Bodies Behind The Bus

Katie shares her story of growing up in a highly controlled religious environment, entering a young marriage shaped by strict gender roles, and spending years overseas as a missionary. Through the pressures of ministry, isolation, and motherhood, she began to recognize patterns of emotional and spiritual harm in her life. This episode follows her journey of unraveling those beliefs, finding her voice, and taking steps toward healing and freedom. Support the show

Katherine shares her journey from a young missionary sent overseas to confronting the realities of faith, sacrifice, and survival. Raised in the church and driven by a deep sense of purpose, she and her husband moved to the Middle East in their early twenties, navigating cultural barriers, personal risk, and the complexities of mission work. After experiencing trauma, health crises, and the unraveling of expectations, Katherine reflects on identity, belief, and what it means to rebuild life after everything changes. Support the show

Dominique shares her experience at The Austin Stone, where she became deeply involved in church life, missions, and leadership development as a young woman. In this episode, she reflects on the pressure, isolation, racial dynamics, and harmful church culture she encountered, and why telling the truth about those experiences matters. Support the show

Alicia served for years as both a volunteer leader and staff member at a growing non-denominational church in Ohio. After becoming deeply involved in ministry and church leadership, she began noticing troubling patterns within the church’s culture and leadership structure. In this episode, Alicia courageously shares her story and reflects on the impact spiritual manipulation can have on individuals and communities. Support the show

In this episode of Bodies Behind the Bus, Julia shares her story of becoming involved in an Acts 29 affiliated church plant that gradually shifted from hopeful beginnings into a culture of control, blurred boundaries, and spiritual harm. As she navigated marriage struggles, postpartum depression, and increasing pressure from church leadership, Julia began to see how manipulation, unmet promises, and power dynamics shaped her experience. Her story offers an honest look at how environments that appear vibrant and supportive can also cause deep personal and spiritual wounds. Support the show

In this episode of Bodies Behind the Bus, we’re joined by Ciji, founder of Louder Than Silence, an organization providing free, trauma-specific care and community for survivors of sexual violence. Together, we explore what trauma-informed spaces actually look like, the difference between big-T and little-t trauma, and how harm often compounds in faith communities through misplaced authority, lack of boundaries, and spiritual bypassing. This conversation centers on personal agency, the limits of pastoral care, and why learning to trust your body is essential to healing. A grounded, honest discussion for anyone navigating trauma, faith, and the search for truly safe community. Support the show

In the final episode of this three-part series, Christy and Joshua come together to reflect on the shared impact of spiritual abuse and the long road toward truth and healing. Their conversation explores how harm reverberates through relationships, what accountability should look like, and what it means to move forward without erasing what happened. This closing chapter centers survivor clarity, connection, and the power of telling the full story. Support the show

In Episode 2 of this three-part series, Christy shares her story of spiritual harm, silence, and survival within church systems that protected power over people. She reflects on the personal cost of being unheard, the impact on identity and faith, and the long road toward naming what happened. Christy’s testimony deepens the series by centering the lived experience of abuse and the courage it takes to speak after being dismissed. Support the show

In Episode 1 of this three-part series, Joshua shares his story of spiritual harm, silencing, and the cost of telling the truth inside church systems built to protect power. His testimony traces the personal and relational fallout of abuse, the pressure to stay quiet, and the long road toward clarity and agency. This episode centers Joshua’s voice and sets the foundation for the series to come. Support the show

DACA Family Support Fund In this episode of Bodies Behind the Bus, hosts Johnna and Jay sit down with author and pastor Caleb Campbell, author of Disarming Leviathan: Loving Your Christian Nationalist Neighbor. Together, they discuss faith, justice, and compassion in the face of political division, as well as their joint fundraiser supporting a DACA recipient fighting to stay with their family in the U.S. The conversation explores Christian nationalism, the role of the church in justice work, and how love and community can bring healing in divided times. Support the show

