Testimony Tuesday: Audrey Tyson (Part 2/3)

The prosperity gospel promises control. The real gospel takes it away and somehow gives you something better.

We tell the story of how Tyson walked out of Word of Faith thinking and into a Bible-shaped faith, starting with resources like The American Gospel and teachers who won’t bend Scripture to fit a moment. Along the way, we talk about why those awkward, repetitive gospel conversations with family matter more than we think. Seeds get planted at holidays, on phone calls, in messy relationships, and God can bring them back years later like puzzle pieces finally clicking into place.

This conversation doesn’t dodge the hard parts: childhood trauma, looking for counterfeit father figures, and the complicated work of forgiving a parent. Tyson shares what it meant to care for her mother through cancer, keep bringing the gospel even when it was rejected, and then discover a diary entry that brought unexpected closure. If you’ve ever wondered how to hold truth and tenderness at the same time, you’ll feel the tension and the hope here.

We also go deep on Reformed theology, the doctrines of grace, total depravity, and the sovereignty of God. We talk about pride, self-protection, anger, and why sanctification can look like a thousand small turns to the Lord. Tyson anchors that growth in 2 Corinthians 3:16: veils lifted, freedom found, and real change “from glory to glory.”

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Transcript

Leaving Prosperity Teaching Behind

SPEAKER_03 0:00

When after I came out of the prosperity gospel and watched the American Gospel, learning true doctrine, it was R.C. Sprawl that I was diving into, Body Beckham, Paul Washer, even James White. I didn't even know anything about Calvinism then. I just I could tell he was pretty solid. So I listened to him and John MacArthur.

Family Influence And Gospel Seeds

SPEAKER_05 0:21

How were you so the uh the with so whichever one of those guys you came through first, what I'm getting at is how did how did you meet, how did you how did you find out about those guys or the first one?

SPEAKER_03 0:32

So my brother. My brother has been, he he got out so back when I was 14, he ended up joining the Marines and he left. So that was another traumatic event because I was like, you left me behind knowing how how bad it was. But he got married to a private school's president's daughter. So he got married into a very Christian family, and so they brought him up teaching him Christianity. So he was very, very religious, and he would anytime I talked to him on the phone or anytime we did holidays and stuff, he was in my ear here, there, here. That's why I think it's so important when we're going to these holidays, tell the gospel, tell the gospel, tell the gospel, because it it was annoying for me at the time, but when it when God was ready to open my eyes, it all came flooding back, right? So every seed that was planted by a neighbor taking me to church, um, by anybody spreading the seed, God brought it back to my remembrance. And it was like little puzzle pieces all fitting together. So I think anytime you share the gospel with somebody, it matters huge. It matters big time. And don't ever be discouraged, even if you don't see the flourishment right then, the seed, it's about the seed, like we're here to plant these seeds, and it matters because I can remember when like all those little seeds were planted for me.

SPEAKER_05 2:01

Just a minute.

SPEAKER_00 2:04

So do you now that you look back after you know, look back at your childhood, like we've had buddy talks. One thing I wanted to ask that just came to me. Do you see, like, if you were to look back at your childhood, like all the counterfeit father figures you had in your life? Like when you when you were young and you dated, you know, the older man, he was the one that was coming to the volleyball games. He was the he was the one that was taking you to prom and these things were allowed to happen. And then you would right then with your you say your prom promiscuity, it's almost like you're looking, your spirit was looking for this kind of father type figure, only to find that your father, the Lord Jesus Christ, reveals himself to you in your life, and as you look back, you can see like where the enemy almost tried to give you something that was counterfeit, that it didn't, it didn't, it never fit, and then you get so you receive salvation and you truly understand like where your heart cries abatter. Do you like ever look back in your past and like see like all these counterfeit things and like where the Lord has brought you from those?

