Relevant Faith Journey

Dec 21 2023

Relevant Faith Journey Podcast artwork

Searching for new perspective on an ancient faith. I’m originally from the west coast (all the states, California, Washington, Hawaii) and have made my home in Kansas City since 2003. For most of my adult life, I have earned a living M-F while leading a congregation on nights and weekends. I managed subcontractors and church volunteers, facilitated Bible studies and business meetings. I play guitar and piano and sing with a big passionate voice. My last pastoral assignment ended in 2018. Since then, I have discovered that I love to write, create and think deep thoughts. My emerging theme is encouragement. How can I empower others to be the best version of themselves? This question pushes me to rethink, relearn and continue to grow.

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Advent: God Together – Setting An Intention For The Christian New Year

Dec 21 2023 9 mins

I am reflecting on advent seasons past in this episode. As a pastor, I often wrote advent readings and created content for my congregation. One series I am particularly proud of was called the Kindness Challenge. Remembering has helped me think about setting an intention for the next year. You can see videos of the Kindness Challenge here: Kindness Challenge 1: https://youtu.be/gcN

Welcome or Affirming?: LGBTQ+ Conversations in the Nazarene, Methodist and International Church

Aug 17 2023 14 mins

I used to say that sexuality shouldn’t define identity. As Christians our identity is first as children of God and followers of Jesus before anything else. I realize now that as a heterosexual woman, being defined by something other than my sexuality is a privilege.In this episode I'll start with my own journey from quiet support of my friend to fully affirming of LGBTQ+ peo

You Are Kenough: How Barbie Reflects the Struggle of Evolving Gender Roles

Aug 03 2023 13 mins

In this episode I use reflect on Barbie, the movie, to talk about the challenge our culture is having to re-define masculinity. Conservative Evangelicals have been posting on social media that Barbie is inappropriate for children. Since there's no kissing, no sex and "crap" is the worst cus word, I call BS. Seeing a reflection of patriarchy in the form of a Barbiela

Dangerous Curiosity: Reflections on Gothard, the Duggars and “Shiny Happy People”

Jul 06 2023 11 mins

How does a man become a leading authority on relationships and parenting, yet has never married or fathered a child? In this week's episode I reflect on the Amazon Prime Documentary Series "Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets." Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar were reality TV stars on TLC's hit show "19 and Counting." Their odd lifestyle with so many

Sexual Feeling: Temptation, Lust, Romance and Grace

May 11 2023 16 mins

This week I'm diving into the topic of sexual desire. Purity culture taught us that men can't help but be tempted to sexual sin and women are just not that into it. We have been tasked with being the gatekeepers. The truth is that our relationship needs are actually the same.Both men and women need connection, intimacy and enjoy sexual pleasure. Our culture doesn't m

Can’t Say No: Understanding Sexual Violence and Lessons Learned About Consent

Apr 12 2023 15 mins

This week I am talking about consent and digging into our understanding of sexual violence. Often we imagine a struggle that leaves the victim bruised and beaten. But more often sexual trauma is caused by a partner that assumes "Yes" until he or she hears "No." And that word is more difficult to voice that one might think. I'll give a real life illustration

The Problem with Talking: Made Up Numbers That Kept Women Silent and What We Can Do About It

Mar 28 2023 14 mins

Have you ever stopped to think about the messaging to women about their words. I'll relate a few examples from sermons, books and experiences that give a picture of the repeated admonition that women should watch what they say. I'll talk about the myth that women talk too much and explore where we go from here. I'll finish up with a retelling of a recent experience a

Saddleback Church Kicked Out of the SBC Over Women’s Ordination: Why To Care & What To Do

Mar 10 2023 16 mins

In this week's episode I talk about Saddleback Church's exit from the Southern Baptist Convention over the ordination of women. This even gets at a deeper issue. I discus the doctrine of complementarianism, the divide between men and women that needs healing and give some advice on how to bring change to your faith community. Here are a few resources that I used in this

Is Wilmore the New Evangelical Mecca?—Thoughts on Asbury, Revival, Evangelism and Repentance

Feb 23 2023 12 mins

This isn’t so much about what’s happening at Asbury University, although it does provide a backdrop for the topic. I’m talking about the shortsighted emphasis on a personal religious experience that white Christians (including myself) lean into. This comes in to play around our ideas about revival. (spoiler alert) In contrast, our black and brown brothers and sisters in Chri

Let's Talk About Sex: The Rise of TV Preachers, Purity Culture and A Call For Healing

Feb 09 2023 15 mins

Last week I talked about gender roles through the 60s and 70. This week I'm picking up in the 1980s with the development of the Christian media marketplace. TV preachers, Christian bookstores, musicians and merchandise all began to shape a somewhat uniform evangelical culture in the US. With that came the rise of purity culture, the effects of which cannot be understated. I wr