Good Faith Weekly

A weekly podcast exploring stories at the intersection of faith and culture through an inclusive Christian lens. This week: Mitch and Missy sit down with Dr. Holly Berkley Fletcher, a historian, essayist, and former intelligence analyst, to discuss her latest book, “The Missionary Kids: Unmasking the Myths of White Evangelicalism. Dr. Holly Berkley Fletcher is a historian, essayist, and former intelligence analyst. She was raised in Kenya by missionary parents. She earned a PhD in American history and taught in universities for several years before being hired as an Africa analyst by the Central Intelligence Agency, where she worked for nineteen years. She writes the Substack “A Zebra Without Stripes.” "Good Faith Weekly" is produced out of Norman, Oklahoma. Music is by Pond5. Learn more at www.GoodFaithMedia.org and @GFMediaOrg Links: Dr. Holly Berkley Fletcher - ⁠https://substack.com/@hollyberkleyfletcher⁠ Book - The Missionary Kids: Unmasking the Myths of White Evangelicalism - ⁠https://www.broadleafbooks.com/store/product/9798889832034/The-Missionary-Kids⁠

A weekly podcast exploring stories at the intersection of faith and culture through an inclusive Christian lens. This week: Mitch and Missy sit down with Dr. Dianna Butler Bass, an award-winning author, popular speaker, and one of America’s most trusted voices on religion and contemporary spirituality. Her latest book, A Beautiful Year: 52 Meditations on Faith, Wisdom, and Perseverance, offers reflections to inspire faith and resilience throughout the year. Dianna’s passion is sharing great ideas to change lives and the world—a passion that ranges from informing the public about spiritual trends, challenging conventional narratives about religious practice, entering the fray of social media with spiritual wisdom and smart theology, and writing books to help readers see themselves, their place in history, and God differently.  "Good Faith Weekly" is produced out of Norman, Oklahoma. Music is by Pond5. Learn more at www.GoodFaithMedia.org and @GFMediaOrg Links: Dianna Butler Bass - https://dianabutlerbass.com/ Book - A Beautiful Year: 52 Meditations on Faith, Wisdom, and Perseverance - https://dianabutlerbass.com/books/a-beautiful-year/

A weekly podcast exploring stories at the intersection of faith and culture through an inclusive Christian lens. This week: Missy witnesses a wildlife tussle at her local nursery. Then she and Mitch sit down with breast cancer patient advocate -- and voice of uniboob Wendy Sage on "The Simpsons" -- Renee Ridgeley. "Good Faith Weekly" is produced out of Norman, Oklahoma. Music is by Pond5. Learn more at www.GoodFaithMedia.org and @GFMediaOrg Links: Stand Tall AFC ~ https://standtallafc.org/ Ridgeley on Instagram ~ @reneeridgeley

A weekly podcast exploring stories at the intersection of faith and culture through an inclusive Christian lens. This week: Mitch and Missy sit down with Robert Arnold this week to discuss his new book, "Defiance Til Death."  Growing up in the Mississippi Delta, Arnold brings a unique perspective to the critical issues facing our country.  As a social media influencer, Arnold uses his Southern wisdom and charm to deliver his thoughts on a wide range of issues. Robert Arnold is a writer, poet, speaker, and activist raised in the Mississippi Delta and shaped by the stories, struggles, and stubborn beauty of the South. His work lives at the crossroads of art, politics, and memory. He writes because it's the clearest way he knows to tell the truth… even when it's complicated, uncomfortable, or inconvenient. "Good Faith Weekly" is produced out of Norman, Oklahoma. Music is by Pond5. Learn more at www.GoodFaithMedia.org and @GFMediaOrg Links: Robert Arnold - https://www.instagram.com/defiance13_/ Book - Defiance Til Death - https://www.amazon.com/Defiance-Til-Death-Robert-Arnold/dp/B0FGN7LGR8

A weekly podcast exploring stories at the intersection of faith and culture through an inclusive Christian lens. This week: Mitch and Missy sat down with Dr. Jacqui Lewis to talk about her upcoming Freedom Rising Conference, a justice-focused gathering hosted by Middle Church from October 31 to November 2, 2025, centered on the theme “The Fierce Urgency of Now.” Dr. Jacqueline J. Lewis utilizes her gifts as an author, activist, preacher, and public theologian to create an antiracist, just, and fully welcoming society in which everyone has enough.  Dr. Lewis holds both an M.Phil. and a Ph.D. in Psychology and Religion from Drew University.  She is currently the Senior Minister and Public Theologian at Middle Church in New York City. "Good Faith Weekly" is produced out of Norman, Oklahoma. Music is by Pond5. Learn more at www.GoodFaithMedia.org and @GFMediaOrg Links: Jacqui Lewis - https://jacquilewis.com/ Freedom Rising Conference - https://www.freedomrisingconference.com/