Forgiveness Through Illness And Care

SPEAKER_03 3:23

Absolutely. So when I when my mom found out that that her stepfather had graped me, I didn't learn this till uh till later, but she was angry with me about it, and I never understood why. But apparently he had done the same thing to her. So her own stepfather had been doing this to her for years, and so I don't know if she like maybe fell in love with him. I don't know. I knew that she hated me, like, you know, for whatever reason, I never could pinpoint it. But this is another thing while forgiveness is so important because even though me and my mother had a very raw relationship, it was kind of weird. The whole hippie narcissist, I think all I think like the generations kind of are alike. So I think a lot of our moms were kind of like that. That's what I keep hearing. So it's just funny, you know. So the propaganda that they were under, I'm sure wasn't helping, but God gave me the ability to forgive once He revealed to me everything that I needed to be forgiven of. It was it was water under the bridge to forgive someone else. And so she got cancer. I forgot to tell y'all about that part. So after my dad died, a few months later, I found out she had my mom had brain cancer. This was after she got arrested. I bailed her out, I lost my job. Then I found out she had brain cancer. Sorry. And so I thought it was a stroke because she couldn't say she was trying to tell me, hand me the remote, but she was like saying, hand me the copper pot. I was like, what is the copper pot? And so I just called 911. But when we got her to the ER, we did the scans and she had stage four lung and brain cancer and tumors. So here I am with two babies toting around the ER. And but I'm just super glad that God gave me a time, right? Because I was saved a couple probably about a year before sh before we found out she was getting diagnosed and all that. So it gave me time to actually forgive her and actually take care of her. Not only forgive her, but um, it gave me time to not only forgive her, but to actually build a relationship with her in a new light, knowing that she did the best that she had the ability to do, right? And that I had no idea what had happened to her to make her the way she is. So I almost got to look from the outside in and not hold a grudge against her, but to know that God does everything for my good. So whatever childhood I had, ultimately it was for my good, period. You know, and that we don't fight against flesh and blood, but principality. So my war isn't against her, and she's probably doing the best that she has the ability and capacity to do, right? She didn't have the gospel in her life, so I had to take a step back and realize, oh, she's not a superhuman, she's humanly fleshed, totally depraved. She needs the gospel. So I would go to her nursing room and she would cuss me out, but I would still tell her the gospel because where are you gonna go? Because you can't walk. You know, you gotta sit here with me while I do your nails and take it off. So we're just gonna smile and do it. So I got a good year of doing that, and then you know, the COVID thing happened, and I wasn't even allowed to go in her room anymore. So I would sit outside her window. I would sit outside her window harassing her, writing her little notes and stuff. And she would always get angry anytime I brought it up, but I I still would try to, you know, sweetly slide it in. And sure enough, what even when she passed away, I had no idea, right, was it in vain? Was I doing this in vain? Or, you know, but I found her diary, and I know I'm terrible. I repented, but I did look at her diary, okay? And I saw that she on the last page, y'all, she wrote a prayer, and I could tell that she understood the gospel and she understood God's sovereignty. And it just it was a full circle for me to know that again, every time we tell the gospel to our our people, to our enemies, to people who persecute us, these are seeds planted, and you know, we're here to spread the good commission. So the great commission.

SPEAKER_05 8:23

What do you what do you what do you think has been for you as a Christian, as a Christian, the hardest thing you've ever that you've had to deal with as a Christian? What's the hardest thing? That wouldn't that wouldn't have been hard if you weren't a Christian. You know what I mean? Pardon me?

SPEAKER_03 8:42

My flesh, myself.

SPEAKER_05 8:45

What do you mean by that?

SPEAKER_03 8:47

So I you know, going through a survival type childhood, my brain is like survival mode, fight, fight, fight. So I have serious rage and anger, like it clicks like that, and you would think I'm like a wild bear. But having to give that to Christ, having to know that finally I have somebody, the Lord Jesus Christ, who protects me. And I don't have to always protect myself. I don't have to rip people to shreds because they're persecuting me. I don't have to do with that anymore. And so it's definitely helped me to calm down a lot because before it was always up to me. I was the one who had to protect myself. Nobody else was gonna care about me. Nobody else was gonna protect me. I had to do it on my own. I had to stand up for myself, right? And so becoming a Christian, it was having, you know, letting go of constantly fighting to defend myself all the time. I still do it because I'm still growing, but it's definitely less. That's probably the hardest thing is me fighting my own flesh for sure.

SPEAKER_05 10:02

Now, everybody has a favorite verse in the Bible was yours, and why?

SPEAKER_03 10:06

All right. So um 2 Corinthians 3.16 says that every single time you turn to the Lord, veils are removed, freedom is found, right? And so it's talking about, you know, the Moses and them, every time the Bible's read, veils are removed. But for me, it's significant because it reminds me that every single time I decide to shed flesh and turn to the Lord, it matters. It says veils are removed when we do, when we suffer in our flesh and shed it and turn to the Lord, every single time matters. It says veils are removed, and not only that, it says freedom is found, and not only that, it says he will conform you to the image of his son from glory to glory to glory to glory. So I just try to implement that every single time, every little decision, even if you're just angry a little bit and you're like, you know what, I'm gonna pull that in, take my cut, take my thoughts captive, renew it by the word, and I'm gonna turn to the Lord. It matters every little bitty, because you do that a little bit, a little bit, a little bit, and it over time you will be a new person. You'll be transformed by the Holy Spirit, by the washing of the word. So, yeah, that's my favorite verse. Sorry.

