Why I Had to Leave Brave Church – Englewood, Colorado
Disclaimer: I know the following story is long — but it has to be. What happened to me at one church is happening in churches all over. If you’ve ever had doubts, questions, or a gut feeling that something wasn’t right, this isn’t just a warning — it’s help for the road ahead.
From Hope to Disillusionment: My Four
Years at Brave Church
By Philip Faustin
The Day I Discovered Brave Church
One day, as I was driving down Colorado Boulevard, a sign caught my eye: Brave Church. Something about it stuck with me. It was June 2020, deep into the COVID pandemic. The church I’d been attending had shut its doors, with no indication of when they would reopen. Curious, I looked up Brave Church later that day. Their website gave me hope; they were holding services. For the next couple of weeks, I tuned into their sermons online, feeling out whether this could be my new spiritual home. Eventually, I decided to take the next step—I would visit in person.
First Impressions
My first visit was in July 2020, and I loved it from the moment I walked in. The sermon was great, but it was the worship that truly moved me. After months of isolation, it felt incredible to be surrounded by other believers, lifting our voices together. There was a sense of connection and hope in that room, something I hadn’t realized how much I’d been missing.
Initial Concerns About Leadership
What concerned me was that the website listed only one elder. I assumed there must have been others who simply hadn’t been included yet. But looking back now, with the benefit of hindsight, it’s possible there really was only one at the time. Eventually, within a year I noticed additional elders appearing on the website.
Origins and Name Change
When Brave Church first began, it was known as Harvest Bible Chapel. From what I’ve gathered, it appeared to be a church plant of Harvest Bible Chapel in Illinois, led by James MacDonald. That church and its pastor became entangled in various scandals. If you're curious about the details, a quick Google search will tell you more. It seems likely that, in light of those controversies, Harvest in Colorado rebranded itself as Brave Church.
Shifting Focus and Structure
When I first started attending Brave, there was a strong focus on planting and supporting new churches. It seems the original plan to plant independent churches was eventually abandoned. In its place, it seems the church shifted its focus to only opening satellite campuses and producing radio broadcasts where Pastor Jeff Schwarzentraub is the common denominator.
Changes in Eldership and Governance
A couple of years into my time at Brave, there was a noticeable shift in the structure of the eldership. What had initially appeared to be a typical elder board was reorganized into distinct groups: shepherding, stewarding, and supervising. The website listed only one supervising elder and three stewarding elders. The supervising elder was tasked with overseeing Pastor Jeff Schwarzentraub, while the stewarding elders were responsible for managing the church’s finances.
Something about this new arrangement caused me to wonder how and why it came about and what it meant. As I started asking questions, it quickly became clear that the answers were not forthcoming. I emailed the elders multiple times but never received a response. When I reached out to the church directly, I was simply told to contact the elders.
Transparency Issues
Every church should have bylaws that clearly outline how things are done, including the roles and responsibilities of the elders. Brave does have such a document, but I have not been able to get a look at it. When I asked one elder about it, he seemed completely unfamiliar with what I was referring to. Another pastor acknowledged that he was aware of its existence but admitted he had never read the entire document. When I inquired about obtaining a copy, it quickly became clear that it wasn’t going to happen.
Concerns About Pastor-Centric Culture
My unease with the church deepened as it became increasingly centered on Pastor Jeff Schwarzentraub. He seemed to have become a celebrity figure, overshadowing the church itself. The use of the moniker "Brave Pastor Jeff" felt like self-promotion, designed to elevate his personal brand. The underlying message—that he was uniquely courageous and capable where other pastors were lacking—further cemented the perception that the church's identity was inextricably linked to his image.
Lack of Leadership Transparency
The church website, updated months ago, conspicuously omits any mention of staff or elders, something that was there before, focusing almost exclusively on the Pastor Jeff Schwarzentraub brand. It's unusual for a church website not to feature its staff, leadership, and elders. Typically, these sections include photos, biographies, and contact information. Brave church had gone the opposite direction.
I recently emailed the church again, requesting a list of the current elders and their areas of responsibility. In response, I received only a list of names, with no additional details. After asking for more information, I received an email from an associate pastor questioning why I was requesting such specific details. I explained that the elders were once listed on the website, and it would be helpful to know who they are and what their respective roles entail. Not surprisingly, I’ve yet to receive any further information or a response. This lack of transparency only raises more questions about the church’s leadership structure.
Pastor’s Stance on Criticism
On two occasions, I heard Pastor Jeff Schwarzentraub preach that criticizing a church or pastor is inherently wrong, labeling those who do so as evil and urging congregants to avoid them. This stance seems both self-serving and dangerous. While unwarranted criticism is certainly harmful, condemning all criticism is wrong. It's easy to see the potential consequences of such a stance. It effectively silences dissent, even from the elders, preventing them from addressing legitimate concerns about the church or the pastor's actions.
Indicators of Arrogance
In another sermon, Pastor Jeff Schwarzentraub recounted someone telling him they were praying he wouldn't become proud. He expressed anger at this, and I think you can conclude for yourself what that shows.
Financial Concerns and Nonprofit Ties
My research uncovered a concerning detail. Pastor Jeff Schwarzentraub has a pre-existing nonprofit, originally named One Heartbeat Ministries (EIN 75-3153722), predating his pastorship. Publicly available 990 forms reveal that after Brave Church was formed, this nonprofit appears to have funded radio broadcasts of sermon excerpts, with Pastor Schwarzentraub receiving varying salary amounts over the years. The nonprofit was later renamed Brave and then Brave Media. At some point, Brave Church began donating 5% of its general fund to Pastor Jeff Schwarzentraub's nonprofit. In 2023, this amounted to approximately $863,000. While the radio broadcast expenses were under $300,000, the nonprofit's total assets now exceed $2 million. Furthermore, Brave Church handles all sermon recording and editing, not the nonprofit. It's also reasonable to assume Pastor Schwarzentraub receives a significant salary from Brave Church itself.
Lack of Accountability
When I inquired with an elder about the nonprofit, he seemed unaware of why Brave Church doesn't handle radio time directly or why Pastor Jeff Schwarzentraub receives an additional salary without apparent justification. My direct request to Pastor Jeff Schwarzentraub for clarification went unanswered, which, while not surprising, is nonetheless disturbing. The question remains: what justifies such substantial sums of money being provided to Pastor Schwarzentraub's personal nonprofit? In my letter, I also asked whether Brave Church compensates him for sermon preparation time and who owns the intellectual property of those sermons. None of those seem unreasonable questions to me.
Drawing Parallels with Mars Hill
In 2021, a podcast was put out by Christianity Today called The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill. Here is the description: “Founded in 1996, Seattle’s Mars Hill Church was poised to be an influential, undeniable force in evangelicalism—that is until its spiraling collapse in 2014. The church and its charismatic founder, Mark Driscoll, had a promising start. But the perils of power, conflict, and Christian celebrity eroded and eventually shipwrecked both the preacher and his multimillion-dollar platform.” There are a few things I disagree with in the podcast but as I listened to it, I felt I was listening to a description of Brave Church, both things that have happened and where I could see things ending up.
Here is a link to the podcast: https://www.christianitytoday.com/podcasts/the-rise-and-fall-of-mars-hill. There were 19 episodes over 14 months.
Dismissal of Critical Analysis
During a meeting with a Brave Church pastor to discuss my various concerns, I mentioned the Mars Hill podcast. He dismissed it and said that people shouldn't criticize the church. This was both sad and disturbing. Here was a well-documented analysis of the catastrophic failure of a large church, and he seemed completely unwilling to consider that there might be valuable lessons to be learned from it.
Historical Context and Warnings
I think there are also lessons to be learned from Brave Church's origins. I previously mentioned Harvest Bible Chapel in Illinois and its pastor, James MacDonald. I won't delve into the details here, but a quick online search will reveal the consequences when a church is led by an arrogant, narcissistic, domineering, and greedy leader. The elders failed to fulfill their oversight responsibilities, and when outsiders began exposing the issues, they were attacked and even sued. It wasn't until the situation became bizarre beyond imagination that the church and elders finally took action against MacDonald.
Dependence on a Single Leader
I recall a few years ago when Pastor Jeff Schwarzentraub suffered a concussion after falling off his bike. It makes me wonder what would have happened to Brave Church if he hadn't been able to return to the pulpit? To me it seems that the church's foundation rests on him. This echoes the situation at Mars Hill with Mark Driscoll. When Driscoll fell, the entire structure around him crumbled.
