Too often, Christians let their pasts hold them back from reaching out, teaching, correcting, or evangelizing. They feel they may not be worthy or have any right to speak up on a subject because in the past they either did it or did worse, or they have walked away from God at some point and came back, but don't want to admit that to people for fear they will be looked at as though they aren't "Christian enough." They feel almost hypocritical in a way. But, they are so busy looking backwards that they forgot. “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,” Acts 3:19 Nothing in your past will ever disqualify you from serving God. Truly, who is better than the redeemed in God to teach, preach, and spread His message? We are walking examples of the depth of God’s love and forgiveness. Here’s my story. I have inflicted horrible hurts with my mouth, I dabbled in drugs, stripped, dated women, had premarital sex, had a child out of wedlock, attempted suicide, was a cutter, dove head first into the occult at one time, completely walked away from God, I have lied, stolen, been cruel, been full of pride, an asshole and cocky as all get up. Did God look at that and disqualify me when I repented? Did He stop my teaching, preaching, writing, or evangelizing? Nope, because God doesn’t call the qualified; He qualifies the called. I repented, and my slate was cleaned. I came out with a heart ready for God to renew it, granted it took a while and a lot of life lessons from my first encounter with God to who I am now. But He was with me every step of the way, and I am completely open about my mistakes when I talk to people. We absolutely owe it to people to be real. You’re not going to be able to Bible-thump or theologically debate everyone into following God. You are going to need to open up at some point and share your struggle, what you learned, and how God grew you. You have some clout behind you; you do not need to have a Ph.D. to talk about stuff. You did it, lived it, and repented; this makes you uniquely qualified to talk about it. But how can you do that if you’re still holding onto shame or guilt? Jesus came and died on that cross that day, for you to have your sins wiped out. Don’t sit there and tell yourself that you are unworthy because you are a sinner; it insults Him and the sacrifice He made for you. Look at these people in the Bible. Paul, Samson, Moses, Abraham, Ruth, Rahab, David, Jonah, Noah, Elijah, Zacchaeus, Mary Magdalene, the Samaritan Woman, Peter, Sarah, Thomas. Every one of them screwed up, sinned, backtracked, and royally blew it, but God wanted them, God used them, God forgave them, and God loved them. If He can forgive Peter, who outright denied Jesus, not once, not twice, but three times, and forgive Paul, who persecuted Christians, why are you holding yourself back from letting God wipe your slate clean and using you? Accept His gift, a slate wiped clean. I go out in the world and talk; I don’t carry the weight of past sins because it has been removed from my shoulders. Don’t give satan a chance to whisper in your ear about that thing you did 5 years ago. Don’t have a conversation with him in your head; don’t give him any power that holds you back. Remember — Your slate is clean! We are the walking examples of the depth of God’s love and forgiveness. © Jane Isley

We all do it. We pick verses. That in itself isn’t a bad thing. I’ve got verses tacked all over my office walls for references and research. The issue comes when a verse is cherry-picked, yanked out of its context, and treated as a complete thought or command, and is used to fuel an opinion, personal agenda, or doctrine that’s not Biblical. Then everything else around that verse is conveniently ignored. That’s the problem here. Honestly? It’s about the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard, right up there with sticking your finger in a light socket or trying to tip a cow. A Little History 1445 — Mordecai Nathan Jewish teacher who divided the Old Testament into either chapters or verses (can’t figure out which for sure). Long before that, though, scribes were already making divisions in the text to mark sections for teaching or public reading. 1205 or 1227 — Stephen LangtonHe was a professor and an Archbishop, credited with the chapter system we currently use today. He added chapters to the Latin Vulgate. 1244 & 1248 — Hugo of Sancto Caro He was the first person believed to have attempted to divide the Bible into chapters (thinking this was for the NT, by the sounds of it). He did this twice while revising the Latin Vulgate, and in 1236, he also gave us the first concordance. 16th Century — Back to Langton His chapter arrangement was put into Greek manuscripts of the New Testament sometime during this period. 1551 — Robert Estienne He was the one who numbered the verses within the chapters, and they were printed in his Greek New Testament edition. 1553 — Hebrew Bible — Robert Estienne Here we get the complete French Bible (OT & NT) printed with chapters and verses. 1557 — Geneva Translation First complete English New Testament translation with chapters and verses. 