Ep 1397 | The Cult-like NAR Church That Nearly Destroyed John Cooper
September 18, 2026
AI Summary
5 min readIn 2020, musician John Cooper—best known as the frontman of the rock band Skillet—found himself living three blocks from the Kenosha, Wisconsin riots. His church, where his wife’s brother-in-law served as the lead pastor and where his wife’s father was a sitting elder, acted as if nothing was happening. When Cooper began speaking out about the social justice ideology he saw spreading, he assumed his church would be on board. Instead, he entered a three-year conflict that ended with a third-party investigation confirming long-standing spiritual abuse, a secret doctrinal paper that revealed beliefs far more extreme than he had imagined, and a physical breakdown so severe he could not undress himself without help.
The Church That Wasn't What It Seemed
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What you'll learn
- 1 (00:00) **Cult-Like Control and the Opening Hook** - John Cooper describes his "apostle" standing before the church, claiming he has not sinned and demanding the elders stand to affirm him.
- 2 (00:43) **Introducing the Guest and the New EP** - Allie welcomes John Cooper to discuss his new EP, "After the Storm," and the church betrayal that inspired it.
- 3 (05:07) **The Epidemic of Spiritual Abuse** - Cooper reveals that the problem of abusive church leadership is international, not just an American phenomenon.
- 4 (06:53) **Cooper's Personal Entanglement: Family and 30 Years** - Cooper explains his deep personal ties: his wife's father started the church, and his best friend of 28 years is the "apostle."
- 5 (09:38) **The 2020 Breaking Point: Kenosha and Silence** - The first major conflict arose in 2020 when the church refused to address the racial unrest and violence happening three blocks from Cooper's home.
- 6 (11:58) **The "Apostolic Covering" Control Tactic** - Cooper describes how the apostle used his authority to shut down debate, saying, "God gives me the role of leadership, not you."
- 7 (14:56) **The "Apostles' Teaching" Sermon: A Doctrinal Red Flag** - The apostle preached a sermon on Acts 2:42, interpreting "the apostles' teaching" as submission to *his* own teaching.
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Show Notes
Allie is joined by lead singer of “Skillet,” John Cooper to discuss spiritual abuse, the new apostalic reformation (NAR), and his new EP “After The Storm." For the past few years, John has faced challenges with his former church, specifically regarding undisclosed doctrine and the spiritual abuse of his family and other congregants. In this episode, John discusses the problematic doctrine of present-day apostleship rooted in NAR theology and why it contributed to spiritual abuse in their church. Skillet's new EP “After The Storm” expresses the emotions and struggles behind suffering and how God is faithful even in the darkest moments. This is an informative episode for those who have experienced “church hurt,” a beautiful example of seeking peace even when it seems impossible, and, ultimately, an encouragement to stand firmly planted in what’s true.
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