The Puddcast

#141: What happened to our elders? (with David Tensen)

Jonathan Puddle — Sun, 21 Sep 2025 16:35:51 +0000

In episode 141 of The Puddcast, I discuss the process of growing into wise and gracious elders, with the remarkable David Tensen. A chaplain, poet, business researcher and more, David’s latest book Decenter Everything examines what happened to our elders and how we can become people with “fat souls,” able to provide non-judgemental companionship to others by decentering ourselves (and our ideologies, etc.). We reflect on moving into our autumn season, and even contemplate death and how Western aversion to anything to do with death keeps us from living presently.

Order Decenter Everything: The Unconventional Approach to Eldering in an Age of Immaturity, by David Tensen.
Learn more about David’s poetry, research and other writings at davidtensen.com.

Support the show and my other work, at jonathanpuddle.com/support
Check out my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.

Grab my latest book, Mornings with God: Daily Bible Devotional for Men (good for women too)

Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.

#140: Re-Parenting through Hope & Belonging (with Mariko Clark & Rachel Eleanor)

Jonathan Puddle — Sun, 23 Mar 2025 21:12:21 +0000

In episode 140 of The Puddcast, we discuss spiritual and emotional growth with Mariko Clark and Rachel Eleanor, authors of The Book of Belonging. We explore the journey of creating a Story Bible that emphasizes representation, inclusion, and gentle parenting practices. Mariko and Rachel reflect on the personal and communal impact of trust, intuition, and vulnerability, sharing their experiences with parenting, deconstruction, and creative collaboration. This conversation is an invitation to embrace hope and embodied spirituality as we navigate our complex journeys of faith and belonging.

Order The Book of Belonging:Bible Stories for Kind and Contemplative Kids, by Mariko Clark & Rachel Eleanor.
Learn more about the community forming around The Book of Belonging here.

Listen to Jonathan’s recent interview with Tara Boothby, of Sojourn Psychology.

Support the show and my other work, at jonathanpuddle.com/support
Check out my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.

Grab my latest book, Mornings with God: Daily Bible Devotional for Men (good for women too)

Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.

#139: Sabbatical Reflections | "Love is Working"

Jonathan Puddle — Tue, 22 Oct 2024 21:38:26 +0000

After a year-long hiatus, The Puddcast is back with episode 139! Tryphena and I share some heartfelt reflections on my family’s six-month sabbatical to New Zealand, England, Greece, and Finland. I unpack some unexpected discoveries I made about identity, intuition, and the importance of family and cultural roots. We reflect on the diversity of global faith traditions, the impact of stepping outside the North American bubble, and the recognition of humanity's inherent goodness and love.

Now available in video at youtube.com/jonathanpuddle. You can support me and my work, or join my Patreon community, at jonathanpuddle.com/support.

Buy my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You. Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.

Chapters in this Episode

00:00 Welcome Back to The Puddcast!

00:21 Why We Took a Break

01:29 Jonathan’s Sabbatical Journey

02:51 Returning Home

04:01 The Joys and Challenges of Being Back

10:01 Reflections on Sabbatical

20:19 Financial and Emotional Rollercoaster

24:38 Reflections on Aging and Identity

25:47 Emotional Experiences in Church

28:08 Global Church Perspectives

34:34 The False Binaries of North American Culture

43:30 Finnish Mustard

51:18 The Evolution of Human Consciousness

#138: Relational Resilience for the Exhausted (with Heather Thompson Day)

Jonathan Puddle — Tue, 27 Jun 2023 18:31:06 +0000

Professor, author, speaker and all-around delightful person Heather Thompson Day is our guest on The Puddcast—something I’ve been hoping to make happen for 3 years. Dr. Heather is Associate Professor of Communication at Andrews University, and the author of 8 books; including her latest, I'll See You Tomorrow: Building Relational Resilience When You Want to Quit. Heather shared her perspective that all relationship is sacred, and that ministering the gospel is often as simple as reflecting people’s human dignity back to them. We reflected on living with delight and purpose, inside the mundane limits of our actual lives. Heather unpacked the myth of self-reliance and explained how not all relationships have to be strong, intimate ones to still have profound value and sacred impact. If you’re tired and have not much left to give right now, this one is for you.

Order I'll See You Tomorrow: Building Relational Resilience When You Want to Quit, by Heather Thompson Day and Seth Day.
Learn more about Heather’s work at heatherthompsonday.com.

Support the show and my other work, at jonathanpuddle.com/support
Check out my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.

Grab my latest book, Mornings with God: Daily Bible Devotional for Men (good for women too)

Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.

#137: Creating suicide-safe churches (Steve Austin tribute)

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 26 May 2023 18:44:05 +0000

Two years ago, my friend Steve Austin, an author, mental health advocate and former pastor, died by suicide. Ever since then, I’ve intended to dedicate an episode to his memory and his work, and this is that episode. Including a powerful interview with Lindsey Austin, Steve’s wife, along with a selection of readings from Steve’s book, Hiding In The Pews: Shining Light on Mental Illness in the Church, this is a vulnerable and sacred discussion that filled me with more hope and joy than I expected. I’ve lost count of the number of people who have reached out to me this Spring while hitting really dark patches in their mental health. Pastors, it is our job to help, but not always in the ways we expect or assume. This episode is for all of us, so we can learn to create suicide-safe spaces.

Order Hiding In The Pews: Shining Light on Mental Illness in the Church by Steve Austin.
Learn more about Steve’s legacy at iamsteveaustin.com

Grab my latest book, Mornings with God: Daily Bible Devotional for Men (good for women too)
Check out my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.

Support the show and my other work, at jonathanpuddle.com/support
Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.

#136-B: Reflecting on Aundi Kolber and self-compassionate survival

Jonathan Puddle — Wed, 12 Apr 2023 16:02:39 +0000

Tryphena and I kept the mics rolling right after our interview with Aundi Kolber, and let me tell you… it’s a wild ride! We discussed the provocativeness of wholeness, including a physics lesson and a reflection on quantum physics… Why? Because presence is a powerful resource, and I have some theories about it. We talked about anger and injustice, we examined the time that Jesus had a panic attack, and we landed on rest and the safety of unproductivity. Strap in, it’s a wild ride.

For maximum impact, make sure you listen to the source episode, #136: Flexible strength—compassionate survival (with Aundi Kolber)

Buy my latest book, Mornings with God: Daily Bible Devotional for Men

Support the show and my other work, at jonathanpuddle.com/support
Order my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.
Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.

#136: Flexible strength—compassionate survival (with Aundi Kolber)

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 17 Mar 2023 16:10:59 +0000

My good friend Aundi Kolber returns to the show to discuss her brand new book, Strong Like Water: Finding the Freedom, Safety, and Compassion to Move through Hard Things—and Experience True Flourishing. Our conversation revolves around reframing many things we’ve seen as weaknesses, even sins, as forms of strength that enabled us to survive hard things. We reflected on the particular shame we feel after having put in years of healing work in therapy, only to feel like we fall apart again. Aundi explained how resilience has been weaponized at times, and she honours the fact that we should never have had to be this strong. This is a powerful and intimate conversation that I think will bring real hope to you. Enjoy.

Order Strong like Water: Finding the Freedom, Safety, and Compassion to Move through Hard Things—and Experience True Flourishing by Aundi Kolber
Learn more about Aundi’s work at aundikolber.com
Follow Aundi on Instagram and Twitter.

Support the show and my other work, at jonathanpuddle.com/support
Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.

#135-B: Unpacking Brad Jersak and the idol smashing of deconstruction

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 02 Mar 2023 15:44:00 +0000

Here’s a new Puddcast B-Side, unpacking idol smashing and how to create a welcoming, forgiving space as we deconstruct from toxic theology. My pastor, Amy Ryan, joined Tryphena and I to discuss our takeaways from Brad Jersak’s thoughts on the necessity, perils and possibilities of deconstruction, including how painful and confusing it can be for us in the midst of it. We examined our own parenting in light of power dynamics, and how each revival or movement in the church or culture persecutes the one that comes next. As usual, there’s loads in here.

For maximum impact, make sure you listen to the source episode, #135: The necessity, perils and possibilities of deconstruction (with Brad Jersak)

Buy my latest book, Mornings with God: Daily Bible Devotional for Men

#135: The necessity, perils and possibilities of deconstruction (with Brad Jersak)

Jonathan Puddle — Wed, 15 Feb 2023 16:55:02 +0000

The wonderfully wise and gentle Brad Jersak returns to the show, with a guest co-host! This special episode was recorded live when I was visiting Jonathan Martin recently, and we co-interviewed Brad about his latest book, Out of the Embers: Faith After the Great Deconstruction. We reflected on the historical precedence of faith deconstruction, observing that it is both a current move of God in our time as well as an ancient tradition of idol smashing. We discussed the harm we can do to others in our deconstruction journey, and how deconstruction can liberate from toxicity while also being incredibly painful and destabilizing. We talk about the importance of not replacing one form of fundamentalism with another, and moving from alienation to communion. Brad left us with a ton of practical tools on how you can connect with God and feel God’s love, right now, wherever and whoever you are.

Order Out of the Embers: Faith After the Great Deconstruction, by Bradley Jersak.
Learn more about Brad’s work at bradjersak.com
Follow Brad on Instagram and Twitter.

Grab my latest book, Mornings with God: Daily Bible Devotional for Men (good for women too)
Check out my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.

Support the show and my other work, at jonathanpuddle.com/support
Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.

#134-B: Exploring Dave Connis on laughter, silliness and work

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 09 Feb 2023 14:36:13 +0000

Here’s the latest Puddcast B-Side, exploring themes of laughter and silliness and the value of everything, from our interview with Dave Connis. When Dave said, “Everything counts” something inside me exploded, or clarified, or whatever… it’s been big for me. Tryphena and I discuss finding joy in all things, redefining joy as a valuable part of serious work, and discerning what will and won’t bring joy. We riff on learning to see all the mundane aspects of our lives (especially as parents) not as surpluss to the real work but as the real work, as much as our rest is also a valid part of the real work, because it’s all part of the whole life we’re living. We also touched on accepting our bodies, even as they age, and loads more as usual.

For maximum impact, make sure you listen to the source episode, #134: A theology of laughter and co-creation (with Dave Connis)

Buy my latest book, Mornings with God: Daily Bible Devotional for Men

#134: A theology of laughter and co-creation (with Dave Connis)

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 20 Jan 2023 14:03:45 +0000

Children’s and Young Adult author Dave Connis comes to The Puddcast to teach us the importance of laughter (and more). Dave’s hilarious and meaningful storybooks, The Inventions of God (and Eva), and The Stories of God (and Kiki) both captured our affection in a big way. We reflected on being intentional about the stories we tell our children and what we pass on to them; seeing ourselves within the continuum of generations before and after ourselves; how God invites all the parts of ourselves to co-creation; and more. If you’re a human being make sure to have a listen, and if you have kids, grandkids or nieces & nephews, make sure to grab his books from the links below.

Order The Inventions of God (and Eva), by Dave Connis (illustrations by Amy Domingo)
Order The Stories of God (and Kiki), by Dave Connis (illustrations by Amy Domingo)
Learn more about Dave’s work at daveconnis.com
Follow Dave on Instagram and Twitter.

Support the show and my other work, at jonathanpuddle.com/support
Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.

#133-B: Debriefing Lisa Sharon Harper on race, monarchy & forgiveness

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 22 Dec 2022 19:36:34 +0000

Just in time for Christmas comes a wild ride of a B-Side. Looking back at our interview with Lisa Sharon Harper, Tryphena and I reflected on themes of forgiveness and reparations, the gift of tongues as Indigenous celebration, how the monarcy dehumanizes people, the emotional impact on Europeans of that dehumanization, the myth of an American Christian nation and more. We were both deeply impacted by Lisa’s book Fortune and so we sounded off, big time.

For maximum impact, make sure you listen to the source episode, #133: How race broke the world (with Lisa Sharon Harper)

Buy my latest book, Mornings with God: Daily Bible Devotional for Men

#133: How race broke the world (with Lisa Sharon Harper)

Jonathan Puddle — Wed, 07 Dec 2022 16:44:33 +0000

Acclaimed speaker, activist, playwright, and the author of several books, Lisa Sharon Harper is on The Puddcast! Recognized as one of the most important and powerful voices speaking to matters of justice and religion today, Lisa joined us to talk about her latest book Fortune: How Race Broke my Family and the World - and How to Repair it All. Blending fascinating ancestry research, family biography and memoir with a detailed history of race law in the United States, Fortune moved me profoundly. In this interview we discuss colonialism, radical re-connection to our stories and land; we explore shalom, confession, and the rehumanizing process of forgiveness. We talk about the lies of European supremacy and the greatness of pre-colonial African nations. There is some heavy content within, but it’s also full of hope and wisdom. Please listen today and let your heart be impacted.

Order Fortune: How Race Broke my Family and the World - and How to Repair it All, by Lisa Sharon Harper
Order The Very Good Gospel, by Lisa Sharon Harper
Learn more about Lisa’ work at lisasharonharper.com
Follow Lisa on Instagram and Twitter.

Buy my latest book, Mornings with God: Daily Bible Devotional for Men

#132-B: Unpacking Katie Gaddini on single women leaving the church

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 24 Nov 2022 16:35:09 +0000

The B-Side is back! Katie Gaddini’s evocative book unveiling the factors that cause single women to feel alienated in the church triggered some THOUGHTS from both Tryphena and myself. Having both served in churches for many years, we each shared some of the ways we’ve seen “the ideal Christian woman” trope play out, why this and other things are so problematic, and what we want to see happen. We talked about a deep faith in Jesus bringing about a wide embrace of people, how we each need to be doing the work of growth and introspection, how marriage can be a framework of control, church NDAs and more!

For maximum impact, make sure you listen to the source episode, #132: Why single women are leaving the church (with Dr. Katie Gaddini).

To enter the giveaway I mentioned, head over to jonathanpuddle.com/giveaway

Buy my latest book, Mornings with God: Daily Bible Devotional for Men

#132: Why single women are leaving the church (with Dr. Katie Gaddini)

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 11 Nov 2022 14:21:09 +0000

Sociologist and author Dr. Katie Gaddini joins us to talk about the factors forcing single evangelical women out of the church. Rather than a focus on faith deconstruction, we talked about power structures and cultural norms, such as “the ideal Christian woman,” how such stereotypes develop, and how they alienate people who don’t fit them. We touched on sexuality, purity culture, whiteness, patriarchy, affluence, wealth, and more in a quest to understand why the largest group currently leaving the church is women. This important conversation is based on Dr. Gaddini’s helpful and accessible book, The Struggle to Stay: Why Single Evangelical Women Are Leaving the Church, which I highly recommend.

