Shift Happens

In this episode Joe talks to Raul Zambrano. Raul is a listener and reached out to Joe to share his story. Raul talks about his upbringing in a very evangelical, fundamentalist school in Florida. He talks about the crimes committed at this private Christian school, how it influenced his thinking and the harm it created in the community. Raul also talks about how the school's view on LGBTQIA pe...

In this episode, Joe talks to his old college friend Trisha Wilkerson. Trisha is an author, speaker, coach and nutritionist. Trisha talks about her days at the fundamentalist college she met Joe at, how her and her husband ended up at Mars Hill and all that entailed. She talks about the work they did untangling all the toxic theology and how it benefited her family when one of their children came...

In today's episode Joe talks to social media influencer Heather Foy AKA Happy Heather. Heather talks about her upbringing in a very strict, high control religion and religious household. She talks about her early marriage, deconstructing with her husband, the coming out of one of their kids and how all that played in her finding the courage to face her own sexuality. To follow Heather on Thre...

This week Joe talks to Jon Harris Maurer who is the Public Policy Director for Equality Florida. This isn't the normal episode but with so much good news coming out of the last legislative session (who knew that was going to happen), we wanted someone on the frontlines talking to us about what happened and why it matters. To learn more about Equality Florida and to plug in, please visit HERE...

This week Joe talks to Colby Martin, author of Unclobbered and The Shift. This week is person for Joe as Colby Martin's book Unclobbered was the first book handed to him during his time of re-examining queer inclusion within the church. He talks to Colby about how he started that work, what he's doing now and how people can be a part of that. To learn more about Colby, his work or to con...

Today, Joe talks to Monica Chadwick. Monica first met Joe when he was pastoring a conservative, evangelical church and she was a student at Florida Bible College. Monica shares her upbringing  and when she first realized her pansexuality. She also talks about navigating Bible college expectations and marriage with her queerness. To follow Monica on IG click HERE. To learn more about her store and...

In this episode Joe talks to his friend, Kane Barr. Kane shares about his upbringing in the Jehovah's Witness church and how he was striving to be one of their youngest evangelists. Kane talks about his journey to coming out as a transman and how all of that helped his understanding of God. To learn more about Kane or to contact him, please click here .  To help support the ongoing work of Sh...

Today Joe speaks with DeHaven Mays of Active Minds. Active Minds is a mental health curriculum designed for middle schoolers and is so amazingly fun and simple and free! DeHaven shares with us part of their story growing up and learning that they're non-binary. DeHaven talks about how their upbringing led them to where they are now and how it informs their work. Make sure to check out Active...

In this episode, Joe talks to Stephanie Lucarell-Ciardi. Stephanie is a listener of the podcast and reached out to share her story. This episode is truly heavy and deals with going no contact with family. It is also a very sacred and profound episode in which Stephanie allows us to walk with her in very raw and vulnerable ways. It's a longer episode than normal but it is worth every minute. ...

This week Joe talks to another listener of the podcast, Amanda Holder. Amanda talks about her upbringing in the SBC, her time serving in Afghanistan and how a friendship with a Trans soldier changed everything. Like many of you her life experiences challenged the narrow theology of her upbringing and created the same deconstruction or faith auditing, we all go through. To connect with Amanda on Fa...

In this episode, Joe continues his conversation with Kristy Keith. If you missed her first episode you can click here .  This week, they continue the conversation talking about Kristy's time in conversion therapy and then helping lead others in the same program she went through. If the topic of conversion therapy is triggering for you, save yourself and please skip this episode. To get in tou...

In today's episode, Joe talks to Kristy Keith. Kristy is a listener of the podcast and reached out to share her story. Kristy talks about feeling different but the first time realizing that she might be gay coming from a conversation where an adult told her she was an abomination...as a child. Kristy's story is hard to hear at times but her spirit is strong and even through all the ups a...

In today's episode of Shift Happens, Joe talks to one of his old youth ministry students Emily Boyer. Emily talks about growing up in a very conservative area of Missouri, attending Joe's youth group the first time and growing up queer but not recognizing until later in life. Emily grew up in a supportive household and yet, still experienced internalized homophobia from growing up where...

