The Bad Pastor Podcast

The Bad Pastor is back! We took a break to focus on work and other things, but we're ready to pick back up with a refreshed direction for the podcast. Before we get to that, we need to talk about a few things.If you're enjoying this content, let us know in the comments and share it with a friend. Thanks for listening, and we'll see you in the next one!

Spiritual warfare isn't just demons, exorcisms, and holy water. It's real, subtle, and most of us are in the middle of it without even realizing it. This episode dives into spiritual warfare and Ephesians 6 as we look at the armor of God. How do we fight spiritual warfare? What does it look like?To be honest, this is a much bigger conversation that needs more focus. We're just touching the surface in this episode, but there's more to come. We're also working on some resources and other tools to help YOU combat spiritual warfare and continue to grow as a follower of Jesus. Stay tuned. Hope you enjoy this one. Show notes available here

This episode takes a break from the usual content. I decided it was time to share my story of how I began to follow the Lord. It was 20 years ago this past week when I finally decided to follow Jesus. Growing up in South Carolina, I was raised in a culture where everyone knew Jesus but didn't really know Jesus.I hope this story resonates with you and encourages you. We will be back to normal episodes next week!

The Bad Pastor is back! This episode is an interesting one. We’re diving into the value of authenticity that churches often hold and Christians speak about often. What tends to happen is we forget what it actually means to be authentic. Hope this one encourages you!We make authenticity sound like this great thought and value, but we often fail to actually be real with people. Our corrections are masked by passive aggressive compliments. Our criticism is brushed under the rug of "you're so blessed." Let's get real and talk about what it means to REALLY love people. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><a href="https://open.substack.com/pub/thebadpastor/p/the-truth-about-valuing-authenticity?r=5qqxlf&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true>Show Notes available here</a>

Why do we even go to church? Seriously. What’s the actual point?If I can read my Bible at home, worship in my car, and listen to better preaching online then what’s the value of showing up on a Sunday? What am I supposed to bring to church? Is it okay if I think I should get something out of it?In this episode, we talk about what the Bible actually says about church: what it’s supposed to be, what it’s not, and why it still matters. Show Notes available here

You can love Jesus and still treat your body like trash. You can lead small groups while emotionally imploding. You can serve others at church while silently falling apart inside.In this episode, we confront the uncomfortable truth: the Church talks a big game about purity, but ignores gluttony, stress, chronic fatigue, and emotional repression.We unpack how physical health, emotional health, and spiritual health are all connected and why too many Christians are pouring out of empty cups. This isn’t about shame. It’s about changing habits.We’re not just talking about drinking and smoking. We’re talking about sugar addiction. Emotional eating. Christian busyness. Rage-stuffed hearts. And burnout disguised as “serving the Lord.”God cares about your body. God cares about your emotions. God cares about you, not just your output.SHOW NOTES AVAILABLE HERE

We're asking the question everybody's asking, but nobody wants to answer. There are a lot of different reasons you might leave your church, and there are a lot of reasons it might be time to leave your church.We're going to look at some of these reasons. If you're asking this question, you're in the right place.✅ Red flags to watch for✅ The difference between discomfort and toxicity✅ What Scripture says about belonging and obedience✅ Practical steps for finding a healthier churchIf you’ve felt stuck, burned out, or deeply unsettled in your church, this episode will help you find clarity and take faithful next steps.Show Notes Available Here

Hurt doesn’t always come from enemies. Sometimes it’s the people closest to us — family, friends, pastors, spouses, or even ourselves. And most of us were never taught how to actually deal with it. We just learned to suppress, perform, or numb.In this episode, I talk honestly about what it looks like to move forward after you’ve been hurt — without faking it, rushing it, or spiritualizing it away. Healing takes time. But it also takes truth. This isn’t about perfect closure — it’s about holy movement.Show notes available here.