Order The Struggle to Stay: Why Single Evangelical Women Are Leaving the Church by Dr. Katie Gaddini
Learn more about Katie’s work at katiegaddini.com
Follow Katie on Instagram and Twitter.

Buy my latest book, Mornings with God: Daily Bible Devotional for Men

#131: Men's devotionals are terrible (but Jesus isn't)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 13 Oct 2022 15:45:55 +0000

To commemorate the launch (and the irony) of my latest book (a men’s Bible devotional), my friend Anthony McLean returns to host the show and interview me! We talked about men’s mental health, overworking ourselves, permitted male emotions, and purity culture… and then we riffed deep on original sin, brokenness and how to understand freedom and love in a beautiful wide open field of grace. This ended up being one of my most favourite conversations and I hope you’ll listen to the whole thing.

You can order my brand new book, Mornings with God: Daily Bible Devotional for Men, right here.

You can learn more about Anthony McLean at anthonymclean.org

Listen to the earlier episode when Anthony interviewed me about learning to love ourselves.

Support the show and my other work by becoming a Patron or making a one-time donation, at jonathanpuddle.com/support
Order my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.
Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.

#130: The Soul of the Helper (with Dr. Holly Oxhandler)

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 16 Sep 2022 14:37:14 +0000

Professor, researcher and podcaster Dr. Holly Oxhandler is my guest, talking about the supports that helpers need to keep on helping. Whether we’re talking about parents, therapists, pastors, teachers or literally anyone else who helps, Holly’s research has shown the importance of seeing the divine inside ourselves so that we can connect with the divine in others. Her book, The Soul of the Helper: Seven Stages to Seeing the Sacred Within Yourself So You Can See It in Others, has been very impactful in my life and we unpacked her social work research, what she’s found, and why it works. This is gentle and vulnerable and practical, like all good Puddcasts should be. Get in!

Order The Soul of the Helper: Seven Stages to Seeing the Sacred Within Yourself So You Can See It in Others, by Dr. Holly K. Oxhandler
Listen to Holly’s podcast (with Robert Vore), CXMH: a podcast at the intersection of faith & mental health.
Learn more about Holly’s work at hollyoxhandler.com
Follow Holly on Instagram and Twitter.

Buy my brand new book, Mornings with God: Daily Bible Devotional for Men

#129-B: Debriefing Jonathan Martin on the road away from God

Jonathan Puddle — Mon, 18 Jul 2022 19:10:51 +0000

Time for another B-Side! Tryphena and I kept the mics rolling after we bid farewell to Jonathan Martin, and we leaned into his thoughts on God walking with us, even as we think we’re walking away. We riff on the divine power revealed in human agency, finding peace in the knowledge that God is present in everything, discerning the simple next steps in front of us, and walking life out in community.

For maximum impact, make sure you listen to our source episode, #129: Finding hope on the road away from God (with Jonathan Martin).

Buy my brand new book, Mornings with God: Daily Bible Devotional for Men (it’s women-friendly!)

Support the show and my other work, at jonathanpuddle.com/support
Check out my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.
Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.

#129: Finding hope on the road away from God (with Jonathan Martin)

Jonathan Puddle — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 13:14:56 +0000

Pastor, writer and social leader Jonathan Martin returns to the show to explain how the journey that we’re each on is the journey we need to be on. Using the story of the disciples leaving Jerusalem on the road to Emmaus, Jonathan explains that even when we think we’re walking away from God, love finds us on the road. Tryphena and I ask him about the risky nature of doubt, of how granting freedom works as a pastor, and how to be honest about the harm done to us, while holding on to hope that perhaps healing is possible after all. It’s beautiful and raw and real, if you’ve felt at all disillusioned by God or church or the world in the last few years then I commend this to you wholeheartedly.

Order The Road Away from God: How Love Finds Us Even as We Walk Away, by Jonathan Martin
Listen to Jonathan’s podcast, The Zeitcast.
Learn more about Jonathan’s work at jonathanmartinwords.com
Follow Jonathan on Twitter and Instagram.

Buy my brand new book, Mornings with God: Daily Bible Devotional for Men

#128-B: Unpacking Kevin Sweeney on mystics + mushrooms

Jonathan Puddle — Tue, 17 May 2022 23:53:40 +0000

This here’s a B-Side, folks! As Tryphena and I walked back through our interview with Kevin Sweeney about mystics, mushrooms and the power of letting go, we found ourselves camped out discussing our value and worth when we’re not productive. Tryphena asks, if a flower shines with no one to see its beauty, is it still beautiful? We shared some dark night of the soul stories and challenged each other to live present, right here and now, in this cosmos, rather than escape.

For maximum impact, make sure you listen to our source episode, #128: Mystics, mushrooms and the power of letting go (with Kevin Sweeney).

#128: Mystics, mushrooms and the power of letting go (with Kevin Sweeney)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 05 May 2022 14:25:48 +0000

Pastor, poet and mystic Kevin Sweeney comes to The Puddcast this month to share about his journey of encountering God while high on mushrooms. And that’s just the beginning! Starting this episode, we welcome Tryphena Perumalla-Gagnon as a co-host on the show. Tryphena and I had a blast with Kevin, exploring what it means to lean into the contemplative and mystical and find God present in the everyday moments of our lives. He explained the importance of transitioning from spiritual peaks to spiritual practices, and how the key to safety, identity and fulfilment really does lie in letting go of everything. We touched on a range of topics, including vulnerability, pastoral idealism, parenting, pursuing the Spirit without the expectations of others, and much more. Get in!

Order The Making of a Mystic: My Journey with Mushrooms, My Life as a Pastor, And Why it’s Okay for Everyone to Relax by Kevin Sweeney.
Learn more about Kevin at imaginehi.org and listen to his podcast at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-church-needs-therapy/id1525310667
Follow Kevin on Twitter and Instagram.

#127-B: Discussing Bridget Eileen Rivera on what gay Christians experience in church

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 21 Apr 2022 07:06:00 +0000

BONUS EPISODE! I’m away on vacation so instead of a fresh interview, Tryphena and I decided to share our B-Side from episode 127 (back in the days of episode 127 the B-Sides were exclusive to patrons only). Tryphena echoed the question of many listeners by asking why—after 3 years—I decided to publicly engage the topic of LGBTQ+ faith when I have been mostly silent on it. You’ll hear lots of my own story with my dad, and we talked about Bridget’s amazing poise and grace in carrying this heavy burden, for all our benefit. And more!

For maximum impact, make sure you listen to our source episode, #127: What gay Christians experience in church (with Bridget Eileen Rivera).

#127: What gay Christians experience in church (with Bridget Eileen Rivera)

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 18:27:53 +0000

Bridget Eileen Rivera comes to The Puddcast this month to share what it’s like for LGBTQ Christians in the church today. Her book, Heavy Burdens: Seven Ways LGBTQ Christians Experience Harm in the Church, is a compassionate, heartbreaking exposé on the theological and sociological structures that block queer Christians from pursuing Christ together. Bridget shared her journey of growing up believing she was an object of wrath, before diving into Scripture to find the truth of her belovedness. We explore some of the different ways queer Christians live out their faithfulness and the importance of allowing everyone the dignity to follow the Holy Spirit. I commend this discussion to you as strongly as I can.

Order Heavy Burdens: Seven Ways LGBTQ Christians Experience Harm in the Church by Bridget Eileen Rivera
Learn more about Bridget at meditationsofatravelingnun.com
Follow Bridget on Twitter and Instagram.

#126: Love, freedom and conflict (with Ashley Abercrombie)

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 25 Mar 2022 16:58:25 +0000

This month I got to interview a true kindred spirit, Ashley Abercrombie. Ashley’s message of embracing transformative love by bravely facing disagreement and conflict was challenging to me in all the best ways. Ashley grew up in the American South before moving to Los Angeles and Manhattan. Along the way, she faced addiction, perfectionism, sexual assault and more, and today is a writer, podcaster, pastor and mom to three young kids. Her latest book is called Love is the Resistance: Learn to disagree, resolve the conflicts you've been avoiding and create real change. It’s excellent.

Order Love is the Resistance: Learn to disagree, resolve the conflicts you've been avoiding and create real change, by Ashley Abercrombie.
Learn more about Ashley at ashabercrombie.com
Follow Ashley on Instagram and Twitter.

#125: Bitter and Sweet — the journey of Lent (with Tsh Oxenreider)

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 18 Feb 2022 16:02:59 +0000

This month I connected with long-time blogger and author Tsh Oxenreider all about Lent. Tsh grew up big Bible church and after living abroad for many years found herself drawn to the Catholic church. Her new book, Bitter & Sweet: A Journey into Lent is a practical, easy to use devotional tool for leaning into the upcoming season of Lent. Our conversation has got me reflecting on the seasons of nature, especially winter, the darkness and the hope we need, and how Lent grew out of the human need for hope in this season. Did you know that Lent predates the Bible? We talk about all this, and the idea of “being in the season of Lent”, rather than Lent as something you do.

Take my survey! A few quick questions to help me plan for this year.

Order Bitter & Sweet: A Journey into Lent by Tsh Oxenreider

Learn more about Tsh at tshoxenreider.com
Follow Tsh on Twitter and Instagram.

#124: The wisdom of your body (with Hillary L. McBride, PhD)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 09 Dec 2021 21:02:59 +0000

I had the great joy of welcoming author, psychologist, researcher and podcaster Hillary L. McBride, PhD to the show this week. We discussed the idea that our bodies are a source of wisdom and truth, the topic of her critically important new book, The Wisdom of Your Body: Finding Healing, Wholeness, and Connection Through Embodied Living. Hillary shared profound insights on the burdens our bodies bear when we ignore them, the ways Western colonialism has disembodied all of us, and how salvation itself can be a bodily reality. She offers helpful guidance for those of us getting used to being in-person again after COVID lockdowns, and more. I highly recommend this discussion and her book!

Order The Wisdom of Your Body: Finding Healing, Wholeness, and Connection Through Embodied Living (Canadian edition)
Order The Wisdom of Your Body: Finding Healing, Wholeness, and Connection Through Embodied Living (US edition)
Learn more about Hillary at hillarylmcbride.com
Follow Hillary on Twitter and Instagram.

#123: The gifts of neurodiversity (with Daniel Bowman Jr.)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 02 Dec 2021 19:36:35 +0000

My new friend Daniel Bowman Jr. is my guest this week, and he shares his story of learning he was autistic as an adult. Daniel is an English professor and poet, and he shares the importance of understanding the different ways brains work, the gifts present in neurodiversity, and the importance of moving away from a pathology paradigm. We also discussed the life-giving rhythms of contemplative prayer for folks whose brains desire consistency and repetition. Daniel is the author of On The Spectrum: Autism, Faith, and the Gifts of Neurodiversity.

Order On The Spectrum: Autism, Faith, and the Gifts of Neurodiversity by Daniel Bowman Jr.
Learn more about Daniel at danielbowmanjr.com
Follow Daniel on Twitter and Instagram.

#122: The embodied faith of our grandmothers (with Kat Armas)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 11 Nov 2021 22:19:24 +0000

Kat Armas comes to the show this week to discuss embodiment, the sacredness of survival, and the faith of our grandmothers. Kat argues that our grandmothers, especially abuelitas in Latine cultures, function as live-in ministers particularly because the privilege to receive formal religious instruction is often unavailable. We all miss out on the unique, embodied, ways of knowing truth and practicing wisdom when we don’t turn our gaze to these figures who have been in our lives since before we were born. Kat’s book is called, Abuelita Faith: What Women on the Margins Teach us About Wisdom, Persistence, and Strength, and it’s excellent. Check it out below!

Order Abuelita Faith: What Women on the Margins Teach us About Wisdom, Persistence, and Strength, by Kat Armas.
Learn more about Kat at kararmas.com
Follow Kat on Twitter and Instagram.

#121: What Christians should know about the Bible (with Michael F. Bird)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 04 Nov 2021 13:40:11 +0000

Michael F. Bird, editor of The New Testament in its World with N.T. Wright returns this week to discuss things that he wishes Christians knew about the Bible. Mike is a scholar and theologian and his new book, 7 Things I Wish Christians Knew about the Bible, provides lots of fodder for thought and discussion. He lays out how the Bible came to be, how to respond to literalist claims about Scripture, examining why people should read the Apocrypha, and then we talk about critical race theory and why it’s important to read outside your own tradition, listening to the stories of folks who don’t look like you.

Order 7 Things I Wish Christians Knew about the Bible by Michael F. Bird
Read Mike’s blog at patheos.com/blogs/euangelion
Follow Mike on Twitter.

Order Evangelical Theology, Second Edition: A Biblical and Systematic Introduction by Michael F. Bird
Order Early Christian Readings of Genesis One: Patristic Exegesis and Literal Interpretation by Craig Allert
Mike’s review of African American Readings of Saul, by Lisa Bowen

#120: When Everything's on Fire (with Brian Zahnd)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 28 Oct 2021 13:58:54 +0000

This week, pastor and author Brian Zahnd returns to The Puddcast to discuss his new book, When Everything’s On Fire. This helpful and timely book is a sort of field guide to maintaining faith in a secular age, and so we unpacked deconstruction, modernism as a framework for secular society, Nietzsche’s predictions about the death of God, postmodernism and more. I asked Brian some very pointed questions about faith leaders espousing a faith we can’t support and why that’s led so many to deconstruction. It’s wonderful.

Order When Everything’s on Fire: Faith Forged from the Ashes by Brian Zahnd
Learn more about Brian at brianzahnd.com
Follow Brian on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

#119: The Try Softer Guided Journey (with Aundi Kolber)

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 22 Oct 2021 17:57:17 +0000

By popular demand, Aundi Kolber returns to The Puddcast this week. Aundi and I discuss the success and impact of Try Softer, the brand new Try Softer Guided Journey companion book, and we riff at length on Jesus’ relationship to traumatic events. Expect to learn more about how your process pain and shift into the shame-free life that God has designed you for.

