Shepherds for Sale: How Evangelical Leaders Traded The Truth for a Leftist Agenda by Megan Basham. Broadside Books. 352 pages. 2024
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A few weeks ago, I started hearing a lot about this book. My first thought was that it was probably a “hit job” on evangelical leaders by a non-Christian, but then I saw that those who endorsed the book included many individuals that I respected, including John MacArthur, Rosaria Butterfield, Voddie Baucham and Mollie Hemingway. Those endorsements convinced me to read the book.
In this book, the author, a cultural reporter for The Daily Wire, tells us that with nearly every issue that represents a key priority for progressives, even when all other major demographics have signed on, Christians, and evangelicals in particular, represent the most formidable roadblock. Progressive strategists complain that evangelicals have been the toughest nut to crack despite the tens of millions of dollars they have spent promoting elite church influencers who voice their preferred views.
The author, herself a Southern Baptist, tells us that none of the pastors, theologians, or Christian influencers included in this book are associated with the political left, though they have been pushing progressive ideologies. She states that every name she puts forward as evidence of liberal drift and infiltration is commonly trusted and welcomed by orthodox American Protestantism. She writes that the book focuses on false or misguided shepherds. Her ultimate purpose is to confirm for average evangelicals in the pews that the uneasy feelings many have been having that their pulpits and institutions are being co-opted by political forces with explicitly secular progressive aims are justified, and that it is indeed happening.
The book looks at hot topics in the culture and church such as climate change, illegal immigration, abortion, Christian media, COVID propaganda, critical race theory, #ChurchToo, and the LGBTQ movement.
The author writes that where shepherds and teachers are compromising the Word for the sake of worldly approval, where they are belittling their sheep and defaming the Church for the applause of the important and influential, we should not reward them by remaining in their churches or buying their books.
The is a well-researched book with approximately 75 pages of footnotes. Among the individuals that take the most criticism are current or former Southern Baptists such as Russell Moore and Beth Moore (both of who are no longer Southern Baptists), J.D. Greear, and Danny Akin. Other individuals or organizations that are mentioned in the book are David French (who has changed his views considerably over the past few years), Christianity Today magazine (Russell Moore is currently Editor in Chief), The Gospel Coalition, Religion News Service, Trinity Forum, Cru, Gavin Ortlund, the denomination I belong to – the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) – Tim Keller, Scott Sauls, Andy Stanley, Karen Swallow Prior, Revoice, Greg Johnson, Rick Warren, Matt Chandler, Francis Collins, and others. As I read the book, I was most concerned with the actions of Russell Moore, J.D. Greear, and Francis Collins. Some, like Andy Stanley, I already had serious concerns with. A few of those mentioned (Gavin Ortlund, J.D. Greear), have already responded, feeling that they were misrepresented in the book.
Basham is an excellent writer and tells this sad story well in this important book. She tells us that now is our moment, laypeople as well as pastors, to stand in defense of the Gospel against foreign doctrines that have come into the Church.