Melissa Dougherty gave her heart to Jesus at 16 years old, but she was quickly pulled into a more “spiritually evolved” version of Christianity: New Thought. The more she studied God’s Word and biblical reasoning, the more she realized she’d been sold a bill of goods — and she became obsessed with helping others identify the lies, too. Now, as a Christian apologist with a rapidly growing YouTube following, Melissa helps others discern biblical truth from deception and has even written a book on the topic called “Happy Lies.”

Join us today for an in-depth discussion with Melissa about her journey from New Thought to apologetics, how she finds spiritual rejuvenation through art, her lifelong battle with anxiety and the spiritual habits and resources that have strengthened her faith the most.

QUESTION #1: ACQUAINT

There’s much more to food than palate and preference. How does a go-to meal at your favorite hometown restaurant reveal the true you behind the web bio?

As a Greek girl, I feel this question in my bones. My family on my dad’s side is Greek, and food was a big deal growing up. For me, if it doesn’t punch me in the face with flavor, it’s hard to impress me. But when it does? I don’t just sit there; I celebrate it. It might be a little dance or a moment of silence as I savor it, perhaps. But prepared or not, people around me know when I’m enjoying my meal.

I’ve lived in New Mexico since I was 14. It’s a melting pot of food and culture. Every year, they have a Greek Festival in town, and there’s one main reason I take my family there: the food. There was one particular time we went a few years ago that sticks out to me. I got my gyro, dolmades, baklava and Greek coffee (very earthy!) and made my way to the place where they were doing music and dancing. That’s when I saw my sister with my young daughter and a large group of people out on the floor dancing to “Zorba the Greek.” There was something in that moment in that atmosphere that made me feel at home. I took a bite of my gyro, closed my eyes, savoring it and did a little jig in my chair. For some reason, it tasted better that day.

QUESTION #2: REVEAL

We’ve all got quirky proclivities and out-of-the-way interests. So what are yours? What so-called “nonspiritual” activity (or activities) do you love engaging in, which also helps you find essential spiritual renewal?

Out of every hobby or interest I’ve ever done in life, one thing makes me feel like nothing else in this world does: painting. I’ve always had an artistic side, especially from a young age. I had one particular elementary school teacher who would assign me what I thought were odd tasks at the time. It consisted of me redecorating an area of the classroom, choosing a color scheme or doing anything with the arts. When we moved that year, she told my mom, “Please don’t leave. I’ve waited my entire career for a child like yours.” I didn’t realize she saw the artist in me before I ever did.

When I had my second child, painting saved me. From the way the paint smelled (sweet wood) to the feel of the brush on the canvas (like butter), this was like a mental vacation to a different world. I sit and listen to worship music. Or a podcast. Or nothing. There’s something incredibly freeing about creating a piece of art. There are no rules. No grammar checks. No fact-checking. When I sit back to see what I’ve created, I feel joy. I imagine this is how the Father, the perfect Artist, felt after creating the world: joy.

QUESTION #3: CONFESS

Every superhero has a weakness. Every human too. We’re just good at faking it. But who are we kidding? We’re broken and in this thing together. So what’s your kryptonite, and how do you hide it?

When I was a child, I remember constantly having stomach aches. My mom took me to numerous doctors to try to figure out why. One said I was lactose intolerant. Another said it could be some sort of virus. I did a rather uncomfortable procedure to see if there was something in my intestinal tract. All of these answers fell short. I continued struggling.

Then, I became an adult, and I had an epiphany — there was one common denominator that I’d had my entire life that always seemed to correspond with when I had a stomach ache. It was an unexpected kryptonite that held me back my entire life: anxiety. I never realized what an anxious child I was and how it physically affected me.

Unfortunately, it got worse after 2020. In fact, I had my first all-out, full-fledged panic attack in 2021. It was an experience unlike anything I had ever encountered before. It was like drowning above water. For me, I think if hell could exist in the form of a feeling, it would be the terror I experienced in a panic attack. My anxiety isn’t chronic, and I don’t experience it often. But when it hits? It hits hard. There’s good news here, though. In the last two years, I have had significant growth in managing my anxiety, and it has opened the world up for me in a way I never thought possible.

