REVcovery

This week we interview Josiah Mahon host of the "Slow Train to Heck" podcast! Josiah faced a choice that many of us in REVcovery have had to face; do I tell the truth or do I stay silent? He chose the former and as many of us know the consequences were wide-ranging and unpredictable. Fortunately Josiah was able to find a path forward and for that we are very grateful because he is a truly delightf...

This week we are very excited to welcome Kevin Wright to the REVcovery Room. Like most of our guests Kevin is a former minister but in many ways he represents one of the best outcomes of the REVcovery journey. Leaving your "calling" isn't the last thing that will be said about you and Kevin helps us to see that a ministry career isn't a liability and can set you up to do the next thing in surprisi...

This week we welcome to the REVcovery Room the Naked Pastor himself, David Hayward. If you have ever asked questions about your faith and been on the internet you have probably run into one of David's cartoons. They speak so well to the experience many of us find ourselves in. David was a pastor for a number of years and ultimately made the choice to lean into his questions and the creative pursui...

We had the privilege of interviewing one of our favorite people, Anna Galloday, at Wild Goose and we can't wait to share her story with you. Anna was faced with some very difficult decisions and while they ultimately resulted in her leaving the ministry she as able to leave knowing she had fulfilled her roll as pastor to her people. If you have ever been stuck between what is the right thing to do...

Friends we are so delighted to introduce you to our friend Janice Lagata! Her career has included many things from managing the stage for Hillsong New York to writing uncredited jokes for her senior pastor's sermons. It was alot of work and none of it paid because...reasons. Janice speaks powerfully to the lure of charismatic leaders and movements, how people of color are often treated in these sp...

Hey everybody we are back with some thoughts about our time at Wild Goose, how we are choosing our faith rather than having it handed to us, and the surprising ways we are finding that ministry (whatever that is) still matters to us. Justin and Sarah discuss this week the odd twists and turns their revcovery is taking them and how it is ok to still not know exactly where you are landing. Leaving m...

Friends we are back with Season 2 of the REVcovery Podcast! We are so excited for what the next season holds and this episode is the perfect kickoff. Our guest today is Brian Mclaren. In addition to being a former pastor Brian is the author of several books about new ways of practicing faith and his latest book "Do I Stay Christian?: A Guide for the Doubters, the Disappointed, and the Disillusione...

Friends we are wrapping up the first season of REVcovery and it has been such a wonderful time. Don't worry we will be back in a few weeks for the start of season two and it's going to be fantastic. For this episode Sarah and Justin wanted to cover a few frequently asked questions about making peace with your past mistakes in ministry and some practices around finding and defining friendships. Its...

Hey friends this week we are taking a bit of a break from the heavier side of career transitions and focusing on the practical aspects of how to rethink your resume. Ministry resumes and corporate resumes are not the same and it requires alot of creative thinking to present your relevant experience (which you have alot of by the way) in a manner that will be recognized by people that don't know wh...

This week we welcome Jenny Smith to the podcast and it is a truly beautiful and life-giving conversation. Burnout in ministry is a real thing and it takes courage to admit when you aren't able to go on anymore; even more to walk away into something new. That is something Jenny has done and we hope that her story is one that helps you learn how to accept, celebrate, and grieve each thing in its sea...

We talk alot about how challenging it is to leave ministry or experience a shift in our faith. It is difficult to navigate, for sure, but what we often don't get to talk about is what you gain when you step out into the unknown. This week Sarah and Justin talk a bit about what they have gained since stepping beyond the stained glass windows. We hope it is a conversation that inspires you to look u...

This week we are exited to welcome Kevin Sweeney to the REVcovery Room! Kevin is currently the lead pastor of Imagine Church in Hawaii but is in the process of closing that ministry down to choose the next thing ahead of him. We talk quite a bit in this episode about life and ministry but also how to let go well so that we can make space for what is to come. We think you will find Kevin's story to...

