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How to Preserve Your Institution's Legacy Many people write to the ministry expressing concern or sadness about the progressive creep of their favorite Christian institution. After sitting through many, many calls with Christian leaders over the last three years, Monique and I have come to a very firm conclusion: the number one way that doctrinal drift happens is through indiscriminate hiring. Most ministries, churches, and schools will ask an applicant about their personal testimony at some point in their interview process. But the reality is, very few Christian organizations have a process in place to probe the details of an applicant’s theology. Now, you might wonder: Why does this matter? Because we live in an age when key biblical terms such as love, justice, marriage, the oppressed, and racism are being redefined––even by Christians. While we may be using the same vocabulary, it’s not uncommon to discover that Christians are using entirely different dictionaries. This means that extra steps will be needed to preserve the institution’s legacy over the long haul. These steps include publicly posting a mission statement that directly connects to the institution’s faith-based foundation, statement of faith, and position statements on “hot button” cultural issues such as marriage and sexuality. It also requires putting intentional processes into the interview process to ensure that new hires hold personal beliefs consistent with the ministry’s core values. At minimum, these ought to include having each employee, volunteer, and board member sign the institution’s statement of faith, position statements, and behavioral code of conduct. The reverse is also true: strategic hiring is also the number one way to turn around an institution after doctrinal drift has set in. In such situations, it’s not uncommon for us to ask a leadership team, “What are you willing to lose in order to get your ministry back on course?” Sometimes change comes by simply not renewing contracts. Sometimes it comes in the form of hiring a key senior-level manager who will abolish unbiblical policies and implement replacements. This kind of hire can often have a domino effect, causing progressive-leaning employees to opt out of continued employment. Occasionally, it may even require parting ways with someone in upper management. In our experience, however, a willingness to part ways with employees who aren’t in alignment with the ministry’s theology is the only path to save a ministry’s legacy. But only a few are willing to do this difficult work. In a previous article, I outlined some practical steps in the hiring process that we recommend all Christian institutions take to prevent drift. Since then, we’ve had several conversations that will help your team develop hiring processes that are more congruently aligned with your ministry’s statement of faith and mission, processes that will lay the groundwork to preserve your ministry’s legacy. Here are five podcasts to help your leadership think more biblically about hiring. Think of this as a free mini-training.

Monique and I have a lot of Zoom calls with leaders in all kinds of churches, ministries, and Christian schools. In these conversations, it is not uncommon for us to advise them on issues related to doctrinal drift. In fact, I wrote an article recently outlining three steps we recommend all Christian institutions take in order to prevent drift. We also offer services to help them implement these steps. Doctrinal drift happens primarily through indiscriminate hiring. (I discussed this issue on a podcast last year.) Weak policies can contribute to the issue, as well. The number-one way to stop doctrinal drift in its tracks is through courageous leadership. In short, leaders must be willing to part ways with employees with unsound doctrine. If an institution isn’t willing to do this, then drift is inevitable. The pattern of doctrinal drift is so predictable that we have developed four stages to determine where an institution is in terms of its spiritual health. Think of these stages as a tool to diagnose an institution’s spiritual cancer. Stage 1: Publicly affirm clear biblical positions. Stage 1 institutions generally have a robust statement of faith that they require all of their staff (or at least their top-tier managers) and board members to sign. They are also willing to publicly state their positions on current controversial issues in a clear and unambiguous way. This may sound something like: “We affirm the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy.” "Life begins at conception." "Abortion ends an innocent life." "We affirm traditional marriage." "We believe in two sexes: male and female." "All humans are sinners." "Hell is real." "We don't support cultural Marxism or BLM." The CFBU website has multiple pages listing our positions in a transparent way because we want our donors to know where we stand and why. Keeping an institution in Stage 1 requires vigilance and intentional policies. And most importantly, it requires courageous leaders who are willing to fire people, including those at the highest levels of management, when needed. Stage 2: Practice silence about controversial issues in public. While a Stage 2 institution may still have a public statement of faith, it is silent about “controversial” or “political” issues. This usually means their statement of faith fails to include a clear position on issues like abortion, marriage, gender, or homosexuality. Instead, you might hear their leaders say things like: "Abortion is a very nuanced issue." "Talking about homosexuality in public might damage people." "We don't take political positions on issues like abortion." "We don't want to use politically charged language in public, such as saying the phrase pro-life." “It doesn’t matter if you’re a Republican or a Democrat. We all affirm King Jesus.” (I covered this unhelpful approach to politics in a previous podcast.) If you work at a Stage 2 institution and begin to question the lack of clear position