Podcasts about exevangelical

Send us a textWalking away from a lifelong religious belief system is rarely a simple process. Josh Gaines knows this firsthand, having spent 26 years deeply immersed in evangelical Christianity before embarking on a spiritual journey that would transform his understanding of reality.In this profound conversation, Josh shares how he navigated the complex terrain of religious deprogramming. When the foundations of his Christian faith began to crumble, he found himself asking the fundamental question: "If this isn't true, then what is?" This curiosity launched him into exploring practices he once dismissed as "for crazy people"—Western ceremonial magic, Vedanta teachings, Kriya yoga, and Kabbalah among them. In this episode, we discuss angelic communication, third eye awakening, and the physical sensations of spiritual development. What makes Josh's perspective particularly valuable is his ability to recognize common threads across seemingly disparate spiritual traditions. Rather than rejecting Christianity entirely, his explorations gave him a newfound appreciation for Christian mysticism and the teachings of Christ viewed through a non-dogmatic lens. Through his Deprogramming Christianity workshops and one-on-one coaching, Josh now helps others navigate this challenging transition, creating safe spaces for questions that many religious environments don't allow.To learn more about Josh or to book a coaching session with him:Visit: www.doctor-gaines.comFollow him on TikTokClairvoyaging is now a fiscally sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a 501(c)(3) charity, so any donations are now tax deductible. If you'd like to support our projects that aim to foster understanding for diverse spiritual belief systems, visit www.clairvoyaging.com/support. She Leads with CAREShe Leads with CARE is a limited podcast series hosted by actor and producer Bellamy...Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the show-- DONATE to the Clairvoyaging Documentary (it's tax-deductible!)-- SUBSCRIBE in your preferred podcast app! -- Follow @clairvoyagingpodcast on Instagram.-- Send us an email: clairvoyagingpodcast@gmail.com-- Become a Clairvoyager on Patreon and get access to exclusive extras!

Show NotesWe welcome a new guest Jim Paul, a Christian thinker from the UK L'Abri community. He introduces us to a view of Heaven which is in contrast to the familiar ethereal heaven in our culture.  The familiar view is centuries old with its fluffy clouds and plump babies with wings, but it is a corruption of the Bible's view, which is more earthy and on reflection more attractive.  Jim has written a book on this, “What on Earth is Heaven?”, which we discuss at length. Links:Jim's book “What on Earth is Heaven?”:https://www.amazon.com/What-Earth-Heaven-James-Paul/dp/1789742218 Doubts Aloud Links:Please give feedback and ask questions using:  doubtsaloud@gmail.com

The one where we answer all things SPICY - Do we miss sex with Men? Whats our favourite part of Lesbian sex now? All these and more answered in this Ep!As always please support us by hitting follow and you can find us on instagram @Godtogay where you can DM us questions or submit anon questions via the link in our bio.Lauren + Carris

Show NotesEd continues relating the history of the remote isolated Scottish island of St Kilda and its amazing community.  We had finished Part 1 at about 1700 AD with a kind of Utopia and a gentle folksy religion.  Here we discuss its decline (our take) into a harsh, puritan, rule-bound and Calvinist kind of religion. And we ask how it could have happened and whether it's a case of Hitchen's “Religion poisons everything”. Links: That key book:Tom Steel, The life and death of St Kilda, 1975, Fontana.  French website on St Kilda translated –www.kildaprojet.com That Napier Commission on the Outer Hebrides – interviews:https://napier-outerhebrides.blogspot.com/2010/05/st-kilda-2-june-1883-i.html Doubts Aloud Links:Please give feedback and ask questions using:  doubtsaloud@gmail.com 

Show NotesEd shares from his longstanding interest in the remote isolated Scottish island of St Kilda and its amazing community that survived for 1000s of years up to 1930.  In part 1 we cover its geography, community structure and social conditions, and then its religious history finishing around 1700 which was when outsiders began worrying about their souls.  How did a small isolated community work in beliefs, morals and even economic arrangements? Links: Do a google-images on “St Kilda Scotland” That key book:Tom Steel, The life and death of St Kilda, 1975, Fontana.  Doubts Aloud Links:Please give feedback and ask questions using:  doubtsaloud@gmail.com 

