FAITH and FRICTION

If you've ever felt that quiet, gnawing sense that something in your faith or worldview no longer fits, this conversation gives language to the ache and a path through it. It's for anyone wrestling with inherited beliefs, religious expectations, or the fear of becoming "different" from the people who raised them. At the center of this episode is You Are Here by Jake Via, a story that mirrors what...

Welcome to the conversation!

Mac and The Rev unveil the new vision for the podcast and website, and make the case that the most meaningful conversations usually begin where certainty ends. If you've ever felt too curious for your circle, too committed for your critics, or too tired of tidy answers, this episode is your invitation to step into a different kind of conversation.

In this episode, Mac and The Rev revisit the origins of the podcast itself, tracing “Mavericks, Mystics, and Mentors” back to an earlier sermon and a shared sense that friction can have meaning. They discuss why the pre-show conversations matter, and how the show is evolving to include more of that raw, unscripted exchange. The central topic is the escalation of political rhetoric, especially the...

Mac and The Rev talk about how being “not normal” can actually be a strength instead of a weakness. They celebrate feeling differently, question what they’ve been told, enjoy time alone, look for meaningful conversations, notice things others miss, and resist labels that try to limit them. They see feeling uncomfortable about fitting in as a chance to become more yourself—especially in spiritual l...

Mac and The Rev discuss the topic of “nice,” arguing that niceness is often conflated with spiritual maturity but can lead to weakness, compliance, inauthenticity, or silence in the face of speaking the truth. Using synonyms and etymology of “nice” (including “stupid/ignorant”), they emphasize that truth should not be softened for the sake of peace, though delivery matters, and that friction and d...

Mac and The Rev discuss making prophecy relevant today, arguing that being a “prophet” is not an exclusive club but an innate human capacity rooted in relationship with the divine rather than ego. After sharing personal updates, they use Richard Rohr’s ideas to frame prophecy as challenging the old order, nurturing and evoking new ways of thinking, and repeatedly calling people to “listen,” especi...

Mac and The Rev banter about “CHAOS and briefly continue a prior “wisdom nuggets” theme with David Hawkins’ quote about enlightenment through honest unknowing. They frame chaos and friction as intertwined and explore whether chaos is good or bad, natural or intentional, something to fix or embrace, emphasizing perspective, consciousness, and intent. Using Genesis 1’s “complete chaos vs. void” and...

Mac and The Rev discuss cultivating “aha” moments through an open, 360° spiritual posture—by seeking truth in books, songs, conversations, nature, and new environments. They share highlighted “nuggets,” especially from John Shelly Spong, including viewing God as a process we live into, embracing a “risky future” that reexamines religious symbols, and accepting responsibility for being alive by sha...

Mack and The Rev discuss spiritual community through Acts 2, reading Peter’s Pentecost sermon and the early church’s practices of fellowship, shared resources, meals, prayer, and growth. They argue Acts should be seen as a developing narrative of people “figuring it out,” not infallible law, and critique modern church teaching that community and the Holy Spirit are only available to those who prof...

Mac and The Rev resume a series on Google’s top faith questions, reflecting first on a listener comment that what needs saving might not be religion but our relationship with mystery and one another, and encouraging more playfulness and less certainty. They revisit earlier topics (God, Bible reliability, suffering) and discuss new questions: whether Jesus is really God (answering yes, and so is ev...

Mac and The Rev welcome ministerial candidate Amanda Adamson, a mentee of The Rev., to discuss the episode’s question, “Can women save religion?” Amanda candidly shares that women won’t “save” religion, but help foster a shift from male-dominated, hierarchical models toward balance, safety, collaboration, and receptivity. Failure to evolve these historical paradigms could cause the church to be ir...

Mac and The Rev, hosts of the “Faith and Friction” podcast, discuss the top-googled faith questions in 2025 and why people turn to Google when churches offer shallow answers. They explore “Is there a God?” as a longing to be seen and loved, suggesting reframing it as a way to experience God within and through one’s own care and embodiment of love, peace, and creativity. They address “Why does God...

