Spirit Outspoken

This week's minisode answers a question from Claire N. Foley on Instagram: How do you teach your children about faith? Jaisa and Rachael openly admit they are still figuring this out as they go. However they reflect on how sharing an honest, open-minded take on raising curious kids who feel loved and free to question has been beautiful and helpful within the walls of their homes. In this episode: Why it's okay for kids to question, and for parents to say "I don't know" Letting go of the pressure to have all the answers Resisting the urge to pass down inherited answers. Ask "What do you think?" first What kids can teach us, and how a big question from a child can open up a conversation Making room for kids to think for themselves, even if they land somewhere you didn't expect Mixing traditions: Catholic school and sacraments alongside moon rituals and time in nature Finding what works for each child, because spirituality isn't one-size-fits-all Keeping faith fun, not just rules and doctrine Have your own approach to faith with your kids? Share it in the comments. Support the show Join the Spirit 360! Online Community Spirit Outspoken Website for Events, Resources, and More Info Follow Spirit Outspoken on Instagram Follow Spirit Outspoken on TikTok Watch Episodes on YouTube Subscribe to Spirit Outspoken Apple Podcast Subscribe to Spirit Outspoken Spotify Podcast

In this episode, pastor and author Kristin Mockler Young returns to Spirit Outspoken to talk about her new book, The Other Side of Certainty. She shares why so many people quietly wonder if they’re crazy or alone for questioning, and why changing your mind is part of growing in faith, not walking away from it. Jaisa and Rachael dig into deconstruction and the religious shame that keeps so many people performing and proving. Kristin explains how to find your own holy burden instead of feeling guilty for everything you’re not doing, how to trust your discernment and see God in unexpected places, how to stay curious and compassionate with family and friends who don’t understand your journey.and why “I don’t know” can be one of the most faithful answers there is. If you’re tired of performing, proving or feeling alone in your faith, this conversation offers a more honest, freeing and hopeful way forward. Kristin Mockler Young Kristin Mockler Young is a teaching pastor at Mosaic Church, host of the Becoming Church podcast, and author of The Other Side of Certainty. Through her teaching, podcast and Substack, she encourages curiosity over certainty and helps people find God in unexpected places. Website: kristinmockleryoung.com Instagram: @kristinmockleryoung Becoming Church Podcast Order Kristing's Book " The Other Side of Certainty " If you enjoyed this episode be sure to check out: Episode 46: Questioning God & Rebuilding Faith w/ Kristin Mockler-Young Episode 101: Taught to Question Everything Except Your Faith w/ Kristian A. Smith If this conversation lit something up for you, give it a like, subscribe and share it with a friend who’s learning to live with the questions. #deconstruction #exvangelical #faithdeconstruction #religiousshame #christianity #spirituality #progressivechristian Support the show Join the Spirit 360! Online Community Spirit Outspoken Website for Events, Resources, and More Info Follow Spirit Outspoken on Instagram Follow Spirit Outspoken on TikTok Watch Episodes on YouTube Subscribe to Spirit Outspoken Apple Podcast Subscribe to Spirit Outspoken Spotify Podcast