Show NotesWe covered the book of Daniel in episode 44 explaining it's likely ‘forgery' status and we briefly discussed his 70 Weeks prophecy in that episode.  Here Andrew leads us into a deep dive, plunging the murky waters.  Indeed, studying the prophecy has been called a ‘dismal swamp'. We discuss how all approaches, apologetic or scholarly, lead to difficulties making “Daniel's” weird maths fit with historical dates. Needless to say, apologetic claims that the fulfilled prophecy of the 70 Weeks are amazing, arresting and should convert an open minded sceptic don't convince us. At the start of the episode we discuss the prophecy made in April 2024 of the near-miss shooting of Donald Trump. In some respects, this is a good match to the church's treatment of the 70 weeks prophecy. Links: Richard Carrier on Daniel (he includes a section on the 70 Weeks): https://www.richardcarrier.info/archives/18242 Key verses: Daniel 9.24-27. (It's worth reading more for context.) The clip Andrew gave claiming the 70 weeks verses will convert you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWiJCH07kAg&t=29s A great scholarly paper from “The Journal of Hebrew Scriptures” by George Athas which outlines the difficulties in trying to get a fit to historical events and suggesting a theory of what the author of Daniel was doing: https://jhsonline.org/index.php/jhs/article/download/6231/5259/13824 Trump shooting original April 2024 prophecy (start 11 mins in): https://youtu.be/Ey0qVzG8_vU?si=5b2U1I8oDSYVFFq8 An apologist discussing the shooting after the event: https://youtu.be/vsidOPEAERE?si=Js-Gy2UuicT7VwPS Doubts Aloud Links:

Show NotesIn Part 1, friends of the show John Nelson and Josh Parikh returned as guests and discussed “McGrewvianism”, which is the apologetic approach of partners Tim & Lydia McGrew.  Their critiques of McGrewvianism centred largely in lack of engagement in the last 150 years of scholarship into the New Testament documents and they related this extensively to the McGrew's use of ‘Undesigned Coincidences' to establish the historical reliability of the NT narratives.Jonathan McLatchie, who we also consider a friend of the show, is in the McGrew camp and wrote a helpful response blog, which also concentrated on Undesigned Coincidences.  In this episode we discuss his responses and we take a wider look at contradictions between texts as a potentially symmetrical opposite concept to Undesigned Coincidences. Links:We discussed ‘undesigned coincidences' with Jonathan McLatchie in our episode 29. Jonathan's blog, which we are responding to, is:https://jonathanmclatchie.com/have-john-nelson-and-josh-parikh-refuted-the-reportage-model/   The tome Andrew mentioned on the Encyclopaedia of Bible Difficultieshttps://www.amazon.co.uk/International-Encyclopedia-Difficulties-Understand-Zondervans/dp/0310241464 The criminal case Frances discussed: a summary of the Hanratty case is here:https://mobile-webview.gmail.com/-1530513736/426787727007691964(You can access the full judgment from a link on the summary page.) [We didn't give Bible references in the podcast to the uncertainty over the disciple Andrew's home, which impacts on Philip's. They are John 1v44 and Mark 1v21, 22 & 29] Doubts Aloud Links:Please give feedback and ask questions using:  doubtsaloud@gmail.com 

Is deconstructing evangelical theology harming people and tearing them away from Jesus? Is it untrue to the historical and biblical record? Or, is it actually a natural healthy process of questioning certain doctrines and discovering a more "biblical" and historically accurate paradigm on Jesus and the Bible? Get answers from four commentators who have in-depth experience on both sides of this issue, as former missionaries, pastors, and leaders in the evangelical movement.  Desimber Rose: https://us.amazon.com/Church-Can-Hell-Overcoming-Brokenness-ebook/dp/B0B2ZB6VX9/Angela Herrington: https://angelajherrington.com/Keith Giles: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/keithgiles/Michael Camp: https://www.spiritualbrewpub.com/#faithdeconstruction #deconstruction #faithshift #reconstructingfaith #exvangelicals

