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Shepherds for Sale: How Evangelical Leaders Traded the Truth for a Leftist Agenda
“This may just be the single most important book on modern Evangelicalism in recent years. It is bold, clear, and very well-researched.”—John MacArthur
How deeply have leftist billionaires infiltrated America’s churches?
Liberal theology isn’t new. Pastors and theologians have drifted, slipped, or even plunged into doctrinal error for centuries. But in recent decades, Daily Wire reporter Megan Basham reveals, well-funded forces from outside the church have been sowing seeds of discord from behind the scenes.
In Shepherds for Sale, Basham documents how progressive powerbrokers—from George Soros, to the founder of eBay, to former members of the Obama administration—set out to change the American church. Secular foundations and think tanks have deliberately targeted Christian media, universities, megachurches, nonprofits, and even entire denominations, not to mention many high-profile pastors and influencers, with infiltration and astroturf campaigns. Their goal: to co-opt the church for political purposes. In exchange for toeing a left-wing line, many of those church leaders and institutions have received cash, career jumps, prestige, and praise.
Now, many evangelical leaders are pushing their members to “whisper” about sexual sins, reconsider the importance of abortion, lament the effects of climate change, and repent of “perpetuating systemic racism.” Meanwhile, America’s largest evangelical denominations are fraught with division over issues like critical race theory, and many ministries once known for publishing sound doctrine are now promoting social justice.
Through years of investigation, Basham uncovered compromise at the highest levels of evangelical leadership—from the revered Presbyterian theologian who furtively backed a rogue congregation rebelling against his own denomination, to the celebrity megachurch pastor who secretly encouraged a group of pastors to change their views on sexuality.
A rigorously reported exposé, Shepherds for Sale serves as a warning of what can happen when a church forgets that true power lies not in the world’s wisdom, but in Scripture.
©2024 Megan Basham (P)2024 HarperCollins Publishers
How deeply have leftist billionaires infiltrated America’s churches?
Liberal theology isn’t new. Pastors and theologians have drifted, slipped, or even plunged into doctrinal error for centuries. But in recent decades, Daily Wire reporter Megan Basham reveals, well-funded forces from outside the church have been sowing seeds of discord from behind the scenes.
In Shepherds for Sale, Basham documents how progressive powerbrokers—from George Soros, to the founder of eBay, to former members of the Obama administration—set out to change the American church. Secular foundations and think tanks have deliberately targeted Christian media, universities, megachurches, nonprofits, and even entire denominations, not to mention many high-profile pastors and influencers, with infiltration and astroturf campaigns. Their goal: to co-opt the church for political purposes. In exchange for toeing a left-wing line, many of those church leaders and institutions have received cash, career jumps, prestige, and praise.
Now, many evangelical leaders are pushing their members to “whisper” about sexual sins, reconsider the importance of abortion, lament the effects of climate change, and repent of “perpetuating systemic racism.” Meanwhile, America’s largest evangelical denominations are fraught with division over issues like critical race theory, and many ministries once known for publishing sound doctrine are now promoting social justice.
Through years of investigation, Basham uncovered compromise at the highest levels of evangelical leadership—from the revered Presbyterian theologian who furtively backed a rogue congregation rebelling against his own denomination, to the celebrity megachurch pastor who secretly encouraged a group of pastors to change their views on sexuality.
A rigorously reported exposé, Shepherds for Sale serves as a warning of what can happen when a church forgets that true power lies not in the world’s wisdom, but in Scripture.
©2024 Megan Basham (P)2024 HarperCollins Publishers
352 pages, Hardcover
Published July 30, 2024
943 people are currently reading
2,476 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 542 reviews
August 21, 2024
Megan’s book is the waft of Puddleglum’s burning flesh
As it wakes us up. Those who find it controversial probably don’t understand how much it resonates with many. It rings very true to our experiences. We are tired of whispering.
But the very best part of the book is Megan’s testimony at the end. The absolute power of the truth and the Gospel shines through her story giving many of us the hope we almost forgot about.
As it wakes us up. Those who find it controversial probably don’t understand how much it resonates with many. It rings very true to our experiences. We are tired of whispering.
But the very best part of the book is Megan’s testimony at the end. The absolute power of the truth and the Gospel shines through her story giving many of us the hope we almost forgot about.
July 31, 2024
I will write a longer review when I have time, but I would just say the sheer number of examples that have already been cited to show Basham has done very poor research in this book is breath-taking. This is not a credible book, it is extraordinarily poorly argued. Some have raised the question of deceitfulness, but maybe a more charitable evaluation is to raise the question of the author being unclear on how to properly represent another person's ideas and how to make compelling argument.
I agree with Gavin Ortlund, however, that this book represents a movement in evangelicalism currently, there is a base that will love this book. And if we want to see this style of interaction overcome, it's going to involve real patience, turning the other cheek, and modeling a superior way of working through disagreement.
I agree with Gavin Ortlund, however, that this book represents a movement in evangelicalism currently, there is a base that will love this book. And if we want to see this style of interaction overcome, it's going to involve real patience, turning the other cheek, and modeling a superior way of working through disagreement.
August 4, 2024
I was curious to read this book for myself as it has received an immense amount of attention and debate within evangelical spaces. While I am sympathetic to some of Basham's concerns about progressive ideology making inroads within evangelical churches (e.g., compromise on sanctity of life and homosexuality), much of what she reports lacks context and leads to serious misrepresentation of faithful believers like N.T. Wright, Tim Keller, David French, and Russell Moore.
She also makes topics like COVID-19 policy, climate change, and immigration litmus tests for orthodoxy when, in reality, they are issues on which good faith Christians can disagree. There are also a number of factual inaccuracies that have arisen since publication. If the author is unable to report basic facts accurately, it raises questions about her credibility to diagnose the major issues plaguing the church.
While political idolatry is one of, if not the, major barrier to discipleship in America today, I still hold that evangelicals are much more likely to be beholden to right-wing extremism than leftist ideology.
She also makes topics like COVID-19 policy, climate change, and immigration litmus tests for orthodoxy when, in reality, they are issues on which good faith Christians can disagree. There are also a number of factual inaccuracies that have arisen since publication. If the author is unable to report basic facts accurately, it raises questions about her credibility to diagnose the major issues plaguing the church.
While political idolatry is one of, if not the, major barrier to discipleship in America today, I still hold that evangelicals are much more likely to be beholden to right-wing extremism than leftist ideology.
July 28, 2024
One of the most important books of 2024. It does a great job highlighting the progressive drift of the church and underscores the importance of fighting for right doctrine in the church.
August 4, 2024
I genuinely have never seen such... creative... quotation methods as the ones Basham uses to villainize other Christians.
Dozens of significant misquotes and factual errors, misrepresentations, etc.
If you lambast Tim Keller as a "Shepherd for Sale" while having John MacArthur (net worth of ~$15 million) quoted on the back of your book promoting it to readers, you have a significant credibility issue.
Basham builds on that credibility issue to create a massive, teetering tower that collapses under the slightest gust of wind.
Basham's worldview is as fragile as she appears to be online, viciously attacking any and all critics as trolls, leftists, and whatever other slanderous insult she can think of that will cut her opponents down while still letting her sleep soundly at night.
But hey, at least the book is selling well. If only someone would write a book about Christians who sell their souls for a quick buck....
Dozens of significant misquotes and factual errors, misrepresentations, etc.
If you lambast Tim Keller as a "Shepherd for Sale" while having John MacArthur (net worth of ~$15 million) quoted on the back of your book promoting it to readers, you have a significant credibility issue.
Basham builds on that credibility issue to create a massive, teetering tower that collapses under the slightest gust of wind.
Basham's worldview is as fragile as she appears to be online, viciously attacking any and all critics as trolls, leftists, and whatever other slanderous insult she can think of that will cut her opponents down while still letting her sleep soundly at night.
But hey, at least the book is selling well. If only someone would write a book about Christians who sell their souls for a quick buck....
August 6, 2024
Calling out influences on the church that lead people astray is a noble pursuit.
However, Basham falls far short of that pursuit, and is in no way noble in what she does accomplish in this book.
Grossly misrepresenting people - obscuring the truth! - does not lead people toward the truth. Sadly, Basham "creatively" misquotes people, attributing to them a point of view 180 degrees the opposite of what they have said/done. She even goes so far as to string together snippets of phrases from widely different contexts, and gives them the appearance of being one sentence/coherent line of reasoning!
