Spiritual Misfits Podcast

Last year on Good Friday we shared this meditation on Psalm 22. We've had a bunch of listeners join us since then, so we're sharing this for those who might want to engage with it this year. Grab a candle, find a comfortable place to sit and spend 15 minutes listening.The meditation begins with a moment to help you become grounded and aware of your body and breath, followed by a reading of the Psalm, and a simple thought at the end for you to meditate on. Whatever Easter holds for you, we hope this meditation encourages you and connects you with the love of Christ. Wishing all our fellow spiritual misfits a Happy Easter. Want to reach out and let us know your thoughts or suggestions for the show? Send us a message here; we’d love to hear from you.The Spiritual Misfits Survival Guide (FREE): https://www.spiritualmisfits.com.au/survivalguideSign up to our mailing list:https://spiritualmisfits.com.au/Join our online Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/spiritualmisfitspodcastSupport the pod:https://spiritualmisfits.com.au/support-us/View all episodes at: https://spiritualmisfits.buzzsprout.com

Mitch and Will are taking a break from alcohol during Lent. Hannah didn't get the memo. We spend the first half of the chat discussing reasons for and against participating in Lent (and things like fasting and other religious seasons more generally.)During the second half of the chat we turn our attention to discussing this stunning, recent essay from Anna McGahan (kind of an 'exit letter' from Christianity), which the three of us all read and felt deeply moved by. We give some context, but it's well worth you taking a few minutes to read:http://www.aforbiddenroom.com/spirit/the-starling/Want to reach out and let us know your thoughts or suggestions for the show? Send us a message here; we’d love to hear from you.The Spiritual Misfits Survival Guide (FREE): https://www.spiritualmisfits.com.au/survivalguideSign up to our mailing list:https://spiritualmisfits.com.au/Join our online Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/spiritualmisfitspodcastSupport the pod:https://spiritualmisfits.com.au/support-us/View all episodes at: https://spiritualmisfits.buzzsprout.com

Hello misfits, friends, human beings! Welcome to another episode of the podcast. A really wonderful conversation; the kind that is somehow earthy and grounded and raw while also deeply poetic and moving. Becca De Souza is a doula, and a writer (check out links below to some articles we reference in this conversation). And she has a profound story of coming to see God in new ways in the midst of trauma and PTSD. Read some of her words here: https://www.cbeinternational.org/person/becca-de-souza/ https://thesheisproject.org/2018/02/out-of-the-dust-beccas-story/Want to reach out and let us know your thoughts or suggestions for the show? Send us a message here; we’d love to hear from you.The Spiritual Misfits Survival Guide (FREE): https://www.spiritualmisfits.com.au/survivalguideSign up to our mailing list:https://spiritualmisfits.com.au/Join our online Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/spiritualmisfitspodcastSupport the pod:https://spiritualmisfits.com.au/support-us/View all episodes at: https://spiritualmisfits.buzzsprout.com

A few years ago, (pre Spiritual Misfits) I was making a podcast called Man;Kind. It was primarily a show about the unhelpful gender moulds we place on each other, with particular reference to manhood and masculinity etc. The name of the show was supposed to beg the question: could the word ‘man’ become more associated with kindness than power or strength or aggression. During the production of that show I got to do one of my favourite interviews that I’ve done to date, with someone I admire very much. Australian film maker, Damon Gameu. His films include ‘that sugar film’, ‘2040’ and more recently ‘Regenerating Australia’.For various reasons I won’t bore you with that interview got a little lost and never really got the audience I think it was worthy of. And I think you dear misfit listeners, are very likely to love and benefit from this chat.Although the angle of the interview is somewhat grounded in ideas of gender and manhood in particular, there is so much about this conversation that relates to what we often explore on Spiritual Misfits (and of course I should also note that many of the issues around masculinity are extremely relevant to Christian spaces which can be responsible for doubling down on outdated gender roles, rather than helping us critique and transcend them). But beyond gender, Damon and I asked questions around how we make new meaning when our old models have largely let us down. How we tap into awe and wonder. And how we can care for our one planet in the midst of ecological crisis. We also touch on the desire for the transcendent and the need for collective social change rather than just individual responsibility. It was such a helpful conversation for me at the time and I learned a lot from Damon.So, with all that in mind I hope you enjoy this conversation!Want to reach out and let us know your thoughts or suggestions for the show? Send us a message here; we’d love to hear from you.The Spiritual Misfits Survival Guide (FREE): https://www.spiritualmisfits.com.au/survivalguideSign up to our mailing list:https://spiritualmisfits.com.au/Join our online Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/spiritualmisfitspodcastSupport the pod:https://spiritualmisfits.com.au/support-us/View all episodes at: https://spiritualmisfits.buzzsprout.com