The books that rewired their faith, calmed their minds, and changed how they see life are finally out in the open. Jaisa and Rachael share the most influential reads in their libraries, from spiritual classics to astrology texts, and explain why these are the books they return to when they need clarity, comfort, or a completely new lens. Together, they compare notes on the titles that shaped their thinking, including The Untethered Soul , A New Earth , The Power of Now , Jesus Calling , Richard Rohr 's contemplative Christianity, and Stephen Forrest's astrology books Inner Sky and Yesterday's Sky . They also talk about why some books land only at the right time, why rereading matters, and how a great book can act like therapy for your heart and soul. You’ll discover: The book that helped separate soul from ego and quiet constant mental chatter Why A New Earth and The Power of Now hit differently when you are ready for them How Jesus Calling and Richard Rohr offer daily spiritual grounding without feeling heavy or preachy Why Stephen Forrest's writing makes complex astrology feel poetic, precise, and personal How to use books as a tool for self-reflection, healing, and practical guidance If you have ever wanted a reading list that actually means something - not just books to collect, but books that shift how you live - this episode gives you a deeply personal starting point. It’s especially perfect if you’re craving spiritual growth, calmer thoughts, or a more expansive way to understand yourself and your path. And if you finish this episode with a longer wishlist, you’re not alone. Jaisa and Rachael even point listeners to their full recommended reading section at spiritoutspoken.com so you can keep the momentum going. Support the show Join the Spirit 360! Online Community Spirit Outspoken Website for Events, Resources, and More Info Follow Spirit Outspoken on Instagram Follow Spirit Outspoken on TikTok Watch Episodes on YouTube Subscribe to Spirit Outspoken Apple Podcast Subscribe to Spirit Outspoken Spotify Podcast

What if heaven isn’t a reward waiting at the end of your life, but something you can step into right now? In this episode, Vinney Tolman, author of The Light After Death, shares the near-death experience that turned his understanding of Christianity upside down. Raised to see life as a courtroom where souls are sorted for heaven or hell, Vinney found himself watching his own death, then being met by a loving guide he later recognized in a family photo as one of his ancestors. Jaisa and Rachael dig into what he saw on the other side, why he came back feeling more Christian than ever, and what he learned about fear, love and the teachings of Jesus, the one he calls Yeshua. The ladies also explore whether heaven is a place, a choice or a state of being, why Vinney sees hell as fear we choose until it starts choosing us, and how reincarnation may have once been part of Christian thought. This conversation is for anyone who was taught to fear the afterlife and is ready to imagine something far more loving. Vinney Tolman: Vincent “Vinney” Tolman is the author of The Light After Death: My Journey to Heaven and Back. Since his near-death experience, he has shared his story around the world, inviting people to see heaven, love and faith through a far more expansive lens. Website: https://thelightafterdeath.com/ Instagram: @VinneyTolman If you enjoyed this episode be sure to check out: Episode 64 - Loved Ones Never Leave Us: A Psychic Medium on the After Life w/ Sean Collyns Episode 67: Angels, Intuition & Divine Guidance w/ Kyle Gray If this conversation lit something up for you, follow the show, leave a rating and share it with a friend who’s been wondering what really comes next. Support the show Join the Spirit 360! Online Community Spirit Outspoken Website for Events, Resources, and More Info Follow Spirit Outspoken on Instagram Follow Spirit Outspoken on TikTok Watch Episodes on YouTube Subscribe to Spirit Outspoken Apple Podcast Subscribe to Spirit Outspoken Spotify Podcast

Which Spirit Outspoken episodes changed us the most? In this Ask Rach & Jais minisode, Rachael and Jaisa revisit the guests, conversations, and revelations that challenged everything they thought they knew about faith, feminism, and Christianity. From Joash Thomas and Father Pete Nunnally to deep dives into Mary Magdalene, the Gnostic Gospels, Celtic Christianity, and the Bible's history, they share the moments that sparked some of their biggest spiritual shifts. Expect laughs, honest reflections, and plenty of rabbit holes as they look back on two years of questioning, growing, and unlearning. Whether you're a longtime listener or new to Spirit Outspoken, this episode might inspire you to revisit a favorite, or discover one you missed. If this conversation lit something up for you, give it a like, subscribe and share it with a friend who’s still searching for where they belong. #deconstruction #exvangelical #christianity #spirituality Support the show Join the Spirit 360! Online Community Spirit Outspoken Website for Events, Resources, and More Info Follow Spirit Outspoken on Instagram Follow Spirit Outspoken on TikTok Watch Episodes on YouTube Subscribe to Spirit Outspoken Apple Podcast Subscribe to Spirit Outspoken Spotify Podcast

