Vision for Faith Mentorship
Because no one should have to leave alone
What if one resource could be the difference between spiritual shipwreck and spiritual flourishing?
Leaving hyper fundamentalism is incredibly hard. Rejection, shunning, spiritual threats, and overwhelming confusion are par for the course. Without outside support, some people would rather stay in a toxic environment than face leaving alone. Others leave but never find their way; re-victimization and rejecting Christ are common outcomes.
But that’s not everyone’s outcome. Some who leave cultish groups take hope in the biblical gospel. Some parse truth from falsehood. Some find a safe landing place in a healthy church. Some find the path into a strong and vibrant faith.
What would happen if one of these mature believers, who rebuilt faith years ago, came alongside someone struggling to leave? What if, over the course of several months and meetings, they walked alongside them as they disentangled—listening with compassion, asking good questions, equipping with resources, and pointing back to the gospel of grace?
By providing gentle guidance and safe, relational support, faith mentorship could be the difference between someone being lost in confusion or well on their way to flourishing faith.
“I felt like the foundation I had built my life upon started crumbling. I worked through the stages of grief and at one point thought about walking away because it felt too daunting to start [to] disentangle all the untruths.”
“Losing all connections; gossip; public ridicule; family separation, etc. You’re going through the most trying time of your life and have no one to go to; no comfort to rest in.”
“The feeling that no one understands you. This has been my hardest challenge. I have cried many tears because those who have not been in it cannot understand.”
Seeing the Vision
Let’s make faith mentorship—by mature believers who have rebuilt faith themselves—accessible to every person leaving hyper fundamentalism
Over the past seven years, Berean Holiness has provided free, faith-based support to hundreds of people leaving hyper fundamentalism. Our team has sent well over 2,500 emails and messages to people reaching out, and we’ve met with over 200 people on Zoom in a group context (152 meetings). Since spring of 2025, we’ve had over 30 private meetings, often for one to three hours at a time. However, we have never had the capacity to meet with someone privately more than once or twice—if that. For most people in the throes of leaving hyper fundamentalism, one conversation hardly scratches the surface of their need for support. In order to provide the depth of faith mentorship needed when leaving a cultish group, it’s time to take the next step in growth.
The Vision:
1) Hire two experienced believers, qualified to mentor, who have personally rebuilt faith
2) Begin offering formal mentorship for disentangling faith in 2027—and never charge mentees
Who will the faith mentors be?
To be qualified for the faith mentorship position, candidates will need to demonstrate a strong theological foundation, ability to skillfully exegete and faithfully apply Scripture, excellent interpersonal and communication skills, compassion, discernment, and practical wisdom. They must be “above reproach,” living out the gospel in love for God and others.
The ideal candidate will have theological training and a background in a human services profession, nonprofit work, or Christian ministry, with a significant amount of their work directly supporting clients. They will have personally disentangled from a cultish group, rebuilt faith, and be established in a healthy church. They will have 20+ years of general life experience with 8+ years since their faith crisis/coming to faith.
What is formal faith mentorship?
By formal faith mentorship, we mean that new hires will make it possible to build a mentorship program with confidentiality and safety policies, transparent goals, clear expectations, set completion dates, feedback forms, a referral system, follow-up, and more. No one will fall through the cracks. Ongoing training for mentors (regarding effects of trauma, coercive control, cults and their teachings, etc.) will be prioritized from day one. Developing a formal mentorship program (in contrast to sporadic mentorship interactions) will lend itself to continually increasing the quality of the mentorship provided.
“When my family made the difficult decision to leave the church organization we had been part of, it was after sustained experiences of spiritual abuse… Berean Holiness met us with compassion, clarity, and courage. They listened carefully, affirmed that what we experienced was not biblical or healthy, and provided counsel grounded in Scripture without excusing harm. When I was suddenly faced with a meeting involving my abuser, I reached out to Berean Holiness and they immediately set up time to speak with me, helping me navigate that moment with wisdom and support. Their guidance helped our family take faithful next steps rooted in truth, safety, and healing.” – Viki
The Overwhelming Need
Why not just refer to someone else? Because no one else offers the needed service.