One theme that has come up across several episodes of the podcast is about how to think about the different versions of ourselves across time. When you think back to an earlier version of yourself who perhaps has a very different faith to the one you have now, how do you feel? Do you cringe? Do you feel shame? Do you long for or miss those days? The reality is, you can’t go back to earlier days in your life — whether you miss them or wish you could erase them. But, perhaps, learning to see them as part of your unfolding story is a part of spiritual maturity. I often think, that if we cannot extend kindness to earlier versions of ourselves, we will be unable to extend that kindness to people who believe now, what we believed then. Maybe the opposite is true also.So, this guided reflection is intended to help you exercise self-compassion to these different versions of yourself across time. And, to look back attempting to see what was good, beautiful and true, even in very different stages of life.The exercise invites you to revisit memories from childhood through to today. For some of us, there may be great pain, loss or discomfort between those points, perhaps particularly regarding religious beliefs or spaces. And if that’s the case, and you don’t feel comfortable revisiting those memories now, please know you are welcome to leave this one if it’s not for you. Or to come back at a time when you are around people or a place that feels safe for you. Want to reach out and let us know your thoughts or suggestions for the show? Send us a message here; we’d love to hear from you.The Spiritual Misfits Survival Guide (FREE): https://www.spiritualmisfits.com.au/survivalguideSign up to our mailing list:https://spiritualmisfits.com.au/Join our online Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/spiritualmisfitspodcastSupport the pod:https://spiritualmisfits.com.au/support-us/View all episodes at: https://spiritualmisfits.buzzsprout.com

Last weekend was Mardi Gras, and you may have listened to our WorldPride panel on the pod last week. My guest this week, Rod Pattenden was actually in the first church group to march in the Mardis Gras parade back in around 1999. And whilst that involved a horrendous amount of discrimination and suffering, I am amazed at Rod’s courage and resilience. There’s a lot of other things I love about Rod. He’s an artist with a PhD in art and religion, and as you’ll hear, he’s a brilliant thinker and practitioner, constantly finding ways to translate ideas into action. This conversation took place in a room in Rod’s house filled with art and books — a pretty good place to be if you ask me. As you listen, I hope you get the sense that you’re in the room with us, exploring how we can break open our boxes and find new ways of seeing the divine in all kinds of places.  Want to reach out and let us know your thoughts or suggestions for the show? Send us a message here; we’d love to hear from you.The Spiritual Misfits Survival Guide (FREE): https://www.spiritualmisfits.com.au/survivalguideSign up to our mailing list:https://spiritualmisfits.com.au/Join our online Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/spiritualmisfitspodcastSupport the pod:https://spiritualmisfits.com.au/support-us/View all episodes at: https://spiritualmisfits.buzzsprout.com

Have you ever heard Christians criticise the use of the word ‘pride’ in queer culture?This week Karl Hand, Karen Pack and Tash Holmes come on the podcast for a discussion around why pride is a like ‘holy word’ for queer people and the current state of play for queer people of faith.We also explored the concept of allyship. What does it mean to be an ally? When do well-meaning allies cause harm? How can we start from grounds of mutuality and friendship? This conversation was joyful, optimistic and moving. Enjoy!Want to reach out and let us know your thoughts or suggestions for the show? Send us a message here; we’d love to hear from you.The Spiritual Misfits Survival Guide (FREE): https://www.spiritualmisfits.com.au/survivalguideSign up to our mailing list:https://spiritualmisfits.com.au/Join our online Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/spiritualmisfitspodcastSupport the pod:https://spiritualmisfits.com.au/support-us/View all episodes at: https://spiritualmisfits.buzzsprout.com

