The Collective Table

The Collective Table

The Collective Table is a progressive and affirming Christian platform for those who want to follow Jesus, work for justice, and celebrate joy!

  1. 3d ago

    Love Is Good Religion: Trey Ferguson on Faith, Scripture, and Nonviolence

    What does it mean to make love the lens through which we understand God, scripture, justice, and the way of Jesus? In this episode of The Collective Table, Jason Coker sits down with pastor, activist, and author Trey Ferguson to discuss his new book, Love Is Good Religion. Trey shares how his own journey into ministry shaped his understanding of faith and explores what it might look like to reimagine familiar Christian stories through a theology rooted in love. The conversation dives into competing understandings of the gospel, penal substitutionary atonement, the human fingerprints found throughout scripture, the role of imagination in faith, and the difference between retributive and restorative justice. Jason and Trey also explore how love might challenge our assumptions about violence, power, and what it means to follow Jesus in a world that often treats cruelty as necessary. Along the way, Trey offers a compelling definition of love as a commitment to the wholeness and flourishing of another—and invites us to consider what changes when we take that definition seriously. Love Is Good Religion is more than a devotional; it is an invitation to read scripture differently, ask better questions, and imagine a more loving way of being in the world. The Collective Table Podcast is a production of the Oceanside Sanctuary, a progressive Christian community in Oceanside, California. Learn more about the Oceanside Sanctuary and our work at oceansidesanctuary.org.

    Love Is Good Religion: Trey Ferguson on Faith, Scripture, and Nonviolence
  2. Jun 29

    TCT Book Club - "Fresh Start Your Family" With Author Wendy Snyder

    Most parents don’t realize that the way they’ve been taught to parent—based on shame, punishment, and control—is actually deeply harmful. Wendy Snyder, a family coach and author of Fresh Start Your Family, reveals how shifting from power struggles to powerful connection transforms not just your child's behavior, but your entire family dynamic.This episode pulls back the curtain on why apologizing to your kids feels so uncomfortable and how even the most well-intentioned parents often avoid humility out of fear or pride. Wendy shares concrete, actionable strategies—like the four-step framework for respectful discipline—that help parents build trust, foster emotional safety, and cultivate neural pathways of compassion in children. You’ll discover the profound impact of owning your part, offering genuine apologies, and modeling humility—because regret and repair are acts of strength, not weakness.We break down: Why society’s punishment-based parenting models disrupt connection and how to rewrite that script The power of apology and the right timing to rebuild trust after a mistake How empathy and understanding create safer, more resilient children who are willing to grow and learn from missteps The significance of connection, even during difficult moments, and how it shapes lifelong self-worth and emotional intelligence How to shift your perspective from control to creating a foundation of unconditional love and relationship Skipping these lessons risks passing down cycles of shame, disconnection, and rebellion. But mastering these principles unlocks a new level of influence—not through force but through authentic love and respect. If you’re tired of power struggles and want your family to thrive in dignity and grace, this episode is your guide.Whether you’re a parent, grandparent, or anyone invested in meaningful human connection, these insights will reshape your approach to family—not just for today, but for generations to come.Wendy Snyder is a certified family life coach, author, and host of The Fresh Start Family Show. Her work is rooted in faith, real-world science, and an unwavering commitment to restoring peace through connection.This is essential listening for anyone ready to give up control and embrace powerful parenting that heals, not harms. Learn More about the work we do at oceansidesanctuary.org Learn more about Wendy at freshstartfamilyonline.com dont forget to leave a review!