1560 — Geneva Translation We get the full English Bible (OT & NT) printed with chapters and verses. So, that is definitely not the complete history. But I’m not burning more brain cells on Google today. Why The History Lesson? Because it was people who applied chapters and verses only to assist in studying and teaching both the Old Testament and the New Testament. It was not done to permit people to pick one line, slap it on a bumper sticker, and die on that hill. All the writers, all their words, were inspired by God. He wouldn’t hand us this incredible book just for us to slice it into isolated fortune-cookie quotes. And nowhere did Jesus ever say, “Yeah, just ignore the Old Testament now.” The Old Testament didn’t die when Christ died. To prove that point, when Jesus was teaching and reading, guess what He was referencing and reading from? The texts WE call the “Old” Testament. Also, so did the apostles after Christ died. God’s Perspective. God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are outside of time; humanity has time because we need it, God doesn’t. He doesn’t see “Old” and “New,” like we do. He sees only His words on paper. Words that are interconnected between books written decades apart from each other. He saw what was written before His Son came and died for us, and what is written afterward. His one complete message to us. And we should to. The more I study, the more I come to see these complex interconnections within the entire Bible, and the absolute need to not die on any cherry-picked hill that leads to unbiblical doctrine or teachings. We are to lead the world to Christ by example. So when you’re busy out there cherry-picking, why can't an unbeliever? You just fed them their permission. I came across a fantastic video on this. Don’t worry, it’s actually entertaining and engaging. The creator, Hailom, defines cherry-picking as: “An argument that only takes into account pieces of data or information that are favorable to the argument while ignoring anything that is not.” Smart, wise young lady. She discusses complexities and nuances in Scripture that we need to wrestle with. It’s just 15 minutes and 28 seconds, and it covers things I would have missed here. Two of her standout points (to me at least): “We often put words into the author’s mouth.” “Human beings are capable of rationalizing and spiritualizing violence. Maybe it’s [the Bible] showing us something about ourselves, how quickly we fall into tribalism that destroys lives.” I’m going to end this here. She finishes this article very well, and I believe my point has been made. You cannot cherry-pick verses and expect to hang your entire theology on them and justify sinful behavior, unbiblical teachings, and personal agendas, and still expect to stroll through the pearly gates. The Bible is and always was one complete book. © Jane Isley Like what you read? Help keep the kettle warm by buying me a cup of tea — every sip sparks a new idea and supports my work. 💡

Here's a tricky-ish concept to wrap your mind around, and I'm going to bet a few have never even thought of this one. First, this comes from the fact that I have read and witnessed many encounters where people (who are Christian) say to another person that IF they have the Holy Spirit in them, they'll basically "just know" that what they are saying/writing is correct. Yeah, that's not how it works, and it's also pretty crummy to say that to a Christian in the first place, because you are insulting their journey and also trying to get in the way of God's timing for them. See, I've read a lot of stuff and listened to a lot of people in my day. Sometimes I get a definitive "Yes!" from the Holy Spirit, other times, actually a lot of the time, I get a "Nope! Hold up," I want you to really look into that and test the spirit here. So that's what I do, I go in and look at the Biblical foundation of what I've just read, or heard. Then about half of the time that turns out to be hogwash, but the other half turns out to be Biblically sound, and we're good to go. So why did the Holy Spirit put the brakes on when the information was sound? That's the root of this article. Why would He do that? Because: "Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God," 1 John 4:1–2 And: "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness," 2 Timothy 3:16 See here's the thing to think about - Everybody who was anyone tested God like no tomorrow in the Old Testament. In the New Testament, the Pharisees and Sadducees tested Jesus, and we all know how that story went. So why wouldn't we test the Holy Spirit? We are actually instructed to do so. "This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God" If we relied on the Holy Spirit to answer every yes or no situation without any elbow grease put in there, then what is the point? We'd never grow, we'd never learn, we'd never recognize. We need to be aware of this and allow readers to apply this to us when we write or speak to people about God or on a specific topic, most especially a heavy or complex one, because we are human and make mistakes. Just because we are believers and most of us are well-studied doesn't mean squat to a stranger, and honestly, it shouldn't. Because they may not be ready to learn that topic yet, or God wants them focusing on something else, or it's way above their head because there's terminology and complexities in there that gave them a migraine, and they're not quite there yet. But Going to another person and saying or writing that if they don't understand, believe, or feel hesitant about what you are saying, is now very obviously quite rude, to them and to God. Stop telling people that IF they had God, they'd believe what you are saying or reading, because that's one sure-fire way to lose a believer who may be new or struggling. We are not all in the same place of understanding and knowledge, so how about we let the Holy Spirit do its job and lay off the guilt trips? © Jane Isley Thank you for taking the time to read, and please consider supporting my work. Your gift helps keep this work going, blesses others, and means the world to me. You can visit me at Faithful Writers on Medium, where other Christian writers have joined me in sharing the word of God. You can also find me on Facebook.

