Best Recovering Fundamentalist Podcasts (2025)

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Episode #193 - The Power Of Prayer 58:08

6d ago58:08

58:08

EPISODE 193: The Power of Prayer (with Danny Hesterly of Pray Chattanooga) What if prayer isn’t about performance—but about presence? In this episode of the Recovering Fundamentalist Podcast, host JC Groves sits down with Danny Hesterly, founder of Pray Chattanooga, to talk about reclaiming the beauty, honesty, and power of prayer. For many recover…

1
Episode #192 - Healthy Churches / What to look for & how to leave well. 1:01:05

13d ago1:01:05

1:01:05

Episode #192 we dive deep into the topic of "Healthy Churches - What to Look For." Our special guest, Chris Goeppner, pastor of Riverbank Church in Vermont. Chris brings invaluable insights on identifying signs of health and vitality in church communities. From leadership transparency to genuine community engagement, we explore practical markers th…

1
#191 - The Weight of Perfectionism 59:00

20d ago59:00

59:00

Episode 191: The Weight of Perfectionism in the IFB and Legalistic Churches In this powerful episode, Host JC Groves is joined by Sarah Vick, founder of A-mom-logetics—a ministry dedicated to equipping moms to defend a rock-solid faith in a shifting-sand culture and communicate deep truths to their kids in age-appropriate ways. Together, we unpack …

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Pope Francis' Legacy: A Global Church in Transition 1:14:54

22d ago1:14:54

1:14:54

Text us your questions! Pope Francis, a man who inspired even many Protestants and non-Christians with his refreshingly prophetic voice, has died. The process to select his successor is ongoing as we release this. To help us understand what's happening, as well as its historical significance, we're talking with our friend and returning guest Shaun …

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Episode #190 - Word Of Life Fellowship 46:06

27d ago46:06

46:06

On this episode we dive into all things Word Of Life with our special guest Jonathan Bubar. Whether you're familiar with their ministry or new to their impact, this episode is packed with insights and stories that will inspire and challenge. Don't miss out on this enlightening conversation! wol.org recoveringfundamentalist.org hopechurchcatoosa.com…

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Does the Bible Affirm LGB Relationships? Interview with Matthew Vines (Part 1) 58:39

28d ago58:39

58:39

Text us your questions! Matthew Vines is here to discuss the revised and expanded edition of his influential book God and the Gay Christian, marking eleven years since its initial release. The book sent shockwaves through evangelical Christianity and remains a powerful and compelling case for an affirming reading of the Bible for those who want to …

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Episode #189 - "Church planting & pastoring in a post-pandemic era" 39:51

1M ago39:51

39:51

In this episode Host JC Groves welcomes Joey Presutti — a church planter and pastor who’s helping reshape the way we think about starting new churches in a post-COVID world. As two new church planters ( Joey @ the Gather Church - 4 months old. Me @ Hope Church - 2 years old) we talk about the new challenges, the unexpected opportunities, and what’s…

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Episode #188 "Redeemed from a broken identity. God’s Redemption Story" 1:35:03

1M ago1:35:03

1:35:03

"REDEEMED FROM A BROKEN IDENTITY - GODS REDEMPTION STORY” Because for so many of us, recovery isn’t just about what we’ve walked away from—it’s about what we’re walking toward. Healing. Wholeness. Freedom. And not just living in recovery, but moving forward as someone who’s been recovered. I’m joined today by Sam Jones—a longtime listener of the sh…

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We Need to Talk About It 1:12:56

1M ago1:12:56

1:12:56

Text us your questions! This is a conversation we've been avoiding: how are we doing now that Donald Trump is president again? As we had a break between interviews, we decided to try to unpack how we're feeling, what we're doing, what we've learned about ourselves, and what we're worried and hopeful about. This is an unusually impromptu and unpolis…

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Episode #187 - The Pain of Betrayal / The Power of Redemption – Part 2 (with Jacob Kesling) 1:14:45

