I was a Teenage Fundamentalist. An Exvangelical podcast.
Brian and Troy used to be loyal Christian megachurch leaders. They’re not anymore. This honest and often hilarious podcast peeks behind the curtain at the weird, the worrying, and sometimes traumatic world of Evangelicals & Pentecostals. Shortlisted for the 2022 Australian Podcast Awards. Exvangelical. Deconstruction. https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Listen on:
Episodes
Friday Mar 17, 2023
Friday Mar 17, 2023
Shane Clifton taught Theology and Ethics at one of Australia's leading Pentecostal Bible Colleges from 1999 to 2018. During this time Shane had an accident that left him with a C5 spinal cord injury (quadriplegia) which radically altered his life and his faith. After a lengthy and traumatic fight over academic freedom and his support for LGBTQI+ inclusion in the church, he left the college and his Pentecostal denomination. Shane is today an honorary associate at the Centre for Research Development and Policy at the University of Sydney and Director, Policy with the Australian Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation against People with Disability.
You can connect with Shane via his blog: Shane Clifton – Riding the current.
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Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Friday Mar 03, 2023
Friday Mar 03, 2023
Keith Green was one of CCM’s most revered and loved music superstars of the 1970s and 80s. Spoiler alert! Tracey Phalen thinks he was a cult leader! She was a member of Keith and Melody Green's Last Days Ministries in the 1980s. She joined as a teenage fundamentalist and left after five years of living and serving on the Texas ranch. In this episode, Tracey shares her story and helps Brian and Troy deconstruct Keith Green and Last Days Ministries.
You can follow Tracey on Instagram.
Melody Green's biography of Keith Green and memoir of life at Last Days Ministry, No Compromise is available here.
---
Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Friday Feb 17, 2023
Friday Feb 17, 2023
In this first episode of Season 4, Brian & Troy unpack some of the most problematic and ridiculous aspects of the doctrine of eternal torment, aka Hell. They also give some suggestions on how to overcome your fear of Hell.
The resources suggested in this episode are:
Christian
That All Shall Be Saved: Heaven, Hell, and Universal Salvation: Hart, David Bentley
Grace Saves All: Christianity and Universal Salvation Podcast
Love Wins: At the Heart of Life’s Big Questions : Bell, Rob
Post-Christian
Heaven and Hell: A History of the Afterlife : Ehrman, Bart D
Bart Ehrman on the Humanize Me Podcast
Am I Going to Hell?: Bart Ehrman
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Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Friday Feb 03, 2023
Friday Feb 03, 2023
If there's one thing that characterises megachurches in Australia and around the world, it's nepotism. Brian & Troy cite some tangible examples of nepotism in the Australian Christian Churches and Hillsong, discuss why this needs to change and what members can do about it.
Note: It is this New York Post article that reported Michael Guglielmucci, 'and his spouse, or “Team Gug,” should resign their roles at his father Danny’s church, Edge Church International, and sell their home and relocate to Port Adelaide.'
We'll be back February 17th, 2023.
---
Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Sunday Dec 25, 2022
Sunday Dec 25, 2022
Elgen Strait is the host of Falling Out, a podcast about and for people who grew-up in, and later left, abusive cults. Elgen was born and raised in the Unification Church, a.k.a. the Moonies. Elgen invited Troy & Brian on to his special Christmas episode, where they swapped stories and examined the similarities and differences between the Pentes and the Moonies. They also talked about how both groups celebrate Christmas and some of the wackier beliefs.
You can find Elgen's podcast here: https://pod.link/1550448436
---
Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Friday Dec 09, 2022
Friday Dec 09, 2022
This is it, the end of Season 3! Troy & Brian reflect on 2022 and some of the milestone episodes they released. They also field listener questions from social media and reveal what they have planned for Season 4 in 2023.
In this episode, Brian suggested the following from one of his favourite podcasts, Oh No, Ross and Carrie.