Are we truly guarding our hearts in the digital spaces where our names and faces are hidden? The internet grants incredible opportunities to learn, connect, and share, but its cloak of anonymity can also expose us to dangerous temptations that reshape us. A question met with cruelty. Long ago, I stumbled across a simple question in a Christian forum. Someone who appeared to be a new believer asked if Noah might have taken eggs onto the ark in some cases rather than live animals to save space. It was the kind of light, curious, and fun question that should have sparked a lighthearted conversation and encouragement for this person as they embarked on their journey with the Bible. Instead, what I saw was heartbreaking. Most responses were sarcastic, belittling, or dismissive. Yes, a few people offered their thoughts on the subject kindly, but cruelty dominated the responses. And the common thread I noted? Anonymity. Hidden behind their usernames, people felt free to mock a fellow believer rather than just answer a dang innocent question. The power of the mask. “How Does Anonymity Affect Behavior.” This is a great and eye-opening article that I’ll be referencing. Psychologists call this deindividuation — a loss of identity that happens when people feel anonymous in a crowd, or online. Stripped of accountability, some are emboldened to say things they’d never speak aloud in person. “The shield of anonymity can embolden individuals to engage in harmful behaviors online, such as harassment or deliberately provocative actions. Without the fear of personal consequences, some users feel free to express extreme views or target others with hurtful comments. This behavior can have severe psychological impacts on victims and can poison online communities.” In other words, anonymity lowers the guardrails of conscience. It makes it easier to justify rudeness, sarcasm, or outright hostility. But God’s standards do not change simply because our names are hidden. A divided life. Here’s the kicker: online habits don’t just stay online. If I grow accustomed to cruelty on the internet, how long before that bleeds into my daily life? Into the way I talk to my child, treat my husband, or serve in God’s church? Jesus warned against this kind of double life: “On the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.”   Matthew 23:28 We cannot pretend to wear two faces. Sooner or later, they will merge. Our call as peacemakers The question is not simply, What are others doing online? But how am I representing Christ when no one sees my face or knows my real name? Our words (whether spoken or typed) carry weight. They can either wound or heal, discourage or build up. And as believers, we are called to be peacemakers, not agitators, no matter the platform. We cannot control the cruelty of others. But we can refuse to contribute to it. We can pause before posting, pray before responding, and examine whether our words reflect God’s Spirit. Anonymity may give us freedom from Earthly consequences, but it never hides us from God’s eyes. The challenge for every Christian is simple yet sobering: Do my online actions honor Christ? Or do they reveal hypocrisy and hardness of heart? Let us choose carefully. Our digital witness matters just as much as our in-person one. And God is watching both. (This piece is a revision of an early work and has been rewritten to reflect how God continues to mold me, draw me to this topic, and with a lot better grammar.) © Jane Isley Thank you for taking the time to read, and please consider supporting my work. Your gift helps keep this work going. You can visit me at Faithful Writers on Medium, where other Christian writers have joined me in sharing the word of God. You can also find me on Facebook.

