The Roys Report

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For nearly two decades, one woman stood up to the Southern Baptist Convention, forcing it to face its sex abuse crisis. She was gaslit, maligned, and threatened with legal action. But she didn’t back down. And on this edition of The Roys Report, you’ll hear her story.

Joining host Julie Roys is Christa Brown, an abuse survivor who overcame the odds in pursuit of justice.

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Research shows more than 95% of women who report being raped are telling the truth. But in some churches, these women are not believed and shamed. According to author Ryan George, it’s all part of a propaganda machine meant to consolidate and maintain power.

On this edition of The Roys Report, host Julie Roys continues her eye-opening dialogue with Ryan George, the son of an Independent Fundamental Baptist (IFB) pastor.

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The church should be a place of healing and comfort. But for far too many, it’s a place of abuse and harm.

As a child, Ryan George was profoundly hurt in a fundamentalist church, pastored by his abusive father. But years later, Ryan found a loving and gracious church. And through that church, he experienced transformation and healing.

In this edition of The Roys Report, Ryan George, author of Hurt and Healed by the Church, exposes both the worst and the best that the church can be.

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Can a church that’s had a history of being toxic transform its culture and become truly healthy? Or, are churches like this doomed to repeat their history, despite efforts to change?

This edition of The Roys Report features a talk from our recent Restore Conference by Laura Barringer. Laura and her father, theologian Scot McKnight, co-authored two best-selling books on identifying toxic church cultures and reforming them.

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What does it take to disqualify someone from ministry? An affair? Spiritual abuse? Sexual abuse? Abuse of power? Or, as some have claimed, can just about anyone be restored to ministry because “God is gracious” and “His call is irrevocable”?

This edition of The Roys Report takes a deep dive into the Scriptures—particularly, those specific verses used to justify restoring pastors to ministry who have fallen in egregious ways.

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A bombshell report on the alleged “affair” between popular worship leaders Kevin Prosch and Misty Edwards published by The Roys Report sent shock waves through the charismatic Christian community. How could two people, who ushered so many into the presence of God, sin in such an egregious way?

But were they both consensual partners? Or, was Kevin, an admitted sexual predator, the abuser?

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Once you’ve experienced trauma, how do you heal? What should you look for in a counselor? What kind of therapy is right for you? And how do you take care of yourself as you begin your healing journey?

In this edition of The Roys Report, discover answers to these questions and more in an in-depth talk from professional psychologist, Dr.

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Everything rises or falls on leadership. Ever heard that line? Think about what it means when applied to a pastor’s role in a church. What about the priesthood of all believers? And where is Jesus in that equation?

In this edition of The Roys Report, veteran church planter and pastor, Lance Ford, challenges popular views of leadership, showing how they’re the opposite of what Scripture teaches.

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As a Christian in Iran, Naghmeh Panahi was arrested numerous times—and once even had a gun pointed at her head. But as awful as that was, Naghmeh says she endured something far worse when she began speaking out about abuse from her husband. It was then that she faced persecution—not from radical Muslims, but from Christians.

In this edition of The Roys Report, you’re going to hear Julie’s powerful interview at the Restore Conference with Naghmeh Panahi.

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Why can’t people get over talking about race?

Ever heard that line? Or, how about: We live in a post-racial world. We’ve even had a black president!

If racism doesn’t exist, then we don’t have to deal with it. Yet racism, sadly, is alive and well—not just in our culture, but within the church.

On this edition of The Roys Report (TRR), Dr.

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Men need sex. And it’s their wives’ job to give it to them—unconditionally, whenever they want it, or these husbands will come under Satanic attack.

Stunningly, that’s the message contained in many Christian marriage books. Yet, research shows that instead of increasing intimacy in marriages, messages like these are promoting abuse.

In this edition of The Roys Report, featuring a talk from our recent Restore Conference, author Sheila Wray Gregoire provides eye-opening insights based on her and her team’s extensive research on evangelicalism and sex.

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America is experiencing the largest and fastest religious shift in its history—greater than the First and the Second Great Awakening and every revival in the U.S. combined. But instead of a massive shift into the church, what we’re seeing is a mass exodus.

In this edition of The Roys Report, you’ll hear from Michael Graham, co-author of The Great DeChurching: Who’s Leaving, Why Are They Going, and What Will It Take to Bring Them Back.

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Why is church after church succumbing to corruption and false doctrine? Yes, it’s the result of greed, immorality, and a lust for power. But we’ve had those vices forever. So, why is there an epidemic of corruption in the church now?

Author, pastor, and church planter, Lance Ford, who’s worked inside pastor training networks for decades, answers that question with a line reminiscent of Bill Clinton’s first presidential campaign motto: “It’s the system, stupid.” Lance explains more in this enlightening edition of The Roys Report, featuring his session from our recent Restore Conference.

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When faced with a scandal, organizations have a choice. They can engage in impression management strategies, designed to obscure the truth, and save their image. Or, they can take the road less traveled. They can humble themselves. They can listen. And they can admit the truth—to themselves and to others.
In this edition of The Roys Report, researcher, author, and abuse survivor advocate, Wade Mullen, speaks on how to manage a crisis in a session from the recent Restore Conference.

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How did loving your enemies—a command of Jesus—suddenly become a sign that you’re “woke”? And why is “owning the libs” now the answer to “What would Jesus do?” 

On this edition of The Roys Report, bestselling author and journalist Tim Alberta joins host Julie Roys to explore a disturbing phenomenon in American evangelicalism. Though once evangelicals understood that the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of man were separate, now the two are being combined into an unholy mix.

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Exposing abuse and corruption can be a thankless job. Powerful figures doing wrong often deny and attack those exposing them. And their supporters often join suit—attacking the messenger, rather than holding their leader accountable.

This edition of The Roys Report features a very personal talk from Restore Conference founder and journalist, Julie Roys, delivered at the recent event this past October.

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Clergy sexual abuse is one of the most devastating forms of abuse, impacting almost every area of life. After surviving abuse like that, how do you recover? And after being preyed upon by a powerful church figure, how do you recover your agency, your voice, your life?

This edition of The Roys Report features an unforgettable session from the recent Restore Conference, and one of the most raw and vulnerable talks you’ll ever hear.

When a church is rocked by scandal, how can you tell if an investigation is truly independent—or another attempt to cover up? Experts discuss.

Carson Weitnauer shares his journey from disillusionment to hope, after discovering his hero, Ravi Zacharias, was a fraud.

The authors of ‘A Church Called Tov’ go deeper in ‘Pivot,’ explaining how to transform toxic church cultures into tov ones.

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What are the telltale signs of spiritual abuse? And once you’ve been subjected to it, how do you heal?

On this edition of The Roys Report, we’re rolling out the first of 11 talks from this year’s Restore Conference. This was an amazing gathering of survivors of church hurt and abuse—as well as pastors and Christian leaders wanting to better minister to these survivors.

A woman who blew the whistle on her popular pastor and an anti-bullying author share how to stand up to bullies in the workplace.

What do you do when you’re being bullied by your Christian employer? The whistleblower who exposed author Dane Ortlund speaks out.

Evangelicalism suffers from a crisis of imagination. Author Karen Swallow Prior exposes how we got here and the way forward.

