From Certainty to Curiosity

Not every death involves someone dying.Sometimes it's a career, a relationship, a belief, an identity, or a dream we once held for our future.In this episode, I'm sharing a talk I recently gave at a Brands for Better event in Vancouver about the endings we experience in life but rarely acknowledge.Drawing from my own experiences of leaving pastoral ministry, changing my beliefs, and navigating major life transitions, I explore why these losses deserve to be grieved, even when the change is something we wanted or chose.What if, instead of rushing to move on, we gave ourselves permission to hold a little funeral for what we've lost?Recording Courtesy of Robin Kavanagh: https://www.robinjkavanagh.com/Links mentioned in this episode:My newsletter: https://joshharris.myflodesk.com/emailBureau: https://withbureau.com/Spaces by Bureau Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLe4Ofjl_vj88Brands for Better: https://www.brandsforbetter.ca/

What happens when the version of faith you inherited no longer has room for who you really are?Josh sits down with Nancy Shadlock, queer empowerment architect and conversion therapy survivor, to talk about leaving behind rigid religious frameworks and discovering a more expansive way of relating to spirituality, identity, and self-worth.Together, they explore the lasting impact of fundamentalism, the emotional cost of hiding parts of yourself, and the process of rebuilding connection to your body, your mind, and the world around you. Nancy also shares practical tools for mental resilience and presence that help quiet shame, reduce anxiety, and cultivate a deeper sense of peace.This is a conversation about authenticity, healing, and learning to live beyond fear and binary thinking.Connect with Nancy: Nancy’s WebsiteNancy’s 7-Week Program for Spiritual Survivors

What happens after you leave purity culture… but still feel disconnected from your body?Josh sits down with Dr. Kimberly Rose Pendleton, a coach and researcher focused on healing religious and sexual trauma, to explore what she calls “pleasure-based healing.” Together, they talk about how shame shapes our relationship to our bodies, why so many people feel numb or disconnected from desire, and what it looks like to reconnect with what feels good in a healthy, grounded way.This is a conversation about reclaiming pleasure, questioning old narratives, and finding a more honest path toward intimacy and wholeness.Website: www.kimberlyrosependleton.com Instagram: @drkimberlyrosependletonTikTok: @drkimberlyroseFacebook: @drkimberlyrose

What does it look like to move from certainty into curiosity?In this short episode, Josh Harris shares a seven-minute talk he gave at Peter Reek’s Shift Sessions event in Vancouver, BC. Josh reflects on how curiosity often grows out of disruption, loss, and unexpected change. Rather than something we choose from a place of strength, curiosity can begin when the beliefs and identities we relied on start to unravel.This is a simple, personal reflection on what it means to stay open, keep asking questions, and find a new way forward.https://joshharris.com/

What do you do with guilt if some of what you struggle with isn’t just a choice, but something you were wired for?Josh Harris sits down with Kathryn Paige Harden, a behavioral geneticist and author of Original Sin, to explore what happens when ideas like sin, blame, and responsibility are examined through the lens of science. Together, they talk about how our DNA shapes behavior, why suffering can feel easier to accept when we think we deserve it, and what it means to hold both biology and belief without rushing to easy answers.Connect with Paige: Author WebsiteBuy the Book Instagram

Jayne Sugg joins Josh Harris to talk about her album Belief Is Hard and what it means to make honest art when faith is uncertain and belief feels fragile.Jayne grew up with a clear sense of who she was supposed to be and what her musical future would look like. She would make Christian music. She would become a worship leader. The path felt obvious, until doubt entered the picture and quietly changed everything.In this conversation, Jayne and Josh talk about creating art in the midst of uncertainty, about writing songs that tell the truth when belief isn’t neat or resolved, and about her album Belief Is Hard, which traces her own evolving relationship with faith. They listen to parts of the album together and reflect on the role creativity can play when answers feel incomplete.This episode is for anyone who’s wondered whether there’s room for honesty, beauty, and expression when faith feels wobbly, and for anyone learning that belief isn’t something you solve so much as something you live with.Connect with Jayne: Website: jaynesugg.comInstagram: @seejayneTiktok: @jaynesugg