Order The Try Softer Guided Journey: A Soulful Companion to Healing by Aundi Kolber
Get some great videos from Aundi on moving towards yourself in compassion and kindness
Follow Aundi on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

#118: When all you want to do is to give up (with Christine Caine)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 24 Jun 2021 21:29:57 +0000

This week I am honoured to welcome Christine Caine to The Puddcast. Christine and her husband Nick founded the A21 Campaign, a global anti human trafficking organization, and Christine is a much sought-after speaker, writer and activist. We discussed how to keep our faith anchored in Jesus in the context of doing hard, exhausting work. When we know that the mission before us is costly and painful, and we are tempted to call it a day, how do we continue in faithfulness? Especially when we know that God still loves us if we tap out. Christine’s insights are hard-won and she explores them all in her latest book, How Did I Get Here?: Finding Your Way Back to God When Everything is Pulling You Away. This is my last episode for the next few months, as I head into my summer vacation.

Order How Did I Get Here?: Finding Your Way Back to God When Everything is Pulling You Away, by Christine Caine
Learn more about A21 Campaign’s mission to trafficking and slavery
Follow Christine on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter

#117: Rethinking the war on drugs (with Christina Dent)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 17 Jun 2021 19:15:08 +0000

Christina Dent joins me on The Puddcast this week to talk about the war on drugs. Christina is the Founder and President of End It For Good, a nonprofit advocating a health-centred approach to drugs rather than a criminal justice one. Living in Mississippi, Christina changed her own mind about how best to approach drug laws after she became a foster parent and saw the negative effects of our current approach up close. She shared powerfully with me about the real choices before us as people who claim to care about humans made in the image of God. Get ready to be challenged!

Learn more about Christina’s organization at enditforgood.com
Watch Christina’s TEDx talk on ending the war on drugs
Follow End it For Good on Instagram
Follow Christina on Twitter
Order Johann Hari’s book, Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs

For drug recovery and addiction services, in Canada and the United States, there is help!

#116: Building a better world (with Propaganda)

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 11 Jun 2021 14:45:19 +0000

This week on The Puddcast we welcome hip-hop artist, poet and hope-activist, Propaganda. We discussed his debut book Terraform: Building a Better World, which is a collection of poetry and prose designed to jolt your imagination and get you thinking about injustices that we all take for granted. Prop can flip between talking hip-hop, politics, coffee, church history and science fiction at will… so we had a fun time calling out things that we want to see change in the world.

Order Terraform: Building a Better World, by Propaganda.
Learn more at prophiphop.com
Listen to The Red Couch Podcast with Propaganda and Alma
Find Prop on Spotify, Apple Music, etc.
Follow Prop on Instagram and Twitter

Donate to Steve Austin’s memorial fund for his family.
Order Steve Austin’s new book, Hiding in the Pews: Shining Light on Mental Illness in the Church

#115: Creating something great from what you've been given (with Justin McRoberts)

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 04 Jun 2021 16:51:52 +0000

This week on The Puddcast I am joined by Justin McRoberts. Justin’s focus is on helping people live generous lives that faithfully do good work in the world around them. He’s a musician, a writer, a coach, and he hosts the @Sea podcast. We talked all about the process of becoming, trying something, failing, refining your understanding of your own passions and pivoting around those things in order to create something amazing out of whatever life has handed you, all themes from his new book, It is What You Make of It: Creating Something Great from What You’ve been Given.

Order It Is What You Make of It: Creating Something Great from What You’ve Been Given by Justin McRoberts
Learn more at justinmcroberts.com
Find his music on Spotify, Apple Music, etc.
Listen to his podcast, @Sea with Justin McRoberts
Follow Justin on Instagram.

#114: Embracing an authentic spiritual life (with Liz Milani)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 20 May 2021 21:14:48 +0000

Liz Milani is a writer and seeker who runs The Practice Co app and Instagram, and joins me this week to talk about daily spiritual practices that are authentic to our self of sense. We talked about leaving church when our bodies break down, deconstructing and reconfiguring our faith, and reconnecting to our bodies and a more holistic, sustainable spirituality. Liz and her husband Jesse were formerly pastors at a megachurch in Australia—we have loads in common, this was a really refreshing discussion for me personally, and there’s loads of hope and practical wisdom in here for anyone wrestling with God, church and their sense of self.

Download The Practice Co app for iOS or Android.
Learn more at thepracticeco.com
Follow The Practice Co on Instagram.
Follow Liz on Instagram.

Supporter the show and my other work, at jonathanpuddle.com/support
Order my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.
Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.

#113: Loving Dignity (with Heather Caliri)

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 14 May 2021 15:33:39 +0000

On The Puddcast this week is writer and cartoonist, Heather Caliri. Heather’s work on finding God’s grace in awkward, uncomfortable places has been featured on ChristianityToday.com, In Touch Magazine, Fathom Magazine, Relevant Magazine.com and more. Heather shared with me how she asked the most serious questions of her faith and experienced God respond with love and dignity. That grace slowly transformed her life, and now she teaches others how to let dignity transform their lives and their most difficult relationships.

Register for Heather’s course, 30 Days to Loving Dignity
Learn more about Heather at HeatherCaliri.com
Follow Heather on Instagram and Twitter.
Bruce Kramer interview On Being
Carol Howard Merritt on The Puddcast: Forgiving the Church
Chimamanda Adichie TED Talk on The Danger of a Single Story

Become a supporter of the show on Patreon at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle.
Order my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.
Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.

#112: A Theology of the Ordinary (with Julie Canlis)

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 07 May 2021 16:02:56 +0000

This week, theologian, lecturer and mother Julie Canlis comes to The Puddcast, to talk about ordinary, embodied holiness. Julie is the author of A Theology of the Ordinary, and we discussed how the Holy Spirit connects us to our bodies in normal, everyday ways and how the full life of Jesus transforms all of the mundane moments of our lives into sacred pathways of holiness. We even discussed John Calvin, as Julie’s framework for understanding Calvin’s beliefs goes contrary to much of what I thought I knew about Calvinism. I highly recommend this conversation to you, it is full of earthy hope and simple love for creation and life.

Order A Theology of the Ordinary
Order Calvin's Ladder: A Spiritual Theology of Ascent and Ascension
Register for the Book of Revelation course, featuring Fr. John Behr, Wm. Paul Young, Brad Jersak, Cherith Nordling, Julie Canlis and more remarkable teachers.
Learn more about Godly Play at godlyplayfoundation.org

#111: Cultivating wholeness through spiritual practice (with Lisa Colón DeLay)

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 30 Apr 2021 17:01:20 +0000

This week I am joined by my friend Lisa Colón DeLay to talk about the healing power of spiritual practices. Lisa begins by explaining why we should acknowledge that we live in a white-dominant culture and the importance of learning about non-white spiritual practices, especially embodiment. We discussed a rubric for identifying our core areas of trauma as well as how to move them from areas of non-awareness into conscious awareness, through spiritual practices led by the Holy Spirit. Lisa unpacks many themes from her excellent book, The Wild Land Within: Cultivating Wholeness Through Spiritual Practice, which is an excellent discipleship resource.

Order The Wild Land Within: Cultivating Wholeness Through Spiritual Practice.
Visit Lisa online at lisadelay.com
Listen to Lisa’s long-running podcast, Spark My Muse, at sparkmymuse.com
Follow Lisa on Twitter.

#110: Facing depression with saints from the past (with Diana Gruver)

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 16 Apr 2021 17:17:33 +0000

This week on The Puddcast we talk all about depression. Diana Gruver, author of the wonderful book, Companions in the Darkness: Seven Saints Who Struggled with Depression and Doubt, shares her own story with depression, and the fellowship we can find with notable Christians who have struggled just like us. Whether you suffer from clinical depression, periodic bouts of depression or you just know someone who does, there’s hope and practical advice in here for you.

Order Companions in the Darkness: Seven Saints Who Struggled with Depression and Doubt, by Diana Gruver.
Visit Diana online at dianagruver.com
Follow Diana on Twitter and Facebook.

#109: Why we silence women who tell the truth (with Tiffany Bluhm)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 08 Apr 2021 19:30:23 +0000

This week on The Puddcast, author, speaker and podcaster Tiffany Bluhm joins us to discuss why we silence women. She unpacked the imbalance of power exposed during sexual misconduct allegations, why men are excused for their behaviour and women are blamed for it. We explored the reasons women don’t always speak up and what often happens when they do. Tiffany explained why we don’t believe those women who do speak up. All this and more, drawn from her new book, Prey Tell: Why We Silence Women Who Tell the Truth and How Everyone Can Speak Up.

Order Prey Tell: Why We Silence Women Who Tell the Truth and How Everyone Can Speak Up
Visit Tiffany online at tiffanybluhm.com
Follow Tiffany on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

#108: How Far You Have Come (with Morgan Harper Nichols)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 01 Apr 2021 22:29:45 +0000

Artist and poet extraordinaire, Morgan Harper Nichols returns to The Puddcast this week. We talked all about compassionately reframing our memories of past events, a major theme in Morgan’s new book, How Far You Have Come: Musings on Beauty and Courage. Whether you’re already a fan of Morgan’s work or are discovering her for the first time, I think you’ll find beauty and encouragement to be who you are, where you are right now.

Order How Far You Have Come: Musings on Beauty and Courage, by Morgan Harper Nichols
Visit Morgan online at morganharpernichols.com
Follow Morgan on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

#107: The Life of Eugene Peterson (with Winn Collier)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 25 Mar 2021 19:23:18 +0000

This week I have the great delight of discussing the life and faith of Eugene Peterson, with Winn Collier, who wrote his authorized biography. Winn has pastored for 25 years and was deeply impacted by Eugene’s work, both in The Message and in his many pastoral books. Winn now directs the Eugene Peterson Center for Christian Imagination at Western Theological Seminary. We discussed the holy ordinary, a major theme of Eugene’s life, and we reflected on a life lived in pursuit of divine love. Expect warmth and encouragement and hope.

Order A Burning in My Bones: The Authorized Biography of Eugene H. Peterson, Translator of The Message by Winn Collier
Visit Winn online at winncollier.com
Follow Winn on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

#106: The Enneagram types under stress (with Ian Morgan Cron)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 19:49:04 +0000

This week we are joined by Enneagram teacher, Ian Morgan Cron. Ian is a bestselling author, psychotherapist, and host of the Typology podcast. Ian’s book, The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery is one I highly recommend, and so I was thrilled to welcome Ian to the show. We talked about the doctrine of original goodness, the mystery of God in our lives, the unconscious motivations of each Enneagram type, the Enneagram types under stress, dying to the false self and more.

Order The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery by Ian Morgan Cron & Suzanne Stabile
Visit Ian online at ianmorgancron.com and typologypodcast.com
Follow Ian on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

#105: What the humanity of Jesus means for our pain (with Kurt Willems)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 11 Mar 2021 21:06:43 +0000

This week we are joined by Kurt Willems, to discuss how Jesus’ humanity redeems and transforms our human suffering. Kurt is a pastor, podcaster and theologian and his book is called, Echoing Hope: How the Humanity of Jesus Redeems Our Pain. Every time I speak with Kurt I find him to be this delightful blend of the academic, the pastoral, and deep spiritual formation. We talked about how Jesus meets us in our brokenness and leads us through the traumas of our life, renewing our humanity in the process. And a whole lot more, as usual!

See https://jonathanpuddle/podcast for transcripts.

Order Echoing Hope: How the Humanity of Jesus Redeems Our Pain, by Kurt Willems.
Click here to learn more about the book.
Listen to Kurt’s excellent podcast, Theology Curator.
Follow Kurt on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.

#104: You are seen, heard and loved by God (with Melinda Estabrooks)

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 05 Mar 2021 17:45:21 +0000

This week, my guest is Melinda Estabrooks. Melinda is a Canadian television host, conference speaker and editor of the new book, “Always Know.” Melinda’s career in Canadian broadcast TV and radio spans over 20 years and while we had interacted at industry events in the past, this was the first time we really got to actually talk with one another. I asked her to share her story of being abandoned as a baby, then adopted by a Canadian family, experiencing racism growing up, depression and mental health difficulties, and even walking through a divorce while in public Christian ministry. If you’ve ever felt like God and everyone else doesn’t see you… then Melinda’s story is for you.

Order Always Know, by Melinda Estabrooks and the guests of See, Hear, Love directly from Crossroads or from Amazon.
Watch Melinda’s show at seehearlove.com
Follow Melinda on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

#103: The Great Sex Rescue (with Sheila Wray Gregoire & Rebecca Gregoire Lindenbach)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 25 Feb 2021 20:20:08 +0000

This week, popular Christian sex blogger and author Sheila Wray Gregoire returns to the show with her daughter Rebecca Gregoire Lindenbach to discuss their groundbreaking research on harmful Evangelical teachings about sex. Sheila explained that despite blogging and writing about sex for years, she kept hearing the same problems from people, which forced her to ask, “What if the problem is not a lack of good content but a really rotten foundation?” They conducted a survey of 22,000 Christian women to test many popular evangelical teachings about sex and see how they corresponded with women’s sexual and marital satisfaction. They also looked at the best-selling Christian marriage or sex books to see which books spread those teachings. Their findings are important and powerful, and they’re available in their new book, The Great Sex Rescue: The Lies You’ve Been Taught and How to Recover What God Intended. Content warning: contains a discussion on sexual assault in marriage, and is not appropriate for children. This interview offers hope to anyone who grew up in purity culture, or who has experienced sexual difficulties in marriage and wondered whether it was all their fault.

Order The Great Sex Rescue: The Lies You’ve Been Taught and How to Recover What God Intended, by Sheila Wray Gregoire, Rebecca Gregoire Lindenbach & Joanna Sawatsky
Learn more at greatsexrescue.com
Find Sheila & Rebecca’s other work at tolovehonorandvacuum.com
Follow Sheila on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Follow Rebecca on Twitter and Instagram.

#102: Introducing The Puddcast B-Side: Jesus & Trauma (with Chris Long)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 14:55:27 +0000

This week you get to enjoy a brand-new piece of content, the first Puddcast B-Side! I sat down (virtually) with my good friend Chris and we unpacked the ways that episodes 100 and 101 (the panel on Jesus & Trauma) impacted us. I also shared some behind-the-scenes discussion on how the panel came together, some challenges I faced running it and more. Going forward, I’ll be releasing a B-Side for every episode, where a friend of mine and I discuss the topics in further depth. You may also get some funny bloopers, mistakes, gotchas and various other things. It's gonna be fun!