A victim of adult clergy sexual abuse says her first wound—the abuse—was awful. But the second wound—how her church responded—was even worse.

Moriah Smothers says she was a victim of adult clergy sexual abuse. But her former pastor is calling it an “affair” & returning to ministry.

After Christy Boulware found freedom from fear and anxiety, she faced another battle with her pastor and spiritual abuse.

Christy Boulware tells her story of overcoming anxiety and a severe panic disorder, and how her breakdown became a breakthrough.

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Hillsong Church has been embroiled in a steady stream of scandals, exposing sexual and financial misconduct—and a toxic and exploitative leadership culture. So, should we still be singing their worship songs? Or should we re-think our song selection and worship sets?

In this podcast, Julie continues her dialogue with two collaborators of a groundbreaking new study on modern worship.

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What comes to mind when you hear Hillsong? Elevation? Passion? Bethel? You may think megachurch. You may think controversy or scandal. But you also may think of music. And chances are, if you were in church last Sunday, you sang a song produced by, or associated in some way with, one of these four worship powerhouses.

In this edition of The Roys Report, two collaborators of a new study on worship join me to discuss their stunning findings.

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Is it true that men are visual in a way that women will never understand? Or that boys can’t help but lust if a girl is dressed like she’s inciting it?

In this edition of The Roys Report, we continue a two-part discussion with Sheila Wray Gregoire on toxic teachings on sex and womanhood within the evangelical church.

You just heard two doozies.

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Is the church conditioning women to think less of themselves? And do the most common teachings girls hear in youth group make them more likely to marry an abuser? Less likely to understand consent? And more likely to blame themselves if they’re assaulted?

In this edition of The Roys Report, we’ll explore these topics with Sheila Wray Gregoire, author of a fantastic book exposing toxic church teachings on sex and women titled She Deserves Better.

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American evangelicals love megachurches. Today, there are about 1,750 megachurches in the U.S. and 65% of them are evangelical in their theology. But are these megachurches truly helping the evangelical movement—or are they destroying it?

In this edition of The Roys Report, Julies continues a discussion of Jesus vs. Evangelicals with Dr. Constantine Campbell, author of the book by that name.

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Evangelicalism was once known for its theological convictions, like the centrality of Scripture and the need for personal conversion. Now, it’s known for Trumpian politics, anti-LGBTQ rhetoric, megachurch scandals, and grift. 

Clearly, it’s a movement in crisis. And according to New Testament scholar Constantine Campbell, if the movement doesn’t correct course, it’s in danger of becoming shipwrecked.

In this latest podcast, Dr.

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Why are Christians drawn to abusive celebrity pastors? And why do appeals to love and serve often gain less traction than condemnation and harshness?

In this edition of The Roys Report, Julie explores explore these questions with Dr. Raymond Chiu, a business professor at Redeemer University in Ontario, Canada.

Along with two colleagues, Dr. Chiu has done extensive research on why we like our leaders to be rough and tyrannical.

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Jesus Revolution—a new film recounting the Jesus Movement of the 1970s—has become a box office sensation with Christian moviegoers. But is the movie accurate? And does its focus on megachurch pastor Greg Laurie do justice to this 1970s movement that changed the world?

On this edition of The Roys Report, Christian filmmaker David Di Sabatino, creator of the Emmy-award-nominated documentary, Frisbee: The Life and Death of a Hippie Preacher, joins Julie.

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Many times, those who have experienced spiritual abuse are retraumatized when they try to speak about what’s happened. They’re often labeled bitter, disgruntled, and gossips—and once again, wounded by Christians and the church.

In part two of Julie’s podcast with Justin Humphreys, they discuss how to help survivors of church hurt. How can church leaders and members promote their healing?

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Spiritual abuse has become an increasingly hot topic, as more and more stories of bully pastors and hyper-controlling churches have grabbed headlines. But how does spiritual abuse differ from mere emotional and psychological abuse? And what are its key features and stages?

In this podcast, Justin Humphreys, CEO of Thirtyone:Eight and author of Escaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse, joins Julie to discuss this important issue.

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After years spent in an abusive church, how do you heal? How do spot a safe pastor—and can you avoid repeating the same mistake? 

In this edition of The Roys Report, Pastor Ken Garrett, author of In the House of Friends, returns to describe the process of healing after escaping from an abusive church.

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How do people get sucked into abusive churches? What are the tell-tale signs of an abusive church? And, after leaving one, how can you heal?

In this edition of The Roys Report, Pastor Ken Garrett, author of In the House of Friends, shares key insights on understanding and healing from spiritual abuse in Christian churches.

For 12 years, Ken and his family belonged to a cultic, abusive church in the Portland area.

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Celebrity culture has invaded the church. Pastors, who should be shepherds serving the flock, have become idols attracting adoring fans and commanding six- and even seven-figure salaries.

What has happened to the church? How did we get here? And what can be done to counter this truly anti-gospel culture?

In this podcast, I explore this pervasive problem with Katelyn Beaty, author of Celebrities for Jesus: How Personas, Platforms, and Profits Are Hurting the Church.

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How do you hold on to your faith after experiencing abuse in a church? And how can you find Christian community when so many aspects of church trigger painful memories?

In this week’s podcast, Doug and Wendy Duncan join me to discuss their journey into—out of—what they say was an abusive and cultic Christian community.  

After being taught God was angry and punitive, they had to heal their image of God—and of themselves.

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Is Mark Driscoll a victim of vindictive leaders? Or is he an unrepentant narcissist and liar, who refuses to take responsibility?

In part two of this podcast with former Mars Hill Executive Elder Sutton Turner, we discuss the narrative Mark Driscoll has been crafting for eight years. This is one in which Driscoll claims he’s a victim—that leaders at Mars Hill had set a trap, and Mark left before they could destroy him.

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Since his abrupt resignation from Mars Hill Church in 2014, Mark Driscoll has claimed he was the victim of a vindictive plot. But last week, Driscoll dropped a bombshell. He claimed that Mars Hill leaders were planning to accuse him of adultery if he didn’t resign.

In this week’s podcast, Sutton Turner—one of only three former executive elders at Mars Hill—joins me to set the record straight.

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What is it like to be a person of color in a predominantly white evangelical church? Does fitting in require someone to change their behavior, appearance, and speech? And if so, what does that say about the church?

In this latest podcast, Julie explores these issues with Jenai Auman. Jenai is a survivor of spiritual abuse in an Acts 29 church.

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What do you do when you realize you’ve been abused by your church? Do you appeal to the denomination? Do you speak up publicly to seek justice, even if you suspect the majority won’t listen?

In this second of a two-part podcast, Lori Harding tells what she did in this situation. She recounts returning to her former church—the well-known Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida—and asking the church to right past wrongs.

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What do you do when you’re wrongly fired by a megachurch—and denied any severance unless you sign an NDA? Then, years later, you realize what you experienced at that church was spiritual abuse?

That’s what Lori Harding says happened to her at the the famous Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. And in this edition of The Roys Report, Harding tells her complete story.

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Is all sin equal? Can you call out wickedness in someone else—or is that judging? And what does it really mean to “err on the side of grace”?

If you’ve heard some of these lines, and perhaps been silenced by them, this latest episode of The Roys Report is for you. 