Questions About Elder Authority
It’s difficult to discern whether the elders at Brave Church hold any real authority. How are these elders selected? Are they handpicked by Pastor Jeff Schwarzentraub? The church bylaws should clarify this, and I wish I had access to read them. Over the years, as the elder structure has been reorganized, was that initiated by the elders themselves, or did they merely comply with directives from above?
Historically, elder boards have often failed to prevent or deal with issues within churches. It sometimes takes a crisis or significant external pressure for them to respond appropriately. Too often, peace and loyalty are prioritized over honesty and accountability.
Another concern arises when elders are also paid staff or receive some form of compensation from the church. Financial ties like these can discourage them from challenging leadership decisions, making them less likely to "rock the boat" when it’s necessary.
Consolidation of Power
I’m concerned that some of the changes to the elder board seem to be consolidating power within a smaller group, or possibly even just one person. Once again, the question is how these changes have come about and exactly what has been done. Is this smaller group made up of individuals who simply go along with whatever Pastor Jeff Schwarzentraub desires? History shows that this is a common issue in churches, where elders often fail to prevent abuse or stand up against a domineering leader. When power becomes too centralized, accountability diminishes, and that can lead to problems down the road.
Membership Meeting Insights
At a recent membership meeting I was at, it was stated that if something serious were to happen, Pastor Jeff Schwarzentraub could be removed—but only with a unanimous vote from the elders. I couldn’t help but wonder who came up with that idea. History has shown that elder boards are often ineffective at holding pastors accountable, and requiring unanimity makes meaningful action even less likely. If the pastor is the one appointing these elders, the likelihood of them all agreeing to remove him is virtually nonexistent.
The Price of the Pulpit: Questioning Megachurch Pastor Salaries
A side question I have is: why do many megachurch pastors believe they deserve million-dollar-a-year salaries? Take, for example, a church with $20 million in annual contributions and an attendance of 7,000 to 10,000 people. Compare that to public officials responsible for much larger populations and budgets:
• Mayor of Denver, Colorado: Salary of $205,990.58, serving a population of 716,234 with a $1.74 billion budget.
• Governor of Colorado: Salary of $141,000, overseeing 5,914,180 residents with a $40 billion budget.
• President of the United States: Salary of $400,000, leading 335,893,238 people with a $6.8 trillion budget.
Some might argue that government leaders are underpaid, but their roles are meant to be about public service, not personal wealth. In contrast, megachurch pastors often seem to align more with corporate executives when it comes to compensation. The question arises: is their motivation rooted in a calling to serve, or in the pursuit of wealth?
Another layer of complexity is how these salaries are determined. Sometimes, churches hire consulting firms to set the pastor’s compensation. While this might appear fair and objective, there’s ample room for manipulation. Consultants may inflate salary recommendations to curry favor with the pastor, making their services seem more valuable. In other cases, pastors might handpick friends or loyal supporters to oversee church finances, increasing the likelihood of receiving overly generous compensation packages.
When a pastor becomes the celebrity face of the church, it’s easy for them to justify high salaries and perks. They might argue—directly or indirectly—that the church’s growth and financial success are tied to their leadership and personal brand. Even if they’re not explicit, the message is often clear: without me, this doesn’t work.
Warning Signs to Watch For
I once heard a police detective say that every crime is driven by one of three motives: sex, money, or power. The same can often be said for pastors who have fallen. Because of this, we should keep our eyes open for warning signs in these areas and resist the urge to look the other way when problems surface.
If a pastor has admitted to past sexual immorality, it’s wise to remain vigilant for any situations that suggest ongoing problems. Likewise, if a pastor has confessed that his previous ambition was to accumulate wealth, it’s important to watch for signs that this mindset might still be influencing his approach to ministry. If a pastor has a desire to be famous, that too can lead to various problems. The pursuit of power can often result in bullying behavior. Power, money, and sex are potent temptations—and without accountability, many spiritual leaders fall prey to them.
Too often, people notice inappropriate behavior but stay silent—whether out of fear of losing their job within the church or concern that speaking up might cause the church to collapse. The justification that "so much good is being done and the church is growing, therefore we can tolerate a little bad behavior" is a dangerous mistake. Ignoring misconduct, even seemingly minor infractions, only serves to enable and perpetuate more serious problems. Turning a blind eye allows these issues to fester and grow, ultimately causing greater harm to the church community.
Mysterious Staff Departures
Another thing I’ve often wondered about is the way certain staff members seem to just disappear. One day they’re there, and the next, they’re gone—without so much as a thank you for their time or any explanation of where they’re going. I understand this might not be necessary for everyone, but when a high-level staff member vanishes without a word, it raises questions about what’s really going on behind the scenes.
At Mars Hill Church, a troubling pattern emerged involving non-disclosure agreements. Staff members were often offered severance packages in exchange for agreeing to remain silent about their time at the church. This was used to cover up some of the more damaging issues that were taking place. It makes me wonder if similar tactics are at play when people suddenly vanish from the staff without explanation.
Financial Transparency Issues
The 2023 Brave Church financial statement revealed a $50,000 Rabbi Trust, an instrument typically used for highly compensated executives to defer income for tax purposes. My attempt to obtain clarification from the church's CFO regarding this Rabbi Trust was unsuccessful, as my email inquiry went unanswered. This lack of transparency further compounds concerns about financial accountability within the church.
Balancing Good and Concerns
I can say that, for the most part, the sermons at Brave were excellent. The church is filled with good people who genuinely want to follow the Lord Jesus. However, my concern lies with the foundation of the church itself. There are underlying issues that, if left unaddressed, could cause collapse in the future.
Final Reflections and a Call to Action
When I first mentioned Brave Church to my wife, she was immediately opposed to the idea. Three things stood out to her: the name, the fact that only one elder was listed on the website, and that Pastor Jeff and his wife homeschooled their children. That last concern might seem ironic, considering she had homeschooled all eight of our children through high school—but if you’ve been part of the homeschooling world, you’ll understand why it gave her pause.
Looking back, I have to wonder if I made a mistake by dismissing her concerns. I can’t say for certain, as other factors were influencing her perspective as well. What I do know is that there was solid teaching and times of beautiful worship, and for that, I am grateful. At the same time, the experiences of the past four years have shaped my understanding of the church in ways I never expected. Perhaps, in the end, that understanding—and the words on these pages—will serve a greater purpose.
It deeply saddens me to write this. The temptation is to simply walk away quietly and ignore the concerns that weigh on my heart. But I also realize that in doing so, I would be complicit in the very things I feel need to be addressed. By writing this, I know I may make myself an enemy to some and face possible repercussions. Some will dismiss the questions I’ve raised here, refusing to reflect on their own doubts. If they’re honest with themselves, however, they might have to admit that they, too, have suppressed and ignored things they’ve seen and experienced.
When I look at the many pastors who have fallen and the churches that have been hurt in the process, one thing becomes clear: the fallout from these failures often harms the congregation the most. Many people never return to church, seeing it as a fraud rather than a place of healing and truth.
So, I call on Brave Church and its leadership to look inward and take the necessary steps to address these concerns before a disaster unfolds. I know I am not the only one who has raised these issues. It’s time to listen, reflect, and take action.
Recommendations for Transparency and Accountability
Here’s what I believe needs to be done:
• A public release of the church bylaws, including any changes made over the years, especially those made recently, particularly concerning the elders.
• A public listing of the elders, detailing their responsibilities and providing contact information for each.
• Clarification on whether the church uses non-disclosure agreements when staff are fired, laid off, or quit.
• Transparency regarding how Pastor Jeff Schwarzentraub’s salary and compensation are determined, and who is responsible for making those decisions.
• An end to millions of dollars being funneled to Pastor Jeff Schwarzentraub’s non-profit, along with an explanation for why this was done.
• A cessation of promoting the "Pastor Jeff Schwarzentraub" brand, ensuring the focus shifts back to the mission of the church.
• An explanation of why the decision was made to abandon the idea of planting churches in favor of making Pastor Jeff Schwarzentraub the central figure.
• A disclosure of who the campus pastors are and what their roles entail, ensuring clarity and transparency in leadership.
These steps would go a long way toward restoring trust and accountability within the church, fostering a healthier environment for both leadership and the congregation.
Two Additional Resources
How Do Churches End Up with Domineering Bullies for Pastors?
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/domineering-bullies-pastors
Signs of Bad Church Leadership
https://faithfulandfruitful.com/signs-of-bad-church-leadership
The Last Letter
The following cover letter was to be my last attempt to reach the elders at Brave Church. I had attached this document to it. Unfortunately, though not unexpected, I have yet to receive any response as of March 25, 2025
February 25, 2025
Dear Elders of Brave Church,
I am formally requesting that the attached document be distributed to every elder and that an inquiry be made regarding the questions I have presented.