We don’t have a discipleship problem—we have a lack-of-discipleship problem. Sermons and small groups aren’t enough. Most churches make converts but never teach people how to actually follow Jesus.In this episode, we unpack why the Church keeps missing the mark, what real discipleship looks like, and how we can shift from spiritual passivity to intentional growth.Show Notes Available Here

Sometimes it seems like the Church focuses too much on marriage. Instead of being something beautiful, it feels like a checkbox or something you're supposed to do.Engaged? You better hurry up. Living together? You better “make it right.” Single in ministry? You better find someone fast. The pressure is everywhere — but is it healthy? Is it even biblical?In this episode, we’re getting honest about the Church’s marriage culture:Why people are getting pushed to the altar before they’re readyHow marriage has become a ministry requirementThe problem with purity culture and pre-marital pressureWhy support drops off after the wedding dayAnd what the Bible actually says about marriage, singleness, and maturityWhether you’re single, dating, married, or somewhere in-between — this one’s for you. Let’s have the conversation about marriage and look at the culture we've created around it. Show Notes available here

Do you compartmentalize your faith when it comes to politics? Many Christians struggle with how their beliefs should impact their vote, often misunderstanding the call to "render unto Caesar." In this powerful episode of The Bad Pastor Podcast, Austin challenges the notion of separating faith from your civic duties. We'll explore why your entire life, including your political engagement, should be lived for God's glory (1 Cor 10:31) and as working for the Lord (Col 3:23). This isn't about endorsing parties, but about voting with deep biblical conviction. 🙏 If this episode hits you, do me a favor: ✅ Like ✅ Subscribe ✅ Share it with someone who’s tired of the BS too📖 Resources🗒️ Show Notes📷 Follow on InstagramFollow on Tik Tok📺Follow on YouTube

Why do Christians - myself included - have such a hard time acting like Jesus sometimes? This episode isn’t about ranting. It’s about wrestling honestly with how disconnected our faith can become from real life. We talk Gospel, hypocrisy, and what happens when Christianity turns into a bubble instead of a bridge.This isn’t a takedown. It’s a challenge.Less performance. More presence.Less noise. More Jesus.If you’ve ever felt like faith got awkward, weird, inauthentic, or too churchy - this one's for you.🙏 If this episode hits you, do me a favor: ✅ Like ✅ Subscribe ✅ Share it with someone who’s tired of the routine awkward tooFollow on InstagramFollow on Tik Tok

Let’s talk about it — the good, the bad, and the uncomfortable truth about deconstructing your faith. In this episode, I get into what deconstruction is (and isn’t), why it matters, and how it can either wreck your faith or refine it — depending on what you’re actually chasing.If you’re questioning what you believe, dealing with church hurt, or wondering how to stay rooted in Jesus without the baggage of bad religion — this one’s for you.DesiringGod.org "What Does 'Deconstruction Even Mean?'"

In this episode of The Bad Pastor, we pull back the curtain on the fear behind the pulpit — the real reasons certain topics rarely make it into a Sunday sermon. From the pressure to keep people happy, to the risk of disrupting operations, to the fear of empty seats, we explore how hard truth gets avoided in the name of survival.We’re not here to throw stones at pastors. We’re here to confront the culture that makes bold preaching almost impossible — and what it’s costing the church.

In this kickoff episode of The Bad Pastor Podcast, I’m answering the question I’ve been asked more times than I can count: Why did you leave full-time ministry?This isn’t a deconstruction story or a resignation rant. It’s a conversation about calling, identity, and what happens when the role you were praised for starts to feel more like a costume than a calling.We’ll unpack the difference between pastoring people and working for a church, the pressure to perform in ministry culture, and why stepping away wasn’t walking away — it was moving forward.If you’ve ever questioned where you fit in the church machine, or felt like your soul didn’t match the title you carried… this one’s for you.

The Bad Pastor Podcast is now available!In this kickoff episode of The Bad Pastor Podcast, I’m answering the question I’ve been asked more times than I can count: Why did you leave full-time ministry?