The God Squad Pod

This week on The God Squad , Dillon and Desimber dive into the biggest headlines shaping faith, politics, and justice in Breaking News and Broken Theology . Dillon names Doug Wilson as his Fundamentalist Fuckwit of the Week , while Desimber spotlights Pastor Dale Partridge as This MF of the Week , unpacking the influence of White Christian Nationalism and its impact on the Church and society. The...

Rev. Dr. Mark Sandlin joins Dillon and Desimber for a thoughtful conversation about Progressive Christianity and its relevance in today's world. Together they explore what Progressive Christianity is, the mission of the modern church, and the role Christians can play in pursuing justice, compassion, and reconciliation. Dr. Sandlin also shares what he believes is his calling in these tumultuous tim...

Dillon & Desimber debrief the debate of Matthew Distefano and Andrew Wilson on "Modern Day Debate." The question that persists within the church and within the political arena is: Where do LGBTQ+ people belong? Do they belong in the Church? If not, why? If so, how do we validate that position in scripture? And ultimately the age old question remains, What Would Jesus Do? Hosted by Simplecast, an A...

Former MAGA activist Jerry Koch joins Dillon and Desimber to share his powerful journey into—and ultimately out of—the MAGA movement. Together, they explore the role of faith, identity, and political culture in shaping beliefs, what prompted Jerry to question his worldview, and how he found a new path grounded in compassion, critical thinking, and service. They also discuss his work with the Leavi...

Dillon & Desimber discuss the growing collision of politics, entertainment, and spectacle in American culture following a UFC fight at the White House. The proposed Iran deal is taking fire from both Republicans and Democrats. Is it a pathway to peace, political theater, or something else entirely? The star-studded Grand Opening of the Obama Presidential Center and the legacy President Obama leave...

This week on The God Squad, Dillon and Desimber dive headfirst into another week of breaking news, broken theology, and the ongoing collision between faith and public life.  First, we'll tackle the headlines dominating the news cycle, Then we'll turn our attention to one of the biggest stories in American Christianity this week. At its annual meeting in Orlando, the Southern Baptist Convention vot...

What happens when the faith you've inherited no longer fits the questions you're asking? Join us this week as we welcome award-winning author and essayist Liz Charlotte Grant, author of Knock at the Sky: Seeking God in Genesis After Losing Faith in the Bible. Together we'll explore the intersections of faith, doubt, Scripture, deconstruction, reconstruction, and what it means to keep seeking God w...

This week we're joined by theologian, veteran, public scholar, and cultural commentator Leigh Larson for a conversation that sits at the intersection of faith, power, patriotism, and the future of the Church. Leigh Larson is the creator and host of Follow the Leighder, a multi-platform society and culture brand reaching more than 245,000 followers across social media. A graduate of Phillips Theolo...

The world may be falling apart… but at least we’ve got theology, sarcasm, and mushroom zombies. Join Dillon & Desimber Rose this week as we welcome special guest author Matthew DiStefano to discuss his latest book, Saints, Sinners, and Clickers — a deep dive into morality, humanity, survival, and what The Last of Us saga can teach us about who we become when the world breaks down. Before we get to...

The world is on fire, the headlines are unhinged, and somehow the church folks are still auditioning for the Book of Revelation. Join Dillon & Desimber Rose this week as: 🔥 Dillon presents the Fundamentalist Fuckwittery Candidate of the Week 🔥 Desimber tackles This MF of the Week 🔥 And together they attempt to navigate the breaking news cycle with at least ONE surviving brain cell and a shred o...

This week on The God Squad with Dillon & Desimber — we’re talking about what happens when the people in power keep rolling back rights while telling us everything is “fine.” The Supreme Court keeps carving pieces out of the Voting Rights Act, gas prices are squeezing working families dry, another endless war machine is spinning up around Iran, and somehow the loudest voices in American Christianit...

Some faith conversations stay safe. This one… probably won’t. We’re sitting down with Elle Dowd, author of Baptized in Tear Gas — a voice unafraid to wrestle with what happens when faith collides with protest, justice, and the lived realities of oppression. Because let’s be honest… Following Jesus has never been about comfort. It’s about courage. This conversation will hold tension.. what happens...

This week on The God Squad Podcast, Dillon sits down with author, publisher, and podcast powerhouse Keith Giles, alongside Mo Thomas and Brandy Anderson, for a conversation you don’t want to miss. They’re diving deep into his latest thought-provoking works — Quantum Gospel of Philip and Quantum Theology Vol. 1 — exploring faith, mystery, and the intersections of theology and consciousness in ways...