As this document has not yet been made public, I respectfully ask for a response detailing what actions are being taken by March 25, 2025. Please confirm receipt of this request at your earliest convenience.
I appreciate your time and attention to this matter and look forward to your response.
Philip Faustin
A Gatekeeper at the Inbox
For a while, I had been wondering whether the elders were actually receiving the emails I’d been sending. I began to suspect that someone might be monitoring the Brave elders' email address—possibly filtering the messages and selectively choosing which ones to forward.
I was able to obtain personal contact information for two of the elders and reached out to them by phone. As I suspected, neither of them had received my most recent message—and likely hadn’t seen any of the others either.
About a week after that phone call, one of the elders reached out and asked to meet the following week. I agreed. He brought along another staff member from the church. To me, the meeting felt like a series of vague responses with no direct answers to the questions I had been raising. Once again, they reiterated that the church bylaws would not be made available.
The meeting felt generic and there was no opportunity to go through the document I had submitted, point by point. Based on their comments, I doubt either of them had read it thoroughly—or perhaps they simply chose not to engage with its contents. It felt more like they were checking a box, wanting to say they'd made an effort to reach out, without any real intent to have a significant conversation. It was also clear that only a small group at the church had seen the document and certainly not all of the elders as I had requested.
On several occasions they implied that I was merely upset because I wasn’t getting the answers I wanted—as if my concerns stemmed from a lack of trust rather than a lack of transparency, even on the simplest matters.
The meeting ended with a request that I refrain from contacting anyone at the church except the two staff members present. I suppose that effectively closes the door on any further attempt to engage with the elders.
Goodbye With Love
I want to end by saying once more: I truly loved Brave Church. If I had only seen what was visible on the surface, I would never have left. But after almost two years of seeking transparency through the proper channels and still carrying unanswered questions, I had to make the difficult decision to leave. Each week, my love for the church was slowly eclipsed by the quiet ache of unresolved concerns. And so, with a heavy heart and grateful for the good, I said goodbye.
Why I Still Care
Some may wonder why, now that I've left, I still care. The answer is simple: history has a way of repeating itself. If my concerns are valid, then Brave Church may be headed toward a scandal or an internal collapse. When that happens, it’s not just the institution that suffers—it’s the people. Members of the congregation are wounded, sometimes so deeply that they never fully recover. That kind of pain is something I can't ignore. So here we are. If you’re someone connected to Brave Church, I hope what I’ve written will serve as a safeguard—one that protects people like you.
The Day I Discovered Brave Church
One day, as I was driving down Colorado Boulevard, a sign caught my eye: Brave Church. Something about it stuck with me. It was June 2020, deep into the COVID pandemic. The church I’d been attending had shut its doors, with no indication of when they would reopen. Curious, I looked up Brave Church later that day. Their website gave me hope; they were holding services. For the next couple of weeks, I tuned into their sermons online, feeling out whether this could be my new spiritual home. Eventually, I decided to take the next step—I would visit in person.
First Impressions
My first visit was in July 2020, and I loved it from the moment I walked in. The sermon was great, but it was the worship that truly moved me. After months of isolation, it felt incredible to be surrounded by other believers, lifting our voices together. There was a sense of connection and hope in that room, something I hadn’t realized how much I’d been missing.
Initial Concerns About Leadership
What concerned me was that the website listed only one elder. I assumed there must have been others who simply hadn’t been included yet. But looking back now, with the benefit of hindsight, it’s possible there really was only one at the time. Eventually, within a year I noticed additional elders appearing on the website.
Origins and Name Change
When Brave Church first began, it was known as Harvest Bible Chapel. From what I’ve gathered, it appeared to be a church plant of Harvest Bible Chapel in Illinois, led by James MacDonald. That church and its pastor became entangled in various scandals. If you're curious about the details, a quick Google search will tell you more. It seems likely that, in light of those controversies, Harvest in Colorado rebranded itself as Brave Church.
Shifting Focus and Structure
When I first started attending Brave, there was a strong focus on planting and supporting new churches. It seems the original plan to plant independent churches was eventually abandoned. In its place, it seems the church shifted its focus to only opening satellite campuses and producing radio broadcasts where Pastor Jeff Schwarzentraub is the common denominator.
Changes in Eldership and Governance
A couple of years into my time at Brave, there was a noticeable shift in the structure of the eldership. What had initially appeared to be a typical elder board was reorganized into distinct groups: shepherding, stewarding, and supervising. The website listed only one supervising elder and three stewarding elders. The supervising elder was tasked with overseeing Pastor Jeff Schwarzentraub, while the stewarding elders were responsible for managing the church’s finances.
Something about this new arrangement caused me to wonder how and why it came about and what it meant. As I started asking questions, it quickly became clear that the answers were not forthcoming. I emailed the elders multiple times but never received a response. When I reached out to the church directly, I was simply told to contact the elders.
Transparency Issues
Every church should have bylaws that clearly outline how things are done, including the roles and responsibilities of the elders. Brave does have such a document, but I have not been able to get a look at it. When I asked one elder about it, he seemed completely unfamiliar with what I was referring to. Another pastor acknowledged that he was aware of its existence but admitted he had never read the entire document. When I inquired about obtaining a copy, it quickly became clear that it wasn’t going to happen.
Concerns About Pastor-Centric Culture
My unease with the church deepened as it became increasingly centered on Pastor Jeff Schwarzentraub. He seemed to have become a celebrity figure, overshadowing the church itself. The use of the moniker "Brave Pastor Jeff" felt like self-promotion, designed to elevate his personal brand. The underlying message—that he was uniquely courageous and capable where other pastors were lacking—further cemented the perception that the church's identity was inextricably linked to his image.
Lack of Leadership Transparency
The church website, updated months ago, conspicuously omits any mention of staff or elders, something that was there before, focusing almost exclusively on the Pastor Jeff Schwarzentraub brand. It's unusual for a church website not to feature its staff, leadership, and elders. Typically, these sections include photos, biographies, and contact information. Brave church had gone the opposite direction.
I recently emailed the church again, requesting a list of the current elders and their areas of responsibility. In response, I received only a list of names, with no additional details. After asking for more information, I received an email from an associate pastor questioning why I was requesting such specific details. I explained that the elders were once listed on the website, and it would be helpful to know who they are and what their respective roles entail. Not surprisingly, I’ve yet to receive any further information or a response. This lack of transparency only raises more questions about the church’s leadership structure.
Pastor’s Stance on Criticism
On two occasions, I heard Pastor Jeff Schwarzentraub preach that criticizing a church or pastor is inherently wrong, labeling those who do so as evil and urging congregants to avoid them. This stance seems both self-serving and dangerous. While unwarranted criticism is certainly harmful, condemning all criticism is wrong. It's easy to see the potential consequences of such a stance. It effectively silences dissent, even from the elders, preventing them from addressing legitimate concerns about the church or the pastor's actions.
Indicators of Arrogance
In another sermon, Pastor Jeff Schwarzentraub recounted someone telling him they were praying he wouldn't become proud. He expressed anger at this, and I think you can conclude for yourself what that shows.
Financial Concerns and Nonprofit Ties
My research uncovered a concerning detail. Pastor Jeff Schwarzentraub has a pre-existing nonprofit, originally named One Heartbeat Ministries (EIN 75-3153722), predating his pastorship. Publicly available 990 forms reveal that after Brave Church was formed, this nonprofit appears to have funded radio broadcasts of sermon excerpts, with Pastor Schwarzentraub receiving varying salary amounts over the years. The nonprofit was later renamed Brave and then Brave Media. At some point, Brave Church began donating 5% of its general fund to Pastor Jeff Schwarzentraub's nonprofit. In 2023, this amounted to approximately $863,000. While the radio broadcast expenses were under $300,000, the nonprofit's total assets now exceed $2 million. Furthermore, Brave Church handles all sermon recording and editing, not the nonprofit. It's also reasonable to assume Pastor Schwarzentraub receives a significant salary from Brave Church itself.
Lack of Accountability
When I inquired with an elder about the nonprofit, he seemed unaware of why Brave Church doesn't handle radio time directly or why Pastor Jeff Schwarzentraub receives an additional salary without apparent justification. My direct request to Pastor Jeff Schwarzentraub for clarification went unanswered, which, while not surprising, is nonetheless disturbing. The question remains: what justifies such substantial sums of money being provided to Pastor Schwarzentraub's personal nonprofit? In my letter, I also asked whether Brave Church compensates him for sermon preparation time and who owns the intellectual property of those sermons. None of those seem unreasonable questions to me.
