Christianity Without Compromise: Rebuilding Faith Around Jesus Alone

In this conversation on the Smashing Idols podcast, host Jake Doberenz interviews Kate Battistelli about confronting the idol of complacency and rediscovering identity in the empty nest stage of life. A former Broadway actress turned homeschooling mom, Kate shares how stepping out in faith led to an unexpected journey of authorship and ministry. She challenges the comfort-driven mindset common in...

In this solo conversation on the Christianity Without Compromise podcast (formerly Smashing Idols ), host Jake Doberenz reflects on how his early passion for scripture evolved from a foundation in six-day creationism to a deeper, more contextually grounded love for the Bible. Jake shares how his faith journey shifted when he learned to ask the Bible the right questions—those it actually seeks to a...

A church that only speaks English may unintentionally tell a third of its neighbors: you don’t belong here. Jonathan Downie, author of Multilingual Church and host of the Church Interpreting Podcast , joins Christianity Without Compromise (formerly Smashing Idols ) to expose how language choices shape who gets included in church—and who gets left out. Drawing on personal stories and global insight...

Nic Flores, former ministry leader and current content creator, is on Christianity Without Compromise (formerly Smashing Idols ) with host Jake Doberenz to explore the pull toward isolation and the life found in authentic community. Drawing from personal experiences in ministry, shame, and eventual reconnection, Nic challenges the idol of self-sufficiency and reflects on how trauma, rejection, and...

In this conversation on the Christianity Without Compromise (formerly Smashing Idols ) podcast, host Jake Doberenz interviews pastor Jon Adams about the cultural tendency to treat our feelings as sacred. Jon, a writer, pastor, and YouTuber who focuses on Christian mysticism, explores how emotions can become idols when we let them dictate our identity, decisions, and spiritual direction. Drawing fr...

Many Christians say the Bible isn’t a textbook—but still treat it like one. Joseph Dea, pastor, podcaster, and founder of Buddy Walk with Jesus , is on Christianity Without Compromise (formerly Smashing Idols ) with host Jake Doberenz to explore why the Bible isn’t meant to simply give answers but to form us spiritually. They unpack how shame, church culture, and academic rigidity shape our engage...

Christians love the Bible—but have we started worshiping it instead of the God it points to? Andrew Fouts, host of Ministry Misfits and longtime sports ministry leader, joins Christianity Without Compromise (formerly Smashing Idols ) with Jake Doberenz to explore how Scripture has been elevated beyond its purpose. They trace how the Bible is used as a weapon in culture wars, turned into a badge of...

Young people are leaving the Church—and it’s not just a trend, it’s a systemic failure. Luke Dockery, youth and family minister at Cloverdale Church of Christ and adjunct professor at Harding University, is on Christianity Without Compromise (formerly Smashing Idols ) with host Jake Doberenz to discuss how youth ministry often operates in isolation, and why that’s a problem. Drawing from his book...

The early Church didn’t just believe nonviolence was an occasional good idea—they practiced it, all the time, even when it cost them everything. Jason Porterfield, author and peacemaking advocate, joins host Jake Doberenz on Christianity Without Compromise (formerly Smashing Idols ) to discuss how violence is challenged by Christ’s model for peace. Drawing from his book Fight Like Jesus: How Jesus...

Larry Lin, pastor and writer, is on Christianity Without Compromise (formerly Smashing Idols ) with host Jake Doberenz to discuss the idol of Christian nationalism and how it distorts the church’s witness. Larry unpacks the historical and theological problems with merging national identity and Christian faith, clarifies what Christian nationalism actually means, and outlines why it contradicts the...

Dr. Malcolm Foley, pastor, historian, and author of The Anti-Greed Gospel: Why the Love of Money Is the Root of Racism and How the Church Can Move Forward , is on Christianity Without Compromise (formerly Smashing Idols ) with host Jake Doberenz to expose greed as the spiritual force behind racism, empire, and violence. Malcolm traces the invention of race as a tool for economic exploitation, show...

Natalie Drew joins the Christianity Without Compromise podcast (formerly Smashing Idols) with host Jake Doberenz to talk about navigating faith as a Christian trans woman, military veteran, and committed pacifist. Natalie critiques the idolization of identity—especially within LGBTQ and activist spaces—and reflects on how re-centering her life on Christ transformed her theology, mental health, and...

