What if one of the most selfless things you've ever done wasn't completely selfless?

For the Season 4 finale of Safe Space w/ Jaxon, I wanted to end differently. No guest. No debate. Just a story I've carried with me for years—and a question I've never fully been able to answer.

During the pandemic, I met a man in Washington, D.C. who was desperately trying to get money to care for his children after their mother passed away. He told me $50 would help.

I gave him $300.

For years, I remembered that as one of the most generous moments of my life. But the older I've gotten, the more I've started examining what was happening inside of me that day.

I genuinely wanted to help him.

But I also grew up believing in sowing and reaping. Do good and good comes back. Give and somehow you'll receive. Somewhere underneath my generosity was the belief that perhaps God would see what I was doing and eventually return the favor.

So I started asking myself an uncomfortable question:

Is an act still selfless if the person giving also benefits from it?

Because helping him felt good.

It still feels good when I think about it.

And if I'm being completely transparent, there's a part of me that wants to be known as someone who's unselfish.

Does that ego invalidate the generosity?

Or can both things exist at the same time?

In this documentary-style reflection, I wrestle with generosity, ego, faith, children and compassion, the theology of sowing and reaping, and what happens when you realize that goodness isn't a formula that protects us from suffering.

I've learned that I can plant something good and never see the harvest.

Someone else may reap what I sow long after I'm gone.

And that doesn't make the seed any less valuable.

This isn't an episode about proving that my motives were pure.

They weren't.

It's about accepting that human motives are complicated—and deciding that complexity doesn't have to stop us from doing good.

I wanted to reduce someone's suffering.

Helping him also changed something in me.

Two things can be true.

Safe Space w/ Jaxon

Season 4, Episode 10 — Season Finale

🎙️ Hosted by Jaxon Phoenix

📖 Published author of Only Us — available on Amazon

🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & Amazon Music

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What happens when following Jesus leads you away from the version of Christianity you were taught?

In this episode of Safe Space w/ Jaxon, I sit down with historian and New York Times bestselling author Jemar Tisby for a deeply honest conversation about faith, race, power, Christian nationalism, and what it actually means to reconstruct a spiritual life after evangelicalism.

I open up about where I've landed spiritually as a Red Letter Humanist—still drawn to Jesus and his teachings, while becoming far less interested in defending Christianity as an institution. Jemar responds from his own journey with a powerful distinction: white evangelicalism may have introduced him to Jesus, but following Jesus eventually led him out of white evangelicalism. For Jemar, the process isn't simply deconstruction—it's also decolonization.

From there, the conversation goes places I didn't expect.

We wrestle with the difference between being Christian-like and Christ-like, and Jemar takes us back to Frederick Douglass and the historic distinction between the “Christianity of this land” and the “Christianity of Christ.” We examine what happens when protecting religious identity becomes more important than practicing the teachings of Jesus.

We talk about slavery, lynching, racism, seminary, biblical interpretation, and the uncomfortable ways ordinary people can participate in oppressive systems while believing they're doing the right thing. Jemar also challenges the idea that Scripture must always be approached apart from Jesus, arguing that Jesus himself becomes an interpretive lens through which Scripture can be understood.

But this conversation isn't only about what we're leaving behind.

It's about what we build next.

Jemar makes the case that reconstruction ultimately has to lead us back toward community—healthy, imperfect community centered around Jesus. And that requires something deeper than changing our theology: it requires grieving what hurt us, healing from it, and learning how to trust people again without demanding perfection.

This isn't a conversation about abandoning faith.

It's about asking whether sometimes...

rejecting what Christianity has become is part of finding Jesus again.

Safe Space w/ Jaxon

Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & Amazon Music

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What happens when two dads with different spiritual perspectives sit on a deck, crack open a couple beers, throw some Drake on in the background, and start talking about how they’re going to raise their sons?

Apparently… you get a Safe Space episode. 😂

For Season 4, Episode 8, I sat down with one of my good friends, who happens to be Buddhist, for a laid-back conversation about religion, spirituality, fatherhood, and what we actually want to teach our boys about God.

And surprisingly, despite the different labels, we found ourselves wanting a lot of the same things.

We don't want to simply hand our sons a belief system and tell them what they're supposed to believe. We want to teach them how to think, not what to think.

Ask questions. Be curious. Challenge what you're taught. Learn from different religions and perspectives. Think critically. And ultimately, have the freedom to explore God for themselves.

Because maybe our job as fathers isn't to give them all the answers.

Maybe it's to make sure they never become afraid of the questions.

This conversation has a little bit of everything — great banter, plenty of laughs, beers on the deck, Drake playing in the background, and those random moments where a casual conversation suddenly turns into something much deeper.