QUESTION #4: FIRE UP

Tell us about your toil. How are you investing your professional time right now? What’s your current obsession? And why should it be ours?

Ah, my obsession ...

I’m so glad to annoy you with it.

First, it’s important to know that my spiritual background is complicated. I grew up in a household that was fascinated with the supernatural. It wasn’t uncommon to hear stories of spirits visiting my family or an intense experience with a supernatural being. I simply thought this meant we were on a higher spiritual frequency. I was taught this was all compatible with Christianity.

Fast forward, and I became a Christian at 16. Through an interesting series of events, I was drawn to “Christian” teachings that taught me about the power of my mind, affirmations, frequencies, vibrations, prosperity, my True Self, the power within me as a child of God and more. These were things that Jesus supposedly taught too and were very much like the teachings I grew up with. It was “metaphysical Christianity.” It was a more spiritually evolved, positive-thinking Christianity. Many people might think these sound like New Age teachings. They’re not. It’s called “New Thought,” and it’s much stealthier than New Age. New Thought will deceive Christians before the New Age because it’s made to look like Christianity. When I realized this, how could I stay quiet? So I went a little nuts and wrote a book called “Happy Lies” that details how New Thought has more influence than recognition and how it’s interwoven throughout society and the Christian church.

So that’s my annoying obsession. My hope is that once Christians see New Thought, they won’t be able to unsee it and will annoy others with it too.

QUESTION #5: BOOST

Cashiers, CEOs, contractors or customer service reps, we all need grace flowing into us and back out into the world. How does the Holy Spirit invigorate your work? And how do you know it’s God when it happens?

The times I feel closest to God and feel him giving me strength and revitalization are when I’m alone. My best ideas and “aha” moments are when I can simply be in my thoughts with God, whether it’s in prayer or when I open up the Bible and read it, pondering what I’m reading. I tend to be more cerebral, so I truly enjoy it when I learn something about God that fascinates me. It gives me a deep trust in him. In this way, I don’t worry about “content” or “topics” to cover. They just come to me at times, and I feel a rush of excitement to cover them. It’s a spark of an idea that I’ll get when I’m driving, walking or doing my makeup. But it’s always when I’m alone.

It’s the times when I know I need to disconnect and rest. Much of the ministry I do is online, and it’s important to keep my head “out of the clouds” and stay focused on God and not the algorithm. I feel God leading me toward healthy boundaries, which means I say no. A lot. And I don’t feel guilty about it. And it’s been one of the best things for me and my family. It’s more than just a feeling or a good habit. There are healthy choices that flow from reading the Bible regularly and learning about his character and attributes. Even God rested. I push the pause button when I need to because when I’m rested, I feel the leading of the Holy Spirit.

QUESTION #6: inspire

Scripture and tradition beckon us into the rich and varied habits that open our hearts to the presence of God. So let us in. Which spiritual practice is working best for you right now?

I’m going to carry over the same habit of being alone from the last question but add two important elements: worship music and walking. There’s nothing else on my mind when I’m moving and worshipping. Since my ministry work often emphasizes critical thinking, theological study and deep spiritual enrichment — experiences that are profoundly worshipful for me — there are times when I just need to worship in a different way.

Lately, that has involved taking a walk with my Doberman, Spike, and listening to worship music. But it’s more than just a walk. I’m seeing the sunset. The mountains. Watching the birds fly. Smelling the air. There’s something about listening to songs about God’s creation while walking among God’s creation that hits differently. It’s experiencing his awe and majesty through the words of the Psalms, then witnessing it come alive as a song echoing that same wonder.

Even as I write this, I can’t wait to grab my headphones and my pup and smile at the sunset as the breeze washes over me.

QUESTION #7: FOCUS

Looking backward, considering the full sweep of your unique faith journey and all you encountered along the way, what top three resources stand out to you? What changed the game and changed your heart? What radically altered your life? What changed your reality?

This might sound strange, but hear me out. There are two things that radically changed my life, deepened my spirituality and reshaped my approach to ministry: learning about cults and embracing critical thinking.