statements on these issues, you are likely to hear responses like the above. "We aren’t going to pick sides on this issue,” they may say “We just want to focus on our mission.” This kind of “Let’s keep the main thing the main thing” language is often code for, "We already have people in management who diverge from traditional biblical positions." And its adjacent axiom: "We aren't going to fire them." Many employees whose institutions are in Stage 2 don’t want to see how far their church or school has drifted doctrinally. But we have seen this pattern time and time and time again. Another common feature of Stage 2 institutions is that they are usually willing to take a strong stand in public against past sins, especially racism. You will hear their leaders say things like, "We condemn all forms of racism." But here's the problem: saying this takes almost no courage. Why? Because standing against racism isn't controversial. Nearly everyone already agrees that racism should be condemned! My operating theory about this phenomenon is that taking a strong stand against racism gives institutions the appearance that they are remaining biblically faithful. This, in turn, distracts donors and parents so they won't notice the institution’s silence on current issues of controversy. Institutions in Stage 2 can theoretically be turned around, but doing so requires very strong leadership at the presidential and board levels. Stopping Stage 2 drift generally involves firing multiple mid- and top-level managers, as well as implementing new hiring policies and a more robust statement of faith. Accomplishing this is very, very rare, simply because few leaders with this kind of vision actually exist. That brings us to Stage 3. Stage 3: Silently shift positions and hide it from constituents. If left uninterrupted, institutions will eventually transition into Stage 3. The typical scenario is that one or two key people get hired or promoted into upper management, and these people have ideological differences with those employees and donors who have Stage 1 thinking. These new managers have the power to change the institution's position on an issue and broaden its hiring to reflect those new values. They will then hire people who are pro-choice, who are sympathetic to socialism, who post pronouns in their bio, or who affirm Side-B homosexuality (or are, silently gay affirming). A diversity officer may be hired. New institutional policies may tell employees “not to discuss politics” with each other. But––and this is key––these shifts are not generally clearly communicated to donors or lower-level employees. And when they inquire about rumors, the leadership denies the shift. Many Christian institutions are in this stage––think Christian higher education, Sunday School curriculum distributors, and book publishing––but their donors and patrons don't know it yet. Institutions in Stage 3 are generally too far gone to be turned around. It’s usually best for the conservative-minded employees and supporters who remain to abandon the institution and start (or join) a competitor. Stage 4: Celebrate sin. It is only a matter of time until the institution eventually tells its employees and donors that “love for neighbor” means that they should celebrate the courage of people who affirm the opposite positions mentioned in Stage 1. This is where many mainstream church denominations are now. This might sound like: "Loving your neighbor means supporting their choice for abortion." “Love is love.” "We celebrate all genders." "God is queer." How to Start Noticing If you want to know what’s happening with the institution you send your hard-earned money to, here are two practical steps to take. First, stop merely listening to what its leaders are saying. Instead, start to notice what topics they are NOT talking about. Are there important issues in our cultural moment that they have never addressed publicly? For example, did they say anything publicly when Roe was overturned? Do they ever make clear statements against the radical trans agenda? Second, ask more direct questions. If you work at a Christian institution and notice that your leadership doesn't take a public stand on tough cultural issues, especially when they are directly relevant to your ministry, then start asking questions. What is stated on the website? What does the employee handbook say? How are potential employees screened for doctrinal fidelity? What is the ministry’s process to deal with employees who hold to ideas consistent with progressive Christianity? If you don’t feel like you can even ask these kinds of questions, that could be a major red flag. One clear sign that your once-healthy institution has drifted into Stage 2 is that you are given vague answers like, “We will look into this” or “That could never happen here” or “We have __________ (insert the name of a conservative scholar) on our staff.” These are the cowardly evasions that ministries will run on biblically minded donors and staff in order to keep the money flowing in. These ministries swim in the waters of generalities and dismiss questions that demand specificity. One of the saddest realities that Monique and I see in ministry is that courageous leaders with a robust knowledge of historic Christianity (not simply someone with a Christian testimony and “good leadership skills”) are in short supply. But being able to diagnose spiritual health is the only hope we have to preserve our legacy institutions, most of which are already well into Stage 2. Where do you send your money? To your local church? Your kid’s Christian school? A ministry? Now is the time to start pulling back the curtain on their spiritual health. You may be shocked by how far they’ve already drifted, and how many cowards are in top-level leadership. I don’t think it’s trivial that God lumps the “cowardly” in with the “murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars” (Rev. 21:8; see also Heb. 10:39). DIGGING DEEPER For more tips on hiring, check out my interview with Dr. Gary Miller, former Provost at Biola University.

