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/

This week we’re excited to welcome back our good friend George Azar, author of “My Gay Church Days: Memoir of a Closeted Evangelical Pastor Who Eventually Had Enough,” and host of the My Gay Church Days podcast! We discuss some of his public appearances after releasing his book, the strange pushback he sometimes receives from unexpected places, what it was like growing up in the post-9/11 US as a kid of Lebanese descent, and finally we take a bite out of the Infancy Gospel of James, and one of the weirdest purity tests ever put on paper. George is the absolute best, and he’s releasing a “Born Again” revision of his book in the very near future! Follow him on Instagram, Facebook, and X (@mygaychurchdays), subscribe to the My Gay Church Days podcast (new season coming soon), and for more information about his updated book, go to www.mygaychurchdays.com!

Stand aside, Uncle Sam, because Father God (speaking directly through His chosen medium, The Gospel Coalition) wants you to take up the cross and fill out a participation form for “Bring Your Bible to School Day!” If by school, you’re referring to my aunt’s breakfast nook, then I’m in. We chat about a fascinating documentary on HBO called Telemarketers about Civic Development Group – a really gross company that Sam spent a few months working for in Virginia. Aaaand the good ol’ Catholic Church… jumping through every hoop in the world to hoard their wealth instead of compensating the victims of their disgusting clergymen. Subscribe to our YouTube channel, as we’ll be posting video versions of the podcast there regularly!

Our guest this week this week is comedian Jeremy Alder! I’d be willing to bet that you’ve seen clips from his hilarious standup special “Purity Pants,” and if not, you’re missing out. Jeremy is a homeschool kid from Texas that experienced some very interesting segments of Evangelicalism as his family’s faith developed and changed, and we had a blast trading stories! Follow Jeremy on Instagram (@jeremy.alder), TikTok, and X (@JeremyAlder), check out his comedy special “Purity Pants” available through Dry Bar Comedy, and go to www.jeremyalder.com for live dates!

This week we’re continuing our exploration of the Apocrypha with the story of Susanna, which is like an ancient Law & Order SVU episode written by a moron. BUT FIRST: we have to talk about our favorite pocket constitution-toting, gun-slinging, crotch-groping barfly of senator, Loren Boebert! Centennial State spitfire made headlines over the weekend after causing a ruckus at a Denver theater, and it’s a story too funny to gloss over… Enjoy the show, and be sure to check out Casey’s guest appearance on Childlike at Best with Mike Valdes, streaming now!

Our guest this week is musician and activist Tommy Green of Run Against Traffic! You may know Tommy from his time spent with bands xDeathstarx, Sleeping Giant, or his current project HolyName. He’s been an important figure in the metal and hardcore scene for a long time, but his primary focus nowadays is Run Against Traffic, an organization that “exists to utilize the transformational power of running & community events to Rescue, Rehabilitate, and Restore the victims of human trafficking in our world.” Trafficking has become and unnecessarily controversial topic, as of late, but Tommy and his wife Krissi Green are doing great work helping vulnerable people get the support they need to get on their feet. We are big believers in their mission, and we really enjoyed talking to Tommy! To learn more about Run Against Traffic, visit their website: www.irunagainsttraffic.com, and follow them on Instagram, YouTube, and X (@runagainsttraffic). Follow HolyName on Instagram and X (@holynamewxrship), and follow Tommy on Instagram (@tommyagainsttraffic) and X (@tommyrevgiant).