2M ago1:14:45

1:14:45

Episode Title: The Pain of Betrayal / The Power of Redemption – Part 2 (with Jacob Kesling) In Part 2 of our conversation, Jacob Kesling joins host JC Groves to unpack the deep wounds of betrayal and the relentless hope found in redemption. From the raw realities of failure to the beauty of restoration, Jacob shares his journey with honesty, grace,…

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Episode #186 - This Is My Story 45:57

2M ago45:57

45:57

Episode #186 we’re diving into a topic that’s at the core of what we do here—the power of storytelling. We all know that stories have a way of breaking down barriers, making truth relatable, and reminding us that we’re not alone in our experiences. And we’ve got a great guest with us today—Tommy from This is My Story. If you’ve ever wondered about …

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Re-Release - Outrage Porn, Echo Chambers, and the Seduction of Clarity: Interview with C. Thi Nguyen 1:02:25

2M ago1:02:25

1:02:25

Text us your questions! This is a re-release of an episode from our second season when we spoke with philosopher C Thi Nguyen. We think it bears re-listening in our current moment. ===== What happens when we seek simple answers in a complex world? Philosopher C Thi Nguyen takes us into the machinery of belief, understanding, and value formation, ex…

1
Episode #185 - The Pain Of Betrayal / The Power Of Redemption. 56:55

2M ago56:55

56:55

Episode #185: The Pain of Betrayal This is part one of a two part conversation. Part one is a deeply personal episode, as we explore the profound impact of betrayal on our lives. Through candid story and heartfelt reflections, JC takes us on a journey of his life and ministry over the last 20 years. Together we delve into the raw emotions and chall…

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EXTRA: Five Facts BJU Does Not Want You To Know w/ Dr. Camille Lewis - from Beyond BJU Podcast 1:11:38

2M ago1:11:38

1:11:38

Listen to Beyond BJU HERE Dr. Camille Lewis attended BJU in the 90s, where she earned both her bachelor's and master's degrees. She joined the faculty at BJU and completed her Ph.D. from Indiana University. In 2007, she left BJU after being given an ultimatum: either resign or permit the BJU daycare to spank her 2-year-old son. She chose her son. I…

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EXTRA: Teachings, Theology, and Heresies of BJU w/ Dr. Camille Lewis - from Beyond BJU Podcast 1:42:08

2M ago1:42:08

1:42:08

Listen to Beyond BJU HERE Dr. Camille Lewis attended BJU in the 90s, where she earned both her bachelor's and master's degrees. She joined the faculty at BJU and completed her Ph.D. from Indiana University. In 2007, she left BJU after being given an ultimatum: either resign or permit the BJU daycare to spank her 2-year-old son. She chose her son. I…

1
EXTRA: History of BJU w/ Dr. Camille Lewis - from Beyond BJU Podcast 59:02

2M ago59:02

59:02

Listen to Beyond BJU HERE Dr. Camille Lewis attended BJU in the 90s, where she earned both her bachelor's and master's degrees. She joined the faculty at BJU and completed her Ph.D. from Indiana University. In 2007, she left BJU after being given an ultimatum: either resign or permit the BJU daycare to spank her 2-year-old son. She chose her son. I…

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What Happens When You're Done with Religion Altogether? 1:19:50

2M ago1:19:50

1:19:50

Text us your questions! What happens when the foundation of your identity crumbles beneath you? When the lens through which you understood the world no longer works? Psychologist Dr. Daryl Van Tongeren joins us to explore this profound transition that one-fifth of Americans have experienced—leaving religion behind. Drawing from eight years of groun…

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184 - “Peace” 46:05

3M ago46:05

46:05

JC, Matt, and Nate are all back together for a new episode in a new year! This episode focuses on the Peace of God which passes all understanding. Peace is the fruit of the Spirit that defines the life of the believer. Jesus, the Prince of Peace, is leading His church into His will for us and He gives His peace to those who follow Him. Is our local…

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Unpacking Open and Relational Theology: Interview with Tom Oord 1:20:45

3M ago1:20:45

1:20:45

Text us your questions! Tom Oord is back! This time, we're discussing his "main thing": open and relational theology. We explore what it means and its significance in reshaping our understanding of God, love, prayer, and more. Tom answers our questions graciously, and we try to convince Randy that he's wrong. How is open and relational theology dif…