Show NotesThis month we return to that different form of Apologetics - Presuppositional Apologetics. Please see Part 1 - Episode 70 - where we gave a more social and historical background to it. Here we look at the basic argument made: the Transcendental Argument for God, “TAG”. We set it out and discuss implications and objections to it. Links:The Debunking Christianity material on Presup:https://www.debunking-christianity.com/2022/08/the-failure-of-van-tillian.html The short clip of someone doing a ‘reverse Presup' on Presuppositional Apologists, invoking a “non-conscious power”:https://youtu.be/BPF8lcYWQ1Y?si=_B8mO9jUKdA6z8Q7 Blog expanding on our point that our desire for there to be reliable rationality does not show there ishttps://useofreason.wordpress.com/2019/05/10/the-limitations-of-transcendental-arguments/ Julian Baggini's book “How the World Thinks”https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-World-Thinks-History-Philosophy/dp/1783782285 The Dan Linford paper given to us by Josh on skeptical theism and how it destroys TAGhttps://www.dropbox.com/s/4iojx3honcv4mv4/On_Knowledge_Without_God_Van_Tillian_Pre.docx?fbclid=IwAR34-aQh0Kny9J6pTCQbSKyiiuZauzza1j4ddu4WeCTE3XsXCGqdJFq4sa4 Doubts Aloud Links:Please give feedback and ask questions using: doubtsaloud@gmail.com Join the Facebook Group discussions:https://www.facebook.com/groups/1023280847835278/ Meet us all in person again at the monthly “Unbelievable Christian and Skeptic Discussion Group” in central London, see:https://www.meetup.com/Unbelievable-Christian-and-Skeptic-Discussion-Group-London

It's a mailbag episode!! We had such a blast answering listener questions last season that we're coming at you with a fresh batch. We've pulled some of our favorite questions that listeners like you have sent in over DMs and email — so let this serve as a reminder: if you have a question or a comment, you can always reach us at dinky@dinkypod.com!Cheese Grotto graciously offered us an affiliate code! Use code DinkyPod10 for 10% off any Cheese Grotto order. Click HERE to see the Instagram post discussed about your top reasons to not have kids. To watch the Instagram Reel referenced in Shit People Say, click HERE. Donate to support this show. Wanna connect with us on social media? You can find us on Instagram, Threads, and TikTok at @dinkypod. If you have a question or comment, email us at dinky@dinkypod.com

Show NotesMerry Christmas one and all and what could be more festive than digging into the historical reliability of that Census? The one Luke uses to set up his nativity narrative. We make our case as to why this matters, after all, Luke is said to be a great historian by many. Then we get to it dealing with the 3 main historical issues with the census as presented by Luke:he says it covered the entire Roman world but there is no record of it elsewhere,he presents this strange idea of ‘everyone' going to their ancestral home to register andhe that it took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria which was about 10 years after Herod died, but Luke (and Matthew) also place the narrative in Herod's reign.Of course we dig into the better defenses apologists and bible scholars have proposed. Links etc:Read the key parts of the narrative: Luke1v5, v26-7 then Lk2v1-8 and then v22 and v39. A simple Uni Idaho link we used to start our researchhttps://www.webpages.uidaho.edu/ngier/census.htm

Explore the depths of courage and resistance as we delve into Terrence Malick's film "A Hidden Life" with special guest David Hayward, the Naked Pastor. Join us for a captivating conversation on peaceful resistance, the art of picking your battles in marriage and parenting, and the wisdom of knowing when to quit a job you hate. David shares his insights on the film and offers several thought-provoking recommendations for your next movie night.