Joining me is Rebecca Davis, author of the Untwisting the Scriptures book series.

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Psalm 23 is a powerful psalm, reminding us that the Lord is our shepherd. Yet for those who have been hurt by their earthly shepherds—their pastors—the Psalm can sound trite or even off-putting. And sadly, this reality often keeps victims of religious trauma from the very Scriptures that can provide healing.

In this episode of The Roys Report—Julie explores this issue with K.J.

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In 2016, imprisoned Iranian-American Pastor Saeed Abedini became the focus of a worldwide #SaveSaeed movement. But according to his wife, Naghmeh Abedini, Saeed was a fraud and an abusive husband. Yet because the Christian world idolized marriage and wanted a hero, Naghmeh says leaders suppressed the truth. 

Featuring a powerful talk from the recent Restore Conference, in this podcast Naghmeh Panahi addresses the idolatry evident among some evangelical leaders that has led them to cover-up abuse in the church.

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When you give to a church or nonprofit, how do you know your money is being well spent? How do you know if leadership is truly being held accountable?

In this session from the recent Restore Conference, veteran journalist and MinistryWatch president Warren Cole Smith answers these vital questions.

As Warren explains, the evangelical church has been completely incapable of policing itself.

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Narcissism, power through fear, and false narratives. These are some of the qualities of toxic churches. But what about truly good—or, in the Hebrew, “tov”—churches? What do these churches look like? And how do you become one?

In this session from the recent Restore Conference, world-renowned New Testament scholar Scot McKnight unpacks what it means for a Christian community to be truly good.  

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How should you respond when a survivor reveals their story? What does he or she need in that moment? And can we avoid common mistakes that compound a survivor’s pain and trauma?

All too often, pastors, Christian leaders, and congregations respond to abuse survivors in the worst way possible. They employ something called DARVO—Denying the abuse, Attacking the truth-tellers, and Reversing the Victim and Offender.

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Does anyone truly recover from spiritual trauma? After being ravaged by the church or a church leader, can a person ever be the same?

Those gut-wrenching questions were recently posed by author and speaker, Lina Abujamra, at the Restore Conference—a session featured on this edition of The Roys Report.

“It’s been 9 years since I survived my spiritual trauma,” she said.

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It’s perhaps one of the most painful questions that survivors ask: Where is God when there’s abuse? Or, where was God when I was abused?

In this powerful message from the Restore Conference, internationally recognized trauma expert and psychologist, Dr. Diane Langberg, seeks to answer this difficult question.

But she openly admits, “I don’t know why God allows abuse.

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Bullying is a huge issue in schools and workplaces. But what do you do when your bully is a pastor or leader of a Christian organization? Do you give a gentle word and turn the other cheek? Or, do you stand up and fight?

On this edition of The Roys Report, we’ll hear from Paul Coughlin, a best-selling author and nationally recognized anti-bullying expert, as he speaks at the Restore Conference.

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How do you heal when you’ve been hurt and traumatized by those who profess Christ—when both Christians and church seem incredibly unsafe?

In this episode of The Roys Report featuring a message from the Restore Conference, professional psychologist Dr. Philip Monroe addresses trauma, healing, and barriers to helping others going through the healing process.

Maybe you’ve experienced trauma and you feel stuck.

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Abuse has become epidemic in the church—and so has cover-up. But what causes abuse in the church? And how can we stop it?

In this special episode of The Roys Report, author, psychologist, and trauma expert, Dr. Diane Langberg, answers these questions with uncommon insight and clarity. 

In the opening session of Restore 2022, Dr.

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For years, Ravi Zacharias labeled her a predator and a serial extortionist. And sadly, the world believed him. But now, we know better. Ravi Zacharias was the predator in what was dubbed in 2017 as a “sexting scandal.” And Lori Anne Thompson was not just the victim of clergy sexual abuse—but of a worldwide campaign to smear her name.

In this special episode of The Roys Report, you’ll hear what was definitely a highlight of the recent Restore 2022 Conference. 

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Should a woman endure abuse by an unbelieving spouse like a missionary endures persecution? 

Stunningly, this is the advice offered by Dr. John Street, chair of the graduate program of biblical counseling at John MacArthur’s school — The Master’s University and Seminary (TMUS) — and an elder at Grace Community Church (GCC). 

Street also suggests that wife’s failure to “fulfill” her husband can cause the husband to sexually abuse his children!

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Why don’t church leaders believe victims when they report abuse? And why is the victim so often gaslit and abused instead of supported?

This episode of The Roys Report presents an in-depth look at abuse recently exposed at John MacArthur’s megachurch in southern California. Survivor advocate and author, Sarah McDugal, joins Julie to unpack MacArthur’s shocking treatment of the wife of a child-abusing husband.

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In 2016, Christian author Carey Scott was the victim of plagiarism by a major celebrity—international speaker and evangelist Christine Caine. Caine reportedly copied entire portions of Scott’s book, forcing Scott to take legal action to settle the issue. Yet for Scott, the negative impact of this event lingers. Meanwhile, Caine, who never apologized, continues to enjoy the spotlight.

On this edition of The Roys Report, Carey Scott shares her painful story, involving not just having her work stolen, but also being persistently bullied online.

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Are Black, Hispanic, and other people of color being traumatized in predominantly white, evangelical churches? And if they are, what’s driving it? Racism? Fear? Ignorance? Or, is it something else?

Joining me for this episode of The Roys Report is Kyle Howard, a racial trauma and spiritual trauma counselor. He’s also become somewhat of a lightning rod for calling out what he sees as white supremacy in the church.

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The Association of Related Churches, or ARC, is arguably the biggest church planting organization in North America. It’s also one of the most embattled . . . with scandals involving ARC pastors hitting the news with shocking regularity.

In this episode of The Roys Report podcast, former ARC pastor Jeff Thompson explains why.

In 2012, Jeff says he was enamored with ARC’s model of “launching large”—of starting a church with a big capital investment, top-notch worship team, and professional marketing.

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Is the turmoil at Bethlehem Baptist Church simply the result of different theological and political convictions? Or, is it due to spiritual abuse and control at the highest levels?

In part two of my podcast on What Happened at Bethlehem Baptist, former members Steve and Janette Takata describe how a Bethlehem elder, Andy Naselli, reportedly disparaged and gossiped about them behind their backs.

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There have been reports of spiritual abuse and abuse of power at Bethlehem Baptist Church—the church John Piper pastored for over 30 years. Three pastors have resigned. Hundreds of members have left. But why?

Joining me for this important episode of The Roys Report are Steve and Janette Takata—a couple who unwittingly found themselves at the epicenter of the storm at this prominent Minnesota church.

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Over the past year, The Roys Report grew exponentially following in-depth investigations on several fronts—from the cultic church Mark Driscoll is running in Arizona, to pressure exerted on Naghmeh Panahi to salvage the #SaveSaeed movement, to inside reports from RZIM and John MacArthur’s ministries. 

In this special ‘Best of 2021’ edition of The Roys Report, you’ll hear excerpts from our most popular podcasts of the year. 

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Why is it that we have so many bullies and heavy-handed leaders in the church? Perhaps it’s because we’re addicted to leadership—and have elevated a model of leadership that has everything to do with the world and nothing to do with Jesus.