Drawing Parallels with Mars Hill
In 2021, a podcast was put out by Christianity Today called The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill. Here is the description: “Founded in 1996, Seattle’s Mars Hill Church was poised to be an influential, undeniable force in evangelicalism—that is until its spiraling collapse in 2014. The church and its charismatic founder, Mark Driscoll, had a promising start. But the perils of power, conflict, and Christian celebrity eroded and eventually shipwrecked both the preacher and his multimillion-dollar platform.” There are a few things I disagree with in the podcast but as I listened to it, I felt I was listening to a description of Brave Church, both things that have happened and where I could see things ending up.
Here is a link to the podcast: https://www.christianitytoday.com/podcasts/the-rise-and-fall-of-mars-hill. There were 19 episodes over 14 months.
Dismissal of Critical Analysis
During a meeting with a Brave Church pastor to discuss my various concerns, I mentioned the Mars Hill podcast. He dismissed it and said that people shouldn't criticize the church. This was both sad and disturbing. Here was a well-documented analysis of the catastrophic failure of a large church, and he seemed completely unwilling to consider that there might be valuable lessons to be learned from it.
Historical Context and Warnings
I think there are also lessons to be learned from Brave Church's origins. I previously mentioned Harvest Bible Chapel in Illinois and its pastor, James MacDonald. I won't delve into the details here, but a quick online search will reveal the consequences when a church is led by an arrogant, narcissistic, domineering, and greedy leader. The elders failed to fulfill their oversight responsibilities, and when outsiders began exposing the issues, they were attacked and even sued. It wasn't until the situation became bizarre beyond imagination that the church and elders finally took action against MacDonald.
Dependence on a Single Leader
I recall a few years ago when Pastor Jeff Schwarzentraub suffered a concussion after falling off his bike. It makes me wonder what would have happened to Brave Church if he hadn't been able to return to the pulpit? To me it seems that the church's foundation rests on him. This echoes the situation at Mars Hill with Mark Driscoll. When Driscoll fell, the entire structure around him crumbled.
Questions About Elder Authority
It’s difficult to discern whether the elders at Brave Church hold any real authority. How are these elders selected? Are they handpicked by Pastor Jeff Schwarzentraub? The church bylaws should clarify this, and I wish I had access to read them. Over the years, as the elder structure has been reorganized, was that initiated by the elders themselves, or did they merely comply with directives from above?
Historically, elder boards have often failed to prevent or deal with issues within churches. It sometimes takes a crisis or significant external pressure for them to respond appropriately. Too often, peace and loyalty are prioritized over honesty and accountability.
Another concern arises when elders are also paid staff or receive some form of compensation from the church. Financial ties like these can discourage them from challenging leadership decisions, making them less likely to "rock the boat" when it’s necessary.
Consolidation of Power
I’m concerned that some of the changes to the elder board seem to be consolidating power within a smaller group, or possibly even just one person. Once again, the question is how these changes have come about and exactly what has been done. Is this smaller group made up of individuals who simply go along with whatever Pastor Jeff Schwarzentraub desires? History shows that this is a common issue in churches, where elders often fail to prevent abuse or stand up against a domineering leader. When power becomes too centralized, accountability diminishes, and that can lead to problems down the road.
Membership Meeting Insights
At a recent membership meeting I was at, it was stated that if something serious were to happen, Pastor Jeff Schwarzentraub could be removed—but only with a unanimous vote from the elders. I couldn’t help but wonder who came up with that idea. History has shown that elder boards are often ineffective at holding pastors accountable, and requiring unanimity makes meaningful action even less likely. If the pastor is the one appointing these elders, the likelihood of them all agreeing to remove him is virtually nonexistent.
The Price of the Pulpit: Questioning Megachurch Pastor Salaries
A side question I have is: why do many megachurch pastors believe they deserve million-dollar-a-year salaries? Take, for example, a church with $20 million in annual contributions and an attendance of 7,000 to 10,000 people. Compare that to public officials responsible for much larger populations and budgets:
• Mayor of Denver, Colorado: Salary of $205,990.58, serving a population of 716,234 with a $1.74 billion budget.
• Governor of Colorado: Salary of $141,000, overseeing 5,914,180 residents with a $40 billion budget.
• President of the United States: Salary of $400,000, leading 335,893,238 people with a $6.8 trillion budget.
Some might argue that government leaders are underpaid, but their roles are meant to be about public service, not personal wealth. In contrast, megachurch pastors often seem to align more with corporate executives when it comes to compensation. The question arises: is their motivation rooted in a calling to serve, or in the pursuit of wealth?
Another layer of complexity is how these salaries are determined. Sometimes, churches hire consulting firms to set the pastor’s compensation. While this might appear fair and objective, there’s ample room for manipulation. Consultants may inflate salary recommendations to curry favor with the pastor, making their services seem more valuable. In other cases, pastors might handpick friends or loyal supporters to oversee church finances, increasing the likelihood of receiving overly generous compensation packages.
When a pastor becomes the celebrity face of the church, it’s easy for them to justify high salaries and perks. They might argue—directly or indirectly—that the church’s growth and financial success are tied to their leadership and personal brand. Even if they’re not explicit, the message is often clear: without me, this doesn’t work.
Warning Signs to Watch For
I once heard a police detective say that every crime is driven by one of three motives: sex, money, or power. The same can often be said for pastors who have fallen. Because of this, we should keep our eyes open for warning signs in these areas and resist the urge to look the other way when problems surface.
If a pastor has admitted to past sexual immorality, it’s wise to remain vigilant for any situations that suggest ongoing problems. Likewise, if a pastor has confessed that his previous ambition was to accumulate wealth, it’s important to watch for signs that this mindset might still be influencing his approach to ministry. If a pastor has a desire to be famous, that too can lead to various problems. The pursuit of power can often result in bullying behavior. Power, money, and sex are potent temptations—and without accountability, many spiritual leaders fall prey to them.
Too often, people notice inappropriate behavior but stay silent—whether out of fear of losing their job within the church or concern that speaking up might cause the church to collapse. The justification that "so much good is being done and the church is growing, therefore we can tolerate a little bad behavior" is a dangerous mistake. Ignoring misconduct, even seemingly minor infractions, only serves to enable and perpetuate more serious problems. Turning a blind eye allows these issues to fester and grow, ultimately causing greater harm to the church community.
Mysterious Staff Departures
Another thing I’ve often wondered about is the way certain staff members seem to just disappear. One day they’re there, and the next, they’re gone—without so much as a thank you for their time or any explanation of where they’re going. I understand this might not be necessary for everyone, but when a high-level staff member vanishes without a word, it raises questions about what’s really going on behind the scenes.
At Mars Hill Church, a troubling pattern emerged involving non-disclosure agreements. Staff members were often offered severance packages in exchange for agreeing to remain silent about their time at the church. This was used to cover up some of the more damaging issues that were taking place. It makes me wonder if similar tactics are at play when people suddenly vanish from the staff without explanation.
Financial Transparency Issues
The 2023 Brave Church financial statement revealed a $50,000 Rabbi Trust, an instrument typically used for highly compensated executives to defer income for tax purposes. My attempt to obtain clarification from the church's CFO regarding this Rabbi Trust was unsuccessful, as my email inquiry went unanswered. This lack of transparency further compounds concerns about financial accountability within the church.
Balancing Good and Concerns
I can say that, for the most part, the sermons at Brave were excellent. The church is filled with good people who genuinely want to follow the Lord Jesus. However, my concern lies with the foundation of the church itself. There are underlying issues that, if left unaddressed, could cause collapse in the future.
Final Reflections and a Call to Action
When I first mentioned Brave Church to my wife, she was immediately opposed to the idea. Three things stood out to her: the name, the fact that only one elder was listed on the website, and that Pastor Jeff and his wife homeschooled their children. That last concern might seem ironic, considering she had homeschooled all eight of our children through high school—but if you’ve been part of the homeschooling world, you’ll understand why it gave her pause.
Looking back, I have to wonder if I made a mistake by dismissing her concerns. I can’t say for certain, as other factors were influencing her perspective as well. What I do know is that there was solid teaching and times of beautiful worship, and for that, I am grateful. At the same time, the experiences of the past four years have shaped my understanding of the church in ways I never expected. Perhaps, in the end, that understanding—and the words on these pages—will serve a greater purpose.
