Growing Up Christian

This week we’re joined by vocalist Chris Oberholtzer of Tan & Handsome, a band that we absolutely love! We discuss some of the strange performances we saw as kids in church, Christian rock bootcamp, his time in YWAM (Youth With A Mission), and the twists and turns of being in the music industry. Tan & Handsome is great, and their new single “Snake Church” is right up our alley! Follow them on Instagram and Youtube (@tanandhandsome), X (@tanandhandsome_), and check out their self-titled EP wherever you listen to music!

This week our beloved Jeremiah and GUC alumnus April Gloria (Casey’s wife) join us to discuss Christian nationalist Andrew Torba’s shocking revelation about the origins of many popular Christmas songs and the Puritans’ War on Christmas. Finally, we are proud to present a theatrical performance of “A Super Christmas,” a heart-warming original play by Vanessa Unti, the past/maybe current(?) youth minister at Christ the Servant Lutheran Church in Bellingham, WA. If you want to follow along at home, you can find a copy of the script here: Free "Super Christmas" Printable Script. Follow April on Instagram and X (@_aprilgloria) and enjoy the show!

This week we’re joined by Rob Hileman, Paul Misko, and Joe Sudrovic from a band near and dear to our hearts, From A Second Story Window! Sam has talked at length about how huge of an influence FASSW’s music and live performances were to him, and we were thrilled to sit down with three of the founding members to discuss their origins, the highs and lows of being a signed ban living on the road, the things that eventually led them to step away from music, and their recent reunion and future plans. Follow From A Second Story Window on Instagram (@fromasecondstorywindow), TikTok (@fromasecondstorywindowband), and Facebook, and keep an eye open for a show near you!

This week we’re joined by friend of the show and Discord OG, Marc Penner! Marc is a former Mennonite and graduate of Tabor College, but he left the church years ago when he came face to face with some pretty blatant hypocrisy. We discuss his alleged participation in a “cupid run,” all the cool ways in which churches exacerbate marital problems, the “kids or no kids” dilemma, and keeping a lid on the roiling torrent of rage bubbling inside of us all. It’s a great conversation with a great dude, and we were really happy to finally sit down with Marc!

This week we’re joined by tattoo artist, comic book enthusiast, and longtime friend of the show, Carlos Cordova aka Stolen Heart Tattoo! Carlos grew up in a close-knit Catholic family. As a young man, his love of art and comic books dovetailed with a fascination with tattoos. Nowadays, he hones his craft at Archetype Tattoo in Albuquerque, New Mexico. We love his work, and had a great time talking to him about Catholicism, pop culture, and tattoos – the good, the bad, and the downright cringe! Follow Carlos on Instagram (@stolenhearttattoo), and go to  www.archetypetattoo.comto schedule an appointment with him!

This week we’re diving back into the Great American Family Channel’s upcoming Christmas original movies! With exciting titles like Christmas on Windmill Way and The Jinglebell Jubilee, these are like the lactose-free virgin eggnog of holiday films (although they might still trigger your IBS). Join us in celebrating “faith, family, and country” with this lineup of Yuletide yawn-fodder that was tailormade for the checkout line at Hobby Lobby, and have a great week!

This week we’re joined by life coach and former pastor, Brad Klausman! Brad was in ministry for 20 years, but doubt and disdain for the church’s attitude towards LGBTQ community (including his young daughter) had weighed heavy on his heart for some time. When the actions of other leaders and his church’s lackluster response caused a rift between members, he decided it was time to go. Brad, like most of us, knows how difficult it is to reexamine your belief system, as well as the issues it can cause with family, friends, and even your career. As a life coach, he helps people identify, clarify, and create a vision for what they want, determine self-discovery and growth goals, put together an action plan that fits the individual, and foster accountability to increase productivity. We had a lot of fun talking to him, and recommend you follow him on Instagram and Facebook (@brad.lifecoach), TikTok (@bradklaus), and go to www.coachingwithbrad.orgfor more information about his services!

Do you ever feel like the Hallmark Channel has abandoned traditional values? Are your children only allowed to watch a 40 year old VHS recording of “The Secret Garden” because the Disney Channel is nothing but smut?? Are you absolutely dying to watch an off-brand Reese Witherspoon-circa-2001-esque rom-com without having to stomach seeing an interracial couple or two men making prolonged eye contact??? Well, I hope you’re wearing suspenders, because I’ve got something that’s gonna bust your buttons, brother! Candace Cameron Bure’s Great American Family Channel is here, and it’s about to put the Christ back in Christmas with 20 brand new holiday movies that are sure to bring your family together (so long as none of them are trans)! Join us as we take a look at a handful of these upcoming titles, and get those good, clean holiday juices flowing!

Our guest this week is musician, author, and podcaster Andrew Schwab, who is a founding member and lifelong vocalist for Project 86! Andrew has been creating music through Project 86 for over 25 years, and during that time, he has seen and experienced A LOT. Our conversation centers around his upbringing and introduction to music, getting swept up in the Christian rock wave of the late 90’s/early 00’s, pushing back against the Christian “parallel culture” thing most of us grew up in, and how his faith has changed and grown over the years. After listening to one of his podcasts called “Ceasefire!,” we really wanted to get into some questions about Andrew’s views on current events and political topics, but we just ran out of time. He has graciously offered to come back and talk about those things in the near future, so we’re looking forward to that! All in all, Andrew is a great guy and a creative force of nature, and we really enjoyed talking to him. Project 86 released part 1 of their final album, “OMNI,” which is a concept album with all sorts of accompanying materials intended to pull the listener into the story. It’s fantastic, and all you grownup metalcore kids might be interested to know that the guys from Norma Jean helped record and produce the album. Follow Andrew on X (@theandrewschwab) and Instagram (@aschwab86), check out www.project86.comfor info about OMNI Part 2 and the Pale Riders Patreon Community, and watch the new music video for “When the Belfry Speaks" available now!

What a cataclysmic week it’s been… We were pretty nervous to discuss the war between Israel and Hamas, so forgive us for spending the first 30 minutes joking about dog appendages, flashers, and intestinal distress. We spend the rest of the episode talking about the bloodshed in the Holy Land, the effects that an Evangelical upbringing has on a person’s perception of events, the reactions and battle lines drawn on social media following Hamas’ attack on Israeli civilians and the subsequent IDF bombardment of Gaza, and our concerns about where things go from here. Look, we’re not well-informed on the history of this conflict, we’re not geopolitical strategists or military experts, and we are about as far removed from the experiences of both Palestinians and Jews as two people can be. We’re just shocked, bewildered, frightened about what could happen next, and disgusted by the reactions of people in positions of power. That’s about all there is to say. We’d love to hear your perspective, and the best place to reach us is on Discord.

P.S. The history series we referenced several times is “Fear & Loathing in the New Jerusalem” from the MartyrMade Podcast: https://martyrmade.com/fear-loathing-in-the-new-jerusalem/