I Don't Even Like Women: The Truth Behind Our Female Friendships with Natalie Runion

Send us Fan MailEver wondered why church hurt cuts deeper than almost any other kind of pain? Natalie Runion doesn't just understand this phenomenon—she's lived it, studied it, and found a way through it without abandoning her faith or the church she loves.Growing up as a pastor's kid in Cincinnati's charismatic circles, Natalie witnessed firsthand how devastating church hurt can be when her parents experienced it during her senior year. This pivotal moment steered her away from seminary and into public university, where she eventually found her own ministry path through Campus Crusade for Christ and worship leading. Now, as the voice behind "Raised to Stay," she speaks with disarming honesty about the tension between loving an imperfect church and experiencing wounds from the very community meant to offer healing.What makes this conversation truly exceptional is Natalie's nuanced take on different types of church pain. She draws a critical distinction between abuse (something that happens to us against our will, often from positions of power) and offense (something we choose to pick up and carry). This framework offers listeners a fresh way to process their own church experiences and discern appropriate responses. Her insights on helping teenagers navigate church hurt—acknowledging the reality without villainizing the entire global church—provide practical wisdom for parents wrestling with how to guide the next generation.The heart of our discussion explores Natalie's upcoming book "I Don't Even Like Women," unpacking the surprising phenomenon of women in church leadership who struggle with female friendships. She dives into the competitive dynamics, tribalism, and "savior complex" that often plague women's ministry, offering generous and grace-filled strategies for building authentic sisterhood even amid these challenges. Her perspective that "generosity is the grand antidote to competition" provides a powerful alternative to the defensiveness that often characterizes female relationships in ministry settings.Whether you're wrestling with church disappointment, struggling to build meaningful female friendships, or simply trying to understand why staying faithful sometimes feels so difficult, Natalie's story offers both comfort and challenge. Follow her at @raisedtostay on Instagram and watch for her new book releasing this September—it promises to open conversations we've all wanted to have but haven't known how to start.Pre-order Natalie's Book here: https://a.co/d/0qMEoQiSupport the showSupport Our Mission: https://www.buzzsprout.com/walkthroughpodcastsupport