Since this week is the very first one, I’m sharing it here publicly on The Puddcast—going forward the B-Sides will be available exclusively to my Patreon supporters. You can become a supporter for $3/month or $32/year. To sign up and gain access to The Puddcast B-side and lots of other benefits, go to patreon.com/jonathanpuddle.

Order my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.
Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.

#101: Panel - Jesus & Trauma Pt. 2 (with Wm. Paul Young, Alison Cook, Ph.D, Dr. Jerome D. Lubbe, Ahmeda Mansaray-Richardson)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 11 Feb 2021 16:34:28 +0000

This week we dive into the 2nd half of our panel discussion on Jesus & Trauma. Once again, my guests are Wm. Paul Young, Alison Cook, Ph.D, Dr. Jerome D. Lubbe and Ahmeda Mansaray-Richardson. Building on the discussion in the first half, where the lenses of psychology, neurology, theology, and cultural studies were applied to matters of identity, brokenness, colonialism, institutional religious structures, diversity and more, we went after forgiveness and reconciliation next. The conversation is shorter but no less robust.

Order The Pastor: A Crisis, by Paul Young & Bradley Jersak.
Learn more about Wm. Paul Young at wmpaulyoung.com.
Follow Paul on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Order Boundaries for Your Soul: How to Turn Your Overwhelming Thoughts and Feelings into Your Greatest Allies, by Alison Cook, PhD
Learn more about Alison at alisoncookphd.com.
Follow Alison on Instagram and Facebook.

Order The Brain-Based Enneagram: You are not A number by Dr. Jerome D. Lubbe.
Learn more about Jerome at drjerome.com.
Follow Jerome on Instagram and Twitter.

Learn more about Ahmeda Mansaray-Richardson’s work at voicesglobalcollective.online and sageandsavant.online
Follow Ahmeda on Instagram.

Support me and my work by becoming a Patron at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle
Order my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.
Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.

#100: Panel - Jesus & Trauma Pt. 1 (with Wm. Paul Young, Alison Cook, Ph.D, Dr. Jerome D. Lubbe, Ahmeda Mansaray-Richardson)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 04 Feb 2021 22:56:22 +0000

Welcome to the 100th episode of The Puddcast! As I looked back over the first 3 years I realized that the intersection of Jesus & trauma formed a throughline across many conversations. I wanted to do something special and so I assembled a panel to discuss this subject. My guests are Wm. Paul Young, Alison Cook, Ph.D, Dr. Jerome D. Lubbe and Ahmeda Mansaray-Richardson. We went so deep and long that I’ve split the discussion into 2 parts, with the 2nd part coming next week. Using the lenses of psychology, neurology, theology, cultural studies, and more we look at identity, brokenness, colonialism, institutional religious structures, diversity and more. If you’ve ever wished to know precisely why it’s so hard to believe that God loves you, if you’ve wanted to understand yourself better, to know why our societies are so busted right now, why we struggle to put ourselves in other’s shoes, and more… then this is the discussion for you.

Learn more about Wm. Paul Young at wmpaulyoung.com.
Follow Paul on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Learn more about Alison Cook, Ph.D at alisoncookphd.com.
Follow Alison on Instagram and Facebook.

Learn more about Dr. Jerome D. Lubbe at drjerome.com.
Follow Jerome on Instagram and Twitter.

Learn more about Ahmeda Mansaray-Richardson’s work at voicesglobalcollective.online and sageandsavant.online
Follow Ahmeda on Instagram.

#99: Highlights from the first 100 episodes (Aundi Kolber, Luke Gifford & Stephanie Tait)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 28 Jan 2021 22:16:08 +0000

This week we do a bit of a retrospective and I highlight some of the most popular episodes since The Puddcast began, as well as those that were the most impactful in my own life. As promised, I also reveal the guests of my upcoming panel on Jesus + Trauma!

Inside this episode you’ll find a replay of the very first episode of The Puddcast (“God is Everywhere”) as well as clips from my interviews with Luke Gifford, Aundi Kolber and Stephanie Tait. There’s also lots of further commentary from me looking back on the first 3 years of The Puddcast. As well, tune in to hear the exciting news of what I’ll be able to do once I hit 70 Patrons!

#98: Poems of Disappointment and Discovery (with David Tensen)

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 16:57:34 +0000

My guest on the show this week is poet David Tensen. Once upon a time, David was the worship director at a megachurch… then he led a large inner healing prayer ministry… then his life fell apart and he started writing poetry. David recently released his first book The Wrestle: Poems of Divine Disappointment and Discovery. We talked all about breakdown, disappointment and surprising joy. David read a few of his poems for us—if you’ve ever experienced your life falling apart then this will be a blessing for your heart’s journey.

Order The Wrestle: Poems of Divine Disappointment and Discovery by David Tensen.
Visit David online at davidtensen.com
Follow David on Instagram and Twitter.

Learn more about HeartSync inner healing.
Learn more about Elijah House inner healing.

Order my trauma-informed devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You from all retailers today.
Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle
Find every book or resource I’ve talked about on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.

#97: Masks of Masculinity (with Brendan Kwiatkowski)

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 15 Jan 2021 16:59:23 +0000

Brendan Kwiatkowski is a PhD candidate, researching adolescent males’ levels of emotional restriction and related pressures. I’ve loved the work that Brendan shares online and so he joined me on the show to discuss the masks that men & boys wear, trust vs vulnerability, issues of identity and sense of purpose, and the fragmentation that results from not being our true selves. If you have a male in your life, listen in.

You can learn more about Brendan and listen to his forthcoming album, Songs of Masculinity, at remasculate.org.
Follow Brendan on Instagram at re.masculate.

#96: Your God, your body and your temple

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 26 Nov 2020 18:46:05 +0000

This week on The Puddcast I’m giving you 3 readings from the audiobook of You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You. I’ve included the first 3 days: Your God, Your Body and Your Temple. If you enjoy it, you can buy a copy of the full audiobook directly from my website, at jonathanpuddle.com/store. It will also be available on Audible, Apple Music, etc. in the coming weeks.

Order my new devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You from all retailers.
Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle
Find every book or resource I’ve talked about on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.

#95: Forgiving what you can't forget (with Lysa TerKeurst)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 19 Nov 2020 19:16:53 +0000

Popular author Lysa TerKeurst returns to the show this week to catch us up on the reconciliation of her marriage and how to forgive things that can’t be forgotten. We discussed dealing honestly with grief and acknowledging pain instead of spiritual bypassing. We talked at length about forgiveness, why it’s important for our healing, and how to give forgiveness to someone who really doesn’t deserve it… and why maybe the matter of their deserving-ness is the wrong question. I highly recommend you check this out along with her new book, Forgiving What You Can’t Forget. I was moved, y’all.

Order Forgiving What You Can’t Forget: Discover How to Move On, Make Peace with Painful Memories, and Create a Life That’s Beautiful Again
Follow Lysa on Instagram.

Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle
Order my new devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.
Find every book or resource I’ve talked about on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.

#94: Abortion, politics and God (with Maija Puddle)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 12 Nov 2020 22:25:55 +0000

This week we welcome the most specialist guest ever, Maija Puddle, my better half! Maija’s undergrad was in Political Science specializing in Public Policy and her masters’ thesis (in development and cooperation) was on power and language. So in the aftermath of the US election, Maija and I had an in-depth discussion on abortion, democracy, representation, the dangers of spiritualizing politics, and how God does and doesn’t work within society to bring about change. Expect hope, fire and lots of love.

#93: Honest Advent (with Scott Erickson)

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 06 Nov 2020 21:36:52 +0000

Scott Erickson (AKA scottthepainter) is a touring painter, visual storyteller and creative curator who I am very excited to welcome to The Puddcast this week. We discussed a number of the themes from his new Christmas book, Honest Advent: Awakening to the Wonder of God-With-Us Then, Here, and Now. Specifically, we talked about honesty in the face of pain and how vulnerability itself is the doorway to connection with God. Expect a jovial, lighthearted conversation that suddenly takes a beautiful, sacred turn as Scott hits reset on our understanding of a very familiar story.

Order Honest Advent: Awakening to the Wonder of God-With-Us Then, Here, and Now

Follow Scott on Twitter and Instagram.
Learn more at scottericksonart.com

#92: Religion, faith and authenticity (with Lecrae)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 29 Oct 2020 18:59:17 +0000

It’s a great honour to welcome multi Grammy award-winning, platinum-selling artist, Lecrae, to the show. We discussed his journey of learning to live authentically as his true self within a culture that didn’t celebrate him for who he was. That journey affected his relationships, his faith, his music and more. Lecrae shared vulnerably about things the evangelical church has been unwilling to discuss, to the pain and devastation of those seeking to live whole lives with robust faith. He also explained how deeply objectification is built into Christian culture. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Lecrae and hope that you’ll check out his new album, Restoration, and his new book, I Am Restored: How I Lost My Religion, But Found My Faith. Much more in the show notes below.

Order I Am Restored: How I Lost My Religion, But Found My Faith
Listen to Restoration on Spotify
Watch the video series, Road to Restoration

Follow Pete on Twitter and Instagram.
Learn more at Lecrae.com.

#91: When God is silent (with Pete Greig)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 22 Oct 2020 15:16:19 +0000

This week I’m thrilled to welcome Pete Greig, one of the founders of the 24-7 Prayer movement and author of a number of books that have deeply impacted me. My friend and pastor Amy Ryan co-hosted the discussion and we asked Pete to help us understand how to pray and how to handle the silence that often happens in response to our prayers. His answers to us were deep and powerful and his comments on the church were insightful! Make sure to grab a copy of his latest book (republished for the COVID context), God on Mute: Engaging the Silence of Unanswered Prayer. It’s honestly wrecking me right now.

Order God on Mute: Engaging the Silence of Unanswered Prayer.
Order Dirty Glory: Go Where Your Best Prayers Take You.
Sign up for Lectio 365, the daily devotional that Pete spoke about.
Follow Pete on Twitter and Instagram.

Listen to Amy & Adam Ryan previously on The Puddcast talking about pastoring with the Holy Spirit.

#90: Encountering the transforming presence of God (with Duncan & Kate Smith)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 15 Oct 2020 21:45:24 +0000

This week on The Puddcast we welcome Duncan & Kate Smith, the leaders of the Catch The Fire movement of churches. I’ve known Duncan & Kate for many years and I asked them to share what it means to encounter the Holy Spirit and have the Spirit revolutionize your life. We took our time to get there, building up a beautiful framework for knowing God has a loving Father and taking on the life of Jesus into our own lives. If you’ve ever wondered what the deal was with those crazy Charismatics, then have a listen to this and see if you too don’t catch an excitement for the experienceable presence and tangible love of God.

You can buy Duncan’s book, Consumed By Love.
Listen to Duncan & Kate’s podcast, Into the Fire.
Follow Duncan & Kate on Facebook and Instagram.

#89: Marriage, Mayoralty + The Opioid Crisis (with Rachel + Cam Guthrie)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 01 Oct 2020 19:40:11 +0000

I’m honoured to welcome to The Puddcast this week, my city’s mayor, Cam Guthrie! Cam and his wife Rachel shared some of their life story along with insights on managing hectic schedules, putting in boundaries, dealing with criticism, supporting one another’s career goals, the COVID rollercoaster and the opioid overdose crisis. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with them.

Follow Cam on Twitter and Instagram, follow Rachel on Instagram.

#88: You Are Never Alone (with Max Lucado)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 24 Sep 2020 20:00:10 +0000

This week we are joined once more by Max Lucado, one of the most prolific Christian authors of our time. Max and I briefly discussed some themes from his new book, You Are Never Alone: Trust in the Miracle of God's Presence and Power before we moved on to examining the intensity and pain of the moment we find ourselves in, how so many of our systems are failing us and how we desperately need help from the Holy Spirit. There’s a little something in here for everyone.

Order Max’s latest book, You Are Never Alone: Trust in the Miracle of God's Presence and Power.

Follow Max on Twitter and Instagram.

#87: How to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 17 Sep 2020 22:36:41 +0000

To celebrate my book launch in a few days, you get a very special edition of The Puddcast this week where my friend Anthony McLean hosts the show and interviews me! We talked about trauma, vulnerability, courage, blackness, the importance of embodiment in our spiritual practice, performance vs identity, challenges Enneagram type 2s tend to experience, and we practiced some self-compassionate meditation together.

You can order my brand new devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You, right here.

You can learn more about Anthony McLean at anthonymclean.org

I briefly referenced the idea of not feeling safe with God. If that’s an issue for you, I talk about it at length in my devotional book, but I also discuss it in this article here.

You can support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle
You’ll find every book or resource I’ve talked about on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.

#86: Justice and Happiness (with Derwin L. Gray)

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 11 Sep 2020 17:22:19 +0000

On The Puddcast this week is Derwin L. Gray, pastor of Transformation Church in South Carolina, and author of The Good Life: What Jesus Teaches about Finding True Happiness. We discussed the Beatitudes as an invitation to a life of meaning and purpose, how that intersects with racial justice, how the prosperity message has crippled our witness, and our great need for leadership from those who have pastored on the margins.

Order Derwin’s book, The Good Life: What Jesus Teaches about Finding True Happiness.
Follow Derwin on Twitter and Instagram.

#85: De-stigmatizing Suicide (with Kayla Stoecklein)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 03 Sep 2020 12:00:00 +0000

This week we look at a crucially important topic: suicide and mental health. My guest is Kayla Stoecklein, whose husband Andrew died by suicide two years ago. Andrew had been the lead pastor of their church, and had struggled with significant mental health issues for some time. Kayla shares vulnerably how warning signs were missed and a great tragedy could have been averted. She provides hope and practical help for anyone facing depression, anxiety, panic attacks or suicidal ideation, as well as for those people loving others through it.

Order Kayla’s excellent book, Fear Gone Wild: A Story of Mental Illness, Suicide, and Hope Through Loss.
Follow Kayla on Instagram.

