Unveiling Mormonism PursueGOD Podcasts

In this episode, Bryan, Bo and KD talk about how the Mormon church claims to have prophets who speak authoritatively for God. But is that really a thing anymore? If not, how do we hear from God? This podcast explores the answer to that question. They discuss the role of the Holy Spirit in the Old and New Testaments, the concept of worthiness in Mormonism, and the differences between capital P prophets and lowercase p prophets. They emphasize that every believer now has the Holy Spirit and that the Bible is God's authoritative Word. They also talk about the closed canon and the importance of testing everything against God's Word.
Takeaways:
There are two different types of prophets: a capital “P” prophet who speaks authoritatively for God, and a lowercase “p” prophet who speaks what God has already spoken. The canon of Scripture is closed, meaning that God is not going to speak authoritatively through prophets anymore.The Bible is God's authoritative word and does not need to be supplemented with new revelation from prophets.The gift of prophecy in the local church is about reminding people of what God has already spoken, not bringing new revelation.Believers should test everything against God's Word and hold on to what is good.
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The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.
Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.
Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.
Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.
Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at podcast@pursueGOD.org.
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In this episode, Bryan, Bo and KD explore the differences between the Bible and the Book of Mormon, focusing on textual and historical evidence. They discuss how the Book of Mormon lacks archaeological evidence and contains anachronisms, while the Bible has extensive evidence supporting its accuracy and reliability. They emphasize that the Bible tells one unified story, written by multiple authors over 1500 years, yet remaining consistent. They also address the reliability of Bible translations, explaining that translations are accurate and reliable, and the Joseph Smith Translation cannot be considered a true translation. They conclude by highlighting the power and inspiration of the Bible as the Word of God.
Takeaways:
Mormons believe the Bible is the word of God, but it is not infallible and has errors.The Bible is ranked below the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price in Mormon canon.Christians believe in the verbal plenary inspiration of the Bible, meaning that divine inspiration extends to the very words themselves and all parts of the Bible.The Book of Mormon lacks archaeological evidence and contains anachronisms, while the Bible has extensive evidence supporting its accuracy and reliability.The Bible tells one unified story, written by multiple authors over 1500 years, yet remaining consistent.Translations of the Bible are accurate and reliable, and the Joseph Smith Translation cannot be considered a true translation.The Bible is the Word of God and can be trusted.
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The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.
Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.
Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.
Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.
Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at podcast@pursueGOD.org.
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In this conversation, Bryan, Bo and KD discuss the question of whether there is only one true church, specifically focusing on the Mormon Church. They explore the concept of a testimony in Mormonism and how it differs from the Christian understanding of a testimony. They also discuss the idea of the church as an organization, denomination, or building, and explain that the biblical definition of the church is the assembly of called out believers in Jesus. They conclude that while there may not be one true church in the sense of a specific institution or denomination, there is a capital C church that includes all true believers in Jesus throughout history.
Takeaways:
Mormons believe that the Mormon Church is the one true church, and this belief is ingrained from a young age.The biblical definition of the church is the assembly of called out believers in Jesus, and it is not limited to a specific organization, denomination, or building.A testimony in Mormonism is a memorized statement that focuses on the prophet, the church, and sometimes the family, rather than on Jesus.While Mormonism as an institution is not part of the one true church, individuals within the Mormon church can still have a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.Core doctrines such as belief in the Bible, the Trinity, the deity of Jesus, salvation by faith, and life after death are important in determining if a church is part of the one true church.
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The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.
Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.
Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.
Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.
Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at podcast@pursueGOD.org.
Donate Now
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Notes
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Almost every world religion offers a pathway to heaven through good works and personal efforts. Some even include a list of sacraments: Holy rituals by which a person can merit salvation. But Christianity is different. According to the Bible, there’s only one way to know if you’re good enough for God, and it has nothing to do with what you can do.
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The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.
Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.
Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.
Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.
Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at podcast@pursueGOD.org.
Donate Now
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Before we look at what the Bible says, let’s do a quick survey of a few popular world religions…
Hinduism: Hinduism does not have a singular concept of salvation but rather multiple paths (yogas) that lead to spiritual liberation (moksha) from the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth (samsara). These paths include devotion (bhakti), knowledge (jnana), and selfless action (karma yoga), among others. Salvation is achieved when an individual realizes their true self (atman) as one with the ultimate reality (Brahman). (Liberation depends on YOU.)
Buddhism: Salvation in Buddhism is the cessation of suffering and the cycle of rebirth, achieved through the elimination of desire and ignorance. In Buddhism, the goal is to attain enlightenment (nirvana) by following the Noble Eightfold Path, which includes principles such as right understanding, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. (Nirvana depends on YOU.)
Islam: In Islam, the plan of salvation involves belief in the oneness of God (Allah) and the prophethood of Muhammad. Muslims believe in living a righteous life according to the teachings of the Quran and the Hadith (sayings of Muhammad). Salvation is achieved through faith, repentance, and good deeds, with the ultimate reward being entry into paradise. Salvation in Islam is not guaranteed solely by faith or deeds but is ultimately dependent on the mercy and judgment of Allah. Muslims strive to live a life that is pleasing to Allah and to follow the teachings of Islam in the hope of attaining salvation in the afterlife. (Paradise depends on YOU.)
(Note: similarity with Mormonism. “Saved by grace after all we can do.”) - Don’t include this in sermon!
TRANS: So what does Christianity teach? To find that answer we need to look at one more world religion: Judaism. Jesus was Jewish. Christianity came out of Judaism. Understanding the link between those two religions, and specifically the key difference between them, will give us the insight we need to answer our question today. Let’s start with the words of Jesus from his famous Sermon on the Mount:
PerfectionMatthew 5:17 (NLT) “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose.”
When Jesus talks about “the law and the prophets” he’s referring to Judaism. Here’s Judaism in a nutshell:
God chose Abraham and made him some promises (Gen 12)God gave the 10 commandments to Moses - rules to live by in the land of promise they were