It deeply saddens me to write this. The temptation is to simply walk away quietly and ignore the concerns that weigh on my heart. But I also realize that in doing so, I would be complicit in the very things I feel need to be addressed. By writing this, I know I may make myself an enemy to some and face possible repercussions. Some will dismiss the questions I’ve raised here, refusing to reflect on their own doubts. If they’re honest with themselves, however, they might have to admit that they, too, have suppressed and ignored things they’ve seen and experienced.
When I look at the many pastors who have fallen and the churches that have been hurt in the process, one thing becomes clear: the fallout from these failures often harms the congregation the most. Many people never return to church, seeing it as a fraud rather than a place of healing and truth.
So, I call on Brave Church and its leadership to look inward and take the necessary steps to address these concerns before a disaster unfolds. I know I am not the only one who has raised these issues. It’s time to listen, reflect, and take action.
Recommendations for Transparency and Accountability
Here’s what I believe needs to be done:
• A public release of the church bylaws, including any changes made over the years, especially those made recently, particularly concerning the elders.
• A public listing of the elders, detailing their responsibilities and providing contact information for each.
• Clarification on whether the church uses non-disclosure agreements when staff are fired, laid off, or quit.
• Transparency regarding how Pastor Jeff Schwarzentraub’s salary and compensation are determined, and who is responsible for making those decisions.
• An end to millions of dollars being funneled to Pastor Jeff Schwarzentraub’s non-profit, along with an explanation for why this was done.
• A cessation of promoting the "Pastor Jeff Schwarzentraub" brand, ensuring the focus shifts back to the mission of the church.
• An explanation of why the decision was made to abandon the idea of planting churches in favor of making Pastor Jeff Schwarzentraub the central figure.
• A disclosure of who the campus pastors are and what their roles entail, ensuring clarity and transparency in leadership.
These steps would go a long way toward restoring trust and accountability within the church, fostering a healthier environment for both leadership and the congregation.
Two Additional Resources
How Do Churches End Up with Domineering Bullies for Pastors?
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/domineering-bullies-pastors
Signs of Bad Church Leadership
https://faithfulandfruitful.com/signs-of-bad-church-leadership
The Last Letter
The following cover letter was to be my last attempt to reach the elders at Brave Church. I had attached this document to it. Unfortunately, though not unexpected, I have yet to receive any response as of March 25, 2025
February 25, 2025
Dear Elders of Brave Church,
I am formally requesting that the attached document be distributed to every elder and that an inquiry be made regarding the questions I have presented.
As this document has not yet been made public, I respectfully ask for a response detailing what actions are being taken by March 25, 2025. Please confirm receipt of this request at your earliest convenience.
I appreciate your time and attention to this matter and look forward to your response.
Philip Faustin
A Gatekeeper at the Inbox
For a while, I had been wondering whether the elders were actually receiving the emails I’d been sending. I began to suspect that someone might be monitoring the Brave elders' email address—possibly filtering the messages and selectively choosing which ones to forward.
I was able to obtain personal contact information for two of the elders and reached out to them by phone. As I suspected, neither of them had received my most recent message—and likely hadn’t seen any of the others either.
About a week after that phone call, one of the elders reached out and asked to meet the following week. I agreed. He brought along another staff member from the church. To me, the meeting felt like a series of vague responses with no direct answers to the questions I had been raising. Once again, they reiterated that the church bylaws would not be made available.
The meeting felt generic and there was no opportunity to go through the document I had submitted, point by point. Based on their comments, I doubt either of them had read it thoroughly—or perhaps they simply chose not to engage with its contents. It felt more like they were checking a box, wanting to say they'd made an effort to reach out, without any real intent to have a significant conversation. It was also clear that only a small group at the church had seen the document and certainly not all of the elders as I had requested.
On several occasions they implied that I was merely upset because I wasn’t getting the answers I wanted—as if my concerns stemmed from a lack of trust rather than a lack of transparency, even on the simplest matters.
The meeting ended with a request that I refrain from contacting anyone at the church except the two staff members present. I suppose that effectively closes the door on any further attempt to engage with the elders.
Goodbye With Love
I want to end by saying once more: I truly loved Brave Church. If I had only seen what was visible on the surface, I would never have left. But after almost two years of seeking transparency through the proper channels and still carrying unanswered questions, I had to make the difficult decision to leave. Each week, my love for the church was slowly eclipsed by the quiet ache of unresolved concerns. And so, with a heavy heart and grateful for the good, I said goodbye.
Why I Still Care
Some may wonder why, now that I've left, I still care. The answer is simple: history has a way of repeating itself. If my concerns are valid, then Brave Church may be headed toward a scandal or an internal collapse. When that happens, it’s not just the institution that suffers—it’s the people. Members of the congregation are wounded, sometimes so deeply that they never fully recover. That kind of pain is something I can't ignore. So here we are. If you’re someone connected to Brave Church, I hope what I’ve written will serve as a safeguard—one that protects people like you.
If this story resonated with you, I’d love it if you shared or reposted to help more people find it.
If you would like to reach out to me, you can at: faustinmail@gmail.com
A printable PDF of this document is available here: http://pfaustin.com/brave church.pdf
If you would like to reach out to me, you can at: faustinmail@gmail.com
A printable PDF of this document is available here: http://pfaustin.com/brave church.pdf
This is a brave (pardon the pun) post. I appreciate your insight and careful consideration to follow scripture as you seek accountability. Praying that God redeems this situation before anyone is hurt.
ReplyDeleteAcross the threshold, I did walk,
ReplyDeleteinto this mighty place,
a building vast, large, and warm,
But today, a slower pace.
This place now home for seven years,
The task is oft routine,
I’ve come here armed to stand as guard,
To watch, protect, and glean.
I take my place, to serve and protect,
I use the skills I’ve learned,
I greet, embrace, shake hands, and laugh,
With this family that time has earned.
Into the sanctuary, I wander down,
to rows, I’ve often sat,
and they sit empty, so many seats,
Where my family could be found at.
But today they are idle, empty chairs,
Our voices not to join,
The chorus of my fellow Saints
Hymns of love and joy.
But amongst the masses, there are other chairs,
Still cold and Empty and void,
Brothers and sisters told not to return,
their stories not to be told.
Behind a mask of misinformed,
of half truths, dare I say, lies,
Of servants, cut off, dismissed and disdained,
for refusing not to comply.
For living by truth, as scripture would say,
how a should church properly be run?
They were shown the door, let go, don’t come back
Some without a word off their tongue.
So corporate like steel, the sever does work,
That casts off the hand from the arm,
For the eye has so deemed the hand it not need,
“Go in peace, there is no harm.”
Alas, I say No! Stop the bleed!
Surely a Shepherd or two can advise,
But our shepherds can only watch for they have no voice,
to call out what is wisdom or vice.
So what is my duty? So what is my call,
to Voice the ill that I’ve seen.
The letter has been sent, the call has been made
My words, deemed no value to the lead
And who am I? Worn boots, blade and sheath,
one of many sheepdogs.
My spot will be filled by another eager servant,
to carry the load, to protect this flock.
I’ve embrace the hard roll to serve,
A callous hand and a velvet glove,
I’m struggling nor do I believe you
When you say you are loved?
Let it be known, Holy Spirit, as you hear me cry,
to part from this place, know I am grieving,
it takes all my courage
to endeavor this BRAVE leaving.
6.26.25
Beautifully written
DeleteI'm curious if you know Pastor Jeff's history. I'm reading a lot about mega churches and high up military connections. I cannot find anything about his parents or family members online.
DeleteHe started turning me off when he was using bible verses to fund his next project. To the tune of 34 million.
Brave is a 403b nonprofit with some church like sacraments led by a wanna be politician who truly is not a shepherd, but a butcher. Revelation 3 and Sardis has a lot to say on this. Jesus did not come to this earth to be served but to serve. At Brave you will find just the opposite of Christ, a far insulated try hard of a pastor who thinks he’s something; surrounded by yes men and sycophants that will never be caught serving only butchering for material and selfish gain. STAY AWAY!
DeleteThank you for the post. Unfortunately, that was my husband and I'm experience with Brave as well. We attended when it was still Harvest in the other building and watched the transition to Brave and the staff turnover plus the lack of transparency was disheartening.
ReplyDeleteI do worry the same that Brave is headed for disaster and who the casualties will be. We called that church our home for 7 years, and it is hard to hear we aren't the only ones who have experienced the same frustrations
I am not a member of brave church but was drawn to this post with a compelling interest. This is another example of a “leader” who has a major alternative motive of personal enrichment and makes sure that any scrutiny is effectively squashed. People who remain ignorant and compliant will be hurt in the end. I hope those members of the church do as the Americans citizens must do now is to question everything and refuse to accept the tyranny of a narcissistic power seeker. May we all find a place or home that is about the people not a person.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this enlightening information. I attended when it was still Harvest and had services in a school auditorium. They moved to a church which is behind their current Mega location on Hampden. I always wondered why they only had Pastor Jeff (who is a good speaker) but I felt he was distant with the congregation. I left after a couple of years before they moved to the current location.
