2 Pastors and a Mic

278. Dr. Shawn Smith 27.05.2026 26min

In this episode of Two Pastors and a Mic, we sit down with Bishop Shawn from Cameroon, Africa for one of the most powerful and eye-opening conversations we’ve had on the podcast. We talk about: • Deconstructing fear-based theology • How colonialism distorted the image of God in Africa • Inclusion, identity, and the finished work of Christ • Recognizing royalty in every person • What it means to truly “see Jesus in others” • Entrepreneurship, ministry, and funding Kingdom work without manipul...

277. 4 Signs You're Moving In The Right Direction 20.05.2026 21min

In this episode of Two Pastors and a Mic, we unpack 4 signs that you’re actually moving in the right direction spiritually, emotionally, and mentally. After weeks of conversations around “Godly Thought or Trauma Response,” we wanted to answer one of the biggest questions we’ve been getting: “How do I know I’m healing?” “How do I know I’m growing?” “How do I know I’m actually becoming free?” This conversation is deeply personal as we continue navigating grief, leadership, deconstruction, hea...

276. Grief Comes In Waves 13.05.2026 22min

This episode is different. After five years of never missing a week, we suddenly disappeared for two weeks… Two weeks ago, we lost one of our best friends — Chris Crawford — unexpectedly at just 46 years old. In this episode, we sit down not with polished answers or a sermon outline, but simply as two grieving friends trying to process heartbreak in real time. We talk honestly about: What grief actually feels like How loss comes in waves The emotional weight of showing up when you don’t wan...

275. Godly Thought Or Trauma Response - Meekness vs Self-Abandonment 22.04.2026 21min

What if what you’ve been calling “meekness”... isn’t actually meekness at all? In this episode of Two Pastors and a Mic, we unpack the difference between true biblical meekness and something many of us have unknowingly lived in—self-abandonment. For years, we’ve been taught that being quiet, agreeable, and selfless is spiritual. But what if constantly apologizing, shrinking your voice, and avoiding conflict isn’t humility… it’s a trauma response? We get honest about: Why so many people str...

274. Godly Thought Or Trauma Response - Productivity vs Rest 15.04.2026 28min

In this episode of Two Pastors and a Mic, we talk about something that gets praised all the time in church culture—but often hides a much deeper issue: productivity without rest. A lot of us were taught that being busy means being faithful. That doing more means you care more. That slowing down feels lazy. That resting means you are falling behind. But what if that constant need to produce is not obedience at all? What if it is actually a trauma response? This week, Cory and Channock unpac...

273. Godly Thought Or Trauma Response - Hyper-Vigilance vs Discernment 08.04.2026 21min

In this episode of Two Pastors and a Mic, we take on a topic that hits closer than most—and often gets misunderstood in church culture: hypervigilance. A lot of us have been taught to call it discernment. “I just feel like something’s off…” “The Holy Spirit is showing me something…” And sometimes that’s true. But other times? It’s not discernment—it’s your nervous system trying to stay safe based on past experiences. In this conversation, Cory and Channock unpack how hypervigilance develop...

272. Godly Thought Or Trauma Response - Self-Reliance vs Shared Life 01.04.2026 22min

In this episode of Two Pastors and a Mic, we tackle something that rarely gets questioned—but is often praised in church culture: self-reliance. You know the person… the one who handles everything, never asks for help, always shows up, carries the weight, and pushes through no matter what. We call them strong. Faithful. Dependable. But what if constantly carrying everything alone isn’t actually strength? What if it’s a trauma response? In this conversation, Cory and Channock unpack the dee...

271. Godly Thought Or Trauma Response - Peacekeeping vs Peacemaking 25.03.2026 21min

In this episode of Two Pastors and a Mic, we talk about the difference between peacekeeping and peacemaking—and why those two things are not the same. A lot of us were taught that being “nice,” avoiding conflict, staying quiet, and keeping everyone comfortable was the godly way. But what if that’s not actually peace? What if it’s a trauma response dressed up as spirituality? We unpack how peacekeeping is often rooted in fear—fear of rejection, fear of conflict, fear of being misunderstood, ...

270. Godly Thought Or Trauma Response - False Humility vs Worthiness 18.03.2026 24min

In this episode of Two Pastors and a Mic, we kick off our new series asking a powerful question: Is this a godly thought… or a trauma response? And we start with one of the most common (and sneaky) ones in church culture: false humility. For many of us, what we’ve called “humility” is actually self-rejection. We’ve been trained to downplay our gifts, deflect compliments, and avoid affirmation—all in the name of being “spiritual.” But what if that’s not humility at all? What if it’s insecuri...

269. Three Reason Churches Unintentionally Reward Survival Patterns 11.03.2026 21min

In this episode of Two Pastors and a Mic, we kick off a brand new conversation about something many Christians never stop to question: what if some of the behaviors we’ve called “spiritual maturity” are actually survival patterns? We talk about three reasons churches often unintentionally reward unhealthy patterns, not because leaders are malicious, but because many of us were formed by the same systems ourselves. From self-shrinking that looks like humility, to overworking that looks like s...

