After leaving vocational ministry, I wasn't expecting a couple of things... how isolated I would feel, and how hard it would be to find resources that I could relate to and learn from.
Finding a new community of people to connect with and run with after church hurt is essential. But it takes time. And to be honest, it took months for me to be open to that. Maybe you feel the same way.
In the absence of community, podcasts and other resources can be a lifeline to help you process through what you're feeling and what you've experienced. But the last thing I wanted to hear on a podcast in that season of life, was someone talking about how great the Church is.
It was also a wakeup call to me that there weren't many resources available to me that seemed like the author or creator understood where I was coming from and could help me heal and move forward. Maybe I shouldn't have been surprised that there weren't a lot of resources available from churches for what to do after you leave the church.
I needed voices in my life who demonstrated a very keen awareness of the shortcomings of the church and the hurt that they had experienced there - but also an intellectual honesty and curiosity. I needed people who were further down the road than me in untangling biblical truth and authentic faith in Jesus, from the cultural values and secondary things that had gotten intertwined with them.
A handful of podcasts became extremely helpful in my process. I was inspired and encouraged to hear people who seemed to get me, who had been hurt by the Church, but still demonstrated a love for Jesus and a passion for deepening their understanding of God through the Bible.
So if you're where I have been, and you're looking for thoughtful, intellectually honest resources to help you grow in your walk with Jesus... here are a list of some of the top podcasts I would recommend that have been helpful in my process:
Holy Post - Thoughtful, pro-neighbor Christian conent - Join VeggieTales and What's in the Bible? creator Phil Vischer and co-host Skye Jethani (author, speaker, pastor) for a fast-paced and often funny conversation about pop culture, media, theology, and the fun, fun, fun of living a thoughtful Christian life in an increasingly post-Christian culture.
Voxology - A Home for the Spiritually Homeless - We’re here to inspire the spiritually homeless to rediscover the beauty of Jesus. Not alone, but within a community of thinkers, doubters and dreamers who ask the hard questions and challenge status quo Christianity. Come on in and join us.
Southside Rabbi - The Urban Intersection of Christ, Culture and Theology - International recording artist, KB and respected writer and influencer, Ameen Hudson are best friends from the crazy streets of south side St. Petersburg, FL and share a distinct love for Jesus and for culture. Join them as they discuss important conversations on art, theology, and Christian living from a unique perspective. You never know what type of social commentary you'll get from these dudes and their guests, but we guarantee it will be full of substance, truth, and "free smoke" for any controversy.
Theology in the Raw - Theology in the Raw is a space for Christian exiles to think Christianly about all areas of life. We’re a collective of churched and dechurched Christian contrarians who resist the echo chamber, love Jesus, are addicted to grace, and seek to live authentically and counterculturally as exiles in Babylon.
Check these out and let us know what you think!
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