Growing Up Christian

Jeremiah is BACK, and we’re diving into one of the 14 bonus books of the Bible known as the Apocrypha! If you’re not familiar with the Apocrypha, it’s a series of stories set between the Old and New Testaments that were originally part of the Septuagint. Over the course of centuries, several sects of Christianity stopped recognizing them as “divinely inspired,” and eventually cut them altogether. Catholics, on the other hand, canonized them. Today’s story really boils down to a deleted scene from the story of Daniel, and it’s a fun little addition to the traditional narrative. I hope you like dragons, because Daniel’s gonna be draggin’ his balls across Bel’s idolatrous face!

This week we’re joined by my old friend, Mikel Faulk! I’ve wanted to have Mike on since we started the show because 1) he’s one of the best guys I know, 2) he was one of the first Christians I got to know that wasn’t beholden to denominational dogma, and 3) he’s a man that has experienced tragedy and hardship that would have broken a lot of people, but he’s weathered those storms and come out the other side a great person. We talk about the less-than-charming, real-life version of Never Been Kissed, Mike meeting the love of his life as a teenager, marriage, and the tragic loss of his wife, finding comfort in friends, music, and faith, and a loss of a very different kind… Over the past decade, many of us have ourselves, or had loved ones tumble into conspiracy theory rabbit holes, but in this case, it ripped a family apart. It’s a wild story, and one that’s all too familiar to many people. So stay off the dark web, and enjoy this week’s episode with Mikel Faulk!

This week we’re joined by pastor and musician Joe Musten, member of several great bands including Beloved, Advent, and The Almost! Joe in the south attending an Assembly of God church – the very same church where he’s now a pastor. We talk about friends and music, fundamental spiritual experiences, and what being a pastor is all about. Joe is such a nice dude, and we had a great time talking to him! Follow Joe on Instagram (@joemusten), and enjoy the show!

This week we’re talking about the adulterous Alex Jones of apostolic Christian infamy, Greg Locke. If you’re not familiar with Ol’ Greg, he’s the pastor of Global Vision Bible Church in Mount Juliet, TN. It’s a fairly small church that Locke has whittled down into a core group of followers that have stuck by his side in spite of his public affair and subsequent marriage to his administrative assistant and ex-wife’s best friend, his frequent, literal witch hunts within the congregation (oh yeah, he believes in witches and warlocks), and his shameless self-promotion as he ascends through the ranks of Evangelical internet firebrands. Greg has garnered national attention over the years for his angry, ugly, and outright insane sermons, but in the past few months, he’s made a few public statements that seem out of character. He recently issued an apology (if you want to call it that) for his “meanness,” and deleted most of his sermons and vlogs that have attracted so much attention to him. In addition, he recently released a documentary called “Come Out in Jesus Name,” which follows himself and a group of pastors as they cast demons out of other Christians. Everything involving this guy is nuts, and we had to talk about him!

This week we’re joined by our new friend Jason Parr who spent 3 years inside a strange and insular group of counterculture Evangelicals known as Deliverance Bible Church (interview starts at 31:00 minutes). At the center of this unconventional church is a pastor by the name of Cleetus Adrian, a charismatic egomaniac who fancies himself some sort of prophet. If it sounds like I’m slinging mud right from the get-go, don’t take my word for it. Check out the links below for an article about about the church, as well as a bizarre video of Cleetus “rescinding the blessings of DBC” from his enemies. This is the first time Jason has spoken publicly about his experience at Deliverance Bible Church, and it’s no small thing to share the details of such a negative and formative experience. We really appreciate his willingness to talk to us and you, and we hope you enjoy the episode!

The Punk Rock Church That Could Be a Cult

"Deliverance Bible Church cursing people in the name of Jesus RAW"

This week we’re studying one of the wonderful Christian books I bought for fifty cents at a thrift store or yard sale “10 Challenges of a Worldchanger” by Ron Luce. Ron was the founder and president of Teen Mania, a now-defunct multiheaded hydra of a ministry that went under in 2015 after declaring bankruptcy. They had several different divisions, but one of them was Acquire the Fire - an event near and dear to many of our hearts. Ron’s a bit of a nut, and this book has some pretty ridiculous advice for young kids. It was a lot of fun to pick apart, and we hope you enjoy the conversation!

This week we’re joined by Jason and Shauncey of the very funny podcast, Heretics’ Social Club! These fellas are kindred spirits of ours, having done hard time in strict Baptist, as well as charismatic churches, Christian school/college, and then falling headfirst into heavy music. This was a really fun conversation with a lot of laughs! Follow Heretics’ Social Club on Instagram @hereticssocial, follow the guys on Twitter  (@shaunceyfury & @benedictsred), and stream their show wherever you listen to podcasts!

If you spent your life in the church, I’m sure you’ve heard a lot of testimonies. The Christian redemption arc takes on a lot of different forms, but our favorite BY FAR is the “I was a bad dude livin’ life on the edge until I found God” trope. This week, we’re taking a look at a man with one such story. Richie the Barber is a guy who’s been grasping at fame for over a decade. Minus a few reality tv appearances and the occasional celebrity shoulder brushing, that fame just hasn’t materialized. So, what’s the all-too-familiar last step in the attention-craving silver screen wannabe’s shameless descent into anonymity? You guessed it: charismatic internet doomsday prophet! If you’re wondering what makes Richie at all unique, it’s the fact that he’s a clown… and I don’t mean that figuratively. This guy has used tattoos and body modification to turn himself into a literal clown. Picture one of the Ringling Brothers serving a 25-year sentence in a Spencer’s Gifts, and you should land pretty close. However, this clown is doing more than just handing out bowl cuts. He’s calling out every one of Satan’s reptilian acolytes in the entertainment industry. The Kardashians, Barak Obama, Bert Kreischer… you know, all of them! Join us as we take a few swings at the worst exorcist $200 can buy: Richie the Barber!

Our guest this week is musician Kelc Galluzzo, better known as Jetty Bones! Kelc has a wild story, to say the least. She’s dealt with trauma, loss, mental health struggles, as well as the turbulent ups and downs of the music industry. We cover a lot of ground in this episode, and it gave us an even deeper appreciation for Kelc’s music. Her new album “Songs I Wrote Instead of Killing Myself” is fantastic, and is available everywhere! Follow Jetty Bones on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter (@jettybones), and visit www.jettybones.com for news, merch, and upcoming shows!

This week we welcome back South Jersey seamstress, shapeshifter, and sassy spouse to Casey, April Gloria! Continuing our conversation from last week, we’re jumping back into the early 2000’s controversy surrounding the Dixie Chicks, who voiced their opposition to the impending Iraq War, as well as their distaste for then-President George W. Bush. By today’s standards their comments seem extremely mild, but they caused an absolute uproar among conservative Americans that can still be felt today. We also discuss the recent Discovery Plus documentary, Jared From Subway: Catching a Monster. Let’s just say the quality of documentaries seems like it varies quite a bit… Follow April on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok (@_aprilgloria), and enjoy the show!