I’ve been thinking about this a lot, especially in light of the numerous excellent articles about shifting our mindset. There’s one mindset, in particular, I want to call attention to. On the surface, there’s technically nothing wrong with this layout. But, alas, we are human, and humans love to apply “value” where God did not. Let’s look at Genesis 2:21–22 “So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.” Then let’s walk back to Genesis 1:26 for a second. “Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” Emphasis on that they part. Men and women were created equal and given shared dominion over the earth. Ever wonder why a rib? Of all the bones in the body, he picked the rib. The rib is on the side. God didn’t take a bone from Adam’s foot; He purposely pulled the bone from his side. That symbolizes partnership and unity, not a hierarchy to be trampled on. Here is my point of view, perspective, mindset, or whatever you’d like to call it on this situation that I want to share. As a mother, I can tell you from experience, this is also a good way to look at this. There is such joy in giggling and conspiring with your child to pull off a surprise for their father, grandparents, or best friend, and they see and understand more than you will ever realize. You will share moments with them when they come up gently next to you and support you, usually in secret. A child’s hug when times are tough is all it takes to hold onto hope. I think parents would be left speechless at all the little things that go unseen that their children do in the effort to help their parent(s). No one was ever placed under another in the way humanity has interpreted and abused. Humanity built that chart of hierarchy and fed it to the world for so long that it’s gone beyond damaging families and Christianity; it’s fractured them. Turn on the news, and you’ll see the proof. There was never a bone taken out of Adam’s foot. It’s time to change the mindset and rewrite the chart the way God intended it. © Jane Isley

This might sound a little unusual, but stay with me for a moment, because it’s the second part that I’m really getting at. We often thank God (or should be) for what He has done for us, all the answered prayers, doors opened, mountains moved, surprise blessings, and gracious mercies. But how often do we stop and thank Him for what He hasn’t done? “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, watching the evil and the good.” Proverbs 15:3 God sees the entire picture while we see only small fragments. There are countless times when we’ve prayed for something with complete trust and sincerity, whether it's an opportunity, a relationship, a move, or a dream, and it just didn’t happen. At the time, it might have felt like silence, leaving you disappointed and perhaps confused. But looking back, do have that moment of realizing His “no’s” were a mercy in disguise. (This has happened to me more times than I can count) Now, let’s add another layer to all of this. How often do we thank God for what He’s done that we’ll never know about? “The Lord will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul. The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in from this time and forever.” Psalms 121:7–8 Think about it. Like, really think about that. Many people get frustrated or angry over what God does and doesn’t do in their lives (the things they can see), but there’s a much larger picture to be considered. God sees the unseen; He sees what we are not capable of seeing, let alone understanding. He is and always has been shielding us from many unforeseeable and horrible things. “For He looks to the ends of the earth; He sees everything under the heavens.” Job 28:24 “For He will give His angels orders concerning you, to protect you in all your ways.” Psalms 91:11 “Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will also help you, I will also uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 Sit and ponder on this : What has God protected you from or done for you that you don’t have a clue about and never will? Next time you’re in prayer with God, thanking Him, maybe also thank Him for everything you don’t know about. © Jane Isley Thank you for taking the time to read, and please consider supporting my work. Your contribution helps keep this work going. You can visit me at Faithful Writers on Medium, where other Christian writers have joined me in sharing the word of God. You can also find me on Facebook.