In this edition of The Roys Report, Julie discusses Christians’ addiction to leadership with Lance Ford—a pastor, church-planter, and co-founder of the Sentralized Conference in Kansas City.

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Is conservatism biblical? And what are the dangers of mixing Christianity and politics?

In this edition of The Roys Report, join Julie in addressing these issues head-on with Coleman Luck, author of The Curse of Conservatism.

Though Coleman holds conservative theological and political views, he warns against a syncretism that’s seeping into the church.

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Bullies. We’ve all encountered them on the playground. But what happens when you encounter them in your church?

In this edition of The Roys Report, joining Julie to talk about bullies in the pulpit is Paul Coughlin, an expert on bullying and a best-selling author and speaker.

Contrary to popular opinion, Paul says bullies aren’t typically “wounded” people who are seeking to ease their pain.

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What does the Bible really say about gossip, bearing false witness, fear, anger, and other negative emotions? Is it wrong to speak out against another believer? Is it sinful to feel mad?

In this edition of The Roys Report, prolific author Rebecca Davis joins Julie to discuss the third book in her series Untwisting the Scriptures that were used to tie you up, gag you, and tangle your mind, which deals with words and emotions. 

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Did Liberty University mishandle Title IX sexual assault allegations? The school’s former spokesman says it did—and he joins Julie Roys in a special edition of The Roys Report to tell his inside story.

Lamb this week filed a federal lawsuit against Liberty, accusing the school of firing him for raising objections to Liberty’s “mishandling” of Title IX allegations.

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Many churches and Christian groups have been accused of being cult-like. But what qualifies as a cult? And what are the red flags people should look for?

In this edition of The Roys Report, well-known cult expert Dr. Steven Hassan joins Julie to discuss how to identify a cult and its tactics—including mind-control and authoritarian leadership.

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What do you do when Christianity hasn’t lived up to your expectations? And the church, which is supposed to be a place of healing, instead has left deep and permanent wounds?

In this edition of The Roys Report, Lina Abujamra, Bible teacher and author of Fractured Faith, shares a very personal account of how her faith was nearly deconstructed.

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For years, Naghmeh Panahi heroically advocated for the release of her husband—Iranian-American pastor, Saeed Abedini—from an Iranian prison. Yet months before his release, Naghmeh revealed a dark secret: for years, Saeed had been physically, emotionally, and sexually abusing her.

Yet rather than rallying to support this battered wife, Naghmeh says the Christian community attacked her. And she says some—including Franklin Graham and Jay Sekulow—relentlessly pressured her to reconcile with her abusive husband, or to even lie about what happened.

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From the fall of 2012 through 2015, imprisoned Iranian-American Pastor Saeed Abedini and his wife, Naghmeh, were the public face of persecuted Christians. As part of a global #SaveSaeed campaign, millions of dollars were raised, and Saeed was freed from prison in January 2016.

Yet when Naghmeh revealed that she’d been abused by her husband, she went from being the darling of the Christian community to an outcast.

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When Jason Meyer, John Piper’s successor at Bethlehem Baptist Church, recently resigned, he claimed that a “neo-fundamentalism” had crept into the church. Others throughout evangelicalism have cited similar opposing factions in the church—white nationalists, “woke” Christians, and ex-evangelicals, for example.

But what are these factions? And why is the evangelical movement—once united by firm theological convictions—now splitting apart?

On this edition of The Roys Report, we explore the answers with Michael Graham and Skyler Flowers, two pastors who have authored a groundbreaking article entitled, “The Six-Way Fracturing of Evangelicalism.”

Julie also presents new evidence, including leaked emails, revealing the deep divisions over racial and cultural issues at Bethlehem Baptist, which have led to major upheaval at the church.

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Natalie Hoffman spent more than 10 years at Bethlehem Baptist Church—the church where John Piper pastored for over 30 years. During that time, she says she was stuck in an abusive marriage. Yet rather than helping her, she says Bethlehem blamed and shamed her, and left her suicidal.

On this edition of The Roys Report, Natalie Hoffman joins Julie to tell her story—an account that’s extremely relevant, given current events at Bethlehem.

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Have Scriptures been twisted to keep women in bondage—and to promote a patriarchy movement that’s grossly misogynist?

On this edition of The Roys Report, author Rebecca Davis joins Julie to examine this movement and the Scriptures used to support it. Diving into Rebecca’s book series on Untwisting Scriptures That Were Used to Tie You Up, Gag You, and Tangle Your Mind, their talk centers on book two in the series entitled: Patriarchy and Authority.

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Twelve women have filed a civil lawsuit, claiming that Liberty University is “enabling on-campus rapes.” On this episode of The Roys Report, one of the 12 Jane Does filing that lawsuit—as well as two of her allies—tell their story spanning 16 years.

Their story starts in 2005, when “Jane Doe #2” in the lawsuit was gang raped on Liberty’s campus.

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From his shuttered church in Seattle to his “cult” in Arizona, author and celebrity pastor Mark Driscoll has taken pastoral entitlement, bullying, and control to new lows. Even after Part 1 of Inside the Driscoll “Cult,” two former members of Driscoll’s security detail have much more to share. 

On this edition of The Roys Report, Chad Freese, the former head of security at The Trinity Church, and his former colleague, Ben Eneas, reveal more details about the cult of personality and family business that Driscoll has cultivated.

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The cultic activities of Mark Driscoll and The Trinity Church have escalated to a whole new level. As Julie’s guests describe on this edition of The Roys Report, Driscoll is now sending cease and desist letters, threatening to sue whistleblowers. And the threat is not in vain. Driscoll reportedly has amassed a $10 million dollar litigation fund to sue whistleblowers into oblivion.

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Does the Bible really teach that Christians are supposed to give up their rights? If you speak out against someone who’s sinned against you, does it mean that you’re bitter? And is it really wrong to “take up offenses” for someone else?

The short answer is, No! But as Julie explains on this episode of The Roys Report podcast, these are all examples of twisting the Scriptures to condition Christians to accept abuse.

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Sixteen women say Pastor Wayne Aarum sexually abused them. Still, he remains the president of the well-known Circle C Ranch in Western New York. In this podcast, two of his alleged victims speak out.

On this episode of The Roys Report, the women—Joy McCullough and Michelle Poulsen—explain how Aarum systematically groomed them in the 1990s at both Circle C and The Chapel, a megachurch where Aarum served as the youth pastor.

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What’s really going on at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries? And what should we make of recent apologies by senior executives of the ministry?

It’s been four months since Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM) announced an investigation into its culture, finances, and practices. But so far, there’s been radio silence. There have been no updates. No reports published.

Meanwhile, senior RZIM leaders Abdu Murray and Sarah Davis have published videos where they apologize to Ravi’s victims.

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If a pastor or someone in spiritual authority lures a married adult into a sexual relationship—is that abuse or an affair? And can an adult engage in a sexual relationship, but not be culpable because she was manipulated by a sexual predator?

On this episode of The Roys Report, Julie explores this very difficult and sensitive issue with Dr.

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Three years ago, he reportedly groomed and lured a married student under his care at a Christian seminary into a sexual relationship. Now, he’s moved to another state and is relaunching his ministry. But his victim is speaking out.

