The BETWEEN Podcast

This episode of The BETWEEN Podcast features host Matt Mattson jumping into the "MESS" with special guest, Melissa Neeb. They discuss faith, deconstruction, parenting, mental health, addiction, and public speaking -- all within the context of building sacred moments of human connection in our lives. S

Melissa gives some powerful advice about showing up and creating "honest rooms" that could be transformative for listeners trying to bring more meaningful (and maybe even holy) connection into their lives.

You can find Melissa at the following:

Faith in The Mess ("love big, live kind")

Instagram: @faith_in_the_mess

Facebook: Faith in the Mess by Melissa Neeb

Never Empty Nest (how to mom teens)

Instagram: @never_empty_nest

Facebook: Never Empty Nest by Melissa Neeb

Today's guest on The BETWEEN Podcast is Rev. Nathan Albert (he/him). Nathan is a professional actor turned university chaplain, author, and religious pluralist. He seeks to be a disruptor of the dominant, a multifaceted theologian, a champion of religious diversity, and a multiple religious participant who promotes interreligious learning. As a chaplain, his focus is interreligious learning, spiritual engagement, and religious difference.

He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre Performance, a Master of Divinity, a Certificate in Spiritual Transformation, and is currently working on a Doctor of Ministry in Interreligious Chaplaincy focusing his research on the ways chaplains disrupt Christian hegemony and supremacy.

Nathan is also an avid meditator, lover of cities, maintains a plant-based diet, and is a passionate user of the Oxford comma.

Nathan is the author of the book, EMBRACING LOVE: My Journey To Hugging a Man in His Underwear. At the Chicago Pride Parade, Nathan Albert stood with his friends bearing signs of apology on behalf of Christians who had failed to represent Christ’s love to the LGBTQ community. Little did he know that millions around the world would soon see him captured in an iconic viral photograph and read his blog about hugging a man in his underwear.

Embracing Love is the story behind that photograph, the story of a musical theatre actor turned pastor whose deep desire is that the Gospel be seen, heard, and felt by the LGBTQ community in every tangible way. Through personal stories, pastoral encounters, a gospel-centric church model, a comparison of approaches to the biblical texts on homosexuality, and a fervent call to unity among Christians, Nathan Albert invites readers past the intimidation of controversy for the sake of embracing people with the love of the Divine.

Reverend Bethany Peerbolte is known by literally HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of people... maybe MILLIONS OF PEOPLE on social media... especially TikTok... as RevBethany... RevBethany is a loving, affirming, celebrating representative of Christianity who lifts up everyone who encounters her content... especially folks who have been pushed to the margins by organized religion in the past.

RevBethany finds these wonderfully creative ways to bring scripture to life... and to connect the message of the gospel to the headlines of the week.

She is a fearless voice on TikTok, on Instagram, and on YouTube where she loves not only sharing empowering messages, but also hearing the stories of so many folks out there in the world... and helping them maintain their relationship with God despite how the people in a church have treated them.

Bethany also runs a ministry called Our Tapestry... which is a progressive digital community that serves folks in the theological deserts of society. Our Tapestry ​helps people actively declutter their faith, it works for justice, and it is a diverse and welcoming community of encouragement.

Our guest on this episode of The BETWEEN Podcast is Paula Stephens. Paula is many things... Here are five lines from her bio...

This episode covers the fundamentals of Zen Buddhism, cups of coffee potentially falling off the roofs of cars, death, grief, resilience, love, and our desperate longing to be seen. You're going to love it.

You can learn all about Paula at https://www.paulastephens.net/

Enjoy this short bonus episode of The BETWEEN Podcast featuring your host, Matt Mattson. It's just a quick little nugget about the shrines to togetherness we've manufactured around us, and why that's so important (and how we can work to put a little more sacred connection into the middle of our normal lives).

Be sure to sign up for the BETWEEN mailing list and learn more about us at: https://between.church/join

Follow BETWEEN on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/between.church/

Watch our YouTube videos at: https://www.youtube.com/@betweenchurch

Our guest on this episode of The BETWEEN Podcast is Barbara Ann Jacques, Ph.D.

Barbara is a graceful disruptor. And this episode is a magnificent spiritual journey inward so that we all might be better at outwardly connecting. You're going to absolutely love this episode.

Paul Fahey, founder of Pope Francis Generation joins host Matt Mattson for a deep dive into Catholicism, human connection, Pope Francis, systemic abuse, and paradox. This conversation was playful and intellectual... serious and fun... really deep and just skimming the surface of some huge ideas.

Paul Fahey is a lay catechist, a student of counseling, a writer, a speaker, and founder of Pope Francis Generation which is a newsletter, social media presence, podcast, and online platform about the impact of Pope Francis on today's Catholic (and larger) world. He writes and speaks about what he loves:

Mentioned in the episode:

Learn more about Paul's work with Pope Francis Generation here: https://www.popefrancisgeneration.com/about

This episode of The BETWEEN Podcast features host, Matt Mattson, joyfully getting to talk with one of his favorite authors, Shannan Martin. The episode explores ordinary places, what it means to be a neighbor, how to survive a politically challenging year, the sacred gift of awkwardness and more.

Shannan Martin, author of Start With Hello, The Ministry of Ordinary Places , and Falling Free, is a speaker and writer who found her voice in the country and her story in the city. Shannan works as a cook at The Window, a local nonprofit dedicated to feeding its community. She, her jail-chaplain husband, and their kids live as grateful neighbors in Goshen, Indiana.

Christy Lynne Wood is a writer, a podcast host, and a speaker who spent 10 years of her youth in a Christian Cult. Today she hosts a podcast named after her powerful book titled, "Religious Rebels."

Growing up in the IBLP Christian cult-like culture (brought to light recently in the documentary "Shiny Happy People" featuring the Duggar Family, stars of "19 and Counting") is the topic of Christy's book. But her story and her faith has grown and evolved from those challenging childhood days. Christy says she now "walks the awkward middle way of faith." She has shed all the controlling religious baggage of her past and found a loving, gentler relationship with her Christian faith.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LetMeBeFoolish/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christylynnewood/

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@christylynnewood

Substack: https://christylynnewood.substack.com/

Website: https://christylynnewood.com/

Religious Rebels book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/dHSLR76