Brian Sturtz, director of spiritual care and longtime minister, is on Christianity Without Compromise (then called Smashing Idols ) with host Jake Doberenz to unpack the illusion of control and how it warps Christian faith. Drawing from years as a trauma and hospice chaplain, Brian explains how reactivity—our instinctive effort to manage fear—leads us to overfunction, dominate, or withdraw. He dis...

We may not bow down to golden statues, but our screens often hold the same power. Andrew Noble, PhD candidate in theology and host of What Would Jesus Tech? , joins Christianity Without Compromise (formerly Smashing Idols ) to discuss the hidden ways technology becomes an idol. With host Jake Doberenz, Andrew unpacks his journey from startup tech worker to theological researcher—and how his backgr...

Writer and storyteller Thomas Salerno joins host Jake Doberenz on Christianity Without Compromise (formerly Smashing Idols ) to unpack the idols of achievement and purpose through his personal journey—from curating fossils at the American Museum of Natural History to discovering God-given gifts in writing and teaching. Thomas shares how divine providence redirected his dreams during the pandemic,...

Most Christians say they want church unity—but what does that actually look like? Author and Bible teacher Traci Rhoades joins Christianity Without Compromise (formerly Theology Meets World ) to share her multi-denominational journey, from Southern Baptist roots to Reformed churches to pursuing the Catholic Church. With host Jake Doberenz, she reflects on the beauty and mystery of the Church as on...

Jonathan Machnee, host of Christian on the Spectrum podcast, is on Christianity Without Compromise (formerly Theology Meets World ) with host Jake Doberenz to discuss the intersection of autism and the Christian faith. Jonathan shares his journey from growing up in church, through deconstruction and atheism, to then returning to Christianity with a renewed perspective shaped by his autism. He high...

Payton Minzenmayer, pastor at Vero Beach Church of Christ and founder of Christian Story Lab, is on Christianity Without Compromise (formerly Theology Meets World ) with host Jake Doberenz to explore how Christians can reclaim storytelling as a transformative spiritual tool. From hiding Pokémon cartridges as a kid to writing his first book Story on Purpose , Payton shares how story helped him surv...

We’ve built churches that run on doing and learning—but rarely teach believers how to rely on the Spirit. Dr. Mike Clarensau, author of A Spirit Empowered Life , joins host Jake Doberenz on Christianity Without Compromise (then called Theology Meets World ) to challenge the modern tendency to substitute knowledge for power. Drawing from Scripture and decades of church consulting, Mike explores how...

Scot McKnight, renowned New Testament scholar and author of the new book Invisible Jesus , is on Christianity Without Compromise (formerly Theology Meets World) with host Jake Doberenz to discuss the rise of faith deconstruction. Scot addresses how believers who leave rigid or politicized expressions of Christianity are often not abandoning faith but stripping away distortions to re-center on Jesu...

Churches are known for stepping up after a disaster—but what if the real calling begins before the crisis? Kiva Maxwell, disaster preparedness planner for the CDC in the Houston area, joins host Jake Doberenz on Christianity Without Compromise (formerly Theology Meets World) to explore how faith, public health, and community resilience intersect. From her childhood obsession with Hurricane Katrina...

Churches rushed online during the pandemic—but few paused to ask what Scripture actually says about internet technology. Mike Van Goch, Canadian writer, is on Christianity Without Compromise (formerly Theology Meets World ) with host Jake Doberenz to discuss what Christians get wrong about the internet, online church, and digital discipleship. They explore why treating the internet as a “place” cr...

Dr. Jared Stacy, a seasoned pastor and PhD researcher on conspiratorial thinking, joins host Jake Doberenz on Christianity Without Compromise (formerly Theology Meets World) to explore how conspiracy theories—past and present—have shaped American evangelicalism and Christianity at large. Jared unpacks the structure of conspiratorial narratives: hidden actors, hostile intent, and a sense of holy st...

The church’s political entanglements didn’t come out of nowhere—but most Christians don’t know the history. Chris Staron, host of the award-winning Truce podcast, joins Jake Doberenz on Christianity Without Compromise (formerly Theology Meets World ) to unpack how theology and social change collided with American politics, forming the complex landscape evangelicalism navigates today. Chris emphasi...

Joseph Holmes, film critic and co-host of The Overthinkers podcast, is on Christianity Without Compromise (formerly Theology Meets Word ) with host Jake Doberenz to discuss how Christians should engage with movies, entertainment, and pop culture. Raised by two ordained ministers who modeled how to connect theology with storytelling, Joseph shares how we brings those skills to the movies and TV tha...