SPEAKER_05 11:23

No, no problem at all. Brother Pat and then Evie.

SPEAKER_06 11:28

Hey, Sister Tyson. Love it, love that you're doing this tonight. I've got a question for you about your journey. Because, you know, I'm with you all the time. And and there had to be a certain point where you wanted to go further with your knowledge of God and the Bible. How how do you go from your background all the way to Reformed theology? I've often I've often said that there's a sort of a surface level version of Christianity, right? That many people never get further than that. And I've kind of always viewed that there's this theological gate, and it's the sovereignty of God, it's a gate that stands before man. And the deep things of God are behind that gate. And so to those who never bow the knee, they can't go there. They can they you they can't go to places because you can't go there without God. How did you end up there? I mean, do you even know how does that happen for you?

SPEAKER_03 12:51

To be honest, this is where I'm glad that God uses our even when our flesh is evil, he uses it for our good because I have this thing where I don't like to be wrong, okay? So therefore, I will study because I want to be right. And so God's sovereignty is where I ended up because it's right. So yeah, it was always a prideful, egotistical thing. Like when I when I'm speaking to someone about it, I want to know what I'm talking about. So, you know, as as fleshly as that sounds, that's that's the truth. I just don't like to be wrong.

SPEAKER_05 13:33

Just that that is not fleshly at all. That is the way every Christian should be. So don't ever don't ever apologize for that. Ever. Strive to be correct with the word of God. Don't ever change that. But just don't let people frustrate you when they try to speak against it. You just stick hard to the truth, continue to learn, and uh and this, and the Spirit of God will give you what you need at the at the right time for the right person, and it'll be the right thing said, and it will be understood. So don't ever apologize for wanting to be precise with the word of God, ever.

SPEAKER_06 14:05

Can I ask one follow-up before we go to Sister Evie? Since we're already on this train of thought. Okay. So you want to know the truth about things. You don't want to be on the wrong oh, we got a line. That's true. Cause is bringing it tonight. Yep. So you want to know the truth about God and and you start digging into these things. But here's the thing about the truth. So there's always that, you know, sometimes you you bite into more than you can chew because we all want truth when it's on the outside because it looks great. You know, the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. But then when you get into the truth, it shows you things about yourself that you didn't know that you were gonna have to deal with, right? So has there been anything about reformed theology that has convicted you about maybe sin in your life or things that you needed to change in going deeper in your understanding? Has it opened up, you know, your perspective to your own life?

SPEAKER_03 15:14

Yeah, I've always been super hard on myself and super critical because of my background. People just automatically probably assumed I was gonna be like my parents. So I've always been very critical, and I've always been, by the grace of God, I see now that it was by him the whole time. But I've always been a lover of, you know, uh examining myself. The hardest thing coming to reform theology was probably that it wasn't by my doing, but by God. Because I do strive so much, there's a uh ego and a pride that comes with that. Like, oh well, I like I was saying, I examine myself, I this, I that. And so, you know, the truth just came out, came with reform theology that it was nothing of me, but only by the grace and mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ to even have the ability to do that. That was probably the biggest, like, oh, you know what I mean, was that it wasn't by anything of myself, by my strength, by my, you know, none of that. It was by the grace of God. That was probably the biggest, like, ooh- you know.

SPEAKER_06 16:38

Ancestor, amen.

SPEAKER_03 16:40

I thought I was good somehow, you know, I guess, because I came from such rowdy families, and like here I am, not on drugs, I'm in the army, I'm not, I ain't got no kids out of wedlock. You know, I'm thinking I'm all right. You know, and then God was like, not, you know. So I I just, it was a smooth sit down. He had he gave me a smooth sit your butt down kind of thing. And I was like, okay, sure.

SPEAKER_02 17:17

Sister Evie, and then well, I had my fingers crossed in hopes that Pat wouldn't take my question. He kind of did. So mine kind of lines up with his. So the question is because American Gospel, which I think that every 31 of these people on here, if they never watched it, it doesn't matter what your thought process is. I really think that that's that's great that you watch that. That is one of the uh first videos that I watched when I came to faith, which is super cool. But anyway, so my my question, and I think you already answered it, was what were the challenges? Like, were there like was election one that was really difficult for you that you really pondered? Was it, you know, preservation of the saints? Like really deep, you know, theological differences that the prosperity gospel has versus, you know, the word of faith and all of that has versus ones with the reformed kind of thought process. What were the challenges? Because I know that there's like they call it the cage stage and particular things that that happened when your whole thought process has to change and you feel like I felt like I didn't know you at all, or was it more like you were in all of God, or was it like struggles? Were there struggles that you were like opening the text and straight up crying, like, what is this God?