1
Will Deconstructing End My Marriage? A Conversation with Keri Ladouceur 1:25:46

3M ago1:25:46

1:25:46

Text us your questions! This episode explores the complexities of spiritual evolution and its impact on marriages and relationships. Our friend Keri Ladouceur shares her wisdom, and we discuss stories of navigating changing faith and the strain it can place on intimate partnerships. We cover how questioning beliefs impacts relationships, emotional …

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When Seeking Jesus Drives You Out of the Church: Interview with Scot McKnight & Tommy Preson Phillips 1:12:43

4M ago1:12:43

1:12:43

Text us your questions! Faith deconstruction has become a defining trend in American Christianity, and disagreement persists about what’s driving it. In this episode, we talk with Scot McKnight and Tommy Preson Phillips about their book Invisible Jesus, which considers why so many Christians are critically re-examining their faith. Rather than trea…

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Nicholas Ma on Division, Vulnerability, and Doing What You Can 1:11:46

4M ago1:11:46

1:11:46

Text us your questions! This is one of our favorite interviews we've ever done. Nicholas Ma (son of famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma) is a filmmaker best known for producing the 2018 documentary Won't You Be My Neighbor? about Fred Rogers. We speak with him about his latest documentary Leap of Faith, which follows a group of Christian pastors from diverse so…

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Re-Release - Holy Balls: Power, Masculinity, and the Making of White American Evangelicalism with Kristin Kobes Du Mez 1:25:02

5M ago1:25:02

1:25:02

Text us your questions! This is a re-release of an episode from our first season: our first conversation with Kristin Kobes Du Mez, which happened to fall just after January 6, 2021. It seems fitting to revisit it now. ===== In this episode, we chat with Kristin Kobes Du Mez about her book that's been making waves and is brilliantly titled Jesus an…

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183 - Christmas Eve special 2024 20:27

5M ago20:27

20:27

Join host JC Groves and Matt Dudley for our RFP 6th anual Christmas Eve speial. Special Music by Chosen Road.By Recovering Fundamentalist

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Brian Zahnd on The Brothers Karamazov 1:08:17

5M ago1:08:17

1:08:17

Text us your questions! Brian Zahnd is back with us to discuss his favorite novel, Fyodor Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov. Brian is starting a public online course going through the book, which is notoriously philosophically and theologically rich, so we thought it would be fun to have him on to discuss its major themes and why it has been so i…

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Jonathan Merritt on Family, Evangelicalism, and Children's Books 1:13:18

6M ago1:13:18

1:13:18

Text us your questions! Jonathan Merritt joins us to discuss his children's book My Guncle and Me. We also discuss what it was like to grow up with a dad who was the president of the SBC, his experience being involuntarily outed, and how to maintain relationships across serious ideological and personal divides. ===== Want to support us? The best wa…

1
182 - Pray For The Comeback 45:01

7M ago45:01

45:01

Our friend, brother and co host of the Recovering Fundamentalist Podcast, Nathan Cravatt, recently returned home from a mission trip to the country of Nepal. Several days after returning home he became very ill. He has only gotten worse. Many of you have asked how you can help. Right now, other than prayer for Nathans healing, financial support to …

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Chatting about Church with Brian McLaren and Tim Whitaker 1:01:35

7M ago1:01:35

1:01:35

Text us your questions! This episode was recorded live at Theology Beer Camp 2024. We sat down with Brian McLaren and Tim Whitaker (from The New Evangelicals podcast) to discuss Brian's history in the emerging church movement, the current progressive religious movement (of which we're a part), the Christian nationalist backlash, and our political m…

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Q&A Bonus Episode: The Soul 51:20

7M ago51:20

51:20

Text us your questions! Jeff Cook is back with us to dive deeper into our conversation from a while back about the soul and why Kyle is a materialist (and why Randy thinks he's silly for it). We discuss the difference between the claim that God is non-physical and the claim that humans are, Jeff's reservations about materialism, the mystery of the …

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181 - Legalism Doesn't Work 1:14:29