#84: Raising a Multiracial Family (with Marc & Tryphena Gagnon)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 27 Aug 2020 21:33:56 +0000

I’m joined this week by my good friends Marc & Tryphena Gagnon, who share their story so far raising their multiracial family. Marc is of French Canadian heritage and Tryphena’s family is from India, and they have learned a lot about one another and themselves as they raise their mixed-race children to understand and own their racial identities and engage with the world around them in compassion and love. Marc is also the teaching pastor at Lakeside Church in Guelph.

Tryphena recommends the following books:
White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo
Martin Luther King, Jr. (Little People, BIG DREAMS series), by Maria isabel Sanchez Vegara
Rosa Parks (Little People, BIG DREAMS series), by Lisbeth Kaiser

Visit Marc & Tryphena’s church at lakesidechurch.ca

Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle
Order by new devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.
Find every book or resource I’ve talked about on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.

Summer Break 2020

Jonathan Puddle — Tue, 07 Jul 2020 13:50:31 +0000

Hey friends, I’m off for a little vacation. The Puddcast will be back on air sometime in August! Thanks for your support… will talk soon.

#83: Why Would Anyone Go to Church? (with Kevin Makins)

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 19 Jun 2020 15:22:59 +0000

My guest this week is Kevin Makins, pastor of Eucharist Church in Hamilton, Ontario. Kevin and I chatted about walking away from God, building communities that are safe for people questioning their faith, and how Jesus shatters the idols we make out of our churches and communities. This conversation presents a hope-filled, loved-centred path forward for the church in secular society. It’s full of joy. You’ll love it.

Order Why Would Anyone Go to Church? A Young Community’s Quest to Reclaim Church for Good, by Kevin Makins.
Visit Kevin online at kevinmakins.com.
Subscribe to his YouTube channel at youtube.com/kevinmakins.
Follow Kevin on Twitter and Instagram.

Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle
Find every book or resource I’ve talked about on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.

#82: When Suffering Lingers (with K.J. Ramsey)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 11 Jun 2020 17:34:37 +0000

K.J. Ramsey is a therapist, writer and the author of This Too Shall Last: Finding Grace When Suffering Lingers. K.J. and I have become good friends over the course of the pandemic, and in this interview we discussed the hope embedded in suffering, the tension between Jesus’ words “All these things and more you will do” and “In this life, you will have troubles”. She shared how stories that include very hard things can also include great hope and love, and how brain science reveals that being still with God in the midst of our suffering is of transformative importance. I cannot recommend her to you highly enough.

Order This Too Shall Last: Finding Grace When Suffering Lingers by K.J. Ramsey
Follow K.J. on Twitter and Instagram.

I’ve been shortlisted for best Christian blog of the year in Canada! Follow The World Guild on Facebook to watch the awards ceremony on Saturday 13th June.

Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle
Find every book or resource I’ve talked about on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.

#81: A Deeply Formed Life (with Rich Villodas)

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 05 Jun 2020 18:26:36 +0000

Rich Villodas, pastor of New Life Fellowship in the heart of Queens, NY, joined me on the show this week. I’ve been hugely impressed by Rich’s depth of thought and the integration of emotional health, racial reconciliation, Holy Spirit power and more that he teaches and embodies. We discussed sexual wholeness, contemplative spirituality and discipleship all in the lens of his new book, The Deeply Formed Life.

Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle
Find every book or resource I’ve talked about on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.

Read Kaitlin Curtice’s piece on pressing into the discomfort of this moment.
Order The Deeply Formed Life: Five Transformative Values to Root Us in the Way of Jesus by Rich Villodas
Follow Rich on Twitter and Instagram.

#80: Redeeming Touch (with Lore Ferguson Wilbert)

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 29 May 2020 02:54:57 +0000

Lore Ferguson Wilbert is a long-time blogger and author of the new book, Handle With Care: How Jesus Redeems the Power of Touch in Life and Ministry. Lore (pronounced Lor-ee) joined me on the show to discuss the wonder of the Incarnation, the playfulness and delight of Jesus, platonic vs sexual touch, healthy touch in community, and my wife’s philosophy on hugging. For a healthier church, for a healthier, more embodied world, I highly commend this interview and Lore herself to you.

Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle
Find every book or resource I’ve talked about on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.

Order Handle With Care: How Jesus Redeems the Power of Touch in Life and Ministry by Lore Ferguson Wilbert
Read the opinion piece in The Guardian, “I desperately miss human touch. Science may explain why.”
More on Andy Crouch’s rubric of authority and vulnerability.
Find Lore online at sayable.net
Follow Lore on Twitter and Instagram.

#79: Charismatics in a time of COVID-19 (with Lucy Peppiatt)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 21 May 2020 21:04:51 +0000

My guest on the show this week is Lucy Peppiatt, Principal of Westminster Theological Centre in the UK. Lucy is a Charismatic Anglican and is a theologian, an educator, pastor and author. We discussed the gifts that Charismatic Christians offer the world in a time of crisis, as well as the areas that Charismatics need to be particularly careful about. We covered the power of prayer, using prophecy responsibly, anchoring what we say about God in the real world, as well as the importance of co-suffering & lament with our brothers and sisters around the world.

Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle
Find every book or resource I’ve talked about on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.

Read Lucy’s article Charismatic Christians, Crisis, and Coronavirus parts one, two and three.
Order Rediscovering Scripture's Vision for Women, by Lucy Peppiatt.
Learn more about Westminster Theological Centre here.
Follow Lucy on Twitter.

#78: Your Soul's Purpose and The Enneagram (with Christopher Heuertz)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 14 May 2020 20:26:35 +0000

This week I had the distinct privilege of sitting down with Christopher Heuertz and discussing his brand new book, The Enneagram of Belonging: A Compassionate Journey of Self-Acceptance. Chris’s work has been instrumental in my own journey of self-love and so it was a real honour to drill deep into some core philosophical aspects of the Enneagram (including some of the ways people frequently misapply the tools), followed by a review of the new language he gives us in this book. If you have ever felt frustrated or put into a box by the Enneagram, you’ll find some things here that I hope will be helpful and freeing for you.

UPDATE: I am aware of claims against Chris Heuertz and I have done my best to investigate the issue as far as I am able. You can read about these claims here, along with Chris’ response to them, and the response of an investigation by the board of directors of the Gravity Institute. I have chosen to keep Chris’ interview here as I believe the material is helpful. I encourage you to discern for yourself how to proceed regarding Chris’ work.

Listen to Chris read the first 9 minutes of the book for free, right here.
Order The Enneagram of Belonging: A Compassionate Journey of Self-Acceptance, by Christopher L. Heuertz
Follow Chris on Instagram or Twitter
Visit Chris online at chrisheuertz.com

Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle
Find every book or resource I’ve talked about on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.

#77: Confidence and joy in God (with Emma Mae Jenkins)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 30 Apr 2020 21:47:09 +0000

My guest on the show this week is YouTuber and Instagram personality, Emma Mae Jenkins. Emma and I talked about God meeting us where we are, finding our confidence in who God says we are, dealing with haters online, loving yourself and those who attack & demean you, and finding joy in difficult circumstances, even in eyebrow bullying (which we have both experienced!). She shares some beautiful thoughts from her new devotional, ALL CAPS YOU. She’s utterly delightful.

Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle
Find every book or resource I’ve talked about on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.

Follow Emma on Instagram and YouTube.
Order Emma’s new devotional for young women, All Caps You.
Visit Emma online at emmamaejenkins.com

#76: Death and rebirth (with Jonathan Martin)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 23 Apr 2020 17:51:37 +0000

Jonathan Martin is an author, pastor and host of The Zeitcast, and he is one of the biggest influences and encouragements in my life and work. Jonathan joined me on the show this week to chat about seasons of life, allowing things within us to die, and placing hope in a resurrection that we can’t orchestrate ourselves. We touched on grief, community, hope, church life and the importance of intentionally incarnating rebirth within our own lives.

Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle
Find every book or resource I’ve talked about on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.

Listen to The Zeitcast with Jonathan Martin.
Order How to Survive a Shipwreck: Help Is on the Way and Love Is Already Here by Jonathan Martin.
Order Prototype: What Happens When You Discover You're More Like Jesus Than You Think? by Jonathan Martin.Visit Jonathan Martin online at jonathanmartinwords.com
Follow Jonathan on Instagram and Twitter.

#75: Guilt-free parenting during COVID-19 (with Jamie Sumner)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 16 Apr 2020 21:54:18 +0000

Jamie Sumner is a writer and novelist whose latest non-fiction book, Eat, Sleep, Save the World: Words of Encouragement for the Special Needs Parent released the first week of widespread COVID-19 lockdown. Jamie joined me on the Puddcast to talk about letting go of parenting guilt, being present in the moment day-by-day, rethinking our priorities and leaning into God for resilience. If you’re a parent or someone looking after children, there’s hope for in here.

Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle
Find every book or resource I’ve talked about on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.

Order Eat, Sleep, Save the World: Words of Encouragement for the Special Needs Parent by Jamie Sumner.
Order Jamie’s middle-school novel, Roll with It.Visit Jamie online at jamie-sumner.com
Follow Jamie on Instagram and Twitter.

#74: Embracing opportunities to grow, within COVID-19 (with Tim Day)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 09 Apr 2020 21:30:43 +0000

My guest this week is Tim Day, one of the top thought leaders in Canada regarding the church, mission and culture. Tim is Executive Director of City Movement Canada, and Director of Waybase.com (The Impact Network). We discussed the very real suffering caused by COVID-19, how individuals, churches and ministries are responding to it, and what God invites us to examine about ourselves, within the pain.

Resources mentioned:

Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle
Access crisis resources for the Canadian church
Visit Tim online at timday.org
Visit WayBase, Canada’s premier church & ministry collaboration platform.
Learn more about City Movement Canada.
Order Tim’s book, God Enters Stage Left.

#73: How to deal with fear, anger and sadness during COVID-19

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 16:48:54 +0000

Many of us were raised to believe all kinds of myths about emotions, such as they’re sinful, they lead us astray, that emotions aren’t spiritual and so on. Right now, terrorized by the fear of a global pandemic, we’re surrounded by emotions! The truth is that emotions are a God-given source of wisdom when we know how to interpret them. In this episode, I share some science on what emotions are in our brains and bodies, a few practical tips on how to process the fear, anger and sadness coming up during this COVID-19 crisis, and then we practice accessing our emotions and bringing them to God.

Resources mentioned:

Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle
Order The Wisdom of your Heart: Discovering the God-Given Purpose and Power of Your Emotions by Marc Alan Schelske
Listen to my podcast with Marc.
Brené Brown’s list of emotions.
6 core emotions.

#72: The Psychology of Jesus (with Dr. Jerome D. Lubbe)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 12 Mar 2020 21:43:07 +0000

My guest this week is Dr. Jerome D. Lubbe, the creator of the Brain-Based Enneagram. We talked about science, hope, trauma, shame, the Brain-Based Enneagram… pretty much anything relating to the psychological framework of Jesus and the application for that in our lives. I’ve linked to a bunch of resources below for those wanting to dive deeper into the topics we covered. Get some!

Resources mentioned:

Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle
The Neurotheology of Self-Care
Visit Jerome at drjerome.com
Order Whole-Identity: A Brain-Based Enneagram Model for (W)holistic Human Thriving by Dr. Jerome Lubbe.
Learn more about the Brain-Based Enneagram.
Get the scoop on my self-love devotional at jonathanpuddle.com/devo
Listen to Dr. Jerome Lubbe on The Zeitcast with Jonathan Martin: Neuroscience and the Enneagram Part 1… and Part 2.

#71: Andrew & Norine Brunson's Story

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 05 Mar 2020 22:00:51 +0000

In October 2016, Andrew & Norine Brunson were arrested and jailed in Turkey. Andrew was ultimately held for 2 years. I had the privilege of sitting down in person with Andrew and Norine and hearing their story. They shared about the persecution they experienced, the trial of faith he endured and how Andrew ultimately learned to stand in the darkest place of his life and press into God for strength every day. I was inspired and challenged!

Resources mentioned:

Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle
Order Andrew’s book, God's Hostage: A True Story of Persecution, Imprisonment, and Perseverance

#70: Wholeness and Suffering (with Stephanie Tait)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 27 Feb 2020 21:06:05 +0000

My guest this week is author, speaker, trauma-survivor and disability advocate Stephanie Tait. We had a profoundly deep conversation on the theology of suffering, prosperity, faith, trust, disabilities and ableism, and community. I cried real tears, you guys. I strongly urge every one of you to take the time to listen to this, Stephanie’s wisdom and grace are remarkable and every one of us have something to learn from her.

Resources mentioned:

Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle
Order Stephanie’s book, The View from Rock Bottom: Discovering God’s Embrace in our Pain
Visit Stephanie at stephanietaitwrites.com
Support Stephanie’s work on Patreon
Follow Stephanie on Twitter and Instagram

#69: You Are Enough (free Lenten devotional)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 20 Feb 2020 18:33:22 +0000

This week's guest on The Puddcast is yours truly! I'm introducing my new devotional You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You through a free daily email during the season of Lent. In this episode, I explain the origins of Lent, how Easter is like heart surgery for Christians and why it’s worth preparing for surgery, and then I read the first daily reflection along with the accompanying meditation from my book. My invitation to you is to give up self-hatred, self-doubt and self-condemnation for lent this year, and try on love instead.

Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#68: Life and death and a God who bleeds (with John Mark McMillan)

Jonathan Puddle — Wed, 12 Feb 2020 17:47:50 +0000

This week I had the great pleasure of chatting with John Mark McMillan all about his brand new album, “Peopled with Dreams.” An accomplished singer-songwriter, John Mark is quite possibly my favourite musician on the planet, so this was a real treat. We talked about life and death and gods and a God who bleeds alongside us, and the connection between love and suffering. Listen today!

Resources mentioned:

Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle
Listen to Peopled with Dreams by John Mark McMillan on Apple Music or Spotify
Visit John Mark online at johnmarkmcmillan.com
Follow John Mark on Twitter and Instagram

#67: Men and Women Working Together (with Danielle Strickland)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 13:00:00 +0000

Danielle Strickland joined me on The Puddcast this week to discuss how women and men can work together for a brighter future, one in which girl’s self-confidence doesn’t peak at 9 years old, where 1 in 3 women will not experience unwanted sexual attention and where men don’t live in fear of sexual accusation. We discussed power, fear, corruption and the Billy Graham rule, too. Whoever you are, you need to listen to this!

