Faith Unfiltered Podcast

The wait is over! In this episode of Grounds for Peace, host Blake Smith sits down with Joelle Wight, director of the upcoming 2026 Peace Forum, to talk about the highly anticipated return of the church's flagship peace event. Joelle shares how we can embrace "faithful disagreement" with wonder, what to expect from the brand-new Creative Reuse Pop-Up, and the incredibly inclusive wa...

There is no shame in being thankful for one’s blessings, especially as they relate to one’s country of origin or residence...as long as the gratitude is grounded in an understanding that God doesn’t favor any one nation over another. After all, God is God of all the nations. It’s important to remember that people everywhere are God’s children ... all of whom have common hopes and dreams. Join host...

We could all use some rest... right? In this episode of Coffee to Go , Karin and Blake explore Jesus' invitation in Matthew 11 to move beyond the exhausting patterns of busyness, striving, and self-sufficiency into a life of rest, learning, and faithful discipleship. Reflecting on the image of "infants in faith," they discuss the openness, trust, and humility that allow us to receiv...

What is the Christian Church? Why is it important for Christians to meet together in fellowship and worship? In a social climate where division and marginalization of others seem to be trending in the wrong direction, it’s important for us to remember the place and purpose of the Church. Join host Carla Long and guests Tony and Charmaine Chvala-Smith for this discussion on various models the churc...

Things are heating up in Rome! Paul's passionate challenge in Romans 6:12–23 pushes his listeners (and ours) to choose a life shaped by grace rather than the forces that pull us away from God's purposes. Join Karin and Blake as they unpack difficult biblical language around righteousness and slavery, reframing righteousness as radical mercy, compassion, and hospitality that go beyond wha...

What happens when a congregation stops trying to do everything on its own and starts partnering with its community? In this inspiring episode of What's Brewing , Robin Linkhart talks with Ruth Richardson about how the Kirkwood Community of Christ congregation transformed a simple outreach effort into a thriving ministry of dignity, generosity, and relationship. Through partnerships with Kirk...

Although some people see it as such, grace is not a free pass to sin! In this episode of Coffee to Go , Karin Peter and Blake Smith explore the idea of "newness of life" offered through Christ. Together they wrestle with the tension between grace and discipleship, reminding listeners that grace is not a license to remain unchanged but an invitation to walk a new path. Join them as they r...

Do you have to be religious to live a good life? In this thoughtful and wide-ranging conversation, Shannon McAdam and Jack Hindle explore what it really means to be a "good person" through the lenses of honesty, self-reflection, compassion, grace, and community. Together they wrestle with questions about spirituality, accountability, human nature, and the challenge of choosing what is ri...

This week on Coffee to Go, Karin Peter and Blake Smith explore the story of Abraham and Sarah, where hospitality, divine promise, and unexpected laughter intersect. Through Sarah’s famous exchange with God, they uncover the humor woven into scripture and reflect on how God’s presence accompanies us through uncertainty and surprise. The conversation invites listeners to consider what it means to we...

This episode is being reposted as a part of a series of conversations sturred by the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East . The word Zion has been an integral part of Community of Christ’s journey as a people, but now it is being used by others in ways that are confusing and contradictory. In this episode of Say What?, host Mary Anne and Kassie sit down with Steve Kellogg, member of the Community...

As the church enters Ordinary Time, Paul’s letter to the Romans invites us to wrestle with a timeless question: Is faith about following rules, or responding to grace? Karin and Blake explore Paul’s winding theological argument, uncovering how faith, grace, and God’s promises work together to shape lives marked by mercy and compassion. Along the way, they reflect on their own journeys from rule-ke...

Courageous compassion, prophetic witness, and faithful engagement in a hurting world are all a part of being a disciple of Jesus, the Peaceful One. Join Blake Smith and Linda Stanbridge in a conversation that explores difficult questions surrounding advocacy, empathy, media attention, and the call to stand with vulnerable communities while affirming the worth and dignity of all people. Grounded in...

This episode of Awaken to God’s Presence offers a guided practice for connecting with the divine during troubled times. Host Robin Linkhart, leads listeners in a prayer recognizing Pride Month, which honors the LGBTQ community and its contributions. The prayer asks for courage to be true to oneself, love and acceptance of neighbors, and justice and equality for all. It also prays for those seeking...