    TCT Book Club - "Fresh Start Your Family" With Author Wendy Snyder
  3. May 26 ·  Bonus

    TCT Book Club- “Holy Hurt” with Author Hillary McBride

    Welcome to The Collective Table Welcome to The Collective Table, a progressive and affirming Christian podcast produced by The Oceanside Sanctuary in Oceanside, California. We are a community dedicated to following Jesus, working for justice, and celebrating joy! Whether you are actively reconstructing your faith, seeking a spiritually safe and inclusive space, or simply exploring, there is a seat for you at our table. Healing from High Control Religious Systems: Insights with Dr. Hilary McBride In this episode, Dr. Hilary McBride shares her expertise on how high control religious environments impact psychological and spiritual development. She offers practical ways for communities and individuals to foster healing, embodiment, and genuine connection. Key topics The developmental harm caused by high control religious systems and how they stunt growth The importance of embodying spirituality through movement and physical connection How communities can create trauma-informed, body-honoring worship practices Strategies for churches to implement accountability and repair processes to prevent harm Navigating deconstruction: distinguishing between healthy growth and trauma responses Reconstructing a compassionate, non-coercive image of God beyond violent or guilt-based imagery How community spaces can foster belonging without coercion or pressure The role of spiritual remixing and cherry-picking beliefs in faith recovery Practical support for survivors of spiritual trauma and creating safe, supportive environments Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction and overview of Dr. McBride's background 02:03 - Why the church community chose to explore Holy Hurt 05:26 - Impact of high control religious backgrounds on development 09:00 - The developmental purpose of lying and boundary testing in youth 13:24 - Reconceptualizing the biblical language of violence and coercion 15:53 - How cultural context influences perceptions of divine violence 17:43 - The importance of hermeneutics and interpretive flexibility in spirituality 20:13 - Differentiating healthy deconstruction from traumatic disengagement 23:01 - Movement and embodiment as pathways to spiritual connection 27:43 - Trauma-informed body-based worship practices 33:29 - Accountability structures in progressive faith communities 39:53 - Supporting survivors and avoiding re-traumatization 42:57 - Navigating trust and community re-entry after trauma 45:21 - The importance of agency, choice, and space to heal in faith communities 48:05 - Cherry-picking beliefs and creating remixing faith spaces 53:27 - Distinguishing empowerment from avoidance in spiritual choices 55:11 - Understanding and navigating spiritual bypassing 57:55 - Wrap-up and final thoughts from Dr. McBride Resources & Links Learn more/connect with Hillary Mcbride Buy "Holy Hurt" Book The Wisdom of Your Body: Practices for Embodied Living Holy...

    TCT Book Club- “Holy Hurt” with Author Hillary McBride
  4. 12/22/2025 ·  Bonus

    TCT Book Club- “The Moral Teachings of Jesus” with Christian Ethicist, Dr. David Gushee

    In this episode of the TCT Book Club, Jason Coker welcomes Dr. David Gushee, one of the leading Christian ethicists of our time, to discuss his newest work, The Moral Teachings of Jesus: Radical Instruction in the Will of God. Together, they explore what it means to move beyond abstract doctrine and political identity to embrace the concrete moral transformation Jesus invites us into. The conversation takes a deep dive into the practice of prayer for those reconstructing their faith, the reclaiming of Kingdom of God language from Christian Nationalism, and how to approach Biblical interpretation not as a search for certainty, but as a pilgrimage of trust. Dr. Gushee shares insights on loving enemies, the Sermon on the Mount, and the importance of viewing the church as a community of journeyers. Dr. David Gushee is the Distinguished University Professor of Christian Ethics at Mercer University and Chair of Christian Social Ethics at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. He is the author or editor of more than 25 books, including Changing Our Mind and After Evangelicalism. As a scholar and activist, he has spent decades helping the church think with greater clarity, courage, and compassion about following Jesus in the modern world. Learn More: For more on Dr. Gushee’s work, visit davidpgushee.com. Get the book: The Moral Teachings of Jesus on Amazon Here The Collective Table is a production of The Oceanside Sanctuary Church in Oceanside California. To learn more about us, or to support the work we do, visit us online at www.oceansidesanctuary.org

