Matt Johnson, former Mars Hill elder and drummer in the "Christians in a band not Christian Band" bands Roadside Monument, Blenderhead, and Raft of Dead Monkeys talks with us about the pre-Mars Hill 1990s Seattle Christian punk community, centered around Calvary Chapel in the University District, where Damien Jurado, Dave Bazan and many others also attended. We talk about his time in those bands, particularly Roadside Monument, who recently played a reunion show at Furnace Fest. We also talk about his 17 years at Mars Hill, what it was like being on staff as it was imploding, and the lingering trauma of that experience.

-Buy Matt Johnson's book "Getting Jesus Wrong" right here: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/getting-jesus-wrong-matt-johnson/1124724146

-Matt Johnson writes in Mockingbird while looking back at his experiences at Mars Hill Church and after: https://mbird.com/religion/17-years-at-mars-hill-life-after-disillusionment/

-Follow Roadside Monument on Instagram: @roadsidemonumentband

-Read about and see a video of their 2017 Seattle reunion show: https://www.npr.org/sections/allsongs/2017/06/19/532960633/roadside-monument-15-years-and-2-700-miles-later-reunite-a-lost-seattle

-Check out Zach's music by going to:  https://muzach.bandcamp.com

-Buy VCW merch: https://www.etsy.com/shop/VCWHall

Twitter:

Twitter: @vcwpod

Zach- @muzach

Dave- @Davejlester

Podcast music by Zach Malm

Logo by Zach Malm

In this special and occasionally heavy episode, we were honored to have Alan Sparhawk from the band Low visit the VCW hall to chat about his music, his religious journey with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and faith and hope. We discuss how faith and hope are different but play together, moments of transcendence, and the feeling of bumping into something holy. Knowing that Zach is a cancer survivor, Alan wanted to talk about the biggest thing happening in his life right now, as his wife and bandmate Mimi is currently undergoing treatment for ovarian cancer. We were so grateful for this conversation, and for Alan's openness and desire for authentic connection during a very difficult time, and hope you'll join us in sending love, positive thoughts, prayers, or whatever you see fit in support of Mimi.

Low performances:

The Murder of Crows live at Sacred Heart: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gb6Rube7YUg

Low performing "Murderer": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhJAR6UZsCk

Twitter and Instagram: @lowtheband

Label site: https://www.subpop.com/artists/low

The band's site: https://www.chairkickers.com/

-Check out Zach's music by going to:  https://muzach.bandcamp.com

-Buy VCW merch: https://www.etsy.com/shop/VCWHall

Twitter:

Twitter: @vcwpod

Zach- @muzach

Dave- @Davejlester

Podcast music by Zach Malm

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Trigger warning: In this episode, we discuss sexual abuse toward minors.

Dr. Paul Hoard joins the VCW hall to discuss his journey with Evangelicalism and how Evangelicals have interacted with psychology. We chat about cheap forgiveness vs true forgiveness, Sigmund Freud and Jesus casting out demons.

Connect with Dr. Paul Hoard on Twitter:  @Hoardpaul

Website:  https://paul-hoard.clientsecure.me/

Articles regarding a professor who abused students at Grace College:

https://julieroys.com/report-sex-abuse-claims-substantiated-founder-grace-college-music-dept/

https://www.christianpost.com/news/founder-of-grace-colleges-music-department-was-serial-predator.html

Information on Nouthetic Counseling:

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/two-sides-of-the-counseling-coin/

-Check out Zach's music by going to:  https://muzach.bandcamp.com

-Buy VCW merch: https://www.etsy.com/shop/VCWHall

Twitter:

Twitter: @vcwpod

Zach- @muzach

Dave- @Davejlester

Podcast music by Zach Malm

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Podcaster and soon-to-be-author Tori Williams Douglass joins the VCW hall for a wide-ranging discussion of her own story of being homeschooled in a fundamentalist Christian environment and going to Northwest College. She traces her journey to becoming an anti-racist educator working with businesses, churches and other organizations. We talk in detail about Critical Race Theory, the rightwing freakout over a black mermaid, Phyllis Schlafly, body positivity and body neutrality. Finally, Tori gives us a sneak preview of her forthcoming book.