I have a spectacular verbal rebrand that is going to confuse a few and probably annoy others when I say this: 1st and 2nd Testament I have made it clear many times that I don’t believe that once the “New” Testament came around, God kicked the “Old” to the curb. People made that word distinction, not God. Honestly, though, I get the reasoning behind it; it does make sense simply from a distinction standpoint. But come on. You can’t expect people to do something and not figure that satan’s going to find some way to exploit it to his advantage. Out with the old, in with the new should honestly be satan’s motto at this point. Especially with the way people, Christian and non alike, are attacking the Old Testament. Satan couldn’t have planned anything better if he tried, and he doesn’t have to; all he has to do is sit back and let people — well, be people. Here’s a good question: Why do we still call it the Old Testament anyway? Why label it like it’s some dusty irrelevant relic, a “before” to something better? It’s misleading. It makes people think God suddenly decided to change. And calling the other the New Testament? That makes it sound separate, shinier, less serious, and like a replacement. Let me point something out: 1st & 2nd Samuel 1st & 2nd Kings 1st & 2nd Chronicles 1st & 2nd Corinthians 1st & 2nd Thessalonians 1st & 2nd Timothy 1st & 2nd Peter 1st, 2nd & 3rd John Couldn’t have any of those 2nd’s (or that random 3rd) without any of those 1st’s, otherwise that would make for a very odd read. And no, word counts don’t apply here, and neither do writing styles, message, theme, time period, writer, etc, because the Bible is a very eclectic collection of inspired works, chosen by God, guided by God, and approved by God. It’s so eclectic you wouldn’t win any of those arguments. Here’s a thought: Maybe it’s high time we start calling them the 1st Testament and 2nd Testament. Not just for kicks — there’s a precedent. We already have 1st and 2nd editions. Nobody is debating those. Everyone understands they’re sequential, chronological, and part of the same ongoing message to us. Nothing about that changes God’s character, story, or His message. Calling them 1st and 2nd Testaments keeps that continuity intact, puts God’s revelation in order, and then slows satan down from twisting things as easily. Because people would stop seeing the Old Testament (especially the laws he’s trying to tear down) as irrelevant. It also pulls the plug on this whole “selective Christianity” BS. You know, the whole “I only follow the God of love” nonsense. That stops being funny when you realize you just tossed half of God aside because it made you uncomfortable. The case for 1st and 2nd: The 1st Testament sets the stage, the 2nd Testament reveals the actor. The Law is the backdrop, Christ is the spotlight. The prophets were the previews, Jesus is the feature. The promises were written in ink, the fulfillment was spilled in blood. You don’t get the Messiah without Moses. You don’t get the cross without the covenant. And you definitely don’t get Revelation’s victory without Genesis’s beginning. Consider this with seriousness (at least the concept) because your life very well could depend on how much God you decide to chop out of your opinions. This article is inspired by God our Father and Medium writer, Richoka. © Jane Isley

© Jane Isley I got curious about the phrase “right hand of God” for two reasons. It came up one night in a Bible study, and my dad is left-handed and has alluded to a few things in his past. So, my curiosity led me down a few late-night rabbit holes, and boy, was I not disappointed in my quest for information. I knew some historical information on the matter, but admittedly not as much as I know now. This goes further back than I realized, to pre-Christian civilizations. My first thought when reading through everything was that being right-handed is simply more common than being left-handed. (The online consensus is 90%-ish of the population) This originates ultimately as a “people problem” right from the start. Ok, I can get my head around that. Simply put, people can be downright judgmental, biased, and critical in general to anyone “different” and cause problems where there were none to begin with. But that shouldn’t be a shocker for anyone reading this article. What does the Bible say about the “right hand?” There are countless references to the “right hand.” To me, this makes sense, it’s symbolism and one we would and should have understood because there was already that established cultural meaning and deference to the right hand. Symbolically, being on the right hand of God means being in His favor, it’s where Jesus sits beside God in equal power; it means authority, a place of honor, and strength. Then, of course, things were taken way too literally and abused. I won’t make this article heavy on theology or break down verses by translation, we all know being left-handed