Fruitless

On today's episode, Tyler Huckabee (Sojourners) joins Josiah to discuss the history of youth groups in evangelical churches, their moral priorities, and how the adults that emerged from them reckon with their legacy. 

• Follow Tyler on Twitter @TylerHuckabee and Bluesky @tylerhuckabee.bsky.social
• Find more of Tyler's work: https://sojo.net/biography/tyler-huckabee
• Become a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141
• Check out Fruitless on YouTube
• Find more of Josiah’s work: https://linktr.ee/josiahwsutton
• Follow Josiah on Twitter @josiahwsutton

References

• Thumbnail is an illustration by Louise Zergaeng Pomeroy, pulled from article below.
• "Reckoning With the Youth Groups That Raised Us," Tyler Huckabee in Sojourners, https://sojo.net/magazine/august-2026/reckoning-youth-groups-raised-us

Audio credits

• Sentimental - Dan Darmawan
• Yesterday - bloom.
• I Want To Know You - Sonicflood
• Bass - NoCopyrightMusic
• '84 Sheepdog - As Cities Burn

THIS IS A PREVIEW. IF YOU WANT TO LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE, CHECK OUT FRUITLESS ON PATREON HERE: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141

EPISODE ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/u11922141/posts/fsc-5-166526203/

SPORTS!!! It's the fourth installment of the Fruitless Sports Corner (FSC): a semi-reoccurring series where Josiah, Nathan Thiessen, Chris Barker, and Jake the Lawyer talk about sports. On today's episode we discuss Nate meeting Pete Crow-Armstrong, the World Cup, Telemundo v. Fox, Nuts or Butts, the terrible soccer takes, the infamous Balogun red card, incredible goalkeeping, our favorite World Cup moments, Josiah fighting back his conspiratorial impulses, VAR, referees having mall cop psychology, a crazy MLB celebration, baseball ejections, Mr. Celery, the Savannah Bananas, Nate being an old guy purist about baseball, and Lebron.

Music by Viagra Boys and SHADE08

Christian Rock Summer comes to a close with something a little softer, melodic, and worshipful. On today's episode, Josh Boerman (The Worst of All Possible Worlds, Ill Conceived) returns to testify to love and also cause some name confusion by joining Josiah and Josh Christianson for a conversation about the Christian vocal quarter, Avalon, and the state of CCM in the 90s. It turns out, it was pretty homophobic.

• Follow Josh on Bluesky @bosh.worstpossible.world
• Listen to The Worst of All Possible Worlds: worstpossible.world
• Listen to Ill Conceived: https://www.illconceivedpodcast.com/
• Become a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141
• Check out Fruitless on YouTube
• Find more of Josiah’s work: https://linktr.ee/josiahwsutton
• Follow Josiah on Twitter @josiahwsutton

References

• Avalon Essentials, Spotify Playlist, https://open.spotify.com/playlist/55mkNaVTJ3mJJRevfFB1hi
• God Gave Rock and Roll to You: A History of Christian Contemporary Music by Leah Payne
• "Michael Passons (Pt 1) Breaks Silence: His Truth About Avalon, Christian Music & 20‑Year Return," The Patrick Custer Show on YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmWXtnECYP0
• "Michael Passons' Full Story (Pt 2): Forced Out of Avalon, Out of The Closet & Conversion Therapy," The Patrick Custer Show on YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZ9ctLW-2Yo
• "Michael Passons Says His Sexuality Was the Real Reason for Leaving Avalon," Joe Lynch in Billboard, https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/michael-passons-avalon-9447362/
• "Former Avalon singer on coming out, getting ousted and where he is today," Joey DiGuglielmo in Washington Blade, https://www.washingtonblade.com/2020/10/20/former-avalon-singer-on-coming-out-getting-ousted-and-where-he-is-today/
• "Former Avalon Member Melissa Greene to Jen Hatmaker: Christian Music Was Built on the ‘Back of So Many Queer People,’" Jessica Mouser in ChurchLeaders, https://churchleaders.com/news/2218790-avalon-melissa-greene-jen-hatmaker-christian-music-queer-people.html

Audio credits

• Jesus Freak - DC Talk
• Testify to Love - Avalon
• Avalon on the Oxygen Tour in 2001, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIRRO1bswqc
• Yesterday - bloom.
• Give It Up - Avalon
• Testify to Love, from Touched by an Angel, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvzaIUpo2Rk
• Knockin' On Heaven's Door - Avalon
• Can't Live a Day - Avalon
• Can't Live a Day (DJ Tiesto Remix) - Avalon
• Part 2 of the Michael Passons interview on the Patrick Custer Show, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZ9ctLW-2Yo
• Testify to Love - Michael Passons + Ty Herndon (feat. Melissa Greene)
• Bass - NoCopyrightMusic

THIS IS A PREVIEW. IF YOU WANT TO LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE, CHECK OUT FRUITLESS ON PATREON HERE: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141

EPISODE ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/u11922141/posts/party-rocking-in-164986298

Christian Rock Summer 2026 continues! On today's episode, Alien, Caleb, Josh, and Josiah wrap up July by pledging allegiance to the U.S. Cray. We discuss some of the savviest goofs in CCM, and the only band that would ever dare to create "Christian crunkcore": Family Force 5. 

