Spiritual Misfits Podcast

This is the fifth and final episode in our mini-series produced in collaboration with the Pulse team from Uniting Mission and Education. And in my opinion, this one was such a profound, vulnerable and meaningful conversation. Sarah Bishop and James Aaron joined me to explore mental health and loneliness in the context of faith and spirituality. When I was sitting with Sarah and James having this conversation it felt holy to me. It felt deeply honest and human. And I hope that is your experience as you listen. A strong theme that comes through in this conversation is the strength in vulnerability, and the dignity in asking for help. So if you listen to this and you’re in a place where you need support with your own mental health, remember, there’s no shame in reaching out for help. Watch on YouTube here.Download the accompanying discussion guide here.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

Take a quick moment to think about how much technology has changed during your lifetime? What was the height of tech when you were a kid? Can you divide your life up into before and after internet connection? The pace of technological change can be hard to keep up with — but without a doubt it has an impact on our lives, our communities — and our spirituality. In this episode, Aditee Vora, Somerset Drayton and Jonty Conford join me to explore questions around AI, social media, spiritual formation….touching on the things we’re grateful for as well as the things we worry about. This is part 4 in our five episode series brought to you by Spiritual Misfits in collaboration with UME’s Pulse team. You can watch this episode on YouTube or download the accompanying discussion guide to chat through these big topics with your own crew, where ever you find yourself. 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 good people, Welcome to the third conversation in our five episode mini-series with UME’s Pulse team. Over the last two weeks we’ve explored generational divides and climate crisis, eco anxiety and the like.  This week another big conversation. What does it mean to keep faith in a world of racial injustice? Are people of faith in Australia today able to honestly grapple with racism in our history and our present moment? Why does it seem like the church is often no better than the rest of society in this regard? And what might it look like to continue the work of decolonising Christianity and creating anti-racist faith spaces? This is a big conversation — so much bigger than this podcast episode — but here to spark some of your thinking around these questions I’m joined by Nathan Tyson, Radhika Sukumar-White and Liesl Homes. Watch this episode on Youtube here.Download the accompanying discussion guide here. 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 again good people!This is the second in our series of 5 collaborative conversations hosted by Spiritual Misfits and the Uniting Mission and Education Pulse team, exploring major challenges in our world today and the kind of faith that doesn’t shy away from them or just respond with unhelpful platitudes.And this week we’re delving into a huge topic. If faith doesn’t have something to say about climate crisis, about eco anxiety, about what it means to care for and advocate for this one planet that we have — then, what good is that faith? On the other hand, how might our spirituality and the Christian tradition help ground us — literally reconnect us to the ground beneath our feet. That is what Joyce Tangi, Karina Kreminski and Jono Row join me to discuss in this episode. You can watch the full filmed conversation on YouTube here if that’s your jam, you can also download our accompanying discussion guide to use in your context.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

Spiritual Misfits and Uniting Mission and Education's Pulse team have collaborated to bring you a series of conversations about 5 pressing challenges we face on planet earth today, and the kind of faith that may help emerging generations to navigate and engage with them. In this conversation a Boomer (Ken Day), Gen X (Joanna Drayton), Millennial (Will Small) and Gen Z (Ella Evans) discuss generational divides and opportunities in the realm of spirituality and community.Watch this episode on YouTubeDownload the discussion guide that accompanies this episode Learn more about the UME Pulse team 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

In this episode Will is joined by Christine Redwood, Belinda Groves and Nathan Nettleton to discuss the emergence of the Open Baptists, a new Baptist movement within Australia. The Open Baptists seek to reimagine what it means to work together as Baptist churches, focusing on partnership, collective decision-making, and freedom of conscience. They hope to retain the Baptist identity while challenging the abuse of power and the exclusion of certain groups...that has happened in other Baptist spaces in recent years! Learn more at https://openbaptists.org/KeywordsOpen Baptists, Baptist community, emergence, movement, partnership, collective decision-making, freedom of conscience, Baptist identity, abuse of power, inclusion, Open Baptists, Jesus, sexuality, community, welcome, church, faith, lament, healing, joy, alternative, Baptist churches, differences, mission, conversation, Holy SpiritWant 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

The Reverend Dr Karen Pack is a religious historian, ordained Christian minister, Commonwealth-registered marriage celebrant, and current President of Spiritual Care Australia. For over twenty five years she has been engaged in training pastors, chaplains, leaders and teachers in Australia, North America, Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Her doctoral research explored the marginalization and erasure of women and LGBTQ+ Christians from religious histories in Australia.In this conversation, Karen shares about the kind of faith she grew up with and the deep sense of calling she had from a young age. She then shares about losing her employment at a Bible College after coming out as a queer woman, in a relationship. We then discuss what she found on the other side of that experience, and the way she continues to live out her sense of calling in the world. Karen also shares about her doctoral research into the erasure of women and LGBTQI+ folks in the recorded histories of Christianity in Australia. This is a vulnerable, moving, challenging and deeply important conversation, and a gift to all who take the time to listen. 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