On this episode of The Roys Report, Julie speaks with Katie Roberts, who was once the director of the Women’s Training Network for The Gospel Coalition (TGC).

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Why would the wife of a sexual abuser and accused pedophile like Josh Duggar stay in the marriage? And what kind of culture—or cult—produces families like the Duggars?

In this episode of The Roys Report—Julie explores what some have referred to as the Duggar “cult.”

The Duggars are immersed in a religious system created by Bill Gothard, a strong proponent of homeschooling and the creator of the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP).

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Why do some megachurch pastors wear shoes that cost as much as a mortgage payment? Is that wrong? Or do some pastors deserve to be rich?

On this episode of The Roys Report, Julie explores this issue with Ben Kirby, creator of the hugely popular Instagram account PreachersNSneakers.

PreachersNSneakers began as an online experiment that showcased photos of famous Christian leaders wearing insanely expensive sneakers and clothing.

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Is the Bible just like “Game of Thrones,” except if you don’t read it, you go to hell? And speaking of hell, does anyone really believe in a place of eternal torment? Or is that just a fable pastors preach to scare people into becoming Christians?

In this episode of The Roys Report, Julie tackles these accusations raised by viral TikTok sensation, Abraham Piper.

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They’re ravaging the church and devouring the sheep. Yet instead of tracking and expelling these wolves, we’re actually helping—and in some cases—protecting them!

On this episode of The Roys Report, Coleman Luck, author of Day of the Wolf: Unmasking and Confronting Wolves in the Church, explains why. Dazzled by their ability to pack auditoriums and fill church coffers, Christians often mistake spiritual wolves for spiritual leaders.

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The evangelical community in the U.K. is being rocked by a horrific abuse scandal, involving Jonathan Fletcher — arguably the leading evangelical figure in Britain for the past several decades.

On this episode of The Roys Report, Lee Furney—the first survivor of Fletcher’s abuse to go public —speaks out.

As Furney recounts, Fletcher groomed and abused young men who attended his prominent church in Wimbledon, England, for 30 years.

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What’s the truth about John MacArthur, his ministries, and the Master’s University and Seminary?

On this episode of The Roys Report, a former vice president at John MacArthur’s seminary reveals stunning details about the culture of fear, nepotism, and celebrity surrounding the famous pastor.

From 1991—2015, Dennis Swanson worked at The Master’s University and Seminary (TMUS)—first as the director innovation and then as the vice president of operations, the library, and accreditation. 

Swanson worked with MacArthur’s son-in-law, Kory Welch, who’s been paid millions in contracts by MacArthur’s ministries.

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Do women need to maintain a certain weight and aspire to look like Melania Trump to keep their husbands happy? And is “weight control” the solution to women’s marital problems?

A pastor at a General Baptist Church in Missouri actually preached that on a recent Sunday morning—a sign that misogyny is alive and well in the church.

On this episode of The Roys Report, Julie discusses misogyny in the church with author and speaker, Aimee Byrd.

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Love & Respect is a huge best-selling book. But instead of producing happy marriages, popular author and marriage blogger, Sheila Wray Gregoire, says it can lead to abuse.

On this episode of The Roys Report, Sheila joins Julie to explain why she’s been warning couples about this book for years—and how a comprehensive study she commissioned gives hard evidence that Love & Respect is harmful.

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Today, she’s a retired police officer with 34 years of distinguished service. But in 1974, she was a scared, pregnant teenager. And she says Ravi Zacharias pressured her to get an abortion.

On this edition of The Roys Report, Julie speaks with Shirley Steward, who says when she was 17, she became pregnant with the child of Ravi Zacharias’ younger brother, Ramesh Zacharias.

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Let’s face it. Christians—and especially, evangelical Christians—have a huge PR problem. Though at one time, society considered us the good guys, we’ve become the bad guys. So how do we live faithfully for Jesus in a culture that hates us?

On this episode of The Roys Report, Julie tackles this difficult issue with pastor, blogger and author, Stephen McAlpine. 

As Stephen concedes, we’ve brought some of this hardship on ourselves by behaving badly. 

“It’s very easy to have a persecution complex when we’re misbehaving,” he says.

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The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) has been rocked by a sex abuse scandal, a federal lawsuit, and claims of self-dealing and lucrative, backroom deals. The church also is experiencing historic lows when it comes to evangelism and church planting.

But one man says he’ll reform the SBC. And if he wins his bid to be SBC president, he’ll have the power to do it.

On this episode of The Roys Report, Julie speaks with Randy Adams, one of four candidates vying to be president of the SBC—the largest, Protestant denomination in the country.

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With churches in 28 countries, attracting hundreds of thousands of regular attenders, Hillsong Global has become one of the most influential evangelical movements in the world. But lately, the church has been rocked by scandal. And in this episode of The Roys Report, you’ll begin to understand why.

Joining Julie is Janis Lagata—a writer, spoken word artist, and podcaster. But what’s most relevant to our conversation is that Janis was part of the team that launched Hillsong New York City.

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Sadly, 2020 was a year in which scandal after scandal after scandal rocked the church. And on this best of 2020 podcast—or perhaps, worst of 2020 podcast—Julie explores several of the biggest scandals with insiders who had a front-row seat.

You’ll hear highlights from The Roys Report‘s five, most listened-to 2020 podcasts. These include a podcast with an attorney who represented victims of Bill Hybels; radio host Mancow Muller telling of the depravity he witnessed as a close friend of James MacDonald; and Steve Baughman, an atheist attorney, revealing how he discovered deception and abuse by Ravi Zacharias.

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Ten months ago, Acts 29 fired its CEO Steve Timmis for bullying and misuse of power. But has the organization changed? And has Acts 29 taken any responsibility for ignoring whistleblowers for years?

In this episode of The Roys Report, Julie interviews two whistleblowers who brought Timmis’ alleged abuse to light.

One is Casey Smith—a former Acts 29 employee, who reported Timmis’ alleged abuse to Acts 29 President Matt Chandler in 2015, and then was fired.

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Is Christmas an elaborate hoax—or the pivotal point in human history? And can an intelligent person really embrace that God became a man? Or that a virgin conceived a child?

In this episode of The Roys Report, Julie interviews atheist-turned Christian apologist, Lee Strobel, about The Case for Christmas. And she explores some of these challenging questions skeptics ask.

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What really caused Harvest Bible Chapel to fire James MacDonald? And what happened in all the backroom meetings, private conversations, and phone calls leading up to that fateful event?

In this episode of The Roys Report, former Harvest elder, Dan George, joins Julie to tell the real story of MacDonald’s firing.

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Chicago radio personality, Mancow Muller, has just announced he’s leaving WLS. And in this episode of The Roys Report, he talks with me about his new mission in life: to stop James MacDonald.  

Mancow says he wants to ensure that MacDonald and his son, who’s planting a new church in Chicago, don’t hurt anyone else like they’ve hurt him and his family.

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Billions of dollars that American Christians give churches, ministries and nonprofits are stolen every year. In fact, one study estimated that in 2015 alone, $50 billion was squandered in fraud! How do we stop this shocking theft of God’s money? And how do we ensure that the money we give is spent the way we intended?