In this episode of Just Calling, hosts Johnna and Jay continue their conversation with author and justice advocate Joash Thomas about his book The Justice of Jesus. Together, they unpack what it means to “decolonize our budgets” exploring how faith, money, and justice intersect within the modern church. The discussion challenges listeners to reimagine generosity, confront systems of privilege, and practice a faith rooted in tangible care for the marginalized. Get you a copy of The Justice of Jesus HERE Support the show

In this Just Calling episode, the hosts talk about empire, power, and how faith communities are being influenced by political systems. The conversation unpacks a recent government filing showing efforts to target U.S. churches through digital campaigns and explores what faithful resistance looks like today. FARA filingAcross The Divide PodcastThe Justice of JesusSupport the show

In this episode, Cameron shares his powerful story of serving for sixteen years at one of Arizona’s largest megachurches, a place where faith, control, and fear collided. From witnessing the enforcement of “alignment” policies to experiencing personal retaliation and deep spiritual betrayal, Cameron opens up about what it meant to lose his community while finding his voice. His courage sheds light on how systems of power can twist spiritual language to maintain control and how healing begins with truth. Support the show

Introducing Just Calling — In this first episode of the series, Bodies Behind the Bus sits down with author and advocate Rev. Joash Thomas to talk about his new book The Justice of Jesus. Together, we explore what it means to move from diagnosis to a hopeful prognosis for the church, diving into themes of justice, decolonization, and the everyday choices that shape faithful living. www.joashpthomas.com Pick Up "The Justice of Jesus" By Rev. Joash P. Thomas HERE Support the show

In this episode of At the Bus Stop, we sit down with David and Margaret Bronson to uncover the dangers of Theonomy, Christian Reconstructionism, and the influence of leaders like Doug Wilson. The Bronsons share their personal experiences, explain how these teachings shape churches and politics, and discuss the lasting impact on survivors. They also highlight their work with Deconstruction Doulas and their efforts to build a Survivor Care Network that provides safety, healing, and hope for those leaving high-control religious environments. Learn more and support their work at their GoFundMe page. Follow on IG @deconstructiondoulas Support the show

In this episode of Bodies Behind the Bus, we sit down with Dr. Camden Morgante, a licensed psychologist, author, and speaker. Dr. Camden is the author of Recovering from Purity Culture, a book that helps individuals move beyond harmful teachings and begin the journey of healing. She shares insights from her work with clients, her own experiences, and her research into purity culture, offering a compassionate perspective on how people can begin to reconnect with themselves and their faith. Instagram - drcamdenWebsite - drcamden.comBook - Recovering from Purity CultureSupport the show

https://julieroys.com/alleged-victim-worship-pastor-aaron-ivey-speaks-out-megachurchs-prior-statement/ Support the show

In this episode of the Bodies Behind the Bus podcast, Kenny shares his experience in the worship residency program at The Austin Stone. He recounts his initial passion for ministry, his transition from law school ambitions to church work, and the realities of support-raising, manual labor, and lack of mentorship during his time in the program. Kenny also reflects on his concerns with the church’s culture of celebrity and financial practices, the exploitation he witnessed, and the broader systemic failures he observed. Support the show

James shares his experience with the Austin Stone church, including his early motivations for moving to Austin, the challenges he faced as a Mexican American in a predominantly white evangelical institution, and the barriers to leadership he encountered despite his qualifications. He discusses his experience raising support, internal cultural tensions, tokenism, health struggles tied to workplace stress, and the events that led to his departure from staff. The conversation highlights systemic issues within church leadership structures, particularly around race, power, and access. *Correction: James references reading through MLK’s “I have a Dream” speech and wanted to clarify it was actually “Letter from Birmingham Jail” Support the show

Kelley joins the podcast to share her experience as both a former member of the Austin Stone church and staff member of its affiliated nonprofit, For the City. She discusses the church’s culture, internal power dynamics, financial mismanagement, and the challenges of working within a complementarian system. Kelley reflects on her personal story of spiritual and emotional harm, organizational dysfunction, and the long-term impact of abusive structures masked by ministry language. Her story highlights broader patterns of spiritual and institutional abuse within the Austin Stone and similar evangelical networks. Support the show