
Made and Unmade
From The Leader’s Notebook with Dr. Mark Rutland by Dr. Mark Rutland
February 24, 2026 · 35 min · Episode 301
About this episode
Dr. Mark Rutland discusses the dangers of self-made religion and the importance of true repentance and reliance on God's truth.
In this episode of The Leader’s Notebook (Ep. 301), I walk through Judges 17 and the tragic picture of spiritual confusion. Micah’s story shows how easily people build a self-made religion, mixing truth with error and assuming God must bless whatever they assemble. From false idols to hired priests, it is possible to look religious while being completely disconnected from God’s revealed truth. I contrast the self-made man, the man-made power system, and the unmade man who is broken before God, and I show how grace still reaches the humbled heart. This message is a clear call to reject spiritual “scrap-heap” faith and stand on the unchanging Word of God, the blood of Jesus Christ, and true repentance. Leaders especially must inspect their label and be sure they are God-made, not culture-made.- Dr. Mark Rutland
People in this episode
Host: Dr. Mark Rutland
Topics covered
- spiritual confusion
- self-made religion
- grace
- true repentance
- leadership
- faith
Keywords
- spiritual confusion
- self-made religion
- grace
- true repentance
- leadership
- faith
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: Judges 17
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- What Really Happened at Pentecost · May 19, 2026 · 47 min
- Natural and Supernatural · May 12, 2026 · 34 min
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