ReplyDeleteI am not a member of the Brave church congregation but I wanted to congratulate you on your integrity and courage. God bless and be well.
ReplyDeleteI can confirm all of your concerns and observations. Employing Kent Shaw as head elder and Brave global planting president and it didn’t take long for the patterns of James MacDonald to repeat. Thank you for your courage to speak up.
ReplyDeleteWait. Pastor Jeff always says that him and his wife came here with nothing. They just one day decided on Denver. BRAVE was a Church plant???
DeleteThank you for posting this. As of right now we are still attending Brave, but have had deep concerns over staff changes in the last year. We are saddened by the changes and dismantling of cadres at the church. We are talking about trying to find a new church home.
ReplyDeleteCadres dismantled? They are still there. He explained in Sept the changed in the church and why.
DeleteWould love to hear the explanation.
DeleteYes, I would love to hear this explanation too.
DeleteHe addressed it with the whole congregation In his sermon.
DeleteCould you tell us which sermon this was explained in?
DeleteSo many staff have left, including Pastor Jeff's brother Justin. I wonder who is in charge of all the money coming in. So many questions with no answers.
ReplyDeleteJustin left to start his own church in IL
DeleteYou are right about that.
DeleteA former attender of Brave, we saw all of this and had the same concerns. There does not seem to be any accountability for Pastor Jeff. How did he get total control?
ReplyDeleteEx-member and ex-staff member of Harvest/BRAVE here. Thank you for this post. I left the church in late 2018, when many of these changes first began. I believe I was one of the first group of staff to feel like Jeff was no longer following the Lord for guidance, but instead his own pride. The church has then exploded in size since then and my concern has grown more and more each year that so many people are still faithfully following Jeff. I’m sorry for your experience. I pray for Jeff and the people who attend BRAVE often, but it’s saddening to hear that it has only gotten worse since I left.
ReplyDeleteI am a spouse of a former staff member and agree with above comment and all that has been written. It's concerning to me all that so easily follow Pastor Jeff and his teaching instead of Jesus and His. No accountability for spending, his large salary, lack of care for staff, etc. Where are the elders? Other than Kent Shaw.
ReplyDeleteHow do you know what Jeff's salary is? It sounds like there are a lot of assumptions made in this blog about Brave. There are numerous elders for one. To go on here and post things while disregarding facts is irresponsible.
DeleteYou are responding to someone else who may know what Jeff's salary is. As far as elders, why are they not listed anywhere? I think this person raises valid questions.
DeleteThanks for posting this. It needed to be said. I could sense the arrogance from thr first sermon I heard there. I knew to run away! Ostensibly “good teaching” doesn’t justify a pastor that has a prideful demeanor. Another concern is his transparent hyper conservative political stance. A church should not take a political stance. It divides Christians. Pastor Jeff is trouble in my view.
ReplyDeleteSo your a democrat then. Makes sense why you wouldn't like him then. Not a good reason at all but apparently that is your reason.
DeleteMany people don't think a church or pastor should be political. That doesn't mean they are a Democrat. Their main reason goes far beyond that.
DeleteAbsolutely agree that the church and the pastor should NOT be political, and that has been a big turn off for me. Also…how Pastor Jeff has stated several times that Pastors should never be criticized. Constructive criticism is necessary for growth. I still attend Brave online (as I have moved out of state), but am and have been concerned about all that has been mentioned.
DeleteThe Bible has many stories of people becoming politically involved. The book of Esther is a perfect example.
DeleteConstructive criticism is always good, depending on how the criticism is delivered. Many like to criticize, however, fail to offer any solutions. A person once said to our leadership team (as we were planting a church), If you have any issues, complaints, criticisms, offer 3 solutions. Many fail to offer the solutions.
We started attending Brave after I was forwarded a sermon where Pastor Jeff laid out biblical justification for why we need to be participants in voting in our republic’s elections. As always he backed it by scripture. We have been going ever since as he is a gifted speaker. I had some concern when I couldn’t find the bylaws on the web site and there was no public information on elders and how they are selected. I remember the sermon when Pastor Jeff rejected criticizing the church and staff. It rang a bell in my brain. The people in the church are the ones who should elect elders, on a voluntary and term limited basis, to oversee the church of Jesus Christ. Thank you for your carefully thought out and referenced article. ALL of your concerns are legitimate and should be addressed for a healthy church to grow. It is so sad because he does know the Bible inside and out and speaks truth. Every sermon is packed with calling people to a relationship with the Lord Jesus as their savior. This is very sad but not unexpected.
ReplyDeleteAll of the above are very real concerns about any church. As to something not mentioned, I'll email the creator of this blog directly. I'll sum it up with...where's the doctrines?
ReplyDeleteFor anyone who hasn't read it, I highly recommend the book When Narcissism Comes to Church, by Chuck DeGroat. It really explains the nature and signs of unhealthy narcissistic culture in a church, which basically turns it into a cult. Sadly, churches attract a higher number of narcissists in leadership than any other industry, so one really has to be careful.
ReplyDeleteI recently visited Brave in Westminster, and though I found it beautiful, I left with a funny feeling I couldn’t shake. Including what felt like high emotional manipulation during the service. Not my first rodeo, I’ve been in a few problematic churches over the years, so I did a little search and came across this article. Now I know why I felt funny.
And yes, looking at the Brave website, only the pastor's name is mentioned. Nobody else. Not elders, staff, other pastors, nothing. That is a massive red flag especially for a church of this size. Lack of transparency another. Turning against people and cutting them out another. And other things.
So, I won't be returning. Thank you for speaking out, you saved me from maybe making a real mistake. God bless you.
Please elaborate as to why homeschooling was a red flag for your wife? We have homeschooled for 6 years now and I don't understand why having a pastor who homeschools his own kids should be a issue.
ReplyDeleteThank you for asking that. We actually homeschooled our eight children through high school, so we’re certainly not opposed to homeschooling at all. My wife’s hesitation at the time wasn’t about homeschooling itself but about the fact that sometimes homeschoolers can carry a lot of baggage. Sadly, in this case, her concern turned out to be well-founded when it came to Pastor Jeff Schwarzentraub.
DeleteOver time I came to see that many of his attitudes and decisions were shaped by a very closed, “my-way-is-the-only-right-way” mindset. That can be challenging in any leader, but especially in a pastor, because it affects how disagreements are handled and how people in the church—including the elders—are treated. The issue was never homeschooling itself; it was Pastor Jeff’s particular approach to leadership and how he related to people.
I’m Philip’s wife responding to this question. I homeschooled all 8 of our children, for a total of 32 yrs. of homeschooling. I’m grateful I had the privilege of that and wouldn’t change that decision at all. It certainly isn’t a problem for a pastor to be a homeschooler.
DeleteWhen the question of going to Brave was first discussed between my husband and I, as he said I was against going there. We had listened to various churches online during Covid and he was leaning there. I remember thinking the Pastor seemed very arrogant and like the star of the show. I looked on the website for more information, and was concerned by the lack of elders listed. Independent churches that aren’t part of an association of churches is a red flag to me. No accountability. We’ve attended some independent churches and they’re fraught with that problem. They don’t tend to have a history. Often started by strong self important personalities who can’t get along well enough to have associations with other churches or be part of a denomination. Of course denominational churches can get bogged down in institutionalization. Obviously these are generalizations. So as far as it goes no matter what church you attend it will be run by sinners and attended by sinners, of which all of us are part of. Another thing I didn’t like was the name. A church name can give a clue about the church. I didn’t want to go to a church that had a “hip” sounding name. Churches like this are a dime a dozen and whatever culturally relevant name they slap on them tells you nothing other than they don’t want to sound churchy or don’t want to be associated with any group of churches.
As we discussed it my husband was listing his selling points for going to Brave and I guess he thought the fact of homeschooling would be a selling point to me.
Having been part of the homeschool community for such a long time there are some “character traits” that are common to us and have been true about, even my own family, so my comments are said with no malice intended. Also generalizations that don’t apply to everyone. Homeschoolers are fiercely independent. Sometimes to the point of having trouble getting along with others and miss out on legitimate perspectives of other true believers. Missing out on iron sharpening iron. Homeschoolers are notoriously legalistic and judgemental and prone to picking out minor issues of disagreement among believers and turning them into hills to die on and separate on. I could list scores of issues like Bible translations, to styles of music, styles of dress, whether women should vote or should the husband vote for the whole family, dating vs. courtship. Etc. etc. ad nauseam.