Connect with Tori:

On Twitter- @toriglass

Instagram- @toriglass

Listen to Tori's Podcasts:

*White Homework- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/white-homework/id1481083774

*Go Home Bible, You're Drunk- https://www.irreverent.fm/show/go-home-bible-youre-drunk/

-Check out Zach's music by going to:  https://muzach.bandcamp.com

-Buy VCW merch: https://www.etsy.com/shop/VCWHall

Twitter:

Twitter: @vcwpod

Zach- @muzach

Dave- @Davejlester

Podcast music by Zach Malm

Logo by Zach Malm

Note: Listening to this episode will not count toward your required chapel credits. Host of the Chapel Probation Podcast and soon-to-be author R. Scott Okamoto stops by the VCW hall to share his Evangelical story including his years teaching, deconstructing, and encountering racism at Azusa Pacific University, a school that claims to be "God First" since 1899.  We talk about Christian colleges and universities, prosperity gospel theology and if Christian colleges actually are a factor in some students deconstructing their faith once they enter the "real world".

Connect with Scott on Twitter:  @rsokamoto

Visit Scott's website:  rscottokamoto.com

Listen to the Chapel Probation Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chapel-probation/id1604103239

Listen to a Chapel speech by Scott at Azusa Pacific University back in the past (referenced during the show):  https://vimeo.com/95769927?fbclid=IwAR2mAZ9zs3ale4tZcls4V60jxUCBiTqJs5m-ewBdlw5OKnZymZuxibOgv4Y

-Check out Zach's music by going to:  https://muzach.bandcamp.com

-Buy VCW merch: https://www.etsy.com/shop/VCWHall

Twitter:

Twitter: @vcwpod

Zach- @muzach

Dave- @Davejlester

Podcast music by Zach Malm

Logo by Zach Malm

Grief coach, author, and founder of the Restorative Grief Project, Mandy Capehart joins the VCW hall as we talk all about grief in its many forms, including anticipatory and disenfranchised/ambiguous grief, grief guilt, grief brain, grief as a non-linear experience, why the "5 stages" aren't helpful for understanding grief, and how churches often fail to support grievers, particularly through spiritual bypassing and through terminating cliches. Finally, we talk about how people can be better "grief supporters" when people in our lives are dealing with unimaginable loss.

Buy Mandy Capehart's book "Restorative Grief: Embracing Our Losses Without Losing Ourselves" right here: https://www.mandycapehart.com/book-restorative-grief/

Connect with Mandy Capehart on her website and various social media platforms: https://www.mandycapehart.com/

Listen to her podcasts: Uncomfortable Grace Podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/uncomfortable-grace-podcast/id1541028115)

Restorative Grief Podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/restorative-grief-with-mandy-capehart/id1583949156)

-Check out Zach's music by going to:  https://muzach.bandcamp.com

-Buy VCW merch: https://www.etsy.com/shop/VCWHall

Twitter:

Twitter: @vcwpod

Zach- @muzach

Dave- @Davejlester

Podcast music by Zach Malm

Logo by Zach Malm

Matt Zoller Seitz, Editor at Large of RogerEbert.com, joins the VCW hall to talk about "The Deadwood Bible: A Lie Agreed Upon", his new book on the HBO series Deadwood, as well as its fascinating and complex creator David Milch. We talk about grief, addiction, recovery, certainty, Terrence Malick, and Matt shares his changing thoughts on spirituality and faith while having experienced unimaginable loss. Toward the end, Matt talks a bit about encountering Wes Anderson at the beginning of his career, including being on set during the filming of Bottle Rocket.

