The Collective Table

Most parents don’t realize that the way they’ve been taught to parent—based on shame, punishment, and control—is actually deeply harmful. Wendy Snyder, a family coach and author of Fresh Start Your Family , reveals how shifting from power struggles to powerful connection transforms not just your child's behavior, but your entire family dynamic. This episode pulls back the curtain on why apologizin...

Welcome to The Collective Table Welcome to The Collective Table, a progressive and affirming Christian podcast produced by The Oceanside Sanctuary in Oceanside, California. We are a community dedicated to following Jesus, working for justice, and celebrating joy! Whether you are actively reconstructing your faith, seeking a spiritually safe and inclusive space, or simply exploring, there is a seat...

Join the TCT Book Club for a live, insightful conversation with Reverend Brandon Robertson—acclaimed author, activist, public theologian, and the "TikTok Pastor." In this episode, we dive deep into Brandon's book, Queer and Christian , exploring how to celebrate queer faith, reclaim the Bible as a dynamic conversation partner, and fully embrace Jesus's radical message of unconditional inclusion. B...

In this episode of the TCT Book Club, Jason Coker welcomes Dr. David Gushee , one of the leading Christian ethicists of our time, to discuss his newest work, The Moral Teachings of Jesus: Radical Instruction in the Will of God . Together, they explore what it means to move beyond abstract doctrine and political identity to embrace the concrete moral transformation Jesus invites us into. The conver...

Since the essence of empathy is to understand people who are different than you are, it requires the willingness to cross borders of one kind or another. But what happens when the hardest borders to cross exist within ourselves—across competing desires, beliefs, and identities? In this episode, host Jason Coker introduces Tindo, a beloved member of the Oceanside Sanctuary community. Born intersex...

What happens when empathy moves beyond individual compassion and becomes a tool for systemic change? In this episode, host Jenell Coker sits down with Dinora , the Executive Director of the San Diego Organizing Project (SDOP), to explore how faith-based organizing builds power among the most vulnerable. As the oldest daughter of immigrant parents who fled civil war in El Salvador, Dinora became a...

This special book club episode features a conversation with Peter Makari , co-editor of Rooted in Faith and Justice , about how Christian faith communities engage issues of Israel–Palestine , antisemitism , and human rights . Makari explains the long history of Christian denominations condemning antisemitism while still critiquing Israeli government policies, and he urges listeners to center the v...

When Kris spotted a flyer for Food Not Bombs on a Provo street corner, he didn’t hesitate—he called the number right away. He already knew what the group stood for: feeding people, not profit. What he didn’t know was that this moment would set the course for the rest of his life. In this episode of The Collective Table Podcast , host Jason Coker shares how Kris’s journey—from the punk rock shows o...

When Victoria first walked into the Oceanside Sanctuary Food Pantry, she wasn’t looking for a new calling, or even a job—she was just dropping off donations. But a simple invitation to help unload boxes changed everything. In this moving episode of The Collective Table Podcast , host Jason Coker shares how a simple act of kindness became another chapter in Victoria’s lifelong journey of compassion...

Holy Disruption: Reimagining Church with Rev. Amy Butler Episode Description: What happens when the traditional model of church no longer fits the world we live in? In this thought-provoking conversation, Rev. Amy Butler , author of Holy Disruption , joins us to talk about what it means to courageously reimagine faith communities for our time. Drawing from her experiences as a pastor and leader, R...

What happens when the faith you were handed no longer fits the world you live in? In this episode, Jenell sits down with David — a lifelong Christian, surfer, biologist, and father — whose story traces a journey from certainty to compassion. Raised in a Southern California Baptist church, David learned early that being a “good Christian” meant having the right answers. But through science, parenti...

What happens when a sensitive child is told—again and again—to “stop making mountains out of molehills”? In our first story of Season 11, Caroline shares a life shaped by deep feeling: the loss of her mother at 13, the sudden shutdown of grief in a home that prized stoicism, and the long journey to reclaim her God-given empathy. Host Jenell Coker walks with Caroline through memories of a childhood...

Welcome! You’re listening to The Collective Table , where we celebrate the intersections of Jesus, justice, and joy. Presented by The Oceanside Sanctuary Church, this monthly episode brings you inside our live book club conversations with today’s most thought-provoking authors of progressive Christian theology—diving deeper into their work and exploring the questions that move us forward. This mon...

