The Miseducation of God’s People: Are We Really Following Jesus? | James Early

What does it actually mean to follow Jesus and how can we know whether the version of Christianity we’ve inherited truly reflects His teachings?

In this episode of The Miseducation of God’s People, Jason C. Johnson Sr. sits down with Bible teacher, author, speaker, and host of The Bible Speaks to You Podcast, James Early, for a deep conversation about Jesus, discipleship, doctrine, biblical interpretation, and the importance of returning to the teachings of Christ.

James has spent decades studying the Bible and helping people learn to think, pray, and love like Jesus. Since 2008, his Bible study workshops at the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury, Connecticut have impacted hundreds of lives. In 2019, he launched The Bible Speaks to You Podcast, which has reached listeners in more than 200 countries and territories and focuses on rediscovering the original Christianity of Jesus.

In this conversation, we explore what happens when Christians sincerely love Jesus but misunderstand what He actually taught. How do we distinguish between following the Jesus revealed in Scripture and following a version of Jesus shaped by our traditions, assumptions, culture, or personal preferences?

We also tackle some challenging questions about the relationship between Jesus and Paul, doctrine and discipleship, theology and spiritual transformation, church attendance and genuine discipleship, religion and relationship, grace and truth, and biblical discernment.

In This Episode, We Discuss:

• Can someone genuinely love Jesus while misunderstanding His teachings?

• How should Christians understand the relationship between the teachings of Jesus and the writings of Paul?

• What teachings of Jesus does the modern church frequently overlook or misunderstand?

• Can “just following Jesus” become subjective if it isn’t grounded in the whole counsel of Scripture?

• How should Christians biblically evaluate church traditions and doctrines?

• What is the difference between religion, Christianity, and genuine discipleship?

• Is theology the problem—or can sound theology actually strengthen our relationship with Christ?

• Have many churches confused making disciples with simply making church attendees?

• What teachings of Jesus are commonly taken out of context?

• If Jesus evaluated the Western church today, what would He commend—and what might He call us to repent of?

This conversation is ultimately an invitation to test what we have been taught against Scripture and to ask whether our beliefs, practices, and Christian lives actually reflect the teachings of Jesus.

Connect With James Early

Listeners of The Miseducation of God’s People can access James Early’s resources specifically created for this audience:

www.thebiblespeakstoyou.com/miseducation

Download your free copy of The 4-Step Biblical Discernment Framework now at https://discerntheword.com and learn how to evaluate every teaching, trend, and personal struggle through the lens of God’s Word.

Christian Men Have Been Lied To About Being “Nice” | Featuring Jerome Stevens aka Coach JDot.

Many Christian men have been taught that following Jesus means avoiding conflict, keeping everyone happy, and never saying “no.” But is that really what the Bible teaches?

In this episode of The Miseducation of God’s People, Jason C. Johnson Sr. sits down with Jerome Stevens aka Coach JDot to unpack one of the most misunderstood issues in modern Christianity: the difference between biblical humility and people-pleasing. Together, they discuss how church culture can unintentionally encourage passivity instead of biblical courage, why Jesus wasn’t always “nice,” and how Christian men can find freedom from the exhausting need for everyone’s approval.

Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: If you or someone you know is struggling to hold onto hope, please call 988.

In This Episode

• Why being a “nice guy” isn’t the same as following Jesus
• Is people-pleasing a form of idolatry?
• How church culture can reinforce unhealthy expectations
• The difference between biblical servanthood and unhealthy self-sacrifice

Key Scriptures

• Galatians 1:10
• Proverbs 29:25
• Ephesians 4:15

If you’ve ever struggled with church hurt, burnout, fear of disappointing others, or confusion about what biblical manhood really looks like, this conversation will challenge common assumptions and point you back to Scripture.

Connect with Jerome Stevens (Coach JDot):

Instagram: https://instagram.com/iamcoachjdot

Website: https://stan.store/Coachjdot

Download your free copy of The 4-Step Biblical Discernment Framework now at https://discerntheword.com and learn how to evaluate every teaching, trend, and personal struggle through the lens of God’s Word.

Deconstruction: How Healthy Is it to Question Your Faith?