To be charitable, this may just represent sloppy journalism and brazen partisan propaganda (never mind that she falsely paints people who *are* "conservative" Christians as if they were not).
Sadly, her reaction to fair-minded, reasonable critique about the very serious integrity issues with this book that have come to light raises the very real possibility that it is *Basham* who is the "wolf" / "bad tree" that is trying to destroy the church...
EDIT/addendum: for those looking for more specifics, I commend to you (use your favorite search engine, since this website doesn't appear to allow me to post direct links), who have done a fantasic job of checking on the veracity of Basham's claims:
-Warren Cole Smith's review in the 8/3/24 edition of the Dispatch.
(Smith, incidentally, was Basham's link to getting a job at World Magazine, a conservative (theologically & politically) Christian magazine, so he's not only worked with her, but in the past commended her work...)
and
-The blow-by-blow review of the book by Neil Shenvi on X (nee Twitter). He is posting screenshots of various claims Basham makes about her subjects; he then goes to the sources Basham cites *in her book*, and posts a screenshot of the source that allegedly corroborates her cliam.
(It's pretty astonishing just how different her summaries are from what the sources state.)
and
-It's limited to statements about him, but Gavin Ortlund does a solid job of documenting just how brazenly Basham slandered him. (Look for his youtube channel or podcast: Truth Unites).
However, Basham falls far short of that pursuit, and is in no way noble in what she does accomplish in this book.
Grossly misrepresenting people - obscuring the truth! - does not lead people toward the truth. Sadly, Basham "creatively" misquotes people, attributing to them a point of view 180 degrees the opposite of what they have said/done. She even goes so far as to string together snippets of phrases from widely different contexts, and gives them the appearance of being one sentence/coherent line of reasoning!
To be charitable, this may just represent sloppy journalism and brazen partisan propaganda (never mind that she falsely paints people who *are* "conservative" Christians as if they were not).
Sadly, her reaction to fair-minded, reasonable critique about the very serious integrity issues with this book that have come to light raises the very real possibility that it is *Basham* who is the "wolf" / "bad tree" that is trying to destroy the church...
EDIT/addendum: for those looking for more specifics, I commend to you (use your favorite search engine, since this website doesn't appear to allow me to post direct links), who have done a fantasic job of checking on the veracity of Basham's claims:
-Warren Cole Smith's review in the 8/3/24 edition of the Dispatch.
(Smith, incidentally, was Basham's link to getting a job at World Magazine, a conservative (theologically & politically) Christian magazine, so he's not only worked with her, but in the past commended her work...)
and
-The blow-by-blow review of the book by Neil Shenvi on X (nee Twitter). He is posting screenshots of various claims Basham makes about her subjects; he then goes to the sources Basham cites *in her book*, and posts a screenshot of the source that allegedly corroborates her cliam.
(It's pretty astonishing just how different her summaries are from what the sources state.)
and
-It's limited to statements about him, but Gavin Ortlund does a solid job of documenting just how brazenly Basham slandered him. (Look for his youtube channel or podcast: Truth Unites).
September 3, 2024
Jude warned the first-century church to “contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). To contend involves a fight with adversaries. It requires passion and zeal for the truth. Jude was not a conspiracy theorist. Nor was he overreacting to a momentary glitch in church history. Verse 4 reveals the reason for his warning: “For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”
The warning of Jude is as relevant now as it was in the first century. Megan Basham’s new book, Shepherds For Sale bears witness to the compromise and apostasy sweeping through the church. As one might assume, Basham's alarm is not being received well in some quarters - especially from the Big Eva establishment. She is being accused of misrepresenting people and engaging in sloppy scholarship. But a careful read will reveal that these accusations are unfair and unfounded.
Basham’s central argument is that pastors and evangelical leaders have “traded the truth for a leftist agenda.” But the real focus is the strategic move of liberals and progressives to curry favor with conservative Christians. And as the author demonstrates in many places, these Christian leaders are taking the bait.
Several issues are explored in the book including abortion, illegal immigration, climate change, Covid-19 propaganda, the homosexual agenda, and critical race theory, to name a few. Anyone who is current on these matters is keenly aware of how progressive thinkers have “run the table” in a cultural blitzkrieg to infiltrate the church. Basham gives countless examples of how enemies of the Christian faith are gaining ground and the willing consent of left-leaning Christians. The end result is a weakened and compromised church. Thought leaders in the church who appeared to stand on biblical principles have been seduced for a mess of pottage.
J. Gresham Machen addressed similar matters in the 20th century. He wrote, “False ideas are the greatest obstacles to the reception of the gospel. We may preach with all the fervor of a reformer and yet succeed only in winning a straggler here or there, if we permit the whole collective thought of a nation or of the world to be controlled by ideas which by the resistless force of logic, prevent Christianity from being regarded as anything more than a harmless delusion.” Tragically, many Christians have failed to heed his warning.
Shepherds For Sale is a meticulously researched book that illustrates the harm to the church when false ideas are accepted and worldly ideology is repacked to look palatable. Basham’s book should be required reading for every thoughtful Christian.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.
The warning of Jude is as relevant now as it was in the first century. Megan Basham’s new book, Shepherds For Sale bears witness to the compromise and apostasy sweeping through the church. As one might assume, Basham's alarm is not being received well in some quarters - especially from the Big Eva establishment. She is being accused of misrepresenting people and engaging in sloppy scholarship. But a careful read will reveal that these accusations are unfair and unfounded.
Basham’s central argument is that pastors and evangelical leaders have “traded the truth for a leftist agenda.” But the real focus is the strategic move of liberals and progressives to curry favor with conservative Christians. And as the author demonstrates in many places, these Christian leaders are taking the bait.
Several issues are explored in the book including abortion, illegal immigration, climate change, Covid-19 propaganda, the homosexual agenda, and critical race theory, to name a few. Anyone who is current on these matters is keenly aware of how progressive thinkers have “run the table” in a cultural blitzkrieg to infiltrate the church. Basham gives countless examples of how enemies of the Christian faith are gaining ground and the willing consent of left-leaning Christians. The end result is a weakened and compromised church. Thought leaders in the church who appeared to stand on biblical principles have been seduced for a mess of pottage.
J. Gresham Machen addressed similar matters in the 20th century. He wrote, “False ideas are the greatest obstacles to the reception of the gospel. We may preach with all the fervor of a reformer and yet succeed only in winning a straggler here or there, if we permit the whole collective thought of a nation or of the world to be controlled by ideas which by the resistless force of logic, prevent Christianity from being regarded as anything more than a harmless delusion.” Tragically, many Christians have failed to heed his warning.
Shepherds For Sale is a meticulously researched book that illustrates the harm to the church when false ideas are accepted and worldly ideology is repacked to look palatable. Basham’s book should be required reading for every thoughtful Christian.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.
August 3, 2024
Well written and informative, Megan Basham does a great job connecting many of the dots regarding the Marxist ideology that has infected Christian churches in recent times. There is a movement of man-centered people who claim Christianity and seem to have more concern for accommodating the culture than honoring the truth of God contained in Scripture. Public leaders of this movement are identified with evidence provided.
If you hear this book criticized as dishonest or slanderous, ask yourself: where are the defamation lawsuits if she is indeed wrong? Like John Calvin said, ambiguity is indeed the fortress of heretics.
If you hear this book criticized as dishonest or slanderous, ask yourself: where are the defamation lawsuits if she is indeed wrong? Like John Calvin said, ambiguity is indeed the fortress of heretics.
July 31, 2024
Basham's magnificent talent is on full display here. She reads the audiobook brilliantly, and her writing style captivated me and held my interest to the closing credits.
I confess I felt an ongoing tidal wave of relief as I read about names that are entirely unfamiliar to me. I sent up many a private prayer of gratitude for President Russell M. Nelson and his associates. So far, I'm not hearing a lot of this pro-Marxist sin-isn't-sin stuff preached in my church so far. I fear that mindset has infiltrated too many of the rank-and-file members, but that's probably not my judgment call to make.
This is a highly informative look at the modern Marxist saturation of the nation's churches. It feels reminiscent of how the Nazis infiltrated the churches in the 1930s.
she has excellent sections here on climate change, abortion, education, the me-too problem in the churches, and so much more.
In summary, this was well worth the audible credit, and her conclusion moved me deeply. Her journey back from the brink is breathtaking in its sorrow and in its Christ-driven triumph.
