Refuge Church — Church Directory

Quick Facts

Pastor — the shepherd God holds accountable Pastor Brian Sauvé (Lead), Eric Conn, Dan Berkholder, Kevin Giffin, Ben Garrett (Elder Plurality)

Founded Unknown

Denomination Non-denominational Reformed

Service Times Sunday (check website for times)

Men's Ministry Yes

Kids Ministry Yes

Website www.refugeutah.org

Pastor Credentials Brian Sauvé — author, musician, Reformed theologian

10-Point Theological Scorecard

Christology

Is Jesus the only way? (John 14:6)

Reformed confessional tradition affirms the full deity and humanity of Christ — Nicene orthodoxy. Green.

Strong

Scripture

Inerrancy affirmed? Final authority?

Reformed tradition holds to the inerrancy and supreme authority of Scripture. Green.

Strong

Men's Discipleship

Intentional formation for men?

Strong men's formation culture. Brian Sauvé writes and teaches extensively on biblical masculinity.

Strong

Soteriology

Faith alone? How is salvation presented?

Reformed theology — salvation by grace alone through faith alone, doctrines of grace affirmed.

Strong

Gender / Biblical Design

Biblical manhood and womanhood by God's design — patriarchal, complementarian, egalitarian, or affirming gender ideology?

Brian Sauvé is a nationally known voice for biblical complementarianism and patriarchal household vision. Male-only pastors/elders. Quiverfull-adjacent emphasis on family formation.

Male-only elders and pastors. Strong complementarian household vision. Brian Sauvé is a leading voice on biblical manhood.

Strong

Leadership Structure

Male elders/pastors? Accountability?

R44 refetch confirms direct quote: 'a plurality of qualified pastor/elders' governs the church. Elder plurality structure verified on site. Green stands.

Strong

Preaching Style

Expository or topical/therapeutic?

Reformed church with expository tradition; Brian Sauvé is a writer and preacher committed to verse-by-verse teaching.

Strong

Mission Clarity

Great Commission central?

Church planted in Ogden, Utah — one of the most spiritually challenging mission fields in the US (heavy LDS culture). Commendable gospel presence.

Strong

Cultural Alignment

DEI/CRT language? Social justice crowding out gospel?

Explicitly counter-cultural. Refuge has faced criticism for strong traditional Christian stances on masculinity, family formation, and women's roles — but these align with biblical teaching.

Strong

Accountability Structure

Denominational home, elder plurality, or external network — is the pastor answerable to anyone?

Independent. No formal denominational accountability is a minor concern, but elder plurality structure provides internal checks.

Caution

Assessment

Refuge Church in Ogden, Utah is a Reformed congregation led by pastor Brian Sauvé — a nationally known author and teacher on biblical masculinity, patriarchal households, and Reformed theology. The church holds strong complementarian convictions and preaches expository, confessional Christianity in the heart of LDS-dominated Utah. Critics on Reddit have called it 'cult-like' for its emphasis on large families and women's roles — standard internet blowback against any church that takes the Bible seriously on gender. The 'Mark and Avoid' site flag (from April 2025) regarding Eric Conn should be investigated. The theological foundation is solid. For men in the Ogden area looking for a doctrinally serious, biblically masculine church culture in a difficult mission field — Refuge is one of the strongest options in the region. Verify current leadership stability before committing.

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