There’s this thought experiment in the world of philosophy called the ship of Theseus. You may have heard it. The general idea is that there’s a ship. And over time every part of it — the rudder, the sails, the other stuff on a ship which I don’t know the names of — is gradually replaced, one by one. There comes a point at which the ship has none of its original components. And yet this process has taken place over many years. So is it the same ship it was at the beginning? Or is it a different one? Of course, this idea is a great way to think about our lives. At an actual cellular level this is true of your own body over time as our cells are constantly being replaced. And it’s certainly true for healthy spirituality, as we grow and find new language and ideas in the process.I started thinking about this idea after this episode’s conversation with Nicola Morley. Because Nicola’s story is a conversation about change across time in some really significant ways. And yet, there are certain characteristics that Nicola has possessed her whole life. Enthusiasm. Sincerity. A whole-hearted approach. We spoke about her early faith, her stint as a missionary overseas, and her journey of coming out later in life and embracing queerness, and the changes in her Christianity along the way. Want to reach out and let us know your thoughts or suggestions for the show? Send us a message here; we’d love to hear from you.The Spiritual Misfits Survival Guide (FREE): https://www.spiritualmisfits.com.au/survivalguideSign up to our mailing list:https://spiritualmisfits.com.au/Join our online Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/spiritualmisfitspodcastSupport the pod:https://spiritualmisfits.com.au/support-us/View all episodes at: https://spiritualmisfits.buzzsprout.com

Church attendance in the West is on the decline. I think any church interested in having a future needs to do some serious reflecting on what may need to change.And I’m pretty convinced there’s a big gap to be filled for people who still desire a faith community, but aren’t looking to return what they may have left for good reasons. So...what kind of churches could fill that gap?At least one component of that conversation is about the moolah. How to resource and staff churches in a changing world. Sustaining the budget of a church with full-time staffing expenses isn’t cheap. (and perhaps for some of us the business oriented nature of church is part of what we wanted to leave behind.) At the same time, coordinating and organising any kind of community does take time, effort and resources. And I still think there’s an important role for pastors and ministers of all kinds.I’ve been trying to live in the tension of these questions for many years now. For several years I’ve personally been bi-vocational. Working a day or two in paid ministry and a few days in other spaces. A few years ago I read a book by Brad Brisco that introduced me to a concept I liked even more than BiVo. The book was called 'Covocational Church Planting', and in this week's podcast episode you'll hear why covocational can be a more holistic approach. I am delighted to have Brad join me on this episode for a chat about the future of the church and how CoVocational staffing may play a role in that. More broadly we discuss how the shape and structure of church is interwoven with what we believe about God and the purpose of the church. Brad has spent many years navigating these questions, and I think has some great wisdom to offer.During the conversation Brad mentions some resources around the ‘five-fold/APEST’ gifts. You can check them out here in blog or video form:https://www.missionalchurchnetwork.com/blog/the-importance-of-5-fold-apesthttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RUUzOf8TPgWant to reach out and let us know your thoughts or suggestions for the show? Send us a message here; we’d love to hear from you.The Spiritual Misfits Survival Guide (FREE): https://www.spiritualmisfits.com.au/survivalguideSign up to our mailing list:https://spiritualmisfits.com.au/Join our online Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/spiritualmisfitspodcastSupport the pod:https://spiritualmisfits.com.au/support-us/View all episodes at: https://spiritualmisfits.buzzsprout.com

There are plenty of people whose behaviour in the name of Jesus is the very thing that would often lead me to want to reject the Christian faith I’ve grown up with. Dave Andrews, on the other hand, is the kind of person who makes me feel the opposite. He speaks about Jesus in a way that makes me feel like I am encountering this story for the first time. I think this is largely because Dave has modelled a life around ‘sermon on the mount ethics’ more than most people you meet in the average church. I think you’ll see what I mean, as you listen. During our conversation we talk about Christian anarchy, Dave gives a pretty powerful critique of the early Christian creeds, and we also explore inclusive theology that works alongside and with people from different religious traditions. I want to give you a heads up that this conversation gets really heavy in places. Dave’s commitment to a radical following of Christlike ethics has meant he’s been rejected, excommunicated and banned from multiple Christian groups over the years. Dave shares openly about the ways some of these occurrences impacted his health, including thoughts he had around taking his own life. If that’s personally sensitive territory for you, I encourage you to be gentle with yourself as you listen, and please reach out to services like Beyond Blue or Lifeline (13 11 44) if you need to. If you have experienced any form of rejection or loss of Christian community, I hope listening to this gives you a sense of solidarity. And I want to emphasise again, our whole ethos in making this podcast is to let you know, regardless of what you believe, you are worthy of belonging. And you are not alone. Want to reach out and let us know your thoughts or suggestions for the show? Send us a message here; we’d love to hear from you.The Spiritual Misfits Survival Guide (FREE): https://www.spiritualmisfits.com.au/survivalguideSign up to our mailing list:https://spiritualmisfits.com.au/Join our online Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/spiritualmisfitspodcastSupport the pod:https://spiritualmisfits.com.au/support-us/View all episodes at: https://spiritualmisfits.buzzsprout.com