In this captivating conversation, Brad Scot Johnson, an author and pastor, shares his journey from despair to hope after multiple suicide attempts. He discusses the powerful distinction between guilt and shame and how understanding this can lead to healing. Brad reflects on a transformative encounter with God that reignited his purpose and explains what it truly means to be 'called and crowned' after failure. Listeners will learn about the science of healing the heart and the significance of finding one's true identity beyond past mistakes.
01:03:44
forum Ask episode
web_stories AI Snips
view_agenda Chapters
menu_book Books
auto_awesome Transcript
info_circle Episode notes
question_answer ANECDOTE
Public Fall, Private Agony
Brad Johnson confessed a suicide attempt while still a pastor.
He said people called it his best preaching even as he was collapsing inside.
question_answer ANECDOTE
A Question That Changed Everything
Brad Johnson survived three suicide attempts and asked, "Why is he letting me live?"
That question began his slow turn toward purpose, faith, and recovery.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Do The Hard Work Of Recovery
Do the hard work of recovery: change harmful prescriptions and enter restoration groups.
Brad Johnson credits therapy and doctors for guiding safe change.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
He tried to end his life three times. What happened next changed everything.
Brad Scot Johnson was once a respected pastor with a global platform. But behind the sermons and stages was a man slowly unraveling - battling addiction, shame, infidelity, and internal collapse. His fall was public. His marriage ended. And his soul was buried in shame. Until one day, he woke up after another suicide attempt and asked: If God wanted me dead… why did He let me live?
In this deeply honest conversation, Brad shares the raw truth of what it means to fall hard and rise again - not just to ministry, but to identity, purpose, and divine restoration. This isn’t a story about being perfect. It’s a story about what God can do when you finally surrender your shame.
What you’ll learn:
How shame keeps you from stepping into your authority
Why guilt and shame are not the same and how to heal
How to hear from God when you feel unworthy
What it means to be “called and crowned” after failure
The spiritual and scientific path to becoming whole again
Timestamps:
(02:36) - Brad’s Three Suicide Attempts
(09:13) - Living a Double Life as a Pastor
(13:29) - The Godly encounter that sparked a spiritual shift
(22:30) - The Story of King David: What it really means to be “Called and Crowned”
(29:09) - Guilt vs Shame: Which one is keeping you stuck?
(33:36) - How to bounce back from shame and let God restore you
(43:29) - Brad and Karen’s love story
(54:17) - How God uses the brain to heal the heart
(54:50) The Jungle vs The Highway Metaphor
(59:29) - You are not what you did. You are who God says you are.
Grab a copy of Brad’s Book:
Bounce Back, Bounce Better: The Transformative Mindset for Resilience, Power, and Abundance | https://a.co/d/0y9ZjC4
Called & Crowned 