#37 In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Uncomfortable Conversations with Christians, Paul Basden sits down with longtime Preston Trail Creative Pastor Allison Harrell and couples group coordinator D’Anthony Forte to talk about a subject too many know firsthand: church hurt.

Allison opens up about growing up in a high-control religious group she now recognizes as a cult—where authority went unchecked, manipulation was normalized, and eventually, her family was excommunicated. D’Anthony shares how fear-based faith, legalism, and judgment shaped his earliest experiences with church, leading to decades of anxiety and a 14-year absence from Christian community.

Together, they discuss:

• What spiritual abuse and toxic church cultures can look like
• Why walking away is sometimes a survival response—and why coming back is possible
• The role of therapy, vulnerability, and real community in healing
• How God’s love can meet us in our rawest, most wounded places
• The surprising truth: church can still be the place where healing happens

Whether you’ve been burned by spiritual authority, are afraid to trust again, or are simply walking alongside someone who’s been hurt, this episode offers honesty, grace, and hope.

🔔 Subscribe to hear more honest, unfiltered conversations about faith, pain, and the messy beauty of following Jesus.

#36 Is justice just a political buzzword hijacked by the culture wars—or is it central to the heart of God? In this thought-provoking episode of Uncomfortable Conversations with Christians, host Paul Basden dives deep into the biblical roots of justice and challenges us to move beyond partisan stereotypes to embrace God’s call to care for the vulnerable.

Join us as we explore: What the Hebrew prophets (like Isaiah) really said about justice (Isaiah 1:17, 10:1-2, 58:6-7) How Jesus wove justice into His mission (Luke 4:16-19, Matthew 25:31-46) Why justice is more than politics—it’s a reflection of God’s character How Christians can model “truth in action” (Benjamin Disraeli) to a watching world

Is justice just another liberal agenda, or is it God’s mandate for His people?

Tune in as we uncover what Scripture teaches and how the pursuit of justice might be what draws people back to the church.

Re-Release :

Is love for your country a virtue—or can it become a form of idolatry? In this thought-provoking episode of Uncomfortable Conversations with Christians, host Paul Basden explores the fine line between patriotism and nationalism, and what Scripture teaches about our highest allegiance.

Join us as we explore: The biblical call to seek God’s Kingdom above all else (Matthew 6:33) Why nationalism can subtly replace God with nation as our object of worship (Philippians 3:20, Ephesians 2:19) C.S. Lewis’ warning: “The love of one’s country becomes a demon when it becomes a god” A vision of God’s people from every nation united in worship (Revelation 7:9-10)

How can we honor our nation without displacing God from the throne of our hearts? Tune in as we wrestle with this important question and discover what it means to be a citizen of heaven while living on earth.