Praise Be To Pod

In this episode, we join forces with Meg and Sarai from Holy Ghosting to discuss building community as podcast creators without competition. We dive into how we navigate life after religious upbringing, share personal experiences of unraveling faith, and discuss how to challenge what it looks like for each of us to live authentically. Discussing polyamory, queer identity, marriage, motherhood, and...

Ashley and Bailee ring in the New Year by sharing what in 2026 they’re looking forward to and what they’re relieved to leave behind from 2025. Joined by their producer Jacob, they talk about the lessons, habits, and narratives that no longer serve them, as well as the things they’re genuinely excited to nurture in the year ahead—both personally and with Praise Be to Pod . From complicated feelings...

Ashley and Bailee close out 2025 by reflecting on the year behind them—both personally and through the lens of Praise Be to Pod . Joined by their producer Jacob, they revisit the conversations, themes, and moments that shaped the podcast, from unpacking evangelical doctrine to sharing stories that once felt too tender to say out loud. From lessons learned while creating the show to the ways this p...

Ashley and Bailee dive into the rise of Christian homeschooling in America. They unpack how homeschooling grew from a fringe alternative into a core strategy of the evangelical movement, shaped by fear of secularism, control, and political influence. From the history of the movement to its impact on kids, they explore how homeschooling can shape social development, limit exposure to different view...

Content Advisory: This episode includes conversation on eating disorders. Listener discretion is advised. Ashley and Bailee dive into Ashley’s personal journey with body image and eating disorder recovery, shaped by her experience in the evangelical church. They unpack how small bodies were celebrated, larger ones exiled, and how church teachings fed shame, perfectionism, and severe restriction. F...

Ashley and Bailee dig into the idea of toxic forgiveness — the way churches twist forgiveness into a tool for silencing people, protecting abusers, and keeping vulnerable members in line. They unpack how the language of grace, mercy, and “moving on” gets weaponized to avoid accountability and pressure people into reconciling before they’re ready. From the subtle emotional manipulation to the outri...

Bailee and Ashley take a historical detour—unpacking how the Puritans didn’t just influence early America, but laid the ideological groundwork for today’s alt-right evangelical movement. They trace the through-line from 1600s moral rigidity to modern Christian nationalism, purity culture, and the political power structures we still feel today. From the myth-making around the “First Thanksgiving” t...

For part 2 of their Thanksgiving series, Ashley and Bailee move from tension to tactics — breaking down how to actually survive conversations with alt-right and evangelical family members. They share strategies for staying grounded, setting boundaries, and keeping your sanity when the table talk turns political. From choosing when to engage to knowing when to pass the gravy and change the subject,...

For part 1 of their Thanksgiving series, Ashley and Bailee dig into the tension of coming home to politically divided families. They explore how finding common ground has become harder as the right grows more radicalized — and what that means for conversations around the table with evangelical parents and conspiracy-loving uncles. It’s a look at the emotional landscape of family, politics, and fai...

For part 2 of the conversation on Mormonism, Ashley and Bailee turn their focus to modern Mormon culture — from baptisms for the dead and sacred undergarments to baby blessings and the Utah plastic surgery boom. They also look at how BIPOC members navigate faith within a church still reckoning with its history on race. It’s a deep dive into the beliefs, rituals, and modern ideals shaping Mormon li...

For their Season 1 finale, Ashley and Bailee dive into the foundations of Mormonism — the religious movement that started with Joseph Smith’s visions and a mysterious golden book. From the early 19th-century American landscape to the founding of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, they explore how faith, controversy, and community shaped a movement that would captivate millions. They...

Bailee and Ashley revisit the cult classic Hocus Pocus — a movie that once lived firmly on the “banned” list of evangelical households. For Bailee, it’s a first-time watch after years of hearing it would “open doors to the demonic.” Together, they explore what made this 90s Halloween film such a target of fear, how it became a cultural staple, and why evangelicals were so afraid of a little witchy...

Bailee and Ashley unpack the evangelical fear of Halloween — the one night a year said to “open doors to the demonic.” From banned costumes and “Harvest Festivals” to sermons about the devil’s birthday, they explore how a night of make-believe became a moral minefield. They also revisit the infamous Guts Church’s Nightmare, the evangelical “scared straight” haunted house in Tulsa, OK that did not...