by now is not a sin. We have multiple factors that led to left-handed people getting a bad rap and going through abuse for it. There was a combination of cultures already being biased, superstitions, a serious lack of critical thinking, misreading of Scripture, and abuse of Scripture to perpetuate these injustices. This is an excellent example of bad theology that we should learn from. This horrible history in Christianity is an example of bad theology and people taking things too far simply because they thought they had an authoritative right to do so. I decided it was time to talk to my dad, I knew a little history just from an occasional comment here or there. What he told me surprised me; in 2nd and 3rd grade, he went through hell for being left-handed. No one stopped him or tried to retrain him, but he got picked on so badly by his teacher that he ended up despising school. He never went to college and still cringes at the thought of school. He told me the teacher was a “staunch Lutheran” and back then and in his area the Lutheran church saw being left-handed as being “retarded and mentally ill.” I don’t like that first word at all and debated using it, but ultimately, it’s the truth. That and more was what was taught by a Christian church in his area. I have no idea if this article is about what my dad went through, a history lesson, or an article demonstrating the severity of what happens when people refuse to read all of the Bible and only use certain verses as an excuse to abuse and persecute. Maybe it’s simply an article about all three things. Before I leave you with this odd article, I want to share two things. God created us in His image, and Jesus was born with a left hand and a right hand, hence why this is a symbolic reference, not a literal one. I think Jesus would have been born with two right hands if this was indeed an actual concern God had. This is what was conveniently ignored in the Bible. “in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left;” 2 Corinthians 6:7 “Among all these soldiers there were seven hundred select troops who were left-handed, each of whom could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.” Judges 20:16 “Ehud reached with his left hand, drew the sword from his right thigh and plunged it into the king’s belly.” Judges 3: 21 “they were armed with bows and were able to shoot arrows or to sling stones right-handed or left-handed; they were relatives of Saul from the tribe of Benjamin):” 1 Chronicles 12:2 © Jane Isley First Published in Never Stop Writing on Medium. Thank you for taking the time to read, and please consider supporting my work. Your gift helps keep this work going, blesses others, and means the world to me. You can visit me at Faithful Writers on Medium, where other Christian writers have joined me in sharing the word of God. You can also find me on Facebook.

“When Andrew Tate arrived on Substack, he appeared with roughly 1.1 million subscribers almost immediately, raising questions about whether the growth was organic or engineered. But the real issue isn’t the number — it’s what it reveals: platforms don’t elevate what is good or true, they elevate what gets attention, and when controversy scales that quickly, it looks like the system working exactly as designed.” Are we really surprised by anything at this point? Think about it, beauty and sex sell, we’re in the middle of a war, Epstein’s cohorts are walking away scot-free, AI is learning to disobey its makers, people can’t define who I am on a cellular level, and an estimated 9 billion dollars walked out in the proverbial suitcase. Just Where The Snake Wants Us Overwhelmed, tired, frustrated, feeling small and defeated, and being pumped to the brim daily with his propaganda to continue that downward mental spiral. Don’t get me wrong, I am guilty of getting overwhelmed just like everyone else out there, but to be fair, just getting up in the morning and having to function creates that in me, thank you, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. Why I Just Disclosed My Diagnosis Also, I have many more than that, but that one (Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome) is the biggest doozy I live with. Not only am I in severe pain almost constantly, with some days being so bad I break down and cry, but it’s also simply just destroyed my body; some of you know that I am on a feeding tube now because of the utter destruction this has wreaked on my body. Not to mention the mental health crises it has created throughout my whole life, or the fact that I have lost parts of my female anatomy one piece at a time, severe intolerances to most foods, pollens, and even severe reactions to merely a whiff of perfume that could send me into a severe migraine for days, or even better, asthma attacks, swelling, or anaphylaxis. The reason for this overview is not sympathy. Believe it or not, to me things are just normal, I crack jokes