Josh Harris sits down with author Brian Recker to talk honestly about hell, deconstruction, and what remains when fear-based religion falls apart. Together, they explore the grief of losing religious community, the courage it takes to rethink deeply held beliefs, and why so many people feel spiritually homeless after walking away from traditional evangelical structures.Brian and Josh unpack how the doctrine of hell has shaped Christian mission, identity, and urgency, often at the expense of love, justice, and inclusion. They revisit Jesus’ teachings on Gehenna, the “narrow gate,” and the cross, placing them back in their historical context and asking what they actually reveal about God, power, and resistance.About Brian ReckerBrian Recker is a former Marine officer, the son of a Baptist preacher, and a graduate of Bob Jones University. He spent eight years as an evangelical pastor before undergoing a profound deconstruction of his faith and moving toward a more inclusive, love-centered spirituality.Today, Brian speaks openly about following Jesus without fear of hell through his writing and social platforms, including his Substack, Beloved. His book, Hell Bent, challenges one of Christianity’s most deeply embedded doctrines and argues that fear has distorted the heart of the gospel. Released on September 30, Hell Bent quickly became a USA Today best-seller.Brian lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, and is a father of four.Connect with BrianSubstack – Beloved: https://brianrecker.substack.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/berecker/?hl=enTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@berecker87His book "Hell Bent": ⁠https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/771172/hell-bent-by-brian-recker/

What if the goal isn’t to break a strong-willed child but to nurture that untamed will into something beautiful?That’s the question parenting coach Amy Hughes keeps asking—and it has taken her far beyond the “strong-willed child” playbook popularized by Dr. James Dobson. In this conversation Amy and Josh explore a gentler, truly Christian vision of authority, discipline, and discipleship—one that treats kids as whole people made in God’s image.How “conscious parenting” reframes discipline as connection first, correction secondWhy words like “good” or “bad” can warp a child’s sense of God and themselvesThe hidden damage of fear-based obedience inside church culturePractical ways to coach (not crush) a strong-willed kidRepairing relationships with older children through humble apologiesTrusting God’s sovereignty over your child’s spiritual journey instead of micromanaging itAmy is a certified conscious-parenting coach who helps moms and dads move from control and coercion to curiosity and connection. Drawing on her faith and years of mentoring families, she equips parents to raise confident, compassionate kids and to enjoy the process along the way.Connect with Amy:Instagram: @simplelittleamyWebsite & coaching resources

Content note: This episode includes frank discussion of sex, pornography, and religious control.Author Ben Crawford spent decades inside a tight church network where life, money, and meaning were all centralized. When he started sharing his life on YouTube and telling the truth in 12-step rooms, the system pushed back. He lost community, business ties, and friends. He also found something bigger: a voice, a marriage that’s alive, and a way of connecting that doesn’t hide behind ideas. This is a conversation about escaping control, learning vulnerability, and why honesty beats “accountability” every time.Topics we coverPreaching vs sharing: why ideas felt safe and intimacy didn’tThe men’s “accountability” script and why it blocks connectionWhat 12-step groups modeled: clear truth, no fixing, real safetyThe “cult continuum” and how control shows up in everyday church lifeGrading communities by behavior, not labelsChoosing where to be authentic and where to hold boundariesBen’s love story with Cami and the surprising payoff of telling the truthWhy listenIf you’ve felt the gap between what your community promised and what it delivered, or if you’ve tried to change people with ideas and missed the chance to actually bond, this episode gives language and practices for a different way forward.About BenBen Crawford is the author of the bestselling 2000 Miles Together: The Story of the Largest Family to Hike the Appalachian Trail and has been featured on Good Morning America and NPR’s This American Life. Formerly entrenched in fundamentalist religion and once at the helm of one of the world’s largest blackjack teams (profiled in the documentary Holy Rollers: The True Story of Card Counting Christians), Ben brings a singular perspective to faith, risk, and reinvention. Retired in his 30s, he’s a prolific YouTuber with 1,000+ uploads, and he now finds joy in poker and marathon running—with his six kids often along for the mile markers.LinksBen’s book: The Courage to Share (affiliate link)Ben’s YouTube family channel: https://www.youtube.com/@FightforTogether

Community. It’s a word we throw around a lot, but what does it really mean? And what does it look like specially if you’re no longer part of a church or faith-based group?In this episode, I talk with Sarah Wildeman, a leadership and relationship dynamics coach, community builder, and founder of Our Common. Sarah has spent years living in intentional communities, leading women’s circles, and guiding people through the art of authentic connection. Drawing from her background in forest ecology, permaculture, and a love for all things rooted in nature, she helps people grow relationships with the same care you’d give a thriving garden—intentionally, patiently, and with deep respect for what each season brings.We explore:The difference between having friends and actually being part of a community.Why so many people are craving deeper connections right now.How shared values, rituals, and commitments create belonging.What we can learn from nature about building relationships that last.The grief and longing that can come when we lose a sense of community. Sarah’s insights are practical, hopeful, and refreshingly honest about the effort it takes to create and sustain meaningful connection. Whether you’ve left a faith community or are simply hungry for more intentional relationships, this conversation offers both inspiration and tangible ideas for reimagining what community can look like.Connect with Sarah:Website: our-common.com Course: Our Common LifeInstagram: @our__common