8M ago1:14:29

1:14:29

Disclaimer: There is a lot of sensitive information in this episode that is not suitable for young children. In this episode, the guys confront a very sinister attack against the ministry God has called them to do. Sometimes all you have to do is wait and those who oppose the truth of Scripture will fall into their own traps. We should never celebr…

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Kristin Kobes Du Mez on Her New Film For Our Daughters 1:07:59

8M ago1:07:59

1:07:59

Text us your questions! After more than three years, Kristin Kobes Du Mez is back on the show to discuss her new short film For Our Daughters, which examines the connection between the culture of submission and sexual abuse within the evangelical church and the Christian nationalist effort to influence the 2024 presidential election. It tells harro…

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Evolution + Christianity, Part II: An Interview w/ Dr. Jim Stump 49:54

8M ago49:54

49:54

Text us your questions! More Jim Stump! We hope you loved Part I of our conversation with Dr. Jim Stump as much we did. Here's Part II! In this one, we talk about the problem of evil and more about AI. Also...aliens! Seriously. Cheers! ===== Want to support us? The best way is to subscribe to our Patreon. Annual memberships are available for a 10% …

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Evolution + Christianity, Part I: An Interview w/ Dr. Jim Stump 1:05:33

8M ago1:05:33

1:05:33

Text us your questions! Are Christianity and evolution compatible? Can a person trust God and trust science at the same time? Jim Stump wrote a book called The Sacred Chain: How Understanding Evolution Leads to Deeper Faith, and we are very much here for it. In this interview, we chat about the Bible, science, evolution, the soul, afterlife, and ma…

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180 - Election Year 2024 1:20:36

9M ago1:20:36

1:20:36

JC, Matt, and Nathan discuss the division in our country that comes from politics. It's Election Year and we are called to live in a way that extends grace and displays the love of Christ for our enemies without sacrificing the truth. Join us for an honest look at the difficulty of navigating the political conversation in 2024.…

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Sarah McCammon on Exvangelicals 1:07:04

9M ago1:07:04

1:07:04

Text us your questions! Welcome to Season 5! We're joined by Sarah McCammon, a National Political Correspondent for NPR and author of The Exvangelicals, an insightful and empathetic look at the stories of those who have left white American evangelicalism. Sarah is also an exvangelical herself, so she has a unique perspective that blends both person…

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179 - Discipleship: Shane Pruitt Interview 1:02:04

10M ago1:02:04

1:02:04

This month, JC, Matt, and Nate interview Shane Pruitt. Shane serves as the National Next Gen Director for the North American Mission Board (NAMB). He and his wife, Kasi reside in Texas, with their five children. He has been in ministry for over 20 years as a church planter, lead pastor, and student pastor. Shane is also a traveling communicator, ev…

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The Book of Belonging: An Interview w/ Mariko Clark and Rachel Eleanor 1:18:37

10M ago1:18:37

1:18:37

Text us your questions! How do we grow and steward our children's spirituality when we've deconstructed so much of the spirituality that we were raised with? And even if we figure that out, how do we guide and encourage our kids on their spiritual journeys when there are so few quality resources and books that don't get all cheesy and cringe? We ar…

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The Bible, Evangelicalism, and Propaganda with Scott Coley 1:15:49

11M ago1:15:49

1:15:49

Text us your questions! Good, Bible-believing Christians should just automatically be Republicans. Everybody knows this. Have you heard that sort of argument or been led to believe that this is just the "biblical" way? If so, that probably means you've been given a hearty serving of propaganda. Our friend and philosopher Scott Coley wrote Ministers…

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178 - Be Sweet 1:08:26

11M ago1:08:26

1:08:26

Big announcement in this episode dealing with the future of the RFP. Also, there is a surprise guest and some huge truth bombs toward the end of the episode!By Recovering Fundamentalist

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Pastors Behaving Badly with Sheila Gregoire 57:54

12M ago57:54

57:54

Text us your questions! Evangelical megachurch pastors saying cringe things is nothing new, right? However, there's a point when cringe turns destructive and abusive. That's what this episode is about. Dallas/Ft. Worth megachurch pastor Josh Howerton said some very ugly and destructive things, and then doubled down with a weak (plagiarized) apology…