3 Critical Steps to Keep Your Church, Ministry, or School Stay on Mission We recently did an all-day in-service workshop for the staff at a Christian school. As one of the exercises, we asked participants to consider the following scenario: You're on a hiring committee in search of a new English teacher for the high school. Rank the following criteria, in order of importance, that will shape your search. Race Education & achievements Prior work experience Gender Age References Biblical fidelity After they discussed this scenario in small groups for several minutes, we regathered as a large group to process their conclusions. Participants unanimously ranked doctrinal fidelity as the number-one criterion in their search for future staff. Given the rising tide of “progressive Christians” and Christians being influenced by sociological definitions of race and justice, it was encouraging to see the staff’s strong commitment to stand for historic Christianity. This led to our next question: What practical steps will your team take during the interview process to vet each candidate for doctrinal fidelity? Right off the bat, we got the usual answer: Ask the person to recount their Christian testimony. The school wanted to make sure that any potential staff had a strong relationship with the Lord. That’s great! “What else?” I asked. My concern was that a conversion story might not be enough. After all, many Christians have a conversion story—including those who have been influenced by various aspects of Critical Race Theory. My question was: How could this team ensure that new staff shared their vision for biblically faithful racial unity and justice? The truth is, that is the question I would like to ask every Christian school administrator, every Christian university provost, every HR director working at a Christian ministry, and the leaders appointed to every pastoral search committee. We can all think of wonderful Christian institutions––churches, schools, and ministries––that started out as Christian but have drifted away from historic Christianity over the years. How does doctrinal drift happen? And how can it be prevented? Maintaining fidelity to an institution’s founding vision and doctrinal roots requires strategic planning. Here are three steps that I recommend that every Christian school, university, ministry, and church take right now to ensure a biblically faithful legacy for future generations. Step 1: Ratify a position statement to summarize your institution’s approach to current issues. Most Christian entities have some kind of statement of faith. And that’s a good start. A robust summary of unifying key beliefs that lays a vital foundation for an institution’s spiritual culture. But very few churches, schools, or ministries have statements that address how the Christian worldview comes to bear on the big cultural questions of our day. Here are a few suggested topics to cover in such a statement: Position on biological evolution (a.k.a. “common descent”) and the age of the Earth Position about the dignity of human life, including the pre-born Definition of marriage Definition of sex, gender, and gender expression Discussion about how your institution will handle issues of sin, such as divorce, drug and alcohol abuse, porn addiction, and same-sex attraction Position on race, racism, and racial unity Position on Critical Theory (e.g., Critical Race Theory, Feminist Theory, Queer Theory), including a summary of its incompatibility with the Christian worldview If the leadership at your church, school, or ministry has a position on these issues, it needs to be in writing. If it doesn’t yet have one, it needs to assemble a study committee and write one. These statements should be posted on the ministry's web site, and included in the employee handbook, as well as the student and parent handbooks (when appropriate). Here are a few thoughtful examples to help inspire your effort: Southern Evangelical Seminary Life Bible Fellowship, Upland, CA (scroll down and click on View Beliefs PDF) Two Rivers Church, Lenoir City, TN (scroll down to “Where We Stand”) Step 2: Add strategic steps to your application process. In my experience, it is not uncommon for new employees to go through the motions of signing a statement of faith without giving it the careful consideration it deserves. According to multiple recent studies, doctrinal literacy is low. One recent study says only 2% of Millennials actually have an integrated biblical worldview. A Barna study had similar results about Gen Z. (Listen to my friend, Natasha Crain's interview with George Barna where he explains how he goes about getting these numbers.) For these reasons, I advise Christian employers to assume that applicants probably don’t understand the doctrinal implications of their institution’s statement of faith and don’t know how to think about controversial cultural issues in light of the historic Christian worldview. In order to preserve doctrinal fidelity, then, it would be a good idea to add steps to the application and interview process. Here are four practical ideas to help inspire your efforts. 1. As part of the initial application process, include a question where applicants must state where they attend church and what level of service they have. And then vet that church for doctrinal fidelity. This will give you some idea of how the candidate is being discipled. 