When the faith you were raised in no longer has room for who you are, where do you go next? Singer-songwriter Garrison Starr joins Jaisa and Rachael to talk about growing up gay in an evangelical Mississippi community, losing friends and church family along the way, and grieving the beliefs she could no longer hold. It's an honest conversation filled with laughter, vulnerability, and moments that hit deep. Garrison shares how songwriting became her path back to the sacred, including her new album, The Gospel Truth , which she describes as “swamp gospel hymns for humans.” Together, they explore learning to trust your own intuition, giving yourself permission to question, and discovering belonging on the other side of deconstruction. For anyone who's ever felt like they had to choose between being true to themselves and belonging to their faith community. Garrison Starr: Garrison Starr is a singer, songwriter and Grammy-nominated record producer whose work spans Americana, indie folk and soul. Her new album, The Gospel Truth, continues her story of healing from an evangelical Christian upbringing. Website: https://www.garrisonstarr.com/ Instagram: @GarrisonStarr https://www.instagram.com/garrisonstarr/ If you enjoyed this episode be sure to check out: Episode 58 - The1946 Mistake That Changed Christianity: "How Homosexual Entered the Bible Episode 59 - What We Got Wrong About Homosexuality (Culture, Politics & the Church) If this conversation lit something up for you, give it a like, subscribe and share it with a friend who’s still searching for where they belong. #deconstruction #exvangelical #lgbtqchristian #queerfaith #gospelmusic #christianity #spirituality Support the show Join the Spirit 360! Online Community Spirit Outspoken Website for Events, Resources, and More Info Follow Spirit Outspoken on Instagram Follow Spirit Outspoken on TikTok Watch Episodes on YouTube Subscribe to Spirit Outspoken Apple Podcast Subscribe to Spirit Outspoken Spotify Podcast

How did friendship, grief, faith, and unexpected intuitive experiences lead Rachael and Jaisa to start a podcast? They share the moments that brought them together, and why they’re not afraid to talk about the things others might shy away from. Support the show Join the Spirit 360! Online Community Spirit Outspoken Website for Events, Resources, and More Info Follow Spirit Outspoken on Instagram Follow Spirit Outspoken on TikTok Watch Episodes on YouTube Subscribe to Spirit Outspoken Apple Podcast Subscribe to Spirit Outspoken Spotify Podcast

The patriarchy didn’t just shape Christianity, it taught women to distrust their bodies, intuition, and spiritual knowing. In this episode, Chelsea Kim Long, author of Faithfully Dissident Daughters, shares the awakening that led her to rethink purity culture, embodiment, church history, and the divine feminine. This episode provides a deep conversation about what women have been taught to fear, why pregnancy became a turning point in her faith, and what can happen when women begin trusting themselves again. Chelsea explores how male-centered theology can make God feel distant, how biblical language around birth and being “born again” can open the door to a more feminine understanding of the divine, and why representation matters, in faith, community, and our understanding of God. The ladies discuss Mary Magdalene, the women surrounding Jesus, and scholarship that questions whether their roles were minimized over time. Chelsea shares the theory that Mary of Bethany and Mary Magdalene may have been the same woman, why that possibility matters, and how scripture can look different when read through the lenses of mysticism, embodiment, and contemplative Christianity. This conversation is for anyone deconstructing, reconstructing, or wondering whether a more expansive and life-giving Christianity has been there all along. Our guest: Chelsea Kim Long is the author of Faithfully Dissident Daughters and a writer, speaker, and spiritual seeker whose work explores Christianity through embodiment, mysticism, and the divine feminine. Her work invites people to approach progressive Christianity with greater honesty, curiosity, and freedom. Website: https://www.chelseakimlong.com/ Instagram: @chelseakimlong If you enjoyed this episode be sure to check out: Episode 48: Banned from the Bible: The Hidden Gospel of Paul & Thecla w/ Meggan Watterson Episode 91: Mysticism, Empire & Finding Our Way Back to Love w/ Joash P Thomas If this conversation lit something up for you, give it a like, subscribe and share it with a friend who's searching for a faith that feels more whole. #deconstruction #divinefeminine #marymagdalene #christianity #spirituality #exvangelical #christianmysticism Support the show Join the Spirit 360! Online Community Spirit Outspoken Website for Events, Resources, and More Info Follow Spirit Outspoken on Instagram Follow Spirit Outspoken on TikTok Watch Episodes on YouTube Subscribe to Spirit Outspoken Apple Podcast Subscribe to Spirit Outspoken Spotify Podcast