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God, Goodness, and Choice: A Conversation with Bruce Reyes-Chow 1:01:21

12M ago1:01:21

1:01:21

Text us your questions! We speak with Bruce Reyes-Chow about his recent book Everything Good about God Is True, a primer on what it means to choose faith in the midst of a bleeding world and an often broken church. We discuss the Christian ethic of loving enemies, listening, having compassion across ideological division, embodying faith in the publ…

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177 - Discipleship: The Defining Mark with Special Guests Matt Dudley and Mark Milioni 1:22:52

1y ago1:22:52

1:22:52

JC, Nate, Matt Dudley, and Mark Milioni have a conversation about discipleship and Jesus' command in John 13:34-35 for His disciples to love one another as He had loved them. Many things have become the defining mark of churches and movements throughout history that Jesus never intended to be the identity of His church. https://mission.edu/ https:/…

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Q&A Bonus Episode: Corporate Deconstruction 46:26

1y ago46:26

46:26

Text us your questions! Jeff Cook is back with us to dive deeper into deconstruction, inspired by our interview with Keri Ladouceur, the Executive Director of the Post-Evangelical Collective. We discuss the nature of deconstruction, its corporate, personal, and ethical dimensions, and what it implies about what's next. And because we're nerds, we a…

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Recovering Enchantment in a Secular Age: Interview with Richard Beck 1:22:34

1y ago1:22:34

1:22:34

Text us your questions! Psychologist and author Richard Beck joins us to discuss his recent book Hunting Magic Eels: Recovering an Enchanted Faith in a Skeptical Age. Richard is an engaging critic of some forms of contemporary "disenchanted" spirituality. He's also a fun dialogue partner and a good sport, who was willing to roll with Kyle's annoyin…

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Is American Democracy in Danger? Interview with David Gushee 1:16:01

1y ago1:16:01

1:16:01

Text us your questions! David Gushee is back on the show to discuss his book Defending Democracy from Its Christian Enemies, an erudite, timely, and disturbing take on American democracy, its struggles with authoritarianism, and its place on the global political stage. We discuss such questions as: How are government and morality related? What does…

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176 - The Interview: Dr. Dave Douglass (Former President of Hyles Anderson College) 1:44:28

1y ago1:44:28

1:44:28

Dr. Dave Douglass is the former president of Hyles Anderson College. He joins JC, Brian, and Nate on the RFP to discuss legalism, his grace awakening, and his time serving as a student and then the president of the flagship IFB Bible College.By Recovering Fundamentalist

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Making Sense of Negative Theology: Peter Rollins, Part 2 1:27:18

1y ago1:27:18

1:27:18

Text us your questions! Believe it or not, this is our 100th episode! And what better way to spend it than diving back in with Peter Rollins, a guest who is unusually suited to the regular themes of our show, while also throwing some wrenches into pretty much everything we do. :-) Picking up with where we left off in Part 1, we explore the sense in…

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Disillusionment, Pyrotheology, and the Death of God: Peter Rollins, Part 1 1:04:06

1y ago1:04:06

1:04:06

Text us your questions! Break out your dictionaries folks, this one got in the weeds a bit. But if you're familiar with Peter Rollins, you're probably not too surprised by that. Peter is a philosopher, public intellectual, and self-described anti-guru who writes and speaks extensively about concepts like the death of God, negative theology, "pyroth…

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175 - Discipleship: Missions 1:20:36

1y ago1:20:36

1:20:36

Missions has always been a focus of the Fundamentalist Movement in America. JC, Brian, and Nathan talk about missions in and out of the IFB and what it should look like according to Scripture.By Recovering Fundamentalist

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Is Your Theology Too Small? A Conversation with Trey Ferguson 1:26:15

1y ago1:26:15

1:26:15

Text us your questions! Trey Ferguson of the New Living Treyslation and Three Black Men podcasts joins us to discuss his new book Theologizin' Bigger: Homilies on Living Freely and Loving Wholly. We talk about the Bible, the difference between "theologizin'" and theology, the racial dynamics of deconstruction, why evangelicals are so obsessed with …

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Recovering Fundamentalist Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen