I Fired God: My Life Inside—and Escape From—the Secret World of the Independent Fundamental Baptist Cult

Jocelyn Zichterman's memoir documents her life within the Independent Fundamental Baptist church, from birth through her family's eventual escape. Founded by preacher Bob Jones, the IFB has several hundred thousand members and enforces strict isolation from other Baptist denominations and evangelicals, along with practices including secrecy, insular marriages, female subservience, and distinctive child-rearing methods. Zichterman systematically details the IFB's history of corruption, greed, and abuse. Drawing on her access to the church's inner circles, she reveals the gap between the public image associated with the Duggar family on 19 Kids and Counting and the church's actual practices. Her documentation has been used by law enforcement as a foundation for criminal prosecutions. The memoir exposes specific issues within the IFB: abuse facilitated by doctors and teachers who serve exclusively church members and fail to report physical and sexual abuse; Bob Jones University's questionable degree programs and financial practices; and the church's political influence at local, state, and national levels while using religious freedom protections to shield its abusive culture.