Discount Disciples Podcast (Formerly Christian AF)
Religion & Spirituality
About
Discount Disciples Podcast (formerly known as Christian AF) is a podcast for Christians with a few scuffs and dents. It began with long conversations over good drinks and the growing realization that life and faith are not nearly as simple as we were often taught. What followed were bigger questions—about doubt, church culture, theology, certainty, and whether faith could hold up under honest scrutiny. We started asking questions: Why was doubt treated like danger? Why did honest wrestling feel off-limits? Why were so many of us handed a version of faith that could not survive real life? Discount Disciples is a space for those conversations. It is for people who are questioning, reconstructing, healing, or simply trying to follow Jesus without pretending everything is neat and settled. We talk about faith, church culture, theology, and the complicated work of rebuilding belief with honesty, humility, and curiosity. We are n
Episodes
- Episode 128 - We're Baaaack
Send us Fan Mail Skiing is fun. Apparently. (And so is pretending we didn’t ghost you for six months.) Episode 128 is a pure catch-up chaos special: Jesse, Jen, and Evan reconvene to explain where the heck they’ve been, why the show went d…
- Episode 127 - FIN?
Send us Fan Mail It’s the end of Christian AF… for now. And possibly the most on-brand way to wrap it all up. After years of beers, Bible hot takes, snarky one-liners, and genuinely vulnerable faith convos, Jesse, Jen, and Evan sit down on…
- Episode 126 - Dispensationalism - PART 2
Send us Fan Mail So… why are we obsessed with the end of the world? In Part 2 of our chaotic theological therapy session with Jeff Swanson, the Christian AF crew gets personal, philosophical, and—let’s be honest—maybe a little punch-drunk…
- Episode 125 - Dispensationalism (PART 1)
Send us Fan Mail In this heresy-flavored episode of the Christian AF Podcast, Jesse, Jen, and Evan sit down with resident dispensationalism whisperer (and trauma-sharing expert) Jeff Swanson to break down one of the most influential and we…
- Episode 124 - Deconstructing Deconstruction
Send us Fan Mail Deconstruction. The word that sends evangelicals into a cold sweat and has half of social media in a theological meltdown. But what does it really mean? Are people deconstructing their faith, or just ditching the bad theol…
- Episode 123 - Why Does Genesis 1-11 Matter?
Send us Fan Mail Genesis 1-11: The greatest hits of Sunday school, or something much deeper? In this episode of the Christian AF Podcast, Jesse, Jen, and Evan dive into the origins of everything—creation, Adam & Eve, Noah’s Ark, and the To…
- Episode 122 - Quiet Quitting (Part 2)
Send us Fan Mail You made it to part two! Or maybe you skipped part one and are just diving in here. Either way, welcome to the unfiltered, mildly chaotic continuation of our conversation on quiet quitting church . This time, we dig even d…
- Episode 121 - Quiet Quitting (Part 1)
Send us Fan Mail Ever feel like you’re slowly backing out of a room, hoping no one notices? That’s quiet quitting —but not at your job. We’re talking about quietly quitting church . 🏃♂️💨 In this episode of Christian AF , Jesse, Jen, and…
- Episode 120 - HERESY!
Send us Fan Mail In this heretical hot take of the Christian AF Podcast, Jesse, Jen, and Evan crack open the tangled world of heresy —what it is, why it’s a big deal (or is it?), and how we’ve all probably dabbled in a little heresy oursel…
- Episode 119 - Why don’t we live like eternity is real?
Send us Fan Mail Happy New Year! 🎉 In this special year-end episode of the Christian AF Podcast, Jesse, Jen, and Evan tackle the big question: Why don’t we live like eternity is real? With 2025 kicking off, we reflect on how eternity (or…
- Episode 118 - Jesus: Human
Send us Fan Mail 🎄 It's the most wonderful time of the year, and we're back with a brand-new episode! In this special holiday-themed discussion, Jesse, Jen, and Evan tackle some big theological questions (and a whole lot of Christmas bant…
- Episode 117 - Rethinking Leadership
Send us Fan Mail Leadership and discipleship—two words we hear a lot in church, but do they really mean what we think they do? In this episode of the Christian AF Podcast, Jesse, Jen, and Evan dive into the messy overlap of leadership and…
- Episode 116 - The Election is Over... Now What?
Send us Fan Mail The election may be over, but the tension isn’t. In this episode of the Christian AF Podcast, Jesse, Jen, and Evan take a deep breath, grab their drinks, and tackle the big question: "Now what?" With post-election emotions…
- Episode 115 - Nephilim & Other Biblical Oddities: Giants, Angels, and Conspiracies – Oh My!