A weekly podcast exploring stories at the intersection of faith and culture through an inclusive Christian lens. This week: Mitch and Missy sat down with Brad Onishi to discuss political fallout, immigration crackdowns, and public health misinformation. Brad Onishi is a social commentator, scholar, writer, teacher, coach, and co-host of the Straight White American Jesus podcast with Daniel Miller. The pod ranks in the top 50 Political shows on Apple’s podcast charts. We had Brad on the pod back in 2023 to discuss his book, “Preparing for War: The Extremist History of White Christian Nationalism—And What Comes Next,” and a few times since then. "Good Faith Weekly" is produced out of Norman, Oklahoma. Music is by Pond5. Learn more at www.GoodFaithMedia.org and @GFMediaOrg Links: Brad Onishi - https://www.bradonishi.com/

A weekly podcast exploring stories at the intersection of faith and culture through an inclusive Christian lens. This week: Mitch and Missy sat down with Amy Butler and Dawn Weaks to discuss their new book, Holy Disruption: A Manifesto for the Future of Faith Communities. Rev. Dr. Amy Butler is a writer, preacher, teacher, pastor, and public theologian. She has been the pastor of churches in Washington, D.C., and New York. Most Sundays, you’ll find Pastor Amy in the pulpit at Community Church of Honolulu, where she has served as pastor in 2023. She also founded Invested Faith, a non-profit fund created to allow churches, institutions, and individuals to reimagine how faith communities can heal the world – even beyond their traditional institutional expressions. Rev. Dr. Dawn Darwin Weaks loves to see the transformation that occurs at the intersection of church and community. She pastored churches in Lubbock, Texas; Miami, Texas; and Rowlett, Texas; and in Raytown, Missouri. She is now the co-pastor of Connection Christian Church in Odessa, Texas, with her husband, Rev. Dr. Joe Weaks. "Good Faith Weekly" is produced out of Norman, Oklahoma. Music is by Pond5. Learn more at www.GoodFaithMedia.org and @GFMediaOrg Links: Amy Butler - https://www.investedfaith.org/rev-dr-amy-butler Dawn Weaks - https://dawn.weaks.org/ Book - Holy Disruption: A Manifesto for the Future of Faith Communities - https://chalicepress.com/products/holy-disruption-a-manifesto-for-the-future-of-faith-communities?srsltid=AfmBOopc4PIBHUu4wJu200ifKsN0at3Zy0ENjtd5YHr0U8yy_YZhqMEW

A weekly podcast exploring stories at the intersection of faith and culture through an inclusive Christian lens. This week: Mitch and Missy sat down with Anita Huizar-Hernandez, Lloyd Barba, and Sergio González to discuss the issue of immigration. Lloyd Barba is Assistant Professor of Religion and Core Faculty in Latinx and Latin American Studies at Amherst College. Sergio González is an Associate Professor of History at Marquette University.  Anita Huizar-Hernandez, an Associate Director of the Hispanic Research Center and Professor at the School of International Letters and Cultures at Arizona State University. "Good Faith Weekly" is produced out of Norman, Oklahoma. Music is by Pond5. Learn more at www.GoodFaithMedia.org and @GFMediaOrg Links: Lloyd Barba -https://www.amherst.edu/people/facstaff/lbarba Sergio González - https://www.marquette.edu/history/directory/sergio-gonzalez.php Anita Huizar-Hernandez - https://search.asu.edu/profile/650975PRRI Spotlight Analysis - https://prri.org/spotlight/the-border-informs-my-faith-oral-history-methodologies-and-understanding-immigration-politics-among-people-of-faith-in-arizona/

A weekly podcast exploring stories at the intersection of faith and culture through an inclusive Christian lens. This week: Mitch and Missy sat down with Grace Ji-Sun Kim to discuss her latest book, Earthbound: God at the Intersection of Climate and Justice. Grace Ji-Sun Kim received her Ph.D. from the University of Toronto and is a Professor of Theology at Earlham School of Religion. Kim is the author or editor of 25 books and is the host of Ma-dang podcast, which holds conversations on Christianity, religion, and culture. "Good Faith Weekly" is produced out of Norman, Oklahoma. Music is by Pond5. Learn more at www.GoodFaithMedia.org and @GFMediaOrg Links: Grace Ji Sun Kim - https://gracejisunkim.wordpress.com/about/ Book: Earthbound: God at the Intersection of Climate and Justice (Ecology and Justice) – https://bookshop.org/p/books/earthbound-god-at-the-intersection-of-climate-and-justice-grace-ji-sun-kim/22418726?ean=9781626986312&next=t&utm_source=chatgpt.com