Resources mentioned:

Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle
Order Better Together: How Women and Men Can Heal the Divide and Work Together to Transform the Future by Danielle Strickland
Visit daniellestrickland.com
Learn more about Brave Global
Follow Danielle on Twitter and Instagram

#66: The New Testament in its World (with Michael F. Bird)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 30 Jan 2020 20:08:28 +0000

Michael Bird is a theologian and New Testament scholar, who was responsible for editing the landmark work with NT Wright, The New Testament in it’s World. Mike and I talked about how to read the New Testament, what it tells us about power, empire, community, culture, history and more.

Resources mentioned:

Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle
Order The New Testament in its World by NT Wright and Michael Bird
Watch the Council of Nicea rap battle
Check out Biblica Hipsteria
Read Mike’s blog
Follow Michael Bird on Twitter

#65: Building Resilient Disciples (with David Kinnaman)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 23 Jan 2020 17:36:41 +0000

David Kinnaman is President of the Barna Group, specialists in church-related research. He joined me on the show this week to discuss what is working in churches around the world looking to build resilient, faithful disciples. We also discussed using research as a lens on what’s happening in culture, and using that as a means of helping the church understand its times and the way forward.

Resources mentioned:

Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle
Order Faith For Exiles: 5 Ways for a New Generation to Follow Jesus in Digital Babylon by David Kinnaman and Mark Matlock
Link to Brené Brown interview with Russell Brand
Sign up for news on my devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to love yourself the way God loves you

#64: All Along You Were Blooming (with Morgan Harper Nichols)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 16 Jan 2020 15:45:04 +0000

My guest this week is poet and artist Morgan Harper Nichols. We talked about Morgan’s upbringing, her lifelong search for a creative outlet, her self-doubt and feelings of insufficiency, and the surprise success of her artwork and poetry. We also discussed Instagram as a platform that can foster personal intimacy and connection. Expect lots of graceful thoughts, kind words and laughter.

Resources mentioned:

Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle
Order All Along You Were Blooming: Thoughts for Boundless Living by Morgan Harper Nichols
Follow Morgan on Instagram and Twitter

#63: Maria Gaba's story

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 09 Jan 2020 18:59:08 +0000

In November last year, I spent two weeks in South Africa volunteering at a children’s home and daycare centre. Today I’m honoured to share with you the story of the centre’s founder, Maria Gaba. Born in Soweto (once the home of Nelson Mandela), Maria’s story is one of overcoming traumatic childhood abuse by the power and love of God. It is honest, brutal at times, yet ultimately hope-filled. The work Maria does is nothing short of remarkable, and she gives all the glory to God. You will come away impacted, I promise you.

To assist in contextualizing her story, the following is a brief glossary of terms, people and places she mentions:

Angel of Hope - The HIV/AIDs counselling centre run by Rebecca, Maria’s daughter.
Rebecca - Maria’s eldest biological daughter.
Soweto - The South Western Townships of Johannesburg, once the largest Black city in South Africa, a hotbed of race riots until the end of Apartheid.
Eastern Cape - A province in the South East of South Africa.
Tebuho - Once of Maria’s biological sons, died of AIDS-related illnesses.
Mandla - One of Maria’s biological sons
Bulelwa - One of Maria’s biological daughters
Lukanyo - One of Maria’s biological sons
Windmill Park - A predominantly Black settlement in Boksburg, in the South East of Johannesburg.
Creche - Daycare centre. “Mpumelo” is Zulu for success.
80 Rand - Approximately $7 CAD / $5 USD
Free State - A province in central South Africa.

Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#62: Self-Awareness in Parenting (with Courtney Burg)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 19 Dec 2019 16:55:40 +0000

This week I am joined by Courtney Burg AKA Mombojombo, to talk about everything to do with trauma-informed parenting. We touched on boundaries, safety, self-regulation, rewiring your own brain, tantrums, and changing your parenting to reflect the unconditional love of God. Even if you’re not a parent, there’s something in here for you!

Resources mentioned:

Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle
Order Boundaries, by Dr Henry Cloud & Dr John Townsend
Get Courtney’s Breaking Free journaling guide
Follow Courtney on Instagram

#61: Participating in the life of God (with Father Kenneth Tanner)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 12 Dec 2019 18:14:58 +0000

My guest this week is Episcopal priest and poster of popular liturgical reflections, Father Kenneth Tanner. We discussed the character of God and what it means to participate in the life of God, who has already done all things and redeemed all of creation for our benefit. It might leave you speechless at the goodness of God. You have been warned.

Resources mentioned:

Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

Follow Father Kenneth on Instagram and Twitter

Listen to my interviews with Wm. Paul Young and Brad Jersak.

#60: Miracles and other Reasonable Things (with Sarah Bessey)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 05 Dec 2019 16:28:06 +0000

The one and only Sarah Bessey joined me on the Puddcast this week. We had a rich and tender dialogue on pain, grief, the tension between where we’ve come from, where we are, and where we’re going… and how to find safety along that road. We talked about making room for the stories that don’t get told as well as how to honour the legacy of Rachel Held Evans while being faithful to our own callings as well. Listen and share today.

Resources mentioned:

Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle
Order Miracles and Other Reasonable Things: A Story of Unlearning and Relearning God, by Sarah Bessey.
Find Sarah at an event near you at sarahbessey.com
Follow Sarah on Instagram and Twitter

#59: Racial justice engagement for white people (with Cara Meredith)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 07 Nov 2019 17:18:48 +0000

Cara Meredith, author of The Color of Life, joined me on the show this week to talk about the unique role white people can play in racial justice and reconciliation work. Cara is a former high school English teacher and used to work in the non-profit outreach sector before focusing on speaking and writing. We talked all about how to have our eyes and ears opened to the realities of injustice and how to start feeling the pain of it ourselves, as a way to enter the conversation holistically and with integrity.

Resources mentioned:

Support my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle
Order The Color of Life: A Journey toward Love and Racial Justice, by Cara Meredith.
Read Cara’s blog and other writing at carameredith.com
Follow Cara on Instagram and Twitter

#58: Decentering whiteness (with Gricel Medina)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 31 Oct 2019 17:57:31 +0000

My guest this week is Pastor Gricel Medina. Serving in the Evangelical Covenant Church, Gricel has been involved in planting and mentoring multi-ethnic church congregations and has served on a number of boards and committees for racial gender equity, among many other things. She shared her powerful life story and we discussed the problems of a white-centric and male-centric church leadership culture. Get ready!

Resources mentioned:

Support my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle
Order The God Who Sees, by Karen González.
Learn more about the Reverend Dr. Elizabeth Conde-Frazier
Find out more about Sandra van Opstal at sandravanopstal.com
Read Gricel’s writing at EzerRising.com
Follow Gricel on Instagram and Twitter

#57: Separated by the Border (with Gena Thomas)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 24 Oct 2019 16:04:32 +0000

Gena Thomas joined me on The Puddcast to talk about immigration, family separation, border issues, language, power, foster care, and being Christ to others while also seeing Christ in others. We discussed some of the stories told in her new book, Separated by the Border, all about her family’s journey to return a young girl to her mother, after she was separated from her family at the border. Get your tissues ready.

Resources mentioned:

Support my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle
Order Separated by the Border: A Birth Mother, a Foster Mother, and a Migrant Child's 3,000-Mile Journey, by Gena Thomas.
Article in local news about the reunification.
Visit genathomas.com to join her mailing list.
Follow Gena on Instagram and Twitter

#56: To Hell with the Hustle (with Jefferson Bethke)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 10 Oct 2019 20:35:58 +0000

Jefferson Bethke (along with his wife Alyssa) is a popular YouTuber, as well as an author and speaker. You know him from the spoken word video Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus. Jeff & Alyssa have an amazing set of training and encouraging videos for your marriage, your parenting and more, and now Jeff has a new book out on hustle culture and the importance of slow, quiet, spiritual rhythms. We discussed a whole bunch of things, from social media to Sabbath. Listen below or anywhere you find podcasts.

Resources mentioned:

Support my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle
Donate to my GoFundMe for my trip to South Africa.
Order To Hell With the Hustle: Reclaiming Your Life in an Overworked, Overspent, and Overconnected World, by Jefferson Bethke.
Visit jeffandalyssa.com or homeroomonline.com
Follow Jeff on Instagram and Twitter

#55: Worshipping with people in prison (with Jaye Thomas)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 18:22:02 +0000

Jaye Thomas is a world-renowned worship leader and songwriter from Kansas City and a good friend of mine. Jaye and his wife Nayomi recently left the staff of IHOP to focus on their ministry, Song of Hope. With three primary pillars: Bible study, community discipleship and worship for people in prison, Jaye and Nayomi are actively ministering the love of God to people in church and out of church. Jaye and I discussed freedom, hope, self-righteousness and seeing Jesus in people we don’t expect to find him in.

Resources mentioned:

Support my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle
Video of Botham Jean’s brother reaching out to Amber Guyger
songofhopeministries.org
jayethomas.com
Jaye’s worship mentoring
Follow Jaye on Instagram and Twitter.

#54: Walking away from toxic people (with Gary Thomas)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 16:01:43 +0000

Gary Thomas, the bestselling author of Sacred Marriage, Sacred Search and close to 20 other books joined me this week to turn my whole world upside down. His latest book, When To Walk Away: Finding Freedom from Toxic People hit me square between the eyes and so we talked about difficult relationships, protecting our identity and mission, and knowing when to call it a day. Gary covers toxicity in the context of church, workplace relationships, parents, marriages and more. Order the book below and have a listen to this important discussion.

Resources mentioned:

Support my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle
Order When To Walk Away: Finding Freedom from Toxic People by Gary Thomas
Visit Gary at garythomas.com

#53: Common Lies That Christians Believe (with Shane Pruitt)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 19 Sep 2019 12:00:00 +0000

Shane Pruitt is a blogger and evangelist, who, along with his wife Kasi have 5 kids—3 through adoption. Kasi oversees the Adoption & Foster Care Ministry at Lake Pointe church, and Shane, who is also the Director of Evangelism for The Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, joined me for a broad ranging discussion on authenticity, personal hardship, adoption, God’s sovereignty, and rethinking God’s will for your life. We also discussed his book, “9 Common Lies Christians Believe - And Why God’s Truth is Infinitely Better,” which he explained was the fruit of hearing too many bad Christian clichés during some of the hardest times of their life.

Resources mentioned:

Support my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle
Order 9 Common Lies Christians Believe - And Why God’s Truth is Infinitely Better, by Shane Pruitt
Video of the Pruitts bringing their daughter home which went viral
Lake Pointe church’s adoption ministry
Christian Alliance for Orphans (CAFO)
Visit Shane at shanepruitt.com

#52: How to Raise Jesus-Centered Kids (with Natalie Frisk)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 12 Sep 2019 16:47:28 +0000

Natalie Frisk oversees the curriculum development for kids from birth to high school at The Meeting House (think Bruxy Cavey). She joined me on The Puddcast to talk about parenting and discipleship of children, especially in a context of deconstruction. How do you raise kids to care about faith when you’re busy cleaning up the junk in your own spiritual life? Natalie had many amazing and insightful things to share. You should definitely order her book at the link below and enter a draw to win another copy as well.

Resources mentioned:

Support my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle
Read or watch my memorial to Jarrid Wilson
Natalie’s ReKnew blog post: Born Disciples: On Raising Kids to Follow Jesus
Order Raising Disciples: How to Make Faith Matter for Our Kids by Natalie Frisk
Win a free, signed copy of Natalie’s book by entering my giveaway.
Visit Natalie online at nataliefrisk.com
Download a free copy of The Meeting House kids’ church curriculum at curriculum.church

#51: How happiness happens (with Max Lucado)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 05 Sep 2019 19:06:44 +0000

This week Max Lucado joined me to discuss happiness, that elusive joyous emotion we all want to feel all the time. Max’s latest book is called How Happiness Happens: Finding Joy in a World of Comparison, Disappointment and Unmet Expectations, so we riffed on that subject for a while and also talked about writing, pastoral ministry and a few other things. Hit the links to order his book or enter my giveaway to win yourself a copy!

Resources mentioned:

Support my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle
Order How Happiness Happens: Finding Joy in a World of Comparison, Disappointment and Unmet Expectations, by Max Lucado
Order Just In Case You Ever Wonder, by Max Lucado
Win a free copy of the book by entering my giveaway.
Listen to Carey Nieuwhof’s interview with Max about his writing method.

For pastors and ministry leaders: book some free conversation and encouragement.

#50: Art, beauty and truth (with Ruth Chou Simons)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 29 Aug 2019 19:21:36 +0000

Ruth Chou Simons, author & popular creator of inspirational artwork joined me this week to talk beauty, truth, art, history, trends in wallpaper, the industrialization of modern education, how to have a conversation with your children, and surviving the moment by moment hopelessness that besets all of us while we await our own maturity. Sound packed? It sure is! Listen today and enter the giveaway to win a copy of Ruth’s latest book, Beholding & Becoming: The Art of Everyday Worship.

Resources mentioned:

Support my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle
Order Beholding and Becoming: The Art of Everyday Worship, by Ruth Chou Simons
Win a free copy of the book by entering my giveaway.
gracelaced.com - Ruth’s shoppe
ruthchousimons.com

Follow Ruth on Twitter and Instagram.

#49: Overcoming anxiety and panic attacks (with Sarah E. Ball)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 22 Aug 2019 15:11:29 +0000

Sarah Ball is a highly energetic, “can-do” mother of 5 who was floored by crippling panic attacks and generalized anxiety. The kind of person who just didn’t understand depression was riddled by it until God drew her into healing, a journey which included therapy, emotional counselling, spiritual healing, physical health and fitness, and more. Sarah is the author of Fearless in 21 Days: A Survivor’s Guide to Overcoming Anxiety, which we discussed in this interview.

Resources mentioned:

Support my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle
Fearless in 21 Days: A Survivor’s Guide to Overcoming Anxiety, by Sarah E. Ball
saraheball.com
The Fearless Traveler - Sarah’s guided tour out of anxiety
My group book study on Sarah’s book Fearless.

Follow Sarah on Twitter and Instagram.

