Filthy Hope | Faith. No Filter.

CONTENT WARNING: this episode discusses child sexual abuse, paedophilia and the treatment of people who commit sexual offenses. If you need support, you can contact 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 (Australia, 24/7) or Lifeline on 13 11 14. Can we truly offer grace to the "unforgivable"? 0:00 – Intro: Faith. No Filter. 1:38 – Reverend Dr. Peter Powell returns for part three 3:42 – Child sex o...

Can ADHD make you a better psychologist? 0:00 – Intro: Faith. No Filter.3:54 – The impossible and ridiculous mind7:52 – A workable plan for "madness"11:57 – Lessons from a neurodiverse life15:53 – Mentoring 35 ADHD kids at once19:53 – Deconstructing the "Problem Child"23:51 – The tough love of being average27:53 – Driving yourself mad with intensity31:51 – Theology of the ordin...

How does a kid who was expelled from kindergarten go on to complete a PHD? 0:00 – Intro: Faith. No Filter. 1:23 – Introducing Reverend Dr. Peter Powell 4:47 – Beaten with a lead hose in school 7:49 – ADHD medication: the lights on moment 10:48 –Amygdala & ADHD 13:52 – The power of the right mentor 16:42 – Failing every grade but finding a calling 21:46 – Followed a girl, found God 25:53 – Coma...

What happens when the church you love starts squashing your faith? 0:00 – Intro: Faith. No Filter. 4:20 – The badge of brokenness 8:40 – Burden of the listener 13:00 – Reading the forbidden book 17:20 – Rejecting an unkind God 21:40 – Why history points to Jesus 26:00 – Nuns, missionaries, and reality 30:20 – From pastoral carer to deacon 34:40 – A quiet calling 37:40 – A sneaking suspicion of hop...

CONTENT WARNING: This episode includes discussion of mental illness, OCD, bipolar disorder, suicidal ideation and hospitalisation. Listener discretion is advised. If you need support, Lifeline is available in Australia 24/7 on 13 11 14, or reach out to Uniting Heart and Soul for counselling support. What do you hold onto when your own mind is the hardest place to live? 0:00 – Intro: Faith. No Filt...

What happens when the "perfect student" is actually drowning?  0:00 – Trailer 0:42 – Intro: Faith. No Filter. 4:20 – Secret signs of ADHD in kids 8:36 – Beyond the bell curve: defining "normal" 12:44 – School “discipline” and neurodiversity 17:43 – Meds & masking: why girls fall under the radar 21:33 – Are churches safe for neurodiversity? 25:36 – Traditions of misjudgement...

Can the kid who was bullied become the educator who changes the system? 0:00 – Trailer 0:42 – Intro: Faith. No Filter. 3:45 – Growing up resisting the call to teach 6:46 – The reality of Year 6 bullying 9:50 – Bullying, meanness, and fitting in 12:53 – Investigating the "why" of kids’ behavior 15:56 – Understanding the amygdala hijack 18:58 – Restorative discipline in the classroom 22:00...

What does the church need to let go of to survive the future? 0:00 – Trailer 0:42 – Intro: Faith. No Filter. 5:40 – The “gift” of declining numbers 9:26 – Dying to resurrect: a new church 12:54 – The danger of predictable faith 15:11 – The loudest noise is an empty church 19:30 – Honouring legacy without repeating it 22:54 – Building community outside the building 23:43 – Housing crisis: activatin...

What happens when God calls you somewhere you never planned to go? 0:00 – Trailer 0:42 – Intro: Faith. No filter. 1:26 – Rev Pablo Nunez: The Moderator-Elect 3:00 – Uruguay: the most secular country in the Americas 6:33 – My “boring” christian sister 11:44 – Drugs, psychedelics, and a kitchen floor revelation 16:53 – The absurdist call to Australia 22:08 – My partner in mission 24:54 – 21 days to...

CONTENT WARNING: This episode discusses terminal illness, death, and voluntary assisted dying. Please take care while listening. If you need support, Lifeline is available in Australia 24/7: 13 11 14.Can you ever truly prepare for the exact moment someone you love will die? 0:00 – Trailer 0:38 – Intro: Faith. No Filter. 2:34 – The life of Warrick “Wonka” Dawson 7:52 – The brutal speed of motor neu...

Can a life of privilege protect you from a "rock bottom" breakdown?0:00 – Trailer0:38 – Intro: Faith. No Filter.3:08 – Growing up on Sydney’s North Shore7:03 – Leadership, cadets, and early identity10:28 – The trap of corporate conformity13:03 – Sexuality and coming out post AIDs epidemic18:18 – Internal battles: anxiety and self-hatred23:23 – Hitting rock bottom27:03 – Rehab and learnin...

CONTENT WARNING: This episode includes discussion of death, grief, terminal illness, and voluntary assisted dying. Listener discretion is advised. If you need support, Lifeline is available in Australia 24/7 on 13 11 14.  What does it mean to “die well”?  0:00 – Trailer & Trigger Warning: 0:46 – Intro: Faith. No Filter 2:16 – Facing death with radical honesty 2:51 – Voluntary Assisted Dying: l...