And Also with You is hosted by two young women Episcopal priests, moms, and deconstructing Christians, The Rev. Laura Di Panfilo and The Rev. Lizzie McManus-Dail. Neither one of us grew up Episcopalian and yet both of us have found a home in this faith ... and we know how disorienting it can be for people who are new to liturgical Christianity or who have never known there was another, faith-full way to follow Christ. Enter: And Also with You! Like what you hear? We'd love your support on Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/AndAlsoWithYouPodcastThere's all kinds of perks including un-aired live episodes, Zoom retreats, and mailbag episodes for our Patreons! Keep up with us on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/andalsowithyoupodcast/ More about Father Lizzie:https://www.instagram.com/rev.lizzie/https://www.tiktok.com/@rev.lizzieJubilee Episcopal Church in Austin, TX More about Mother Laura: https://www.instagram.com/laura.peaches/https://www.tiktok.com/@mother_peachesSt. Paul's Episcopal Church in Pittsburgh, PA Theme music:"On Our Own Again" by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue). New episodes drop Mondays at 7am EST/6am CST! 

Show NotesIn this episode Andrew shares his research on the origins of the Book of Mormon and the early roots of the Mormon church. This includes discussing the belief that gold plates were discoverd near New York in the early 19th century that gave the purported story of jews emigrating from the holy land to the americas in around 600 BC. Andrew also covers aspects of the character and background of the founder of the Mormon church, Joseph Smith. Also discussed is the cultural context and setting with the probable sources that influenced the formation of the book of Mormon. We also discuss the very facinating succesors to the Jospeth Smith, Brigham Young and also his rival, a certain James Strang and his very facinating story. For the hosts of this podcast we cannot help but see so many parallels with Mormonism and evangelical christianity. The many schisms, the fundamentalist and progressive divide, the apologetic strategies, prophecies that were unfullfilled and the pure devotion and passion for the book of Mormon as the word of God. All these aspects ring so true with evanglical christianity. Its easy as outsiders to see right through Mormonism but not so easy to look at ones own faith with the same level of honest critiscism.We have so much evidence to wade through with Mormon history and we can't help but think what would the early roots of Christianity look like if we had the wealth of contempory evidence that Mormon history has at our disposal. Would it bring to light the dark side of the human interactions and stories surrounding christian origins that would shock us if the reality was like that of the history of the Mormon church?The facinating story of James Strang, a contender to succeed Josepth Smith. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jl83_X1Zslw

For the last episode of this season, we are taking a look at revisiting “yourself.” We've spent the last 12 weeks looking a many aspects of Christian basics and I wanted to end the season talking about our relationship with ourself. I've learned that my identity is a crucial part of how I move through the world and how relate to God. This week, I decided to not have a guest and share part of my journey with you as I have been revisiting myself. Book a session with Joey. Follow us on TikTok. Watch us on YouTube. Join our FREE Facebook group. Connect with Joey. Produced by Joey Papa Media

A homily based on the following lectionary reading for the Feast of St. Mary the Virgin:Luke 1:46-55 Mary said: “My soul proclaims your greatness, O God, and my spirit rejoices in you, my Savior. For you have looked with favorupon your lowly servant,and from this day forwardall generations will call me blessed. For you, the Almighty, have done great things for me,and holy is your Name.Your mercy reaches from age to agefor those who fear you. You have shown strength with your arm;you have scattered the proud in their conceit; you have deposed the mighty from their thronesand raised the lowly to high places. You have filled the hungry with good things,while you have sent the rich away empty. You have come to the aid of Israel your servant,mindful of your mercy— the promise you made to our ancestors—to Sarah and Abrahamand their descendantsPriests for Equality. The Inclusive Bible (pp. 2220-2221). Sheed & Ward. Kindle Edition. 

What is true worship? For most of us who grew up in the church, when we think about worship, we think about a song service. For some that looks like a few hymns and others, it's a big production with lights, smoke and polished modern melodies. While this is a form of worship, I don't think this how Jesus or any of the church fathers thought about true worship. In this episode, Daniel Dodd and I have a conversation about how the idea of worship was handed down to us in our own traditions and how God has expanded our understanding the meaning of worship. Learn more about KNGDM Collective. Book a session with Joey. Follow us on TikTok. Watch us on YouTube. Join our FREE Facebook group. Connect with Joey. Produced by Joey Papa Media

