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Church Check: Christ Church, Moscow, ID

Church Check: Christ Church, Moscow, Idaho

Basic Church Information


Church Name: Christ Church

Senior/Lead Pastor: Douglas Wilson

Governance Model: Session of Elders (pastoral, teaching, and ruling elders) with equal voting rights, overseeing church decisions and discipline.

  • Sources: Christ Church Constitution, referenced in The Guardian, November 2, 2021

  • Anti-Authoritarian Playbook, June 29, 2025

Other Church Leaders/Staff:

  • Ben Merkle (Teaching Elder, President of New Saint Andrews College)

  • Toby Sumpter (Associate Pastor)

  • Gabriel Rench (Deacon, notable for 2020 Psalm Sing arrest)

  • Staff & Leadership list is available on the church’s website

  • Sources: 

    • The Guardian, November 2, 2021 

    • Wikipedia: Christ Church (Moscow, Idaho), updated April 28, 2006 

    • The Spokesman-Review, November 16, 2019

Denomination: Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches (CREC), a denomination co-founded by Douglas Wilson.

  • Sources: 

    • Wikipedia: Christ Church (Moscow, Idaho), updated April 28, 2006 

    • Christ Church website, accessed July 29, 2025

Address: 820 Dominion Way, Moscow, ID 83843 (Christ Church Hall)

Phone Number: (208) 882-2034

Contact/Email: office@christkirk.com

Congregation Size: Estimated 900–3,000 members, including offshoot churches, with recent growth attributed to newcomers.

  • Sources: 

    • Wikipedia: Christ Church (Moscow, Idaho), citing estimates, updated April 28, 2006 

    • The Guardian, November 2, 2021 

    • RANGE Media, June 2, 2025

Building Size/Church Property: Main worship at Christ Church Hall (820 Dominion Way). The church and affiliates own significant real estate, including properties for New Saint Andrews College, Logos School, and Canon Press. A new 30-acre Logos School campus is under construction. Property values not publicly disclosed.

  • Sources: 

    • The Guardian, November 2, 2021 

    • The Spokesman-Review, November 16, 2019 

    • RANGE Media, June 2, 2025

Social Media/Online Presence:

  • Website: christkirk.com

  • Facebook: Christ Church Moscow

  • YouTube: Christ Church Moscow (sermons and content by Douglas Wilson)

  • Other: Blog & Mablog (Douglas Wilson’s blog), Canon Press YouTube channel


Church Specifics


Responsive/Open to Questions: No. Christ Church is not fully transparent in addressing controversies, such as sexual abuse cases or financial practices. Our email to the church with a request to ask questions was declined. Responses to questions are often limited to Douglas Wilson’s blog posts or public statements defending the church, with minimal direct engagement with critics or public disclosure of detailed information.

  • Sources: 

    • The Guardian, November 2, 2021 

    • Anti-Authoritarian Playbook

    • Courageous Empathy YouTube channel


Official Memberships: Yes. The church requires formal membership vows, emphasizing submission to church leadership and discipline, as outlined in its constitution.

  • Source: 

    • Christ Church Constitution, referenced in The Guardian, November 2, 2021

    • Anti-Authoritarian Playbook


Church Discipline: Yes. The church practices strict discipline, including excommunication for dissent or moral failures. Former members report public shaming through excommunication lists published in church bulletins.

  • Source: Reddit r/MoscowIdaho, March 27, 2022 

  • Courageous Empathy YouTube channel


Tithing/Compels Giving: Yes. Members are expected to tithe 10% of their income, with wealthier members encouraged to give more. Online giving is available, but no detailed budget is publicly shared.

  • Sources: 

    • The Guardian, November 2, 2021 

    • Anti-Authoritarian Playbook


Financially Transparent &/or Accountable: No. As an unincorporated nonprofit, Christ Church is not required to file Form 990 or disclose detailed financials. The church is not a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) or any other third-party accountability organization. No audited financial statements, leadership salaries, or expenditure breakdowns are publicly available. The church’s extensive real estate and business holdings, often linked to Wilson’s family, raise concerns about financial transparency.