Mac and The Rev discuss how political discourse has devolved into name-calling and, more seriously, how repeated unfounded claims of rigged elections—attributed largely to Donald Trump since 2016—spread dangerous distrust. They argue accusations require evidence, warn about social media bias reinforcing misinformation, and stress “trust and verify,” humility, and personal accountability, including...

Mac and The Rev explore the tension between spirituality and gambling, broadening the conversation to include conscious versus unconscious risk in our daily lives. They describe gambling using three simple elements— consideration (money), chance-based outcome, and a prize—and emphasize that they're not judging gambling as morally wrong. Instead, they encourage mindful awareness of the subtle slide...

Mac and The Rev introduce an episode on “faith and friction,” arguing that healthy faith invites challenge rather than avoiding conflict, and that questioning can move people from blind faith to educated, credible, evidence- based belief. They discuss how friction arises internally and externally when trust is splintered by life experience, deconstruction, deceit, or disillusionment, and outline r...

In this episode of “Faith and Friction,” Mac and The Rev discuss “wokeism” and how its meaning has been twisted into a political and religious weapon, arguing their pastoral aim is to help people “wake up” rather than follow a single mandated way of thinking. They criticize politics and religion “in bed together,” using Turning Point USA/TPUSA Faith as an example, including claims about uniting th...

Mac and The Rev discuss a Texas school board decision to introduce Bible passages into public school curricula, framing it as a broader cultural “frog in the pot” issue that citizens should question rather than ignore. They argue public schools should play zero role in religious scripture instruction, warning that even limited Bible excerpts (often King James Version) could advance a “capital-T tr...

In this “Faith and Friction” episode, Mac and The Rev use the algae-filled Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, DC, as a metaphor for personal and civic responsibility, urging “good friction” to disrupt complacency and prompt growth. They discuss reflection as a way to see patterns—good, bad, and ugly—in oneself, drawing on symbolic examples from scripture and stories like The Lord of the Rings...

In this episode of “Faith and Friction,” Mac and The Rev discuss conflict within Christian denominations that restrict women from leadership roles (pastor, priest, teacher), arguing this marginalizes women and reflects fear-based control justified by biblical “infallibility,” especially citations like 1 Timothy. They contrast “God said it” conformity with thoughtful questioning, emphasizing Jesus’...

In a podcast episode, Mac interviews The Rev about “nuggets” from a recent Unity North sermon titled “Empty Out the Inside of Your Head,” encouraging listeners to hear it at unitynorth.org . They discuss spiritual themes using neighborhood metaphors: life is an illusion that can be changed with courage; the mind has unsafe streets with graffiti of fear and doubt that require honest self-inventory,...

To start, Mac and The Rev preview future “Faith and Friction” topics (faith and cosmic energy, Christian nationalism, the “fog” of faith/mystery, faith and mysticism, and the prosperity gospel) and then focus on karma as the “rubber meets the road” spirituality of cause and effect. They encourage listeners not to fear the word, to run ideas through personal discernment, and to see karma as a matte...

Mac and the Rev introduce an episode of “Faith and Friction” focused on religious pluralism as an integrated, action-based approach to commitment to the common good rather than siloed “me vs. we” thinking. Using metaphors of one body, blood flow, ibuprofen, puzzles, water in different containers, and mountain/valley love, they argue that Spirit is everywhere and that differences can fit into a lar...

Mac and The Rev discuss their “Faith and Friction” podcast and focus on how faith and culture mutually influence each other, warning against dualism, self-righteousness, and “us vs. them” thinking. They note that Christianity and other beliefs are always shaped by culture, citing Europe’s churches shifting from community centers to tourist sites, and argue this may restore balance. They describe U...

In this Faith & Friction episode, Mac and The Rev discuss the concept of eternal damnation and a physical hell, arguing it is often misunderstood and used as a tool for fear, control, and moral meddling. They claim portrayals of a violent, vengeful God produce violent, judgmental, dualistic communities, while a loving God fosters love and inclusion, citing the prodigal son as a model of uncond...