How the Ross Stole Christmas: Jesus’ Birth Narrative Edition: https://pod.link/425328515/episode/6eef1d266ef352aba825b9db256e4f72
---
Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Friday Nov 25, 2022
Friday Nov 25, 2022
David Ames is an American secular humanist who hosts a podcast promoting the idea of 'secular grace' after deconstruction and deconversion. An Assemblies of God Bible College graduate and a former AOG youth leader, David now gives a platform to others to tell their stories of transition from a life-altering faith to doubt to deconstruction to deconversion.
David's Graceful Atheist Podcast is available here: https://pod.link/1456800368 and find his episode with us here: https://pod.link/1456800368/episode/c24f38abd34de28363b8ac477c6dfbc8
---
Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Thursday Nov 17, 2022
Thursday Nov 17, 2022
This is a special crossover episode with Molly & Rachael of the Cheers to Leaving Podcast. They are both children of the house church movement, purity culture survivors, ex-Jesus Freaks and now Exvangelical podcast hosts. Join us as we swap stories and compare scars.
Trigger warning: This episode touches on issues concerning depression and self-harm. If you are in Australia and require support, please reach out to 1800RESPECT by phone or online at www.1800respect.org.au/ or Lifeline on 13 11 14.
For part 2 of this episode, please check out their podcast here: https://pod.link/1568302029
All their links are here: https://linktr.ee/cheerstoleaving
---
Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Friday Nov 11, 2022
Friday Nov 11, 2022
When journeying through the Progressive Christian scene, Brian was deeply impacted and influenced by Chrisitan Anarchist, Dave Andrews. Dave is particularly interested in radical spirituality, incarnational community and the dynamics of personal and social transformation. He is also the author of many books and articles. In this chat, Dave shares how he was excommunicated from YWAM in the ealry-1970s and about the interfaith work he did with Muslims in Asia.
Trigger warning: This episode contains a lot of Christian phrases and lingo that may trouble some listeners.This episode also touches on issues concerning depression and self-harm. If you are in Australia and require support, please reach out to 1800RESPECT by phone or online at www.1800respect.org.au/ or Lifeline on 13 11 14.
You can connect with Dave Andrews via his website: http://daveandrews.com.au/
---
Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Friday Oct 28, 2022
Friday Oct 28, 2022
Tara Jean is the creator and host of one of Troy and Brian's favourite podcasts, Heaven Bent. She has just released Season 3 which is a mix of religious history and true crime. She gives a behind the scenes look at the new season and a sneak peek into Season 4. She chatted here back on Episode 22 where she talked about the Toronto Blessing.
Find Heaven Bent here: https://frequencypodcastnetwork.com/podcasts/heaven-bent/
---
Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Friday Oct 14, 2022
Friday Oct 14, 2022
Following on from our previous episode, Troy Story, Troy recounts leaving his Christian marriage and his final exit from Church and Evangelicalism. It's a really heavy episode, so be warned.
Trigger warning: This episode touches on issues concerning depression and suicide. If you are in Australia and require support, please reach out to 1800RESPECT by phone or online at www.1800respect.org.au/ or Lifeline on 13 11 14.
---
Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Friday Sep 30, 2022
Friday Sep 30, 2022
In this episode, Troy continues to recount his journey away from Pentecostalism. He remembers packing up his church-plant and joining a self-proclaimed post-modern inner-city Church of Christ.
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Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Friday Sep 16, 2022
Friday Sep 16, 2022
In this episode, Brian & Troy catch up with Andrew, a fellow traveller from their time at Great Big AOG. Andrew recounts his struggles being deep in the closet at church and how he later came to accept his sexuality and then live openly as a gay man.
Trigger warning: This episode touches on issues concerning depression and suicide. If you are in Australia and require support, please reach out to 1800RESPECT by phone or online at www.1800respect.org.au/ or Lifeline on 13 11 14.
