Jesus for Mormons

In this episode, Kai Van Leuven and Di Beals discuss the emotional and spiritual aftermath of leaving the Mormon church, asking whether ex-Mormons are driven by a “murderous spirit” or simply processing deep hurt. Kai reflects on how his past anger fueled the podcast but ultimately became unsustainable. Di explains the difference between demonic possession and oppression, emphasizing how lies and...

Katie, "the Pink Apostle," shares her journey of leaving the Mormon Church after confronting doubts sparked by her brother's departure and reading the CES Letter. Guided by her Christian relatives, she found a relationship with Jesus based on grace, not works. In this conversation, she highlights how many Mormons love Jesus but are often led toward agnosticism due to LDS theology. Katie emphasizes...

In this episode of Jesus for Mormons, Kai Van Leuven and Pastor Di examine the Mormon Church's controversial history with race, focusing on its past teachings about Black members, including the priesthood ban that wasn't lifted until 1978 and its reluctance to open missions in Africa during the Civil Rights Movement. It critiques the hypocrisy of the church's token support for civil rights while d...

In this episode, Annalisa interviews Brandy Bronson about her book The Journey to Jesus, where she shares her transition from the LDS Church to a personal relationship with Jesus. Raised in a devout Mormon family, Brandy struggled with doctrinal inconsistencies and left the church after discovering a deeper faith in the God of the Bible. She reflects on the emotional challenges of leaving Mormonis...

Kai Van Leuven discusses how the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) has increasingly used Christian language and practices, such as "worship service" and "congregation," to align with mainstream Christianity. Historically, the LDS Church rejected traditional Christianity, but recently it has adopted Christian-like terminology and marketing strategies, including search engine optimiz...

Aaron Shafawalaf discusses street preaching to Mormons, emphasizing the need for bold yet relational conversations. He stresses understanding the Mormon community, building Christian unity, and addressing Mormon theology thoughtfully, while delivering the message with love, humility, and accuracy. Shafawalaf critiques Mormonism for secretive doctrines like polygamy and exaltation and argues that M...

In this podcast, Kai and Steven Pinecker discuss the importance of respectful dialogue between evangelicals and Mormons. Steven shares his evangelism approach, which focuses on building personal relationships with Jesus rather than emphasizing doctrinal differences. They highlight the need for unity within Christianity and understanding individuals despite theological disagreements. Steven emphasi...

Brandy Bronson shares her journey growing up in the Mormon faith, where the pursuit of "exaltation" and perfectionism shaped her beliefs. After leaving Mormonism, her view of God shifted from a utilitarian perspective to one of awe and mystery, contrasting the Mormon belief in a progression of gods with the biblical view of a self-existent, sovereign God. Brandy reflects on the pressures of Mormon...

The episode questions LDS Church leaders' biblical literacy, focusing on the eighth Article of Faith, which doubts the Bible’s accuracy while affirming the Book of Mormon. The hosts critique the LDS reliance on the KJV and contrast traditional pastoral training with the corporate backgrounds of Mormon leaders, arguing this leads to scriptural misinterpretation. They highlight doctrinal discrepanci...

This episode of Jesus for Mormons explores the “Ex-Mormon Curse” and how negative statements from Mormon leaders create a self-fulfilling prophecy. Kai and Di discuss the Pygmalion Effect, showing how ex-Mormons often feel isolated and expect hardship. Kai shares how he was passed over for a head coaching job shortly after leaving the Mormon Church. At first, he questioned if his faith played a ro...

Raised in a devout Mexican-American Mormon family, Annalisa endured childhood trauma and her father’s shift toward fundamentalism and polygamy. After a rebellious phase, she returned to the LDS Church, married, and became deeply involved. However, the loss of her third child triggered a crisis of faith, leading her to biblical Christianity. During COVID, she questioned Mormonism, researched its hi...

Kai Van Leuven reflects on his journey of leaving the Mormon church and embracing Christianity, using Christian music and the Bible to heal and deepen his connection with God, describing it as a personal revival. Di, a pastor at Venture Church, explains revival as a spiritual reawakening, especially significant in Seattle, where faith is less common. Kai shares a transformative moment during a rev...