I confess I felt an ongoing tidal wave of relief as I read about names that are entirely unfamiliar to me. I sent up many a private prayer of gratitude for President Russell M. Nelson and his associates. So far, I'm not hearing a lot of this pro-Marxist sin-isn't-sin stuff preached in my church so far. I fear that mindset has infiltrated too many of the rank-and-file members, but that's probably not my judgment call to make.
This is a highly informative look at the modern Marxist saturation of the nation's churches. It feels reminiscent of how the Nazis infiltrated the churches in the 1930s.
she has excellent sections here on climate change, abortion, education, the me-too problem in the churches, and so much more.
In summary, this was well worth the audible credit, and her conclusion moved me deeply. Her journey back from the brink is breathtaking in its sorrow and in its Christ-driven triumph.
August 15, 2024
Have wolves in sheep’s clothing taken over America’s churches, trading the gospel for a leftist agenda?
That’s the claim of Megan Basham’s books that claims dark money is infiltrating the evangelical world and prominent pastors and ministry leaders have apparently sold their souls, embracing liberal ideology and repackaging it for a Christian market to gain money, influence, and prestige.
The problem is, it’s a deeply flawed book.
Early Basham says there’s room for Christians to disagree on topics like climate change but it’s clear she doesn’t believe that. As the book continues it lays out how some Christian leaders are on the wrong side of issues like climate change, immigration, COVID vaccines and masks, etc.
She shows how left leaning groups have donated $50K here and $250K there to evangelical coalitions or denominational ministries. Usually it’s George Soros whose foundation gave money to a climate group (or whatever) that they have money to the Southern Baptists. I don’t remember any example where Soros directly wrote a $50,000 check to an individual Christian ministry leader and no evidence anyone is profiting from this.
Is her argument rooted in theology? I had expected it to be. Sadly it’s not. It’s purely politics. She goes after the usual suspects like Beth Moore, Russell Moore, David French and others. The common theme actually is the Never Trump wing of evangelicalism. This becomes clear in the abortion chapter. Russell Moore has been an outspoken pro life advocate for decades and has embraced adoption in his own family because of his convictions. Now I’m supposed to believe he’s gone woke? Moore hasn’t deconstructed. He hasn’t shelved his orthodox faith and traditional views of abortion or Christian sexual ethics. His supposed sin is failing to get in line with the GOP. He still believes in the centrality of scripture and the cross in our lives. But you wouldn’t know that from this book.
I was less familiar with one of the pastors who figures prominently in the chapter on climate. I looked up Gavin Ortlund and quickly found he refutes Basham’s claims and that led to a host of other sources showing Basham’s citations may get things wrong in a number of places.
Christians, be discerning. I’ve read books on the political right’s influence on the church. I wanted to see one showing similar concerns on the left but this book with faulty inferences, sketchy conclusions, and bad faith arguments leaves much to be desired.
That’s the claim of Megan Basham’s books that claims dark money is infiltrating the evangelical world and prominent pastors and ministry leaders have apparently sold their souls, embracing liberal ideology and repackaging it for a Christian market to gain money, influence, and prestige.
The problem is, it’s a deeply flawed book.
Early Basham says there’s room for Christians to disagree on topics like climate change but it’s clear she doesn’t believe that. As the book continues it lays out how some Christian leaders are on the wrong side of issues like climate change, immigration, COVID vaccines and masks, etc.
She shows how left leaning groups have donated $50K here and $250K there to evangelical coalitions or denominational ministries. Usually it’s George Soros whose foundation gave money to a climate group (or whatever) that they have money to the Southern Baptists. I don’t remember any example where Soros directly wrote a $50,000 check to an individual Christian ministry leader and no evidence anyone is profiting from this.
Is her argument rooted in theology? I had expected it to be. Sadly it’s not. It’s purely politics. She goes after the usual suspects like Beth Moore, Russell Moore, David French and others. The common theme actually is the Never Trump wing of evangelicalism. This becomes clear in the abortion chapter. Russell Moore has been an outspoken pro life advocate for decades and has embraced adoption in his own family because of his convictions. Now I’m supposed to believe he’s gone woke? Moore hasn’t deconstructed. He hasn’t shelved his orthodox faith and traditional views of abortion or Christian sexual ethics. His supposed sin is failing to get in line with the GOP. He still believes in the centrality of scripture and the cross in our lives. But you wouldn’t know that from this book.
I was less familiar with one of the pastors who figures prominently in the chapter on climate. I looked up Gavin Ortlund and quickly found he refutes Basham’s claims and that led to a host of other sources showing Basham’s citations may get things wrong in a number of places.
Christians, be discerning. I’ve read books on the political right’s influence on the church. I wanted to see one showing similar concerns on the left but this book with faulty inferences, sketchy conclusions, and bad faith arguments leaves much to be desired.
August 16, 2024
I think this is the first time I've had to create a Goodreads record of the edition I read of a New York Times bestseller.
Great stuff here. Megan kept her receipts. Lots of them. She didn't just go to CVS a couple of times and make it look like she had lots. She found shepherds for sale at Dollar Trees, Walmarts, Nordstromses...you name it. I think the most gut-wrenching bit for me was the R. Den-h story. How could anyone who has been an innocent victim think the right course of action is one that victimizes innocents? Truly, hurt people hurt people. And sometimes viciously...not to mention lucratively.
I also especially appreciated Megan's testimony at the end. God is good and He is mighty. We needn't panic over the troubles in the world, even when they have insidiously worked their way into the church. He can raise the dead with a word or knock down the gates of Hell with a single breath...and He loves to do so.
Book could have used another round of copyediting to clean up some...oddities.
Megan did a fine job on the narration.
Great stuff here. Megan kept her receipts. Lots of them. She didn't just go to CVS a couple of times and make it look like she had lots. She found shepherds for sale at Dollar Trees, Walmarts, Nordstromses...you name it. I think the most gut-wrenching bit for me was the R. Den-h story. How could anyone who has been an innocent victim think the right course of action is one that victimizes innocents? Truly, hurt people hurt people. And sometimes viciously...not to mention lucratively.
I also especially appreciated Megan's testimony at the end. God is good and He is mighty. We needn't panic over the troubles in the world, even when they have insidiously worked their way into the church. He can raise the dead with a word or knock down the gates of Hell with a single breath...and He loves to do so.
Book could have used another round of copyediting to clean up some...oddities.
Megan did a fine job on the narration.
August 3, 2024
2 Timothy 4:3-5
3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.
The Bible should never be changed/edited/misconstrued to fit the wants of culture.
Recently, the United Methodist Church I grew up in voted to no longer refer to God in the masculine, divested from Israel and certified a drag queen for ordination in the church.
Satan is alive and well.
3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.
The Bible should never be changed/edited/misconstrued to fit the wants of culture.
Recently, the United Methodist Church I grew up in voted to no longer refer to God in the masculine, divested from Israel and certified a drag queen for ordination in the church.
Satan is alive and well.
August 4, 2024
8/1/2024 * 4.5 stars (rounded up to 5)
I flew through this book (in large part because I'm not feeling well so took a break from most of my household chores and daily routine and read this book instead) and highly recommend it. While I hardly ever write long reviews, I've highlighted tons of quotes so will start going back through them and share some of my favorites here, but that will probably take me awhile.
I flew through this book (in large part because I'm not feeling well so took a break from most of my household chores and daily routine and read this book instead) and highly recommend it. While I hardly ever write long reviews, I've highlighted tons of quotes so will start going back through them and share some of my favorites here, but that will probably take me awhile.
August 3, 2024
A mixed bag, which unfortunately, can be very dangerous. A bowl of porridge with poison should not be eaten, unless you have some kind of immunity built up. (What do you mean you usually don't eat porridge?)
After Basham's Christianity Today reporting, I was expecting more of that reporting--good light-on-the-dark reporting. Investigative. Elucidating. Unknown information coming to light.
Instead, Basham does that, but also does superficial (out of context) analysis at times.
I might write a longer review at some point. There was a lot that was true, helpful, and good... But, unfortunately, I couldn't say that about everything.
Therefore, I would not recommend... unless you're up for poisonous porridge.
B. Grizenko
After Basham's Christianity Today reporting, I was expecting more of that reporting--good light-on-the-dark reporting. Investigative. Elucidating. Unknown information coming to light.
Instead, Basham does that, but also does superficial (out of context) analysis at times.
I might write a longer review at some point. There was a lot that was true, helpful, and good... But, unfortunately, I couldn't say that about everything.
