With Christmas just around the corner, it’s easy to get lost in the comforts of gifts, gatherings, and familiar holiday carols. Yet in today’s podcast, Dan and Rachael remind us that the true celebration of Christmas means embracing the profound disruption Jesus brought to the world—a call to love, bless, and challenge the status quo, even in a world often defined by hatred and division.

This conversation invites us to see Christmas as more than a season of comfort. It’s a time of transformation, calling us to step into the work of love, justice, and restoration.

Merry Christmas from all of us here at the Allender Center! We’ll take a short break on the podcast next week, and will return on December 27th with a year-end reflection from Dan and Becky Allender.

As we continue through the season of Advent, this week's episode of the Allender Center Podcast invites you to linger in the profound mystery of light and darkness found in John 1. 

Dan and Rachael reflect on the richness of this passage, offering insights into the paradox of the light that reveals all yet remains unseen by many.

“In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:4-5)

Through their conversation, Dan and Rachael explore 

• why arrogance and dogmatism can obscure even the brightest of truths,

• how Jesus, the true light, shattered societal and religious expectations of power and hierarchy, and 

• what it means to embody vulnerability and hope in a world steeped in exploitation and suffering.

With honesty and humility, they wrestle with the ways we — individually and collectively — can miss the light of Christ in our midst. Yet, we’re also reminded of the profound hope of the Word made flesh, dwelling among us still.

As we enter the season of Advent, Dan and Rachael invite us to reflect on the opening of John’s Gospel: “In the beginning was the Word…” From there, they move to John’s closing declaration: “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.”

Through this framework, they delve into the meaning and weight of the Word — and of words themselves. Words are not just for speaking, but also for listening. (We often forget that part.) Dan shares his personal longing for this season: “I want, for me, this season, I want for us to love the Word, to love words, to be silenced, to have more sense of awe. And in many ways, the humility to move toward a vulnerability that askews false power.”

While this episode leans a bit more philosophical than some, we hope it offers a thoughtful space to ponder the beauty and mystery of the Word. Join Dan and Rachael as they share their own questions and reflections, inviting us into a richer experience of Advent.

When confronting spiritual abuse, it can feel more straightforward to focus on a specific person or leader who may have caused harm. But it’s also important to address the systems and cultural contexts that, in their most obvious forms, promote abuse—and in their more subtle forms, allow it to happen or refuse to confront it.

In this episode, Dan and Rachael dive into the painful realities of spiritual abuse and the systems that uphold it. They explore how cultural powers—such as patriarchy, white supremacy, capitalism, and purity culture—often intertwine with Christian theology, creating harmful environments that distort our understanding of God and faith. And yet, even in the face of this, there is a call to confront our complicity in these systems with grace and humility. 

We hope this conversation is an invitation to wrestle with and address how we've been shaped by harmful cultures and systems and how we may have participated in them – and ultimately, to consider how we can step into a more loving, just, and merciful understanding of God and community. ===

We invite you to explore the brand-new Spiritual Abuse & Healing Online Course from the Allender Center.

This 6-lesson course, complete with reflective practices and deep dive panel discussions, helps you engage your body, mind, and spirit as you unpack the harm caused by spiritual abuse.

Whether you’re just beginning to wake up to this reality or have been on a healing journey for years, this course provides a safe and welcoming space to deepen your understanding and work towards healing.

Learn more and enroll today at: theallendercenter.org/online-courses

Abuse of any kind involves a setup and a breach of trust – and spiritual abuse is no exception. 

Whether it stems from personal relationships or institutional settings, spiritual abuse can deeply disrupt our sense of attachment and connection, leaving lasting wounds.

These wounds may have their roots in early developmental trauma, making spiritual abuse feel like an echo of past harm. It’s not just about the betrayal of spiritual abuse in the more recent past—whether during teen years, college experiences, or adulthood—but about understanding how our earliest experiences have shaped our ability to trust and heal.

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We invite you to explore the brand-new Spiritual Abuse & Healing Online Course from the Allender Center.

This 6-lesson course, complete with reflective practices and deep dive panel discussions, helps you engage your body, mind, and spirit as you unpack the harm caused by spiritual abuse.

Whether you’re just beginning to wake up to this reality or have been on a healing journey for years, this course provides a safe and welcoming space to deepen your understanding and work towards healing.

Learn more and enroll today at: theallendercenter.org/online-courses

In this episode of the Allender Center Podcast, Dan and Rachael open up about navigating uncertain times with faith and intentionality. 

They recorded this conversation before the results of the U.S. Presidential election were announced so that, no matter the outcome, they could focus on what it means to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly in today’s world. 

As they examine both the cultural landscape and the state of their own hearts, we invite you to listen and join them in reflecting on what it looks like to live with purpose and compassion — even when the future feels unknown.