In our conversations with believers leaving hyper fundamentalism, we frequently make referrals—to mental health specialists, trauma specialists, Christian counselors, marriage counselors, and more. But while all of these professionals meet critical needs (needs we’re not qualified to meet), none of the above offer faith mentorship with a specialization in disentangling from hyper fundamentalism. The void is largely being filled by secular deconstructionists; these do far more harm than good as they pressure clients to reject the historic Christian faith.
How is faith mentorship different?
Rather than focusing on healing from the past, Berean Holiness faith mentorship is designed to support people who need practical and/or theological guidance in the here and now as they disentangle from hyper fundamentalism and transition from a cultish group to a healthy church. FAQs include:
- “How can I be sure if my group is a cult or cultish?”
- “How do I know when it’s time to leave?”
- “Telling my pastor and family that I’m leaving is terrifying, how do I do it?”
- “I’m scared that God will leave me, how can I be sure He won’t?”
- “I’m overwhelmed by all the doctrines I need to study, where do I start?”
- “If what I was taught wasn’t the biblical gospel, then what is gospel?”
- And most common of all, “How do I find a healthy church?”
Depending on their background, someone leaving hyper fundamentalism may still be convinced that jewelry is worldliness, the Trinity is paganism, or that the “Holy Kiss” is mandatory. Beliefs like these make it nearly impossible to join a healthy church. Disentangling from them is necessary to rebuilding faith, but doing it alone is like trying to untie oneself after being tied up. This is where Berean Holiness faith mentorship is uniquely equipped to serve.
“This group has been so beneficial for me. When I left an unhealthy church, I was carrying deep confusion and pain. The environment I was in had twisted my view of God and left me with a lot of fear and shame. I didn’t know who to trust, and for a while I felt completely lost in my faith. The Berean Holiness group gave me language for what I had experienced and helped me realize that I wasn’t alone. The resources, teaching, and community here helped me separate God’s truth from man-made control. I began to see the difference between toxic patterns and the real gospel of Jesus Christ. That gave me the courage to fully walk away and the hope that a healthy community does exist. Now, I’m beginning to plant myself in a new, life-giving church where I can grow in faith and build real relationships. The peace and freedom I’ve found would not have been possible without first being reminded of who God really is through Berean Holiness. This group has been a lifeline, showing me that healing, hope, and genuine faith are possible.” — Brianna
Religious trauma is incredibly hard to heal—faith mentorship may help prevent it
As defined by Webster’s dictionary, trauma is “a disordered psychic or behavioral state resulting from severe mental or emotional stress or physical injury.” Trauma is especially prone to develop when questioning or leaving a cultish group. The questioning member may be called out from the pulpit, yelled at behind closed doors, or cornered with a terrifying “prophecy”—we’ve seen all this and more. Those who suffer from religious trauma may find that just stepping into a church building can trigger debilitating flashbacks and panic attacks.
Will everyone who leaves be traumatized? No. Interestingly enough, two people can endure a nearly identical situation, one person be traumatized and the other not be. In many cases, the person with less trauma is the one with greater support. If a cultish group succeeds in making a former member feel terrified and completely unsafe—trauma is likely to develop. But if that member has a support system helping them feel cared for, sane, and safe in God’s love—trauma is much less likely to develop.
What if we could provide a safe, assuring support person—a faith mentor? That faith mentor could then connect the mentee to a plethora of other faith-based resources, all reinforcing their assurance of safety. By this means, how much religious trauma could be prevented? To be sure, some people carry religious trauma from long before they ever questioned a cultish group, and disentangling will be a lengthy challenge for most everyone (full of grief and loss). However, that’s all the more reason lighten the load where we can.