In this hard-hitting episode of The Miseducation of God’s People, host JC Johnson Sr. confronts the rising trend of Christian deconstruction. High-profile voices like Joshua Harris, Abraham Piper, Paul Maxwell, Jon Steingard, Marty Sampson, The Phanatik, Derek Webb, Rhett McLaughlin, and Link Neal have publicly walked away from Jesus after “deconstructing.” But what does the Bible actually say about doubt, questioning, church hurt, and abandoning the faith?

Using The 4-Step Biblical Discernment Framework, this episode examines Scripture’s clear distinction between sincere questioning (like Thomas and the Bereans) and dangerous drifting or departure from the truth. You’ll discover why church hypocrisy and personal pain—while real—never justify rejecting Christ, and why John 3:16-18 still stands as a sober warning.

If you or someone you love is wrestling with deconstruction, this episode will challenge you to test everything, hold fast to what is good, and cling to the only foundation that will not collapse.

Download your free copy of The 4-Step Biblical Discernment Framework now at https://discerntheword.com and learn how to evaluate every teaching, trend, and personal struggle through the lens of God’s Word.

There Is No Bible Verse That Mentions The Sin Nature?

Today we are speaking with John V. Ruggiero. He makes a very controversial claim: the book of Romans never talks about us having a sin nature. We discuss that and more on today's episode.

John V. Ruggiero is the author of Re-Forming: Transformation Through Reconstruction, a book that explores why so many sincere believers remain trapped in recurring cycles of sin despite their love for God and desire for change. Drawing from Romans 7 and Romans 8, John teaches that transformation is more than behavior modification—it is the process of spiritual formation. His work examines how spiritual "members" are formed within the soul, becoming places where either sin or Christ dwells and expresses life through us.

John is passionate about helping believers understand why transformation often fades, how destructive patterns become deeply rooted, and how Christ can be formed within us in a way that produces true and lasting change.

You can connect with John by visiting: https://john-v-ruggiero.kit.com/

If this episode encourages you, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who wants to grow in biblical discernment.

Grab the FREE eBook: The 4-Step Biblical Discernment Framework at https://discerntheword.com/

Podcast: The Miseducation of God’s People

“Examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:21

What if the reason you walked away from God wasn’t because you rejected the real God but that you were introduced to a distorted version of Him? I Walked Away From God Until I Realized THIS | Steve Rotermund

Many Christians unknowingly view God through the lens of painful experiences, abusive parents, unhealthy churches, broken relationships, or shame-filled theology. But what happens when those false beliefs begin to crumble?

In this episode of The Miseducation of God’s People, Steve Rotermund shares the deeply personal story of how growing up with a narcissistic and abusive father shaped his understanding of God and contributed to a season of walking away from his faith. His journey eventually led him to discover the difference between religion built on performance and the gospel centered on transformation.

You can connect with Steve on his website: https://partnersofaddicts.com/

You can purchase Steve's book on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Gods-Imperfect-perfect-Steve-Rotermund/dp/B0F6CL8B4S/

We also tackle one of the most misunderstood statements in the Bible: “God hates divorce.” Have many Christians mistakenly turned that verse into the message that God hates divorced people? What does Scripture actually teach? Can someone who has experienced divorce still walk confidently in God’s love and purpose? We also explore questions like: Are you trying to earn God’s approval instead of living as His child? Is Christianity primarily about behavior modification, or heart transformation? Have you confused your identity with your failures? How does understanding adoption and sonship in Christ change everything? Can God redeem years marked by addiction, codependency, divorce, and brokenness?

Steve also shares lessons from serving as a pastor while walking through thirteen years of loving a spouse battling addiction. His story is one of loss, restoration, and discovering that your identity is never determined by your past, your pain, or another person’s choices. If you’ve wrestled with shame, church hurt, divorce, addiction, legalism, or questions about who God really is, this conversation offers biblical hope and challenges many assumptions that Christians often carry without realizing it.

If this episode encourages you, consider subscribing to The Miseducation of God’s People, where we examine popular Christian beliefs through the lens of Scripture and pursue a deeper understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Jesus Warned About False Teachers… Are You Ready? | The Miseducation of God’s People

Jesus warned that false teachers and false prophets would deceive many. The apostles gave the same warning, yet millions of Christians continue to embrace teachings that sound biblical without testing them against Scripture.