In this conversation, Will Small, Thomas Jay Oord, and Becca De Souza discuss open and relational theology, the challenges of suffering, and the process of deconstruction and reconstruction in faith. They also touch on the topic of LGBTQ+ affirmation within religious institutions. Thomas shares his personal journey from a classical theist position to open and relational theology, emphasizing the importance of understanding God's power as love. The conversation explores the need for a faith that embraces doubt and uncertainty while still providing comfort and meaning. They also discuss the role of certainty in children's faith development and the importance of allowing space for questioning and exploration. They explore the idea that salvation is not just liberation from pain, but also survival and quality of life, requiring the cooperation of both God and humanity. They also delve into the role of prayer in an open and relational theology, emphasizing that prayer is communication with God and can bring about change through our actions. They touch on the concept of miracles and how they occur when God and creation work together for something good. The conversation concludes with a reflection on the value of open and relational theology in providing a picture of God that is true for all people, especially those who have been marginalized and oppressed.Keywords open and relational theology, suffering, deconstruction, reconstruction, LGBTQ+ affirmation, faith, doubt, certainty, children's faith development, God, suffering, open and relational theology, salvation, cooperation, prayer, miraclesTakeaways Open and relational theology views God as interactive and responsive, and recognizes the limits of God's power. It offers a framework that aligns with our experiences and intuitions about love and free will.Certainty is not the goal of faith. Embracing doubt and uncertainty can lead to a more mature and honest understanding of God and the world.Children's faith development involves different stages, and it is natural for young children to have a black-and-white view of God. As they grow, it is important to create a safe space for them to ask questions and explore their beliefs.Traditional theologies can be traumatizing and dismissive of our experiences. Open and relational theology provides a more inclusive and compassionate perspective that takes into account the diversity of human experiences.The process of deconstruction and reconstruction in faith can be challenging but also liberating. It involves reevaluating our beliefs and theological frameworks, and embracing a faith that is more aligned with our values and experiences. Salvation is not just liberation from pain, but also survival and quality of life, requiring the cooperation of both God and humanity.God is always acting and working in the world, and our response to God's 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

Well hello again my friends! If you’ve been listening in recent weeks I hope you have enjoyed these talks from Future Church Conference. I am excited to share that a few of us met this last week to start planning the next one — it’s going to be great. Follow New City Church or Spiritual Misfits on Instagram for a date announcement soon. This will be the last piece of content for now from the inaugural Future Church Conference — and it’s a little different. On the evening of the day we asked 5 different speakers to give a 7 minute pitch for an idea they think is vital for the future church. So now   you have the opportunity to hear these fantastic talks — micro in length, but each one packs a punch.  Keep listening and you will hear:JOYCE TANGI on anti-racismJESSICA MORTHORPE on climate justiceKAREN PACK on LGBTQIA+ InclusionMITCH FORBES on the place of tradition as we move forwardJOEL HOLLIER on being trauma-informedAnd to round it there are a couple of songs at the end from Marion St — you may remember Gabi and Mikali who have previous been on the podcast (if you didn’t catch that one go back and listen to those legends). So there is a lot of good stuff jam-packed into this episode. Before we jump in my dear friends, listen up. I’m about to have a couple weeks off after a very big start to the year. Normally I’d line a couple of replay episodes — but as I mentioned last week we are just about to launch a Spiritual Misfits rebrand. And so, here’s what’s going to happen. For the next 2 or 3 weeks there will be a Spiritual-Misfits-shaped-hole in your podcast player. But make sure you’re subscribed — because after that we’re going to pop back into your feed with a new look, a new website and plenty of amazing and important new conversations coming your way. Between now and then, hit up our extensive back-log and catch up on any episodes you haven’t heard yet. Some recommendations: as we continue to witness and grieve the horrendous genocide the Israeli government is committing in Palestine, can I suggest listening to my friend Sara M. Saleh’s episode if you haven’t? Or if you want to participate in non-violent love and resistance in this world listen to the episode with Jarrod McKenna. There are so many others I could suggest, but those both feel timely.We’ll be back in a few weeks! Until then, big love and remember — 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

Hello again friends! The last few weeks there’s been less of my voice on the pod, which has probably been a refreshing change. However if you proceed with listening to this one, it is my talk from Future Church Conference. Which ironically strongly reinforces the point that you should listen to many voices other than mine. I won’t redo my talk in the intro spiel here — but you will hear both my slight discomfort and embrace of the topic I was asked to speak about. Hey, if you’ve been listening to the podcast for a while, you would have heard me say that this year we are working on some other things to add to the spiritual misfits eco-system.Well, can I tell you my friends that there are some exciting things coming very soon now. We have been doing a Spiritual Misfits rebrand — which is actually kind of the first time we’ve done proper branding for it. If you look for example at the Spiritual Misfits website or at the podcast cover art you will notice the logo for Meeting Ground Church. You may already know this but in case you’re confused Meeting Ground is a small, local church on the Central Coast of NSW of which the podcast emerged from. Obviously though the audience of the podcast goes well beyond Meeting Ground’s geography. And as much as I would love to invite every one of you beautiful listeners to be part of Meeting Ground that wouldn’t work. However, it is my hope that the podcast can be just one part of a larger work that helps connect people with other people, with different ideas, with avenues for support…so I know it’s been a slow burn, because we’re also pretty resource limited. However, on the near horizon there will be a new website, with some videos and other resources to help misfits navigate the disorientation that can come with feeling like you’re on the fringes. And there will be some other cool things that pop-up there over time. So, be warned. There will come a day soon when you look at your podcast app and the cover art for the podcast is new and beautiful and different.  I can also tease that just around the corner there is a limited series of episodes created in collaboration with very good humans. And I think they are going to be something special. Anyway, that is enough teasing of things. Tell your friends, share the love, join the Facebook group. Enjoy this little talk from Future Church Conference (and follow New City Church on Instagram to make sure you don’t miss a pending date announcement about the next one). 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