Last updated May 4, 2026. Originally published May 4, 2018.
I know reading legal pages isn’t exactly the most exciting part of your day. But trust is incredibly important to me. If you’ve spent any time reading my articles or doing these Bible studies, you know I value honesty.
So, I want to be entirely transparent about how things operate here at Simple Theology, Messy Life (which is officially a part of Messy Life Media LLC). I am fiercely protective of this community, and that means I am fiercely protective of your data, your privacy, and your trust. Let’s break down exactly what that looks like.
Important Disclosures (Before We Get to the Legal Stuff)
I want you to know exactly how this site functions and how certain partnerships work.
Affiliate Links & Disclosures (FCC/FTC Compliance)
Sometimes, I recommend specific books, commentaries, or resources that have helped me grow in my own faith. You’ll often see links to FaithGateway and Amazon.
Here is the official notice: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. This is an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
What does this mean for you? If you click one of those links and buy a book, I make a small commission at zero extra cost to you. It helps keep the lights on around here.
Website Hosting & Tech
This site is hosted by my incredible web host, Varial Hosting. Their personal service is awesome, and they offer fantastic support for WordPress sites. I build my sites using the Genesis WordPress framework, LiveCanvas, Oxygen Builder, or Bricks Builder.
Copyright Notices
Unless otherwise specified in an image’s caption, all images on this site are released free of copyrights under Creative Commons CC0 Public Domain. They are free for commercial use with no attribution required.
Unless otherwise noted, “Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. May not copy or download more than 500 consecutive verses of the ESV Bible or more than one half of any book of the ESV Bible.”
“Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”
Privacy Information Notice
I’m Gene, the founder of Simple Theology, Messy Life and the operator of Messy Life Media LLC. I am absolutely committed to protecting and respecting your personal privacy.
We are very proud to say that this website is proven through the Blacklight Website Privacy Inspector to be private and secure. I don’t use third-party cookies, hidden trackers, or big ad-tech companies like Facebook or Google to shadow your movements around the web.
This Policy explains when and why we collect personal information, how we use it, the conditions under which we may disclose it to others and what choices you have.
Current Revision Date: May 4, 2026
This privacy policy applies directly and entirely to the following URLs: genewhitehead.com, simpletheologymessylife.com, and simpletheology.org.
What Information We Collect (And What We Don’t)
We only collect the information you willingly provide to let us fulfill your requests or answer your questions. We do not secretly collect personal information about you when you simply scroll through the website.
What We Actually Gather
If you use our contact form (powered by WP Forms), leave a comment on a blog post, or sign up for email updates, we collect your email address, name, and any specific message you type out. That’s it. If you choose to subscribe to my updates, I am not selling, trading, or giving away your email address to anyone.
Sensitive Data
We do not gather sensitive personal data. This includes health records, genetic or biometric data, racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, or religious beliefs (other than what you might willingly share in a comment). We expressly request that you do not send us highly sensitive personal information.
Children’s Information
Our content is directed at adults seeking to grow in their Christian faith. Our services are not directed to children under 13. If you learn that a child under 13 has provided us with personal information without parental consent, please contact us immediately so we can delete it.
How Your Information Is Shared
We will not sell, rent, share, or give your information to third parties for marketing purposes. Ever.
We do, however, pass your information to specific secure service providers who help us run this ministry. For example:
- MailerLite: We provide your email address to MailerLite so we can actually send you the newsletters and updates you ask for.
- WP Forms: This securely processes the messages you send through our contact page.
- UpdraftPlus Backups and JetBackup: We use one or both of these third-party automated service to securely back up our website databases so we don’t lose our work.
We have verified that these specific services are GDPR compliant and highly secure. We disclose only the bare minimum personal information necessary to deliver the service.
Use of Website Cookies
This website uses cookies. By browsing the Simple Theology, Messy Life website, you consent to cookies being used. If you do not consent, you must turn off cookies in your browser.
Cookies are just small text files stored on your computer when you visit a website. The cookies we use are strictly “1st party” cookies. We do not use “3rd party” cookies to track your behavior across other websites to hit you with targeted advertising later.
WordPress Comments: When you leave a comment on our blog, cookies are set to store your name, email address, and website. This just saves you from having to re-type everything the next time you want to share a thought.
Controlling Your Information
You have rights concerning the data we hold about you (as defined under the GDPR and various privacy laws).
Requesting, Updating, or Deleting Your Data
If you change your email address, or if you want to know exactly what information we possess about you, just contact us. Upon request, we will provide you with a file containing the data we have on record. If you want us to completely erase your personal information from our lists, simply ask, and it will be done.
Automated Decision Making
We do not use your personal information for automated decision-making or profiling. You are a real person, not an algorithm, and we treat you as such.
Security Practices and Breaches
We take your security seriously. We use data minimization, strong password practices, and secure hosting to safeguard the limited information we do collect. If a personal data breach were to ever occur, our internal process guarantees that we will promptly notify you of any unauthorized access to your information.
How to Contact Us
If you have questions about this policy, or if you wish to file a complaint about how your personal information has been handled, please reach out to me directly using the contact form on our website. I will personally look into the matter.
Thank you for trusting us, and thank you for being a part of this community.