The devil played a very large role in my Christian upbringing. So much so, that I found myself fearing him more than looking to God. The devil became so big in my mind that I was constantly looking for him in every detail of life, which turned into a pseudo-obsession. On today's episode, my guest and I go deep into some of the history and cultural influences of the devil, as found in the Bible and church history. Book a session with Joey. Follow us on TikTok. Watch us on YouTube. Join our FREE Facebook group. Connect with Joey. Produced by Joey Papa Media

Spiritual warfare is a polarized topic in the church. Some of the church denies that the spirit realm is a real thing, while the other side of the church takes it way too far and seeing the devil under every rock. In this episode, my friend, Ashely and I talk about the two sides of the coin and process our own upbringings to discover what we believe is a healthy and balanced view of spiritual warfare. Check out XII Church. Book a session with Joey. Follow us on TikTok. Watch us on YouTube. Join our FREE Facebook group. Connect with Joey. Produced by Joey Papa Media

Repentance is a beautiful gift, but for many people raised in the church it developed a negative and shaming outcome. Repentance is the simple acknowledgment, “I was going the wrong way,” and then making the change of course. Where this falls short is when someone over-analyzes their life with what is “right” and “wrong” and then beats themself up over making the “wrong” decision. This is not repentance. The key element of true and effective repentance is communion with God, where who He is begins to rub off on you. When you experience Him, something shifts within that causes you to want to be more like Him. Connect with Caleb. Book a session with Joey. Follow us on TikTok. Watch us on YouTube. Join our FREE Facebook group. Connect with Joey. Produced by Joey Papa Media

Prayer is something that is built into the Christian life and has been pivotal in my spiritual development and health. For some, prayer was stressful, frustrating and shaming. In this episode, my guest and I talk about the essence of prayer and how it's so simple and can lead to life that is full of wisdom, communion and peace. If you've had a hard time with prayer, have a listen with an open heart and engage God with us. I must confess, after we recorded this episode, all I wanted to do was pray! :D Follow Jolene on TikTok. Book a session with Joey. Follow us on TikTok. Watch us on YouTube. Join our FREE Facebook group. Connect with Joey. Produced by Joey Papa Media

Heaven and hell and the afterlife is a very complex topic. The reason being that the Bible makes certain things clear but the majority of scripture around this topic is highly subjective and left open to interpretation. Our conversation today is not a debate about opinions but rather an exploration around the importance of this life here and now. Heaven and hell have been used to manipulate, demonize and attack people and our hope is to revisit this topic to provide clarity and grace. Book a session with Joey. Follow us on TikTok. Watch us on YouTube. Join our FREE Facebook group. Connect with Joey. Produced by Joey Papa Media

The “gospel” is a term commonly used in Christianity, but it can mean many different things depending on the church denomination you're associated with. In addition, the Bible itself doesn't clearly define the gospel. It is commonly said that Jesus went about healing many and preaching the good news (gospel), but it doesn't tell us exactly what that meant. If you were raised in the church and didn't have a clear understanding of what the gospel is, this episode will help you get to the heart of the message. Follow Rebekah Moyer on TikTok. Book a session with Joey. Follow us on TikTok. Watch us on YouTube. Join our FREE Facebook group. Connect with Joey. Produced by Joey Papa Media

In many Christian circles, the term, “born again,” has come to mean a certain type of Christian. Basically, asking the question, “do they believe what I believe?” This has removed the actual underlying message was communicating to Nicodemus, which was that there is a spiritual awakening that occurs where the scales of our spiritual eyes fall off. If you were raised as a “born again” Christian, this message may help you redeem that phrase and gain greater understanding of what it really means. Ken's Ministry: Revealed Ministires Ken's Books: Amazon Follow us on TikTok. Watch us on YouTube. Join our FREE Facebook group. Connect with Joey. Produced by Joey Papa Media

This week, we go back and revisit the idea of “God's voice.” This topic can carry a lot of frustration and confusion for those who were raised in the church. For some, it was the pressure to always know what God was saying and for others it was the silence that caused them to feel like a shit-Christian. Wherever you find yourself today, this conversation addresses many of the issues and challenges that comes along with trying to hear God's voice. If you've ever felt like you're the only one that doesn't hear God, this episode will make you feel right at home with others who have felt the same way. Contact David: http://www.davidwaldy.com/ https://www.tiktok.com/@davidwaldy/ https://www.youtube.com/c/davidwaldy Follow us on TikTok. Watch us on YouTube. Join our FREE Facebook group. Connect with Joey. Produced by Joey Papa Media

