Cafeteria Christian
Religion & Spirituality Podcasts
Cafeteria Christian started as a place for people who love Jesus but are so over the version of Christianity that forgets love, justice, and curiosity. Hosted by Pastor Natalia Terfa and Pastor Emmy Kegler, the show is a mix of faith conversations, cultural commentary, and the beautiful, complicated mess of trying to follow Jesus in the real world. From biblical deep dives to big feelings about the world, Emmy and Natalia create a space where honesty and hope coexist. Together, we're reclaiming the term "Cafeteria Christian" — because when it comes to faith, you really can take what you like and leave the rest.
Location:
United States
Description:
Cafeteria Christian started as a place for people who love Jesus but are so over the version of Christianity that forgets love, justice, and curiosity. Hosted by Pastor Natalia Terfa and Pastor Emmy Kegler, the show is a mix of faith conversations, cultural commentary, and the beautiful, complicated mess of trying to follow Jesus in the real world. From biblical deep dives to big feelings about the world, Emmy and Natalia create a space where honesty and hope coexist. Together, we're reclaiming the term "Cafeteria Christian" — because when it comes to faith, you really can take what you like and leave the rest.
Language:
English
Episodes
#353 In All Things… Nuance.
3/2/2026
Emmy and Natalia talk about a listener's request for advice on leaving a church, and it leads to a deeper discussion about Two Kingdom Theology, all of which may or may not have required Emmy to put on her nuance hat a whole bunch of times.
www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian
Rent relief in MN
Duration:01:11:22
#352 "The Files"
2/23/2026
Emmy and Natalia talk a little bit about "The Files" - and what it means for us as people of faith that this kind of evil exists in the world, and what we do about the fact that justice seems so slow in coming.
Content Note: This episode references child sexual abuse (no graphic detail)
Housing Fund for MN
Natalia on PP!
Rev Aaron Fuller on Cafeteria Christian | (spotify link)
Support us on Patreon
Duration:01:04:29
# 351 Notes from Occupied Suburbia
2/16/2026
Emmy and Natalia welcome longtime listener Bethany, to share with us a little bit about how Operation Metro Surge looks different in the suburbs than it does in the city, and what non-Minnesota soccer moms can do to prepare for what might come to them next.
Give to MN Mutual Aid
Become a Patron
Duration:01:11:31
#350 We Remember Your Baptism, with Meta Herrick Carlson
2/9/2026
Emmy and Natalia welcome very special guest Meta Herrick Carlson to talk about her new book for children: We Remember Your Baptism. We also talk about baptism generally and why it matters more than ever to lean into our belovedness right now.
Patreon
Meta's New Book
Meta's Website
Duration:01:01:07
#349 We Will Not Comply
2/2/2026
Emmy and Natalia talk about Romans 13 and how it gets tossed around as a reason to be quiet and just comply. No thank you. Not only is it theologically bad, but it's just wrong! They'll dig into the context and history of Romans 13, and why it doesn't quite mean what you think it means.
www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian
Rev Benjamin Cremer Article
Duration:01:04:05
#348 Highs and Lows in MN
1/26/2026
Natalia and Emmy talk about the last few days in Minnesota/Minneapolis, how we're feeling, how we're showing up, and how you can all do your own thing.
www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian
Duration:01:05:21
#347 Find Your One Thing
1/19/2026
Emmy and Natalia give an update from Minneapolis, talk about ways to support the communities here, and how to take care of the overwhelm many of you have told us you are feeling.
www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian
Ollie Schminkey Poem
David Gate article
Give:
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church (Pastor Discretionary Fund)
Stand With Minnesota
Duration:01:01:29
#346 Not Good, But Better.
1/12/2026
Emmy and Natalia process the escalation and violence in Minneapolis after the killing of Renee Nicole Good, and what our faith tells us about how we respond in times such as this.
Unidos/Monarca
St Pauls/San Pablos Give Link
Duration:01:01:53
#345 Fair Game - with Ellie Roscher
1/5/2026
Natalia welcomes back author and artist and friend of the pod friend of God Ellie Roscher to talk about her new book: Fair Game: Trans Athletes and the Future of Sports.
