Justin Peters has publicly questioned Steven Lawson’s decision to publish a new book about his ministry failure, while a separate dispute has emerged over the book’s authorship and possible use of artificial intelligence.
Featured image: AI-generated illustration for editorial purposes.
Christian preacher and teacher Justin Peters has renewed public discussion surrounding Steven Lawson following the release of Lawson’s book, Mercy in the Wilderness: How I Fell & What I Found.
The latest development came on September 24, 2026, when Peters released a new episode of his Didaché program titled “Steve Lawson’s New Book: Should It Have Been Written?” Peters was joined by pastors Jim Osman and Steve LeBlanc for a discussion focused on Lawson’s book, pastoral qualifications, repentance, restoration, and the question of whether a Christian leader who has been removed from pastoral ministry should continue in public teaching and writing.
Peters Previously Questioned the Book’s Authorship
The discussion followed comments Peters made on September 20 concerning the authorship of Mercy in the Wilderness.
Peters said he was not convinced that Lawson had personally written the book and suggested that artificial intelligence may have been involved. He pointed to the writing style and patterns he believed were characteristic of AI-generated material.
However, Peters presented the matter as a question rather than an established fact. He indicated that Lawson may have written the book but said he was not convinced based on the sample available through Amazon.
The authorship question remains unresolved by the material reviewed for this report. The book is publicly available and commercially listed under Steven Lawson’s name, but the available information does not independently establish how the manuscript was produced or whether artificial intelligence was used in its preparation.
The New Didaché Discussion
In the September 24 episode, Peters, Osman, and LeBlanc moved beyond the authorship question and addressed whether Lawson should have published the book at all.
The discussion examined the relationship between forgiveness, restoration to Christian fellowship, pastoral qualifications, and continued public ministry. The participants argued from passages including Proverbs 6, 1 Corinthians 6, 1 Timothy 3, and Titus 1 that serious sexual sin has consequences for a man’s qualification for pastoral office.
Those conclusions represent the theological position expressed by Peters and the other participants in the program. They should not be presented as an uncontested statement of how every Christian tradition interprets restoration after serious moral failure.
Lawson’s Book Presents His Account of His Failure
Mercy in the Wilderness: How I Fell & What I Found presents itself as Lawson’s personal account of his ministry failure, repentance, and experience of God’s mercy.
The book includes Lawson’s statement that his “giftedness exceeded” his godliness and describes the work as a confession rather than an attempt at self-justification.
The publication has also received critical attention from other Christian commentators. A September 25 review by Protestia said that the book had been confirmed through primary-source information as a genuine publication from Lawson, while criticizing the book for what the reviewer regarded as insufficient detail and an overly general treatment of the events surrounding his fall.
That review represents the reviewer’s assessment of the book and should be distinguished from independently established facts about Lawson’s ministry history.
The AI Question Remains Unverified
Claims about possible AI involvement have become part of the wider discussion surrounding the book.
Peters’ comments were based on his assessment of the book’s writing style and an available sample. Other commentators have also raised questions about the possibility of AI involvement.
At the same time, the book is publicly sold under Lawson’s name and is identified with But God Press. The available source material does not establish that the book is an AI-generated hoax, nor does it establish what role, if any, artificial intelligence played in its preparation.
For that reason, claims that Lawson’s book was “written by AI” should not be reported as a confirmed fact unless additional evidence becomes available.
Questions About Repentance and Restoration
The controversy has also raised broader questions about what restoration should mean after serious moral failure by a Christian leader.
Forgiveness, restoration to Christian fellowship, and qualification for pastoral office are related but distinct questions. Christians may agree that repentance and forgiveness are central to the gospel while still disagreeing about whether a person who has been removed from pastoral ministry should return to a public teaching platform.
The Didaché discussion focused particularly on that distinction. Peters and the other participants argued that forgiveness does not necessarily mean restoration to the pastoral office.
The question of whether a particular individual should continue writing, teaching, or exercising public influence is therefore part of a larger theological and ecclesiastical discussion rather than something that can be settled simply by pointing to the existence of repentance or forgiveness.
What Is Established and What Remains Unclear
Several aspects of the current story can be established from the available reporting.
- Steven Lawson has a publicly available book titled Mercy in the Wilderness: How I Fell & What I Found.
- Justin Peters publicly questioned the book’s authorship and possible use of artificial intelligence.
- Peters released a September 24 Didaché episode specifically addressing whether the book should have been written.
- Jim Osman and Steve LeBlanc participated in that discussion.
- The participants addressed pastoral qualification, repentance, forgiveness, and restoration.
- The available material does not independently establish that artificial intelligence wrote the book.
- The available material does not establish the sincerity or motives of any individual involved.
Why the Discussion Matters
The debate surrounding Mercy in the Wilderness illustrates difficult questions churches face when a prominent Christian leader experiences serious moral failure.
Questions about accountability, forgiveness, restoration, pastoral qualifications, and public ministry cannot be reduced to a discussion about a single book. They involve biblical interpretation, church leadership, and the responsibilities that accompany public Christian teaching.
As the discussion continues, readers should distinguish carefully between established facts, statements made by the individuals involved, theological interpretations, and claims that remain unverified.
What Happens Next
The discussion is likely to continue as more Christians read Lawson’s book and respond to Peters’ Didaché episode.
For now, the central developments are clear: Lawson has published a book describing his experience following his ministry failure, Peters has publicly questioned both the decision to publish it and aspects of its authorship, and other Christian commentators are debating what repentance and restoration should mean for someone who has been removed from pastoral ministry.
Sources
- Didaché — “Steve Lawson’s New Book: Should It Have Been Written?” — September 24, 2026.
- Justin Peters — Public comments regarding the authorship and possible AI involvement in Mercy in the Wilderness — September 20, 2026.
- Protestia — Review of Mercy in the Wilderness — September 25, 2026.
- Evangelical Dark Web — Reporting and analysis concerning the publication and authorship controversy surrounding the book.
- Mercy in the Wilderness: How I Fell & What I Found — Steven Lawson, But God Press, 2026.
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