Therefore, I would not recommend... unless you're up for poisonous porridge.
B. Grizenko
August 1, 2024
Important book
Book reveals the rot within the evangelical movement and the supposed leaders that ignore or contradict scripture in exchange for secular praise/rewards.
Book reveals the rot within the evangelical movement and the supposed leaders that ignore or contradict scripture in exchange for secular praise/rewards.
Want to read
March 8, 2025Still updating this review...
I bought a copy a day before it was published because B&N had it early for some reason.
Supporters likely see the book as a necessary manifestation of an apex predator devouring the unsavory parts of evangelicalism, while critics are tempted toward a Family Guy response.
Interviews
July 22: Zach Terry's Maximum Life
July 25: Becket Cook's show
July 28: Alisa Childers's podcast
July 29: Chase Davis's Full Proof Theology
July 31: Andrew Klavan's show
Aug. 1: Allie Beth Stuckey's show Relatable
Aug. 8: Mark Bauerlein at First Things
Reviews (and responses)
July 30: Samuel James at Digital Liturgies
- July 30: Response thread by Timon Cline
July 31: Gavin Ortlund's first response
- July 31: Basham's initial response on X
- Aug. 2: Chase Davis's response to Gavin
- Aug. 2: Toby Sumpter's response
- Aug. 5: Jamie Bambrick's video
- Aug. 7: Childers and Turek
Aug. 1: Phil Vischer on X
- Aug. 2: Protestia response
- Aug. 2: Robert Gagnon response thread
Aug. 2: Gavin Ortlund's second response
Aug. 3: Warren Cole Smith at The Dispatch
- Aug. 6: Os Guinness endorsement
Aug. 3: Project 18:15 thread
Aug. 5: Jon Harris's roundup
Aug. 6: Patrick Miller at Mere Orthodoxy
- Aug. 7: Tim Challies appreciated this perspective.
Aug. 5: John West's review (also at Clear Truth Media)
Aug. 7: Janet Metford's substack
Aug. 8: Doug Wilson and friends at Canon Press
Aug. 11: Scott Yenor at American Greatness
Aug. 12: J. D. Greear's open response
- Aug. 13: Basham's response
Aug. 12: Summer Jaeger at American Reformer
Aug. 14: Josh Herring at Acton Institute
Aug. 15: Neil Shenvi's long review
Aug. 17: RoysReport
Aug. 18: Daniel Gullotta at National Review
Aug. 18: Kevin Williamson at The Dispatch
Aug. 19: Matt Patrick on Full Proof Theology
Aug. 21: Rich Bitterman on Medium
Aug. 21: hilarious book trailer
Aug. 23: Bethel McGrew at First Things
I bought a copy a day before it was published because B&N had it early for some reason.
Supporters likely see the book as a necessary manifestation of an apex predator devouring the unsavory parts of evangelicalism, while critics are tempted toward a Family Guy response.
Interviews
July 22: Zach Terry's Maximum Life
July 25: Becket Cook's show
July 28: Alisa Childers's podcast
July 29: Chase Davis's Full Proof Theology
July 31: Andrew Klavan's show
Aug. 1: Allie Beth Stuckey's show Relatable
Aug. 8: Mark Bauerlein at First Things
Reviews (and responses)
July 30: Samuel James at Digital Liturgies
- July 30: Response thread by Timon Cline
July 31: Gavin Ortlund's first response
- July 31: Basham's initial response on X
- Aug. 2: Chase Davis's response to Gavin
- Aug. 2: Toby Sumpter's response
- Aug. 5: Jamie Bambrick's video
- Aug. 7: Childers and Turek
Aug. 1: Phil Vischer on X
- Aug. 2: Protestia response
- Aug. 2: Robert Gagnon response thread
Aug. 2: Gavin Ortlund's second response
Aug. 3: Warren Cole Smith at The Dispatch
- Aug. 6: Os Guinness endorsement
Aug. 3: Project 18:15 thread
Aug. 5: Jon Harris's roundup
Aug. 6: Patrick Miller at Mere Orthodoxy
- Aug. 7: Tim Challies appreciated this perspective.
Aug. 5: John West's review (also at Clear Truth Media)
Aug. 7: Janet Metford's substack
Aug. 8: Doug Wilson and friends at Canon Press
Aug. 11: Scott Yenor at American Greatness
Aug. 12: J. D. Greear's open response
- Aug. 13: Basham's response
Aug. 12: Summer Jaeger at American Reformer
Aug. 14: Josh Herring at Acton Institute
Aug. 15: Neil Shenvi's long review
Aug. 17: RoysReport
Aug. 18: Daniel Gullotta at National Review
Aug. 18: Kevin Williamson at The Dispatch
Aug. 19: Matt Patrick on Full Proof Theology
Aug. 21: Rich Bitterman on Medium
Aug. 21: hilarious book trailer
Aug. 23: Bethel McGrew at First Things
October 14, 2024
4.75
This is such a timely and important book. Worth your time to read.
The author goes into great detail (50+ pages of references alone) pulling back the curtain on various groups and people from within and outside the evangelical church at large with the sole aim to shift Bible believing Christians away from Biblical truth, away from the Gospel, into a sort of lukewarm leftist inconsequential fluffy faith. A faith that has an ambiguous salvation message and no answer for sin.
The book will open eyes and educate believers to recognize the encroachments. The names and organizations mentioned literally use tactics of shame, guilt, deceit, half-truths, manipulation , false narratives to get evangelicals (the last holdouts) to compromise their faith and biblical values. Maneuvering with these tactics with the aim of getting evangelicals to understand the topics like climate change, immigration, abortion, LGBT etc. in light of a leftist ethos over a Biblical one.
If the progressive church, like their secular counterparts/allies/FUNDERS, have to use these tactics to accomplish their agenda.... then you know it's not a Godly agenda at all.
This is such a timely and important book. Worth your time to read.
The author goes into great detail (50+ pages of references alone) pulling back the curtain on various groups and people from within and outside the evangelical church at large with the sole aim to shift Bible believing Christians away from Biblical truth, away from the Gospel, into a sort of lukewarm leftist inconsequential fluffy faith. A faith that has an ambiguous salvation message and no answer for sin.
The book will open eyes and educate believers to recognize the encroachments. The names and organizations mentioned literally use tactics of shame, guilt, deceit, half-truths, manipulation , false narratives to get evangelicals (the last holdouts) to compromise their faith and biblical values. Maneuvering with these tactics with the aim of getting evangelicals to understand the topics like climate change, immigration, abortion, LGBT etc. in light of a leftist ethos over a Biblical one.
If the progressive church, like their secular counterparts/allies/FUNDERS, have to use these tactics to accomplish their agenda.... then you know it's not a Godly agenda at all.
August 1, 2024
This is the single most important book for any Christian to read in 2024. Don't let the negative review bombing by people who haven't read the book dissuade you. Most of the claims in the book are not a matter of opinion and are easily verifiable on Google. You may not agree with Basham's interpretation of every event or her estimation of every individual, but after reading the book, I think her overall thesis is undeniable.
August 4, 2024
Unbelievably poor scholarship and outright lies form the foundation of this poorly written, poorly sources book.
August 9, 2024
Basham has done a service to the church in documenting the individuals and organizations in and around the church that have, and currently are working to undermine it through advancing progressive ideologies within the purview of Christian ministry.
Much of what she's documented has been in the public domain for some time now, but assembling it all in a single, well written, coherent book is really helpful. Progressive leftists have long recognized the church as the largest obstacle preventing their ideological hegemony. They are using money and social standing to break down many of the evangelical gatekeepers who then promulgate the worldly philosophies within their spheres of influence to wreck havoc upon the church.
This is really good, and more people need to be aware of the fight that we're in.
Much of what she's documented has been in the public domain for some time now, but assembling it all in a single, well written, coherent book is really helpful. Progressive leftists have long recognized the church as the largest obstacle preventing their ideological hegemony. They are using money and social standing to break down many of the evangelical gatekeepers who then promulgate the worldly philosophies within their spheres of influence to wreck havoc upon the church.
This is really good, and more people need to be aware of the fight that we're in.
August 3, 2024
An explosive and controversial, yet necessary call to reform. This well-researched book goes where most are unwilling to go. Her methods might be uncomfortable, but her overall conclusion is unassailable.
