teaching them to live as sons, not slaves. If you've come out of a controlling, legalistic, or abusive environment, this truth can change everything. Join us as we unpack the deep connection between Sabbath, identity, and healing in Christ.

We return, older, wiser, and more sleep deprived than ever to discuss the tough stuff around spiritual abuse in Christianity.

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. 

Already we live in a world that mishandles sex. The Church can run the range of ignoring sex in embarrassment and shame, to glorifying it similarly to how the world does. Do men have a visual Rolodex? Should sex be pleasurable for both men and women? How does pornography and self-pity play a part in Christians' understanding of sex? Joe and Rachel talk about some of the ways they understood sex to how they understand it now. 

A letter, written to Rachel's father, demanding her hand in marriage is a perfect example of spiritual abuse in a Christian courtship. Rachel relives her past anguish in this episode as she, along with Joe, read and comment on a real-life letter as an example of manipulation and narcissism. 

Most people caught in abusive relationships have trouble navigating the many tactics that abusive people use to control, manipulate, and confuse. Joe and Rachel cover a list of tactics they've observed, and how those tactics work. 

Why do abusers who have hatred for those whom they abuse, try to hang on to them and keep them around? This effect is exemplified in the popular 'Harry Potter' books. Rachel nerds out on Harry Potter while Joe hangs on for the ride as they discuss how this dynamic is common in abusive situations. 

What happens when dealing with abusive people and a friendship that started on the internet blend together? Romance of course! Well, at least it did for Joe and Rachel. Join them in this lighthearted episode as they recount their dating story and what they learned along the way. 

The popular book series for girls by Martha Finley written over a century ago continues to be a phenomenon for many in fundamentalist and home-educated circles. They are beloved by many and hated by many more. Joe and Rachel discuss different excerpts from the books and give their own evaluations. 

Elijah fought against Israel's slide into Ba'al worship, but there didn't seem to be any impact from his work. God tells him the three men who will bring an end to Ba'al worship but the consequences are staggering. Join Joe and Rachel as they discuss this dark part of Scripture, and how we still see glimmers of hope. 

Elijah, who had been so faithful was on the run because Jezabel wants him dead. He runs and has a conversation with God. We can see how Elijah's wrestling can help us when our faithfulness leads us to suffer. Join Joe and Rachel as they discuss Elijah, God, and how we can heal well in our darkest moments.