Two dads. Two spiritual journeys. Two sons who will eventually have journeys of their own.

And we're learning how to give them the freedom to have them.

Safe Space w/ Jaxon — Season 4, Episode 8

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What if the 20-year-old version of you could see your life today?

Would they be disappointed...or completely amazed?

One of the easiest ways to become ungrateful is to forget the things you once desperately prayed, worked, and hoped for. The job, the family, the peace, the opportunities, the healing—over time, what was once a dream quietly becomes normal.

In this solo episode, I reflect on the importance of celebrating your wins, even years after they arrive. There's nothing wrong with wanting more out of life. Growth is healthy. Ambition is healthy. But don't let your next goal blind you to the life you've already built.

I also explore why setbacks aren't signs that you're failing—they're part of the game. Just like a video game, every new level comes with new obstacles. Expect challenges. Prepare for them mentally. Don't let them convince you that you've lost your way.

For the first time, I also introduce the worldview I've come to identify with: Red Letter Humanism—a perspective centered on the red-letter teachings of Jesus as the highest moral guide. It prioritizes love, compassion, forgiveness, justice, humility, and the inherent dignity of every person over religious dogma. It rejects fear-based faith, embraces intellectual honesty, acknowledges the mystery surrounding God and the afterlife, and seeks to follow the way of Jesus even when certainty isn't possible.

Gratitude doesn't mean settling. It means appreciating the journey while continuing to move forward.

Sometimes the life you're complaining about is the exact life your younger self couldn't wait to live.

🎧 Listen to Safe Space w/ Jaxon on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.

📲 Follow me on Instagram: @jaxonphoenix88

🎙️ Safe Space w/ Jaxon is powered by Quoircast, where we create thoughtful conversations around faith, spirituality, culture, and the human experience. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

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What happens when the people and institutions that shaped your faith begin to crumble?

In this episode of Safe Space, Jaxon sits down with Certified Life, Personal Development, and Relationship Coach Denzel Mensah for an honest conversation about faith, deconstruction, identity, and healing.

Denzel shares his upbringing, his experience as a student at Liberty University, and how witnessing some of evangelicalism's most public scandals—including the revelations surrounding Ravi Zacharias and Jerry Falwell Jr.—became pivotal moments in his spiritual journey.

Together, Jaxon and Denzel explore what happens when certainty begins to crack, why asking difficult questions isn't the enemy of faith, and how healing often begins when we're willing to confront uncomfortable truths.

Whether you're deconstructing, reconstructing, or simply trying to make sense of your own spiritual story, this conversation offers hope, honesty, and space to breathe.

In This Episode:

Denzel's upbringing and faith journey

Life at Liberty University

Processing the Ravi Zacharias scandal

Deconstruction and spiritual growth

Healing from religious disappointment

Where Denzel's beliefs stand today

If this conversation encouraged or challenged you, be sure to follow the show, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who needs it.

📖 Check out Jaxon's book, Only Us, available now on Amazon in Kindle, Paperback, and Audible formats.

📲 Follow Jaxon on Instagram: @jaxonphoenix88 for episode updates, behind-the-scenes content, and more conversations from Safe Space.

Thanks for listening to Safe Space. Until next time, keep growing, keep healing, and keep creating space for honest conversations. Peace. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

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What if curiosity is more important than certainty?

In this episode of Safe Space with Jaxon, I sit down with storyteller, creative strategist, former mental health therapist, and host of Unconventional Leaders, Heather Parady.

Heather has spent years helping creators, entrepreneurs, and unconventional thinkers find their voice and communicate ideas that matter. But beneath the work is a deeper conversation—one about identity, reinvention, creativity, and the courage to question the stories we've inherited.

Together, we explore what happens when we outgrow old beliefs, learn to trust ourselves, and embrace the uncertainty that often accompanies personal growth. We discuss the tension between who we were told to be and who we are becoming, the role curiosity plays in transformation, and why some of life's most meaningful answers emerge when we're willing to admit we don't have all the answers.

This is a conversation for anyone navigating change, searching for purpose, or learning how to create a life that feels authentic.

Because sometimes evolution doesn't begin with certainty.

Sometimes it begins with curiosity.

Guest: Heather Parady

Instagram: @heatherparady

Podcast: Unconventional Leaders

Host: Jaxon Phoenix

Instagram: @jaxonphoenix88

🎙️ Safe Space with Jaxon is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.

📖 Jaxon's book, Only Us, is available now on Amazon in Paperback, Kindle, and Audible formats. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

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What happens when the faith you inherited no longer aligns with the reality you experience?

In this episode of Safe Space with Jaxon, Jaxon sits down with Tim Whitaker, founder of The New Evangelicals, co-host of The Tim & April Show, and creator of Tim Whitaker Speaks.

