Clear & Loud with Josh Harris

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/

Kathryn Paige Harden, a behavioral geneticist and author exploring how genes shape behavior and belief. She discusses how DNA influences traits like religiosity, punishment impulses, and moral choices. Conversations touch on theology meeting science, inherited predispositions, genetic editing risks, and rethinking blame and forgiveness.

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

Ben Crawford, an author and former leader in a tight-knit church network, shares his journey of escaping high-control communities and embracing vulnerability. He contrasts preaching with genuine sharing, revealing how performative accountability blocks real connections. Crawford discusses the eye-opening honesty he found at 12-step meetings and the personal costs of dissenting from his community. His love story with Cammie highlights how vulnerability transformed their marriage, presenting honesty as essential to intimacy.

In a captivating conversation, Sarah Wildeman, a leadership coach and founder of Our Common, discusses the essence of community beyond church settings. She explores the deep longing for connections and the distinction between friendships and true community. Reflecting on her background in ecology, she draws parallels between nurturing relationships and growing a garden. Sarah emphasizes shared values, rituals, and the emotional journey of rebuilding community, offering practical advice for those seeking intentional relationships in today's disconnected world.