#48: Supporting yourself through trauma (with Aundi Kolber)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 15 Aug 2019 13:15:21 +0000

Aundi Kolber is a licensed therapist and author who I’ve been following online for the last couple of years. We finally managed to schedule some time together and the result is a really helpful conversation on trauma, what it does in our bodies and brains, and how God designed our bodies and brains to give us the feedback we need in order to heal. As Aundi says, you can become a partner with God in his healing of you. Listen and share today!

Resources mentioned:

Support my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle
Pre-order Try Softer: A Fresh Approach to Move Us out of Anxiety, Stress, and Survival Mode--and into a Life of Connection and Joy, by Aundi Kolber.
bravelyimperfect.com- Aundi’s website
Sign up for Aundi’s free “Grounding” training
Follow @aundikolber on Twitter and Instagram

#47: Responding to the Sexual Abuse Crisis (with Mary DeMuth)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 08 Aug 2019 17:53:50 +0000

Mary DeMuth is the author of over 30 books including popular fiction and Christian living titles. A survivor of sexual abuse at a young age, Mary has devoted much of her life to helping people walk out healing, and now she has turned her sights on the church itself. In this powerful discussion she shared deep truths about where the church is failing, and why, and practical tips on how we can all do better. We discuss her latest book, We Too, which is part expose, part memoir, part healing guide, and predominantly a clarion call for the church to do better. Check out the resources below and please consider sharing this important message with others.

Resources mentioned:

Support my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle
The Day I Met Jesus, by Frank Viola & Mary DeMuth
We Too: How the Church Can Respond Redemptively to the Sexual Abuse Crisis, by Mary DeMuth
Boz Tchividjian - GRACE: Godly Respond to Abuse in the Christian Environment
WeToo.org
Predators, by Anna Salter
Mary’s 21 Days to Healing Email Series for Sexual Abuse Recovery
marydemuth.com

#46: Finding Your Identity (with Priscilla Shirer)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 01 Aug 2019 12:30:00 +0000

Priscilla Shirer came back on the show to discuss finding our identity and significance in God, both major themes of Overcomer, the new film from the Kendrick Brothers which she stars. Priscilla shared about some events in her life that exposed her own identity issues, while I pointed out that in her last film she played a music teacher and now she’s playing a principal. Promotion!

Resources mentioned:

Support my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

Find a screening of Overcomer.

Order Defined (Ephesians 1 & 2 Bible study) by Priscilla Shirer

Order Radiant by Priscilla Shirer

Summer Break 2019

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 27 Jun 2019 18:14:25 +0000

Friends, I’m taking a little break for the summer to recoup and spend time with family and friends. I’ve got lots of great guests coming up in the fall, some have already been recorded and I can tell you they are amazing. We’ll be back on air in August! Please consider supporting the show (and my writing) at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#45: The church in a post-Christian context (with Rohadi)

Jonathan Puddle — Tue, 11 Jun 2019 20:28:38 +0000

Our series for pastors and church leaders continues with Rohadi, a Canadian church planter, entrepreneur, author and speaker hailing from Calgary. We discussed the importance of creating safe spaces for people to live out the gospel in their unique racial, cultural and neighbourhood contexts. Rohadi argues that many Canadians have deflected issues of race and culture as being American problems, and that Canada, and the Canadian church, are just as much in need of waking up.

Resources mentioned:

Thrive: Ideas for Leading the Church in Post-Christendom, by Rohadi
Rohadi.com
Support the show at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#44: Rethinking Evangelism (with Curtis Hinds)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 30 May 2019 20:58:41 +0000

Curtis Hinds is an evangelist who dislikes the word evangelism and wants to help Christians be normal human beings again. Currently serving as the Pastor of Evangelism & Outreach at Catch The Fire Church in Toronto, Curtis joined me to discuss how to stop assaulting people with the truth, and instead building genuine, vulnerable relationships that naturally display the power of God in our lives. If you’ve ever felt ashamed for not doing enough work to spread the gospel then listen to this today.

Resources mentioned:

How to run a multi-generational family church service
Support the show at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#43: The Church as Destiny Incubator (with Michael Brodeur)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 23 May 2019 18:13:56 +0000

Michael Brodeur is a pastor to pastors, and the brains behind pastorscoach.com. We discussed church growth vs church health, evangelism, the megachurch model, and the differences between family churches and factory churches. Michael told me that part of the spiritual responsibility of leaders is to help people discover their unique gift mix, their unique passions and dreams, and to get them on a path towards that outcome. If you’re in pastoral ministry of any kind, you need to listen to this.

Resources mentioned:

pastorscoach.com
destinyfinder.com
michaelbrodeur.com
Revival Culture: Prepare for the Next Great Awakening, by Michael Brodeur & Banning Liebscher
Destiny Finder: A Practical Approach to Unlocking Your Destiny, by Michael Brodeur.
Support the show at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#42: Upside-Down Spirituality (with Chad Bird)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 16 May 2019 19:26:30 +0000

Chad Bird is an author, theologian, teacher and truck driver and someone I just really like talking to. I was super pumped to have Chad back on the show after a year to discuss his brand new book, Upside-Down Spirituality: The 9 Essential Failures of a Faithful Life. We talked about God’s perspective versus our own, our goals for marriage versus God’s goals for marriage, and we riffed at length on the nature of freedom in Christ. There’s something here for just about everyone!

Resources mentioned:

My YouTube Channel
Chadbird.com
Christ in the Old Testament Course (1517 Academy)
Chad’s podcast: 40 minutes in the Old Testament
Upside-Down Spirituality: The 9 Essential Failures of a Faithful Life, by Chad Bird
Night Driving: Notes from a Prodigal Soul, by Chad Bird
Your God is Too Glorious: Finding God in the Most Unexpected Places, by Chad Bird
Support the show at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#41: A Mission of Compassion (with Allison Alley)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 09 May 2019 17:57:41 +0000

Compassion is a global child development relief organization that exists to end poverty in the lives of kids and their families. They serve over 2 million children around the world through partnering with local churches to care for children in a holistic, Christ-centered development framework. I sat down with Allison Alley, the CEO of Compassion Canada to talk about her philosophy of mission as well as the church’s role in development aid.

Resources:

GoFundMe for Rachel Held Evans
Eyes to See: Reflecting God's Love To A World In Need, by Compassion Canada
Sponsor a Child through Compassion Canada today
Information on the Rwandan Genocide
Support the show at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#40: God is a Black Woman (with Christena Cleveland)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 02 May 2019 15:56:32 +0000

Dr. Christena Cleveland is the Director of the Center for Justice + Renewal, and a social psychologist, public theologian, author and professor. Christena joined me on the show to discuss her exploration of the social location of God and concepts of the divine. She helped me understand the damage that the vision of God as a powerful white man has done to people of colour for centuries, and how we can repurpose metaphors to enable us to enter into forgiveness and compassion.

Resources:

christenacleveland.com
justiceandrenewal.org
Disunity in Christ: Uncovering the Hidden Forces that Keep Us Apart, by Christena Cleveland
patreon.com/cscleve - Christena’s Patreon
Support the show at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

I mentioned British hip-hop artist Roots Manuva. The song I had been listening to on repeat was Don’t Breathe Out.

#39: A More Christlike God (with Brad Jersak)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 25 Apr 2019 20:07:39 +0000

Brad Jersak is an author and teacher who was raised Evangelical before embracing charismatic then Eastern Orthodox values and church practice. Drawing from a broad palette of theological understanding, Brad shared his thoughts about the God we see in Jesus, what The Cross was really about, and how to deal with Old Testament violence. In Brad's words, “The law says there must be a payment. But Christ comes and freely forgives. The ledger is not paid off, it is wiped off. God effectively says, ‘If you don’t repent… I will!’”

Resources:

A More Christlike God, by Bradley Jersak
Jesus Showed Us! by Bradley Jersak & Sheri-Anne Vis
St Stephen’s University at ssu.ca
bradjersak.com
Support the show at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#38: Marriage & sex stereotypes (with Sheila Wray Gregoire)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 19:01:17 +0000

Sheila Wray Gregoire, owner of the popular blog To Love, Honor and Vacuum joined me on the show to discuss sexual intimacy and the many stereotypes that exist surrounding marriage. Sheila is also the author of The Good Girl’s Guide to Great Sex, and she shared some insightful and practical advice with me on dating, marital communication, sex and more.

Resources:

The Good Girl’s Guide to Great Sex, by Sheila Wray Gregoire
Support the show at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#37: Emotions and what to do with them (with Marc Alan Schelske)

Jonathan Puddle — Tue, 09 Apr 2019 15:41:51 +0000

“The Wisdom of your Heart” by Marc Alan Schelske has been one of the most important books for me in the last few years. In this interview Marc shared his story with me about being a very performance driven pastor and the effect that had on his family, his church and ultimately his mental and emotional health. We talked about why we have emotions at all, what purpose they serve and how to learn to listen to them.

Resources:

The Wisdom of Your Heart: Discovering the God-Given Purpose and Power of Your Emotions, by Marc Alan Schelske
Support the show at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#36: Brave Surrender (with Kim Walker-Smith)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 28 Mar 2019 17:31:49 +0000

My latest guest is Kim Walker-Smith, worship leader from Jesus Culture and author of “Brave Surrender.” She shares her story of growing up under the shadow of a number of major traumas and how she eventually met Jesus. I was impacted by her vulnerability and authenticity and I cried on almost every page of the book. We discussed her writing process, her worship philosophy, parenting and more. Enjoy!

Resources:

Brave Surrender, by Kim Walker-Smith
Support the show at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#35: Love, justice and universalism (with Wm. Paul Young)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 21 Mar 2019 15:21:59 +0000

So I’m talking to William Paul Young, and I’m thinking, “Man, I’ve got the author of The Shack and Lies We Believe About God right here. Do I ask him about universalism? Does he believe God is a woman? What does he believe about hell? Can I ask to see his heretic card? Where do I even begin?!” I ended up asking him some of those questions (though not all of them), and we had a beautiful, dynamic conversation centred on the intersection of love and justice in the context of Christ’s finished work on the cross. Beware… this podcast might change your life.

Contains a few instances of slightly strong language. Enjoy!

Resources:

The Shack, by Wm. Paul Young
Lies We Believe About God, by Wm. Paul Young
The Shack Revisited, by C. Baxter Kruger
Cross Roads, by Wm. Paul Young
Support the show at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#34: A father like God (with Kirk Giles)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 16:36:24 +0000

Most of us have grown up without Godly father figures in our lives and we long for a deep sense of being loved by a truly good father. Kirk Giles, Canadian president of Promise Keepers, shared his thoughts with me on how to become a father that looks like God, and a man who looks like Jesus.

Resources:

Learn more about Kirk at kirkgiles.com.
The Seasons of Fatherhood, by Kirk Giles (alternative link)
Support the show at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#33: ReGrace - When Christians Disagree (with Frank Viola)

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 08 Mar 2019 15:40:38 +0000

Jonathan Edwards wrote “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” which, in my opinion, drastically distorts the character of God and is responsible for major problems in Evangelicalism. Edwards also wrote a brilliant apologetic for emotional outbursts and the manifestation of the Holy Spirit, which I wholeheartedly believe in. If the great Jonathan Edwards had blind spots, so do we all. Frank Viola’s latest book, ReGrace, looks at the shocking beliefs of many great Christians in order to help us extend grace to one another when we disagree. We also discussed how the ongoing impact of The Insurgence, his signature work.

Resources:

You can download the first 5 chapters of ReGrace for free at regrace.info.

ReGrace: What the Shocking Beliefs of the Great Christians Can Teach Us Today, by Frank Viola
Insurgence, by Frank Viola
Support the show at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#32: Pastoring with the Holy Spirit (with Adam & Amy Ryan)

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 22 Feb 2019 19:39:26 +0000

Pastoring a small, young church is hard work. Especially when you have young kids at home yourselves. I spoke with Adam & Amy Ryan, pastors of Catch The Fire Church in Kitchener, about their journey from adolescents struggling with depression and rejection to being a pastoral couple leading a vibrant Holy Spirit-oriented church together. We discussed identity, whose church it really is, and how to regain hope after seasons of hardship. Amy also shared about a chance encounter with Andrew Brunson, the American pastor recently released from prison in Turkey.

Support the show at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#31: Transformative Masculinity (with Luke Gifford) - Part 2

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 18:38:49 +0000

What kind of man do you want to be? What kind of a man do you want your man to be? In Luke Gifford’s opinion, most men can get very clear about who they want to be and how they want to show up in the world, but they might need a few weeks with the question before they can answer it. And then they might need a year to connect with their own emotional framework. This week on The Puddcast Luke and I discussed helping men become aware of their emotions, mastering fear and anger, moving beyond toxic masculinity and trying to raise kids who’ll face their monsters. And yes, of course, we talked about the Gillette Ad. This is part 2 of 2.

Support the show at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#30: Transformative Masculinity (with Luke Gifford) - Part 1

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 07 Feb 2019 15:31:38 +0000

Support the show at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#29: I Kissed My Dating Book Goodbye (with Joshua Harris)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 31 Jan 2019 18:37:09 +0000

If you were a Christian teenager in the late 90s or early 2000s there’s little chance you escaped the message of “I Kissed Dating Goodbye.” Twenty years on, author Joshua Harris has re-evaluated his message due to the fruit it brought out in people’s lives. Joshua and I discussed the purity culture, the positive and negative effects of encouraging abstinence, his role in the wounding people experienced, and what the church can do better to prevent these powerful fads in the future.

I Survived I Kissed Dating Goodbye documentary
Support the show at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#28: The Generous God

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 18 Jan 2019 00:45:24 +0000

Our church doesn’t teach tithing but we do believe in generosity. Why? Because God is generous. He creates all of the universe and offers it to us as a gift, then he just keeps on giving, and invites us to do likewise. The early church understood this and gave to everyone in a way that turned both heads and hearts. This episode includes a sermon I preached on the subject of generosity and how God’s model of giving everything, at all times, to everyone, sets a standard that goes way beyond Israel’s tithe.