2. As part of the initial application process, ask applicants to write, in their own words, their understanding of each line of the ministry’s statement of faith. 3. For candidates applying for leadership positions, include a requirement to list biblical support for each line of the statement of faith. Obviously, steps two and three will take the applicant considerable time. But they will also help unqualified candidates to self-select out, as those candidates likely won’t want to bother with such laborious steps. Implementing these steps will also give the hiring team a snapshot of how deeply the candidate has thought through the finer points of the Christian worldview. 4. Add strategic interview or application questions that will bring the applicant’s beliefs about progressive themes to the surface. Here are five questions to consider: Can you tell us about books you have read recently? What do you find helpful (or not) about their content? How would you explain the gospel to a non-Christian? How would you explain what the Bible is to a non-Christian? Can you tell us about a time when you had to forgive a co-worker? Walk us through what the situation was, what happened, and how it was resolved. Do you know your Enneagram number? What are your thoughts about the Enneagram? If you are interviewing someone where issues related to culture and ethnicity could be a factor in the job itself, here are a couple more questions to consider. Describe what role, if any, you think social location (e.g., gender, ethnicity) plays in our ability to accurately interpret the Bible. What do you think of the idea that there is a "black approach" or a "white way" to interpreting the Bible? How do you view Critical Race Theory? Do you see it as a useful tool for Christians to engage in race conversations? The point here isn't to trap applicants. Asking clarifying questions in an interview is a legitimate part of data collection during a hiring process, just like checking references or doing a background check. It helps to surface what's already there and give some starting points for deeper probing. Applicants might be ignorant about certain issues. Or, really passionate. But even that is data. In my personal practice, I have found that asking these kinds of questions in interviews helps to set proper expectations with applicants. Step 3: Enact a process to verify that all board members, employees, and volunteers hold personal beliefs consistent with your institution’s statement of faith and position statement as a condition of employment or participation. Once you have adopted a position statement about critical cultural topics, it will be vital to create a strategy for introducing that to current employees. You will want to create a pathway for bringing board members, ministry leaders, employees, and volunteers into alignment with both the statement of faith and the position statement. This process could include a series of employee trainings where a theologically informed leader walks people through these statements and responds to questions. And no doubt there will likely be questions! As I stated above, many Christians, even if they have grown up in a church, lack an in-depth knowledge about the faith. So having an opportunity to help employees and volunteers ask questions is vital. Another part of avoiding doctrinal drift should include a periodic refresher training, possibly every two to five years. You might also consider a process for re-signing of the statement of faith and position statement because sometimes people change their views over time. So having a periodic check-in with them is essential, especially when someone comes up for a promotion or tenure. These steps will provide accountability as a condition of continuing employment. Engaging in this process rests on the assumption that there is a commitment among the highest levels of leadership (e.g., Board members, elder board, school superintendent) to part ways with employees and volunteers who don’t hold personal beliefs consistent with the institution’s statement of faith and positions. This might be hard at first, but it is often a vital step in order to deal with all employees according to the same standards. Doctrinal drift is natural. This is why doctrinal fidelity must be intentionally maintained. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES For more thoughts about how to maintain biblical fidelity in a Christian institution, check out this webinar that I did on my podcast. For more tips on hiring, check out my interview with Dr. Gary Miller, former Provost at Biola University. POSTED: 6/23/21; UPDATED: 7/25/23

MERCH TheologyMom Play Video Play Video 01:00:19 Who's In Your OIKOS? | Everyday Evangelism, part 5 I am continuing my extended teaching series on evangelism. We are changing gears a bit away from all the hard core theology to consider a practical strategy for sharing the faith with others. Play Video Play Video 50:09 Good, Bad & Ugly of Diversity Hiring We haven't had a Family Meeting for a while. Monique has a class during the normal time. But Krista has stepped in to do an explainer video on the issue of "diversity" in hiring practices. She unravels the confusion for regular people. Play Video Play Video 53:52 Proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom Today | Everyday Evangelism, part 4 This is part 4 of the Everyday Evangelism teaching series. I summarize the big ideas of what we've covered so far and then suggest