Send us Fan Mail Buckle up, because we're diving into some of the weirdest, most mysterious stuff the Bible has to offer – and it involves giants, fallen angels, and things that sound like they're straight out of a fantasy novel. This epis…
- Episode 114 - The Folly of Church Planting
Send us Fan Mail Ever thought about planting a church? Well, before you grab your Bible and shovel (metaphorically, of course), you might want to take a listen to this episode of the Christian AF Podcast. Jesse, Jen, and Evan unpack the "f…
- Episode 113 - Denominations
Send us Fan Mail Ever wondered what the heck a denomination is and why we even have them? Well, grab a drink and brace yourself because this episode of the Christian AF Podcast dives into the history, the misconceptions, and the modern-day…
- Episode 112 - TIM WHITAKER | New Evangelicals
Send us Fan Mail Ever had a conversation so good, that you had to do it twice? Well, that's exactly what happened with this episode of the Christian AF Podcast featuring Tim Whitaker from The New Evangelicals. That's right, folks. We manag…
- Episode 111 - Values
Send us Fan Mail What does Jesus value about the church, and how does that compare to what we value today? In this insightful episode of the Christian AF Podcast, Jesse, Jen, and Evan delve into the core question of values within the churc…
- Episode 110 - Faith v Belief
Send us Fan Mail Ever wondered about the difference between faith and belief? In this episode of the Christian AF Podcast, Jesse, Jen, and Evan dive into the profound yet often misunderstood distinction between these two concepts. They exp…
- Episode 109 - The Great Recoil
Send us Fan Mail Today we're talking about the great recoil (as Evan calls it). We've noticed that many churches have tried to recoil back into what was comfortable before the pandemic because it's comfortable instead of growing and evolvi…
- Episode 108 - DAVID FITCH | Reckoning with Power
Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Christian AF Podcast, hosts Jen, Jesse, and Evan sit down with David Fitch, an author, professor, and pastor, to discuss his new book, "Reckoning with Power: Why the Church Fails When It's on the Wro…
- Episode 107 - Pastor's Kid Interview
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, hosts Evan and Jesse are joined by Courtney Bandeko and Benjamin Koppin, the talent behind the unconventional Christian film "Pastor's Kid." With Jen out sick, the duo navigates an engaging discussion abou…
- Episode 106 - Practicing Spiritual Discipline
Send us Fan Mail What is the point of spiritual discipline? Do we need to read our bibles? Why do we need to PRACTICE discipleship? Isn't going to church and trying to be good Christians enough? The CAF podcast crew welcomes back Creig Day…
- Episode 105 - CURRENT EVENTS | Community Tragedy
Send us Fan Mail Today's episode is a little different. In the wake of a difficult week for our community in Rockford, Jen, Evan, Jesse, and Creig have a candid conversation about our roles amid tragedy. NEWS ARTICLES https://www.wifr.com/…
- Episode 104 - Lady Podcasters (PART 2)
Send us Fan Mail Welcome to part 2 of the ladies' podcast. We're amplifying the voices of some of our favorite women during Women's Month as Jen sits down with some of her closest friends (wives of Jesse and Evan and good friend Heather Ca…
- Episode 103 - Lady Podcasters (PART 1)
Send us Fan Mail Dive into a candid episode of the Christian AF Podcast as we welcome a very special group of women: Evan's wife Heather, Jesse's wife Alix, and our friend Heather join Jen for today's conversation. As we celebrate Women's…
- Episode 102 - Volunteer Abuse
Send us Fan Mail Right smack in the middle of trying to build a stronger community, the topic of volunteering in church stirs up more than just dust. It's a whirlwind of questions: Are we asking too much from our volunteers? Is there a thi…
- Episode 101 - A Quick Fast
Send us Fan Mail Let's talk fasting! What is the practice of fasting and why do we do it? Is it still applicable to our lives today? How do we keep our focus on prayer while fasting? Join us as we talk about starting a 30-day fast with our…
- Episode 100 - A Little About Us
Send us Fan Mail Join us in a toast as we mark a major milestone: our 100th episode of Christian AF Podcast! In this special edition, we're switching things up – your hosts become the guests. Dive into our personal stories, early influence…
- Episode 99 - Per My Last Letter (A Modern Letter from Paul)
Send us Fan Mail Ever wondered what it would be like to receive a letter from the apostle Paul in today's fast-paced, digital age? In this intriguing episode, we embark on a thought-provoking journey into the hypothetical scenario of today…
- Episode 98 - Silver Bullets
Send us Fan Mail In a world where quick fixes and instant solutions are often sought after, how does this impact the way we approach challenges in our churches? Are there really 'silver bullets' that can instantly resolve systemic issues,…
- Episode 97 - Spiritual Formation