In this episode of The Roys Report, Julie talks with Warren Cole Smith, president of MinistryWatch, who shares riveting stories about some of the biggest conmen and Ponzi schemes the church has ever known.

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Every week, there seem to be new allegations of abuse in the Christian community. From Ravi Zacharias to Bill Hybels and James MacDonald—why are the powerful preying on the vulnerable? And what can we do to stop it?

In this episode of The Roys Report—Dr. Diane Langberg joins Julie to discuss her newly released book: Redeeming Power: Understanding Authority and Abuse in the Church.

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Toxic churches that wound and devour the sheep have become far too common. But how can churches resist toxic culture and truly become “TOV” or “good”?

In this episode of The Roys Report, Julie interviews well-known New Testament scholar, Scot McKnight, and his daughter, Laura Barringer—co-authors of the new, best-selling book, A Church Called TOV.

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The new revelations concerning Ravi Zacharias have shocked much of the evangelical world, but they’re no surprise to Steve Baughman. Two years ago, Steve published an exposé on Ravi, revealing a pattern of sexual misconduct and deception by the famous apologist and those around him. Yet few paid any attention.

On this episode of The Roys Report, Julie interviews Steve, an avowed atheist and lawyer, and explores why the red flags concerning Ravi were ignored for so long.

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Have you ever had the feeling that something’s not right? The explanations don’t quite make sense. You feel guilty, but you don’t know why. You’re afraid to speak, while at the same time, uneasy about staying quiet.

This is often how people caught in spiritually abusive systems feel. And on this episode of The Roys Report, abuse advocate and researcher, Wade Mullen, joins Julie  to discuss his new book on abuse: Something’s Not Right: Decoding the Hidden Tactics of Abuse and Freeing Yourself from its Power.

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Jim Spiegel was fired from Taylor University for refusing to remove a song called “Little Hitler” from YouTube. The song is provocative, for sure. But did it warrant Spiegel’s removal? And what does Taylor’s action say about academic freedom and the state of Christian education?

In this edition of The Roys Report, Dr. Jim Spiegel joins Julie to tell his side of this story.

Televangelist Benny Hinn says he’s a minister of the gospel. But according to his nephew, Hinn’s ministry is like a money-making mafia. And when you leave, you may be hit with death threats!

In Part Two of her interview with Costi Hinn, Costi tells Julie his inspiring story of coming real faith in Jesus Christ—and what he went through when he finally left Hinn’s ministry. Costi says he got death threats, not just against him, but against other members of his immediate family!

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As the nephew of the world-famous televangelist Benny Hinn, Costi Hinn had a front-row seat to the inner-workings of the prosperity gospel.

In this episode of The Roys Report, Costi talks about the hypocrisy and devastation he witnessed first-hand. He says money given to further the gospel instead went to $25,000/night hotel rooms, private jets, and Ferraris. And though at one time, Costi participated in Benny Hinn’s empire, Costi explains how God began to show him how anti-biblical it was.

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In most crises, there’s a hero, a victim, and a villain. But these roles are often purposefully confused by the leader caught in the crisis, as is stunningly apparent in a videotaped interview by prominent pastor and author, Bryan Loritts.

So says image repair analyst Dr. Julia Dahl in Part 2 of The Roys Report podcast between Dr. Dahl and Julie Roys.

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Denial, bolstering, and transcendence. These are just some of the tactics used by embattled Cedarville President Thomas White in a well-known apology video, according to Dr. Julia Dahl, an image repair analyst. 

In this episode of The Roys Report, Julie interviews Dr. Dahl, who explains in depth how leaders and organizations spin the truth to fit their self-serving narrative. Dr. Dahl also analyzes a videotaped apology by Dr.

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As a lawyer who’s represented some of Bill Hybels’ victims, Mitch Little has seen a side of Willow Creek that few others have. Why did so many look the other way for so long? What eventually broke the culture of secrecy and protection? And what lessons can we learn from Willow Creek’s mistakes?

On this episode of The Roys Report, Julie explores these important questions with Mitch Little, who’s not just an attorney for victims.

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She was a member of the largest church in America and traveled the country as part of its music group. To outsiders, everything in Joy Ryder’s life looked perfect. But Ryder had a horrible secret. Her youth pastor was sexually abusing her.

In this episode of The Roys Report, Julie talks with Joy Ryder—a woman who recently filed a lawsuit against the estate of the late Jack Hyles, his Indiana megachurch, college, and son, David Hyles.

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Proponents of biblical manhood and womanhood say they value and cherish women. Yet, what happens when one woman challenges their view?

That’s what Aimee Byrd has done. And she’s reportedly been blacklisted, cyberbullied, and removed from a podcast she co-hosted for seven years.

On this issue of The Roys Report, Aimee Byrd—author of Recovering From Biblical Manhood & Womanhood—joins Julie to discuss what’s happened to her.

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The church is supposed to be a haven for the weak and the vulnerable. But what happens when it’s not—and the powerful prey on the weak?

On this episode of The Roys Report, Julie discusses the sex abuse crisis in the church with author, speaker, and abuse advocate, Mary DeMuth. Why is sex abuse running rampant in the church? How should churches respond to the problem?

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Are J.D. Greear and The Summit Church protecting someone who participated in a cover-up of sex crimes? And is their investigation of Bryan Loritts legitimate? Or, is it a sham investigation intended to obscure the facts?

In this episode of The Roys Report, Julie continues her interview with two eyewitnesses who say they observed Bryan Loritts cover up the sex crimes of his brother-in-law, Rick Trotter.

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Did Bryan Loritts participate in a cover up of sex crimes at his former church? And given what he allegedly did, should he be hired by Summit Church—the megachurch where J.D. Greear, president of the Southern Baptist Convention, pastors?

In this episode of The Roys Report, Julie interviews two eyewitnesses who had a front-row seat to a sex crimes case, involving Loritts’ brother-in-law and convicted voyeur, Rick Trotter.

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“You told us you would protect us like your own daughter. Where was my protection when your vice president and dean of women attacked me for being the victim?”

So asks a rape victim at Cedarville University of university president, Dr. Thomas White, in this episode of The Roys Report. The student says the school failed to protect her when she filed a Title IX complaint for sexual harassment, so when she was raped, she didn’t feel safe to report it.

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Narcissists are, by definition, self-centered, and leave a path of relational devastation in their wake. So, what happens when a pastor, or church leader, is a narcissist?  

On this episode of The Roys Report, Dr. Langberg joins Julie for a second discussion—this one focused on the issue of narcissists in the church. As Langberg notes, “When you put (narcissistic tendencies) in the Christian world, and add position and verbal skill, and theological knowledge and Bible language, it can be extremely harmful and extremely confusing.”

So, what are the characteristics of a narcissist?

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Should a Christian leader, who sexually abused someone under him, ever be allowed to lead again?

On this episode of the The Roys Report, Dr. Diane Langberg joins Julie to discuss the controversy at Cedarville University involving a professor, who was hired despite a known history of sexual abuse. Last week, Cedarville fired the professor.

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We’ve heard a lot about how to survive the coronavirus pandemic physically. But what about surviving financially?

