Official Description from Amazon What happens when two philosophically-minded friends sit down around a firepit to chat about life’s biggest topics? Within these pages, you’ll find out. In The Bonfire Sessions: A Year of Shadow and Flame, authors and podcasters Matthew J. Distefano and Michael Machuga give their readers a glimpse into their very real lives, modeling for others what they believe conversation should look like. With rawness and vulnerability, as well as a large dose of salty language, this… Read more
April 20, 2021
BOOK REVIEW: The Bonfire Sessions-A Year of Shadow and Flame
April 20, 2021 By Jason Elam
192 Comments
March 5, 2021
Finding the Courage to Emerge (a conversation with Anita Grace Brown)
March 5, 2021 By Jason Elam
471 Comments
In this episode of the podcast, I speak with author Anita Grace Brown about how her practice of yoga has deepened her connection with Jesus and the world around her. Anita helps prepare hearts and minds for a loving relationship with Mother/Father/God/Creator by facilitating practices like yoga, prayerful meditation, and chants. Her strength in moving toward human suffering, and witnessing it, has allowed her to glimpse profound healing in relationships. Surrendered to Christ, her faith is forged through an East… Read more
February 21, 2021
Your Favorite Heretics (a conversation with Rachel and Derek Myers)
February 21, 2021 By Jason Elam
276 Comments
On the latest episode of The Messy Spirituality Podcast, I talk to two of my favorite voices on social media, Derek and Rachel Myers from “Your Favorite Heretics”. You can listen here. We have an open and heartfelt conversation about walking away from toxic faith and finding healing. To engage more with Rachel, Derek, and their work, you can follow Your Favorite Heretics on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Youtube. While you’re on social media, please follow our podcast on Facebook,… Read more
February 16, 2021
You Are Enough (a conversation with Jonathan Puddle)
February 16, 2021 By Jason Elam
419 Comments
We kick off season two of the podcast today with a beautiful conversation with author, speaker, and podcaster Jonathan Puddle. You can listen to it here. Jonathan Puddle is an award-winning writer, speaker, husband and father who hosts the popular interview show, The Puddcast. Having traveled the world and lived in many nations, Jonathan teaches from a culturally rich & spiritually inclusive framework. Before becoming a writer, Jonathan spent 10 years in charity leadership and administration, and he remains a… Read more
December 13, 2020
Sledding Down the Slippery Slope (a conversation with Matthew J. Distefano)
December 13, 2020 By Jason Elam
1,433 Comments
My guest on our latest “Messy Conversations” BONUS episode of the podcast is Matthew J. Distefano. Matthew is a brilliant writer, theologian, musician, podcaster, social worker, and Patheos contributor. He is one of four co-hosts of the insanely popular Heretic Happy Hour podcast and also hosts a solo podcast, “Apostates Anonymous”. He is the author of the Amazon bestselling books Heretic!, All Set Free, From the Blood of Abel, Devoted as F*ck, and the multi-volume “The Bonfire Sessions” co-written with… Read more
December 6, 2020
Finding Peace in Trying Times (a conversation with Laura and Karl Forehand)
December 6, 2020 By Jason Elam
767 Comments
In this brand new Messy Conversations episode of the podcast, we welcome our good friends, Karl and Laura Forehand, as we explore practical ways to keep our peace in chaotic times. This conversation was real and raw and I think you’ll really enjoy it. Laura Forehand is an educator, author, podcaster, mom, grandmother, and so much more. Her podcast is “The Whole Brain Teaching Podcast”. Karl Forehand is a former pastor, Patheos columnist, podcaster on “The Desert Sanctuary”, and is… Read more
December 3, 2020
We’re All Going to Be OK (a conversation about patristic universalism with Keith Giles)
December 3, 2020 By Jason Elam
1,389 Comments
We’ve just released a bonus “Messy Conversations” episode of The Messy Spirituality Podcast featuring author Keith Giles! You can listen to it here or wherever you listen to podcasts. In this heartfelt and moving conversation, Keith and I discuss his transition from holding a view of eternal conscious torment (burning forever in hell) to annihilationism and then to his current view of patristic universalism. We also discuss common objections to ultimate redemption. Keith is one of four co-hosts of the… Read more
September 8, 2020
A Letter to the American Church
September 8, 2020 By Jason Elam
4,415 Comments
To the American Church (that I love), You taught me to be a person of integrity. Then you condoned the man who paid hush money to a porn star. You taught me that the Kingdom of God is bigger than the USA. Then you chanted “American First”. You taught me to be accountable for my actions. Then you turned a blind eye to as the president refused to take responsibility for absolutely anything that happened on his watch. You told… Read more
August 13, 2020
Praying With Our Eyes Wide Open
August 13, 2020 By Jason Elam
2,256 Comments
Many people struggle with the idea of prayer post deconstruction. As we come to know a God whose love constrains God from controlling the decisions and circumstances of humanity, it can difficult to know what to pray for. Some might even wonder why we bother to pray at all. Prayer as Bypassing For most of my life, my prayers were actually a form of spiritual bypassing. Rather than feeding the hungry homeless person, I would pray for them asking God… Read more
August 10, 2020
The Worship God Wants
August 10, 2020 By Jason Elam
3,643 Comments
Worship leader (and former Republican congressional candidate) Sean Feucht has been traveling the country leading outdoor worship events in violation of local health orders. Portland One such event recently took place in Portland, Oregon in the shadow of the ongoing protests there. The gathering was seen by some as a politically-charged attempt to overshadow the protestors demonstrating against police brutality. Feucht, however, said his event was really about standing up to tyrannical local government. Sounding very much like a political… Read more
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