The fact that the pastor homeschooled wasn’t exactly a red flag, but could mean he was overly independent and unwilling to take the input of others, might harp on minor issues, making personal preferences into dogma. Sizing up families and other marriages about how their children are, how submission/headship is worked out in other families.
So specifically homeschooling itself wasn’t a red flag but the culture that surrounds homeschoolers was the reason. So in our discussions about whether to go to Brave, my husband thought I would see it as a selling point but I didn’t really think of it as necessarily a recommendation one way or the other.
I hope this explains my thoughts.
Dear Mr. Faustin,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Anonymous, and I am writing to you after reading your blog post. Thank you for sharing your detailed and courageous account of your experiences there.
I am reaching out because my son, his wife, and their two young children are involved with Brave Church. I have noticed significant changes in his personality and our family dynamics since he joined. He has become distant from our family, and there is a new rigidity in his worldview that worries me. Your description of a "pastor-centric culture" and the lack of transparency deeply resonated with the concerns I've been feeling but couldn't articulate.
If you are willing and have the time, I would be grateful to learn more from your perspective. Any insight you could share would be invaluable to me as I try to understand what my son and his family might be experiencing. Specifically, I wonder if you could shed light on a few things:
Based on your experience, how might the church's environment and teachings impact a young family?
You mentioned the church's stance that criticizing leadership is "evil"—how does this affect members' relationships with family outside the church?
I understand you are under no obligation to respond, but any information you feel comfortable sharing would be a great help to a worried parent. God bless you.
Thank you for writing and for sharing so candidly about your son and his family. I can only imagine how painful it must be to watch these changes and to feel a growing distance from him. I’m truly sorry for the worry this is causing you.
DeleteI’m grateful you reached out. I remember the unease and confusion I felt during my years at Brave Church, and I’ve spoken with others who have shared similar experiences. I’m glad to offer what I’ve learned in the hope that it may shed some light on what your family might be facing.
On the impact on young families:
One of the most powerful dynamics I observed was the subtle but persistent pressure to align every area of life with the vision of the pastor. Families who came in hoping for a strong faith community often found themselves increasingly busy with church activities and volunteer commitments. I was troubled by seeing people arrive late to a service and then have to leave early because of a volunteer assignment. Perhaps some were able to attend a different service, but for young parents this is often not realistic. The irony was that in serving God, they sometimes missed worship and fellowship themselves. Over time, the unspoken message seemed to be that the most committed members were those who prioritized the church’s programs and leadership above other responsibilities. For young parents, that structure could feel reassuring at first but often became burdensome, leaving little space for other voices or perspectives.
On the teaching that criticizing leadership is “evil”:
That mindset can create a barrier between members and their families. When questioning leadership is framed as rebellion or sin, members may begin to see concerned relatives as spiritually “unsafe” or even as obstacles to their faith. This can make it difficult for them to hear loving, reasonable concerns from family members and can contribute to the sense of isolation you’ve noticed.
Pastor Jeff Schwarzentraub was very clear in his belief that both he and Brave Church were superior to most other pastors and churches. To his credit, he spoke boldly on cultural issues, and many (myself included) were drawn by that. But it also fostered a sense of pride and exclusivity — that being part of Brave meant being part of the “in crowd.” One example was the section of seats reserved for Pastor Jeff, his family, and select others. For some, that kind of privilege was a powerful incentive to prove their loyalty and “earn” a place of honor. Perhaps there’s another explanation, but I never found one.
Please know that you’re not alone in this. I’ll be praying for wisdom for you and for a gentle restoration of your relationship with your son and his family.
Here is my email if you would like to get together and talk on a more personal level or if you have more questions: faustinmail@gmail.com
Testing 1, 2, 3!
ReplyDeleteCome back and leave a real message. Would love to hear from you.
DeleteSorry, will do when I have time later today, or this week! I just wanted to see how commenting on here went first, or if it asked for my email before then, and such. Anyway, yes, I have a bit to say regarding a real comment. I tried to delete this comment, but didn’t see it come through until just now.
DeleteBoy, and I thought having to go 6 months no contact with Brave Kids staff at Brave was rough for me due to me making an ignorant mistake back in January of this year. So sorry you had to go through that, Phil!
DeleteI completely disagree with your assumption regarding homeschooling and a pastor's right to homeschool his children. I think your judgment is biased at best. While I agree that Brave Church has significant issues, I believe you crossed the line by interjecting speculation without facts in your determination of whether Jeff's family is emotionally stable enough to homeschool.
ReplyDeleteI believe you may have misunderstood the intent behind my comment.
DeleteI never questioned anyone’s right to homeschool or made any statement about Jeff’s family’s emotional stability. My point was that homeschooling alone doesn’t make a person credible or qualified. In some cases, people use it as a way to feel set apart or superior to others—and that attitude can be problematic.
We found BRAVE church because they hosted the Charlie Kirk memorial. We had to give out our email and phone numbers to get "tickets" (QR codes) for the event. When we showed up, there was no QR code scanner, and we thought this was odd. At the memorial, Victor Marx spoke and said he was a personal mentor to Charlie Kirk (which we later found out was not true) and was going to announce his decision to run for Governor of Colorado. Why did he have to do this at the memorial of Charlie? Then, days after he initially announces that he is entering the governor's race, we get texts and emails from the Victor Marx campaign. This all seems innocent enough, until we realized the only reason we had to order "tickets" was so that Pastor Jeff would hand all this information over to Victor Marx's campaign. Then a small scandal occurred where Victor Marx's campaign faked a message from Pastor Jeff, endorsing VM. Pastor Jeff then announced in his next sermon that this wasn't him, and it was some sort of "error". Because he was addressing his entire church, not just those that went to the memorial weeks before, Pastor Jeff actually handed over ALL the information of BRAVE over to the Marx campaign without any consent. We have attended the church a few times in person, and a few times online. But this really is a giant red flag to us. Pastor Jeff even spoke at the Victor Marx announcement. This is also fine ... but it feels like there is an abuse of trust going on here. Ironically, the sermon from Pastor Jeff last week talked about this from Acts in the Bible. Where a man sold his house, and gave a fraction of the proceeds to the Apostles, but lied and said he gave the entire amount ... and then was struck down by god. And his wife lied to the same effect, and was also struck down and died. These are UNNECESSARY lies. Pastor Jeff / BRAVE needs be called out. This breach of data was unnecessary and deceitful. Maybe he should take notes from his own sermons.
ReplyDeleteI can confirm that Brave appears to have shared its entire email list with the Victor Marx campaign. I know this because I received a campaign email at an address I once used solely to send a question to the elders. It’s difficult to understand why an email used for confidential church correspondence would end up in a political campaign database.
DeleteThis raises an important question. Was Brave compensated for providing that list?
More broadly, information shared with a church should be treated as confidential. If email addresses were shared, it’s fair to wonder whether other personal, demographic, or financial information might also have been distributed.
Thank you for this article. I have only heard Pastor Jeff ONE time on the radio today. What I heard was biblically accurate about the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ from John Chapter one and other scriptures. BUT!! Alarm bells went off in my spirit however and made me curious to read about the ministry. I found your courageous and godly article. Pastor Jeff was speaking with an angry, sort of arrogant tone. It was definitely not meekness of wisdom as the book of James says. I have always been cautious when a Bible teacher/'preacher speaks angrily without kindness and mercy or humility. The Bible says about God: "He will not always chide, neither will he keep his anger forever" Psalm 103.9 Here is a good test about someone's preaching/teaching: "If you are right, but wrong in the way that you are right; then you are wrong even if you are right." Lord please help your people who are following these kinds of leaders.
ReplyDeleteYou are definitely onto something. Spend some time on You Tube or podcast provider of choice and check out ARC (Association of Related Churches) and NAR (New Apostolic Reformation). Also check out the documentary The Religion Business (TRB). You will find a wealth of information about an intentional network of churches who prey on believers and fleece the flock under the guise of "church plants". It is organized and targeted toward building wealth and power and hides from accountability under the guise of "touch not God's anointed". There is a common thread of minimal accountability, money laundering, and using church members as unpaid volunteers under the guise of "serving" to enlarge the profit margins. This is not an isolated incident. It is rampant in churches across the US, Canada and globally. It is also the mechanism and source for an alarming trend toward spiritual and sexual abuse among church leaders and ministries. The looming scandal concerning Daystar TV is connected, as they have platformed and covered for many of these ministries. Check that out as well.