some practical ways that the kingdom of God ought to shape our Gospel presentations. Play Video Play Video 01:21:47 My Response to Mike Winger's Series on Women in Ministry Pastor Mike Winger dropped the final installment in his extended teaching series on women in ministry. Here are my thoughts on his research. Play Video Play Video 58:13 What is the "Good News'? part 2 | Everyday Evangelism, part 3 This is part 2 of a short 2-part discussion defining the good news. We need to get the gospel right before we get it out. Play Video Play Video 14:03 Three Tiered Justice System Krista and Monique talk through some common patterns they can see related to matters of justice weighed unequally in the culture and legal system. Watch the full discussion here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGE3dE11MjU Play Video Play Video 01:05:07 What is the "Good News'? part 1 | Everyday Evangelism, part 1 I am continuing to do a deep dive into evangelism. This week I attempt to lay out Jesus' definition of the "good news" and suggest some says that I think it ought to inform our own evangelistic efforts. We need to get the gospel right before we get it out. Production note: This version of the show has been edited. Play Video Play Video 55:46 Why Aren't We Sharing the Gospel? Every Bible-believing Christian has the same duty to share the gospel. We even believe that it should be a high priority in our lives. So, why do so many of us (myself included) put the task of “sharing the gospel” on the back-burner? I tackle this question in part 1 of an extended teaching series focusing on various aspects of evangelism. This will be a major focus on the podcast in 2024. I want to help you share your faith more effectively and consistently. Connect with Us: Web site: https://www.theologymom.com Email: info@centerforbiblicalunity.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theologymom Podcast: search for "theology mom" on your favorite podcast platform Subscribe to the show's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@theologymom Support our Sponsor: Family 210 Clothing https://teespring.com/stores/family-210-4 Support Krista's work for the Center for Biblical Unity: https://www.centerforbiblicalunity.com/donate Latest Videos VIEW ALL VIDEOS Browse by Series Looking for videos that cover a specific topic? Click on any of the series below to dive in! VIEW ALL PLAYLISTS Listen on the Go Listen to Theology Mom on the go. Search for "theology mom" wherever you stream your podcasts. YouTube Apple Podcasts Spotify Stitcher Facebook Monthly Newsletter SIGN UP Read the latest newsletter . Bio Krista Bontrager is a fourth generation Bible teacher. She is an author, podcaster, and former university professor. Krista has a unique ability to communicate connect theology with real life. She has dedicated her life to helping others discover how to love God in Spirit and truth.​ MORE Articles Krista posts articles a few times a year. So enjoy and share the theology adventures with your pastor and friends. Mar 5 5 Podcasts to Help You Hire Better Sep 12, 2023 How to Diagnose Doctrinal Drift Jul 25, 2023 Avoiding the Danger of Doctrinal Drift Jul 12, 2023 Differentiating Between Fact & Fiction Isn't Always Easy Teaching Krista has a vibrant online teaching ministry, equipping God's people to disciple those under their spiritual care. Podcast Krista is the host of the "Theology Mom" weekly teaching podcast. ​ EPISODES All The Things Krista co-hosts the All The Things podcast with Monique Duson. ​ EPISODES Articles Krista blogs on topics related to culture, apologetics and theology. ​ READ Classes Krista teaches classes on theology and apologetics. ​ CLASSES "I first heard Krista speak at a women’s conference and was completely blown away. She was engaging, interesting, and witty, while delivering a well-researched, precise, and theologically meaty presentation. Everyone was captivated. Since then I have gotten to know Krista as a friend and colleague and especially appreciate her loyalty to Christ, commitment to biblical Christianity, and her humble spirit. She is the real deal.” Alisa Childers, author Another Gospel?

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Classes Live and on-demand courses taught from a historic Christian perspective BIBLE INTERPRETATION On Demand Get equipped with foundational skills to properly interpret and apply Scripture. Students receive exposure to major literary genres and opportunities to practice new skills. ENROLL On Demand Trace the story of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation.. See how it all fits together and discover God's wonderful plan to be the king of our lives and rule over His creation. Includes a teen track. ENROLL On Demand This course is a deep-ish dive into the book of Revelation. Students will learn and practice the nuts and bolts of how to properly interpret Scripture. ENROLL THEOLOGY On Demand Topics: Inerrancy and Authority of the Bible Origins of the Bible Creation Demons and Angels ENROLL On Demand Topics: Doctrine of humanity Doctrine of Christ Doctrine of sin Doctrine of salvation ENROLL On Demand Topics: Doctrine of the Holy Spirit Doctrine of the church End times Eternal state (heaven/hell) ENROLL PRACTICAL MINISTRY Coming Summer 2024 Do you struggle to share your faith in an increasingly secular culture? This class will help you develop practical strategies to improve your personal outreach.