Faith Unfiltered Podcast

Hopefully, followers of Jesus can say, without hesitation, that they believe in Jesus, but is that enough? The world is crazy, and we are faced with so much that can challenge or even scare us. In this episode of Coffee to Go, hosts Karin Peter and Blake Smith suggest that it is not enough to simply believe. What Jesus calls us to do is abide in him.  When we abide in him, we are transformed.  How...

Issues that threaten the very heart of what we hold dear in Community of Christ also work to divide us as a people committed to following Jesus Christ, the peaceful one. The worst thing we can do is give in to the temptation to stop talking, stop listening and go our own ways.  In this cross-post from Witness the Word, President Designate Stassi Cramm, shares a critical message in which she challe...

Nothing screams “call to action” like people dancing around a pink boat that is blocking traffic in central London! At least that was part of what got Andrew Fellows started in the climate justice protesting business. In this episode of Climate Brewing, host Susan Oxley sits down with guest and fellow Climate Justice Team member, Andrew Fellows, to hear his story and advice for engaging in non-vio...

But I don’t want to eat his flesh and drink his blood. Do I really have to? Thank goodness Jesus talks in metaphor.  What he really wants is for us to “abide” in him... to be so closely aligned with him that he becomes for us a life source. Join hosts, Karin Peter and Blake Smith, as they explore what it means to abide in Christ. Then, take time to this week to figure out for yourself what abiding...

There is nothing better than hearing someone say that one of the reasons they have stayed in the church is because they’ve been “loved to death.” And, that seems to be a recurring theme here at Chai Can’t Even. Kudos to the congregations who keep the love and welcome flowing. Join host, Blake Smith, for a sit down with Wes Hodgson, former pastor and current member of the Lamoni Heartland Mission C...

Linda Stanbridge is no stranger to Project Zion Podcast. As an advocate for Harmony and the LGBTQIA+ community and as a minister of invitation, Linda has had lots of great things to share ... all of which have been laced with personal stories and passion.  But there’s more to Linda’s story. She is back again, but this time it’s all about her personal faith transition story ... a story of searching...

Believing things about Jesus is good. As a matter of fact, knowing what you believe about Jesus is a great place to start, but it’s not necessarily life-changing. It’s when you come to the point of believing in Jesus that things begin to change within you. Join hosts Karin Peter and Blake Smith, as they explore what it means to “partake” of the “bread” that Jesus offers.  It will do more than fill...

Are you a “prodigal?” Have you ever thought you knew a better way for your life only to find out that you had it pretty good? At least you knew you were loved and welcomed. Perhaps it is true that “the grass is NOT always greener...” In this episode of Coffee Connect, Host and former apostle, Linda Booth is back with a couple of prodigal stories, and you might be surprised to find that one of the...

Summertime comes with a vengeance this year across much of our world. Sustained high temperatures can have broad impact like damaging crops, illness or death for livestock, widespread power outages, and severe risk of wildfires. Several fires are blazing across the globe today. Sometimes our spiritual lives can feel scorched by heat, dried in the sun, or even singed by life’s occasional firestorm....

What happens when we’re hungry for something, and it’s not what Jesus is serving? Many, if not all, have been in that place where we’re so hungry that, until we are fed physically, we can’t think about anything else...at least that’s what it feels like. In this week’s episode of Coffee to Go, Jesus is serving up a helping of deeper relationship with God, and the crowd is wanting something more. Th...

In case you haven’t noticed, music plays a big role in the lives of both Humberto Tinsman and Jacob Ross, creators and hosts of the Ministry for Dummies podcast. And they are back in this cross-post of their fourth episode, Music and Our Faith. Watch out, they’ve got some strong opinions about what’s good and what’s bad, what’s spiritual and what’s not. But, even if you don’t agree, this episode w...

It’s encouraging to hear stories of people finding deep welcome and connection in the church ... no matter which congregation they step into.  That is the case in the personal stories shared by Mike Sherman of Pensacola, FL with host, Blake Smith. Join Mike and Blake for this episode of Chai Can’t Even, and you’re sure to find yourself reconnecting with some your own memories, stories, and experie...