September 12, 2024
1 STAR - Cherry-Picked Shepherds: Shepherds for Sale Sacrifices Truth for Ideology
I went into Shepherds for Sale expecting a balanced, well-researched look at critical issues facing evangelical leadership today. What I got instead was a frustrating mix of cherry-picked evidence, shaky journalism, and a clear agenda that overshadowed the real conversation we should be having.
Overreliance on Secondhand Sources: From the start, it’s clear Basham is leaning too much on reports from places like Religion News Service and other publications, rather than doing the hard work of investigating for herself. For example, she criticizes RNS for bias, but she doesn’t bother to verify the facts through direct interviews with those involved. Instead, we’re left with recycled information, making the whole thing feel shallow and incomplete.
Misleading Quotes and Twisted Context: A bigger issue is how Basham handles her sources. She regularly takes quotes out of context or twists them to fit her narrative. One example is her treatment of the leaked audio from a Southern Baptist Convention meeting. She accuses outlets like The Washington Post of misrepresenting leaders, but the evidence she offers just doesn’t hold up. It feels manipulative, and that’s a huge red flag when you’re dealing with sensitive topics like abuse survivors and church leadership.
Flawed Statistics, Unquestioned: Basham also throws around statistics without much care for accuracy. The “one-in-five” stat about sexual assault on college campuses is a glaring example. She presents it as misleading, but then brushes off more reliable data without explaining why. It feels like she’s more interested in proving her point than seeking the truth, which really undermines the credibility of the whole book.
Confirmation Bias on Full Display: Throughout the book, there’s a clear bias. Basham hones in on evangelical leaders who seem to lean progressive, while completely ignoring those who’ve stayed true to more traditional stances. She selectively chooses evidence to suit her narrative, and it makes the book feel more like a one-sided argument than an honest exploration of the issues.
In the end, what could’ve been an important conversation about the balance between cultural relevance and biblical truth gets lost in Basham’s flawed journalistic approach. Instead of offering real insight, Shepherds for Sale feels more like an opinion piece disguised as investigative reporting. The result is a book that’s hard to trust and even harder to finish.
If you're looking for a thoughtful, well-rounded discussion on these topics, you'll have to look elsewhere. Shepherds for Sale just doesn’t deliver.
I went into Shepherds for Sale expecting a balanced, well-researched look at critical issues facing evangelical leadership today. What I got instead was a frustrating mix of cherry-picked evidence, shaky journalism, and a clear agenda that overshadowed the real conversation we should be having.
Overreliance on Secondhand Sources: From the start, it’s clear Basham is leaning too much on reports from places like Religion News Service and other publications, rather than doing the hard work of investigating for herself. For example, she criticizes RNS for bias, but she doesn’t bother to verify the facts through direct interviews with those involved. Instead, we’re left with recycled information, making the whole thing feel shallow and incomplete.
Misleading Quotes and Twisted Context: A bigger issue is how Basham handles her sources. She regularly takes quotes out of context or twists them to fit her narrative. One example is her treatment of the leaked audio from a Southern Baptist Convention meeting. She accuses outlets like The Washington Post of misrepresenting leaders, but the evidence she offers just doesn’t hold up. It feels manipulative, and that’s a huge red flag when you’re dealing with sensitive topics like abuse survivors and church leadership.
Flawed Statistics, Unquestioned: Basham also throws around statistics without much care for accuracy. The “one-in-five” stat about sexual assault on college campuses is a glaring example. She presents it as misleading, but then brushes off more reliable data without explaining why. It feels like she’s more interested in proving her point than seeking the truth, which really undermines the credibility of the whole book.
Confirmation Bias on Full Display: Throughout the book, there’s a clear bias. Basham hones in on evangelical leaders who seem to lean progressive, while completely ignoring those who’ve stayed true to more traditional stances. She selectively chooses evidence to suit her narrative, and it makes the book feel more like a one-sided argument than an honest exploration of the issues.
In the end, what could’ve been an important conversation about the balance between cultural relevance and biblical truth gets lost in Basham’s flawed journalistic approach. Instead of offering real insight, Shepherds for Sale feels more like an opinion piece disguised as investigative reporting. The result is a book that’s hard to trust and even harder to finish.
If you're looking for a thoughtful, well-rounded discussion on these topics, you'll have to look elsewhere. Shepherds for Sale just doesn’t deliver.
August 1, 2024
Must read for Christian’s
Clearly documented and footnoted. Megan has the receipts. There is no denying that far left progressives targeted the evangelical church intentionally. What is evident is that Christians must do the work and stop relying on big name evangelicals to think for them. Great book!
Clearly documented and footnoted. Megan has the receipts. There is no denying that far left progressives targeted the evangelical church intentionally. What is evident is that Christians must do the work and stop relying on big name evangelicals to think for them. Great book!
August 4, 2024
It's worth the read. Be discerning. There is a lot of controversy happening over this book already, however, do not take a review of the book as "gospel." Read it yourself. Every church leader needs to read this book.
April 18, 2025
“True Christianity promotes not grievance but gratitude.” (3.5 stars)
A friend of mine, a fan of Megan Basham, recommended SHEPHERDS FOR SALE to me. I decided to give it a try.
The first two chapters, which dive into topics like climate change and illegal immigration, started off a bit slow for me. There were a lot of acronyms—so many acronyms. Honestly, I found myself yawning more than once during those early pages.
But then came chapter 3. This chapter, focused on abortion, really kicks into high gear. It hits hard and doesn’t hold back in calling out the hypocrisy of some “Christian” leaders. Basham doesn’t pull punches, especially when it comes to the late Tim Keller, whom she singles out with particular scrutiny.
Throughout the book, familiar names keep appearing: Russell Moore, Rick Warren, Beth Moore, and, again, Tim Keller. These are high-profile Christian figures, and I’ve had my doubts about them for a long time—long before I ever heard of Megan Basham. This book confirmed that my “Spidey sense” wasn’t off when it came to these leaders.
At one point, Basham writes: “But we are commanded to be salt and light (Matthew 5:13–16). We are commanded to disciple the nations, including our own nation, teaching them to observe all that He has commanded (Matthew 28:19–20). We can’t do that if we let elite voices, moving in haughty packs, promoting and promulgating one another’s work, convince us to stay quiet and ashamed of what we believe.”
All I can say is—Amen to that.
Quotes:
• “If churchgoers can be convinced there's something shameful and unchristian in bringing their values to the democratic process, first it will blunt their influence on the culture.”
• “And as we expose darkness, let it inspire us all the more to thank God for such good and faithful shepherds bringing His word to light.”
• “… few things are more detrimental to the discovery of truth than beating the drum of scientific “consensus” when it is clear how much consensus is created through media manipulation and fear of professional and reputational damage.”
• “Scripture has much to say about leaders who strive to appear righteous before men and show partiality to those whose favor they would like to have.”
• “They have quoted Andy Stanley, saying: ‘If your theology gets in the way of your ministry, there is something the matter with your theology.’ It sounds spiritual, but it's not biblical.”
• “There is no agony quite like that of the prodigal who has chosen the pigs but still believes in judgment.”
• “But that is what sanctification is. He increases; we decrease.”
One of my main takeaways from this text is that Megan Basham is uncompromising when it comes to what the Bible says. She doesn't have patience for those who try to add to or take away from Scripture. And honestly, every Christian should be that way.
On a more personal note, the part that stuck with me most was the conclusion. In it, Basham shares her own testimony. It’s the most powerful section of the book because it speaks directly to her own life being redeemed by Christ. It grounds everything else in the book and gives it emotional weight.
SHEPHERDS FOR SALE isn’t what I’d call a “fun” read, but it is an important one. It’s a thought-provoking, sometimes uncomfortable, but meaningful book. And I think any thoughtful Christian—no matter where they fall on the theological or political spectrum—will find something here that causes them to pause, reflect, and remember: Our obligation is to what is written in the Word of God, not to the culture around us.
A friend of mine, a fan of Megan Basham, recommended SHEPHERDS FOR SALE to me. I decided to give it a try.
The first two chapters, which dive into topics like climate change and illegal immigration, started off a bit slow for me. There were a lot of acronyms—so many acronyms. Honestly, I found myself yawning more than once during those early pages.
But then came chapter 3. This chapter, focused on abortion, really kicks into high gear. It hits hard and doesn’t hold back in calling out the hypocrisy of some “Christian” leaders. Basham doesn’t pull punches, especially when it comes to the late Tim Keller, whom she singles out with particular scrutiny.