“Not a big deal, just a change of churches? No, actually it was a VERY big deal. We were taught our denomination (Trinitarian Holiness Pentecostalism) was the only way to Heaven… It’s been 7 years since I’ve been in a hyper fundamentalist group and it brings back so many memories. If I would’ve had this group [Berean Holiness support group] back then I really don’t think I would’ve had a nervous breakdown. Once someone leaves a hyper fundamentalist group they need so much love and support and Biblical training.” – Stephanie
Leaving a cultish group is a highly vulnerable season—faith mentorship can help protect against revictimization, despair, and deconstruction
When leaving hyper fundamentalism, people don’t just lose their tightknit church group. They’re also often rejected by their spiritual leaders, mentors, friends, and even family. At the same time, their entire belief system has been upended. Who can they trust? Was everything a lie?
These challenges cause many to despair. Rejecting faith is extremely common. But to make it worse, heretical teachers are all too ready to take advantage of this vulnerable season. Secular “deconstruction” therapists, counselors, coaches, and influencers market themselves as “specializing in fundamentalism.” Tragically, these trusted professionals are unbelievers who push clients away from the historic Christian faith. Instead of the hope of the gospel, deconstructionists peddle propaganda, calling biblical truths “hateful” and “oppressive” and painting all churches as abusive. For someone who has grown up in a cultish group, these lies are easy to fall for.
The “deconstruction experts” are often the only web results when searching for help leaving hyper fundamentalism. It’s time to offer an alternative. How many people could avoid false teachers if they were supported by genuine, compassionate believers?
“Searching for a healthy church is no small task when you’ve only known extremes and dysfunction. I am so grateful for resources like Berean Holiness and the community group for providing biblical support and encouragement during such a vulnerable time in my faith journey. This ministry is so unique in its mission to walk alongside the weary and point the way back towards Christ.
As someone that once embraced the emptiness of deconstruction, it’s more common to find voices in support of leaving the faith altogether than those that champion rebuilding from a healthier understanding of the gospel.” – Amanda
Faith mentorship brings the gospel to people in faith crisis—it must be free
People reaching out to Berean Holiness are suffering from spiritual abuse, unsure of the gospel, and at risk of rejecting faith. Most are still involved in a cult/cultish group and suspicious of all outside Christians. To respond to their vulnerable request by diving into a sales pitch, “Yes, we can help; here’s how much you’d be paying us…” immediately ends the conversation. Worse, it reinforces their fear that no one cares.
Can you imagine a missionary having the opportunity to present the gospel, only to instead present what he will be charging per conversation? The people we’re serving haven’t even recovered from the last “missionary” (cultish false teachers) who took advantage of them. Berean Holiness is serving on the frontlines. And on the frontlines, in order for faith mentorship to be effective, it must be free.
“I was raised to believe that our organization was the ONLY one with the truth… As a female, I was also led to believe standards played a part in salvation. Hair was a heaven or hell issue… After an isolating, and lonely journey, after much prayer, study, and discussion, I came to realize I didn’t actually believe any of it. The transition was hard. I was going against everything I had ever known and had ever been taught. I felt self-conscious, out of place, and so scared… We studied the Bible, and discovered things we had never known, things that had been taken out of context. We understood the beauty of salvation instead of the fear of not having it. We realized the grace and love extended to us… [Berean Holiness] Being a free resource is SO SO beneficial. I would have never paid for anything while starting out on this journey, timid, scared, and so unsure of everything. Being able to read or watch others stories, the research in legalistic topics, and biblical doctrine was so enlightening. I dug deeper, and I made connections with others who were on the same journey in a time where we felt alone because we had lost our community.” – Victoria
Making the Vision Reality
Tens of millions have been harmed by hyper fundamentalism—let’s show them the gospel of grace
The incredible need creates an incredible opportunity. As the Body of Christ, we can make high-impact, high-quality support accessible to those who are ready to receive it. Those in hyper fundamentalism have been misreached with an exhausting, works-based gospel; we get to share the biblical gospel of grace. And by making faith mentorship accessible at no cost, we are not only talking about the God’s love—we are showing it.
