The Pastor’s Studio with Paul Basden

Paul Basden
  • 5.0 (16)
  • Christianity
  • Weekly

The Pastor’s Studio is a space for honest conversations, meaningful questions, and stories that reveal how faith meets real life. Hosted by pastor and author Paul Basden, this podcast brings together authentic dialogue, spiritual reflection, and real-life experiences to help listeners navigate what it means to follow Jesus in a complex world. Across every season, the aim is the same: to help listeners see God more clearly, understand themselves more deeply, and live out their faith with wisdom, humility, and grace. Thoughtful, grounded, and full of heart, Pastor Paul invites you to slow down, listen well, and pay attention to the story God is writing in and around you. Season 1: Uncomfortable Conversations with Christians Season 2: Why Do I Do What I Do - Exploring the Enneagram Season 3: This is My Story Paul Basden is an author and serves as co-senior pastor of Preston Trail Community Church in Texas. A native of Dallas, Texas, Paul earned his BA from Baylor University and his Master of Divinity and PhD from Southwestern Theological Seminary. Paul also served as university minister and a professor of theology at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. He and his wife, Denise, have two grown daughters and four grandsons.

  1. 5d ago

    S3E34: Hope After Infidelity | Part 2 of Aaron & Claire Thurmon's Story

    Can a marriage survive an affair? After Aaron confessed to being unfaithful, everything Claire believed about their marriage was shattered. They faced a painful question: Was it possible to rebuild what had been broken? In Part 2 of their conversation with Pastor Paul Basden, Aaron and Claire Thurmon share what happened after the confession and the long, difficult road toward healing. From counseling and honest conversations to trusted friends who walked alongside them, they reflect on what it took to rebuild trust, the difference between confession and repentance, and what their marriage looks like nine years later. If you're navigating betrayal, struggling in your marriage, or wondering whether healing is possible, this conversation offers an honest look at restoration. Aaron and Claire don't offer easy answers or a perfect ending. Instead, they share what they've learned about forgiveness, rebuilding trust, and finding hope in God's faithfulness, even when life doesn't turn out the way you imagined. Topics include: How an emotional affair became a physical affair Confessing infidelity and facing the aftermath Rebuilding trust after betrayal in marriage The role of marriage counseling, accountability, and community What marriage looks like nine years after an affair Finding hope and healing without minimizing the pain This is Part 2 of a two-part conversation. In Part 1, Claire and Aaron share the baggage they carried into their marriage and the environment that allowed secrets to brew. READ: Five Things That Transformed My Marriage After My Affair, Aaron Thurmon, Guest Blog Five Things I Needed to Hear After My Husband’s Affair, Claire Thurmon, Guest Blog WATCH: A Marriage Story, Preston Trail Storytellers Series, Summer 2024 VERSES: Numbers 32:33 2 Corinthians 7:10 Psalm 51:10 1 John 4:18 SUPPORT: Find a re:Engage program near you.

  2. Oct 22

    S3E33: The Marriage We Built and the Things We Couldn't See | Part 1 of Aaron & Claire Thurmon's Story

    From the outside, Claire and Aaron Thurmon seemed to be doing everything right. They met through college, built their relationship around faith, married young, and started a family. But beneath the surface, both were carrying struggles and expectations that would eventually threaten everything they had built. In Part 1 of this deeply personal conversation with Pastor Paul Basden, Claire and Aaron reflect on their very different childhoods and the patterns they unknowingly brought into marriage. From people-pleasing and perfectionism to emotional isolation, pornography, and the need for control, they share how unresolved struggles can quietly create distance between two people—even when everything looks fine on the outside. Whether you're newly married, navigating challenges in your relationship, or wondering how your past may be affecting your present, this conversation offers an honest look at the things we bring into marriage and why acknowledging them matters. Topics include: How childhood experiences shape marriage and relationships People-pleasing, perfectionism, and the need for control Emotional isolation and difficulty with vulnerability The impact of pornography on marriage Unspoken expectations and unhealthy relationship patterns Why a marriage can look healthy while struggling beneath the surface This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation. In Part 2, Claire and Aaron share the betrayal that brought their hidden struggles into the open and the long road toward healing. WATCH: A Marriage Story, Preston Trail Storytellers Series, Summer 2024