ABBI serves individuals, churches, denominations, leaders and religious organizations in a respectful and non-confrontational way along their journey to understand LGBTI people, their community, and relationships. Their website is here: www.abbi.org.au
---
Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Friday Sep 02, 2022
Friday Sep 02, 2022
Bree was born into Pentecostalism. She claims to have filled her Christian Bingo card by doing most things a good Christian girl should do, including marrying a pastor's son and being a superstar on the overhead projector. She remembers what it was like as a girl in a culty Word of Faith church and then later as a woman in Great Big CCC (aka c3).
Bree's blog is found here: http://breemorel.com/
---
Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Friday Aug 19, 2022
Friday Aug 19, 2022
This is a special crossover episode with Dr Clint Heacock of the Mindshift Podcast. Clint was a teenage fundamentalist, pastor, Bible College teacher, and completed a PhD on the Book of Ezekiel and preaching. We ask him how he came to jettison his Christian faith after being so dedicated for so many decades.
For part 2 of this episode, please check out Clint's podcast here: https://mindshiftpodcast.co.uk/?p=3315
---
Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Friday Aug 05, 2022
Friday Aug 05, 2022
Brian & Troy do a deeper dive into the ideas of Spiritual Warfare. This is the Pentecostal and Charismatic Christian belief that society and the broader world is controlled by Satan and his demon hordes and that these can be defeated by prayer.
The News.com.au article mentioned in this episode is found here: https://www.news.com.au/national/queensland/news/gold-coast-mayor-tom-tates-spiritual-adviser-says-the-home-of-the-arts-had-a-demonic-stronghold/news-story/021bd0254312bf15d1ee15ab1d4b69a3
We invite you to support the podcast on Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/IWATF
---
Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Friday Jul 22, 2022
Friday Jul 22, 2022
Brian McLaren was a Charismatic Evangelical pastor for twenty-four years. Now he's an author, activist, public theologian, and arguably the poster boy for Progressive Christians everywhere. In this episode, Troy and Brian chat with Brian McLaren about his new book, Do I Stay Christian? which gives reasons why people should stay but also why people should leave. You'll really enjoy this interview regardless of how you now define your spirituality (or lack thereof).
You can find Brian's book here: https://www.amazon.com.au/Do-Stay-Christian-Disappointed-Disillusioned/dp/1250262798
---
Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Friday Jul 08, 2022
Friday Jul 08, 2022
Troy recounts how his desire to find out about the history of the Revival Centres/ Revival Fellowship and the evolution of their beliefs turned into an obsession that not only took him to university, but also helped bring the truth about the cult to others damaged by them.
If you would like to explore the research and counter-Revival Centre work, see the links below:
http://revivalprophecy.blogspot.com/
https://revivalcentresblog.wordpress.com/
http://revival.aimoo.com/
---
Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Friday Jun 24, 2022
Friday Jun 24, 2022
Well-known Australian journalist Tom Tilley has interviewed some of the most influential people in the world. What was not so well-known until recently was that Tom grew up as the oldest son of a Pentecostal pastor. In this episode, Troy and Brian chat with Tom about his memoir, Speaking in Tongues, and how his Pentecostal upbringing shapes who he is now.
You can find Tom's book here: https://www.harpercollins.com.au/9780733341021/speaking-in-tongues/
If you would like to explore the research and counter-Revival Centre work, see the links below:
http://revival.aimoo.com/
https://revivalcentresblog.wordpress.com/
http://revivalprophecy.blogspot.com/
---
Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Friday Jun 10, 2022
Friday Jun 10, 2022
Brian and Troy talk with Rachel Bernstein, a licensed therapist who specialises in cult intervention and re-acclimation. She is the host and producer of the podcast IndoctriNation which explores cults, manipulators, and protecting yourself from systems of control.
This episode is the second of a crossover we did with Rachel. You can hear her interviewing us on her podcast here: https://www.podpage.com/indoctrination/ You can also connect with Rachel here: https://rachelbernsteintherapy.com/
---
Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Friday May 27, 2022
Friday May 27, 2022
Brian and Troy chat with Phil Drysdale about Deconstruction, which he defines as the process of questioning one’s core foundational beliefs and upon finding these are flawed, discarding them. Phil asserts that deconstruction most often comes from a place of passionate faith where religious questions go unanswered and where people are forced to explore new beliefs.