Buy "The Deadwood Bible" right here: https://mzs.press/Deadwood-Collection-c136338555

Connect with MZS on Twitter: @mattzollerseitz

Read MZS's film reviews here: https://www.rogerebert.com/contributors/matt-zoller-seitz

-Check out Zach's music by going to:  https://muzach.bandcamp.com

-Buy VCW merch: https://www.etsy.com/shop/VCWHall

Twitter:

Twitter: @vcwpod

Zach- @muzach

Dave- @Davejlester

Podcast music by Zach Malm

Logo by Zach Malm

Managing editor of Religion News Service and co-host of the award-winning podcast Saved By the City, Roxanne Stone joins the VCW to talk about her Evangelical story, how the last 5 years have affected her faith, the urban/rural divide in America including on faith issues, how she broke the news about Hillsong NYC Pastor Carl Lentz's resignation because of an affair, and her experience going from writing about religion at Christian publications to writing about it at a secular news outlet. Also, we talk a bit about the Seven Mountains Mandate, the New Apostolic Reformation, and the Passion translation of the Bible.

Listen to Saved By the City with Roxy and Katelyn Beaty right here:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/saved-by-the-city/id1557930520

Connect with Roxanne Stone:

Twitter:  @roxyleestone

instagram:  @roxyleestone

Religion News Service: https://religionnews.com/tag/roxanne-stone/

-Check out Zach's music by going to:  https://muzach.bandcamp.com

Twitter:

Twitter: @vcwpod

Zach- @muzach

Dave- @Davejlester

Podcast music by Zach Malm

Logo by Zach Malm

Author George Azar joins the VCW hall to talk about "My Gay Church Days", his self-published memoir of converting to evangelicalism as a teenager, becoming a pastor and thinking of himself as "struggling with same-sex attraction", his experience at Exodus International (the most notorious gay conversion organization in the world before it disbanded in 2012), and eventual acceptance of himself as a gay man and exit from evangelicalism.

Connect with George Azar:

Twitter:  @mygaychurchdays

Instagram:  @mygaychurchdays

Website: (Where you can order the book) https://www.mygaychurchdays.com/

-Check out Zach's music by going to:  https://muzach.bandcamp.com

Twitter:

Twitter: @vcwpod

Zach- @muzach

Dave- @Davejlester

Podcast music by Zach Malm

Logo by Zach Malm

Our first international interview with guest Dr. Marcia Pally as we talk about her book "White Evangelicalism and Right Wing Populism: How Did We Get Here?". We discuss the duresses that white Evangelicals perceive themselves to be under, a history of how those perceived stressors and "us vs them" thinking inflames right wing populism. We also discuss how some Evangelicals at the end of the 1800s and beginning of the 1900s were socialists and/or supported more social programs. Toward the end, we talk briefly about her book on Leonard Cohen. Professor Pally teaches at New York University, at Fordham University and is an annual guest professor at Humboldt University’s Theology Faculty. In 2019-2020 she was a Fellow and The Center for Theological Inquiry, Princeton. Her research interests are culture, religion, and politics as well as the intersection of culture and language. She is the author of several books.

Connect with Dr. Marcia Pally:

Website:  https://marciapally.com/

Twitter:  @Marcia_Pally

Dr. Pally's books mentioned on the podcast:

-"White Evangelicals and Right-Wing Populism:  How Did We Get Here?"  Order here:  https://www.amazon.com/White-Evangelicals-Right-Wing-Populism-Routledge/dp/1032134828

-"From This Broken Hill I Sing To You: God, Sex, and Politics in the Work of Leonard Cohen"  Order here:  https://www.amazon.com/this-Broken-Hill-Sing-You/dp/0567694763/

-"The New Evangelicals: Expanding the Vision of the Common Good"  Order here: https://marciapally.com/2020/07/the-new-evangelicals-expanding-the-vision-of-the-common-good/

-Check out Zach's music by going to:  https://muzach.bandcamp.com

Twitter:

Twitter: @vcwpod

Zach- @muzach

Dave- @Davejlester

Podcast music by Zach Malm

Logo by Zach Malm