“American Gospel” (Jon Guerra, 2024), used with permission. You can hear more from Jon at jonguerramusic.com.

This week, we’re checking in with you, dear listeners, in a candid and vulnerable episode. 

Days before the U.S. Presidential Election, Dan and Rachael share the emotional weight they’re carrying, touching on the intense anxiety, anger, and grief of this turbulent season and honestly acknowledging, “We’re not doing well.” 

Together, they explore practices that help them stay grounded and find hope. We hope that this conversation possibly helps you navigate similar feelings in uncertain times, or, at the very least, reminds you that you are not alone.

Editor’s Note: Dan and Rachael recalled different percentages regarding White Protestants' views on immigrants. According to the source, however, the executive summary states: “While few Americans (35%) agree that “immigrants are invading our country and replacing our cultural and ethnic background,” this view is held by 65% of Republicans, as well as most viewers of far-right news (83%) and Fox News viewers (66%). White evangelical Protestants (62%) are the only religious group among whom a majority agree that immigrants are invading our country and replacing our cultural and ethnic background.” Source: prii.org

Related Resources:

Dan and Rachael reference the following works during their conversation:

• Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why by Laurence Gonzales

• Oscillation Guidebook by Gabes Torres

• Article: “A third of Americans agree with Trump that immigrants ‘poison the blood’ of US” published by The Guardian, October 18, 2024.

• Article: “Challenges to Democracy: The 2024 Election in Focus” published by prii.org, October 11, 2024.

In this episode, we invite you to take a deep breath and find some grounding through the power of poetry. Whether you're navigating stress or simply feeling a bit unsteady, poetry — reading it, writing it, or even the act of writing any thoughts by hand — can offer profound moments of calm and connection.

We're thrilled to be joined once again by Sue Cunningham, an Allender Center facilitator and licensed therapist. Sue wears many hats — poet, life and soul coach, spiritual director — and now, podcast host! Be sure to check out her newly launched podcast, Living Poetry, available wherever you listen to podcasts.

We hope this episode feels like a balm for your soul, offering beauty, healing, and practical ways to use poetry to find peace and grounding in this season.

Dr. J.P. Kang joins Dan and Rachael this week to introduce The Seattle School’s brand new Certificate in Scripture and Society. 

From the beginning, J.P. makes it clear—this isn't just another Bible study course. As he explains, “It's not the way that they've approached scripture in a previous church setting or perhaps faith-based educational institution. I think that what I'm trying to do is help students become better readers, both of the text and of their context, of themselves.”

This transformative, 12-month certificate program offers a fresh, psychologically-informed approach to studying the Bible. Students will explore scripture through diverse cultural, historical, and literary perspectives while being guided by esteemed scholars and seasoned practitioners. The program is designed to challenge and expand how we read and interpret both the text and our world.

If you're a faith leader or someone passionate about engaging scripture through liberative, intellectually rigorous lenses, this program is for you. Live, online courses begin January 2025, and applications are open now through December 1, 2024. 

Discover more and apply at theseattleschool.edu/scripture

On this week’s episode of The Allender Center Podcast, licensed therapist, professor, and author Chuck DeGroat returns to discuss his latest book, “Healing What’s Within: Coming Home to Yourself—and to God—When You’re Wounded, Weary, and Wandering.”

In this deeply personal and insightful conversation, Chuck explores the profound journey of healing from trauma, especially when it's caused by circumstances beyond our control.

After the release of his previous book, “When Narcissism Comes to Church,” Chuck was flooded with messages from people dealing with wounds that weren’t their fault. This prompted him to ask: How do we move from being defined by what happens to us, to understanding the transformation that happens within us? In “Healing What’s Within,” Chuck invites readers to encounter God as a compassionate witness to their trauma, offering unconditional kindness and presence in whatever state they find themselves.

If you’re seeking hope and healing on your journey, we highly recommend this book, which is available wherever books are sold.

Just as it’s important to understand our own stories to make sense of our lives today, it’s also crucial to examine the stories within the church’s history to better understand how they are playing out in the present.

That’s why we’re excited to welcome back author, professor, and church historian The Rev. Dr. Jennifer Powell McNutt as she explores the life of a woman who played a significant role in the ministry, burial, and resurrection of Jesus: Mary Magdalene.

For too long, the church has misunderstood Mary Magdalene—her story often confused, scandalized, and undervalued. Yet, she was present at the resurrection. But why was this so important? Why was she chosen to witness and then commissioned to "go and tell," becoming the first apostle?

This powerful story reminds us that God calls the ordinary, imperfect, and unexpected to uniquely reveal the gospel.

You can preorder your copy of The Mary We Forgot: What the Apostle to the Apostles Teaches the Church Today by Jennifer Powell McNutt at bakerbookhouse.com. Use code ALLENDER50 to save 50% and get free shipping.