all the time about my body's hyper reactions to the very world I was born into, and I go on with my life, planting my gardens, writing, napping and snuggling my cats, nor do I want attention or told any cliché “you're so strong” or “you're a trumper” crap. (please) “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2–4 I Have My Tools Because of what I have and have gone through in my life, I have matured. I learned to lean on God in ways I never thought possible, to stop struggling so stubbornly to hold onto control that isn’t even mine to begin with, to surrender, to study, to trust, to praise, and to obey. Before I could fully understand the gravity of the world and its battles, I always knew there was a reason for the storms in my life, all the battles, all the depths of hell I crawled out of. Of that, I never doubted there was a purpose, a purpose if I let it be a purpose. Now that may seem like a strange way to say that, but it’s true. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 You Are Not The Only One We all have nasty things that happen to us; it's what you do with them that matters. I always left mine to God. One of the most common prayers I have ever spoken in my life is “God, use this for something good.” Whatever that season brought me, in the middle of all my prayers and and/or yelling at God, that was my consistent prayer. Use it, use me, don’t let it be for nothing, turn this into something good that can help another person. He has never failed to answer that prayer, because it is said in truth, love, trust, and maturity. That's why I started this article the way I did. All of that is scat from the snake, that ole’ deceiving ancient serpent. (click the link at your own discretion) Life Prepared Me For This Worldly Decay Those trials taught me patience and faith, those storms taught me who really sheltered me and to take a deep breath, the valleys of death taught me to trust and pray, those pains taught me perseverance and endurance, those hurts inflicted taught me to self-control and anxiety control, those abuses taught me to love and to forgive, and all those moments collectively taught me that I lack nothing in God and have nothing to fear in or from this world. Where are you in your faith right now? Because this isn’t going to get easier. © 2026 Jane Isley. Want more content like this? Explore more articles in the Culture & Faith. Sources & AI Citation Excerpt at the beginning of this article was from a prompt for an AI-assisted excerpt using publicly available sources online. PBS NewsHour — “Tate brothers charged with rape and human trafficking in U.K.” NPR — “Tate brothers face rape and trafficking charges in U.K.” Thred Media — “Why is Andrew Tate #1 on Substack?”

In many conservative evangelical spaces today, marriage and childbearing have become more than personal choices. They’ve become ideological acts. The message is consistent across sermons, conferences, and political influencers: have more children, raise them right, and we’ll “win the culture back.” Sociologist Christian Smith notes that many evangelical subcultures genuinely believe they are locked in a demographic war for cultural control, fearing they are “losing America” through declining birth rates rather than declining faithfulness (Smith, 1998). What God intended as a sacred covenant has been repurposed into a demographic weapon. A strategy of Domination by Proxy, where reproduction replaces discipleship. The Ideology Behind It This ideology thrives in movements like Quiverfull, popularized through groups like Vision Forum, Above Rubies, and leaders such as Doug Phillips and Bill Gothard. The movement takes its name from Psalm 127, where children are described as arrows in a warrior’s quiver. But as journalist Kathryn Joyce documents, Quiverfull families are often encouraged to view their children as “arrows to be launched into the world to take it back for God through sheer numbers” (Joyce, 2009). What was once metaphor has become strategy. The logic is not born of faith, but of the fear of losing cultural dominance. Historian Rodney Stark shows that the early church never “out-bred” Rome; they out-loved it through sacrificial service (Stark, 1996). Yet in the age of political panic, evangelicalism has turned the home into a military outpost and childbirth into a tactic. Biblical or Political? Despite its biblical decorations, the roots of this movement are distinctly political. The reinterpretation of “be fruitful and multiply” as a command to maintain Christian majorities is largely a product of the post-1970s Christian Right (Du Mez, 2020; Dochuk, 2011). The anxiety beneath it is not theological — it is nationalistic. Jesus explicitly rejected such thinking: “My kingdom is not of this world.” — John 18:36 Yet Quiverfull theology treats the family as the primary tool of a political project, a way to “take back the nation” not through witness or repentance, but through population growth. When political survival becomes spiritual faithfulness, the family stops being sacred and starts being strategic. The Great Commission quietly transforms into a census. Why These Ideas Attract People The rise of demographic-conspiracy thinking within Quiverfull makes far more sense when viewed through psychology rather than theology. These movements thrive on deep human needs: certainty, identity, security, and control. 