Almost every world religion offers a pathway to heaven through good works and personal efforts. Some even include a list of sacraments: Holy rituals by which a person can merit salvation. But Christianity is different. According to the Bible, there’s only one way to know if you’re good enough for God, and it has nothing to do with what you can do.
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The PursueGOD Truth podcast is the “easy button” for making disciples – whether you’re looking for resources to lead a family devotional, a small group at church, or a one-on-one mentoring relationship. Join us for new episodes every Tuesday and Friday.
Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.
Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.
Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.
Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at podcast@pursueGOD.org.
Donate Now
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Before we look at what the Bible says, let’s do a quick survey of a few popular world religions…
Hinduism: Hinduism does not have a singular concept of salvation but rather multiple paths (yogas) that lead to spiritual liberation (moksha) from the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth (samsara). These paths include devotion (bhakti), knowledge (jnana), and selfless action (karma yoga), among others. Salvation is achieved when an individual realizes their true self (atman) as one with the ultimate reality (Brahman). (Liberation depends on YOU.)
Buddhism: Salvation in Buddhism is the cessation of suffering and the cycle of rebirth, achieved through the elimination of desire and ignorance. In Buddhism, the goal is to attain enlightenment (nirvana) by following the Noble Eightfold Path, which includes principles such as right understanding, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. (Nirvana depends on YOU.)
Islam: In Islam, the plan of salvation involves belief in the oneness of God (Allah) and the prophethood of Muhammad. Muslims believe in living a righteous life according to the teachings of the Quran and the Hadith (sayings of Muhammad). Salvation is achieved through faith, repentance, and good deeds, with the ultimate reward being entry into paradise. Salvation in Islam is not guaranteed solely by faith or deeds but is ultimately dependent on the mercy and judgment of Allah. Muslims strive to live a life that is pleasing to Allah and to follow the teachings of Islam in the hope of attaining salvation in the afterlife. (Paradise depends on YOU.)
(Note: similarity with Mormonism. “Saved by grace after all we can do.”) - Don’t include this in sermon!
TRANS: So what does Christianity teach? To find that answer we need to look at one more world religion: Judaism. Jesus was Jewish. Christianity came out of Judaism. Understanding the link between those two religions, and specifically the key difference between them, will give us the insight we need to answer our question today. Let’s start with the words of Jesus from his famous Sermon on the Mount:
PerfectionMatthew 5:17 (NLT) “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose.”
When Jesus talks about “the law and the prophets” he’s referring to Judaism. Here’s Judaism in a nutshell:
God chose Abraham and made him some promises (Gen 12)God gave the...

KD shares her amazing story of how the God of the Bible got a hold of her heart. She talks about growing up in a Mormon household, the fear of her parents' potential divorce, and her deep desire to have an eternal family. She also discusses the pressure she felt to be a perfect wife and the impact of learning about polygamy in heaven. Her and Bo discuss the challenges of perfectionism and the burden of trying to earn their salvation within the Mormon Church. They discuss the impact of checklist mentality and the struggle to find grace within the confines of their faith. The loss of their daughter becomes a turning point in their spiritual journey, leading them to reevaluate their beliefs and seek a deeper understanding of Jesus.
Takeaways
Growing up in a Mormon household can come with unique challenges and pressures, such as the fear of divorce and the emphasis on eternal families.Learning about polygamy in heaven can be unsettling, especially for those who have witnessed infidelity or unhealthy relationships.The pressure to be a perfect spouse and maintain a worthy image can lead to controlling behaviors and mental distress.Discovering the true God of the Bible can bring relief and freedom from the burdens and expectations of Mormonism. The pressure to be perfect and earn salvation can create a heavy burden and lead to feelings of inadequacy.Navigating the tension between grace and checklist mentality can be challenging, especially within the Mormon faith.Finding a Christian church and embracing the true meaning of grace can bring relief and a deeper understanding of God's love.
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The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.
Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.
Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.
Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.
Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at podcast@pursueGOD.org.
Donate Now
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Mentioned in this episode:
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