The Collective Table is back! In this introduction episode, Jason & Jenell Coker are kicking off the Season 11 conversation in a way that couldn’t be more timely—or more provocative. In a moment when empathy itself seems to be “on trial,” they ask: Why is empathy worth defending? From recent evangelical critiques like Allie Beth Stuckey’s Toxic Empathy to Albert Mohler’s claim that empathy “el...

As Season 10: The 50.5% comes to a close, Claire and Jenell take a reflective journey through the stories, conversations, and wisdom that shaped this unforgettable season. With no guest this time, it’s an intimate and powerful dialogue between co-hosts and the community of listeners who’ve followed along. In this episode:  We revisit key moments from the season and reflect on what they stirred in...

What does it mean to be called when the world says you can’t, or shouldn’t? In our latest episode of The Collective Table Podcast , we hear from Rev. Carol Rawlings - the second woman to pastor at Oceanside Sanctuary - as she shares her story of saying yes to ministry in a time (and a church) that wasn’t sure it wanted her. With warmth, grit, and wisdom, Carol reflects on how her call to preach co...

Welcome to this bonus re-release episode from The Collective Table Podcast as a part of Season 10, The  50.5%. During this season of the podcast, we have been exploring how women make up more than half of the population - 50.5%, to be exact - and yet, their stories, bodies, and wisdom have too often been silenced, sidelined, or spiritualized out of the frame. For this special re-release, we're hon...

In this episode of The Collective Table , hosts Jenell & Jason continue our conversation with Rev. Terri Hord Owens, General Minister and President of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). As the first Black woman to lead a Mainline Christian denomination, Rev. Hord Owens brings powerful insight into what it really means to be an anti-racist church in the 21st century. In today’s episode...

In this episode of The Collective Table Podcast , we sit down with Rev. Terri Hord Owens, the General Minister and President of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada—the first Black woman to lead a mainline Christian denomination in North America. A passionate advocate for justice, inclusion, and faith-driven transformation, Rev. Hord Owens brings a powerful vo...

Surprise! We’ve got a special bonus episode for you as we celebrate making it halfway through Season 10 of The Collective Table Podcast ! If you loved our two-part conversation with Rev. Dr. Wil Gafney last month, you’re in for a treat—today, we’re bringing you the full, uncut interview. No interruptions, just pure brilliance from Dr. Gafney. For those who may not know, Rev. Dr. Wil Gafney is a re...

In this episode of The Collective Table , Jenell and Claire continue their conversation with Daneen Akers, author of Dear Mama God , exploring the importance of expanding our language for God. Daneen shares her thoughts on how inclusive theology fosters belonging, justice, and a deeper spiritual connection. Book Giveaway! Be one of the first 20 listeners to call or email us about why the Divine Fe...

In this episode of The Collective Table , Jenell and Claire sit down with Daneen Akers, author of Dear Mama God , for the first part of a powerful conversation on reimagining God through the lens of the Divine Feminine. Daneen is a teacher, writer, and mother who believes deeply in the power of stories to shape faith, identity, and belonging. Book Giveaway! Be one of the first 20 listeners to call...

Welcome to Season 10 of The Collective Table Podcast, which we are calling The 50.5%. This season, we are bringing a series of eight episodes which will center the voices, experiences, and wisdom of women who make up more than half of the global population yet have often been sidelined or marginalized. We will engage with women theologians, creatives, and leaders to explore the Divine Feminine, th...

Welcome to Season 10 of The Collective Table Podcast, which we are calling  The 50.5%. This season, we are bringing a series of eight episodes which will  center the voices, experiences, and wisdom of women who make up more than half of the global population yet have often been sidelined or marginalized. We will engage with women theologians, creatives, and leaders to explore the Divine Feminine,...

Welcome to The Collective Table, where we celebrate the intersections of Jesus, justice, and joy! This podcast is brought to you by The Oceanside Sanctuary Church. Each week, we bring our listeners a recording of our weekly Sunday teaching at Oceanside Sanctuary, which ties scripture into the larger conversations happening in our community, congregation and podcast. We’re glad you’re here—thanks f...