Counting the Cost:
2x Faith Mentors, both full-time:
$140,000 annually | $11,667 monthly
2x Faith Mentors, full-time and part-time :
$105,000 annually | $8,750 monthly
1x Faith Mentor, full-time:
$70,000 annually | $5,833 monthly
1x Faith Mentor, part-time:
$35,000 annually | $2,917 monthly
We can change what it looks like to leave hyper fundamentalism
“Life has turned upside down for me…” Those were the words I, Natalie, wrote in my email on June 29, 2019. I went on to explain to my Holiness mentors that, because I respectfully told church leaders I didn’t believe our dress code was biblically required, I had immediately lost my church, friends, ministry position, college internship, and had less than two weeks to leave the place I was living. Doubting the “Holiness standard” somehow took me from a promising Bible School valedictorian to a pariah. With nowhere to go, I was soon living out of my car and relying on the hospitality of strangers.
Leaders I loved and respected started pressuring my friends to cut me off. Being treated like a threat caused a disorienting loss of identity, and the shame made me physically sick. My mental health declined, resulting in two car accidents in one day. Overwhelmed, I moved away to a state I had never been to, Colorado, where I didn’t know a soul.
What I craved more than anything was a trustworthy mentor who could meet me with compassion, listen well, help me think through my options, equip me with resources, expound Scripture, and encourage me in Christ. I searched for specialized help, but found nothing. I looked into counseling instead, but the cost of a one-hour conversation was more than a week’s rent. I later saw a scholarship advertised but didn’t apply because I technically had the money—I just needed it for basic expenses.
As for my Holiness mentors I poured my heart out to? They never replied to that email. Or to the next one. I never heard from them again. The message was clear—if I was going to leave hyper fundamentalism, I would be leaving alone.
In the seven years since Berean Holiness started, I’ve encountered hundreds, if not thousands, of people in similar crisis as they leave hyper fundamentalism. Some have it far worse than I did, and without a solid understanding of the gospel, many lose hope. But I can’t help but wonder, what if they had that trustworthy faith mentor? Someone who’s been there, someone who understands, someone who will walk with them until they’re safe on the other side?
There’s only one way to find out. Will you join me to make the vision of faith mentorship reality?
—Natalie
Inspire Others—Become a Matching Donor
According to A Great Match, 84% of survey respondents said they were more likely to give to charity if their gift would be matched, matched gifts are 2.5x higher on average, and a matched appeal raised 3x more than a similar unmatched appeal.
These statistics are right in line with what we’ve found at Berean Holiness. And with peak giving season just around the corner, that is why finding matching donors for the Faith Mentorship Initiative (before October 31, 2026) is currently our greatest need.
As a matching donor, there is no telling how many people you will inspire to join the cause. Together, we will make gospel-centered support possible that could only be dreamed of before now. May this forever change what it’s like to leave hyper fundamentalism.
Join us to make the vision a reality!
Berean Holiness has been supporting people leaving cultish groups since 2019, and thanks to our donors, we are established as a sustainable nonprofit with firm biblical values. We have what it takes to vet the mentors, develop the program, provide oversight, and continually improve the quality of formal mentorship.
This is the closest anyone has ever come to making formal faith mentorship, specializing in hyper fundamentalism, accessible to anyone in need. We are so grateful to be in a position to facilitate, but can’t cover the cost on our own. It will require the Body of Christ coming together to make this vision a reality, so no one has to leave alone.