A weekly podcast exploring stories at the intersection of faith and culture through an inclusive Christian lens. This week: Mitch and Missy sat down with Dr. Matthew Boedy to talk about his newest book, The Seven Mountains Mandate: Exposing the Dangerous Plan to Christianize America and Destroy Democracy, which is now available. Dr. Matthew Boedy is one of the foremost experts on Turning Point USA and its founder and CEO, Charlie Kirk. Boedy exposes their role in perpetuating Christian nationalism in the United States and their threat to democracy. "Good Faith Weekly" is produced out of Norman, Oklahoma. Music is by Pond5. Learn more at www.GoodFaithMedia.org and @GFMediaOrg Links: Matthew Boedy - https://ung.edu/english/faculty-staff-bio/matthew-boedy.php

A weekly podcast exploring stories at the intersection of faith and culture through an inclusive Christian lens. This week: Mitch and Missy sat down with Scott Thumma and Tracy Simmons to discuss Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations: Innovation Amidst and Beyond COVID-19, a five-year research project. Scott Thumma serves as the Principal Investigator of the Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations project. Thumma is Professor of Sociology of Religion at Hartford International University for Religion and Peace and the Director of the Hartford Institute for Religion Research. He is the co-chair of the Faith Communities Today project and on the steering committee of the US Religious Census, as well as research advisor for several other projects and organizations. Tracy Simmons serves as a writer and social media consultant to the project. Tracy is a Scholarly Assistant Professor at the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication at Washington State University and writes for the Religion News Service, as well as The Spokesman-Review.  "Good Faith Weekly" is produced out of Norman, Oklahoma. Music is by Pond5. Learn more at www.GoodFaithMedia.org and @GFMediaOrg Links: Scott Thumma - Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations Tracy Simmons - https://murrow.wsu.edu/directory/wsu-profile/tracy.m.simmons/

A weekly podcast exploring stories at the intersection of faith and culture through an inclusive Christian lens. This week: Mitch and Missy sat down with Zach Lambert to talk about his new book, Better Ways to Read the Bible. Rev. Zach Lambert is the Lead Pastor and co-founder of Restore Church in Austin, TX. Born and raised in Austin, Zach holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Communication and a Master’s of Theology. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry degree at Duke Divinity School. Zach is also the author of the new book released this week, "Better Ways to Read the Bible," which explores transforming the Bible from a weapon that condemns, oppresses, and excludes into a tool that liberates. "Good Faith Weekly" is produced out of Norman, Oklahoma. Music is by Pond5. Learn more at www.GoodFaithMedia.org and @GFMediaOrgLinks: Zach Lambert - https://www.restoreaustin.org/our-team/zach

A weekly podcast exploring stories at the intersection of faith and culture through an inclusive Christian lens. This week: Mitch and Missy sat down with Sasha Samuels to discuss her collaborations with scientists on trauma recovery, her portraits of wounded Ukrainian soldiers, and the spiritual, humanitarian purpose that drives her art, along with her future projects. Sasha Samuels is an artist and designer. Samuels creates in extremely diverse cultures: both in Silicon Valley and Italy. She resides part-time in the Bay Area expressly to cross-pollinate with pioneering scientists in the fields of psychology and trauma recovery, as well as art scholars.  "Good Faith Weekly" is produced out of Norman, Oklahoma. Music is by Pond5. Learn more at www.GoodFaithMedia.org and @GFMediaOrg Links: Sasha Samuels - https://sashasamuels.com/  https://sashasamuels.org/

A weekly podcast exploring stories at the intersection of faith and culture through an inclusive Christian lens. This week: Mitch and Missy sat down with Brian D. McLaren to discuss his latest book, The Last Voyage, exploring themes of faith, transformation, and the journey toward a more hopeful future. Brian D. McLaren is an author, speaker, activist, and public theologian. A former college English teacher and pastor, he is a passionate advocate for “a new kind of Christianity” – just, generous, and working with people of all faiths for the common good.  "Good Faith Weekly" is produced out of Norman, Oklahoma. Music is by Pond5. Learn more at www.GoodFaithMedia.org and @GFMediaOrg Links: Brian D. McLaren - https://brianmclaren.net/