This week we are taking a look at “sin.” Sin is a loaded term, that is typically found exclusively in Christianity. While it's obvious ever human has sinned, the way most of us were taught by the church about sin, was laced with fear and shame. Some people even develop an obsession about not sinning, so much to the point that it has a negative effect on their mental health. In this conversation we talk about how sin has been dealt with - defeated. It no longer holds any power and we are in fact now the righteousness of God. Have a listen and consider that maybe you're not a horrible sinner at your core, but rather the rightness of who God is. Check out Brit Eaton Follow us on TikTok. Watch us on YouTube. Join our FREE Facebook group. Connect with Joey. Produced by Joey Papa Media

This season we are revisiting and redefining many of the Christian basics. For most of us, these basic ideas within our faith were taught to us through the lens of fear and not love. Today, we taking a look at “righteousness,” a term that typically carries guilt, shame and condemnation. I'm joined by Danny Lybarger, a pastor of the Well Church and host of "The Deconstruction Zone" podcast. We explore how “righteousness” was taught to us in our Christian upbringing and how we've understood it better through love and grace. Check out Danny's podcast, "The Deconstruction Zone." Follow us on TikTok. Watch us on YouTube. Join our FREE Facebook group. Connect with Joey. Produced by Joey Papa Media

Show NotesWe continued our discussion with friend of ours Josh Parikh - a Christian Apologist who has always thought deeply about the issues and maintained intellectual integrity.There were two Old Testament case studies that Josh included in his talk “A Tumultuous Period in Apologetics?” to the Discussion Group in London, and we were keen not to miss these out: the famous story of bears mauling 42 children and the patriarchy with misogamy in both the narratives and especially in prophets Hosea 2, Nahum 3 and most horrifyingly in Ezekiel 16. We also covered some feedback on Part 1 concerning the American church and apologetics scene ... we gave the UK view on it and feedback from US listeners would be great. Links:“God: An Anatomy” by Francesca Stavrokopoulou“Raw Revelation: The Bible They Never Tell You About” by Mark Roncace“The Violence of God and the War on Terror” by Jeremy Young Doubts Aloud Links:Please give feedback and ask questions using: doubtsaloud@gmail.com

Content Warning: mentions of sexual assault. Ever wish you could go to a school that feels like it belongs in the 1950s? Welcome to Bob Jones University (BJU). Today we discuss BJU and its many awful takes on biology, race, and trauma-informed care. Welcome to the wild world of Bob Jones'. Support the showFollow us on Instagram: @sotgpod

More than just a slimy member of Trump's fan club, today we discuss Paula White! This episode is bursting with content including mentions of private jets, murder, and theft. Who could have guessed! We hope you enjoy this brief overview of her many, many points of interest. Support the showFollow us on Instagram: @sotgpod

Cult or Hogwarts? On today's episode we take a peek into the wild and crazy world of Bethel Church, located in Redding, California. An episode that easily could have spanned about 6 hours, we boiled it down to a jam packed episode of twists and turns.  Support the showFollow us on Instagram: @sotgpod

Content Warning: brief mentions of assault and murder. Today we cover our first lady of this season and discuss the hold that Joyce Meyer had over moms of the early 2000s and still today. We dive into her life, work, and fraud? Support the showFollow us on Instagram: @sotgpod

Today we discuss pop-star turned jet pilot turned unhinged preacher who tried to blow away Covid-19. We are covering Kenneth Copeland and trying to get to the bottom of how it is possible someone can act like this on television. Support the showFollow us on Instagram: @sotgpod

A homily based on Matthew 27:11-54, read from The Inclusive BibleLooking for spiritual support? Have questions? Comments? Feedback? Contact Heather