Throughout the book, familiar names keep appearing: Russell Moore, Rick Warren, Beth Moore, and, again, Tim Keller. These are high-profile Christian figures, and I’ve had my doubts about them for a long time—long before I ever heard of Megan Basham. This book confirmed that my “Spidey sense” wasn’t off when it came to these leaders.
At one point, Basham writes: “But we are commanded to be salt and light (Matthew 5:13–16). We are commanded to disciple the nations, including our own nation, teaching them to observe all that He has commanded (Matthew 28:19–20). We can’t do that if we let elite voices, moving in haughty packs, promoting and promulgating one another’s work, convince us to stay quiet and ashamed of what we believe.”
All I can say is—Amen to that.
Quotes:
• “If churchgoers can be convinced there's something shameful and unchristian in bringing their values to the democratic process, first it will blunt their influence on the culture.”
• “And as we expose darkness, let it inspire us all the more to thank God for such good and faithful shepherds bringing His word to light.”
• “… few things are more detrimental to the discovery of truth than beating the drum of scientific “consensus” when it is clear how much consensus is created through media manipulation and fear of professional and reputational damage.”
• “Scripture has much to say about leaders who strive to appear righteous before men and show partiality to those whose favor they would like to have.”
• “They have quoted Andy Stanley, saying: ‘If your theology gets in the way of your ministry, there is something the matter with your theology.’ It sounds spiritual, but it's not biblical.”
• “There is no agony quite like that of the prodigal who has chosen the pigs but still believes in judgment.”
• “But that is what sanctification is. He increases; we decrease.”
One of my main takeaways from this text is that Megan Basham is uncompromising when it comes to what the Bible says. She doesn't have patience for those who try to add to or take away from Scripture. And honestly, every Christian should be that way.
On a more personal note, the part that stuck with me most was the conclusion. In it, Basham shares her own testimony. It’s the most powerful section of the book because it speaks directly to her own life being redeemed by Christ. It grounds everything else in the book and gives it emotional weight.
SHEPHERDS FOR SALE isn’t what I’d call a “fun” read, but it is an important one. It’s a thought-provoking, sometimes uncomfortable, but meaningful book. And I think any thoughtful Christian—no matter where they fall on the theological or political spectrum—will find something here that causes them to pause, reflect, and remember: Our obligation is to what is written in the Word of God, not to the culture around us.
August 10, 2024
Eye opening. Heartbreaking. Megan touched on cultural agendas invading the church. It brought “money as root of evil” and “pride before a fall” to current times. I believe Megan’s words are “for such a time of this”. The Conclusion chapter offered a call and hope. If anything, read the book for her testimony.
August 30, 2024
Robert Godfrey has reportedly said that no denomination has remained true to the Gospel for more than 200 years. Like a gravitational pull, all churches and denominations tend to veer to the left, away from orthodoxy, and are "carried about by every wind of doctrine" (Eph. 4:14). This is what Megan Basham talks about in the controversial "Shepherds for Sale," which has generated a fair share of both praise and criticism since its release on July 30, 2024.
Basham's purpose is to show how some luminaries in the evangelical Christian world have adopted positions on issues such as climate change, illegal immigration, abortion, covid policies, the MeToo movement and LGBT that seem to "punch right and coddle left," as the saying goes. Basham's contention frequently is not so much that these leaders are dead wrong in the views that they hold, but that they frequently present leftist views as if they are obvious and indisputable. "Why have so many well-known evangelical institutions and leaders in recent years started promoting causes that no plain reading of Scripture would demand, like lobbying for fossil fuel regulations or dismantling white privilege, while issues that unequivocally call for Christian clarity find them silent and stymied?" (p.XXI). I've wondered that many times myself.
For instance, megachurch pastor Rick Warren is quoted during the covid pandemic as saying that "wearing a mask is the great commandment," and that a pastor's "job" is to tell their people to get the vaccine (p.105). It is not necessarily a leftist position to wear a mask, and of course we should all be inclined to weigh the evidence as to whether the vaccine is/was advisable, but to present these as divine commands? As if a Christian is disobeying God if he/she refuses the vaccine? That is definitely not the pastor's job.
Warren is one of many high-profile names that Basham targets in the book. Others include Russell Moore, Andy Stanley, Ed Stetzer, David French, Curtis Chang, Matt Chandler and J.D. Greear. Greear was president of the Southern Baptist Convention, which gets the majority of attention in the book, but the PCA is included also, particularly with regard to the Revoice controversy (p.220-225). And the most well-known PCA pastor, Tim Keller, also got Basham's attention for implying that since we don't make idolatry illegal, perhaps we shouldn't make abortion illegal either (p. 59). I am forever indebted to Tim Keller as an influence on my own ministry, and know that we all misspeak from time to time, but his logic here is less than sound.
"Shepherds for Sale" is a work of investigative journalism, not an academic treatise, so often Basham tells lengthy and interesting stories of people who were disappointed to discover their church had gone woke, or who got sucked into in the LGBT movement. Without inside information on all of these anecdotes, I can't judge as to whether Basham's reporting is reliable, but I did follow the PCA's Revoice controversy closely, and can say that Basham's account of it was fair and accurate. She didn't throw the PCA under the bus, but did rightfully note that the PCA was slow to oppose "soft LGBTQ affirmation" (again, a fair description) in its midst (p.224).
Some people just like to fight. They're looking for a heretic behind every door, and suspicious of everyone who doesn't think like them. Maybe Megan Basham is that kind of person, I don't know. But I do know that the Bible warns us that the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching but instead will follow teachers to suit their own passions (2 Timothy 4:3). I guess we shouldn't be surprised when we find that this comes to be true even in the evangelical church.
Basham's purpose is to show how some luminaries in the evangelical Christian world have adopted positions on issues such as climate change, illegal immigration, abortion, covid policies, the MeToo movement and LGBT that seem to "punch right and coddle left," as the saying goes. Basham's contention frequently is not so much that these leaders are dead wrong in the views that they hold, but that they frequently present leftist views as if they are obvious and indisputable. "Why have so many well-known evangelical institutions and leaders in recent years started promoting causes that no plain reading of Scripture would demand, like lobbying for fossil fuel regulations or dismantling white privilege, while issues that unequivocally call for Christian clarity find them silent and stymied?" (p.XXI). I've wondered that many times myself.
For instance, megachurch pastor Rick Warren is quoted during the covid pandemic as saying that "wearing a mask is the great commandment," and that a pastor's "job" is to tell their people to get the vaccine (p.105). It is not necessarily a leftist position to wear a mask, and of course we should all be inclined to weigh the evidence as to whether the vaccine is/was advisable, but to present these as divine commands? As if a Christian is disobeying God if he/she refuses the vaccine? That is definitely not the pastor's job.
Warren is one of many high-profile names that Basham targets in the book. Others include Russell Moore, Andy Stanley, Ed Stetzer, David French, Curtis Chang, Matt Chandler and J.D. Greear. Greear was president of the Southern Baptist Convention, which gets the majority of attention in the book, but the PCA is included also, particularly with regard to the Revoice controversy (p.220-225). And the most well-known PCA pastor, Tim Keller, also got Basham's attention for implying that since we don't make idolatry illegal, perhaps we shouldn't make abortion illegal either (p. 59). I am forever indebted to Tim Keller as an influence on my own ministry, and know that we all misspeak from time to time, but his logic here is less than sound.
"Shepherds for Sale" is a work of investigative journalism, not an academic treatise, so often Basham tells lengthy and interesting stories of people who were disappointed to discover their church had gone woke, or who got sucked into in the LGBT movement. Without inside information on all of these anecdotes, I can't judge as to whether Basham's reporting is reliable, but I did follow the PCA's Revoice controversy closely, and can say that Basham's account of it was fair and accurate. She didn't throw the PCA under the bus, but did rightfully note that the PCA was slow to oppose "soft LGBTQ affirmation" (again, a fair description) in its midst (p.224).
Some people just like to fight. They're looking for a heretic behind every door, and suspicious of everyone who doesn't think like them. Maybe Megan Basham is that kind of person, I don't know. But I do know that the Bible warns us that the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching but instead will follow teachers to suit their own passions (2 Timothy 4:3). I guess we shouldn't be surprised when we find that this comes to be true even in the evangelical church.