Welcome to The Miseducation of God’s People, hosted by JC Johnson Sr.

To download your free copy of The 4-Step Biblical Discernment Framework, which is used on every episode, visit https://discerntheword.com

This ministry exists to help Christians grow in biblical discernment by examining popular teachings through the lens of God’s Word. On YouTube, you’ll find reaction videos to trending Christian content, expository Bible teaching, and careful examination of difficult passages that are often taken out of context. On the podcast, we take a deeper look at controversial doctrines like the Prosperity Gospel, false prophets, Progressive Christianity, Hyper-Grace, Christian nationalism, manifestation, celebrity pastors, end-times predictions, and much more.

Every episode asks one important question:

What does the Bible actually say?

Subscribe on YouTube and follow The Miseducation of God’s People wherever you listen to podcasts for new episodes every week.

Answering the Biggest Questions, Criticisms, and Objections from Season One

Every episode of Season One challenged a popular belief held by many Christians and the response has been overwhelming.

Hundreds of comments, questions, objections, and thoughtful conversations followed. In this special Q&A episode, JC Johnson Sr. responds to some of the most common challenges raised by listeners and social media followers.

Can a church’s size really prove God’s blessing?

Is it wrong to publicly examine the teachings of well-known pastors?

Has America replaced Israel in God’s plan?

Can Christians engage in politics without allowing politics to shape their theology?

Would a loving God really judge sin?

Did Jesus actually teach eternal punishment?

Are Christians supposed to predict the date of Christ’s return?

Does Jesus promise happiness, or something far greater?

And perhaps the biggest question of them all:

Should everyone have “their own interpretation” of the Bible?

This conversation ultimately leads to one foundational issue that affects every doctrine, every sermon, every church movement, and every Christian:

Who or what is your final authority?

If you’ve wrestled with any of these questions or know someone who has, this episode will challenge you to examine every belief in light of Scripture rather than popularity, tradition, culture, feelings, or personal opinion.

In This Episode

• Can popularity ever become a substitute for biblical faithfulness?
• Should Christians publicly evaluate the teaching of influential pastors?
• Is America God’s chosen nation?
• Where should a Christian’s ultimate citizenship and identity be found?
• Why does Jesus speak so often about judgment?
• What does the Bible actually teach about eternal life and eternal punishment?
• Why have end-times predictions repeatedly failed throughout history?
• Does God promise happiness—or something greater?
• How should Christians interpret difficult passages of Scripture?
• What does it really mean to test everything by the Word of God?

If this episode encourages you, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who wants to grow in biblical discernment.

Grab the FREE eBook: The 4-Step Biblical Discernment Framework at https://discerntheword.com/

Podcast: The Miseducation of God’s People

“Examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:21

Is church hurt real, or has the term been misunderstood?

In this episode of The Miseducation of God’s People, Jason (JC) Johnson Sr. sits down with Meosha Bean, director of the powerful audio documentary series Church Hurt, to discuss one of the most difficult conversations facing the Christian church today.

Many people have experienced deep emotional, spiritual, or even physical abuse within churches, yet some Christians argue that “church hurt” is simply an excuse to abandon the faith. In this candid conversation, Meosha shares her own heartbreaking experience of sexual abuse by a church leader and explains why exposing abuse is not an attack on the Church—it is an act of protecting Christ’s people.

Download your free copy of The 4 Step Biblical Discernment Framework at https://discertheword.com and learn how to recognize false teaching before it leads you away from biblical truth.

In this episode, we discuss:

• What church hurt really means
• Why some Christians reject the phrase “church hurt”
• Spiritual abuse and abuse of authority
• Sexual abuse within churches
• Why silence allows abuse to continue
• The difference between exposing sin and attacking the Church
• Biblical accountability for church leaders
• How transparency protects future victims
• Finding healing after spiritual trauma
• Why Christians must pursue both truth and justice

The Church belongs to Jesus Christ, and Scripture repeatedly calls believers to expose darkness, protect the vulnerable, and hold leaders accountable. This conversation seeks to encourage discernment, biblical accountability, and hope for those who have been wounded.

Subscribe to The Miseducation of God’s People for conversations that challenge popular Christian beliefs by examining what Scripture actually teaches.