Together, they explore the tension between faith and certainty, the personal cost of asking difficult questions, and what it means to remain committed to the teachings of Jesus while wrestling with the institutions that claim to represent him.

From deconstruction and Christian nationalism to belonging, community, and hope for the future of faith, this conversation goes beyond labels and into the deeper questions many people are quietly carrying.

Whether you're reconstructing your faith, questioning long-held beliefs, or simply searching for a more honest spiritual path, this episode offers a thoughtful and compassionate space for the journey.

Connect with Tim:

Instagram: @timwhitakerspeaks

YouTube: Tim Whitaker Speaks

YouTube: The Tim & April Show

Connect with Jaxon:

Instagram: @jaxonphoenix88

YouTube: Jaxon Clips

Podcast: Safe Space with Jaxon

Jaxon's book, Only Us, is available now on Amazon in Paperback, Kindle, and Audible formats.

If this conversation resonated with you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone navigating their own faith journey. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

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n Season 4, Episode 3 of Safe Space with Jaxon, I sit down with filmmaker, photographer, spiritual director, and founder of Current Collective, Luke Bricker.

Luke's story is one that many of us can relate to. Raised in the church and serving in pastoral ministry from a young age, he eventually found himself questioning many of the beliefs and assumptions he had inherited. What followed wasn't the loss of faith, but the beginning of a deeper journey—one that led him toward healing, contemplation, wholeness, and a renewed understanding of the way of Jesus.

In this conversation, we explore Luke's journey before Current Collective, the challenges and gifts of deconstruction, why reconstruction often gets overlooked, what true healing looks like, and how people can reconnect with themselves, with God, and with the present moment.

We also close with a simple but powerful question:

Who is Jesus to Luke Bricker today?

Whether you're deconstructing, reconstructing, spiritually curious, or simply searching for a faith that feels honest and life-giving, this conversation offers wisdom, compassion, and hope.

🎙️ Safe Space with Jaxon is powered by Quoircast.

📖 Jaxon's book Only Us is available now on Amazon in Paperback, Kindle, and Audible editions.

Follow Jaxon:

YouTube: @JaxonClips26

Instagram: @jaxonphoenix88 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

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In this deeply personal episode, Jaxon steps away from theory, theology, and politics to speak from a place that is far more vulnerable: fatherhood.

Following the tragic death of one-year-old Kohen Wiley at the hands of Mississippi law enforcement, Jaxon reflects on a story that should have shaken the conscience of the nation but instead received only a fraction of the attention it deserved. As a new father himself, he wrestles with the grief, anger, and heartbreak that emerge when a child loses their life and the public quickly moves on.

This episode is not about political talking points. It is about humanity. It is about the value of a child's life. It is about asking difficult questions regarding race, justice, accountability, and why some tragedies seem to demand national outrage while others fade into silence.

Through personal reflection and social commentary, Jaxon explores what Kohen's death reveals about America, our collective priorities, and the work that remains if we truly believe every child deserves protection, dignity, and the chance to grow up.

This conversation may be uncomfortable. It may challenge long-held assumptions. But some stories deserve more than a passing headline.

Some stories deserve our attention.

Some children deserve to be remembered.

Today, we remember Kohen Wiley.

Jaxon's debut book, Only Us, is available now on Amazon in paperback, Kindle, and Audible formats.

Safe Space with Jaxon is powered by Quoircast and available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

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What if the strongest argument for God isn't an argument at all?

In the Season 4 premiere of Safe Space with Jaxon, I reflect on becoming a father and how witnessing the birth of my son changed the way I think about faith, certainty, and belief. For years, I listened to sermons, debates, apologetics, and competing claims about God. Yet none of them impacted me the way holding my child for the first time did.

This isn't an episode about proving God. It's about wonder.

It's about reaching a place where your beliefs no longer require validation from a religious tribe, a theologian, or an online debate. It's about recognizing that truth doesn't need endless defense, and that personal experience can sometimes speak louder than the most polished argument.

I also explore why I can still identify as a Christian while disagreeing with much of modern Christianity, and why I believe the fruit of the Spirit has no denomination, political party, or social club attached to it.

Love is love.

Kindness is kindness.

Compassion is compassion.

It's either bearing good fruit or it isn't.

Join me for a conversation about fatherhood, faith, freedom, and the miracle of life.

🎙️ Safe Space with Jaxon

📚 Author of Only Us

🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music

#SafeSpaceWithJaxon #DeathOfApologetics #FaithAfterFatherhood #ChristianHumanist #Spirituality #Fatherhood #OnlyUs #Podcast #Deconstruction #WonderOverCertainty Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

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