Clear & Loud with Josh Harris

Josh Harris sits down with author Brian Recker to talk honestly about hell, deconstruction, and what remains when fear-based religion falls apart. Together, they explore the grief of losing religious community, the courage it takes to rethink deeply held beliefs, and why so many people feel spiritually homeless after walking away from traditional evangelical structures.Brian and Josh unpack how the doctrine of hell has shaped Christian mission, identity, and urgency, often at the expense of love, justice, and inclusion. They revisit Jesus’ teachings on Gehenna, the “narrow gate,” and the cross, placing them back in their historical context and asking what they actually reveal about God, power, and resistance.About Brian ReckerBrian Recker is a former Marine officer, the son of a Baptist preacher, and a graduate of Bob Jones University. He spent eight years as an evangelical pastor before undergoing a profound deconstruction of his faith and moving toward a more inclusive, love-centered spirituality.Today, Brian speaks openly about following Jesus without fear of hell through his writing and social platforms, including his Substack, Beloved. His book, Hell Bent, challenges one of Christianity’s most deeply embedded doctrines and argues that fear has distorted the heart of the gospel. Released on September 30, Hell Bent quickly became a USA Today best-seller.Brian lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, and is a father of four.Connect with BrianSubstack – Beloved: https://brianrecker.substack.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/berecker/?hl=enTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@berecker87His book "Hell Bent": ⁠https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/771172/hell-bent-by-brian-recker/

What if the goal isn’t to break a strong-willed child but to nurture that untamed will into something beautiful?That’s the question parenting coach Amy Hughes keeps asking—and it has taken her far beyond the “strong-willed child” playbook popularized by Dr. James Dobson. In this conversation Amy and Josh explore a gentler, truly Christian vision of authority, discipline, and discipleship—one that treats kids as whole people made in God’s image.How “conscious parenting” reframes discipline as connection first, correction secondWhy words like “good” or “bad” can warp a child’s sense of God and themselvesThe hidden damage of fear-based obedience inside church culturePractical ways to coach (not crush) a strong-willed kidRepairing relationships with older children through humble apologiesTrusting God’s sovereignty over your child’s spiritual journey instead of micromanaging itAmy is a certified conscious-parenting coach who helps moms and dads move from control and coercion to curiosity and connection. Drawing on her faith and years of mentoring families, she equips parents to raise confident, compassionate kids and to enjoy the process along the way.Connect with Amy:Instagram: @simplelittleamyWebsite & coaching resources

Content note: This episode includes frank discussion of sex, pornography, and religious control.Author Ben Crawford spent decades inside a tight church network where life, money, and meaning were all centralized. When he started sharing his life on YouTube and telling the truth in 12-step rooms, the system pushed back. He lost community, business ties, and friends. He also found something bigger: a voice, a marriage that’s alive, and a way of connecting that doesn’t hide behind ideas. This is a conversation about escaping control, learning vulnerability, and why honesty beats “accountability” every time.Topics we coverPreaching vs sharing: why ideas felt safe and intimacy didn’tThe men’s “accountability” script and why it blocks connectionWhat 12-step groups modeled: clear truth, no fixing, real safetyThe “cult continuum” and how control shows up in everyday church lifeGrading communities by behavior, not labelsChoosing where to be authentic and where to hold boundariesBen’s love story with Cami and the surprising payoff of telling the truthWhy listenIf you’ve felt the gap between what your community promised and what it delivered, or if you’ve tried to change people with ideas and missed the chance to actually bond, this episode gives language and practices for a different way forward.About BenBen Crawford is the author of the bestselling 2000 Miles Together: The Story of the Largest Family to Hike the Appalachian Trail and has been featured on Good Morning America and NPR’s This American Life. Formerly entrenched in fundamentalist religion and once at the helm of one of the world’s largest blackjack teams (profiled in the documentary Holy Rollers: The True Story of Card Counting Christians), Ben brings a singular perspective to faith, risk, and reinvention. Retired in his 30s, he’s a prolific YouTuber with 1,000+ uploads, and he now finds joy in poker and marathon running—with his six kids often along for the mile markers.LinksBen’s book: The Courage to Share (affiliate link)Ben’s YouTube family channel: https://www.youtube.com/@FightforTogether

Community. It’s a word we throw around a lot, but what does it really mean? And what does it look like specially if you’re no longer part of a church or faith-based group?In this episode, I talk with Sarah Wildeman, a leadership and relationship dynamics coach, community builder, and founder of Our Common. Sarah has spent years living in intentional communities, leading women’s circles, and guiding people through the art of authentic connection. Drawing from her background in forest ecology, permaculture, and a love for all things rooted in nature, she helps people grow relationships with the same care you’d give a thriving garden—intentionally, patiently, and with deep respect for what each season brings.We explore:The difference between having friends and actually being part of a community.Why so many people are craving deeper connections right now.How shared values, rituals, and commitments create belonging.What we can learn from nature about building relationships that last.The grief and longing that can come when we lose a sense of community. Sarah’s insights are practical, hopeful, and refreshingly honest about the effort it takes to create and sustain meaningful connection. Whether you’ve left a faith community or are simply hungry for more intentional relationships, this conversation offers both inspiration and tangible ideas for reimagining what community can look like.Connect with Sarah:Website: our-common.com Course: Our Common LifeInstagram: @our__common

What does it take to unlearn the shame of purity culture and begin to feel safe in your own body again?In this episode, Josh Harris talks with writer, content creator, and podcast host Jubilee Dawn, a woman passionate about helping others heal out loud. Through her platforms Healed-ish and The Overshare Hour, Jubilee shares survivor stories ranging from domestic violence to religious trauma, with honesty, vulnerability, and humor.This conversation centers around a deeply personal post Jubilee shared about how her relationship with her husband helped her heal from purity culture. In the interview we walk through it line by line, reflecting on what healing can look like when we’re met with tenderness instead of judgment.In the original post Jubilee writes:He comforted me when I had a panic attack the first time we were intimateAs I cried, I kept saying “I am a whore”He repeated over and over: “You are not a whore”We talked about our past relationships without shameHe told me it was okay to disappoint others by going on a trip before marriageHe told me God was not mad at meHe helped me explore my sexualityHe told me my ex was wrong about me(And we went back and got the burger that gave me freedom)He said these things over and over until… I believed him.This is a tender, courageous conversation about shame, love, and what’s possible when we begin to write a new story.Connect with Jubilee Dawn: - @Jubileedawns on Tiktok, Instagram, & Youtube- The Healed-ish Podcast on Spotify