How do you find true well-being when "healthy" means more than just a gym membership? 0:00 – Trailer 0:38 – Intro: Faith. No Filter. 2:34 – The myth of physical wellness 6:03 – Depressed but physically fit 7:23 – From gym manager to chaplain 11:08 – Dunn’s dimensions of wellness 13:00 – When a health crisis shatters your worldview 15:29 – The dark side of financial wellness 24:08 – The P...

Should church leaders be revered? 0:00 – Trailer 0:38 – Intro: Faith. No Filter. 1:53 – “Professional Christians” 3:57 – Reverend is an honorific 8:22 – Why I don’t want to be revered 11:56 – The danger of the pedestal crash 14:46 – The nagging sense of never being enough 16:38 – Ministry math and impossible workloads 22:44 – Impostor syndrome, guilt, and pressure 23:38 – Grit and grace: trying yo...

CONTENT WARNING: This episode includes discussion of death and suicidal ideation. Listener discretion is advised. If you need support, Lifeline is available in Australia 24/7 on 13 11 14.  What happens when you confront the one thing we’re all guaranteed: death?  0:00 – Trailer 0:38 – Intro: Faith. No Filter. 1:28 – Death is inevitable 4:37 – Why is death scary? The fear of the unknown 5:22 – Fear...

CONTENT WARNING: This episode includes discussion of sexual assault and grooming. Listener discretion is advised. If you need support, you can contact 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 (Australia, 24/7), Blue Knot Foundation on 1300 657 380, or Lifeline on 13 11 14. What does justice look like when trauma never fully leaves you? 0:00 – Trailer 0:38 – Intro: Faith. No filter. 1:05 – Court Case: two years...

CONTENT WARNING: This episode includes discussion of sexual assault and grooming. Listener discretion is advised. If you need support, you can contact 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 (Australia, 24/7), Blue Knot Foundation on 1300 657 380, or Lifeline on 13 11 14. What does justice look like when trauma never fully leaves you? 0:00 – Intro: Faith. No filter. 0:27 – Court Case: two years leading up to...

What’s so amazing about grace when a pillar of faith falls from a great height? 0:00 – Intro: When Leaders Fall from Grace 2:10 – The Scandal of Philip Yancey 4:30 – My Personal Connection to ‘What’s So Amazing About Grace’ 6:50 – The Irony of Experiencing Shame While Reading About Grace 9:15 – Cancel Culture vs. The Need for Truth  11:40 – The Addiction Crisis in Church Leadership 14:05 – Missing...

What does real welcome look like in an increasingly tribal world? 1:00 – Intro: Faith. No filter. 1:42 – Talk about welcome and inclusion 2:53 – Tribalism in the church and corporate world 7:24 – Positive psychology and the PERMA model 8:57 – First Nations Welcome to Country 12:14 – Fear, hatred, and the loss of neighborliness 13:07 – Hostility and tribalism in sport and politics 17:24 – Disneylan...

CONTENT WARNING: This episode includes discussion of child sexual abuse. Listener discretion is advised. If you need support, counselling is available at 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 (Australia, 24/7) or Lifeline on 13 11 14. Can hope and healing really grow out of abuse and brokenness? 0:00 – Intro: Ness’ story 0:41 – Content warning: child abuse 1:46 – Abused at six: life shifted 2:26 – Dissociat...

CONTENT WARNING: This episode includes discussion of suicidal ideation. Listener discretion is advised. If you need support, Lifeline is available in Australia 24/7 on 13 11 14. What if the parts of your story marked by shame are not the end? 0:00 – Intro: Jon’s Story 0:44 – Unpacking the word “bastard” 1:50 – The filth and hope in being adopted 3:11 – Content warning: suicidality and the lowest p...

What happens when God puts you in ministry with someone you can’t stand? 0:00 – Intro: Welcome back to Filthy Hope 0:28 – Ness thought Jon was a jerk 1:00 – The hard question 2:28 – Secretly hoping for rejection 4:46 – Reunited at Ravenswood 5:33 – Learning in school chaplaincy 7:16 –  Creative approach to ministry 8:56 – The homeless man chapel service 15:30 - A series of unfortunate events 17:43...

Has the Church lost its way, or is it finding a new one?0:00 – Intro: Is the church broken?0:43 – Welcome to Filthy Hope1:06 – Introducing Rev Charissa Suli1:42 – What hope is there for the church?4:37 – Progress: multiculturalism and First Nations Peoples5:49 – Hope in the priesthood of all believers9:00 – Hope in everyday people11:51 – Listening to young people15:10 – The hope of Rev Suli’s Pres...

What if the parts of your story you were told to hide, are the very things God wants to use? In this episode of Filthy Hope, hosts Rev Ness Williams-Henke and Rev Jon Humphries are joined by Rev Charissa Suli, President of the Uniting Church in Australia, for an honest conversation about leadership, faith, and the power of embracing your whole story. Charissa shares her journey from becoming a tee...

What happens when recovery leads you beyond sobriety, and into purpose? In this episode of Filthy Hope, hosts Rev Ness Williams-Henke and Rev Jon Humphries continue their conversation with UK actress Elizabeth Meadows about addiction, faith, and the long road of recovery. Liz shares how her 12-step journey opened the door to Christianity, quieted the constant pull of addiction, and eventually led...