What if youth group wasn’t about dodgeball, purity rings, and trauma bonding over mission trips? In this episode, we talk with Dr. Andrew Zirschky about Progressive Youth Ministry—what it looks like to raise teenagers in a faith that’s inclusive, justice-oriented, and actually reflects Jesus. We unpack the damage done by purity culture, gender roles, and shame-based theology, and talk about how to spot a youth pastor red flag from a mile away. This is the guide every parent, pastor, and ex-youth-group kid wishes they had.patreon.com/skepticpastorhttp://pym.events/2025 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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39:16
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39:16
Stopping the Exodus of Young Adults from the Church
This episode is a checklist of why young adults bounce. We tell the story of a would-be missionary crushed by the hell doctrine, trace early Christian views that weren’t eternal-torment, and drag the hypocrisy of flag-waving “martyr” talk. Finally, we map out how to rebuild—open-handed spirituality, evidence-honoring skepticism, and a supportive digital community that doesn’t pass the plate or police your beliefs.patreon.com/skepticpastor Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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42:21
Ruth: The Rated R Scene
If the Bible were a Netflix show, this episode would come with a “viewer discretion advised” warning. Ruth takes the lead, flips gender roles, and all under the cover of darkness. Turns out the Bible’s big sex scene is also one of its most feminist. It’s possibly the sexiest, most subversive story in Scripture—and it pushes back hard against purity culture’s shame game. This is an episode you don't want to miss.patreon.com/skepticpastor Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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35:40
Fictional Deconstruction with Brian McLaren
What if you stripped faith down to its essence—no megachurch stage lights, no fear-based sermons, no evangelical gatekeeping? That’s what Brian McLaren does in his new novel set on Mars. We talk about how families fight over religion, why the fight doesn’t have to mean dehumanizing, and how spirituality survives once the institutional scaffolding is gone.patreon.com/skepticpastor Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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41:26
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41:26
What Really Happened in Jesus’ Last Hours and the Female Disciples of Jesus
The gospels aren’t journalism—they’re theology. Dr. Helen Bond helps us dig into what the stories of Jesus’ final hours really meant to the earliest Christians. Along the way, we uncover the often-overlooked women who followed Jesus, the strange ending of Mark’s gospel, and what ancient burial customs can tell us about Good Friday.patreon.com/skeptic pastor New Insights to the New Testament Online Conference Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
The Unbelief Podcast is your space to question, explore, and release the beliefs that no longer serve you—or maybe even caused harm. Hosted by Jeremy Steele, the Skeptic Pastor, this podcast dives deep into deconstruction, offering progressive and thoughtful insights on ancient spiritual texts like the Bible. Through interviews with leading scholars and candid conversations with those navigating their own faith journeys, the Unbelief Podcast invites you to rethink, rediscover, and rebuild your spirituality on your own terms. If you've ever felt disillusioned by what you were told to believe, this is the podcast for you.
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