Not Ashamed Berean Holiness

Have you ever caught yourself identifying more with your church group then with Christ? Did you experience an identity crisis after transitioning out of a high-control church or movement?

In our final podcast episode of Not Ashamed Season #1, we dive into the topic of untangling group identity and learning to place our identity in Christ first and foremost.

Our guest is Jonah McElhaney, author of There's No Such Thing As Dragons: Examining The Theology of The United Pentecostal Church. Jonah spent fourteen years in the UPCI and was involved in ministry for eleven of those years. It was only by studying Scripture and the grace of God that he came to see the error in many of their doctrines. He shares part of his testimony on this month's episode; you can find more in his book, as well as his blog.

Also on the panel this month are Bethany, Andrew, and Natalie. Thank you for joining us as we rebuild theology in light of God's grace, love, and the true meaning of holiness!



Other Resources:

Christianity without the Cross: A History of Salvation in Oneness Pentecostalism by Thomas Fudge

Directory of Resource for Apostolics



"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes..." —Romans 1:16



Find more at: BereanHoliness.com

Have you ever been told that Oneness Pentecostalism (or a OP denomination) is currently one of the fastest growing church movements in the world? Were you led to believe that Catholics, Baptists, and other mainstream denominations are receiving the Acts 2:38 salvation plan and moving towards Oneness Pentecostalism? Did it feel like it wasn't adding up?



In this month's episode, we listen to multiple clips from a sermon at the UPCI General Conference 2023 which made these claims. We go straight to the sources the minister cited and grapple with the glaring reality—the articles were about Trinitarian Pentecostal growth, not Oneness Pentecostal growth.



In this discussion, we also look at the numbers for Pentecostal size and growth at large in comparison to Oneness Pentecostalism, breakdown the UPCI's statistics, contrast how Oneness and Trinitarian Pentecostals view each other in regards to salvation, explain their theological differences, and listen to Josh breakdown the history of their origin and split. So much is packed into this one episode, but if you're ready to dive into all things Pentecostal, this episode is for you!



Sermons quoted in this episode:

"Consumed by Zeal" by David K. Bernard, Sept. 2023

Strategic Growth Initiative Service, Derald Weber, Sept. 2023



Articles quoted in this episode:

"Pentecostals: How Do They Keep Growing While Other Groups Are Declining?" Ed Stetzer, June 2023

"Pentecostals: Their Growth and the Implications for Evangelicalism" Ed Stetzer, July 2023

"Why has Pentecostalism grown so dramatically in Latin America?" with Andrew Chestnut, Nov. 2014

"The New Face of Global Christianity: The Emergence of ’Progressive Pentecostalism’" with Donald Miller, April 2006



Find our previous interviews with Josh Christensen on the Berean Holiness YouTube Channel


The "Not Ashamed" podcast is brought to you by Berean Holiness. You can find more of our content at: BereanHoliness.com



"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes..." —Romans 1:16

Have you ever found yourself nervous to choose a new church, worried that you may end up in a spiritually abusive environment? Have you ever felt something was off in the church you were currently attending, but didn't know how to be sure? In this month's episode, we'll be discussing these questions and more, as we dive into our discussion regarding red flags of an unhealthy church. Our special guest for this month's panel discussion is Dulce Johnson.

Dulce, along with her husband and children, left a G12 church that taught a prosperity gospel, Word of Faith, the "little gods" doctrine, and was very similar to hyper fundamentalism with its authoritarianism, elitism, and tribalism. Dulce shares her story of finding the true gospel, as well as what she learned along the way about recognizing red flags and green flags when evaluating churches. Joining her in this discussion are Andrew, Natalie, and for the first time on the Not Ashamed podcast, Natalie's husband, Cole.


You can find Dulce with her handle "honestmessylife" on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.