1. The Need for Certainty People high in Need for Cognitive Closure seek rigid rules and simple answers (Kruglanski, 2013). Quiverfull offers a perfectly ordered world and removes ambiguity. 2. Heightened Threat Sensitivity Some individuals are wired to perceive greater danger in the world (Adolphs, 2010). Quiverfull amplifies this fear: “If we don’t out-breed them, we’ll be replaced.” 3. Conspiracy-Oriented Thinking Conspiracy-minded individuals seek hidden truth and external enemies (Douglas & Brotherton, 2015). Quiverfull provides a heroic narrative: you are part of God’s hidden plan. 4. Authoritarian Tendencies Authoritarian personalities prefer hierarchy and strict order (Duckitt, 2001). Quiverfull theology mirrors this structure. 5. Echo Chambers Like-minded communities reinforce and intensify beliefs (Sunstein, 2009). In short: fear is baptized as faith, and insecurity is reframed as conviction. Children as Assets Once this psychological foundation is understood, the ethical problem becomes clear: children stop being souls and become assets. It must be said plainly: there is nothing sinful about having a large family. Scripture never condemns abundance in children. But motive matters. When children are brought into the world to compensate for insecurity, to prove significance, preserve identity, or fight cultural battles — something has gone deeply wrong. A child should never carry the weight of a parent’s fears. When children exist to soothe an adult’s ego, they cease to be loved and begin to be used. Former Quiverfull children interviewed by NPR and The Atlantic describe being raised not to love truth, but to defend a tribe; not to follow Christ, but to fulfill a demographic mission (NPR, 2014; Stewart, 2020). Jesus said the kingdom belongs to children because of their humility — not their utility. A Christ-Centered Alternative The failures of this movement are now public record. Doug Phillips and Bill Gothard, two of its central architects, fell into scandal after widespread allegations of abuse (Christianity Today, 2014; Religion News Service, 2014). Wherever domination replaces humility, corruption follows. Meanwhile, secular nationalist leaders like Viktor Orbán promote the same demographic logic to “defend Christian Europe” through childbirth incentives (BBC, 2019). It is the same fear wearing a different mask. Jesus never told His followers to preserve civilization.He told them to carry a cross. Christianity has always grown through compassion, service, witness, and transformation, never through birthrate supremacy. Conclusion: The Dominion of Love Domination by proxy is an attempt to do God’s work without God’s way. It masks ambition with piety, fear with faith, and control with covenant. There is nothing more pathetic than a man who forces his children to fight the battles he is too afraid to face himself. That is not leadership — it is cowardice dressed as conviction. True Christian legacy is not biological — it is spiritual. Not how many children you produce, but what kind of fruit you bear: justice, mercy, and humility. The gospel does not need bigger families. It needs reborn hearts. © Joel Sarfraz References: Adolphs, Ralph. “Fear, the Amygdala, and Threat Processing.” Annual Review of Psychology, 2010. Douglas, Karen & Brotherton, Rob. “The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories.” Current Directions in Psychological Science, 2015. Dochuk, Darren. From Bible Belt to Sunbelt. W.W. Norton, 2011. Duckitt, John. “Authoritarianism and Attitudes.” Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 2001. Du Mez, Kristin Kobes. Jesus and John Wayne. Liveright, 2020.Halevy, Nir. “Zero-Sum Thinking.” Psychological Science, 2008. Joyce, Kathryn. Quiverfull: Inside the Christian Patriarchy Movement. Beacon Press, 2009. Kimmel, Michael. Angry White Men. Nation Books, 2013.Kruglanski, Arie. The Psychology of Closed Minds. 2013. Smith, Christian. American Evangelicalism: Embattled and Thriving. University of Chicago Press, 1998. Stark, Rodney. The Rise of Christianity. HarperOne, 1996.Stewart, Katherine. The Power Worshippers. Bloomsbury, 2020. “Bill Gothard Resigns Amid Misconduct Allegations.” Religion News Service, 2014. “Vision Forum President Doug Phillips Resigns.” Christianity Today, 2014. “Hungary's Orban Announces Tax Breaks to Boost Birth Rate.” BBC, 2019. NPR. “Quiverfull: More Kids, More Faith, More Misery?” All Things Considered, 2014. PRRI. “The State of Christian Nationalism in America.” 2023.