You can connect with Phil at PhilDrysdale.com and on Instagram @PhilDrysdale.
---
Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Friday May 13, 2022
Friday May 13, 2022
In this episode, Brian continues to recount his post-Pentecostal journey. He remembers the joys and pains at the start of his deconstruction process while living in Cairns in Australia's far north.
---
Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Friday Apr 29, 2022
Friday Apr 29, 2022
Dr Ray is an atheist psychologist and author who specialises in the secular treatment of religion-induced trauma. He founded the non-profit organisations Recovering from Religion and the Secular Therapy Project. He is also a regular speaker at the Conference on Religious Trauma. Most importantly, he is the current High Priest of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.
---
Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Friday Apr 15, 2022
Friday Apr 15, 2022
As Brian did in Episode 45, Troy recounts his short-lived time in the Baptist Union. It was here that he started a homegroup made up of a few Pentecostal refugees and reengaged the pop culture around him.
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Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Friday Apr 08, 2022
Friday Apr 08, 2022
In Episode 49, Brian & Troy spoke with best-selling Evangelical author, Philip Yancey. In this episode, they reflect on that conversation and what it brought up for them. What do Exvangelicals do about Evangelicals who are really good people? You may not agree with the conclusions the hosts reach, but hopefully you resonate with their honesty.
---
Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Friday Apr 01, 2022
Friday Apr 01, 2022
Brian & Troy talk with best-selling Evangelical author, Philip Yancey about his memoir, 'Where the Light Fell', that chronicles his time growing up fundamentalist. They also talk with Philip about how his books impacted them as they journeyed out of fundamentalism into more moderate versions of Christianity in the late-90s.
You can find Philip's new book here: https://www.amazon.com.au/Where-Light-Fell-Philip-Yancey/dp/0593238508/
---
Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Friday Mar 25, 2022
Friday Mar 25, 2022
If there's one thing that characterises megachurches in Australia and around the world, it's nepotism. Brian & Troy cite some tangible examples of nepotism in the Australian Christian Churches and Hillsong and discuss why this needs to change and what members can do about it.
Note: It is this New York Post article that reported Michael Guglielmucci, 'and his spouse, or “Team Gug,” should resign their roles at his father Danny’s church, Edge Church International, and sell their home and relocate to Port Adelaide.'
---
Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Saturday Mar 19, 2022
Saturday Mar 19, 2022
In this special bonus episode, Brian & Troy discuss the recent moral allegations brought against Brian Houston of Hillsong, by the online publication Crikey.
The Crikey article we quote is here: https://www.crikey.com.au/2022/03/18/brian-houston-revelations-hillsong/
Warning: This episode touches on issues concerning sexual misconduct and sexual harassment. If you are in Australia and require support, please reach out to 1800RESPECT by phone or online at www.1800respect.org.au/ or Lifeline on 13 11 14.
---
Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Friday Mar 18, 2022
Friday Mar 18, 2022
Elle Hardy is an accomplished Australian journalist who wrote Beyond Belief: How Pentecostal Christianity is taking over the world. Brian and Troy chat with Elle about how and why she undertook this project and what she discovered about the global Pentecostal phenomenon.
You can find her book at all the usual places online and access Elle's website here: https://www.hurstpublishers.com/book/beyond-belief/
---
Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Friday Mar 11, 2022
Friday Mar 11, 2022
Brian journeys away from Pentecostalism and fundamentalism to a more moderate Baptist space. He remembers being pulled back into Pentecostalism and even trying it back on for size, only to find it no longer fit.
---
Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Friday Mar 04, 2022
Friday Mar 04, 2022
In this second of two episodes, we continue our chat with Frank Schaeffer, author and son of the late theologian and Evangelical author, Francis Schaeffer. While Frank was once a teenage fundamentalist, he now describes himself as an atheist who believes in God. Frank talks about his new book, Fall in Love, Have Children, Stay Put, Save the Planet, Be Happy, a well-researched and entertaining bridge to living happier lives and to a better future.