A weekly podcast exploring stories at the intersection of faith and culture through an inclusive Christian lens. This week: Mitch and Missy sat down with Kristyn Komarnicki to discuss her work with "Oriented for Love," a program that creates safe spaces for honest, in-depth conversations—especially around issues related to the LGBTQ+ community. Kristyn Komarnicki is the Director of Dialogue and Convening at Christians for Social Action. She’s the creator of their “Oriented to Love” dialogues about sexual/gender diversity in the church. Kristyn gathers Christians of diverse sexual orientations, gender identities, and theological convictions together so they can begin to know, understand, and love one another, in search of a unity that is deeper than mere agreement. "Good Faith Weekly" is produced out of Norman, Oklahoma. Music is by Pond5. Learn more at www.GoodFaithMedia.org and @GFMediaOrg Links: Kristyn Komarnicki - https://christiansforsocialaction.org/about-us/our-team/kristyn-komarnicki/

A weekly podcast exploring stories at the intersection of faith and culture through an inclusive Christian lens. This week: Mitch and Missy sat down with Russell Cobb to talk about how race, religion, and lies shaped the founding of Oklahoma and what the rest of the country can learn from its history. "Good Faith Weekly" is produced out of Norman, Oklahoma. Music is by Pond5. Learn more at www.GoodFaithMedia.org and @GFMediaOrg Russell Cobb, a fourth-generation white Oklahoman, is professor in the Faculty of Arts at the University of Alberta and the author of The Great Oklahoma Swindle, which won the 2021 Director's Award in the Oklahoma Book Awards.Links: Russell Cobb - https://pandemicuniversity.com/profile-russell-cobb/

A weekly podcast exploring stories at the intersection of faith and culture through an inclusive Christian lens. This week: Mitch and Missy sat down with Elesha Coffman to discuss her book Turning Points in American Church History: How Pivotal Events Shaped a Nation and a Faith. "Good Faith Weekly" is produced out of Norman, Oklahoma. Music is by Pond5. Learn more at www.GoodFaithMedia.org and @GFMediaOrg Links: Elesha Coffman -  https://history.artsandsciences.baylor.edu/person/elesha-j-coffman Elesha Coffman is Associate Professor of History at Baylor History, where she has taught since 2016. She graduated summa cum laude from Wheaton College in 1997, and earned her MA (2006) and Ph.D. (2008) from Duke University.

A weekly podcast exploring stories at the intersection of faith and culture through an inclusive Christian lens. This week: Mitch and Missy sat down with Cliff Vaughn, senior media producer at Good Faith Media. Cliff is celebrating 25 years with GFM and the organizations that came before it. "Good Faith Weekly" is produced out of Norman, Oklahoma. Music is by Pond5. Learn more at www.GoodFaithMedia.org and @GFMediaOrg Cliff Vaughn is the senior media producer at Good Faith Media, where he has worked since 2000 creating videos, features and short documentaries, and podcasts. He holds a B.A. from the University of Alabama in Huntsville, an M.A. from Auburn University, and a Ph.D. from Bowling Green State University. Cliff and his partner, Mary, live in Nashville, Tennessee, and have two adult children. Links: Cliff Vaughn -  https://goodfaithmedia.org/staff/

A weekly podcast exploring stories at the intersection of faith and culture through an inclusive Christian lens. This week: Mitch and Missy sat down with Reverend Liz Walker, former pastor of Roxbury Presbyterian Church. She has a brand-new book out titled No One Left Alone: A Story of How Community Can Help Us. "Good Faith Weekly" is produced out of Norman, Oklahoma. Music is by Pond5. Learn more at www.GoodFaithMedia.org and @GFMediaOrg Liz Walker is the first woman of color to anchor the news on a Boston television station. Her on-air skills, distinguished humanitarian work, and personal integrity have made her a community leader in eastern Massachusetts. 2010 marks her 30th year as a broadcast journalist in Boston.Links: Liz Walker - https://canwetalknetwork.org/

A weekly podcast exploring stories at the intersection of faith and culture through an inclusive Christian lens. This week: Mitch and Missy sat down with author Regina Cates to talk about her new book The Real Conversations Jesus Wants Us to Have. Regina Cates is an author, advisor, and activist with over 40 years of leadership experience. Her latest book, The Real Conversations Jesus Wants Us to Have, calls people to honest dialogue, radical love, and spiritual courage. A survivor of childhood abuse, Regina draws from her journey of healing to help others reclaim their worth and purpose. "Good Faith Weekly" is produced out of Norman, Oklahoma. Music is by Pond5. Learn more at www.GoodFaithMedia.org and @GFMediaOrg Links: Regina Cates - https://www.reginavcates.com/regina/