On this episode of The Roys Report, Chuck Bentley of Crown Financial Ministries joins Julie to discuss this crucial issue. Chuck offers practical steps people should take immediately to weather this storm. He also discusses an Open Letter he wrote, urging churches and Christian ministries to exercise extreme caution when considering taking government money to stay afloat.

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You’ve heard that New York hospitals are like a war zone. And in this episode of The Roys Report, you’ll get a glimpse of that war from an ICU nurse serving in a New York City hospital at the COVID-19 epicenter.

Julie’s guest, Anne Frers, is a veteran nurse, working in an ICU unit that’s dedicated to COVID-19 patients at Mount Sinai Hospital in Queens.

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What do you do when a global pandemic hits and you’re the president of a college or university?

On this episode of The Roys Report, Judson University President Gene Crume joins Julie to discuss how his university responded to the coronavirus crisis. They also explore the controversial decision at Liberty University to keep its campus open.

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What’s happening on the COVID-19 battlefront? And how should Christians respond to this rapidly changing crisis?

On this episode of The Roys Report, Dr. Lina Abujamra, a pediatric ER doctor and founder of Living with Power Ministries, joins Julie to discuss this crucially important issue. Lina has been working long, ten- to 12-hour days, responding to those with medical issues in the midst of this pandemic.

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They’re wolves in sheep’s clothing—pastors who are narcissists, who claim to be serving God but are really serving themselves, and leaving a path of devastation in their wake.

In this episode of The Roys Report, Chuck DeGroat —a professor, clinical therapist, and author of the book, When Narcissism Comes to Church — joins Julie for an enlightening discussion. 

Spiritual abuse has become a hot topic as more and more pastors and Christian leaders have been exposed as abusive or toxic. But how do you identify spiritual abuse? And how do you recover from it?

On this episode of The Roys Report, I discuss this crucially important topic with Remy Diederich, a pastor and author of Broken Trust: a practical guide to identify and recover from toxic faith, toxic church, and spiritual abuse. 

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Book-buying schemes, inflated fund-raising claims, & cures for coronavirus! It’s stunning the ways some Christian ministries are falsely raising funds and/or misusing them.

On this episode of The Roys Report, I discuss these kinds of financial shenanigans with Warren Cole Smith, president of MinistryWatch.com—a Christian donor watchdog group. We also explore how the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) was formed to protect ministries, not donors—and how the ECFA has failed over the years to hold ministries accountable.

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She’s a popular Christian author, speaker, and professor at Liberty University. But according to some bloggers and critics, she’s also a liberal, a feminist, an animal rights activist, and gay-affirming destroyer of the faith!

This week on The Roys Report, I talk with Karen Swallow Prior about what she really believes (she’s none of those things)—and why it’s important for readers to  discern what the “discernment bloggers” are saying.

The largest Protestant denomination in the country, the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), is facing allegations of back-door meetings, heavy-handed power-plays, silencing women, and trying to remove critics of President Donald Trump —all while responding to a massive sex abuse scandal. 

This week on The Roys Report, Southern Baptist Pastor and longtime SBC insider, Wade Burleson, speaks with me about what’s happening behind the scenes within the denomination. Specifically, he talks about the refusal of the SBC Executive Committee to rent space for the upcoming SBC Pastor’s Conference if the conference keeps a female spoken word artist on the program.

Last week, the church planting network, Acts 29, fired its CEO, Steve Timmis, for allegations of abuse and bullying. But now, there’s evidence that Acts 29 President, Matt Chandler, knew about Timmis’ abuse five years ago. But instead of dealing with it, he and the board fired the whistleblowers!

In this episode of The Roys Report, Julie Roys talks about what happened at Acts 29 with Stephen McAlpine, an Australian pastor and popular blogger who helped bring Timmis’ alleged abuse to light.

Melissa Ohden is someone pro-choice activists would like to ignore. Ohden miraculously survived a saline abortion in 1977. And in a new, controversial ad, she and other abortion survivors ask, “Can you look me in the eye and tell me I shouldn’t exist?” 

In this latest episode of The Roys Report, Ohden shares her amazing story of survival. She also talks about the battle to change Americans’ hearts and minds about abortion, and the work she does with The Abortion Survivors Network and Faces of Choice. 

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Ann Lindberg went public with her story of abuse by Willow Creek Community Church co-founder, Dr. Gilbert Bilezikian, less than a week ago. And since then, there’s been a firestorm of controversy surrounding her allegations and how the church handled them. This week on the The Roys Report, Ann shares vulnerably with Julie Roys about her harrowing story, which began 35 years ago.

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Why do so many rock-star pastors implode under the spotlight? Why do modern-day churches become so entangled in growing their brand that they lose sight of their true purpose? This week on The Roys Report, I’ll be talking with Author Kyle Strobel about how Christians have succumbed to the temptations of power. Then we’ll learn about Jesus’ seemingly contradictory path to power. To find out what Jesus’ path to power is, join us for The Roys Report.

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Is Christmas an elaborate hoax—or the pivotal point in human history? This week on The Roys Report, I’ll be interviewing atheist-turned Christian, Lee Strobel, about The Case for Christmas. Is the virgin birth really a concept that intelligent people can accept? What about the idea of God incarnating a man? Lee will be sharing new material not included in any of his best-selling books. 

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Sexual abuse and coverup is not just an issue in the Catholic Church, as recent news of rampant sex abuse in Southern Baptist churches has shown. But how should churches and Christian organizations respond to allegations of abuse? And what should victims do if they want to report abuse, but are afraid? This week on The Roys Report, Boz Tchividjian joins Julie Roys to discuss this critical issue.

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Does evolution really explain the development of life? Or is it a theory in crisis?    This week on The Roys Report, Dr. Michael Behe, the so-called father of Intelligent Design, joins me to discuss why he believes evolution is fundamentally flawed. According to Behe, evolution breaks things; it doesn’t make things. And new research has made this abundantly clear. 

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Should women be preachers? This week on The Roys Report, we’ll explore this question, which recently grabbed headlines, following comments by well-known pastor, John MacArthur.  When asked to give a pithy response about the preaching of Beth Moore, MacArthur responded, “Go Home,” This sparked major controversy. But what should Christians think about women preaching? And what does the Bible say?

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After experiencing hurt and disappointment with the church and church leaders, how do you move on? This week on The Roys Report, on a special program, we’ll hear highlights from the Restore Chicago conference. You’ll hear Nancy Beach and Wade Mullen describe not only how to survive but thrive after experiencing spiritual abuse. And I’ll tell why I believe we’re in the midst of a move of God to purify the church.  

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When she was 17 years old, Jules Woodson’s youth pastor drove her to a remote location and sexually assaulted her. That pastor–Andy Savage–resigned from the megachurch he pastored in Memphis, Tennessee, when news of his past assault surfaced. But last week, just 18 months after stepping down from ministry, Savage announced he’s planting a new church in Memphis. And Jules Woodson is sick about it.

What should we make of situations like this?

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Is belief in God reasonable?  This week on The Roys Report, we’re going to debate this question with Stephen Hicks, a leading critic of postmodernism. Stephen believes reason can save society from postmodern absurdity, but he argues that belief in God is not reasonable. Challenging his view will be my husband, Neal Roys, who argues that belief in God is both reasonable and necessary.