Get ready, as we defeat our robot overlords with the power of dance and brotherhood.

Music by SHADE08 and Family Force 5

THIS IS A PREVIEW. IF YOU WANT TO LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE, CHECK OUT FRUITLESS ON PATREON HERE: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141

EPISODE ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/u11922141/posts/164840372

Christian Rock Summer 2026 continues! On today's episode, Josh, Josiah, and Nate discuss the prince (but never quite king) of Christian screamo/post-hardcore: As Cities Burn.

Music by SHADE08 and As Cities Burn

Christian Rock Summer 2026 continues! And this time, we're tackling Christian ska. On today's episode, James C. Liker, Josh, and Josiah go through the story of everyone's favorite woke youth group band, Five Iron Frenzy.

• Become a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141
• Check out Fruitless on YouTube
• Find more of Josiah’s work: https://linktr.ee/josiahwsutton
• Follow Josiah on Twitter @josiahwsutton

References

• The Five Iron Frenzy Episode, YouTube Playlist, https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWdQp6Z35FnI
• The Rise and Fall of Five Iron Frenzy (2010), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDxNJ-omuw8
• "Five Iron Frenzy: An extensive oral history of the band straight from the members themselves," Tom Murphy in Westword, https://www.westword.com/music/five-iron-frenzy-an-extensive-oral-history-of-the-band-straight-from-the-members-themselves-5714595/
• "Our Newest Podcast Ever - Episode 18 - Reese Roper Interview," https://open.spotify.com/episode/5360LMumZ6LBa4gbSHDygY?utm_source=copy-link
• "To Change Your Mind: Christlikeness (Reese Roper) (#13)," You Have Permission, https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/to-change-your-mind-christlikeness-reese-roper-13/id1448000113?i=1000432179616
• "Reese Roper: Five Iron Frenzy," The Black Sheep Podcast, https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reese-roper-five-iron-frenzy/id1224409460?i=1000507441077
• "An Interview With Reese Roper Of Five Iron Frenzy," Brandon James in Indie Vision Music, https://www.indievisionmusic.com/interviews/reese-roper-of-five-iron-frenzy/
• "Spotlight on Reese Roper and Five Iron Frenzy," French Davis in Yellowscene, https://yellowscene.com/2021/03/02/spotlight-on-reese-roper-and-five-iron-frenzy/
• "Reese Played Acquire the Fire. He Didn't Light It, But He Tried to Fight It," The Pickle and Boot Shop Podcast, https://open.spotify.com/episode/477hqRBYAviJNlaydHm6Fi

Audio credits

• Jesus Freak - DC Talk
• The Old West - Five Iron Frenzy
• Yesterday – bloom.
• Kamikaze - Five Iron Frenzy
• American Kryptonite - Five Iron Frenzy
• Zen and the Art of Xenophobia - Five Iron Frenzy
• Everywhere I Go - Five Iron Frenzy (originally by Amy Grant)
• Where Zero Meets 15 - Five Iron Frenzy
• A Flowery Song - Five Iron Frenzy
• Handbook for the Sellout - Five Iron Frenzy
• Fistful of Sand - Five Iron Frenzy
• Blue Comb '78 - Five Iron Frenzy
• Banner Year - Five Iron Frenzy
• Oh, Canada - Five Iron Frenzy
• Every New Day - Five Iron Frenzy
• Introduction - Five Iron Frenzy
• My Evil Plan to Save the World - Five Iron Frenzy
• All That Is Good - Five Iron Frenzy
• Dandelions - Five Iron Frenzy
• When I Go Out - Five Iron Frenzy
• Get Your Riot Gear - Five Iron Frenzy
• The Untimely Death of Brad - Five Iron Frenzy
• These Are Not My Pants (The Rock Opera) - Five Iron Frenzy
• Fahrenheit - Five Iron Frenzy
• Four-Fifty-One - Five Iron Frenzy
• Giants - Five Iron Frenzy
• A New Hope - Five Iron Frenzy
• Far, Far Away - Five Iron Frenzy
• The Day We Killed - Five Iron Frenzy
• Blue Mix - Five Iron Frenzy
• Vultures - Five Iron Frenzy
• Rhubarb Pie - Five Iron Frenzy
• Dog Food - Five Iron Frenzy
• So Far, So Bad - Five Iron Frenzy
• Wizard Needs Food, Badly - Five Iron Frenzy
• That's How the Story Ends - Five Iron Frenzy
• Day of Pigs - Roper
• It Was a Dark and Stormy Night - Five Iron Frenzy
• Someone Else's Problem - Five Iron Frenzy
• I Am Jack's Smirking Revenge - Five Iron Frenzy
• Blizzards & Bygones - Five Iron Frenzy
• Battle Dancing Unicorns With Glitter - Five Iron Frenzy
• While Supplies Last - Five Iron Frenzy

