Unconventional Leaders

Brian Recker is a former evangelical pastor turned public theologian who's challenging the very foundations of Christianity. In his viral content and new book Hell Bent, Brian unpacks why so many of us were handed a spirituality rooted in punishment and how that’s distorted our relationships with God, others, and even ourselves.

In this conversation, Brian shares his personal story of deconstruction and what it means to rebuild a faith based on love, curiosity, and mutual respect. From publicly affirming LGBTQ+ people to questioning hell itself, Brian invites us to rethink everything we thought we knew about Jesus.

WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady 

TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE:

• Why Brian went public with his affirming stance on LGBTQ+ inclusion
• How hell-centered theology impacts your view of God
• How to love others without falling into the “Savior complex”

CONNECT WITH BRIAN RECKER: 

• Website: https://www.brianrecker.com/ 
• Order Hell Bent: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0593853199?tag=randohouseinc7986-20

CONNECT WITH HEATHER:

• Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/ 
• Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/112

Here are three clips from storytelling experts on why showing weakness not only improves your stories…but also builds your credibility.

WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady 

EPISODES MENTIONED:

• Storytelling Expert: Science of Emotions and Backstory | Lisa Cron
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4pb41H6OR4
• The Storytelling Process: Deep Dive with Screenwriter & Director Steven Bernstein
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsSk_k8dMgk&t=36s
• STORYTELLING TIP: The Hidden Power of UNHEALED Stories
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoQ68ATIoO8

CONNECT WITH HEATHER:

• Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/ 
• Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/111

Story coach and author Lisa Cron (Wired for Story, Story Genius, Story or Die) joins us to unpack the neuroscience behind powerful storytelling—and to challenge some of the most common (and misleading) advice writers are given. In this episode, Lisa shares how our brains are literally wired for story, the three key brain chemicals that great narratives activate, and why most people misunderstand what makes a character “likable.” Spoiler: it’s not about being nice. It’s about vulnerability and relatability.

WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady 

TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE:

• How neuroscience affects whether we care about a story
• The three brain chemicals essential to storytelling
• How to build credibility and likability through story

CONNECT WITH LISA CRON:

• Website: http://wiredforstory.com/

CONNECT WITH HEATHER:

• Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/ 
• Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/110

I want to share a personal story about the time I cussed out a real-life angel. Sometimes we think our message isn’t landing…but we never really know the impact our words can have.

WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady 

CONNECT WITH HEATHER:

• Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/ 
• Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/109

Trey Pearson, front man of the Christian rock band Everyday Sunday, sold hundreds of thousands of records, amassed millions of streams, and toured all over the world. Then, he came out of the closet and made national headlines.

Trey's announcement sparked a national conversation, including a television appearance on The View and coverage from The New York Times, Billboard Magazine, CNN, and more. At one point, he was the #1 trending topic worldwide on Facebook.

I had him on the show today to talk about reconnecting with your calling after deconstruction, finding real community, and what it means to create from a place of wholeness instead of performance.

TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE:

• Dealing with feeling betrayed by your community
• Creating from love, not approval
• Staying grounded after deconstruction

CONNECT WITH TREY PEARSON:

• Website: https://www.treypearson.com/ 
• Instagram: instagram.com/treypearson/ 
• Trey’s Safe Place: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1E1bx4pS3J/
• Stream on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5pjtpHRdrbbw9zZWx83zCF?si=c8ObiNxpQH2Z2VlxzScIUw
• Great Interview With Trey (Mentioned In Episode) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSD7uAc8Plk&pp=ygUXdHJleSBwZWFyc29uIGludGVydmlld3M%3D

CONNECT WITH HEATHER:

• Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/ 
• Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/108

I asked Michael Gungor how to find your calling…and I loved his response. Enjoy this short clip featuring singer-songwriter Michael Gungor. Watch our full conversation (Reconstructing Through Creativity) here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJVMVwLEIMQ&t=164s

CONNECT WITH MICHAEL GUNGOR:

• Website: https://www.michaelgungor.com/ 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelgungor/

CONNECT WITH HEATHER:

• Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/ 
• Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/107

Michael Gungor is a Grammy nominated singer-songwriter, producer, author, and co-founder of The Liturgists. Once known for leading worship in megachurches and writing anthems like Beautiful Things, Michael became a defining voice in the faith deconstruction movement.

In this conversation, we explore how he found connection to the divine outside of religious systems…through creativity, mysticism, and surrender. Michael shares why play, wonder, and imagination are essential for wholeness, and what it means to discover calling beyond religion.

WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady 

TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE:

• How to nurture play, wonder, and imagination in your life
• Letting go of agenda-based creation
• Finding your calling (in the rearview mirror)

CONNECT WITH MICHAEL GUNGOR:

• Website: https://www.michaelgungor.com/ 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelgungor/

CONNECT WITH HEATHER:

• Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/ 
• Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/106

Lauren-Michael Sellers is a Nashville-based singer-songwriter whose music I first heard on Season 26 of The Voice. But it wasn’t just her voice that struck me…it was the presence behind it. In this conversation, Lauren-Michael opens up about trauma, faith, and finding God in the middle of suffering. She shares why those who suffer are anointed, and why pain isn’t something that should push us away from God, but draw us closer.

TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE:

• Becoming a vessel for God and creativity to flow through
• Should we accept suffering… is it orchestrated?
• How to move beyond the rational mind in the midst of pain

WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady 

CONNECT WITH LAUREN-MICHAEL SELLERS:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenmichaelsellers/ 
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6hAenNlARdfhIsPSamrmfc

CONNECT WITH HEATHER:

• Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/ 
• Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/105

When it comes to sharing our story, we’ve all heard the advice: “share from your scars, not from your wounds.” But Renee Frojo, a brand and content strategist, makes a bold case for doing the opposite.

In this episode, Renee discusses the power of speaking from your pain before it’s polished, how vulnerability builds real credibility, and why the future of storytelling might actually make us more human. As she says, “It’s the very things we are afraid of that ultimately unlock potential, connection, and answers.”

WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady 

TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE:

• The hidden cost of always trying to appear “credible” online
• The fear of exposure—and how it blocks creative potential
• Why emotionally intelligent storytellers will thrive in the age of AI

CONNECT WITH RENEE FROJO:

• Website: reneelynnfrojo.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reneelynnfrojo/ 

CONNECT WITH HEATHER:

• Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/ 
• Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/104

In this episode, we have with us Amie McNee (@inspiredtowrite), the author of We Need Your Art and the voice behind the wildly popular community, Inspired to Write, where she helps her global audience of creatives dismantle limiting narratives and start taking their work seriously.

CONNECT WITH HEATHER:

• Ask Heather a Question: https://www.heatherparady.com/ask 
• Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/ 
• Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/103