Which came first, the chicken or the egg ... abundance or blessing. You may have what you believe is THE correct answer, but apparently, there are sound arguments for both. In this episode of Coffee to Go, hosts Karin Peter and Blake Smith, join Jesus and the disciples on a mountainside and in a boat, both of which lead them to ponder whether or not these were literal miracles, or if that even mat...

No one in their right mind would sign up to go it alone on the frontier ... raising a family, tending a farm, and everything else that goes with it.  Well, no one except the women who were part of the early Reorganization. Women whose husbands served as missionaries and were gone for long periods of time. It’s those women whose stories we hear in these special episodes of Cuppa Joe. Join two amazi...

“Yay, we’re at the party. We’re going to a church party!’ Wouldn’t it be great if a few more people felt that way about church ... and not just two-and-a-half-year-olds? In this episode of Chai Can’t Even, host Blake Smith sits down with Kara Sherman of the North Pensacola (FL) congregation to hear her story and what it is that has kept her coming to Community of Christ. Hear her hopes and dreams...

“Come unto me all who are weary and I will give you rest. Oh wait, there are crowds of people gathering who need our help first!”  Have you ever felt like just when you were about to get a chance to enjoy some much-needed rest, something “more pressing” came up? Well, you’re not alone! In this week’s episode of Coffee to Go, that is exactly the situation in which Jesus and the disciples find thems...

Violence in our world is not new, and neither is the conversation about non-violence in Community of Christ! In the special episode of Coffee Buzz, host Apostle Robin Linkhart sits down with Prophet President Steve Veazey and Prophet President Designate Stassi Cramm for an in-depth conversation about the recently released draft statement on non-violence. The First Presidency hopes that there will...

How could something so “natural” be so dangerous? Two of the most harmful greenhouse gasses are the byproducts of very natural processes ... living (breathing) and dying (decay). We’ve all heard of the problems that increased amounts of CO2 can cause to the atmosphere, but in reality, methane is 80 times more potent ... at least in the short term. Ok, we know it’s harmful to the environment, but w...

The desire to gain power and to keep it can make people do crazy, if not awful, things... even when they don’t really want to do them.  Such is the case in today’s passage from the Gospel of Mark. Join hosts, Karin Peter and Blake Smith for a look into the story of Herod and John the Baptist.  See what is possible when power is at stake. Think deeply about how to recognize systems of power in your...

We don’t have to look too closely to find things in our past that may have been progressive at the time, but are considered embarrassing by many in today’s context. In those cases, we must ask, “Face it or erase it?” In this episode of Cuppa Joe, host Robin Linkhart talks with Lach Mackay about the First Presidency’s response to World Conference Resolution G-2 which called for Section 116 of the D...

You know you’ve done something right when a child/adolescent goes to church... not because they have to, but because they want to. An ordained teacher at 18 and a high school band teacher at 21, Ethan Mitchell, was one of those children, and the credit goes to a loving congregation who created a loving, nurturing environment where kids could thrive and grow... physically and spiritually. Join host...

Who does he think he is? Jesus, that’s who! This week we find Jesus teaching in the synagogue, and the people are astounded. How could this “son of a carpenter” know all of these things? Well, besides the fact that he’s the Son of God, he’s taken the time to be with people where they are... to experience “the world” with fresh eyes ... and to push on with the work to which he has been called ... i...

Camping season is here. So, while campgrounds are on our minds, why not think creatively about how to sustain those resources while contributing to environmental justice? As you’ll hear in this episode in the Climate Brewing Series, there are several things we can do. Join host Susan Oxley, as she sits down with fellow Climate Justice Team member, Joan Thompson, to discuss some of those “doable” t...

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 h...

Join hosts Karin Peter and Blake Smith as they dive into a captivating exploration of faith, healing, and the transformative power of Jesus' presence in this episode of "Coffee to Go." Delving into the Gospel of Mark, they unpack two miraculous stories that not only showcase the incredible faith of those who encountered Jesus but also remind us of the boundless love and grace availa...