Book
Ellie's Website
Previous Ellie CC Episodes (SO MANY, but here are a few):
Tiny Things
The Embodied Path The Body Stories
Embodiment as a Spiritual Practice
Search Ellie Roscher Cafeteria Christian in apple podcasts to find a whole list!
Duration:01:01:19
#344 A Very Cafeteria Christmas
12/22/2025
Emmy and Natalia create a little Christmas service video, for anyone who isn't quite feeling up to going into a church, for whatever reason.
Special Musical Guests: Paul and Amy Koopman
Patreon
Email us questions or future episode suggestions
Join us on the gram: @cafeteriachristian
Duration:00:49:36
#343 23 & Me: Jesus Edition
12/15/2025
Emmy and Natalia talk about the genealogy of Jesus and why it's just as messy (if not messier) than we are. Content Warning: adult themes, and some light talk of Santa, so keep the little ears away from this one!
Patreon
Email us questions or future episode suggestions
Join us on the gram: @cafeteriachristian
Duration:01:03:17
#342 Hope and Despair
12/8/2025
Duration:00:49:02
#341 They Tried to Bury Us: New Testament Ladies Edition
12/1/2025
Emmy and Natalia talk NT ladies: who they are and why we don't hear about all of them, and what we can learn about God when we discover their stories.
www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian
We Can Do Hard Things Episode
Meggan Watterson
Duration:01:09:02
#340 Advent Countdown (chocolate not included)
11/24/2025
Emmy and Natalia talk about Advent, what it is and why we love it, and Emmy gets curmudgeonly about Advent calendars.
www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian
Advent Holy Land Virtual Trip
Duration:00:56:41
#339 Viral Garbage and the Attention Economy
11/17/2025
Emmy and Natalia talk about two viral moments in culture this week, and how they are connected, and how they say a lot more about where we're at spiritually than we might think.
Anne Helen Peterson Link
Duration:00:56:07
#338 No Kings Sunday w/Meta Herrick Carlson
11/10/2025
Did you know there's a church holy day to declare that there are no kings but Christ?
It's coming up on November 23rd, but we thought we'd give you a couple of weeks to prepare for it this year. Emmy and Natalia welcome special guest Meta Herrick Carlson so we can all nerd out together on this holy day and why it matters more than ever this year.
www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian
www.metaherrickcarlson.com
Join us this Advent!
Duration:01:01:46
#337 Just Go Feed People
11/3/2025
Emmy and Natalia talk about the Feeding Miracles of Jesus, and why they matter today as much as ever.
Scripture References:
Matthew 14:13-21
Luke 9: 10-17
Mark 6: 30-44
John 6: 1-14
https://venmo.com/u/cafeteriachristian
www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian
Duration:00:56:56
#336 Confession: you’re not inherently sinful.
10/27/2025
Emmy and Natalia answer a listener email about sin and confession and if we’re all inherently bad or good. You know, light easy topics, just in time for Halloween. CW: church language around inherent sinfulness.
www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian
Join us & Mary Danho this Advent
KPDH Blog post
Duration:01:03:41
#335 Hot Take Chips
10/20/2025
Emmy and Natalia talk about how everyone always needs to comment about everything, and wonder together what it might look like if we all practiced having more unexpressed thoughts.
www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian
Kelly Latimore
Ben Wildflower
Duration:00:58:41
#334 I’m Going To Steal The Infancy Gospel of Thomas
10/13/2025
Summary: Get ready for an auditory Powerpoint presentation on supernatural horror flicks and non-canonical gospels because Emmy took the wheel on this one re the forthcoming release of The Carpenter’s Son, a supernatural horror film based on (we’re not kidding) the Infancy Gospel of Thomas and starring Nicolas Cage as Jesus’ father Joseph.
The Carpenter’s Son Trailer
Nic Cage hunts for the Holy Grail
The Five Gospels
Infancy Gospel of Thomas in translation
Fun fact skipped for time: The oldest existing fragment of the IGT might be a student’s handwriting practice
www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian
Duration:01:09:21