With more than 1.36 million YouTube subscribers and millions of viewers worldwide, Allen Parr has become one of the most trusted voices in online Christian discipleship. Through his popular ministry, The BEAT (Biblical Encouragement And Truth), Parr has helped believers navigate difficult questions about faith, culture, and spiritual growth with clarity and biblical conviction.
Now, the ordained pastor, speaker, and Dallas Theological Seminary graduate is tackling one of the most pressing issues facing Christians today: why so many believers remain trapped in cycles of defeat despite genuinely loving Jesus.
In his new book, Breaking Through: How Ordinary Believers Experience Extraordinary Freedom (Thomas Nelson/Nelson Books), Parr argues that salvation and freedom are not always experienced simultaneously. Many Christians are forgiven but still bound by what he calls "soul chains"-deeply rooted patterns of thinking, habits, wounds, and spiritual strongholds that prevent them from walking in the abundant life Christ promised.
Drawing from his own journey of overcoming lust, perfectionism, fear, and toxic relationships, Parr provides readers with a practical, biblical roadmap for identifying and breaking free from these chains. The book addresses issues that many Christians quietly battle, including anxiety, shame, addiction, comparison, low self-esteem, unforgiveness, and legalism.
In this exclusive interview, Parr discusses the personal experiences that inspired the book, the hidden struggles facing today's church, and why true transformation begins not with behavior modification but with renewing the mind through God's truth.
Q: Your journey as a pastor, teacher, and creator of The BEAT has impacted millions-how has your personal story shaped the message behind Breaking Through?
Before I started the BEAT and got married in 2015, there were many "soul chains" that had me bound. I discuss these in the book. Some were lust, perfectionism, toxic relationships, and fear (to name a few). I was saved and forgiven, but not free. And, if I'm honest, I didn't believe that freedom was possible for me. I felt shackled, controlled, and bound by these chains. But, as I began to apply the word of God to my life, and the steps I discuss in the book, I began to see these chains break off of me. This doesn't mean that my life is perfect, it just means that I am no longer bound. Because I've experienced victory in several areas, I wanted to write a book that not only encouraged but also equipped believers with a roadmap to freedom. That is what Breaking Through is all about. It's about helping believers experience the abundant life that Jesus died for.
Q: In Breaking Through, you talk about "soul chains" like toxic thinking and unforgiveness-what are some of the most common chains believers struggle with today?
In Breaking Through, I define a soul chain as "A deeply entrenched mindset, habit, or spiritual barrier that opposes God's truth and keeps a person in bondage, shaping their thoughts, behaviors, and identity in a way that hinders true freedom in Christ." That's a mouthful, but essentially, these chains are built on lies we believe about ourselves, others, and God. The enemy then capitalizes on these lies and creates chains around our soul, designed to hinder us from walking in the freedom and fullness God desires. Some of the most common ones are unforgiveness, addiction, toxic relationships, shame, low self-esteem, and legalism.
Q: You emphasize that real freedom starts with renewing the mind rather than just changing behavior-can you unpack what that looks like practically for everyday believers?
The Bible says in Romans 12:1-2 that we are to be "transformed by the renewing of our minds." Paul gives us the blueprint for transformation. He stated that it happens by having our minds renewed. The first step to experiencing freedom is to identify the lies we've believed and replace them with God's truth. For example, someone may believe "God can't truly love me after what I've done." They are convinced of that. So they walk in shame and defeat because that lie dominates their thinking and how they view God. God's truth is that before He saved you, He knew everything you were going to do, and yet He chose you in spite of yourself. Nothing you've done or will ever do will catch God off guard. Once we understand that, we need to embrace what the Bible says about this lie. It says that nothing can separate us from the love of God. This is just one example of what renewing your mind looks like practically in the life of the believer. We combat the lie with truth and then replace that lie with biblical truth.
Q: The book speaks directly into a culture dealing with anxiety, comparison, and hidden struggles-why do you think these issues are so prevalent right now within the church?
Issues around mental health are becoming more prevalent in our society, particularly in the church. Due to the rise of social media, we are more prone to compare ourselves to others, triggering feelings of low self-esteem and anxiety. I also think that our society has become more disconnected than in previous generations. We spend so much time in isolation with activities involving screens or attending online church, that we miss out on benefitting from community, leading to hidden struggles, shame, and defeat.
Q: You write that God uses our past mistakes as fuel for purpose-how can readers begin to reframe their failures through that lens?
In Breaking Through, I make the argument that the enemy has already gotten the victory in your life by keeping you bound in a particular area. The worst thing we can do is allow him to get the victory on the back end as well. When we keep silent about what God has brought us through, no one benefits from it. So many Christians are trying to figure out what their purpose is. Oftentimes, we can look back into our past and see how God allowed us to experience victory in a certain area and then share that story with others. I make the case that if you've been set free, you have the unique opportunity to help others experience that same freedom you did.
Q: What is your prayer for readers as they finish Breaking Through, and how do you hope it changes the way they walk out their faith daily?
My deepest prayer for those who finish Breaking Through is that believers would embrace the truth that they can be set free. They don't have to live in shame, defeat, constant failure, and depression. In addition, I want them to have a clear roadmap for how to experience this freedom. This is why I walk them through the three parts of my book. Part 1 is The Problem. This is where we identify what our soul chains are and the negative impact they've had on our lives and will continue to have if we don't address them. Part 2 is The Process. In this section, I walk through a biblical step-by-step process to freedom. Part 3 is entitled The Promise. It's here where I help people envision the life of freedom God has promised them through the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross for us. I pray that people don't just read about freedom, but they experience it.