Support the show at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#27: The Church in American Exile (with Brian Zahnd)

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 11 Jan 2019 17:18:04 +0000

Brian Zahnd joined me on the Puddcast to discuss the multi-faceted nature of the church, the richness of spiritual diversity, and how to be faithful witnesses to Christ while living inside a dominant empire. Brian told me that scripture maintains a sustained critique of empire, because what empire claims for itself (to have the divine right to rule others and the manifest destiny to shape history), is the very thing God has promised us through his son. Sounds like a great premise for a book! Oh wait…

Resources:

Postcards from Babylon: The Church in American Exile, by Brian Zahnd
Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God, by Brian Zahnd
Support the show at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#26: It's Not Supposed to be This Way (with Lysa TerKeust)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 03 Jan 2019 18:49:34 +0000

Two years ago, popular teacher and author Lysa TerKeurst announced that her husband had had an affair. Her latest book chronicles her agonizing journey of disappointment, and the wrestling with God that we are all invited to, in times of deep pain and overwhelming confusion. If their marriage wasn’t trauma enough, Lysa was diagnosed with breast cancer shortly afterwards, and had to journey through much of it without the support she had been used to her entire life. We talked about pain, forgiveness, and how God uses our very dust to create new life.

Resources:

It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way, by Lysa TerKeurst
Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely, by Lysa TerKeurst
Support the show at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#25: Authenticity in brokenness (with Sheila Walsh)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 27 Dec 2018 19:28:02 +0000

Sheila Walsh is a well-known singer and songwriter, television host, author and speaker, and much more, originally from Scotland and now living in the US. Sheila and I talked about brokenness, pain, mental health, suicide, gender roles in church, the God who loves us through it all, and of course her new book: It’s OK Not To Be OK. Sheila dropped some of the most quotable quotes of any guest I’ve had yet on the show. Check it out below.

Resources:

It’s Okay Not to be Okay, by Sheila Walsh
In the Middle of the Mess, by Sheila Walsh
Support the show at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#24: Earning the Right to be Heard (with Carlos A. Rodríguez)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 20 Dec 2018 19:38:46 +0000

Carlos A. Rodríguez is the editor of HappySonship.com and founder of TheHappyGivers, an NPO dedicated to alleviating poverty, supporting prisoners and feeding children. Carlos and I discussed how to earn the right to be heard and how being on mission unifies us and helps us move past divisive political or theological debates. He also provided an inside look at ongoing disaster relief efforts in Puerto Rico, and gave us some clues about his next book.

Resources:

Drop the Stones, by Carlos A. Rodriguez
Simply Sonship, by Carlos A. Rodriguez
Support the show at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#23: Adoption & Identity (with Michelle Wuesthoff)

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 07 Dec 2018 17:51:53 +0000

Michelle Wuesthoff is a life coach, author and mother of 5, of whom 4 came through international adoption. Michelle and I discussed our children’s stories, those narratives that help them fit into the world; reliance on God in the face of our inability to raise children in our own strength; and the God who stands outside our hearts waiting for the slightest crack to open up, to let his love in.

Resources:

Grafted In: Leading your Orphan Heart to the Spirit of Adoption, by Michelle Wuesthoff
Support the show at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#22: Evangelism / Unbroken (with Will Graham)

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 30 Nov 2018 01:09:45 +0000

Will Graham is an internationally renowned evangelist, he’s the Executive Director of the Billy Graham Training Center, and is the grandson of Billy Graham. Will and I connected recently to talk about Jesus as the hope of the world, evangelism methods and follow-up discipleship, as well as the movie Unbroken: Path to Redemption, in which Will portrays Billy Graham. I also asked him if he watches The Crown, because… you know, I couldn’t resist.

Resources:

Redeemed: Devotions for the Longing Soul, by Will Graham
Support the show at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#21: Towards a New World

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 23 Nov 2018 14:43:04 +0000

God does not need Christianity nor any other world religion. In fact, I believe that the building of organized Christian religion is steadily burning down, and while I know that terrifies many people I for one am thrilled because I don’t dream of a day when everyone is a Christian, or goes to church, or reads the Bible; I dream of a new world entirely. The God who is endlessly good and who holds everything together has created all of existence as a celebration of life itself and he doesn’t need us to do anything for him, to impress him, to please him, or even to worship him. Rather he invites us to make him the Lord & King of our lives so that we may live in freedom and enjoy all of the benefits of living in his new world, right now.

Support the show at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#20: Forgiving the Church (with Carol Howard Merritt)

Jonathan Puddle — Sat, 17 Nov 2018 02:26:53 +0000

Carol Howard Merritt is the pastor of First Presbyterian Church (USA) in Spring City, Tennessee, and author of Healing Spiritual Wounds: Reconnecting with a Loving God after Experiencing a Hurtful Church. In this broad ranging discussion, Carol and I looked at how the church has often held up patriarchy and shamed victims of abuse, how forgiveness is a process that takes time, what love looks like amid rampant economic injustice, and how God offers rivers of healing and restoration to each one of us.

Resources:

Healing Spiritual Wounds, by Carol Howard Merritt
Support the show at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#19: A Catholic Conversation (with Father Thomas Rosica)

Jonathan Puddle — Sat, 10 Nov 2018 20:24:34 +0000

Father Thomas Rosica is a Catholic priest and the CEO of Salt & Light Television, the first Catholic television network in Canada (and one of the only Christian focused media outlets in Canada today). Father Rosica has a rich history of Biblical & language study and has focused much of his career on youth work. We discussed scandals in the Catholic church, the positive impact of the church among the poor and disenfranchised, and what Catholic / Evangelical relationships can look like.

Support the show at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#18: Natural Worship (with Andy Hunter)

Jonathan Puddle — Wed, 31 Oct 2018 15:12:53 +0000

Andy Hunter is a DJ and film score composer who is passionate about people worshiping God with freedom and natural expression. We talked about God placing passions in our lives, and how it should be no surprise that when we’re doing the things we’re passionate about and expressing ourselves, we can easily use that to worship God. Whether it’s cooking, writing poetry, composing dance music or going out for a walk, we can express ourselves in a way that is natural to pray and worship God through.

Support the show at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#17: Building faith through Worship (with Melissa Joy Boerger)

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 21 Sep 2018 02:11:16 +0000

My good friend Melissa is the worship pastor at our church. She has been leading worship for more than 20 years, and is one of the most honest, genuine lovers of God that I know. We discussed the goals of a worship set, how to be OK with simple worship in a world dominated by Bethel Music, and how to involve kids in your worship band.

To learn more about Melissa Joy Boerger, visit melissajoy.ca
Support the show at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#16: The focal point of Scripture (with Alan Smith)

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 14 Sep 2018 02:12:04 +0000

Alan Smith is a deep thinking pastor, writer, and friend of mine from Dallas Fort Worth. Drawing from a range of Christian traditions, we discussed faith, certainty, doubt and Scripture as an unfolding narrative with Jesus Christ as the lens of interpretation.

Support the show at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#15: Scripture is a telescope aimed at God's heart (with Brian Simmons)

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 07 Sep 2018 02:11:23 +0000

Brian Simmons is the lead translator of The Passion Translation, a new, dynamic-equivalent version that focuses on the life and passion inside of scripture. Brian and his wife began their ministry in the jungles of Panama translating the New Testament into the local language. We discussed the beauty of an evolving understanding of the Bible, the science of linguistics, and how new translations lead us deeper into the heart of God.

Resources:
New Testament (Passion Translation)
Song of Songs (Passion Translation)
Support the show at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#14: Overcoming adversity & finding purpose (with Krista DuChene)

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 31 Aug 2018 01:08:52 +0000

Krista DuChene is a Canadian Olympian and 2nd fastest Canadian marathon runner, who is also a mother of 3 young kids. Krista and I discussed many aspects of her running career, and how her faith in God has been woven into each season of her life. Her insights into being angry with God in the midst of adversity, and how to follow your dreams while also taking care of young children, are powerful and timeless for each one of us.

Support the show at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#13: Pastoring families (with Seth Dahl)

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 24 Aug 2018 01:27:30 +0000

Seth Dahl is a writer and worldwide speaker to adults and children. Known for his powerful wisdom and contagious childlike joy, Seth loves to empower families to build a strong connection that fosters peace and creates a thriving family culture. We discussed the idea of parents being the first pastor in a kid's life, children's church ministry and how to have a joy-filled home.

Resources:
Win Win Parenting, by Seth Dahl
Support the show at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#12: Survival Guide for the Soul (with Ken Shigematsu)

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 10 Aug 2018 03:56:20 +0000

I think we can all agree that we're too busy, that life is too hectic, and that none of us have time for a Sabbath. And yet, we're also stressed, exhausted, unhealthy and unhappy. In Ken Shigematsu, pastor of Tenth Church in Vancouver, I found a kindred spirit. Ken has developed a rich contemplative spiritual rhythm which has revolutionized his life and the life of his church, and we discussed the simplicity and profound impact of these spiritual practices.

Resources:

Survival Guide for the Soul, by Ken Shigematsu
God in my Everything, by Ken Shigematsu
Support the show at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#11: Finding clarity in an age of confusion (with Abdu Murray)

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 01:09:06 +0000

In a world with a plurality of religions and worldviews, how do we find clarity and purpose? How do we engage the culture around us without being drawn into a post-truth maelstrom of confusion? Noted apologist Abdu Murray and I had a lively conversation about postmodernism's legacy, society as the mob, and a God whose nonsensical, self-sacrificial love is the only thing that makes any sense at all.

Resources:

Saving Truth, by Abdu Murray
Support the show at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#10: Living in the Moment

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 27 Jul 2018 02:01:45 +0000

A few years ago I experienced severe workplace burnout which came on the heels of the death of a beloved family member. Before I knew it, I was thrown headlong into a multi-year battle with depression and anxiety. During that time my walk with God changed drastically, and one of the most important things I learned was the mystery of living in the present moment.

Resources:

Present Perfect: Finding God in the Now, by Greg Boyd
Support the show at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#9: Insurgence - Preaching the King and his Kingdom (with Frank Viola)

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 20 Jul 2018 16:34:34 +0000

Frank Viola is the author of many books on Christian living and theology, 8 of which have been bestsellers. He is also a well regarded blogger and conference speaker. Frank and I discussed the Gospel of the Kingdom, what happens when you fall in love with Jesus, and how the church can be reformed from within by radical Kingdom cells.

Resources:

Insurgence, by Frank Viola
Pagan Christianity, by Frank Viola
Reimagining Church, by Frank Viola
Support the show at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#8: Does easy sex block your destiny? (with Rob Kowalski)

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 13 Jul 2018 00:39:43 +0000

"When two people have sex enough times, the oxytocin that is released in each person forms a strong bond. This is what causes a woman to attach to a man, and a man to become defensive and territorial over her. Hormones establish a soul tie. It’s a connection mechanism that God designed for a husband and wife to come together and to get them through the storms of life so the family wouldn’t break up, but what we do is treat sex like recreation. We become attached to people that we aren’t even in love with, people that we would likely never be relationally compatible with. We can’t make each deeply happy, so we drift through life, neither one of us reaching our purpose because each of us were made to do something completely different from the other. The attachment and misplaced sense of loyalty keeps us together and because we’re being kept together with someone based solely on attraction and not personality and character, we are kept from experiencing a richer more fulfilling life.

Resources:

Why Waiting Works, by Rob Kowalski
Support the show at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#7: Rethinking children's church (with Chad Bird)

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 13 Apr 2018 01:54:12 +0000

Chad Bird is an author, blogger and speaker who recently wrote a few articles on children's ministry which peaked my interest. We discussed whether children's ministry is really for the children or just for adults who don't want to be distracted, and what that might mean about the health of your church. Chad offers some wise advice for crafting a church experience that appeals to all ages.

Resources:

Night Driving, by Chad Bird
Your God is Too Glorious, by Chad Bird
Support the show at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#6: Rethinking Women in Ministry

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 30 Mar 2018 01:54:39 +0000

A friend of mine grew up in a strict Christian tradition where women weren't allowed to minister to men. Years have passed since then but she still finds herself feeling guilty or confused about what exactly it was that Paul said to Timothy. She asked me for my thoughts on women in ministry, and so you get a whole podcast out of it. It's Holy Week too, which means you're going to hear about Mary Magdalene, the Apostle to the Apostles. Strap yourselves in, this one is full of fire.

Support the show at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#5: I Can Only Imagine / Black Panther (with Priscilla Shirer)

Jonathan Puddle — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 21:30:19 +0000

Priscilla Shirer is a phenomenal teacher, author, actress, wife, and mother (though she wouldn't list them in that order herself). Having previously starred in War Room, she plays a small role in I Can Only Imagine, the film which tells the story all about MercyMe's hit song. Priscilla and I discussed minority representation in film and ministry, balancing your career and family goals, and the importance of both excellence and spiritual passion. She dropped some amazing bombs on me.

Learn more about Priscilla at goingbeyond.com.
Support the show at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#4: Tattoos, makeup and breast implants

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 02 Mar 2018 03:05:22 +0000

Leviticus says not to put tattoo marks on yourself... right after it says not to shave your beard. It puts a lot of us in a serious cosmetic bind. Unless God doesn't care about our outer adornment at all, and we've been reading the Bible wrong. This episode digs into the expression of beauty through tattoos, hairstyles, clothes, makeup and boob jobs.

Cause at the end of the day, there is a world of difference between a self-conscious, broken person attempting to hide their shame with outer adornment, and a healed, empowered child of God expressing their beauty and creativity from a place of love.

Support the show at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#3: God is Community

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 16 Feb 2018 02:05:27 +0000

I was raised in a Christian community living environment and it planted seeds inside me that I just can't seem to shake. God eventually had to take me out of the institutional church for those seeds to grow, and out there in the wilderness I learned that God himself was a community of love. Now I get to practice community inside the traditional church again.

Support the show at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#2: Rethinking Poverty (with Laura Solberg)

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 02 Feb 2018 00:16:40 +0000

I spoke with Laura Solberg about poverty, justice and God, and what she said was really eye opening for me. Laura is the director of The Elevation Project, Greater Vancouver Youth Unlimited’s partnership with Youth for Christ Rwanda. She is also one of the founding members of JustUs, a training program for people to learn more about poverty. I urge you to learn more about JustUs and consider getting the video course for your church.

Learn everything at thereisjustus.com.
Support the show at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle

#1: God is everywhere.

Jonathan Puddle — Fri, 19 Jan 2018 02:40:30 +0000

Some years ago I went through a deconstruction phase in my Christian life, breaking down everything I had been taught by my parents, my church, my culture, and my society. It was exciting and messy, just like a demolition site. But no one should be living in a demolition site.

Let's start rebuilding. We start with the goodness of God and the everywhereness of God.

Support the show at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle