This week on the podcast, I am joined by my dad, Robert Noll, to talk about the vitalness of the Holy Spirit's role in our spiritual communities and our personal faith journeys, as well as the damaging repercussions that can result when a church's foundation is not built upon the Holy Spirit. This episode follows the topics and themes of Chapter 19, "The Million Dollar Question", in my book "A Jumble of Crumpled Papers".   Get your copy of “A Jumble of Crumpled Papers” here:...

This week on the podcast, I am joined by Jonathan Martin, author of the book "The Road Away From God", to talk about navigating the loneliness and uncertainty that many find themselves experiencing after leaving the safety and security of a spiritual community behind.  This episode follows the topics and themes of Chapter 18, "A Lonely Road", in my book "A Jumble of Crumpled Papers".   Get your copy of “A Jumble of Crumpled Papers” here:...

This week on the podcast, I am joined by Jenn Moeller, who shares her experiences growing up in the church, and gives us personal examples from her own story of the ways our negative experiences can leave us with unwanted cynicism.  This episode follows the topics and themes of Chapter 17, "Cynics and Sponges", in my book "A Jumble of Crumpled Papers".   Get your copy of “A Jumble of Crumpled Papers” here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0BCD5PMX5/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?ie=UTF8&qid=&sr=...

This week on the podcast, I am joined by Kat Wordsworth, author of "Let's Talk About Doubt", to... well... talk about doubt!  In our conversation, we discuss the misconceptions we can have about doubt, the way it is perceived and navigated by many spiritual communities, and the opportunity it offers us for growth.  This episode follows the topics and themes of Chapter 16, "Seeking The Uncertainty", in my book "A Jumble of Crumpled Papers".   Get your copy of “A Jumble of Crumpled Papers”...

This week on the podcast, I am joined by Karl and Laura Forehand, co-authors of the book "Out Into The Desert" and co-hosts of "The Desert Sanctuary" podcast. We talk all about the aftermath of leaving the safety and security of your spiritual community, and venturing into "The Desert", where you may just find an unexpected freedom in the uncertainty. This episode follows the topics and themes of Chapter 15, "Sleeping In On A Sunday", in my book "A Jumble of Crumpled Papers".   Get your copy...

This week on the podcast, it's just me and you, as I explain the meaning of the metaphor "A Jumble of Crumpled Papers", and discuss the daunting process of re-evaluating our beliefs and replacing toxic ideas with healthy ones.  This episode follows the topics and themes of Chapter 14, "A Jumble of Crumpled Papers", in my book "A Jumble of Crumpled Papers".   Get your copy of “A Jumble of Crumpled Papers” here:...

This episode is PART 2 of 2.  This week on the podcast, I am joined by my mom, Robin Noll, to let her share her side of many of my experiences that I narrate in my book. She shares her experience going through the process of recognizing the unhealthy, toxic elements of our church, attempting to fight for change, and ultimately deciding it was time to leave.    This episode follows the topics and themes of Chapter 13, "A Final Stand", in my book "A Jumble of Crumpled Papers".   Get your copy...

This week on the podcast, I am joined by my mom, Robin Noll, to let her share her side of many of my experiences that I narrate in my book. She shares her experience going through the process of recognizing the unhealthy, toxic elements of our church, attempting to fight for change, and ultimately deciding it was time to leave.  This episode is PART 1 of 2. Part 2 releases this Thursday! This episode follows the topics and themes of Chapter 13, "A Final Stand", in my book "A Jumble of...

This week on the podcast, I am joined by Jon Augustine, a former Los Angeles campus ministry leader, who dissects the pros and cons of some of the central elements of campus ministry culture, and helps paint a healthier picture for what college church culture could be. This episode follows the topics and themes of Chapter 12, "Running On Empty", in my book "A Jumble of Crumpled Papers".   Get your copy of “A Jumble of Crumpled Papers” here:...

This week on the podcast, I am joined by Jeff Morrell, a former member and leader of my childhood church, as we take an honest look back at his time on staff, discussing what was done in a healthy way, and what ideas and practices may have been damaging and should be done differently.  This episode follows the topics and themes of Chapter 11, "A Culture of Condemnation", in my book "A Jumble of Crumpled Papers".   Get your copy of “A Jumble of Crumpled Papers” here:...

This week I am joined by Luci Coblentz and Sovi Louise, sisters who grew up in an Amish community, and ran away together when they were 17 and 20. In this episode they share some of their incredible story and offer some amazing insight into both the similarities and differences between Amish culture and many modern Christian churches, particularly in the ways shame is imbued and experienced.  This week’s focus is on shame, and we have a fantastic conversation on it’s pervasiveness across...

This week on the podcast, I am joined by author, life coach, and certified Grief Recovery Specialist Sandi Derby as she helps unpack the idea of "spiritual abuse", including the symptoms, causes, and damaging effects it can have on individuals and spiritual communities.  This episode follows the topics and themes of Chapter 9, "What Is Spiritual Abuse?", in my book "A Jumble of Crumpled Papers".   Get your copy of “A Jumble of Crumpled Papers” here:...

This week on the podcast, it's just me, and it's story time! In this episode I delve into my experiences in my church's high school ministry when a girl and I began to develop feelings for each other, and how the church responded and navigated our relationship. I cover topics such as where the ultimate authority falls in a young person's life, and the damage that can be inflicted when a church's decisions are guided by fear and a desire for control.   This episode follows the topics and...

This week on the podcast, I am joined by longtime friend Lisi Axelson to talk about our shared experiences growing up in the same church.  In this episode we unpack the wrongful shame and lasting effects that resulted from a game of truth or dare as kids, she shares about growing up being treated as an outcast and “the example of what NOT to do” by the church and its leaders, and we both discuss our experiences and perspectives on the ways churches navigate the dynamic between guys and girls,...

This week on the podcast, I am joined by Blake Guichet, host of the "Confessions of A Crappy Christian" Podcast and author of a new book of the same name. Our conversation is all about imperfection, and the repercussions that often result from churches doing everything in their power to make sure people stay as far away as possible from messing up.  This episode follows the topics and themes of Chapter 6, "The 'S' Word", in my book "A Jumble of Crumpled Papers".   Get your copy of “A Jumble...

This week on the podcast, I am joined by Dulce Johnson, creator and owner of "The Honest Messy Life",  to discuss the defining tenets of fear, including its origin, motivation, and above all its damaging effect on both individual believers and spiritual communities as a whole.  This episode follows the topics and themes of Chapter 5, "The Fragility of Fear", in my book "A Jumble of Crumpled Papers".   Get your copy of “A Jumble of Crumpled Papers” here:...

This week on the podcast, I am joined by my friend Nicole Huynh to discuss our experiences in the same church, talking about the ways unhealthy churches and spiritual environments tend to view and navigate "The Outside World", aka any ideas, beliefs, practices, even people who don't fit in with what they believe.  This episode follows the topics and themes of Chapter 4, "The World Beyond The Walls", in my book "A Jumble of Crumpled Papers".   Get your copy of “A Jumble of Crumpled Papers”...

This week on the podcast, I am joined by Jonathan Carone, creator and co-host of the "Unlearning Youth Group" Podcast, as we talk about one of the staples of the Christian church camp experience... Cry Night. Our conversation also includes examining the role that emotion plays in church, as well as the difference between intention and expression. This episode follows the topics and themes in Chapter 3, "It's Alright to Cry", of my book "A Jumble of Crumpled Papers".   Get your copy of “A...

This week on the podcast, I am joined by the owner of the popular online community "Christians Who Curse Sometimes", as we talk about some of the defining tenets of Contemporary Christian Culture, as well as discussing the pursuit of perfection, the value of authenticity, and the stigmas of controversial topics in many modern churches and spiritual communities.  This episode follows the topics and themes in Chapter 2, "The Notorious C.C.C", of my book "A Jumble of Crumpled Papers".   Get your...

Episode 1 is finally here, and to kick our journey off, we're talking all things "church kid" with Isabel, Meigan, and Janai from "The Spacemakers Podcast"! In our conversation we cover topics such as the hallmarks of the church kid experience, as well as both the positive and negative effects of growing up in church.   Strap in. This is just the beginning!   Get your copy of “A Jumble of Crumpled Papers” here:...

This was not an episode I thought I'd be making..   On December 31, 2022, an article was published on "Rolling Stone" detailing a federal claim that was filed against my childhood church and it's affiliated organizations for, among other things, multiple incidents of both facilitating and concealing sexual abuse. In this bonus episode, I discuss the details of the article, my thoughts surrounding the current circumstances surrounding my old church, and the hope that this news can offer...

Welcome to the Crumpled Papers Podcast!    This is the intro episode. In board game terms, this is the starting tile where all the game pieces go before the game actually starts. And this episode tells you everything you need to know about who we are, what we are, and what you have to look forward to on the horizon!   Get your copy of “A Jumble of Crumpled Papers” here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0BCD5PMX5/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?ie=UTF8&qid=&sr=     Connect with us! Austin's...