We are excited to launch our new minisode series "Ask Rach & Jais" dropping every Friday! You send us your questions, and we’ll talk them through together. Love, life, spirituality, relationships… nothing is off limits (and we definitely don’t have all the answers, just honest thoughts and a little friend-to-friend perspective). This week, we’re asking: What happens when your spirituality is evolving, but your partner’s isn’t? Come hang out, join the conversation, and share what you’re navigating too. Support the show Join the Spirit 360! Online Community Spirit Outspoken Website for Events, Resources, and More Info Follow Spirit Outspoken on Instagram Follow Spirit Outspoken on TikTok Watch Episodes on YouTube Subscribe to Spirit Outspoken Apple Podcast Subscribe to Spirit Outspoken Spotify Podcast

What happens when you're taught to think critically about everything except your faith? Kristian A. Smith, a pastor, author, public theologian and fifth-generation Baptist preacher, found out on day one of seminary, when a professor told his class the Bible is not the word of God. In this episode, Jaisa and Rachael sit down with Kristian to talk deconstruction, fear-based religion and what changes when hell is no longer the thing keeping you in line. He shares why Jesus has become a mascot for Christian nationalism, why even Jesus had to evolve, and how honoring lived experience guides the faith community he pastors. They also dig into his greatest commandment theology, the idea that loving God, loving your neighbor and loving yourself are a package deal, and sit with the big question underneath it all: who is Jesus beyond the way institutions have defined him? If you've ever been told your questions were dangerous, this one is for you. Our guest: Kristian A. Smith is a pastor, public theologian, and digital pastor of The Faith Community Virtual, an inclusive, justice-rooted online community where people from all backgrounds can gather, connect, learn, ask big questions, and explore faith together. He is the author of Question Your Answers: A Deconstruction Survival Guide, a resource for anyone navigating the kinds of questions and shifts this episode explores, as well as his latest book, Breaking All the Rules: An Ancient Framework for Modern Faith, available on Audible and Amazon. Kristian is also the host (and resident heretic) of Holy Smokes: Cigars & Spirituality, where cigars, laughter, theology, and honest conversation come together to deconstruct harmful beliefs and build beloved community, one cigar at a time. Faith Community Website Faith Community You Tube Channel E-book Link - Question your Answers Amazon link for Breaking All the Rules Patreon - Kristian A Smith Patreon the Faith Community Instagram @theKristianASmith TikTok @theKristianASmith If you enjoyed this episode be sure to check out: Episode 92 - The 5 Stages of Deconstruction: What Happens When Faith Falls Apart and Comes Back Together Episode 55 - Decolonizing the Church: The Justice of Jesus w/ Joash Thomas If this conversation opened something up for you, give it a like, subscribe and share it with a friend who's asking big questions too. #deconstruction #christianity #spirituality #exvangelical #progressivechristian #lgbtqchristian #christianmysticism Support the show Join the Spirit 360! Online Community Spirit Outspoken Website for Events, Resources, and More Info Follow Spirit Outspoken on Instagram Follow Spirit Outspoken on TikTok Watch Episodes on YouTube Subscribe to Spirit Outspoken Apple Podcast Subscribe to Spirit Outspoken Spotify Podcast