Send us Fan Mail Does spiritual growth happen in isolation, or is it a journey best walked with others? In a world that often celebrates individual achievement, how important is community in our spiritual formation? This episode of the Chr…
- Episode 96 - LISTENER EPISODE | Moralism
Send us Fan Mail ** LISTENER SPONSORED EPISODE ** This episode is sponsored by listener (and Jen fan) Tricia! Ever find yourself questioning the "dos and don'ts" that sometimes pop up in Christian culture? Why is it that some believers are…
- Episode 95 - CURRENT EVENTS | Israel
Send us Fan Mail Navigating the complex topic of the current war in Israel is no easy feat. How do we sift through the layers of history, politics, and faith to understand the deep-rooted issues? Even more so, what's the role of misinforma…
- Episode 94 - Discipline
Send us Fan Mail When it comes to church discipline, we often find ourselves walking a fine line. How do we balance the need to uphold our community's values with inclusivity? How do we differentiate between a loving correction and an outr…
- Episode 93 - Universalism
Send us Fan Mail Ever wrestled with the idea of universalism? Does everyone, regardless of faith or deeds, get a pass into the eternal afterlife? Is God's love and grace truly universal, or are there some boundaries we shouldn't cross? How…
- Episode 92 - Save Me from Myself (Salvation)
Send us Fan Mail Ever ponder the complexities of salvation? Is it merely a one-way ticket to heaven, or is there more to it? Can you lose your salvation once you've got it? And if so, is there a comeback route? How about the role of prayer…
- Episode 91 - Galactic Gospel
Send us Fan Mail Did you hear the news? Just in case you've been living under a rock for the last month (much like our friend Evan), it seems as though the possibility of extraterrestrial life is looking more like a reality than ever befor…
- Episode 90 - #BLESSED
Send us Fan Mail Have you ever heard someone use the saying "#blessed" or talk about how "blessed" they are every chance they get? What does that really mean? Is it vocabulary we should be using? Is there any harm in casually throwing that…
- Episode 89 - Avoidance w/ Philippe (Part 2)
Send us Fan Mail In part two of our conversation with Philippe we're getting personal! Philippe challenges the CAF crew to answer these two questions: 1. Where are we suffering and avoiding in our personal lives? 2. How are you designing y…
- Episode 88 - Avoidance w/ Philippe (Part 1)
Send us Fan Mail Have you ever noticed yourself sweeping your problems under the rug, hoping they will just disappear? Have you caught yourself blaming others for your shortcomings, without daring to look inwardly and ask the tough questio…
- Episode 87 - Church Branding
Send us Fan Mail On today's episode, we're talking about church branding. We know this topic may not be the most interesting to some of our listeners, but we think it's an important conversation to have! We promise to still be our entertai…
- Episode 86 - The Secrets of Hillsong
Send us Fan Mail There's a new documentary about Hillsong Church & Carl Lentz out (check out the trailer here ), so of course we had to take a few minutes to chat about it. If you haven't watched "The Secrets of Hillsong" yet, you can find…
- Episode 85 - BIBLE BREAKDOWN - Parables
Send us Fan Mail Curious about the profound messages embedded in Jesus' stories and their impact on your spiritual path? Join us for an episode of Christian AF where we delve into the captivating realm of parables. Together, we'll explore…
- Episode 84 - As the World Burns
Send us Fan Mail Do you ever find yourself staring at the news, shaking your head, and wondering, "Why does the world seem like it's on a non-stop rollercoaster ride downhill?" Is it just us, or do the headlines seem to shout louder and gr…
- Episode 83 - The Esoteric Exit
Send us Fan Mail Have you ever wondered why some people drift away from their faith and find themselves drawn to more esoteric belief systems, including New Ageism, cults, and other alternative spiritual paths? In today's conversation, our…
- Episode 82 - Tongues Ablaze (Gregory D Hall)
Send us Fan Mail Have you ever witnessed someone speaking in tongues and found yourself perplexed or intrigued? Perhaps you grew up in a church where it was a common practice, or maybe you stumbled upon it unexpectedly, leaving you with a…
- Episode 81 - Life After Megachurch (Michael Chanley)
Send us Fan Mail Today we've got Michael Chanley , on the podcast! Michael is a pastor & author who went from living life on staff at a megachurch to being the lead pastor of a small local church. We discuss the hurt he faced, the transiti…
- Episode 80 - The Gospel According to Evan
Send us Fan Mail Welcome to another Bible Breakdown episode! This month we're discussing the four gospels found in the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). Why were they included in the Bible? Why are there four of them? What mak…
- Episode 79 - Et Tu Brute (Church Loyalty)
Send us Fan Mail Let's chat about church loyalty, shall we? Is it important? Is it expected? Is it an antiquated idea? Is there really any harm in "church shopping"? The CAF Crew attempts to tackle a few of these questions in this week's e…