The "Not Ashamed" podcast is brought to you by Berean Holiness. You can find more of our content at: BereanHoliness.com "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes..." —Romans 1:16

Did you attend the Called to Freedom conference and would love to hear what others are saying about it? Were you unable to come but are excited to hear how it went? In this month's episode, we'll be discussing how God was present and faithful at Called to Freedom, encouraging and strengthening attendees through the content and fellowship.

Our special guest for this month's panel discussion is Jennifer Brewer, joined by Andrew, Bethany, and Natalie. Together, they discuss their highlights and takeaways from Called to Freedom, read survey responses, and discuss the "'Freedom' is a New Name for Bondage" post that circulated during the event and was unfortunately weaponized (by some who shared it) against CTF attendees.

You can find Jennifer Brewer on Instagram at @jenniferbrewerauthor, on Facebook, and at her blog, Finding My Freedom, Doing My Life. You can find her book, Free: From Legalism to Grace Breaking Out of the United Pentecostal Church, on Amazon. You'll also find her podcast, Amateur Faith Night, wherever you're listening now.

The "Not Ashamed" podcast is brought to you by Berean Holiness. You can find more of our content at: BereanHoliness.com

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes..." —Romans 1:16

Have you ever found yourself conforming to a group rather than following the leading of the Spirit? Have you ever struggled with prioritizing pleasing people over pleasing God? How does one practice spiritual disciplines in a healthy way? In this month's episode, we'll be discussing all these questions and more, as we dive into our discussion regarding what it looks like to have a personal relationship with Christ.

Our special guests for this month's panel discussion are Jennifer Brallier and Liz Johnson, joined by Bethany and Natalie. While their backgrounds are in different groups—Holiness Pentecostalism, Oneness Pentecostalism, and Independent Fundamental Baptist churches—they experienced many similar misunderstandings about who God is and what it looks like to walk with Him personally. Together, they share their stories of how God was faithful to lead them out of hyper-fundamentalism and into a better understanding of the gospel of grace.

You can find Liz Johnson on Instagram at @lizforchrist

You can find Jennifer Brallier on Instagram at @jenbrallier

Jennifer Brallier will be sharing her testimony in person at the Called to Freedom conference, July 28-29, 2023. Register today at BereanHoliness.com/conference

The "Not Ashamed" podcast is brought to you by Berean Holiness. You can find more of our content at: BereanHoliness.com

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes..." —Romans 1:16

Have you ever found yourself attending church services three, four, or more times a week, but with little time and opportunity to live out the Great Commission with other believers? Or, on the other hand, have you given up on church attendance altogether? Do you feel apart from God in seasons without a home church? Does attending a church service trigger anxiety and/or panic? In this month's episode, we'll tackle all these questions and more, as we dive into our discussion on the role of faith community and its overlap with church attendance.

Our special guest for this month's panel discussion is Naomi Wright, founder and executive director of beEmboldened. Naomi is the daughter of a pseudo-Christian cult leader. She did not realize this was the case until she was 28, from which point she has sought after truth with a questioning mind, adamant to never find herself so lost again. Naomi holds a Master of Science in Social Work from the University at Buffalo (Summa Cum Laude), is licensed in the state of Colorado, and completes a Master in Arts in Christian Studies from Denver Seminary this summer. Her areas of specialty include death and dying, grief and loss, spiritual abuse, including cult abuse, as well as biblical studies.

Also on the panel this month are Andrew and Natalie. Thank you for joining us as we rebuild theology in light of God's grace, love, and the true meaning of holiness!


Resources:

Find beEmboldened resources at ⁠https://www.beemboldened.com/⁠

Follow beEmboldened on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify

Recommended Podcast Episode, "46. Healthy communities: How & why to find them." (Reclamation Podcast)

Naomi Wright will be participating in a panel discussion at the Called to Freedom conference. Register at BereanHoliness.com/conference



The "Not Ashamed" podcast is brought to you by Berean Holiness. You can find more of our content at: BereanHoliness.com

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes..." —Romans 1:16