Baptism Required: No explicit requirement for baptism is stated for membership, though baptism is likely part of their Reformed practices.

  • Sources: 

    • Christ Church website (beliefs section)


Preaching Style: Expository. Douglas Wilson’s sermons focus on Reformed theology, Christian Reconstructionism, and cultural engagement, often addressing controversial social issues like gender roles and theocracy.

  • Sources: 

    • Christ Church YouTube channel, sermon archives 

    • Blog & Mablog


Worship Style: Traditional. Worship includes hymn singing (e.g., Psalm Sings) with minimal instrumentation, reflecting the church’s Reformed tradition.

  • Sources: 

    • Christ Church website (worship section), 

    • Wikipedia: Christ Church (Moscow, Idaho), updated April 28, 2006


Affiliations & Ministries:

  • Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches (CREC), co-founded by Douglas Wilson

  • New Saint Andrews College (NSA), a classical Christian college

  • Logos School, a K-12 classical Christian school

  • Greyfriars Hall, a three-year ministerial training program

  • Canon Press, a publishing house

  • Collegiate Reformed Fellowship, a campus ministry

  • Apologia Church 

  • Sources:

    • Wikipedia: Christ Church (Moscow, Idaho), updated April 28, 2006 

    • The Guardian, November 2, 2021 

    • Christ Church website

    • Apologia Studios YouTube channel


Safeguards Against Abuse: Minimal. The church’s elder-led governance lack of oversight in its handling of abuse cases (e.g., Steven Sitler, Jamin Wight, etc.) has been criticized for prioritizing church reputation over victim safety. No specific abuse prevention policies are publicly detailed.

  • Sources: 

    • The Guardian, November 2, 2021 

    • The Roys Report, August 15, 2025 

    • Courageous Empathy YouTube channel


Red Flags of Corruption, Abuse, & Cultic Control


  • Sexual Abuse Cases: The church’s handling of Steven Sitler’s 2005 child sexual abuse case, where Wilson officiated his marriage despite objections from Sitler’s parole officer, and the Jamin Wight case, where the church allegedly failed to assess his fitness for ministry, have drawn significant criticism for prioritizing documented predators over victim safety.

  • Authoritarian Culture: Reports of spiritual abuse, including excommunication for dissent and a culture discouraging critical inquiry, suggest a controlling environment. The church’s constitution emphasizes submission to leadership.

    • Sources: 

      • Reddit r/MoscowIdaho, March 27, 2022 

      • Anti-Authoritarian Playbook


  • Christian Nationalism and Theocracy: Wilson’s advocacy for Christian Reconstructionism and a theocratic vision, including statements favoring biblical law over secular governance, raises concerns about the church’s societal impact.

    • Sources: 

      • Wikipedia: Christ Church (Moscow, Idaho), updated April 28, 2006

      • The Guardian, November 2, 2021 

      • Extremely American podcast, NPR, 2022


  • Lack of Financial Transparency: The church’s unincorporated status and absence of public financial reports, combined with extensive real estate and business holdings (e.g., coffee shops, restaurants, construction firms), raise concerns about potential financial exploitation.

  • Community Division: The church’s goal to “make Moscow a Christian town” has led to significant local opposition, with community efforts to boycott church-affiliated businesses and protests at events featuring Wilson.

    • Sources: 

      • Reddit r/MoscowIdaho, July 6, 2024 

      • The Spokesman-Review, November 16, 2019


  • Teachings on Child Discipline: The church’s teachings, influenced by Wilson’s writings such as Future Men (2001), promote strict child discipline, including corporal punishment, as a biblical mandate for parents to enforce obedience. Critics argue these teachings, which emphasize parental authority and physical discipline, create a culture that risks normalizing child abuse, particularly when combined with the church’s patriarchal framework.

    • Sources: 

      • The Guardian, November 2, 2021 

      • Courageous Empathy YouTube channel 

      • Canon Press: Future Men


Pastor Background


Educational Background: Douglas Wilson’s theological education is self-directed, influenced by his father, Jim Wilson, a Christian bookstore founder. He does not hold a formal seminary degree.

