Mental Illness, Honest Faith, and Deconstructing Legalism - w/ Joey Svendsen
How honest is too honest when it comes to faith, mental illness, and ministry? In this revealing conversation, Mike Erre and Tim Stafford sit down with Joey Svenson—pastor, podcaster (Bad Christian, Pastor With No Answers), and author of the raw and unflinching memoir “Fundamentalist”—to explore how extreme fundamentalism and OCD collided in his early faith journey, how he found healing, and why he believes radical vulnerability is essential to authentic Christianity.
Mike and Tim reflect on their own experiences with mental health, church trauma, and spiritual deconstruction, sharing laughs, cringes, and powerful insights as Joey opens up about his struggles and hopes for the church.
This is a permission-granting episode—for those wrestling with faith or mental health, for those bearing secrets under the pressure to perform holiness, and for anyone hungering for a church that welcomes honest questions and raw humanity.
Key Takeaways: • Mental Illness in the Church – Joey unpacks his journey with OCD and anxiety in the context of rigid, legalistic doctrine that turned prayer into a panic-inducing obligation. • The Cost of Pretending – Why the performance of "clean and holy" leadership does spiritual harm and how honesty about struggle builds real community and healing. • Parenting with Permission – How Joey’s evolving faith has reshaped his approach to parenting, focusing on humility, honesty, and theological curiosity. • The Role of Vulnerability in Public Ministry – Why Joey chooses transparency—even when it could cost him—and how his church leadership surprisingly embraced it. • Disrupting the Christian Status Quo – How Joey's podcasts and book challenge evangelical norms while creating safe spaces for those wounded by the system.
Guest Highlight: Joey Svenson – Co-host of Bad Christian and Pastor With No Answers, Joey brings humor, grit, and honesty as he shares his personal experience of wrestling with mental illness, fundamentalism, and ministry expectations—all laid bare in his bold new book.
Resources Mentioned: • Joey Svenson’s Book – Fundamentalist – A brutally honest memoir about OCD, fundamentalism, and faith. Preorder now at fundamentalistpastor.com • Bad Christian Podcast – badchristian.com • Pastor With No Answers Podcast – pwnapodcast.com • BC Words Publishing – DIY publishing platform for disruptive voices in Christian spaces
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Music in this episode by Timothy John Stafford
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