This week's conversation is with self-professed liberal Christian and writer for Salon, Nate Manderson. Nate and I had a great chat about his backstory, how he came to walk away from fundamentalist Christianity, and now how his writing is taking on the mainstream evangelical church in America today. Having sold most of its soul to Trumpism, Christian nationalism and a dominionist dream, what's next? Is there any hope for the church, going forward? In his role as "pastor to the public," Nate uses his platform to write incisive critiques of what evangelicalism has become today. I hope you enjoy this chat and hopefully we'll see Nate again on an upcoming MindShift Zoom call! Join the MindShift Podcast Patreon Community! Follow me on Twitter @MindShift2018 Like the MindShift Podcast Facebook Page  

A highly requested episode! We are back on to our regularly scheduled program. Today we discuss “America's Pastor” Joel Osteen. We cover the controversies, manifesting, and how white Joel's teeth appear. We also discuss the age old question - are you poor because God hates you or does Joel just make it seem like it.  Support the showFollow us on Instagram: @sotgpod

A homily based on John 4:5-42 (read from The Inclusive Bible by Priests for Equality)Questions? Responses? Comments? Looking for spiritual counseling or mentorship? I love hearing from you!Reach out to Heather here.

Some would argue that the influence of purity culture has ended. The Jonas Brothers are now married, no more purity rings or nationwide abstinence pledges. However, we spend today's episode talking about how purity culture is still out there, just dressed up a little differently. Join us as we drop our hot takes and Madie says “girlies” a lot. Show notes:NYT: How an Abstinence Pledge in the '90s Shamed a Generation of EvangelicalsJosh Harris divorce: Kissed GoodbyeRNS: It's back: Purity Culture 2.0, Gen Z styleRetro Report videoSupport the show

Micah interviews local creative, Diosselyn Tot, in Episode 27 of the Pray for Micah Podcast. Diosselyn was born in Guatemala but has made Kansas City, Kansas her home. She came to the U.S. at 6-years-old and began volunteering in her community at the age of 12. She is one of the founders of the Art Squad, which teaches art classes on street corners, in parks, and at Urban Station. Since its inception, they have painted over 50 murals in alleyways to abate gang graffiti and beautify neighborhood spaces. Today, Diosselyn sits on various boards in the Latino community with a focus on the arts, voting rights, and affordable housing. She is also a featured changemaker in DocuCourse: Art & Advocacy, a documentary film that follows her life journey as she uses art as a tool to nurture youth and transform her neighborhood.

We're back, and we missed you! We have returned after a little break and are ready to go head first into purity culture. We talk about what it is, where it came from, and how it has impacted our own lives. Thanks for being here! Support the show

Politics is a conversation I tend to stay far away from. I don't like conversations that center around two polar opposite viewpoints, where the one side demonizes the other. And, if you've been alive for the last few years, you know the political climate in the United States has been very, very heated. Not only that but a strange phenomenon has crept into many evangelical churches in the expression of Christian Nationalism. This is not only dangerous but it also taints the very name of the one we proclaim. In this episode, I'm joined by Tim Whitaker, a podcaster and advocate for church reform. His podcast, “The New Evangelicals,” focuses heavily on the current state of the church, with the hopes to expand our understanding of where things went off course and the hope to return to our first love.  Check out "The New Evangelics" Watch us on YouTube. Join our FREE Facebook group. Connect with Joey. Produced by Joey Papa Media.

Micah celebrates the 25th episode of the Pray for Micah Podcast by hosting poet Jen Harris. She is a writer based in Kansas City, Missouri. A sought-after performance artist, Jen is the founder and host of The Writing Workshop KC, whose mission is to nurture creative curiosity and inspire confidence within prompt-based writing workshops. She hosts weekly classes and offers creative coaching to private clients. Jen is a nationally-certified Recovery Coach and Peer Support Specialist. Through an aggressively vulnerable, trauma-informed lens, she unites strangers who share an interest in creative expression and facilitates the development of active, engaged, supportive, empowering writing communities.