800+ people said Berean Holiness helped them leave hyper fundamentalism and rebuild faith
“I am in the midst of untangling everything right now… Berean Holiness [staff] have never given up on me when everyone else has scattered. My husband and I finally left our denomination, we had the dreaded conversation with our pastor after today’s last community group, and it went as expected. We have been deemed unredeemable. But my strength is renewed just from this one meeting. Ethan and Natalie have been patient over the past few months as I was unable to attend all of the community meetings but they never left my side. Not once. They kept reaching and kept caring. I think this is what the love of Christ truly is, and in this last meeting today, it became apparent. I didn’t feel like I was walking alone for the first time in many years of trying to extract myself… I may be at the beginning of this journey, and the feelings are intense, but I know I am not alone and I am truly cared for. Who could ask for more? It’s exactly as Jesus would have it. Thank you so much for all you do, Berean Holiness and all the staff. You are helping people like me heal – and you allow me to do it at my pace. Just thank you” – Tracey
“Berean Holiness helped me during the scariest time of my life. Transitioning from an unhealthy church environment to a healthy one can be very lonely and scary. I had people telling me that they thought I was falling for a trick of the enemy by leaving. That can leave you questioning your experiences and what God has taught you for yourself through His word. Berean Holiness provided evidence that I wasn’t alone in my concerns, and that is worth so much.” – Ashleigh B.
“I prayed about leaving the Apostolic church for over a year before discovering Berean Holiness. The small groups, articles, videos, and posts taught me more than I could ever imagine. My husband and I finally had the knowledge to back up what we had felt in our spirit for so long. We have since found a healthy non denominational church (with leadership who also left the holiness movement). It has been a BLESSING. I am so thankful for the Berean Holiness Ministry!” – B. W.
“I left the CHM at 18yo. I left the churches confused and uncertain of what my next steps were. I spent almost 10 years running from God because I felt like I could never be a Christian or measure up to the requirements that I thought were expected of me. 2.5 years ago I rededicated my life to Christ. And this past year I have been growing in my faith even more so. Berean Holiness has played a huge part in helping me understand what I went through and the battle I fought for so many years in my own mind. Thank you for not backing down when people try to silence you. There are so many of us who are struggling and need the voice and need the Biblical guidance to help us get back on the right track. I am so happy to say I have finally found my place as a child of God and I couldn’t be more at peace, happy and free in his Grace, Peace and Love.” – E.
“I left the [Oneness] Pentecostal organization when I was 18, and was convinced for 21 years that I was going to hell because i had no understanding of the gospel. What i knew were standards and as i couldn’t live by them because they didn’t make sense… Coming into contact with Berean [Holiness] changed my life. I started reading the biblical answers to the standards, and learning how to read the Bible in context and it was amazing…. I am beyond thankful to have finally give my life to Christ in a real way” – Priscilla
“Berean Holiness Study groups has been exactly what I needed when leaving UPC. I knew what I had been taught was not biblically correct and these groups helped me to ask the right questions and showed me how to research and study the Bible in context. Berean Holiness has played a huge part in finding the true gospel and growing my relationship with Jesus. I have such a deeper relationship with the Lord because of these small group studies. Also- this ministry and the people I met in the small groups have acted as my church family and have provided loving/wholesome fellowship in a time when I was desperately needing it.” – A.B.
“I can’t recommend Berean Holiness Community groups enough… My walk with God has become deeper than ever before because I’m diving in and searching the scriptures with a renewed mind & heart. I was challenged to search the scriptures & to view them within context. The revelation that the work at the Cross was enough, Jesus’ sacrifice was enough, His grace is truly enough had me in tears during one Bible study. This was a completely different narrative than I had heard all my life. I am truly thankful for their ministry & all the time and energy that’s being invested into this incredible resource.” – Cat
“I was in a dark, depressing wilderness season, thrust into a Oneness Pentecostal Apostolic Church, questioning my salvation and whether God was punishing and abandoning me. However, there soon came one very special day where I found Berean Holiness. I began to see that I was not alone in my experiences as I previously thought, that there were many others who have also been in such a season as I have and that there were lovely people at Berean Holiness willing to help me and guide me into the truth of the gospel. Berean Holiness is a ministry that the Lord knew I needed to encounter. Through the ministry and community group, I have gained a greater understanding of the signs of a healthy church and have become much more eager to find such a church for myself… Berean Holiness is a ministry which encourages believers in learning how to find and accept freedom, love and peace with God. I am forever grateful to Berean Holiness.” – Anonymous