Welcome to Christian Rock Summer 2026! We're kicking it off this year with an album about spiritual warfare that takes the war metaphor a bit too literally. On today's episode, Josh and Josiah were joined by Tom O'Mahony and Gregk Foley from Blood Work to discuss The Heart of War by Christian "hard rock" band Jonah33. 

• Follow Gregk on Bluesky @gregk.co.uk
• Follow Tom on Twitter @gotitatguineys or Bluesky @gotitatguineys.bsky.social
• Follow Blood Work on Twitter @bloodworkshow or Bluesky @bloodwork.show
• Listen to Blood Work: bloodwork.show
• Listen to Lions Led By Donkeys and Beneath the Skin
• Become a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141
• Check out Fruitless on YouTube
• Find more of Josiah’s work: https://linktr.ee/josiahwsutton
• Follow Josiah on Twitter @josiahwsutton

References

• "Jonah33 Goes to War," New Release Today, https://www.newreleasetoday.com/article/jonah33-goes-to-war
• "Jonah33," Jesusfreakhideout, https://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/cdreviews/Jonah33.asp
• "Jonah33," ChristianMusic.com, http://www.christianmusic.com/jonah33/jonah33.htm
• "Vince Lichlyter and Jonah33: An Arkansas-based rock veteran returns," Cross Rhythms, https://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/music/Vince_Lichlyter_and_Jonah33_An_Arkansasbased_rock_veteran_returns/53343/p1/

Audio credits

• Jesus Freak - DC Talk
• Yesterday – bloom.
• Faith Like That - Jonah33
• Last One Standing - Jonah33
• Desensitized - Jonah33
• Bullets - Jonah33
• Fire At Will - Jonah33
• Scream - Jonah33
• Brand New Way to Live - Jonah33
• No Song Left to Sing - Jonah33
• Never Alone - Jonah33
• Sample of a D beat from Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:D-beat_(candidate_2).ogg
• White Flag - Jonah33
• Bass - NoCopyrightMusic

THIS IS A PREVIEW. IF YOU WANT TO LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE, CHECK OUT FRUITLESS ON PATREON HERE: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141

EPISODE ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/u11922141/posts/162468855

It's the June music exchange!! In this installment, Josh and Josiah discuss Human = Garbage by Dystopia and Knife Man by AJJ. Also the Reflecting Pool.

Music by Dystopia, AJJ, and SHADE08

Joseph joins Josiah to talk about Fred Phelps, the Westboro Baptist Church, and the weird politics of fringe fundamentalism. 

• Follow Joseph on Twitter @gross_online or Bluesky @grossonline.bsky.social
• Go back and listen to the VLVC episode about Jack Chick here: https://share.transistor.fm/s/b01a24cf
• Become a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141
• Check out Fruitless on YouTube
• Find more of Josiah’s work: https://linktr.ee/josiahwsutton
• Follow Josiah on Twitter @josiahwsutton

References

• God Hates: Westboro Baptist Church, American Nationalism, and the Religious Right by Rebecca Barrett-Fox
• "Conversion via Twitter," Adrian Chen in New Yorker, https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/11/23/conversion-via-twitter-westboro-baptist-church-megan-phelps-roper

Music & Audio credits

• Groove - NoCopyrightMusic
• Bass - NoCopyrightMusic
• Funny - NoCopyrightMusic
• Yesterday – bloom.
• A Pillar of Salt - The Thermals

On today's episode, Manasseh (@oswiu.bsky.social) joins Josiah and James C. Liker to hang out and talk about our evil tech overlords, the U.S. losing the war in Iran, space exploration, and the Future. This is a pretty casual one.

• Follow Manasseh on Bluesky @oswiu.bsky.social
• Become a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141
• Check out Fruitless on YouTube
• Find more of Josiah’s work: https://linktr.ee/josiahwsutton
• Follow Josiah on Twitter @josiahwsutton

Music & Audio credits

• Deep Bass - NoCopyrightMusic
• Bass - NoCopyrightMusic
• Yesterday – bloom.
• R U Ready 4 Ze New World Order by Michaelanthony
• Feel - NoCopyrightMusic