Bravo, Megan! Thank you for writing this vital book. I remember how shocked I was in 2015 when InterVarsity invited Michelle Higgins to promote Black Lives Matter from the platform at Urbana, the most significant evangelical missions conference in the United States.
Since then, I’ve been stunned to see how deep the rot goes in nearly ALL of our most important evangelical institutions, including Campus Crusade for Christ (CRU), Christianity Today, the National Association of Evangelicals, and almost all of our Christian universities, including the most prominent ones like Biola and Wheaton. This is a massive problem for the Bible-believing church, which historically has been the last line of defense in preventing these destructive ideas and ideologies, many with roots in far-left cultural Marxism, from dominating the culture.
Our evangelical institutional leaders have been failing us. I speak from painful experience, having worked for years in Christian relief and development. Today, this vital sector, which includes groups such as World Vision, World Relief, and Food for the Hungry, is almost entirely captured by far-left ideology.
When I wrote my book, Why Social Justice is Not Biblical Justice, in 2020, no prominent evangelical publisher would even consider it. It was “too controversial" even though they had already published books like "Woke Church" by pastor Eric Mason and "Be The Bridge" by Latasha Morrison. I kept waiting for a well-known, influential Christian leader to defend biblical truth in the face of a cultural onslaught, and I was stunned that, with the lone exception of John MacArthur, none did. Many did the opposite by promoting these trendy ideas with a thin Christian veneer. So, I took up the challenge despite being far from a well-known leader. Since then, many others have stepped up, and now the great Megan Basham in this powerful, well-researched, clearly written, must-read expose. God-fearing Christians, let’s stand firm for the truth and speak it out with clarity, courage, and love now, more than ever. Thank you, Megan!
Shepherds for Sale: How Evangelical Leaders Traded the Truth for a Leftist Agenda
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars | 1,094 ratings
Price: 22.04
Last update: 10-14-2024
About this item
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
“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
"Some will quibble over details, but no one should miss the powerful warning in this book. We face a gathering storm, as Winston Churchill warned a century ago, but this time the enemy is inside as well as outside the gates. Every convinced and unashamed Evangelical should read, ponder, and pray over this important book."—Os Guinness
How deeply have leftist billionaires infiltrated America’s churches?
In Shepherds for Sale, Megan Basham of the Daily Wire 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. Their goal: to co-opt evangelicals for political purposes. She exposes:
· The left-wing billionaires, foundations, and think tanks that deliberately target Christian media, universities, megachurches, nonprofits, and even entire denominations
· The celebrity megachurch pastor who secretly encouraged a group of pastors to change their views on sexuality
· The revered Presbyterian theologian who backed a congregation rebelling against his own denomination
These are just a glimpse into the compromises and astroturf campaigns Basham uncovers. 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.” And in exchange for toeing a left-wing line, many of those church leaders and institutions have received cash, career jumps, prestige, and praise. Basham brings the receipts, and names names.
A rigorously reported exposé, Shepherds for Sale is a warning of what happens when the church trusts the world’s wisdom instead of Scripture.
Top reviews from the United States
Scott 5.0 out of 5 stars
Bravo Megan! A Must-Read for God-Fearing Christians in this Time of Testing
Reviewed in the United States on September 5, 2024R Hayes5.0 out of 5 stars
Very well done
Reviewed in the United States on October 7, 2024
This book is truly captivating. From the moment I began reading, I found it impossible to stop. Megan skillfully presents her arguments, and the inclusion of relevant Bible verses adds depth to her points. If you suspect that your church may have diluted the teachings of the Bible to cater to feelings, this book is essential reading. It challenges perspectives and encourages a deeper understanding of faith and scripture.
AZ Duck Hunter5.0 out of 5 stars
excellent book
Reviewed in the United States on October 5, 2024
One of the best books I have ever read. She does a great job of explaining the threat from leftism but she also has a very inspiring exhortation of how to fight back with the word of God.
ModRes5.0 out of 5 stars
Leftism is Trending within Evangelical Circles and the author calls it out factually
Reviewed in the United States on August 29, 2024
So far, this is a great read. I've been concerned about the Leftward movement of the SBC for some time. The way many leaders are so "nuanced" in their presentation, as though they are trying to hide something by slipping in what only appears to be truth. All of it creates a very slippery slope for the average church goer.
Fortunately, the SBC does not represent all independent Southern Baptist Churches. However, it does have its sway over those within the denomination because of the leadership chosen and the views they push. When leaders have to couch their words in comments like, "the Bible whispers..." or something else, it belies the fact that they seek to either hide something or change the meaning of it, to lessen its perceived negative impact.
It makes perfect sense to me that the enemy of our soul is alive and well and inside many institutions that have always been evangelical in their approach to Scripture. That also has always meant conservative. So, why wouldn't the enemy of our souls use people inside organizations to help flip them away from the truth of Scripture? It has happened to way too many institutions to count over the decades. How many seminaries and graduate schools that began ensconced in biblical truth, over time, rejected it and embraced error?
I recall attending a Baptist seminary decades ago that had a wonderful heritage of espousing the truth of God's Word. However, by the time I attended, many of the then professors were clearly leftwing. One OT professor cast doubt on God's miracles, trying to explain them as simply embellished naturally occurring events. A NT professor did the same thing where Jesus was concerned regarding His miracles.
Yet another professor explained sin as simply "brokenness." Of course, the Bible itself calls sin lawlessness (1 John 3:4) and though it certainly CREATES a broken person and society before God, God never calls it that. I eventually left that seminary to study at another one more grounded in God's Word.
The problem today is that so many of the leaders (current and ex), within the SBC have been working hard to move the denomination to the left. Russell Moore is a perfect example of that. It's so obvious yet to many, they don't even notice.
I have a true difficulty with leaders who are so nuanced in their approach that it is sometimes difficult to truly understand what they mean since their words can be taken several ways. The Bible says to let our "yes" be "yes" and our "no" be "no." I understand the context of that, but in essence, people should be speak plainly, yet many refuse. They instead believe they need to be deliberately vague.
The other problem of course is that many leaders within the Southern Baptist Convention come from mega churches. These churches routinely have large to very large budgets. In order to sustain that, they must be careful in how certain subjects are approached so as not to offend. If they offend, people will leave and take their wallets with them.
It amazes me how today's mega church has no basis in Scripture. Even Paul the apostle worked a trade while he was ministering to people in various home-based churches so as not to be a burden on them. Today, pastors have 6 figure salaries, retirement accounts, their homes are paid for by their church and much more. Church has become big business. It's no wonder many of those pastors are so nuanced in their approach.
One other point for now...it is interesting how many unverified purchasers have left reviews. Certainly, they could have purchased the book somewhere else, but I'm not sure how Amazon could make it easier for people. In spite of possibly purchasing it somewhere else, they clearly went out of their way apparently to come to Amazon and leave a negative review. Too funny really and maybe just a tad disingenuous.
Christians need to be true to God's Word. We need to be held captive by His truth, not try to rationalize things away so that we arrive to the point where no one is really concerned about sin and grieving the Lord anymore, while feeling great about themselves. What is actually happening is that too many Christians are being led by "feelz" instead of God's truth. This is the largest problem society faces today both inside and outside of the visible church.
Basham's book shines the light on what is actually happening in too many pulpits today, which is a terrible watering down of God's Word in order to not offend the average person or Christian in the congregation. It's all about how people feel about something and giving them permission to feel that way.
I applaud the author and I applaud her response to J D Greear. I'm sure followers of Greear were incensed enough to go to bat for him by posting a negative review here on Amazon. So far I've found very little to complain about in Basham's book. It appears well-researched with plenty of documented source material.
Greear has stated in response to the book, “… we serve a God of truth and if the errors regarding me in this book are any indication of its broader accuracy, then the reader should be cautious about taking her claims at face value.”
The problem is that while Greear complains about Basham's alleged focus on one particular statement of his, it is clear when reading through the entire book that this is not the case. Greear is a nuancer. He says something without really saying anything and people respond with, "Wow...deep." Not really but that goes to prove the absence of critical thinking in many today.
If the people Basham is pointing out have a difficulty with what she has written, maybe they need to look in the mirror and ask themselves if they are being as clear and forthright as they can possibly be or are they too busy nuancing a subject to death, so that their comments lose any real biblical meaning and take on the opposite meaning.
Is homosexuality wrong? Is adultery wrong? Are other sexual sins wrong? Does God only "whisper" about these things? Clearly not and He never hesitates to call sin out in all its forms. But for the average person today who rarely reads the Bible, they may certainly agree with Greear's conclusion. I'm not sure how Paul's explanation of things in Romans 1 can be so easily set aside, but Paul's explanation of why women should not be pastors is also either nuanced to death by feminists or just as easily set aside.
The enemy of our souls is attacking the truth of God's Word and does so often by having either his own servants gain access to pulpits throughout America or by using what might be termed useful idiots already in pulpits of churches who care more about whether they offend people than God and start taking a seriously nuanced approach to things instead of simply being true to what God has stated clearly.
All of this has been foretold to occur by Paul and others in Scripture. We live in dark days that are darkening. How many times does Paul have to list the downward spiral of society (Romans 1), or the fact that in the last days, there will be terrible times (2 Timothy 3:1-5)? In the latter reference he is essentially talking about people with CHRISTENDOM, not the world.
Is that happening today? Certainly appears to be the case. Many of the leaders today are drenched in their feelings and they end up transferring that to their congregations. It's all about how a person feels in determining what is true.
Thank you Megan Basham for daring to take on the little "gods" in too many pulpits today.
Fortunately, the SBC does not represent all independent Southern Baptist Churches. However, it does have its sway over those within the denomination because of the leadership chosen and the views they push. When leaders have to couch their words in comments like, "the Bible whispers..." or something else, it belies the fact that they seek to either hide something or change the meaning of it, to lessen its perceived negative impact.
It makes perfect sense to me that the enemy of our soul is alive and well and inside many institutions that have always been evangelical in their approach to Scripture. That also has always meant conservative. So, why wouldn't the enemy of our souls use people inside organizations to help flip them away from the truth of Scripture? It has happened to way too many institutions to count over the decades. How many seminaries and graduate schools that began ensconced in biblical truth, over time, rejected it and embraced error?
I recall attending a Baptist seminary decades ago that had a wonderful heritage of espousing the truth of God's Word. However, by the time I attended, many of the then professors were clearly leftwing. One OT professor cast doubt on God's miracles, trying to explain them as simply embellished naturally occurring events. A NT professor did the same thing where Jesus was concerned regarding His miracles.
Yet another professor explained sin as simply "brokenness." Of course, the Bible itself calls sin lawlessness (1 John 3:4) and though it certainly CREATES a broken person and society before God, God never calls it that. I eventually left that seminary to study at another one more grounded in God's Word.
The problem today is that so many of the leaders (current and ex), within the SBC have been working hard to move the denomination to the left. Russell Moore is a perfect example of that. It's so obvious yet to many, they don't even notice.
I have a true difficulty with leaders who are so nuanced in their approach that it is sometimes difficult to truly understand what they mean since their words can be taken several ways. The Bible says to let our "yes" be "yes" and our "no" be "no." I understand the context of that, but in essence, people should be speak plainly, yet many refuse. They instead believe they need to be deliberately vague.
The other problem of course is that many leaders within the Southern Baptist Convention come from mega churches. These churches routinely have large to very large budgets. In order to sustain that, they must be careful in how certain subjects are approached so as not to offend. If they offend, people will leave and take their wallets with them.
It amazes me how today's mega church has no basis in Scripture. Even Paul the apostle worked a trade while he was ministering to people in various home-based churches so as not to be a burden on them. Today, pastors have 6 figure salaries, retirement accounts, their homes are paid for by their church and much more. Church has become big business. It's no wonder many of those pastors are so nuanced in their approach.
One other point for now...it is interesting how many unverified purchasers have left reviews. Certainly, they could have purchased the book somewhere else, but I'm not sure how Amazon could make it easier for people. In spite of possibly purchasing it somewhere else, they clearly went out of their way apparently to come to Amazon and leave a negative review. Too funny really and maybe just a tad disingenuous.
Christians need to be true to God's Word. We need to be held captive by His truth, not try to rationalize things away so that we arrive to the point where no one is really concerned about sin and grieving the Lord anymore, while feeling great about themselves. What is actually happening is that too many Christians are being led by "feelz" instead of God's truth. This is the largest problem society faces today both inside and outside of the visible church.
Basham's book shines the light on what is actually happening in too many pulpits today, which is a terrible watering down of God's Word in order to not offend the average person or Christian in the congregation. It's all about how people feel about something and giving them permission to feel that way.
I applaud the author and I applaud her response to J D Greear. I'm sure followers of Greear were incensed enough to go to bat for him by posting a negative review here on Amazon. So far I've found very little to complain about in Basham's book. It appears well-researched with plenty of documented source material.
Greear has stated in response to the book, “… we serve a God of truth and if the errors regarding me in this book are any indication of its broader accuracy, then the reader should be cautious about taking her claims at face value.”
The problem is that while Greear complains about Basham's alleged focus on one particular statement of his, it is clear when reading through the entire book that this is not the case. Greear is a nuancer. He says something without really saying anything and people respond with, "Wow...deep." Not really but that goes to prove the absence of critical thinking in many today.
If the people Basham is pointing out have a difficulty with what she has written, maybe they need to look in the mirror and ask themselves if they are being as clear and forthright as they can possibly be or are they too busy nuancing a subject to death, so that their comments lose any real biblical meaning and take on the opposite meaning.
Is homosexuality wrong? Is adultery wrong? Are other sexual sins wrong? Does God only "whisper" about these things? Clearly not and He never hesitates to call sin out in all its forms. But for the average person today who rarely reads the Bible, they may certainly agree with Greear's conclusion. I'm not sure how Paul's explanation of things in Romans 1 can be so easily set aside, but Paul's explanation of why women should not be pastors is also either nuanced to death by feminists or just as easily set aside.
The enemy of our souls is attacking the truth of God's Word and does so often by having either his own servants gain access to pulpits throughout America or by using what might be termed useful idiots already in pulpits of churches who care more about whether they offend people than God and start taking a seriously nuanced approach to things instead of simply being true to what God has stated clearly.
All of this has been foretold to occur by Paul and others in Scripture. We live in dark days that are darkening. How many times does Paul have to list the downward spiral of society (Romans 1), or the fact that in the last days, there will be terrible times (2 Timothy 3:1-5)? In the latter reference he is essentially talking about people with CHRISTENDOM, not the world.
Is that happening today? Certainly appears to be the case. Many of the leaders today are drenched in their feelings and they end up transferring that to their congregations. It's all about how a person feels in determining what is true.
Thank you Megan Basham for daring to take on the little "gods" in too many pulpits today.
Amazon Customer5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Book!
Reviewed in the United States on September 30, 2024
This is a very well researched book. I highly recommend it to all Christians. Megan shows how Satan influence uses our language against our values. Very subtle and coming through seminaries via our young people.