This week Joe talks with Yanna.  Yanna grew up as a Free-will Baptist missionary kid in Bulgaria and all that came with being oversees in a high control religion. At puberty Yanna began to experience gender dysphoria. They talk about the depression and anxiety that came with it.  But it wasn't until Yanna went to Welch College (the Free-Will Baptist denomination's college) that things to...

For a very special episode of Shift Happens we talk with Rep. Anna Eskamani of the 42nd district about the proposed bills in this year's legislative session. We are also joined by Simone Chriss of the Southern Legal Counsel, Tamara Perry- Lunardo Board President of the Pride Community Center of North Central Florida and Donn Lopez-Smith, Board VP of the Community Center of NCF. Joe talks to R...

This week Joe talks to long time advocate and the President of the Gainesville PFLAG chapter, Jane Spear.  Jane has spent her entire adult life advocating for reproductive, queer and minority rights. Joe talks to her about how all that started with joining the League of Women voters, which led to more and more.  Jane also shares how her son came out to her and her husband in the early 90's an...

Today, Joe talks to the lead pastor of Restore Austin, Zach Lambert. They talk about how Restore Austin came to be, the process of becoming open and affirming and the ongoing work they do with queer inclusion and against Christian nationalism. To learn more about Restore Austin you can click here . To follow Restore on Tik Tok click here . To follow Zach on Twitter and Instagram  To help support t...

In this episode, Joe continues the conversation with Lindsay J ( SocialistlyAwkward ) about her work fighting white Christian nationalism in her home state of Idaho. Lindsay isn't afraid to take to some scary people with well known connections and talks about the pros and cons of that with Joe. To follow Lindsay on social media and to learn more about her work, please click here . To help sup...

Today, Joe talks to TikToker Lindsay J ( Socialistlyawkward ) about her upbringing in the Mormon church, how purity culture damaged her view of sexuality and how all that played into suppressing her queer sexuality. Lindsay dives into how the high pressure religion of the Mormon church caused her to not even consider queer sexuality until after she was out and married. To follow Lindsay on social...

In today's episode Joe talks to Amber Cantorna-Wylde. Amber is the author of Unashamed (the first coming out guide for LBGTQ+ people of faith) and her newest book Out of Focus. As the gay daughter of a 35-year executive at Focus on the Family, one defining moment of authenticity cost her everything. Amber's experience propelled her into a world of advocating for social justice and has ma...

In this episode Joe talks with Kevin Garcia. Kevin is a spirituality coach, musical theologian and author of Bad Theology Kills and their newest book What Makes You Bloom. Joe and Kevin dive into the author's background, the why behind What Makes You Bloom and how it can make a positive impact in your spiritual practices. This episode gets a little personal and causes Joe to get in his feelin...

Today Joe talks to Dan Blevins, founder of Stand In Pride.  Stand in Pride has thousands of members ready and willing to shower you with support and love. They are willing to physically show up for any special occasion. Dealing with the challenges of today requires problem-solvers who bring different perspectives and are willing to take risks. Stand IN Pride emerged out of a pursuit to inspire and...

In this episode Joe talks to award-winning and Billboard-charting artist Flamy Grant. Flame is a shame-slaying, hip-swaying, singing-songwriting drag queen from western North Carolina. Her 2022 debut record, Bible Belt Baby , reached the #1 spot on the iTunes Christian Charts and was nominated for Best Pop Album at the San Diego Music Awards. She is a winner of the 2023 Kerrville Folk Festival New...

In this episode Joe talks with Father Shannon Kearns and Brian G. Murphy of Queer Theology podcast. Brian and Father Kearns talk about their upbringing in the church, knowing that they were different from what was "normal" and how they dealt with that. They end up talking about all kinds of things. How our experiences and lives shape the readings of Biblical texts. How we read and interp...

Lucca Petrucci is a Youth Motivational Speaker, a Marketing and Brand Consultant, and an LGBTQIA+ Activist who helps people discover, accept, and amplify their authentic voice, message, and expression so they can live a life of freedom and make the difference they are here to make. In this episode Lucca talks to Joe about his upbringing, suppressing who he was for who people wanted him to be and h...