Let me explain. My journey into ministry began with an exploration of how cults operate, especially through learning from ministries led by former cult members. Their books, stories and articles were fascinating to me and helped me engage in wholesome conversations with those I disagreed with. This helped me grow my people skills when speaking to other people who were caught up in high-control groups. I learned to ask good questions, listen and challenge them in an effective way. It was like learning about an entirely different culture and way of thinking to reach them for the gospel.

It sounds strange, but this was one of the most profound things I ever did as a Christian. It helped me know what I believed, why I believed it and how to lovingly and biblically approach the lost. With this came lessons on how to think well. Some of the best books I’ve ever read about critical thinking and logic were books I read in seminary. One that’s very “heady” is “Come, Let Us Reason” by Normal Geisler and Ronald Brooks. Another more practical yet dynamic one is “Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions” by Greg Koukl. These two concepts and resources have helped me know and love my neighbor more, and they have also transformed my Bible study and understanding of God and objective truth.

There’s also a third resource that I adore and speak about often: “The Pilgrim’s Progress” by John Bunyan. There’s also an animated film version of this book that we watch with our whole family. It truly gets to the core of the gospel, humanity and our need for Jesus in an incredibly unique and poetic way.

We all have things we cling to to survive (or even thrive) in tough times — times like these! Name one resource you’re savoring and/or finding indispensable in this current season, and tell us what it’s doing for you.

There’s a book on my shelf that I pick up from time to time because it truly helps me do two things: make sense of the current chaos and remain steadfast in Christ and truth. It’s “Live Not by Lies” by Rod Dreher. In today’s world, sometimes we wake up and have to remind ourselves of simple basic truths:

Two plus two equals four.

Men are men.

Women are women.

Objective moral truth exists.

Objective truth exists.

It’s so easy to cave to the culture. But there’s a saying: biblical Christianity is unpopular, and popular Christianity is unbiblical. There are times I want to hide from the chaos and go off the map. It would just be easier to stop fighting and give in to reinterpretations of Scripture, basic truths and Christianity that are pleasing to people but an offense to God. This book gives me courage, knowing I’m not alone. The gospel has always been an offense. Jesus’ teachings have never been “popular” to the masses. There’s a beauty in the simplicity of the gospel message that brings true freedom and salvation. And that’s worth fighting for and conserving. No matter the cost.

QUESTION #8: dream

God is continually stirring new things in each of us. So, give us the scoop! What’s beginning to stir in you but not yet fully awakened? What can we expect from you in the future?

Right now, my focus is on the true heart of ministry — serving God and others. My love for my brothers and sisters in Christ became the driving force that pushed me to write a book (“Happy Lies”) — something I swore I’d never do. Honestly? It’s incredibly challenging, and if I’m being real, it’s also downright terrifying. Diving headfirst into two years of intense research and writing is the perfect recipe for a side of madness.

What’s stirring within me for the coming year is a desire to connect directly with my “invisible” audience and understand how to serve them more effectively. Can I answer their questions? Offer valuable teaching? Discover what they can teach me? How can we come together to serve God and others more deeply?

After this enormous project, I’m eager to take a more hands-on approach to ministry — boots on the ground, fully engaged. This might even mean stepping away from online ministry for a while. There’s a mix of hesitation and fear in that decision, but there’s also a sense of warmth and clarity guiding me toward it. We’ll see what happens. No matter what, I know God is with me, and all is well with my soul.

Close your eyes for a moment and imagine you’re in Jerusalem around 30 A.D. You walk into the Jewish temple, which was supposed to be reserved for sacrifices to the one true God. But instead of reverent worship, you find avarice: merchants taking advantage of the holy site to overcharge sincere pilgrims, including the poor.

What do you do? If you were Jesus, maybe you would overturn some of those merchants’ tables, release the overpriced animals for sacrifice, and drive out the greedy money changers. But if so, then you’d have a problem — people would be furious with you for interrupting business as usual.

Now, open your eyes. You might find that life in our modern world isn’t so different. People call evil good and good evil. Truth is relative. And even some churches have caved into worldly mindsets and behaviors.

Will we go along with business as usual? Or stand firm and pray fervently for a turnaround?

Melissa Dougherty