If God isn't limited to Jesus, why is Jesus limited to Christianity? In the 100th episode, Jaisa and Rachael wrestle with the question that has shaped two years of Spirit Outspoken: can Jesus exist beyond the boundaries of Christianity? They go back to the receipts. The light that existed before the sun in Genesis. John 1 and the true light that enlightens everyone. Theosis, and a goal of transformation, not just salvation. Justin Martyr calling Socrates a Christian before Christ. Paul and the altar to an unknown God. The Good Samaritan, theologically wrong and still the hero. This isn't a finished answer. It's a working thesis, built out loud, and you're invited into it: Christ did not begin at Bethlehem, and wherever love is, God is there. One hundred episodes in, and it feels like they're just getting started. If you enjoyed this episode be sure to check out: Episode 32 - The Voice They Tried to Bury: Mary Magdalene, the Hidden Apostle Episode 34 - Power, Politics and the Bible Follow the show and leave a review if this one landed for you. It is the single easiest way to help us reach more people. Support the show Join the Spirit 360! Online Community Spirit Outspoken Website for Events, Resources, and More Info Follow Spirit Outspoken on Instagram Follow Spirit Outspoken on TikTok Watch Episodes on YouTube Subscribe to Spirit Outspoken Apple Podcast Subscribe to Spirit Outspoken Spotify Podcast

The flags are at half mast for a woman who never held office. That alone tells you something about who Dolly Parton was. Jaisa and Rachael honor her, and sit with the thing that keeps surfacing as the tributes come in. Conservative Christians and drag queens. The LGBTQ community, the Black community, and the Pentecostal church that raised her. Almost nobody gets claimed by all of those rooms, and she managed it without softening who she was. They walk through the one room cabin, the eleven siblings, the father who never learned to read. Then the part this show cares about most. Dolly believed there was a God spark in every person and made it her job to go looking for it. She called herself spiritual rather than religious, and refused, repeatedly and on the record, to judge anybody. Hard to argue with love. If you enjoyed this episode be sure to check out: Episode 82: How to Love and Care for Every Enneagram Type w/ Abbey Howe Episode 70: From Pews to Pines: God in the Wild w/ Pete Nunnally Follow the show and leave a review if this one landed for you. It is the single easiest way to help us reach more people. Support the show Join the Spirit 360! Online Community Spirit Outspoken Website for Events, Resources, and More Info Follow Spirit Outspoken on Instagram Follow Spirit Outspoken on TikTok Watch Episodes on YouTube Subscribe to Spirit Outspoken Apple Podcast Subscribe to Spirit Outspoken Spotify Podcast

Jaisa and Rachael hit record on this one at the kitchen table, mid mental breakdown, on the theory that they could not possibly be the only ones. August 27 was the lunar eclipse in Pisces, and it closed an eclipse cycle that opened in September 2024. Which happens to be the exact month Spirit Outspoken launched. Two years of the Virgo Pisces axis doing its work, and neither of them came out the other side as the same person. In this episode they get into what that cycle has actually been asking. Virgo wants order and analysis and the reassurance that if you just get everything right, you will be safe. Pisces wants surrender, and faith in what cannot be proven or controlled. Sitting between those two is deeply uncomfortable, and this is an honest account of that discomfort from inside it. Rachael talks about the chameleon years and what it costs to finally have a voice. Jaisa talks about grieving an identity she spent a career building, and the strange experience of feeling something in your body long before your mind catches up. If you have mutable placements, or you have just felt unrecognizable to yourself lately, you are not alone. Come lament in the comments. If you enjoyed this episode be sure to check out: Episode 65: Created with Purpose - Faith & Astrology w/ Debra Silverman Episode 80: Finding Her Voice: How Songwriting & Healing Led to True Faith w/ Alana Springsteen Like and subscribe if you want more conversations like this one. It puts the show in front of people who have been waiting to hear it. Support the show Join the Spirit 360! Online Community Spirit Outspoken Website for Events, Resources, and More Info Follow Spirit Outspoken on Instagram Follow Spirit Outspoken on TikTok Watch Episodes on YouTube Subscribe to Spirit Outspoken Apple Podcast Subscribe to Spirit Outspoken Spotify Podcast