This week Sarah and Justin talk about the experience of transitioning your relationships from the often one sided pastor to parishioner to the more mutual friend to friend. Many relationships can't make the switch which can be incredibly painful but if we can approach each new season with curiosity and candor we can find new relationships wherever we might end up. So grab a seat friends and imagin...

Today in the REVcovery Room we are joined by Bailey Brawner, former paster, current Tik Tok creator and much more. Leaving ministry is challenging but Bailey brings a delightful authenticity to the transition that is both inspiring and refreshing. We are more than our titles, we are whole people, and it is our task to embody that the best way that we can even if that means leaving a position that...

This week we are delighted to introduce to you Rev Ogun Holder, co-founder of project Sanctus as well as the host of Pub Theology Live, and co-host of With Love And Justice For All, a podcast about embodied antiracism. Ogun brings fantastic insight into the struggles of a pastor trying to move their community into a more expansive direction but constantly creating friction with the system that is...

When you are a minister Easter can be alot of things. It is supposed to be the highest point of the year but often times it ends up being great of others and nothing but draining for you. When you leave ministry, your faith, or both it becomes even more difficult to navigate the expectations and obligations that come with this holiday and we want to talk about it. Holidays don't need to be like th...

This week we are proud to welcome Phil Drysdale to the REVcovery room! If you have followed us on Instagram (and you should) you will know Phil's work already because he creates some of the best memes out there. Deconstruction can be a very difficult process but it is also absurd and full of opportunities to laugh at yourself and Phil is able to balance that so well. He brings a wealth of knowledg...

This week we welcome Michael Bischof, President of SOULeader Resources. Michael comes to the show with a wealth of knowledge on the journey into and out of ministry and shares deeply about his struggles with depression, shifting friendships, and navigating religious trauma while trying to keep your life together. He is a delight to talk to and we are glad to introduce you to him this week in the R...

This week we hear from the other Justin, Justin Halbersma! Justin is a former United Methodist minister and instead of getting kicked out or burnt out he just decided to walk out of the ministry. He has a great story of leaving well and learning about who you are along the way. We also cover the ins and outs of seminary life, the wild world of church polity, and some key signs that it is time to l...

This week Sarah and Justin have a chat about what their practice of spirituality looks like now that they aren't paid to be a professional Christian anymore. When your paycheck is tied to something as personal as your faith figuring out where your profession ends and you begin isn't an easy task . How do you even know who the real you is? Well the masks are coming off this week and we hope that yo...

Rev. Rob Lee joins us this week on REVcovery!  Rob shares his story with us about how he got into ministry, the struggles he went through early in his career, and the path he found to realizing that local church ministry wasn't allowing him to prioritize the things that mattered most. His story is filled with surprising twists. Rob’s career has taken him to some crazy places and he’s spoken on hug...

This week on the REVcovery podcast Sarah and Justin chat a bit about what it means to be called. It is a bit of a free ranging discussion because the term "calling" or being "called" isn't easy to pin down. Even so we think it is important to dive into because for many of us The Call™️ is what changed our lives and the thought of leaving that behind is a difficult thing to grapple with. We hope yo...

This week we welcome Maher Salhani to the REVcovery Room! Maher has been a mechanic, apologist (for both Islam and Christianity), pastor, all around great human, and CEO/Co-Founder at Rising Culture Consulting. We were delighted to be able to talk to him about his career and how he has navigated all of these transitions and think that you are going to love him too. Deconstructing your faith while...

As a Friday treat we have a Bonus Episode from one of our Irreverent Media partners, Speaking in Church! In this episode (recorded September 2021) Josephine Jael Jimenez and Spencer Rose interview Justin Gentry on doubting as a pastor and how to navigate the challenges that come from leaving your faith. This is different from our normal content but we thought you might enjoy a change of pace. Don'...

This week we ask the question that seems to haunt everyone who leaves a calling; did I waste my life? This question can leave you in an unhealthy place far longer than necessary and also can torment you many years after you walk away. Frankly, you deserve better than that. Join us in the REVcovery Room this week as we explore how to reframe our experiences in ministry in ways that serve us and hel...