The Church We Dream Of

Episode Show Notes Why I Wrote Emotions as Messengers — A Behind-the-Scenes Reveal Episode Summary Host Kia Gutiérrezm, of this christian podcast , pulls back the curtain on her debut book, Emotions as Messengers: A Faith-Based Guide to Understanding Your Emotions to Reconnect with God, Yourself, and Others , releasing July 7, 2026 — her 35th birthday. This is a raw, personal, behind-the-scenes lo...

Episode Show Notes Episode Summary Nine months in, and the Church We Dream Of podcast has never shied away from naming what is broken in the American Western church. But naming the wound is only step one. This episode is the disclaimer no one gives you before the real work starts — and it might be the most important conversation yet. Host Kia Gutiérrez, licensed professional support provider and m...

What does it actually cost a church to pursue racial inclusion — and why don't more churches pay it? Pastor and ministry veteran Billy Thomas joins host Kia Gutiérrez for an honest, practical conversation about race in the church. Drawing on over two decades of multicultural ministry across Texas and Mississippi, Billy helps us understand what the church we dream of could actually look like. W...

Episode OverviewHost Kia Gutiérrez sits down with Dr. Amanda Anderson to explore the often-hidden struggle with shame and the journey toward redemption and identity. Dr. Anderson shares her personal story of wrestling with shame, the process of writing her book Shamelessly Redeemed: My Journey from Brokenness to Identity and Purpose, and practical insights for recognizing and overcoming shame in o...

Here are the show notes for this episode: The Church We Dream Of — Episode Show Notes Episode Title: Walking by Faith in the Chaos of Life | A Conversation with Samantha Barnard Episode Summary In this episode, host Kia Gutiérrez sits down with Samantha Barnard — chaos coordinator, children's ministry leader, wife, mom, and lifelong woman of faith — for a wide-ranging conversation about what i...

Have you ever felt like you're the only one keeping everything running — at home, at church, in your relationships — and you're exhausted but can't stop? This episode puts a name to that feeling: over-functioning . Kia unpacks it through a psychological, relational, and theological lens, tracing how it starts in childhood and ripples outward into every relationship we have — including our relation...

Show Notes: Why Church Size Matters — The Hidden Link Between Church Culture and Church Hurt Episode Title: Why Church Size Matters: The Hidden Link Between Church Culture and Church Hurt Episode Summary In this episode of The Church We Dream Of , Kia Gutiérrez unpacks a truth many believers feel but rarely know how to name: church size creates its own culture , and when we don’t understand that c...

Episode Overview In honor of their 13th wedding anniversary, enjoy this behind the scenes sermon draft from host Kia Gutierrez and her husband Alejandro. This sermon was presented in their local church, exploring marriage through Genesis 2-3 and professional counseling wisdom. They combine biblical teaching with therapeutic tools for healthy relationships. The Dog Miscommunication After a miscarri...

Jesus Remembers - Developmental Trauma and the Childhood of Christ Episode Summary In this powerful conversation, host Kia Gutiérrez speaks with Christeen Luxem about her upcoming children's book "Jesus Remembers," which explores the possibility that Jesus experienced developmental trauma during his childhood. Drawing on historical context, neuroscience, and theology, Christeen offer...

In this episode of The Church We Dream Of , Kia Gutierrez explores how the American church has lost the ancient practice of reading scripture as interconnected whole texts—and why reclaiming this art is essential for our faith. Through an examination of Jesus' last words on the cross, Kia reveals what happens when we read the Bible in fragments instead of as the complete, layered masterpiece it wa...

Host: Kia Gutierrez Guest: Christopher Barnard, Sr. In this episode, Kia welcomes back Chris Barnard for a hands-on walkthrough of how to study Scripture through an Eastern lens—specifically, how to do a word study that actually deepens your relationship with God and strengthens your understanding of Scripture. Chris breaks down the exact three-step method he uses, shares the tools that make it ac...

Episode Title: Eastern vs. Western Bible Reading: What American Christians Miss About Scripture— with Fire Chief & Ministry Leader Chris Barnard In this episode of The Church We Dream Of , Kia sits down with Chris Barnard —husband, father, fire chief, children’s ministry leader, and deeply committed student of Scripture whose walk with Jesus has been marked by humility, hunger for truth, and a...

Episode Summary: In this episode, Kia continues the conversation from last week’s discussion about  the pulpit —where it came from, its power, and its limitations—and moves into what happens  after  we step down from it. Drawing from the ancient concept of the  Bema , a raised platform used both for teaching and for communal dialogue, Kia explores what it means to engage in meaningful conversation...

Podcast:   The Church We Dream Of Host:  Kia Gutierrez Theme:  Rethinking Authority, Presence, and Power in the Church In this episode, Kia Gutierrez unpacks one of the most central — and complicated — symbols of modern Christianity:  the pulpit . The pulpit is powerful, but it also carries inherent pitfalls. It elevates — literally and symbolically — one voice above many. In doing so, it often cr...

In this episode of The Church We Dream Of , Kia unpacks the language of trauma—what it means, how it shapes our faith communities, and why understanding it is essential for building the kind of church Jesus dreamed of. Through a powerful story from her time serving at a recovery center for survivors of human trafficking, Kia explores how trauma doesn’t just live in individual bodies—it lives in th...

In this heartfelt conversation, Kia Gutierrez sits down with her husband, Alejandro Gutierrez —a first-generation immigrant, educator, and ministry leader—to explore what God taught him through an unexpected lesson on comfort . After leading a ministry trip to Mexico City, Alejandro returned with a powerful revelation: that sometimes the greatest danger to our faith isn’t hardship, but comfort its...

In this episode of The Church We Dream Of, Christian therapist and podcaster Kia Gutierrez wrestles with the reality of grief, lament, and healing in the church. What’s the difference between grief and lament in the Bible? Why are Millennials leaving the church? What role does Gen Z play in reshaping the future of Christian community? Kia shares insights from Scripture, her work as a marriage and...

The Church We Dream Of — Episode 1: Reimagining the Church Through Hurt, Grief, and Hope In the premiere episode of The Church We Dream Of , host Kia Gutierrez —a licensed marriage and family therapist, wife, mom, and former missionary—invites listeners into an honest conversation about what it means to reimagine the church in the midst of pain and possibility. What started as a simple dinner invi...