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An average of 11 Christians are reportedly killed every hour. In fact, Christians are the most oppressed people group in the world. This week on The Roys Report, we’ll be talking about the persecution of Christians with author and Radio host Todd Nettleton of Voice of the Martyrs. November 3rd is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. And I hope you can join us as we prepare for the day of prayer with this important episode of The Roys Report, this Saturday morning at 11 on AM 1160 Hope for Your Life and on Sunday night at 7 on AM 560 The Answer!

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We’ve seen the headlines and read some news stories, but what’s really going on at Willow Creek Community Church? And why did a campus pastor just resign, saying his “heart and values” didn’t align with Willow’s current direction? 

This week on The Roys Report, two people with decades of experience at the church join me. They’ll report what transpired at a “Core” meeting last Sunday where Willow Creek Crystal Lake Pastor Marcus Bieschke resigned.

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How do we stand for truth in an age of hostility? And how do we communicate God’s love when what the world wants is affirmation of sin? This week on The Roys Report, Canadian Pastor David Lynn, Professor John G. Stackhouse and Attorney David Gibbs will join Julie to discuss this extremely relevant issue. Recently, Pastor Lynn was assaulted by angry residents for simply sharing the message, “God Loves You” in a mostly gay neighborhood.

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When someone hurts you, and never owns his sin, or apologizes for what he did, are you obligated to forgive? This week on The Roys Report, Pastor Chris Brauns, author of “Unpacking Forgiveness,” will join me to discuss what forgiveness is—and what it isn’t. Brauns wrote his book after a devastating church planting experience with Harvest Bible Chapel.

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Spiritual abuse is ravaging the church. But how do you spot spiritual abuse? And once you’ve been wounded by a church leader, how do you recover? This week on The Roys Report, Dr. Wade Mullen, an expert on spiritual abuse, will join me to deepen our understanding of abuse and toxic systems. We’ll also discuss weaknesses in us that attract us to bad leaders.

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Liberty University president, Jerry Falwell Junior, is in hot water after several exposes charging him with nurturing a culture of fear and self-dealing at the evangelical school. But the charges against him were mainly made by anonymous sources. This week on The Roys Report, a former dean at Liberty University who’s never before spoken to the press will join me to discuss the allegations.

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“Why is the Bible full of contradictions? . . . How can God be love and yet send 4 billion people to hell because they don’t believe?” And last month, Marty Sampson, a former songwriter and worship leader with Hillsong said he’s losing his faith because he couldn’t find answers to questions like these. This week on The Roys Report, leading Christian apologist—Dr.

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When a society denies human depravity and sin, the results can be absolutely devastating. And this week on The Roys Report, we’ll be exploring what led to the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, which claimed the lives of 17 people. Joining me will be Max Eden, an author and investigator who says the shooter clearly communicated his murderous intent. But instead of expelling him, the school sought to heal him, and to correct the “injustices” that it believed caused his violence.

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How should churches minister to abused women? And what does biblical submission look like when husbands fail to love and honor their wives? This week on The Roys Report, we’ll be tackling this sensitive, yet critically important issue with Judi Noble—an abuse survivor and counselor with decades of experience ministering to abused and battered wives. Listen and join the discussion this Saturday morning at 11 a.m.

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Christians are divided over whether marijuana should be legalized. Some say the drug is an essential pain medication and even an aid in worship! But others claim it’s a dangerous, unregulated, gateway drug. This week on The Roys Report, Jonathan Merritt, who supports legalization, will be joining me to share how marijuana delivered him from chronic pain.  

A movement of Iranian women, who are risking their lives for Jesus, is taking Iran by storm. That’s according to New York Times bestselling author Joel Richardson, who joins me this week on The Roys Report to tell this remarkable story. Richardson is an internationally recognized expert on Biblical prophecy and Islam and has just finished producing a film depicting this move of God. Learn how to catch the premiere of this livestreaming event. I really hope you can join us for The Roys Report, this Saturday morning at 11 on AM 1160 Hope for Your Life and on Sunday night at 7 on AM 560 The Answer!

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Is Assisted Suicide a compassionate means of ushering the terminally ill into the next life? Or is it simply a way of pressuring those we consider a burden to take their own lives?  This week on The Roys Report, I’ll be talking about this issue with Wesley Smith, one the world’s foremost critics of euthanasia. Also joining me will be Kimberly Kuo—who has a powerful story of how her husband’s battle with cancer transformed her thinking on this issue.  

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Two Churches in the Chicago area have been rocked by scandal. Now, how does the Christian community move forward? And how do those hurt by these scandals, the so-called church refugees, find healing? This week on The Roys Report, I’ll have two refugees from Willow Creek Community Church and one from Harvest Bible Chapel join me. Also joining me will be two area pastors whose churches have taken in a number of refugees.  

After this show was broadcast, Julie posted a blog that addresses very serious issues about the study in Let Us Prey and its authors.

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Have wolves in Shepherd’s clothing infiltrated the North American Church? And are sheep being systematically devoured as a result? Joining me this week on The Roys Report is Darrell Puls.

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President Trump is threatening to begin mass deportation roundups. While some Americans cheer these plans, others decry them as cruel and inhumane. This Saturday on The Roys Report, I’ll explore the immigration issue with both a Christian leader who believes illegal immigrants should be punished—and one who believes they should be given a pathway to citizenship. Don’t miss this important Roys Report.

Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter claim to be neutral platforms, but are they? Hi, I’m Julie Roys. And this Saturday on The Roys Report, Eric Cochran—the man who blew the whistle at Pinterest—joins me. Eric got fired for leaking documents showing that Pinterest censored a pro-life group. But Eric says all the big tech companies are censoring conservative and Christian voices—and he urges people to speak out! Don’t miss this important Roys Report. This Saturday morning at 11 on AM 1160 Hope for your life!

Why are even some Christians supporting pro-abortion laws? This Saturday on The Roys Report, Julie will explore this issue with both pro-life Christian, Father Frank Pavone—and pro-choice Christian, Livi Burke. Also joining me will be author and apologist, Nancy Pearcey, who will explain how personhood theory is changing how this generation views abortion. Hope you can join me, this Saturday at 11 a.m. on AM 1160 Hope for your life!

Episode Guests

Nancy Pearcey

Nancy Pearcey is the author of the recently released Love Thy Body: Answering Hard Questions about Life and Sexuality.

In this follow-up to The Roys Report on crusading bloggers, I continue my conversation with Scott Bryant, Ryan Mahoney, and Jessica Hockett—three former members of Harvest Bible Chapel who went public with damning information about the church and its former pastor, James MacDonald. We explore why publishing wrongdoing is sometimes not only permissible, but biblical, and what church members should do when they see sin in leadership. We also discuss the larger evangelical community and its failure to police itself.

Are crusading bloggers cleaning up the church by exposing abuse and corruption–or are they spreading gossip and lowering the standards of journalism? This Saturday on The Roys Report, Julie will explore this topic with Scott Bryant and Ryan Mahoney, authors of The Elephant’s Debt–a blog critical of James MacDonald and Harvest Bible Chapel. Also joining the discussion will be Jessica Hockett, a prolific micro-blogger on Twitter.