You can access Frank's website here: https://www.frankschaeffer.com/ and his podcast here: https://pod.link/1570357787
---
Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Friday Mar 04, 2022
Friday Mar 04, 2022
In this first of two episodes, we talk with Frank Schaeffer, author and son of the late theologian and Evangelical author, Francis Schaeffer. While Frank was once a teenage fundamentalist, he now describes himself as an atheist who believes in God. Frank tells his back story and how he went from a founding member of the Religious Right to one of its harshest critics.
You can access Frank's website here: https://www.frankschaeffer.com/ and his podcast here: https://pod.link/1570357787
---
Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Thursday Feb 24, 2022
Thursday Feb 24, 2022
This first episode for Season 3 comes out swinging as Brian and Troy discuss the Hillsong news that Brian Houston has stepped down as its Global Senior Pastor. They then go for a walk down memory lane, discussing Christian bookstores and what they sell.
---
Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Friday Dec 17, 2021
Friday Dec 17, 2021
In this final episode for Season 2, B&T take questions from podcast listeners and reflect on the podcast so far.
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Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Friday Dec 10, 2021
Friday Dec 10, 2021
In this crossover episode, B&T are interviewed by the co-hosts of the podcast, What Should I Think About..? They are asked, "What is Evangelicalism? Is it a cult? What do Pentecostals believe? Why do they speak in tongues?" They also discussed the rise of megachurches and in particular Hillsong, its history, beliefs and methods of recruitment.
You can access the very interesting WSITA..? podcast here: https://pod.link/1540824671
--
Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Tuesday Dec 07, 2021
Tuesday Dec 07, 2021
B&T talk with Geoff Bullock, one of the founding pastors of Hills Christian Life Centre, which later became Hillsong. He talks frankly about how and why he left Hillsong in 1995, and his journey since then.
Geoff Bullock was appointed as the church's worship pastor and was the convenor of the annual Hillsong conference from 1987 to 1995. He was also a creative and driving force behind Hillsong's first hit albums and helped to change the face of Christian worship music globally.
--
Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Friday Dec 03, 2021
Friday Dec 03, 2021
The time has come...at last! Tune in to hear B&T trigger like MOFOs and tell how they finally left Great Big AOG.
This episode makes reference to "The Toronto Blessing" which was discussed in Episode 22: https://iwasateenagefundamentalist.podbean.com/e/episode-022-heaven-bent-with-tara-jean-stevens/
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Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Friday Nov 26, 2021
Friday Nov 26, 2021
T comes back from Country Town AOG and B has risen in the ranks of the Great Big AOG youth group. T doesn't like what he sees and B is not so sure about T.
Our links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email us: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Friday Nov 19, 2021
Friday Nov 19, 2021
C was in full-time paid ministry at Christian City Church (now known as c3) in the mid to late-90s. In this episode she shares how she joined, the culture of the organisation, and why she eventually walked away.
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Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Friday Nov 12, 2021
Friday Nov 12, 2021
In this episode, T recounts his time in formal ministry as the youth pastor of Country Town AOG. Spoiler alert: it didn't go too well.
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Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Friday Nov 05, 2021
Friday Nov 05, 2021
This is the second half of our time with Bart Campolo, a secular community builder, counsellor and writer who serves as the Humanist Chaplain at the University of Cincinnati. He is the son of Evangelical celebrity preacher and author, Tony Campolo, with whom he made a movie about leaving Evangelical Christianity.
You can connect with Bart at bartcampolo.org/ and find his podcast, Humanize Me on all good platforms. You can stream Leaving My Father's Faith here: https://campolofilm.com/
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Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Friday Nov 05, 2021
Friday Nov 05, 2021
Bart Campolo is a secular community builder, counsellor and writer who serves as the Humanist Chaplain at the University of Cincinnati. He is the son of Evangelical celebrity preacher and author, Tony Campolo, with whom he made a movie about leaving Evangelical Christianity.
