By now you've likely heard about what's been coming out around Bethel Church in Redding, California — Sean Bowles, the cover-up, the repentance service, Bill Johnson's public comments. Mike Winger and others have done significant work exposing the timeline and the failure of leadership.

I'm not here to re-litigate all of that.

I'm here to talk about the one thing I haven't heard anyone name — and the thing that stood out most when I watched Bill Johnson's portion of the repentance service.

Bill Johnson is a people pleaser. And people pleasing is not a neutral personality trait. It is an emotionally unhealthy state. And when you pair it with the kind of authority Bill Johnson holds — and the theological frameworks around apostleship and honor that discourage confrontation — it becomes genuinely dangerous.

In this solo episode, I walk through Bill Johnson's comments carefully and try to name what's being revealed. Not as a takedown. Not as a theological victory lap. But as a mirror — because the same emotional unhealth that let a leader like Bill Johnson look the other way while a predator operated under his platform is the same unhealth that shows up, quieter and less publicized, in every church community and every one of us.

The episode also covers:

This episode will challenge you. But it's not meant to give you something to say about Bill Johnson. It's meant to give you something to do about yourself.

02:30 — What this episode is and isn't
06:00 — Background on the Bethel/Shawn Bolz situation
12:00 — Who else has covered this well (Mike Winger, Ruslan KD, Remnant Radio, etc.)
18:00 — Walking through Bill Johnson's comments from the repentance service
26:00 — "He didn't want to believe it" — why that's telling
33:00 — This isn't about gifting. Something else is going on.
38:00 — People pleasing vs. genuine care for wholeness
44:00 — What mercy actually requires (and what Jesus actually did)
50:00 — The theology of apostleship and honor in NAR
56:00 — Sweeping apologies and what they reveal
1:02:00 — The question we all need to sit with

Brian Dye grew up in one of Chicago's more impoverished neighborhoods — Puerto Rican and African-American community, a mentally ill mom, an alcoholic dad, and a grandmother who was the spiritual anchor of the whole family.

What changed the trajectory of his life wasn't a conference, a program, or a church event. It was a carpenter named Paul Terry who wasn't paid to do ministry — but who kept showing up on Saturdays to paint houses, move furniture, and bring a kid named Brian along for the ride.

That's the heartbeat of everything Brian has built since.

Brian is the founder of Legacy Disciple, a Chicago-based discipleship ministry that runs annual conferences in 5 cities, reaches 400 kids a year in Chicago's neighborhoods, and is launching Legacy University — accessible online Bible courses for everyday disciples and small groups.

In this episode, I get to talk with Brian about:

If you've been in ministry long enough to feel the gap between what discipleship sounds like in sermons and what it actually looks like on a Tuesday morning — this conversation will give you something real to hold onto.

Read the full blog post and show notes here
Learn more about Legacy Disciple at legacydisciple.org.

00:00 Introduction to Discipleship and Legacy Disciple
02:41 The Call to Make Disciples
04:34 Brian Dye's Background and Cultural Context
07:36 The Role of Mentorship in Discipleship
10:26 The Importance of Community in Faith
16:31 The Impact of Personal Relationships in Faith
19:22 Jesus' Model of Discipleship
25:21 The Challenge of Long-term Discipleship
31:20 The Need for Depth Over Numbers
40:59 The Importance of Proximity in Discipleship
43:52 Incorporating Life Rhythms into Discipleship
47:35 Vulnerability in the Discipleship Process
53:39 Legacy Conferences and Community Engagement

Carita Witmer has been teaching elementary school in Lancaster City, PA for 10 years. Her school serves a student body that's 50% non-white — kids from immigrant families, unchurched homes, and backgrounds very different from the predominantly white Anabaptist staff that teaches them.

She didn't arrive with a polished framework for cross-cultural discipleship. She arrived with a love for kids, a desire to serve the underserved, and a willingness to keep learning.

In this episode, I sit down with my oldest sister to talk about:

This isn't a high-energy interview with a platform-building influencer. It's a conversation with a faithful, thoughtful woman who has spent a decade doing the quiet, unglamorous work of discipleship in a classroom. 

Read the full blog post and show notes here.

02:52 Carita's Journey into Teaching
09:43 Early Teaching Experiences
14:05 Transition to Pennsylvania and Way of Jesus Academy
21:49 Understanding Student Diversity
25:11 Fostering Respect and Kindness in the Classroom
37:07 Building Trust with Diverse Families
41:10 The Role of Faith in Education
48:21 The Importance of Community Support
52:18 The Journey of Personal Growth in Teaching

It’s easy to react to headlines.
It’s harder to listen.

In this episode, I talk with my cousin Sonya, who lives and works in Minneapolis, about the recent ICE activity and what it looks like from someone actually there.

We discuss immigration enforcement, fear within immigrant communities, how local churches are responding, and how Christians can navigate these conversations without living in an echo chamber.

This isn’t about outrage.
It’s about proximity.

If we want to love others well, we have to understand their lived experience.

Also, if you would like to help provide rent support for people affected by the activity, you can do so through this GoFundMe campaign.

Grace and peace.

00:00 Introduction and Context of Minneapolis Events
04:49 Sonya's Journey to Minneapolis and Counseling Career
07:48 Life in Minneapolis: Community and Environment
10:43 Involvement with Immigrant Families and Community Support
13:39 Understanding ICE Activities and Community Impact
16:36 Personal Stories and Experiences with Detention
19:45 Legal and Ethical Concerns Surrounding ICE Operations
22:32 Fear and Anxiety Among Immigrant Families
34:06 Understanding the Hostility of Immigration
35:41 Demographics of Immigrants in Minnesota
37:29 Fraud Cases and ICE Presence in Minneapolis
42:05 Protests and Community Response to ICE
45:58 Christian Community's Involvement and Support
50:37 Misconceptions About Immigrants
52:32 The Human Rights Crisis and Community Support
57:17 Ways to Help Immigrants in Minneapolis

Some teachings sound biblical.