Trinity Sunday invites us into one of Christianity’s most profound and challenging ideas: God as divine community. In this episode, Karin Peter and Blake Smith explore how our language for God shapes our understanding of the sacred, the importance of inclusive imagery for the divine, and why expanding our vocabulary can create space for more people to encounter God. Through thoughtful conversation...

How can we work for Peace in Israel/Palestine?    This series is co-sponsored by the Community of Christ World Peace and Justice Team.  Andrew Bolton and Steve Kellogg are members of the Israel/Palestine sub-team of the World Church Peace and Justice Committee.  The Peace and Justice Team is working for a just peace in Israel/Palestine guided by Community of Christ’s Enduring Principles and the Wo...

What does Pentecost have to say in a world shaped by division, nationalism, and fear of difference? In this episode of Coffee to Go , Karin Peter and Blake Smith explore the story of Acts 2—not as a tale of spectacle, but as a radical vision of inclusion, diversity, and God’s Spirit moving beyond borders, labels, and walls. Together they reflect on the Spirit as wind, fire, and holy disruption, as...

What happens when people of faith move beyond conversation and step into advocacy? In this episode of Grounds for Peace, participants from the Churches for Middle East Peace Joint Advocacy Summit reflect on lobbying in Washington, DC, interfaith partnerships, Palestinian and Israeli human rights, and the call to pursue justice rooted in faith. Through stories of difficult conversations, unexpected...

Wait. Rest. Bless. As Easter gives way to Ascension Sunday and the anticipation of Pentecost, this episode of Coffee to Go explores what it means to be “story bearers” of hope, love, and Christ’s witness in the world. Reflecting on Jesus’ final words to the disciples, Karin Peter and Blake Smith consider the sacred invitation to wait, rest, and receive before stepping into renewed purpose. In a cu...

Several members of Community of Christ recently attended the Churches for Middle East Peace Conference, and we're going to run a set of episodes covering the topic ... some looking back and some looking forward. We're setting the stage by reposting this episode from April of 2025.  There’s way more to the conflict in Israel/Palestine than is covered in the daily news cycle. The real trut...

Sometimes we have to wrestle with tough passages and/or themes in scripture. The only option is to avoid them, and that’s never good. They’re in there for a reason. Join hosts Karin Peter and Blake Smith on this sixth Sunday in the Easter season as they wrestle with the difficult and often misunderstood themes of suffering, persecution, and hope found in 1 Peter 3:13–22. Get ready to challenge har...

What does it really mean to be a “good person,” and is that the same thing as being Christ-like? In this thoughtful and deeply human conversation, Jack Hindle and Shannon McAdam wrestle with questions of faith, community, belonging, evangelism, and the courage to change our minds. From joy and justice to loneliness, rigid beliefs, and the longing for authentic connection, this episode explores how...

In the midst of troubling times, we invite you to find a moment of peace. Join us for a special guided meditation honoring the lives and contributions of Asian and Pacific Islander communities. Let go of assumptions and tension as we reflect on resilience, diversity, and our shared human story. How can you listen more deeply to stories different from your own this week?    Listen to more episodes...

Don’t put away your Easter decorations yet!! In this Easter-season reflection on the Gospel of John 14, Karin Peter and Blake Smith wrestle with one of Jesus’ most quoted—and often misunderstood—statements: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Together, they reframe this passage not as a boundary of exclusion, but as an invitation into a way of being shaped by compassion, trust, and divine pre...

If loving nature and the environment makes us “tree huggers,” then so be it! In this episode of Climate Brewing , host Susan Oxley sits down with Lorrie Long, whose lifelong love of the natural world has grown into a deep commitment to environmental stewardship and community action. From her early experiences sensing the Spirit of God in the rugged landscapes of Wyoming to her current work with th...

Shepherds, and bandits and gates ... Oh my! In this Easter-season episode of Coffee to Go , Karin Peter and Blake Smith explore Jesus’ words in Gospel of John 10, where shepherds, bandits, and gates become powerful images for discerning the voices that shape our lives. Together, they reflect on what it means to recognize the voice of Christ—not merely in sound, but in the substance of compassion,...