The Gospel Coalition (TGC) is one of the Evangelical’s trunk lines for piping in worldliness and carnality straight into the heart of the church. If the three-ring circus that operates the organization isn’t busy finding gospel themes in Barbie or comparing Taylor Swift to the Messiah, Jesus, then you might find them publishing more “serious” stuff—like how Jesus “penetrates” his bride and injects His “seed” into her.

Yeah, they actually published that nonsense, and guess what. They were super serious about it. But along their even more “serious” stuff, they’ve platformed men who cross their legs like the modern-day cows of Bashan at a coffee klatch to lecture us on how owning a gun to defend your family instead of taking a bullet for them (and leaving your kids without a father) is actually the less “Christian” and “manly” thing to do.

And naturally, of course, they go out of their way to find the most flaccid man they can to preach to us that Christians need to throw their support behind climate change legislation because Nebraska is going to look like Texas in a few decades.

So you can imagine the preconceived discontent with TGC, despite their gaudy efforts to win the hearts and minds of pagans at the expense of the Church. Their latest offering, titled “The Christian Roots of Speaking Truth to Power,” which offers “The Mandate,” “The Mystique,” and “The Margins,” is yet another drop in the bucket of their relentless pursuit of cultural relevance while advancing the poisoned offspring of Marxism—critical theory.

Critical Theory, born from the pseudo-intellectual echo chamber of the Frankfurt School, is a neo-Marxist ideology that thrives on perpetual grievance. It’s purpose is to tear down traditional societal structures by labeling them as nothing more than tools of “oppression.”

This theory, or “useful analytical tool, as Southern Baptists officially call it,” views every aspect of culture, institutions, and power as battlegrounds of an endless struggle between “oppressors” and the “oppressed.” Instead of grounding itself in objective truth or empirical evidence, Critical Theory dismisses these in favor of subjective narratives.

The Gospel Coalition has perfected the art of disguising the rotten fruit of critical theory with a thin coating of Christian language, beguiling many into believing they are feasting on sound doctrine. But be under no illusion, TGC isn’t serving the Bread of Life—they’re serving up a gospel tainted with the poison of this world, subtly undermining the church from within while wearing the mask of theological integrity.

Let’s start with the first gem from the article:

“Our biblical mandate, therefore, isn’t just to proclaim truth, but to embody it in our lives, particularly by standing with those on the margins of society.”

Now, at first glance, this might seem innocuous, even commendable—after all, who would argue against embodying truth? But notice the bait and switch here. The biblical mandate, according to TGC, isn’t primarily about proclaiming the gospel. That’s secondary. What they’re really after is turning the church into a social justice brigade, running around “standing with those on the margins.”

But wait—who exactly are these “margins”?

TGC loves to use this word as if it’s some holy grail, but the definition is conveniently vague. If you dig a little deeper, what you’ll find is that this “margins” talk is just a rehash of the same critical theory drivel that’s been peddled in the academy for decades. The “margins” aren’t defined by Scripture—they’re defined by the intersectionality-driven winds of cultural victimhood. You know, everyone except for straight, white, Christian men.

Now, brace yourself for this, because here’s where the fly lands in the ointment. Once you’ve bought into their redefinition of the biblical mandate, you’ve essentially agreed that the gospel is not sufficient. Now you need the gospel plus activism, the gospel plus social justice, the gospel plus critical theory to really get the job done.

What does this do? It subtly but surely shifts the focus away from the gospel of salvation in Christ alone and onto the works of men. It’s one of Satan’s oldest tricks under the sun dressed up in the modern garb of works righteousness—legalism in a new suit.

The gospel plus anything is no gospel at all, but TGC would have you believe that if you’re not out there fighting for every cause that the culture deems worthy, you’re somehow not fulfilling the Great Commission. This is more than just a misunderstanding—it’s a perversion of the gospel itself, dressed up in language that’s meant to sound pious and loving but is, in reality, nothing more than spiritualized social engineering.

And then there’s this:

“There’s a mystique about those who have suffered and been pushed to the margins—they often see things that those in the mainstream do not.”

The “mystique”—the pseudo-intellectual obfuscator’s favorite word when they want to avoid making any actual sense. What exactly is mystical about suffering? There’s nothing mystical about it at all. Suffering is a part of the human condition, a result of the fall. And yes, Christians are called to suffer for the gospel, but that’s a far cry from the way TGC is using the term here. What they’re really doing is glorifying victimhood.

By elevating the “mystique” of the marginalized, TGC is essentially saying that these groups have some special insight into truth that others don’t, simply because of their social status. This is straight out of the critical theory playbook—where truth is not objective, but is instead seen as a function of power dynamics.

In this worldview, those who are “oppressed” (however that’s defined at the moment) have a special, almost mystical, access to truth that others lack. It’s a sly way to undermine the sufficiency of Scripture—after all, if the Bible isn’t clear enough on its own, we now apparently need the insights of the “marginalized” to really understand it.

But think about where this leads. If those on the “margins” have some special access to truth, what happens when their views contradict Scripture? TGC would have you believe that we need to “listen” and “learn” from these voices, rather than holding fast to the clear teachings of the Bible. This is nothing short of a recipe for doctrinal chaos—where every new cultural fad can be baptized as long as it’s espoused by someone deemed “marginalized.” The logical conclusion of this thinking is that truth is not found in God’s Word, but in the collective cultural sentiment.

Let’s be clear—truth is not some hidden gem that only the marginalized can find. Truth is revealed in Scripture and in creation, and it’s accessible to all who seek it. The only mystique here is the one TGC is trying to create to justify their pandering to the world. This isn’t deep theology—it’s a shallow attempt to sanctify the latest trends in social theory.

And now, this doozy, the culinary masterpiece TGC wants you to swallow:

“When the church prioritizes those on the margins, it is following in the footsteps of Jesus, who consistently sided with the oppressed.”

I mean, does it get any more “derp” than this? The Jesus-as-social-revolutionary myth—the darling of progressive theologians everywhere—sanctified believers don’t think this way, but then again, TGC isn’t filled with these kinds of people.

Jesus didn’t come to start a social movement, He came to save sinners. The idea that Jesus “consistently sided with the oppressed” is not only an oversimplification—it’s flat-out false. Jesus’ mission was not to elevate the oppressed but to call all people, oppressed and oppressors alike, to repentance and faith. The fact that He ministered to the marginalized was a demonstration of His grace and mercy, not a political statement.

By framing Jesus as a proto-social justice warrior, TGC is once again imposing a modern, secular social framework onto the text of Scripture. The idea that the church must “prioritize those on the margins” is a distortion of the biblical command to love our neighbor—a mantra oft-repeated by TGC types to guilt people into doing something only leftists would do, such as embracing climate activism, gun control, or getting the jab.

Yes, we are called to care for the poor, the widow, and the orphan—but we do this out of love for Christ and obedience to His Word, acts of mercy and grace, not because we’re trying to make some grand statement about social justice. TGC is not just wrong here—they’re leading people down a path that ultimately diverts from the true mission of the church.

But let’s not stop there—let’s really think about the implications of this kind of thinking. If the church’s primary mission is to prioritize those the world has deemed to be “on the margins,” then what happens to the gospel? It becomes secondary, a mere tool in the service of a greater cause—social reform.

The church’s mission, as given by Christ Himself, is to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them and teaching them to obey everything He has commanded. It’s not to reform society according to the latest pagan trends.

In the end, what TGC is promoting in this article is not biblical Christianity but a mutilated and neutered form of counterfeit Christianity—one that’s been infected with the virus of critical theory. They’re not interested in proclaiming the gospel in its purity, they’re more concerned with aligning themselves with the cultural elite, with being seen as “relevant” and “compassionate” in the eyes of the world.

TGC, like the vast majority of modern Evangelical institutions, has chosen the path of least resistance, opting to go with the cultural flow rather than standing firm on the unchanging Word of God. And for what? To gain a few more likes on social media? To be praised by those who despise the gospel? In the hopes to preserve their own butts when real, inevitable persecution hits.

The sad truth is that TGC has become a mouthpiece for the very ideologies that are tearing the church apart—sowing confusion, division, and false doctrine among those who look to them for guidance.

The church doesn’t need to adopt the language of the culture to be effective—it needs to speak the truth in love, without compromise, without apology. The gospel is not a tool for social change—it’s the power of God unto salvation for all who believe. And that is the only mandate that matters.