268. Is Reconstruction Harder Than Deconstruction? 04.03.2026 29min

In this episode of Two Pastors and a Mic, we wrap up our deconstruction/reconstruction mini-series with a question a lot of people ask: Which one is harder—deconstruction or reconstruction? We start with a little Nashville recap, then we get honest about what this journey actually feels like in real life. One of the biggest takeaways: the “harder vs. easier” question might not even be the right lens. The better questions are: What am I building now? What am I a part of? And is it beautiful? ...

267. When Your Theology Changes But Your Relationships Haven't 25.02.2026 28min

In this episode of Two Pastors and a Mic, Cory and Channock tackle one of the hardest parts of growth: what happens when you change…but the people around you don’t. If you’ve gone through deconstruction, started holding your beliefs more loosely, or found yourself living with more nuance, you’ve probably felt the tension at the dinner table—Do I speak up? Stay quiet? Change the subject? Because the truth is, most of the time the tension isn’t even theological… it’s relational. They talk hone...

266. Living Faith Without Needing Certainty 18.02.2026 31min

In this episode of Two Pastors And A Mic, we tackle one of the hardest (and most freeing) parts of the faith journey: what it looks like to follow Jesus without needing to be certain about everything. A lot of us were formed in environments where certainty = faith… where having the “right answer” felt like safety, belonging, and control. But when deconstruction (or just honest questions) starts pulling at those threads, it can feel like you’re losing your footing—even when you’re actually ga...

265. Rebuilding Trust Through B.R.A.V.I.N.G. 11.02.2026 33min

In today’s conversation, we’re talking about something almost everyone has to rebuild at some point—trust. If you’ve been dismissed, disappointed, shunned, or wounded by church culture, you know how quickly trust can fracture… not just with people, but with yourself and even with God. So we break it down like a three-legged stool: ✅ rebuilding trust with others ✅ rebuilding trust with yourself ✅ rebuilding trust with God And then we get super practical by unpacking Brené Brown’s “BRAVING” f...

264. How To Stay Tender Without Becoming Cynical 04.02.2026 27min

In this episode of Two Pastors and a Mic, we keep walking out what we’re calling the 2:6 Life - Anyone who claims to live in Him must live as Jesus did” (1 John 2:6). And today we go straight into a tension a lot of us feel after deconstruction, church hurt, or betrayal: How do you protect your heart…without closing it off completely? Because for many of us, cynicism starts to feel like wisdom. It promises we won’t be surprised again, disappointed again, or fooled again. But over time, cyni...

263. Why Some People Get Stuck After Deconstructing 28.01.2026 33min

What do you do when you feel stuck? You’ve awakened to union. You’ve deconstructed beliefs that used to shape your life. You have clarity of thought… but not clarity of direction. And the weird part is: you don’t want to go back — you just don’t know how to move forward. In this episode, we unpack 5 common reasons people get stuck after deconstruction (and why it’s not failure), plus real-life examples of what “stuckness” can look like when your beliefs have changed faster than your life kn...

262. What Changes And What Doesn't - After Deconstruction? 21.01.2026 28min

Deconstruction can feel like freedom… until the relief wears off. In this episode of Two Pastors and a Mic, Cory and Channock talk honestly about what really changes after deconstruction — and what often doesn’t. Because many of us have shifted our beliefs about God, the Bible, hell, the devil, and faith… but still find ourselves stuck in the same emotional patterns we learned in the system we left. You might think differently now… but still feel anxious, responsible, pressured, or lonely. ...

261. The 2:6 Life 14.01.2026 22min

Welcome back to Two Pastors and a Mic — and welcome to 2026. In this first episode of the new year, Cory and Channock kick off what we’re calling “The 2:6 Life” (1 John 2:6): “If anyone claims to live in Him, they must live as Jesus lived.” But instead of turning that verse into pressure, performance, or behavior modification… we talk about what it looks like to live from union — and to actually integrate what you already know. Because a lot of us don’t need more information… we need transf...

260. Laugh With Us, Cry With Us, And Celebrate 2025 07.01.2026 27min

Happy New Year! In this special recap episode, Cory and Channock kick off 2026 by looking back on a wild, emotional, growth-filled 2025. We celebrate wins, share honest behind-the-scenes moments, talk about what we’re carrying into the new year, and name what we’re wrestling with as leaders, husbands, dads, and pastors. From podcast milestones (downloads, top episodes, consistency) to personal wins (books, ministry moments, RELife homes, and the launch of Zoay Intensive), this episode is a ...

259. How To Sheath Your Sword In A Violent-Loving Culture 31.12.2025 20min

What if real strength isn’t found in winning arguments—but in knowing when to lay down your rights? In this New Year’s Eve episode of Two Pastors and a Mic, Cory and Channock close out 2025 by unpacking one of Jesus’ most misunderstood teachings: meekness. Drawing from Cory’s final eBook, How to Sheath Your Sword in a Violent Loving Culture, they explore why meekness is not weakness, but strength under control—and why it may be the posture Christians need most in a polarized world. You’ll h...