Kai Van Leuven shares his journey after leaving Mormonism, highlighting two moments of rejecting God: during a sermon on Ezekiel’s valley of dry bones and when a pastor’s story about hiding faults struck him. Over time, through reading the Bible with his son and attending church, Kai softened, experiencing God’s grace despite his resistance. The narrator reflects on their own spiritual resistance,...

In this episode of Jesus for Mormons, Cameron shares his journey from growing up in a Mormon community to leaving the church. After struggling with spiritual conflict and disillusionment, he and his family found a new, more fulfilling path in a non-denominational Christian church. Cameron embraced salvation through grace, finding peace in a personal relationship with Jesus. He encourages others fe...

Elle Sante shares her journey of leaving the Mormon Church after questioning its teachings, sparked by her attempt to convert a Christian friend. She found contradictions in Mormon doctrine through sources like the Journal of Discourses and embraced Christianity. Despite guilt, she found freedom in embracing biblical truth. The episode also follows a 17-year-old who leaves Mormonism for Christiani...

Doug Perry and Kai Van Leuven discuss Kai's transition from Mormonism to Christianity after a painful faith crisis. They critique institutional religions, including Mormonism, for prioritizing power and structure over a personal relationship with Jesus. Emphasizing grace over works, they highlight the importance of sincerity of heart and spiritual freedom. Sharing personal experiences, they expres...

Kai Van Leuven reflects on his journey after leaving the Mormon Church, exploring atheism, agnosticism, and various religions. He struggled with rigid Mormon teachings and sought a more personal approach to faith. After exploring science and Christianity, he embraced faith in Jesus, finding peace and transformation. He encourages others to explore faith thoughtfully and recommends Timothy Keller’s...

Kai Van Leuven reflects on his emotional journey after leaving the Mormon Church, struggling to reconcile fond memories with the realization that its teachings were false. He compares this to Stockholm Syndrome, where ex-Mormons may still feel emotionally bound to the church despite rejecting its claims. Kai discusses the challenge of letting go of deeply ingrained beliefs and shares how coaching...

Kai Van Leuven and Pastor Di respond to a comment on the Mormon Stories Podcast Facebook page about key Christian concepts like the Trinity and salvation by faith alone. They explain that God's anger is a righteous response to sin, not vengeance, and that salvation is available to all through faith in Jesus, whose sacrifice covers all sin. The speakers emphasize divine justice, encouraging believe...

In this episode of Jesus for Mormons, Kai Van Leuven reflects on the isolation he experienced after leaving the Mormon church and the challenges of rebuilding a sense of community. Initially skeptical of church life, he eventually found support and authenticity at Venture Church and later in Kauai, discovering that both large and small church environments can offer meaningful connections. Pastor D...

In this episode of Jesus for Mormons, Kai Van Leuven and Pastor Di explore Joseph Smith's magical worldview, including treasure digging, supernatural encounters, and the use of artifacts like a Jupiter talisman. They examine how these elements blend folk magic with early Mormon history, critiquing the rigid, works-based practices tied to temple rituals. Emphasizing compassion for those in Mormonis...

In this episode of Jesus for Mormons, Kai Van Leuven and Pastor Di discuss the control mechanisms in the Mormon Church, focusing on the extreme obedience demanded from missionaries and the psychological toll of strict rules. They critique the legalistic environment at Mormon-affiliated schools like BYU and how it fosters feelings of unworthiness. The hosts argue that teachings on obedience and ble...

Kai Van Leuven and Pastor Di explore the impact of anti-Mormon chants at sports events, focusing on a 2001 game between Oregon and BYU. Kai shares his personal struggle with anger and resentment after leaving the Mormon Church, and how these emotions strained his relationships with family. The conversation highlights the challenges of processing anger toward a former faith and emphasizes the impor...

In this episode, Kai Van Leuven and Pastor Di discuss Kai's spiritual experiences in the Mormon Church and how he now views them after leaving the faith. Kai shares two key moments: feeling divinely prompted to invest in a difficult property and to marry his wife at a young age. While he once saw these as divine interventions, he now questions if they were his own efforts. Di argues that spiritual...

In this episode, Kai Van Leuven interviews Pastor David Diaz to discuss what worship is in the Christian church. David explains that worship is not just music but a lifestyle of honoring God through actions, generosity, and praise. He touches on tithing as a heart matter and highlights various forms of worship expression, like raising hands or waving flags. Ultimately, worship is about honoring Go...