Every time we talk about loving our LGBTQ neighbors, the same question shows up in our comments: isn't it our job as Christians to point out sin? In this bonus episode, priest and public theologian Joash P. Thomas answers it. The only people Jesus talks about judgment with are religious leaders abusing their power. Everyone else gets grace. Joash argues the pressure to correct other people never came from Jesus, it came from colonizers and the western church that learned its theology from them, and he makes his case for LGBTQ inclusion straight from the book of Acts, where the Spirit is always out ahead and the church struggles to keep up. He also answers the question a family member really asked him, "would you ever marry the gays," with a sacramental answer we did not see coming. Short episode, big exhale. It brings the whole thing back to love, which was always the point. Our guest: Joash P. Thomas is a priest, public theologian, and the author of The Justice of Jesus. Follow Joash: Instagram @joashpthomas TikTok: @joashpthomas Substack: https://substack.com/@joashpthomas Website: https://www.joashpthomas.com/ Order his book, The Justice of Jesus, on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4yvcKmI If you enjoyed this episode be sure to check out: Episode 58: The 1946 Mistake That Changed Christianity: How “Homosexual” Entered the Bible Episode 59: What We Got Wrong About Homosexuality: Culture, Politis & The Church (Part 2) If this one landed, follow the show and leave us a review. It genuinely helps more people find us. Support the show Join the Spirit 360! Online Community Spirit Outspoken Website for Events, Resources, and More Info Follow Spirit Outspoken on Instagram Follow Spirit Outspoken on TikTok Watch Episodes on YouTube Subscribe to Spirit Outspoken Apple Podcast Subscribe to Spirit Outspoken Spotify Podcast

If you’ve ever wondered whether there’s more happening around you than what you can see, this conversation is for you. Kathleen Ives spent kindergarten through 12th grade in Catholic school, eventually swung about as close to atheism as you can get, and today works as a psychic medium and intuitive guide. Somewhere along the way, Jesus reentered the picture unexpectedly. She didn’t go looking for him, and for a long time, she resisted what she was experiencing. In this conversation, Jaisa and Rachael talk with Kathleen about what it actually means to connect with spirit, how she experiences the unseen world, and why ideas that can sound “woo woo” begin to feel very different when viewed through the lens of energy, frequency, and curiosity rather than fear. They explore signs, synchronicities, intuition, and the possibility that there may be far more happening around us than we typically notice. And then the conversation goes somewhere Kathleen never expected: back to Jesus. Not as a figure we’re meant to hand our power over to, but as a healer whose life and teachings may have been pointing toward what is possible within all of us. For Kathleen, Mary Magdalene became an unexpected doorway back to understanding him - and that opens up an entirely different conversation about faith, power, and spirituality. This episode is an invitation to stay curious about the unseen, loosen our certainty, and consider what might become possible when we stop being afraid of what we don’t yet understand. Our guest: Kathleen Ives is a spirit medium, intuitive coach, death educator and author who walks women through life's most tender seasons of change, grief and growth. Her work is a reminder that even in the heaviest chapters, it is safe to feel good again. Book A Session/Discount Code: Visit KathleenIves.com to book your session. Enter “SPIRITOUTSPOKEN” at checkout to receive 10% off. Purchase Kathleen’s Book: Order your copy of “7 Ways to Live In-JOY Today” on Amazon Follow Kathleen: Instagram: @kathleenives_ If you enjoyed this episode be sure to check out: Episode 64: Loved Ones Never Leave Us – A Psychic Medium on the Afterlife w/ Sean Collyns Episode 79: Journey Beyond the Veil – Finding Healing Through Mediumship w/ Camille McConnell Follow the show and leave a review if this one landed for you. It is the single easiest way to help us reach more people. Support the show Join the Spirit 360! Online Community Spirit Outspoken Website for Events, Resources, and More Info Follow Spirit Outspoken on Instagram Follow Spirit Outspoken on TikTok Watch Episodes on YouTube Subscribe to Spirit Outspoken Apple Podcast Subscribe to Spirit Outspoken Spotify Podcast