This week on The God Squad Podcast, Desimber Rose & Dillon Naber Cruz sit down with one of the most important voices in the conversation around faith and power—Dr. Matthew D. Taylor. Fresh off his recent appearance on CNN with Jake Tapper, Dr. Taylor brings clarity, depth, and a much-needed reality check to the growing influence of Christian nationalism and extremist movements shaping both religio...

This week on The God Squad Podcast… we’re getting a little holy, a little heretical, and just uncomfortable enough to matter. Join Dillon Naber Cruz & Desimber Rose as they sit down with author Jeremy Steele to talk about his bold and timely new book, Rituals for Heretics—a guide for those who’ve outgrown rigid religion but still refuse to let go of the sacred. Let’s be honest—some of us didn’t lo...

This week on The God Squad Podcast with Desimber Rose & Dillon Naber Cruz, we’re diving into a powerful listener question that gets personal, practical, and just a little uncomfortable (in the best way). Then we’re back with our signature segment: Breaking News, Bad Theology, unpacking Iran, Bondi, and Theology in the headlines that just doesn’t hold up. If you’ve ever wondered how faith intersect...

This week on The God Squad, we’re sitting down with one of the most provocative and inspiring voices in modern Christianity—Shane Claiborne. Shane is a best-selling author, activist, and co-founder of Red Letter Christians, a movement centered on living out the actual words of Jesus—the “red letters”—with courage, compassion, and conviction. From working alongside Mother Teresa in Calcutta to foun...

This week on The God Squad, Dillon Naber Cruz and Desimber Rose sit down with Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg, the acclaimed Jewish scholar and author of On Repentance and Repair: Making Amends in an Unapologetic World . In a time when public apologies are often little more than PR damage control, Rabbi Ruttenberg brings ancient Jewish wisdom to a modern crisis of accountability. Drawing from the teachings...

What Happens When Foreign Wars Get a Bible Verse? This week, Dillon’s seat is being held down by author and theologian Matthew J. Distefano, who joins Desimber to unpack a week where geopolitics apparently came with a side of Revelation commentary. First up: the newly launched war with Iran, which has already escalated across the region after coordinated U.S.– Israel strikes triggered retaliation...

Dillon & Desimber are sitting down with author and podcaster Stuart Delony, creator of Snarky Faith and writer of the delightfully timely new book The Tribulation Survival Guide — because apparently, we’re all living in the group project from Revelation and nobody agreed to the assignment. Stuart has built a following calling out toxic theology, spiritual manipulation, and end-times fear-mongering...

This week, the God Squad sits down with Author and Pastor Dr. Kevin Young, whose insightful new book "Reconstruct Your Faith: An Ancient Relationship for a Modern World" flips the script on everything we thought we knew about faith, doubt, and what it actually looks like to follow Jesus in an age of distraction and disillusionment. Whether you’ve ever wondered how ancient wisdom still applies to y...

This week's episode dives headfirst into the congressional hearing where Pam Bondi somehow managed to answer questions without actually answering… well… anything — especially when it comes to accountability for victims connected to the long-shadowed Jeffrey Epstein scandal and the ever-mysterious “files that apparently live in the witness protection program.” Expect receipts, righteous side-eye, a...

Tonight’s headlines remind us that theology isn’t just what we preach, it’s what we practice. When the Gospel confronts power, somebody has to decide whether love or law will have the last word. This week, we dive into the week’s headlines through a Gospel lens, asking not just what happened, but what would Jesus say about it? From immigration crackdowns and global conflict to institutional religi...

This week on The God Squad, Dillon & Desimber take on a news cycle that feels more ruthless than righteous. From immigration raids involving children and manipulated images of protestors to global power plays and faith leaders pushing back, we put today’s headlines on trial against the teachings of Jesus. Join us Thursday at 8:00pm EST for Scripture, truth-telling, and a necessary reality check on...

This week, Dillon & Desimber tackle a wild week in the headlines — from civil liberties and immigration enforcement to truth distortion and the state of the church itself. We’re sifting through seven major stories to see where today’s headlines collide with the Gospel call to love our neighbors and follow Christ. Buckle up: truth, Scripture, and holy side-eye are coming! Hosted by Simplecast, an A...