August 7, 2024
3.75 ⭐️
I've been around church and church leaders my whole life. I'd warrant to say I understand better than most that pastors aren't perfect, that they have deep weaknesses and say things they regret just as often as the rest of us. So this book's pointed finger at church leaders in America wasn't that shocking to me, nor does it really change my opinion of pastors who have greatly influenced my own faith, like Tim Keller and Matt Chandler. And I'm still going to read, enjoy and learn from The Gospel Coalition (although I really don't care for Christianity Today and haven't for a while). I don't think the purpose of this book should be to discredit every name Basham quotes and calls out...
But I do think - even though it ruffled feathers and surely didn't represent every perspective exactly right - it's an important book to read, if only to remind us that we aren't safe to blindly swallow rhetoric even from leaders we trust and look up to.
I think what I'm taking away is a reminder to look at my own life and the lives of believers around me and constantly be on the look out for compromise. We all want to be respected, sophisticated, nuanced - none of us want to be ridiculed for our beliefs. But we need to make sure every conviction is first and foremost from God's word. I'm so grateful for churches that prioritize scripture even when it's unpopular, even when it's thought of as backward. This book spurred me on to embrace those truths even more.
So all in all, I'd recommend and would love to hear other peoples' thoughts on it!
(The deducted stars are because it was a little boring and because she quoted some things that people have since apologized for or redacted. The best writing was definitely in the conclusion, which made me cry)
I've been around church and church leaders my whole life. I'd warrant to say I understand better than most that pastors aren't perfect, that they have deep weaknesses and say things they regret just as often as the rest of us. So this book's pointed finger at church leaders in America wasn't that shocking to me, nor does it really change my opinion of pastors who have greatly influenced my own faith, like Tim Keller and Matt Chandler. And I'm still going to read, enjoy and learn from The Gospel Coalition (although I really don't care for Christianity Today and haven't for a while). I don't think the purpose of this book should be to discredit every name Basham quotes and calls out...
But I do think - even though it ruffled feathers and surely didn't represent every perspective exactly right - it's an important book to read, if only to remind us that we aren't safe to blindly swallow rhetoric even from leaders we trust and look up to.
I think what I'm taking away is a reminder to look at my own life and the lives of believers around me and constantly be on the look out for compromise. We all want to be respected, sophisticated, nuanced - none of us want to be ridiculed for our beliefs. But we need to make sure every conviction is first and foremost from God's word. I'm so grateful for churches that prioritize scripture even when it's unpopular, even when it's thought of as backward. This book spurred me on to embrace those truths even more.
So all in all, I'd recommend and would love to hear other peoples' thoughts on it!
(The deducted stars are because it was a little boring and because she quoted some things that people have since apologized for or redacted. The best writing was definitely in the conclusion, which made me cry)
August 3, 2024
Thanks for the recommendation Gavin Ortlund!
November 25, 2024
I have a few misgivings about Shepherds for Sale, but I don’t think Basham is wrong. My sense after trying to read it carefully and with an open mind is that, though it may not be a perfect book, it would be a mistake to dismiss it as some king of alt-right tirade (which is exactly what some of the 1-star reviews do.)
Basham structures her book around thematic chapters (e.g. a chapter on immigration, another on climate change, etc.). In addressing these various topics I detected three main facets to the material she presents, and while I found the first two fascinating and compelling, the third seemed, in some ways, to undercut the rest of her argument.
The first facet, arguably the central point of the book, is encapsulated in the title—namely, that, because evangelicals represent a huge voting block in the USA, “secular, leftist organizations that have no interest in furthering God’s kingdom or seeing biblical morality enacted in the public square are funneling money into front groups” with the ultimate goal of changing evangelicals’ minds and winning their votes (Introduction). I found this argument eye-opening and convincing. She is so right that those on the left will often guilt evangelicals into supporting their political causes by invoking Jesus’ command, “Love thy neighbor.” These words, precious to every believer, have been used and misused again and again to promote policies that are, at best, unwise, and at worst, completely at odds with Scripture.
Secondly, alongside and interspersed with this point, Basham argues that prominent evangelical leaders, the so-called “Shepherds for Sale,” are buying into these ideologies and preaching them from the pulpit and other platforms. Acknowledging that not all of these “shepherds” are receiving grants and other funds from left-wing pressure groups, she divides them into four categories: “wolves, cowards, mercenaries, and fools.” Any Bible-believing Christian with their eyes open will be well-aware of the ever-present current of leftist ideology that is consistently drawing Christian leaders toward fashionable, secular ideas and away from biblical truth. Building large followings while being lauded by elite media outlets has proven a temptation hard to resist. I can’t argue with Basham here, and it doesn’t bother me that she names names, or even that she expresses some criticism of beloved evangelicals like Tim Keller, a man I respect and whose writing ministry has had a more profound effect on me than any other single Christian writer. The evangelical leaders that she calls out have huge platforms and are often pontificating all over social media and shaming other believers. It’s not wrong to highlight where these prominent leaders may have gone astray. As my Dad used to always say and has become a credo in our home, don't dish it out if you can't take it. Personally, I enjoyed her clever and sometimes sarcastic writing style. I also like that she continues to respond to critics like JD Greear who has strongly objected to how he's been presented in the book. She’s a formidable foe, and I confess…I'm impressed by her. She certainly dishes it out, and, as far as I can tell, she knows how to take it.
The third facet is the one that sometimes weakens the other ones while also unnecessarily opening the book up to criticism: just like the "shepherds for sale" whom she critiques, Basham regularly seems to slip into arguing that all committed Christians should support particular political positions that are not obviously deduced from the pages of Scripture. And though Basham argues for right-leaning positions while her opponents take up their left-leaning counterparts, the two approaches to the relationship between specific policy positions and biblical faithfulness often seem indistinguishable. I saw this most clearly in the chapters on immigration, climate change, and Covid. These are complex topics on which Christians in good faith can disagree. I think this third facet muddles her overall argument. And I say that as someone who is sympathetic to many of her views, as they are expressed here in this book.
Some have accused her of misrepresentation and for taking quotes out of context. Unfortunately, the average Christian reader has no way of verifying this, unless that Christian reader is prepared to scrutinize every single comment these leaders have ever made in book, article, sermon, and podcast form. I have not been able to discern any place where she’s been outright dishonest, though I did observe a few “low blows.” (I'm sure she anticipated the backlash she would receive and fact-checked accordingly.) Personally, I would have left out of the book Christian leaders with smaller platforms who have consistently proven themselves willing to go against the secular flow. I also felt that she was a little unfair to Paul Miller, specifically. That was one instance where I’m not sure she captured the spirit of what he was trying to say in his article on forgiving our Covid mistakes, even if she did quote him accurately. Perhaps there are other weaknesses like this in the book that I missed. I am certainly open to being persuaded that there are, hence the tentative 3-star rating even though I appreciate much of what she says.
I believe she truly shines as a writer in the two chapters that address the #ChurchToo movement. I thought her reporting here was spot-on, both in the ways she’s charitable and sympathetic and where she’s unapologetic in trying to get at the truth. I would read anything she writes on this topic. There is so much more to be said. 5-star rating for these chapters. Like other readers, I appreciated her testimony at the end of the book, too.
While reading this book, I just happened to revisit for my work a passage from Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales that really stands out to me in light of Basham’s argument. It’s the narrator’s description of the humble pastor-pilgrim, and it’s too beautiful, wonderful, true, and timely not to reproduce here in full (using Sheila Fisher’s lovely and accessible translation and bolding the most relevant section).
“A good man was there of religion,
Of a town, he served as the poor Parson.
Be he was rich in holy thought and work.
He was also a learned man, a clerk,
And Christ’s gospel truthfully he would preach;
His parishioners devoutly he would teach…
Gracious he was, a wonder of diligence,
And in adversity, he had such patience,
And in this, he had often tested been.
For tithes, he found it loathsome to curse men,
But he would rather give, there is no doubt,
To his poor parishioners, round about,
From Mass offerings and his own pay, too.
With little, he could easily make do.
Wide was his parish, the houses far asunder,
But he would not leave them, for rain or thunder,
If sickness of if trouble should befall
The farthest in his parish, great or small,
He’d go on foot; his staff in hand he’d keep.
This noble example he gave to his sheep:
That first he wrought, and afterward, he taught:
Out of the Gospels, those words he had caught,
And his own metaphor he added, too:
If gold should rust, then what will iron do?
For if a priest is foul, in whom we trust,
No wonder that a foolish man should rust;
And it’s a shame, if care he does not keep—
A shepherd to be sh*tty with clean sheep.
Well should a priest a good example give,
By his own cleanness, how his sheep should live.