They use Scripture.
They feel familiar.
They often come from trusted voices.

But when you look closely… they aren’t rooted in Jesus as revealed through the Scriptures.

In this episode, I walk through seven dangerous teachings quietly shaping the church right now—from Christian nationalism and Zionism to the Jezebel spirit, same-sex marriage, head coverings, racial myths, and how we address habitual sin. (You can read the article version here.)

This is not about policing pastors.
It’s not about hunting heresy.

It’s about becoming theologically anchored.

Because anything that distracts us from becoming like Jesus—
even if it sounds spiritual—
is dangerous.

Grace and peace.

00:00 Introduction to Unfeigned Christianity
02:19 The Importance of Theological Anchoring
09:45 Seven Dangerous Teachings in the Church
10:33 The United States as a Christian Nation
22:02 The Head Covering and Submission
29:12 Accountability to Christ
29:15 The Curse of Ham Myth
34:40 Consequences of the Curse of Ham Myth
36:45 The Jezebel Spirit
48:00 Understanding Rebellion and Authority

I almost quit.

After a long season of health challenges, burnout, and disillusionment, I came close to walking away from writing, podcasting, and this work altogether. In this episode, I share what brought me to that edge—and what pulled me back.

This episode marks a reset for Unfeigned Christianity as we begin 2026.

We talk about why the church desperately needs to be theologically anchored, why emotional health is essential for discipleship, and how we are often being formed more by media and politics than by the way of Jesus.

This isn’t a polished manifesto.
It’s an honest conversation.

If you’re longing for a faith that is grounded, emotionally healthy, and capable of loving others well—this journey is for you.

*You can read the written version of this episode here. 

00:00 Welcome Back and Personal Updates
01:18 Introducing Zara Aurielle
02:47 Reflecting on the Past Year
04:40 Upcoming Interviews and Themes
09:06 The Importance of Theological Anchoring
17:54 The Need for Emotional Health
27:10 Loving and Discipling Others Well

If you’re tired of shallow faith, reactive Christianity, or pretending everything is fine—this space is for you.

Join the email list
Become a member 
Subscribe for upcoming interviews and teaching

Grace and peace.

After Rewiring Desire, one question remains: Can I really change—and can I do it alone?
In this episode, Asher shares an important announcement: enrollment is now open for the Live Free Mentorship Community—a 5-month guided journey toward sexual and spiritual wholeness.

This isn’t another accountability group. It’s a safe, grace-filled space to process your story, rewire old patterns, and experience the connection your heart was made for.

You’ll learn:

Why isolation keeps you stuck

What makes Live Free different

What’s included inside the mentorship

A special Black Friday offer for early members

You don’t need to be perfect to begin—just willing.
Join the community: https://www.asherwitmer.com/the-live-free-mentorship-community/ 

Freedom isn’t about a flawless record. It’s about connection in the moment of pain. In Part 3, we get practical: unblending from Exile/Manager/Firefighter, using simple daily practices to calm your nervous system, and building secure attachment with God and safe people. Learn why willpower fails, how neuroplasticity helps, and how to turn relapse into relationship—so your automatic response becomes “I’m hurting → I connect.”

00:00 Introduction to Healing and Rewiring Desire
00:48 Understanding Internal Parts and Their Roles
02:20 Identifying the Root Causes of Pain
03:37 Neuroscience of Healing and Rewiring the Brain
05:18 Setbacks and the Journey to Wholeness
06:10 Community and Support in the Healing Process

Resources & updates:

Join the email list for the next Live Free Mentorship Community cohort: asherwitmer.com/subscribe

What if porn is an emergency strategy—a frantic part of you chasing relief? In Part 2, Asher unpacks Internal Family Systems (Exile, Manager, Firefighter) alongside Romans 7 and Galatians 5 to name the war you feel inside—and to show how Jesus meets every part with safety, truth, and love. You’ll learn a simple prayer for the moment the urge hits, hear a real-life trigger story (the peach tree), and get a free 7-day Porn Recovery Journal to practice this work all week.

00:00 Understanding the Roots of Pornography Use
01:52 The Internal Family Systems Model
05:01 The Divided Self and Spiritual Conflict
09:05 Integrating the Inner Parts with Christ
12:30 Healing Through Connection and Presence

Most men think their problem is lust. But what if it’s pain?

In this opening episode of Unfeigned Christianity, Asher talks about the hidden shame beneath pornography—the exhaustion, the self-protection, and the ache for connection we rarely admit.

You’ll hear:

Why porn is more about pain than pleasure

How our attachment wounds drive unwanted behavior

Why Jesus doesn’t shame us—He meets us

A simple practice called The “Where Are You?” Pause to begin healing

If you’re ready to move from willpower to wholeness, this episode is for you.

00:00 Confronting the Shame of Pornography
01:23 Understanding the Emotional Roots of Porn Use
03:37 The Path to Healing and Wholeness

Join me as we talk about the pain beneath the porn—and how the gospel meets us there.

Join the conversation & go deeper: http://asherwitmer.com/what-if-your-porn-struggle-isnt-about-lust 

Subscribe & join the journey: asherwitmer.com/subscribe