    TCT Book Club- “The Moral Teachings of Jesus” with Christian Ethicist, Dr. David Gushee
  5. 12/15/2025

    Tindo: "Being Human"

    Since the essence of empathy is to understand people who are different than you are, it requires the willingness to cross borders of one kind or another. But what happens when the hardest borders to cross exist within ourselves—across competing desires, beliefs, and identities? In this episode, host Jason Coker introduces Tindo, a beloved member of the Oceanside Sanctuary community. Born intersex and assigned male at birth, Tindo was surgically reassigned as female at three months old and raised as "Cynthia." After living for five decades in a gender identity that never quite fit—including time as a debutante and women's auxiliary member—Tindo began a courageous journey of self-discovery to reclaim their authentic self. Tindo shares their powerful story of navigating the medical and societal trauma of being an intersex person in a binary world. They discuss the profound "empathy journey" required to forgive their parents for decisions made without consent, and how they found spiritual affirmation in the words of Jesus. This conversation is a testament to the power of self-compassion and the possibility of post-traumatic growth. The Intersex Reality: Understanding the biological reality of intersex bodies (1.7% of the population) and the history of non-consensual medical interventions. Living as Cynthia: Tindo’s experience growing up with a secret medical history and the pressure to perform hyper-femininity. The Empathy Journey: How Tindo moved from anger to understanding, using self-empathy to reconcile with their father and the memory of their mother. Biblical Validation: A deep dive into Matthew 19, where Jesus’s discussion of eunuchs offers a liberating theology for gender-liminal lives. Faith & Legislation: A look at current political efforts to erase intersex existence and why spiritual communities must stand for truth. Join us for a conversation about the borders we cross to find our true selves, and the grace we find on the other side. Mentioned in this Episode: Chicago Tribune Article (2018) by Nara Schoenberg profiling Tindo/Cynthia North County LGBTQ Resource Center & Pride by the Beach Post-Traumatic Growth research by Richard Tedeschi and Lawrence Calhoun Self-Compassion research by Kristin Neff and Paul Gilbert Scripture: Matthew 19; Deuteronomy 24 Learn more about us at oceansidesanctuary.org Follow us on Instagram @thecollectivetable

  6. 12/01/2025

    Dinora: "The Balancing Act"

    What happens when empathy moves beyond individual compassion and becomes a tool for systemic change? In this episode, host Jenell Coker sits down with Dinora, the Executive Director of the San Diego Organizing Project (SDOP), to explore how faith-based organizing builds power among the most vulnerable. As the oldest daughter of immigrant parents who fled civil war in El Salvador, Dinora became a "translator" early in life—navigating complex systems for her family in a language they didn’t speak. She shares a heart-wrenching childhood story of a brush with law enforcement that exposed the harsh realities of structural bias—a reality Jenell contrasts with her own experience to highlight the profound difference privilege makes. Together, they discuss: The Power of Faith-Based Organizing: How SDOP unites congregations to move from charity to justice, securing wins like the Immigrant Legal Defense Program and the Oceanside Police De-escalation Policy. The Challenge of Coalition: Why real solidarity isn't supposed to feel like "home," and the difficult work of building bridges across race, class, and faith. Intersectionality & Identity: Dinora’s experience leading as a queer, Latina, Catholic woman, and the tension of navigating spaces that don't always fully embrace her. Avoiding the "Oppression Olympics": How to honor distinct pains without letting them divide the movement for collective liberation. Join us for a conversation about living in the "in-between" and using that unique vantage point to build a more just and empathetic world. Mentioned in this Episode: San Diego Organizing Project (SDOP) Coalition Politics by Bernice Johnson Reagon The "Oppression Olympics" (Elizabeth Martínez & Angela Davis) Learn more about us at Oceansidesanctuary.org Follow us on Instagram @Oceansidesanctuary

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The Collective Table is a progressive and affirming Christian platform for those who want to follow Jesus, work for justice, and celebrate joy!

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