His parish, he would not put out for hire
And leave his sheep encumbered in the mire
To run to London to Saint Paul’s to switch
And be a chantry priest just for the rich,
Nor by guild brothers would he be detained;
But he stayed home and with his flock remained,
So that the wolf would not make it miscarry;
He was a shepherd, not a mercenary.
And though he holy was, and virtuous,
To sinners, he was not contemptuous,
Not haughty nor aloof was he in speech,
With courtesy and kindness he would teach.
To draw folks up to heaven with his fairness,
By good example: this was all his business.
But if there were a person who was stubborn,
Whoever he was, high or low rank born,
Then he would scold him sharply, at the least.
There is nowhere, I know, a better priest.
He waited for no pomp or reverence;
For him, no finicky, affected conscience,
But the words of Christ and his apostles twelve
He taught: for first, he followed them himself" (The General Prologue 480-530).
What a challenging and surprisingly biblical passage from Chaucer for our Christian leaders today. Sadly, there is nothing new under the sun when it comes to the worldly temptations that our influential Christian leaders face; so many fail to live up to this description. And, the bigger the platform, the thornier the journey, it seems. My hope is that this book, despite its flaws, will serve as a wake-up call to our Christian leaders, while encouraging them to remain humble and steadfast in the faith for the sake of their sheep. And for us sheep, the next time someone guilts you with a "Love thy neighbor," turn the issue over in your head a few times and consider it in light of Scripture. Those are the big takeaways for me.
Basham structures her book around thematic chapters (e.g. a chapter on immigration, another on climate change, etc.). In addressing these various topics I detected three main facets to the material she presents, and while I found the first two fascinating and compelling, the third seemed, in some ways, to undercut the rest of her argument.
The first facet, arguably the central point of the book, is encapsulated in the title—namely, that, because evangelicals represent a huge voting block in the USA, “secular, leftist organizations that have no interest in furthering God’s kingdom or seeing biblical morality enacted in the public square are funneling money into front groups” with the ultimate goal of changing evangelicals’ minds and winning their votes (Introduction). I found this argument eye-opening and convincing. She is so right that those on the left will often guilt evangelicals into supporting their political causes by invoking Jesus’ command, “Love thy neighbor.” These words, precious to every believer, have been used and misused again and again to promote policies that are, at best, unwise, and at worst, completely at odds with Scripture.
Secondly, alongside and interspersed with this point, Basham argues that prominent evangelical leaders, the so-called “Shepherds for Sale,” are buying into these ideologies and preaching them from the pulpit and other platforms. Acknowledging that not all of these “shepherds” are receiving grants and other funds from left-wing pressure groups, she divides them into four categories: “wolves, cowards, mercenaries, and fools.” Any Bible-believing Christian with their eyes open will be well-aware of the ever-present current of leftist ideology that is consistently drawing Christian leaders toward fashionable, secular ideas and away from biblical truth. Building large followings while being lauded by elite media outlets has proven a temptation hard to resist. I can’t argue with Basham here, and it doesn’t bother me that she names names, or even that she expresses some criticism of beloved evangelicals like Tim Keller, a man I respect and whose writing ministry has had a more profound effect on me than any other single Christian writer. The evangelical leaders that she calls out have huge platforms and are often pontificating all over social media and shaming other believers. It’s not wrong to highlight where these prominent leaders may have gone astray. As my Dad used to always say and has become a credo in our home, don't dish it out if you can't take it. Personally, I enjoyed her clever and sometimes sarcastic writing style. I also like that she continues to respond to critics like JD Greear who has strongly objected to how he's been presented in the book. She’s a formidable foe, and I confess…I'm impressed by her. She certainly dishes it out, and, as far as I can tell, she knows how to take it.
The third facet is the one that sometimes weakens the other ones while also unnecessarily opening the book up to criticism: just like the "shepherds for sale" whom she critiques, Basham regularly seems to slip into arguing that all committed Christians should support particular political positions that are not obviously deduced from the pages of Scripture. And though Basham argues for right-leaning positions while her opponents take up their left-leaning counterparts, the two approaches to the relationship between specific policy positions and biblical faithfulness often seem indistinguishable. I saw this most clearly in the chapters on immigration, climate change, and Covid. These are complex topics on which Christians in good faith can disagree. I think this third facet muddles her overall argument. And I say that as someone who is sympathetic to many of her views, as they are expressed here in this book.
Some have accused her of misrepresentation and for taking quotes out of context. Unfortunately, the average Christian reader has no way of verifying this, unless that Christian reader is prepared to scrutinize every single comment these leaders have ever made in book, article, sermon, and podcast form. I have not been able to discern any place where she’s been outright dishonest, though I did observe a few “low blows.” (I'm sure she anticipated the backlash she would receive and fact-checked accordingly.) Personally, I would have left out of the book Christian leaders with smaller platforms who have consistently proven themselves willing to go against the secular flow. I also felt that she was a little unfair to Paul Miller, specifically. That was one instance where I’m not sure she captured the spirit of what he was trying to say in his article on forgiving our Covid mistakes, even if she did quote him accurately. Perhaps there are other weaknesses like this in the book that I missed. I am certainly open to being persuaded that there are, hence the tentative 3-star rating even though I appreciate much of what she says.
I believe she truly shines as a writer in the two chapters that address the #ChurchToo movement. I thought her reporting here was spot-on, both in the ways she’s charitable and sympathetic and where she’s unapologetic in trying to get at the truth. I would read anything she writes on this topic. There is so much more to be said. 5-star rating for these chapters. Like other readers, I appreciated her testimony at the end of the book, too.
While reading this book, I just happened to revisit for my work a passage from Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales that really stands out to me in light of Basham’s argument. It’s the narrator’s description of the humble pastor-pilgrim, and it’s too beautiful, wonderful, true, and timely not to reproduce here in full (using Sheila Fisher’s lovely and accessible translation and bolding the most relevant section).
“A good man was there of religion,
Of a town, he served as the poor Parson.
Be he was rich in holy thought and work.
He was also a learned man, a clerk,
And Christ’s gospel truthfully he would preach;
His parishioners devoutly he would teach…
Gracious he was, a wonder of diligence,
And in adversity, he had such patience,
And in this, he had often tested been.
For tithes, he found it loathsome to curse men,
But he would rather give, there is no doubt,
To his poor parishioners, round about,
From Mass offerings and his own pay, too.
With little, he could easily make do.
Wide was his parish, the houses far asunder,
But he would not leave them, for rain or thunder,
If sickness of if trouble should befall
The farthest in his parish, great or small,
He’d go on foot; his staff in hand he’d keep.
This noble example he gave to his sheep:
That first he wrought, and afterward, he taught:
Out of the Gospels, those words he had caught,
And his own metaphor he added, too:
If gold should rust, then what will iron do?
For if a priest is foul, in whom we trust,
No wonder that a foolish man should rust;
And it’s a shame, if care he does not keep—
A shepherd to be sh*tty with clean sheep.
Well should a priest a good example give,
By his own cleanness, how his sheep should live.
His parish, he would not put out for hire
And leave his sheep encumbered in the mire
To run to London to Saint Paul’s to switch
And be a chantry priest just for the rich,
Nor by guild brothers would he be detained;
But he stayed home and with his flock remained,
So that the wolf would not make it miscarry;
He was a shepherd, not a mercenary.
And though he holy was, and virtuous,
To sinners, he was not contemptuous,
Not haughty nor aloof was he in speech,
With courtesy and kindness he would teach.
To draw folks up to heaven with his fairness,
By good example: this was all his business.
But if there were a person who was stubborn,
Whoever he was, high or low rank born,
Then he would scold him sharply, at the least.
There is nowhere, I know, a better priest.
He waited for no pomp or reverence;
For him, no finicky, affected conscience,
But the words of Christ and his apostles twelve
He taught: for first, he followed them himself" (The General Prologue 480-530).
What a challenging and surprisingly biblical passage from Chaucer for our Christian leaders today. Sadly, there is nothing new under the sun when it comes to the worldly temptations that our influential Christian leaders face; so many fail to live up to this description. And, the bigger the platform, the thornier the journey, it seems. My hope is that this book, despite its flaws, will serve as a wake-up call to our Christian leaders, while encouraging them to remain humble and steadfast in the faith for the sake of their sheep. And for us sheep, the next time someone guilts you with a "Love thy neighbor," turn the issue over in your head a few times and consider it in light of Scripture. Those are the big takeaways for me.
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