Bailee and Ashley dig into the evangelical fixation on demonic activity — from the fear of Ouija boards and Harry Potter to the late-night youth group sermons about “opening spiritual doors.” They explore how a fixation on evil, possession, and “spiritual warfare” created a culture where fear was framed as discernment and curiosity was cast as danger. They also reflect on how growing up in that en...

Bailee and Ashley dig into the world of the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP) — the fundamentalist organization at the center of the Shiny Happy People docuseries and the belief system that shaped the Duggar family. They explore how IBLP’s teachings on authority, purity, and submission created a culture of fear disguised as faith — and how those ideas spread far beyond one family or moveme...

Bailee and Ashley explore the idea of “divine timing” — how evangelical culture framed waiting as holy, delays as God’s will, and patience as proof of faith. From purity culture’s insistence on waiting for marriage, to the promise that every unanswered prayer had a higher purpose, they unpack how these teachings shaped their understanding of time, desire, and control. They also reflect on what it...

Bailee and Ashley dig into the idea of “guilty pleasures” and how evangelical culture shaped their relationship to fun, rest, and indulgence. From the suspicion of secular music and movies, to the shame around food, fashion, and even hobbies, they reflect on how pleasure was often framed as dangerous or sinful. They also share how they’re learning to reclaim joy without guilt — embracing simple de...

Bailee and Ashley dive into how evangelical culture taught them to view joy and suffering — from the pressure to “choose joy” in every circumstance to the idea that enduring hardship was proof of true faith. They reflect on how these teachings minimized real emotions, fueled toxic positivity, and made space for shame when life didn’t feel joyful enough. They also share what it’s looked like to unl...

Ashley and Bailee continue the conversation on how evangelical culture shaped their views on marriage— including how the evangelical marriage complex pressures people to marry young, sets them up with unrealistic ideals, and leaves little room for growth or authenticity. So in Part 2, Ashley and Bailee return to the conversation, diving deeper into the ways those teachings shaped our expectations...

Ashley and Bailee dig into the evangelical culture of testimonies and the role they played in shaping both faith and identity. We unpack how testimonies became a kind of performance—rewarded when they fit the right narrative and quietly dismissed when they didn’t. From youth group stages to revival tents, we reflect on how we were conditioned to craft stories that proved God’s power, often at the...

Ashley and Bailee dig into evangelical missions culture and the complicated role it played in shaping their beliefs and experiences. We unpack the inner conflict of whether missions and international aid were truly helpful, how savior complexes were woven into the narrative, and the lasting impact on native communities — where work assumed to be “good” often perpetuated harm and reinforced colonia...

Ashley and Bailee take a closer look at how evangelical culture framed marriage as the ultimate marker of spiritual maturity and the “arrival” into adulthood — and the ripple effects that followed. From the rush to the altar to the unease around staying single, we explore how these spoken and unspoken rules shaped our choices, relationships, and sense of self. We also reflect on what lingers after...

It’s time for another Super Special Wednesday Night Youth Group Episode! Join Ashley and Bailee as they dive into A Walk to Remember — the early-2000s Nicholas Sparks classic that fueled youth group crushes, purity culture romance fantasies, and even put Switchfoot on the map. From Landon’s rebel-turned-soft-boi transformation to Jamie’s Bible-thumper-with-a-secret persona, they unpack what this f...

In Part 2 of our series on mental health in evangelical culture, Ashley and Bailee dig into the specific teachings that shaped their inner worlds — and their mental health. From the harmful nature of spiritual bypassing, to the pressure of Word of Faith theology, to the shame-based mental loops of purity culture, we trace how these doctrines left lasting marks on how we saw ourselves, our bodies,...

Join Ashley and Bailee as they kick off a two-part series on mental health in evangelical culture — starting with the roots of a theology that frames depression, anxiety, and other struggles as either spiritual warfare or unconfessed sin. In Part 1, we trace where these ideas came from and how they were reinforced in sermons, books, and by influential Christian leaders. We also share our own menta...