Pastor Jake Dell shares his personal journey from the Episcopal Church to his current role at First Congregational Church of Woodbury, Connecticut. He explains the progressive theological drift he witnessed in mainline denominations, the pressure to signal conformity on cultural issues, and the events that led him to resign in 2024. 

Dell recounts his early call to ministry, experiences at Yale, the impact of Obergefell on the Episcopal Church, and how COVID-era policies and 2020 protests revealed inconsistencies that pushed him to speak more boldly from the pulpit. He discusses the difference between the form of religion and its true power, the proper role of pastors in addressing cultural and civic matters, and why he believes Christians must actively reclaim institutions rather than abandon them. The conversation highlights the growth he has seen in his current congregation by returning to historic Christian preaching and refusing to compromise on core truths.

00:00:00 – Introduction

00:03:30 – Mainline Theological Drift

00:04:24 – Early Faith and Calling

00:09:33 – Divisive Cultural Issues

00:14:29 – Johnson Amendment as Excuse

00:21:23 – Post-Obergefell Shift

00:27:05 – 2020 as Turning Point

00:32:11 – Gospel Implications for Culture

00:34:17 – Public Witness Required

00:37:00 – School Board Stand

00:41:03 – Resignation and Fresh Start

00:42:19 – Growth Through Biblical Preaching

You can find more of Jake Dell's work on Substack at https://jwdell.substack.com/

You can pre-order Jake's book, Exile and Return, here: https://payhip.com/b/Hc6up

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