What if the fear, chaos and searching all come from one belief, that we're separate from God, from one another, and from the parts of ourselves we were taught to reject? Taylor Perkins joins Jaisa and Rachael for a conversation about union, faith, and the illusion of separation. Taylor's argument is that the divine was never something outside of us we're straining to reach. We get into Jesus and Krishna, why Jesus kept talking about weddings and bridal chambers, and what "I and the Father are one" actually claims. Then it gets personal. Reality is a mirror, so the pieces of ourselves we bury keep showing up outside of us. Taylor shares what finally moved a 20 year struggle, and it wasn't fighting harder. Our guest: Taylor Perkins is a spiritual teacher weaving the Gnostic gospels, the Bhagavad Gita and eastern contemplative traditions into one thesis about union. Follow Taylor: Instagram @iamtaylorperkins TikTok: @iamtaylorperkins.backup If you enjoyed this episode be sure to check out: Episode 73: The Language of Energy - Intuition, Vibration & Spiritual Guidance w/ Sonia Choquette Episode 68: Do Souls Evolve? Soul Levels, Reincarnation & Compassion w/ Ainslie MacLeod If this one landed, follow the show and leave a review. It genuinely helps more people find us. Support the show Join the Spirit 360! Online Community Spirit Outspoken Website for Events, Resources, and More Info Follow Spirit Outspoken on Instagram Follow Spirit Outspoken on TikTok Watch Episodes on YouTube Subscribe to Spirit Outspoken Apple Podcast Subscribe to Spirit Outspoken Spotify Podcast

What if your child isn't giving you a hard time, but telling you exactly what they need? In this episode Jaisa and Rachael use each child's moon sign as a map to what makes them feel safe, what makes them feel threatened, and how they process big emotions. They open with Proverbs 22:6 and the Hebrew scholarship that reframes "train up a child" as parenting toward a child's natural bend, not forcing them straight, and how the birth chart illustrates that every child is divinely and uniquely made. Then they walk through all 12 moon signs, what each child needs, what to avoid, and the God given design in each, with real stories from their own homes, and close with a simple way to teach kids their own charts. If you enjoyed this episode be sure to check out: Episode 90 Your Moon Sign Is Your Emotional Blueprint Episode 82: How to Love and Care for Every Enneagram Type w/ Abbey Howe Support the show Join the Spirit 360! Online Community Spirit Outspoken Website for Events, Resources, and More Info Follow Spirit Outspoken on Instagram Follow Spirit Outspoken on TikTok Watch Episodes on YouTube Subscribe to Spirit Outspoken Apple Podcast Subscribe to Spirit Outspoken Spotify Podcast

"No sex before marriage" isn't actually in the Bible, and neither is the single "biblical marriage" purity culture sold us. Jaisa and Rachael sit down with Bible scholar Mattie Mae Motl to ask what scripture really says about sex, gender, and sexuality once you strip away the rules we inherited. They dig into what "sexual immorality" actually meant (exploitative sex, not premarital sex), how religion has long been used to control women's bodies, and why the body is an access to the divine, not an obstacle to it. Mattie shares her own purity culture upbringing, why "praying the gay away" is harmful, why sexuality is a spectrum, and what the Trevor Project data says about affirming homes. It closes on reading the Bible through love of God and neighbor, raising kids around sex without shame, and a little astrology to send us off. About our guest: Mattie Mae Motl is a Bible scholar and PhD candidate at the University of St Andrews, a writer, creator, mother, and an openly queer voice in this space. Follow X: @ mattiemaemotl (Instagram) / @ mattiemaemotl (TikTok) Follow her Substack If you enjoyed this episode be sure to check out: Episode 59 - What We Got Wrong About Homosexuality: Culture, Politics & The Church (Part 2) Episode 58 - The 1946 Mistake that Changed Christianity: How "Homosexual" Entered the Bible If this resonated, follow the show and leave us a rating and review, it genuinely helps. Support the show Join the Spirit 360! Online Community Spirit Outspoken Website for Events, Resources, and More Info Follow Spirit Outspoken on Instagram Follow Spirit Outspoken on TikTok Watch Episodes on YouTube Subscribe to Spirit Outspoken Apple Podcast Subscribe to Spirit Outspoken Spotify Podcast