  • Sources: 

    • Anti-Authoritarian Playbook

    • The Guardian, November 2, 2021


Ministerial History:


  • Douglas Wilson: Senior Pastor of Christ Church since the early 1990s. Co-founder of CREC, New Saint Andrews College, Logos School, and Canon Press. Known for his books, debates (e.g., with Christopher Hitchens), and blog posts promoting Christian Reconstructionism.

  • Sources: 

    • Wikipedia: Christ Church (Moscow, Idaho), updated April 28, 2006

    • Anti-Authoritarian Playbook 

    • Christ Church website


Salary: Unknown. No public information is available on Douglas Wilson’s salary or other staff compensation.


Pastoral Red Flags:


  • Controversial Teachings: Wilson’s writings, such as Southern Slavery as it Was (1996), defending aspects of slavery, Fidelity (1999), promoting patriarchal gender roles, and his advocacy for Federal Vision theology, which emphasizes covenantal salvation and has been criticized by mainstream Reformed denominations as undermining justification by faith alone, have drawn accusations of racism, misogyny, and theological heresy. These teachings are reinforced by hyper-patriarchal works from his family, including Nancy Wilson’s The Fruit of Her Hands (1997) and Praise Her in the Gates (2000), which advocate for women’s submission and domestic roles, and books by daughters Rebekah Merkle (Eve in Exile, 2016) and Rachel Jankovic (You Who?, 2019), which promote similar views on gender hierarchy and women’s subordination. Additionally, Wilson’s Future Men (2001) emphasizes strict child discipline, including corporal punishment, as essential for raising godly men, raising concerns about normalizing abusive practices.

    • Sources: 

      • The Guardian, November 2, 2021 

      • Anti-Authoritarian Playbook 

      • Westminster Theological Seminary: Report on Federal Vision, 2007 

      • Canon Press: The Fruit of Her Hands, Praise Her in the Gates, Eve in Exile, You Who?, Future Men

      • Examining Doug Wilson & Moscow, ID


  • Handling of Abuse Cases: Wilson’s role in the Steven Sitler and Jamin Wight cases, including officiating Sitler’s marriage and allegedly failing to prioritize victim safety, raises serious concerns about pastoral judgment.


Church Bylaws & Articles of Incorporation


Bylaws: Not publicly available in full. The church operates under a constitution that outlines the roles of elders, membership vows, and disciplinary processes, emphasizing submission to leadership. Specific details are not shared online.

  • Sources: 

    • The Guardian, November 2, 2021 

    • Anti-Authoritarian Playbook


Articles of Incorporation: Not publicly accessible. As an unincorporated nonprofit, Christ Church is not required to file Form 990 or disclose incorporation details, limiting transparency.


About Our Rating


Final Rating: Not Recommended


Based on our investigation, Christ Church in Moscow, Idaho, is not recommended due to significant red flags, including a lack of financial transparency, allegations of mishandling sexual abuse cases, an authoritarian culture, and controversial teachings promoting Christian nationalism, theocracy, hyper-patriarchy, Federal Vision theology, and strict child discipline that risks normalizing abuse. The church’s unincorporated status obscures financial practices, particularly given its extensive real estate and business holdings. Douglas Wilson’s views on slavery, gender roles, covenantal salvation, and child discipline, reinforced by his family’s writings, further erode trust. The church’s handling of the Steven Sitler and Jamin Wight cases and reports of spiritual abuse indicate serious problems with abuse and a culture of protecting predators over victims. While the church has a strong community and educational influence through affiliates like New Saint Andrews College, these are overshadowed by concerns about control, transparency, and ethical conduct. Our Libertarian Christian perspective prioritizes liberty in Christ, love, authenticity, transparency, integrity, and protection of the vulnerable, which Christ Church significantly lacks.


Recommendations:



Educate yourself on the red flags of church corruption and abuse by reading our free reports:


Anyone attending this church or any church should also check Dr. Steve Hassan’s BITE Model and Undue Influence Continuum to protect themselves from potential abuse and other cult-like treatment.



Download a free PDF copy of this report:


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