You can connect with Bart at bartcampolo.org/ and find his podcast, Humanize Me on all good platforms. You can stream Leaving My Father's Faith here: https://campolofilm.com/
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Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Friday Oct 29, 2021
Friday Oct 29, 2021
In this episode, T goes deeper into a story he told in Episode 26 and shares how he was rejected by a very high profile family at Great Big AOG because he didn't have enough faith to be 'comfortable'.
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Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Friday Oct 22, 2021
Friday Oct 22, 2021
Anji Barker has 30 years experience in neighbourhood based community work in poor urban communities in Australia, Thailand and the UK. In this episode, she shares her own story of leaving fundamentalism and why she's happy to still call herself a 'follower of Jesus'.
You can connect with Anj at https://newbigintrust.uk/ and find her book, Missionary Not Just A Position on Amazon.
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Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Friday Oct 15, 2021
Friday Oct 15, 2021
Heaven was the ultimate reward that B&T looked forward to as teenage fundamentalists. In this episode, they look back and remember what they believed about this final destination. And just like Heaven, you won't want to miss this episode.
The two books recommended in this episode are:
Heaven and Hell: A History of the Afterlife : Ehrman, Bart D.
Beyond: How Humankind Thinks About Heaven eBook : Wolff, Catherine
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Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Friday Oct 08, 2021
Friday Oct 08, 2021
B&T remember all the hours they gave to the church as volunteers and how some in the Church didn't always handle donations of time and money in the most ethical manner.
Warning: This episode briefly touches on rape and sexual abuse. If you are in Australia and require support, please reach out to 1800RESPECT by phone or online at www.1800respect.org.au/ or Lifeline on 13 11 14.
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Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Friday Oct 01, 2021
Friday Oct 01, 2021
Fiona Newton, former Teenage Fundamentalist and co-author of the petition to stop Hillsong evangelising in public schools, joins B&T to tell about her own fundy past and why she thinks that Hillsong deserves no place in the public education system.
You can sign Fiona's Change.org petition here: https://www.change.org/p/federal-minister-for-education-hillsong-church-is-trying-to-proselytise-their-religion-in-australian-schools-we-say-no and connect to her Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/keephillsongoutofourschools/
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Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Friday Sep 24, 2021
Friday Sep 24, 2021
As Pentecostals, both B&T crossed paths with sexual predators in church. This episode recalls those meetings and also some of the scandals that plagued Pentecostalism in recent years.
The articles mentioned in this episode are:
Findings released into Australian Christian Churches and affiliated Pentecostal churches
Royal Commission sex abuse inquiry censures Hillsong head Brian Houston
Assemblies of God leaders alleged to have abused children
Hillsong leader Brian Houston was charged over the concealment of alleged child sex offences
Warning: This episode touches on issues concerning rape, sexual abuse and the sexual abuse of minors. If you are in Australia and require support, please reach out to 1800RESPECT by phone or online at www.1800respect.org.au/ or Lifeline on 13 11 14.
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Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Friday Sep 17, 2021
Friday Sep 17, 2021
As you might have guessed, dating and marriage within Fundamentalism wasn't often egalitarian and was usually controlled by the pastors and leaders.
Warning: This episode touches on issues concerning rape and domestic violence. If you are in Australia and require support, please reach out to Rape and Domestic Violence Services via: https://www.rape-dvservices.org.au/ or Lifeline on 13 11 14.
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Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/
Friday Sep 10, 2021
Friday Sep 10, 2021
Dr Josie McSkimming, author of Leaving Christian Fundamentalism and the Reconstruction of Identity, shares her own story as a teenage fundamentalist within Sydney Anglicanism and her ongoing clinical work with those leaving Fundamentalist Christianity. To contact Josie, please visit her website: https://mcskimming.com.au/
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Transcript of the episode is here.
Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf
Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com
Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/