A homily based on the following reading from the Revised Common Lectionary:Luke 6:20-31Jesus looked up at his disciples and said:“Blessed are you who are poor,for yours is the kingdom of God.“Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. “Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. “Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets." "But woe to you who are rich,for you have received your consolation. "Woe to you who are full now,for you will be hungry. "Woe to you who are laughing now,for you will mourn and weep. "Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets."But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you.

My approach to understanding Advent, Christmas, and the second coming of Christ.A homily based on the following reading from the revised common lectionary: Matthew 24:36-44Jesus said to the disciples, “But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.”

Micah hosts Katharine Strange in Episode 22 of Pray for Micah and they discuss issues like "in" and "out" groups, political and religious radicalism, and the need for empathy and human connection. Katharine is a writer and activist based in Seattle, Washington. Her writing focuses on questioning received wisdom, particularly around marginalized groups and experiences. Her new Substack, Heretic Hereafter, focuses on spiritual next steps for those transitioning away from Evangelicalism.

I'm super happy to be reconnecting with my good friend Dave Warnock of "Dying Out Loud"--it's been at least 3+ years since we last talked last, maybe more. In the meantime, Dave has come out with a brand-new book called Childish Things: A Memoir. I listened to it on Audible, which I'd highly recommend as Dave himself reads the text. This makes his memoirs even more poignant, especially if you grew up in evangelicalism in the 1970s-1990s--the "Jesus Movement" and all that went with it. Dave and I discuss his time as a Christian, including his stint as a pastor of several churches; how he ended up deconstructing, becoming an atheist, and dealing with a terminal illness. I hope you not only enjoy this conversation, but also get a lot out of it too. Join the MindShift Podcast Patreon Community! Contact Details Follow Dave on Twitter @dwwarnock Dave Out Loud Website Follow me on Twitter @MindShift2018

This week's episode features a fascinating discussion with returning guest, Dr David D'Andre, on the subject of his brand-new book entitled TULIP: The Poisonous Flower of Calvinism. Why Calvinism, of all the theological systems that are out there? As David makes clear, this theology in particular has a number of problems associated with it, both historically and currently. For many of us who identify as "exvangelical," we came out of churches that preached various aspects of Calvin's theology. Just to name a few: biblical patriarchy, dominion theology, and Christian nationalism. We will also conclude by discussing how you can recover and rebuild your life, if you've come out of this toxic system. Find David's book on Amazon Join the MindShift Podcast Patreon Community! Contact Information  Follow me on Twitter @MindShift2018  

Our guest this week with Jason and Johanna is Bekah McNeel. Bekah is a journalist who covers education, immigration, and religion. A graduate of the London School of Economics, her new book, Bringing Up Kid When Church Lets You Down is a guide for parents questioning their faith. By touching taboo topics Bekah brings up ways to give your kids agency in discovering their own faith.

This special bonus episode is actually Part 2 of a conversation I recently had with Brian and Troy, the co-hosts of the "I Was a Teenage Fundamentalist" podcast out of Melbourne, Australia. We discuss their backstory coming out of evangelicalism, rebuilding their lives post-religion, and discuss resources for reconstructing your authentic self. Head over to their platform for Theological Jenga Part 1: https://pod.link/1558606464/episode/977f7004eeb71b5cd0527f8db0a4b0a2 Become a member of the MindShift Patreon Community! Contact Information Follow Brian & Troy on Twitter @WasTeenage Follow me on Twitter @MindShift2018

This week's guest is my friend Mike Phillips, currently a therapist in California who does a lot of work in the area of religious trauma syndrome--a subject I am not only very familiar with as a sufferer of RTS myself, but I've devoted a lot of time to it also. Like me, Mike is an ex-pastor who tells an incredible tale of not only being in church ministry for decades, but also how he transitioned out of both pastoral ministry and Christianity too. In his journey to become a therapist, he developed a speciality of supporting and representing a great number of church abuse victims also. If you suffer from RTS or know someone who does, then this episode will not only be of great benefit to you, Mike also provides resources and options for its treatment as well. Become Part of the MindShift Podcast Patreon Community! Contact Information Follow Mike on Twitter @sacwriter Follow me on Twitter @MindShift2018