SPEAKER_04 18:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 18:45

So I ended up taking R.C. Sproul's God's sovereignty class before I started to read on my own. So I would just happen to be blessed with understanding my total depravity before I even dove into it. And so it was beautiful. I realized that God didn't have to save any of us, none of us, and he does. So I automatically saw his his pre his predestination by his love. Like that's his love to save some and not the other way around. Because I know a lot of people see it as evil, but I just never had that because I already knew that we were all totally depraved beforehand. So if he saved one of us, like what a merciful God he is. So I just I don't know. I never had an issue with God's sovereignty.

Why Total Depravity Makes Grace Shine

SPEAKER_05 19:47

Oh, sorry, just a minute. Go ahead.

SPEAKER_00 19:51

What would you say to somebody who is who gets introduced to these doctrines, whether it be like Evie said, God's sovereignty, perseverance of the faith, safe, limited atonement, whatever that is, these doctrines, what do you say to somebody who's having a hard time understanding and in a space where they are unlearning the untruth to learn to the truth? What would you what would you be your encouragement to them?

SPEAKER_03 20:24

To take it one step at a time first. But once you, I think the focus of total depravity, knowing that it turns out good in the end, some people are scared of total depravity because they're like, oh, but Jesus paid for it all. And it's like, okay, so it's okay if we evaluate our total depravity. I think once you understand who we are compared to who he is, a pure and holy and righteous God, it all everything falls into place after that. If you don't necessarily, if you think God is like an old grandpa in the sky just kind of peeping in on you, you know, I I just think we have we don't have a good idea of who we are compared to who he is. I think once that is in alignment, the rest of it should be a piece of cake.

SPEAKER_00 21:14

One more question. Do you think that? Oh my god, I lost it. Do you think that the majority of Christians don't really understand how depraved we really are, even when it comes to the Lord Jesus Christ? Do do you think that there's the majority of people who think, you know what? Well, there there has to be some type of good in me, or do you think that Christians truly grasp that there is nothing good in them? So what what do you what would you say about that?

SPEAKER_03 21:51

Yeah, so understanding that you're fully forgiven, you don't have to be afraid to see the truth. That he is telling us in scripture of how totally depraved we really are. He says every thought of the intention of man was wicked only continually, right? So I think a lot of times we're afraid to examine our wickedness. And I think that comes out of fear of, oh man, well, what if God won't love me? He already knows how wicked and he already knows all this. So you don't have to be afraid. It's because once you recognize your your total depravity, it's freeing because he loved you first. He loved you first. So you don't have to be afraid to see yourself, sorry, for who we are in our flesh, it makes the gospel so much more beautiful and and miraculous, and it'll mean so much more when you realize how truly depraved you were. God says that he's holding back our wickedness, right? So once you understand that it's safe for you to examine yourself and see the love that he had while you were in that state, it makes them more beautiful. And also you can um shed a whole lot more flesh when you can see it. So when he's revealing our flesh to us, it's not a condemnation, it's an honor.

unknown 23:38

Right.

SPEAKER_03 23:44

Like you know that you're under grace, spiritually covered by the blood of Christ, by the righteousness of Christ. So you don't have to be afraid to see who he's showing you that you are. That way you have a better understanding of how to how to shed it, shed that flesh.

Trusting God With Trauma And Health

SPEAKER_01 24:05

Your testimony is just a great one. Truly inspiring, and it should be to all those who maybe have not come to faith. And I know that I know you, and while I'm listening to you, you know, you've you actually accepted some of these hard truths that people are often wrestling with very easily. So my question, I guess, would be is there anything that in the scriptures that you did wrestle with that maybe wasn't as profound as the sovereignty of God or total depravity that you kind of had to wrestle with in your walking and and your faith?

SPEAKER_03 24:50

The main thing was going through as much trauma I did as a child. That was that was a rough one. But I knew beforehand, before I dove dove into it, I knew beforehand that God knows better than I do. And he works all things for my good. So he's gonna know exactly what I need to save my soul. Like he's gonna know what I need in the fleshly realm to save my soul. So whatever that may be, I know that it's for my good. That's why even as I'm going through this sickness and through this thoughts and stuff, I trust him because whatever it takes, because for all I know, if I was, you know, all healthy and hopping around, like, you know, I might not be as tied to his feet as I am. So whatever he whatever he deems the best for me to keep me at his feet, I want that. Even if that's like not having good health or whatever the case may be, his will, not mine, all the time. I'm like, your will be done, not mine, your will, because my will might be you know to be healthy, wealthy, whatever, but it might take my soul for all I know. So not my will, but your will be done, no matter what that is. Um, keep me at your feet, God, and whatever comes with that.