Deconstruction isn't a crisis of faith, it's a process, and it turns out that process has stages. this week jaisa and rachael walk through the five researched stages of faith deconstruction and reconstruction, and share where they've each landed. It starts with the catalyst, the wound or question or piece of biblical history that first makes you pause. then questioning and research, where the anxiety of "is any of this true?" lives. then grief, because deconstruction really does cost you certainty, community, and the version of god you were handed. then deconstruction proper, where you decide what stays and read scripture through the fourfold lens the early church used. and finally reconstruction or release, and the question underneath all of it: what does faith look like when it's chosen, not inherited? Wherever you are in it, you're exactly where you're supposed to be. Go deeper on the fourfold lens: we break it down through the hot-button Christian topics in our ebook . If you enjoyed this episode be sure to check out: Episode 80: Finding Her Voice: How Songwriting & Healing Led to True Faith w/ Alana Springsteen Episode 63: How Studying Buddhism Can Deepen a Jesus Centered Faith w/ Zach Helton New here? Subscribe and follow along, we release a new episode every week. Support the show Join the Spirit 360! Online Community Spirit Outspoken Website for Events, Resources, and More Info Follow Spirit Outspoken on Instagram Follow Spirit Outspoken on TikTok Watch Episodes on YouTube Subscribe to Spirit Outspoken Apple Podcast Subscribe to Spirit Outspoken Spotify Podcast

Our friend Joash P. Thomas is back on Spirit Outspoken. He's a priest, a public theologian, and the author of The Justice of Jesus , and this conversation goes deep into mysticism, empire, and the parts of church history nobody taught us in Sunday school. We start with Mother Mary. Joash opens up about his own mystical experiences with her, and how becoming open to acknowledging the saints can be such a beautiful, supplemental expansion of our faith. From there we talk guardian angels, patron saints, and the communion of saints described in Hebrews 12. Then we go deeper into history. Joash walks us through the colonial roots of empire, including the surprising, colonial era origin of the phrase "the Great Commission," and why understanding that history frees us from the pressure to convert anyone to our way of thinking. The beauty in what he reveals brings us back to the whole point of the gospels, which is simply to love. If you've ever felt like your mysticism and your Christianity were at odds, or wondered where some of these teachings actually came from, this episode is for you. Topics covered: Mother Mary and mystical experience, guardian angels and patron saints, the communion of saints, the colonial history of empire and the Great Commission, and rediscovering love as the true point of the gospel. Follow Joash P. Thomas: @joashpthomas (Instagram) / @joashpthomas (TikTok) Follow his Substack Visit his Website Order his book, T he Justice of Jesus , on Amazon If you loved this conversation, make sure you're subscribed so you don't miss what's coming next, and here are a few more episodes we think you'll want to check out. Episode 55: Decolonizing the Church: The Justice of Jesus w/ Joash P Thomas Episode 86: When the Church Gave Permission for Colonization Support the show Join the Spirit 360! Online Community Spirit Outspoken Website for Events, Resources, and More Info Follow Spirit Outspoken on Instagram Follow Spirit Outspoken on TikTok Watch Episodes on YouTube Subscribe to Spirit Outspoken Apple Podcast Subscribe to Spirit Outspoken Spotify Podcast