Shame and guilt often get lumped together—but are they the same thing? In this episode, Mike and James unpack the crucial distinctions between the two, and how shame-based thinking, in particular, can keep people stuck in cycles they were never meant to live in.

In the second installment of their conversation with Pastor Ben Martin, Mike and James explore where the idea came from that baptism should be delayed until people "know enough". They push back on the myth that this approach stops people from drifting away and talk about why healthy ongoing discipleship — not front-loading information — is what truly helps faith take root.

Is baptism the final step after a checklist of Bible studies — or simply a response to encountering and deciding to follow Jesus? In this episode, Mike and James talk with Pastor Ben Martin about the purpose and timing of baptism, and whether we've made it more complicated than it needs to be.

In this follow-up episode, James reflects on his journey into legalism, the fruit of that experience, and the gradual shift toward a faith no longer driven by fear.

We’re kicking things off with Mike’s story — how he came into faith with a heavy dose of legalism, and what it took to start letting that go.

Show intro.