Shifting Culture Ep. 370 Stephanie Spellers - What the Nones and Dones Teach Us About the Future of Faith
Dec 5, 2025
In this engaging conversation, Stephanie Spellers, an Episcopal priest and change agent, tackles the decline of the church and the emerging trends among 'nones' and 'dones.' She highlights the need for authentic connections and discusses how spirituality is found outside traditional settings. Explore the role of communal meals in fostering community, the push against Christian nationalism, and the call to become a true Jesus movement. Stephanie's insights promise hope and renewal for a transforming faith landscape.
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Church Lost Its Countercultural Identity
- Mainline churches have become culturally aligned with individualistic civic life, which made them blend into the culture and lose distinctiveness.
- That loss of countercultural identity contributed to decline as people no longer saw church as a compelling, transformative alternative.
Shame Undermines Renewal
- Shame about decline makes congregations apologize and speak from desperation rather than hope.
- Replacing shame with clear witness about how life with God transforms people changes congregational energy.
Stephanie's Journey Into Church
- Stephanie shares she spent half her life as a spiritual seeker before being baptized at 26 and pursuing ordination soon after.
- Meeting Christians who embodied liberation theology and Jesus drew her into committed Christian ministry.