ReplyDeleteI’ve been part of Brave since 2019, and honestly, a lot of what’s written here feels like it’s reaching. The concern about elders, for example, is framed as if a church is automatically failing without a certain structure. Scripture gives flexibility in how leadership is organized — Titus 1 and 1 Timothy 3 guide the qualities of elders, not the exact timing or number a church must have at every moment. Churches change, grow, and restructure, and none of that automatically means something is wrong. Also, Jesus is very clear about how we handle concerns within the church: Matthew 18 teaches going directly and privately to leaders, not airing assumptions publicly. Romans 14 and James 4 also warn strongly against judging motives we can’t see. So much of your post is based on “it seems,” “it could be,” or personal interpretations rather than actual evidence. It’s completely okay to have questions, but turning speculation into accusation isn’t biblical accountability. From my years here, Brave has been healthy, growing, transparent, and focused on reaching people for Jesus. Your conclusions just don’t reflect the reality those of us who’ve been here long term know firsthand.
ReplyDeleteThank you for taking the time to respond and share your perspective. It sounds like Brave has been meaningful for you, and I respect that. It was for me too until it wasn’t. I also want to clarify a few things, because some of the concerns you mentioned were already addressed in the post.
DeleteIt seems you may have missed some key sections where I described the steps I took privately before ever writing anything publicly. I followed the biblical pattern in Matthew 18. I emailed leadership, asked direct questions, and met in person. Those attempts did not lead to clarity. When issues involve governance, finances, and accountability, they affect the entire body, not just two individuals, which is why Scripture also shows examples of public correction of leaders who hold public authority. Galatians 2: 11-14 is a good example.
You mentioned transparency. My experience has been very different. You might try asking for a copy of the bylaws or asking whether nondisclosure agreements are used when staff depart. Those are basic questions anyone should be able to ask. The fact that these answers are not available is part of the concern.
My issue is not whether a church has a certain number of elders. Scripture gives flexibility there. The concern is how elders are chosen, how they can be removed, and why their names and roles are not on the website. For years there has been no clear list of elders, no accessible bylaws, and no explanation of how accountability works in practice. Transparency is not a stylistic preference. It is a foundation of trust, and trust is a biblical requirement for leadership.
Regarding speculation or motives, I was careful to write only what could be substantiated or what remained unanswered after repeated attempts at clarification. I cited publicly available nonprofit documents, and I raised questions that leadership declined to answer. When information is withheld, asking for clarity is not judgment. It is responsible discernment.
You mentioned that Brave is healthy and growing. It is certainly growing. Health, though, requires more than numerical growth. Churches drift not when numbers fall, but when questions are discouraged, structures are vague, and accountability is thin. What is visible on the surface does not always reflect what is happening behind the scenes.
I would welcome a deeper conversation if you would like to discuss this in person. If you can show me where I have been mistaken, I would genuinely receive that. My hope is for honesty, clarity, and the kind of openness that strengthens the church rather than weakens it.
When you take your eyes off of God and place them all man, the Bible says you are failing if the church is a Bible based church, preaching the truth and is worried about saving souls and the youth that is a good church criticizing a church Because it’s not structured the way you want it is self seeking and selfishness and honestly, it is evil trying to find a perfect church. We are all men and we make flaws and make mistakes but the fact that you’re trying to say that the church is bad, etc. is completely evil as long as they are teaching sound doctrine worried about souls and teaching the truth is what you really should look for as the Bible explains itself who cares about the elders and who cares about who’s there and who’s not there as long as if you need prayer they can pray for you as long as they preach the word as long as they preach the truth and as long as they love people is what should be your concern I personally love Brave Church. It has been a blessing to me and my family because they are concerned about marriages, especially and the lives of people and help out in any way shape or form and they continuously grow and now starting with the prison ministry that is not selfish of Pastor Jeff he is amazing and he’s doing a great work in preaching the gospel even through the radio hence why I have grown so much because of his preaching for 13 years, thank God
ReplyDeleteThank you for taking the time to share your thoughts. My post is not about seeking a perfect church or placing my eyes on people instead of God. It is about specific concerns I raised privately, through the right channels, over a long period of time. Those concerns were never addressed. I stayed and prayed for years before I ever wrote anything publicly.
ReplyDeleteScripture teaches that leaders should be accountable, that transparency matters, and that when people are hurt, dismissed, or silenced, it is not evil to speak honestly, it is the right and righteous thing to do.
When people automatically defend a church or a pastor without listening to the concerns being raised, it can allow unhealthy patterns to continue. Scripture calls all of us to test everything, to seek truth, and to hold leaders accountable with humility and love. That is not tearing down the church, that is caring for it.
I do have a sincere question for you. Did you read my post before writing your comment? I raised serious concerns about what goes on behind the scenes at Brave. Your response focuses mostly on the image of the church, the public face, the words that are said. My post dealt with the parts that are not seen from the outside, and those things matter deeply because they reveal the real heart of the church.
His brother left to Plant a church in Illinois. Justin and Matt also left to do the same. In May they had decided to change the direction of the church. They asked all the staff to pray if Brave was truly where they felt called, because they wanted strong leaders for what they have planned. Pastor Jeff told us word for word, what the goal of the church was, and where they were going with it both finically and what they were going to do with it. 100% transparency. He often talks about Who is leaving, and introduced the elders, at least 4 times in the last 4years I’ve been there: he does a lot of this during first Tuesdays. Which is a more intimate time with Pastor Jeff and the Congregation. I feel like a lot of this is here say. Are you upset about how Brave has grown? Are you upset that he is a Pastor not afraid to talk about politics? Pastor Jeff has never been unbiblical, or not an open book in my opinion. He also addressed the change In people coming and going, I’m sorry you’re hurting. I pray you find peace at your next church. Stop tearing down Brave because, they upset you.
ReplyDeleteI should also add he is not a Pastor who flaunts anything, or acts arrogant or unapproachable. We have had many conversations.
ReplyDeleteTell me about conversations. Have you ever asked why the church doesn’t list its leaders and staff on the website, as most churches do? Have you asked why the bylaws are not available to the public? Have you asked why millions of dollars are directed to his personal nonprofit? Have you asked whether the church uses nondisclosure agreements to silence staff when they are fired or when they leave? My post is made up entirely of questions the church refuses to answer. Try asking honest, uncomfortable questions — then decide how approachable they really are.
Delete“Looking for strong leaders” can easily be code for looking for people who simply go along with whatever is decided. Do the elders do that? If these explanations were given in sermons, it would help if you could provide the references.
ReplyDeleteAsking legitimate questions does not come from being upset about growth or political conversations. It takes much more courage to ask honest questions than to remain silent. You say the pastor is an open book but try asking why the bylaws are kept secret or who actually chooses the elders.
What is said publicly matters far less than what happens behind the scenes. How many catastrophic collapses have to happen because people ignore the reality of what the human heart and unaccountable pastors are capable of?
I would encourage you to honestly and humbly read my entire post. And if you have the guts, listen to The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill podcast I referenced. I think you will then see that Brave is on a dangerous trajectory.
Jeff Schwarzentraub graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary, where he received the distinguished Harry A. Ironside Award for Expository Preaching. He also completed his doctorate degree at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.
ReplyDeleteDallas Theological Seminary (DTS) is primarily known for its dispensational theology rather than being strictly Calvinist. While it acknowledges some aspects of Reformed theology, it maintains a non-denominational stance and emphasizes premillennialism and biblical inerrancy.
Gordon-Conwell promotes a diverse theological education, encouraging students to engage with various perspectives within the evangelical tradition. This includes exposure to different theological views, such as Arminianism and Reformed theology, fostering a broad understanding of Christian doctrine.
My personal experience with a cadres group, online, was harmful to me. The leaders were unkind and unprofessional to myself and others. In time everyone left the group. Interestingly, we were told up front that we are not allowed to have the names or contact information of group members so I was not allowed to follow up as to why everyone left. I know what I witnessed an concluded I knew the answer.
Attending services online line, for several years, I became concerned when many regular committed singers and musicians disappeared and never returned.
They just fired their lead worship pastor two weeks ago.
DeleteWhat information can you provide about that?
DeleteI’m sorry, did my ears deceive me, or am I hearing that Blaine is no longer the worship leader at Brave Church?
ReplyDeleteYes!!!! Good, good man. People are not happy.
DeleteI wonder what happened to the Colorado Springs Campus.
ReplyDelete