SPEAKER_04 26:15

It's scary to say sometimes because it's like but I truly do believe that, you know, like keep me at your feet, God. Keep me at your feet.

Speaking Truth When People Push Back

SPEAKER_05 26:25

Sister, I gotta tell you something. You know, there's a lot about you to love besides your laugh. Because I love the way you laugh. But what I what I also love about you is that you talk about these doctrines of grace, this theology, you talk about the sovereignty of God, you talk about depravity, probably more than anybody I've ever spoken to on TikTok. You mentioned depravity more than anybody else. And I and I and I what I love about you is that you are not afraid. You you you are ferocious about this, and I love it. And I noticed that you don't yield to people in order to keep the peace. And and that's one thing that I understand. And so I want to encourage you to continue doing that because I think that the more people that see that, because especially when it comes to the depravity, everybody talks about what they think should be told to a person who doesn't know Christ. What's the first thing they should be telling them? And you get all kinds of things. But one of the things you don't hear today is that we are depraved sinners. Can you imagine going to somebody and telling them if they ask you you know how to be how to become saved, how you would sound today if you said you can't. If you were to say you can't, because the reality is that's the truth. They can't. Why? Because of what you always say. They are depraved. They are depraved. Is there a remedy? Yes. Flee to Christ. Ask him to take away that depravity. Because if you're able to do that, and and and you and you're and he's and he takes away that death that you talked about, that's because he has already worked in them. He's already worked in them to repent and to turn. So to me, you are worth celebrating in this in this regard because you are not afraid and you hold your ground ferociously, and I love it. I love it. And I'll tell you something else, sister. I wish there were more men doing it. I wish there were more men doing it. And this has nothing to do with a gender thing, it has to do with God's order. But I tell you this much I'd rather have you go out there and preaching on a rooftop to these truths, than to say, oh, well, no, she shouldn't be saying anything because that's supposed to be what a man is doing. Well, if a man's not doing it, I'll take it from a sister who's willing to do it and willing to speak on it. Look, the Lord Jesus Christ says, if if you guys don't speak out, even the rocks will cry out. How much better is a woman who knows the truth than a rock? You understand? So, sister, you don't change a thing. You just you just keep doing what you're doing because God is definitely working with your soul, and there's not a doubt about that in my mind at all. So keep doing what you're doing. Can you hear me okay? Because I said I can't hear anybody from now right now.

SPEAKER_03 29:45

Yeah, I was on mute because my kids were they were trying to sneak in.

SPEAKER_05 29:50

So so that's what I want that's what I wanted to tell you because you know you know, because I'll tell you something, because there are a lot of people who know these truths, and I'll keep it short because it's your testimony, not mine. But there's a lot of people who know these truths just like what you're talking about. But they hesitate or are afraid or are intimidated by the faces of other men. Especially when they throw things out there like, oh, you're not being loving, oh, you're, you know, you're being too this, you're being too that. This is not the right way to say it. If that I I don't, you know, the problem is not what you're saying, but it's how you say it. You see, and the thing about it is, no matter how gentle your tone is, no matter how soft your tone is, all they hear is the screaming trumpets of the warning call of the Most High to pay attention. And that's what they want to stifle, not you. So never forget that. When you are going out there, you're being resisted because you're telling the truth. Just remember, it is not you they're trying to shut up. It is that clarion call of the Lord God Almighty, screaming in their hearts what they know is true in their hearts, and they continue to suppress the truth by their unrighteousness. You keep talking about depravity because that's what makes people fearful and forces them to look for a remedy, and that gives us an opportunity to tell them where that remedy is. Don't change a thing.

SPEAKER_03 31:19

What you're saying is so true because I've witnessed this with free, right? She has like the sweetest voice. She'll be like, you know. And she'll say something about God's soft, and they're ready to eat her head off, you know. So I know you can't have a sweet tone soft enough.

What Is The American Gospel

SPEAKER_05 31:34

Don't matter. It doesn't matter, sister. Doesn't matter. I got one last question to ask you before we go on to somebody else here. What is, because you mentioned it and Evie mentioned it, what is America gospel? I never heard of that before.

SPEAKER_03 31:46

The American gospel. Oh my.