This week we tackle a big question: Who really speaks for God? With the Catholic Church appointing a new pope this year, and the Mormon prophet passing away just this weekend, both traditions are again highlighting their unique systems for choosing a spiritual leader. Catholics gather in Rome and elect a pope. Mormons promote their longest-serving apostle to prophet. But both groups agree on one thing: their leader is God’s one true mouthpiece on earth.

In this episode, we’ll explore:

• How prophets are chosen in the Bible — God personally calls His messengers (Exodus 3, Isaiah 6, Jeremiah 1).
• How Mormons pick their prophet — by seniority in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
• How Catholics choose their pope — by election among cardinals.
• What each group believes about their leader — both claim he speaks with divine authority.
• Why both systems are unbiblical — Hebrews 1:1–2 shows that in these last days God speaks through His Son.
• Real-world examples of the danger of unchecked authority — LDS prophets reversing “eternal” teachings, Catholic popes pushing indulgences.
• The biblical test of prophets — Deuteronomy 13 and 18 show how to spot false authority.
• The biblical model of leadership — pastors and elders serving under Christ and His Word (1 Peter 5, Titus 1, Acts 17).
• The good news — Jesus is the final Prophet, Priest, and King. We don’t need a pope in Rome or a prophet in Salt Lake City. We need Christ.

Key Verses:

• Hebrews 1:1–2
• Isaiah 8:20
• Deuteronomy 13:1–5; 18:21–22
• 1 Peter 5:2–3
• Acts 17:11
• 1 John 4:1

Takeaway:

Catholics say, “Follow the pope.” Mormons say, “Follow the prophet.” But Jesus says, “Follow me.”

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The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at podcast@pursueGOD.org.

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In this episode, Bryan and Layne unpack the final temple recommend questions—showing how LDS “worthiness” tests create pressure and why the Bible offers true confidence through Jesus’ finished work, not our performance.

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The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at podcast@pursueGOD.org.

Donate Now

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Temple Recommend Questions (Part 2): Worthiness and the Gospel

In this episode, Bryan and Layne continue their conversation about the 16 temple recommend questions every Latter-day Saint must answer in order to be considered “worthy” to enter the temple. Picking up at question nine, they explore the topics of honesty, tithing, the Word of Wisdom, divorce obligations, temple covenants, serious sins, and the final worthiness questions.

Layne shares from his own experience as a former Mormon how these interviews shaped his view of God and created constant pressure to prove his worthiness. Together, Bryan and Layne contrast that system with the Bible’s message of grace—where worthiness is not earned by man but fully given through Christ.

You’ll hear how:

• Honesty and integrity matter, but only Jesus was perfectly honest.
• Tithing becomes a “fire insurance” requirement in Mormonism, but the Bible calls us to joyful generosity.
• The Word of Wisdom mixes biblical wisdom with added, shifting rules.
• Temple covenants are heavy and impossible to keep perfectly—yet Jesus kept the law on our behalf.
• True confession begins with God, not with a bishop or stake president.
• Our worthiness is found in Christ alone, not in passing a list of man-made questions.

This episode helps listeners see the difference between the pressure of man’s system and the freedom of Christ’s finished work.

In this part 1 of 2 episodes, Bryan and Layne pull back the curtain on Mormonism’s temple recommend—walking through the 16 worthiness questions, why they emphasize loyalty and performance over Jesus’ finished work, and what the Bible says about true access to God.

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The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at podcast@pursueGOD.org.

Donate Now

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In this episode, Bryan and Layne take listeners inside one of the most important—and least understood—practices in Mormonism: the temple recommend interview.

For members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), receiving a temple recommend is like getting a spiritual passport. Without it, you cannot enter Mormon temples, where sacred ordinances such as baptisms for the dead, eternal marriages, and endowments are performed. To get one, every member must answer the same 16 “worthiness questions” in interviews with both their local bishop and their stake president.

Layne, who held temple recommends for decades before leaving Mormonism, explains what these questions are, what they test, and how they compare with the Bible’s teaching about salvation, worthiness, and grace.

A temple recommend is a physical card (now often digitized) that allows a Mormon to enter any LDS temple worldwide. It is valid for two years, after which the member must repeat the interview process to renew it.

For many Mormons, obtaining a recommend is the pinnacle of religious devotion. From childhood classes to teenage priesthood offices, LDS culture builds anticipation for the temple. Preparation includes six weeks of temple prep classes and then the recommend interview.

The interview itself consists of 16 standardized questions. These questions are designed to measure whether someone is “worthy” to enter the temple. But as Layne explains, they often test external performance more than internal faith.

The first few questions sound straightforward:

1. Do you have faith in God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost?
2. Do you have a testimony of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and His role as Savior and Redeemer?

At face value, many Christians could answer “yes.” But the problem arises in the definitions. A biblical Christian would describe God as one eternal Being in three persons—the Father, Son, and Spirit. Yet Mormonism defines them as three separate gods. Similarly, Mormons often emphasize Jesus’ suffering in Gethsemane rather than His finished work on the cross.

The result? The questions aren’t just about belief in God or Christ—they’re about belief in the LDS version of God and Christ.

Other questions reveal more clearly the institutional loyalty expected:

• Do you have a testimony of the “restoration” of the gospel through Joseph Smith?
• Do you sustain the current prophet and apostles as seers and revelators?
• Do you support or promote any teachings contrary to those of the LDS...