  3. Oct 15

    S3E32: Letting Go Of The Weight of the Past | Marcie Bazor on walking in God's Grace

    What happens when the chaos you grew up with follows you into adulthood? For Marcie Bazor, a childhood shaped by her father’s alcoholism and anger gave way to years of rebellion, partying, and searching for something that could fill the loneliness she carried. Even when she knew about God, she struggled to live out her faith. Her story is a reminder that knowing about Jesus and learning to follow Him are not always the same thing. In this episode of The Pastor’s Studio, Marcie shares how God began changing her life through Christian radio, prayer, and a growing hunger for Scripture. She opens up about her husband Tim’s battle with alcoholism and drug addiction, the role of faith and community in his recovery, and how her family’s painful experiences helped inspire Blake’s House, a ministry providing housing, support, and loving relationships for young adults who have aged out of foster care or experienced homelessness. She also shares a powerful perspective on guilt, grace, and the belief that our past mistakes are too great for God to forgive. If you’ve ever struggled with shame, wondered whether God could still use you, or watched someone you love battle addiction, Marcie's story offers hope and a different way to see your past. You’ll hear how faith can grow over time, why lasting change often requires the support of others, and how accepting God’s grace can help you stop living under the weight of yesterday and begin walking in freedom. Topics include: Growing up in a family affected by alcoholism, anger, and childhood trauma Finding faith in adulthood through Christian radio, prayer, and reading the Bible Marriage, addiction recovery, and the role of Christian community in lasting change Overcoming shame, guilt, and the feeling that your past makes you unworthy of God’s grace Blake’s House: supporting young adults aging out of foster care and experiencing homelessness Turning personal pain into purpose through faith, service, and loving relationships

  4. Oct 8

    S3E31: A Journey of Sobriety | Tim Bazor on Addiction, Recovery, and Trusting God

    What happens when drinking stops being something you can control—and starts controlling you? Tim Bazor spent years convincing himself he could keep working, keep his relationships intact, and keep his drinking under control. But in 2011, severe health problems, addiction, and a growing dependence on alcohol and prescription drugs forced him to face what he had been hiding. Tim shares the story of growing up Mormon, walking away from church as a teenager, meeting his wife Marcie, and slowly moving from social drinking into addiction. He talks honestly about the hospitalization that changed everything, the intervention that led him to rehab, and the simple prayer that marked the beginning of a new life: asking God for help. He also explains how sobriety, recovery, honesty, and faith have reshaped his relationship with God and the people around him. This episode is especially for anyone struggling with alcohol or addiction, someone who loves a person caught in addiction, or anyone who feels like they are living a double life. Tim’s story offers an honest look at recovery, the hard work of getting sober, and the hope he found when he finally stopped pretending and trusted God. Topics include: Tim Baszor’s journey from teenage drinking to alcohol addiction Recognizing when drinking becomes an addiction Tim’s 2011 hospitalization with severe pancreatitis Getting honest with family, friends, and yourself about addiction Alcoholics Anonymous, the 12 Steps, and early sobriety How recovery changed Tim’s relationship with God and led him to help others Scriptures Mentioned: Malachi — discussed in the conversation in connection with giving and trusting God Luke 6:38 — discussed in the conversation in connection with giving The parable of the lost sheep — discussed as a picture of God pursuing those who have wandered away This story is a reminder that asking for help isn't weakness, honesty can be the beginning of freedom, and a life that feels lost can still take a completely different direction.

  5. Oct 1

    S3E30: A Marriage Centered on Christ | Jason & Tiffany Porter on How Faith Transformed Their Marriage

    What happens when you get married without a shared faith or a clear picture of what makes a healthy marriage? Jason and Tiffany Porter spent the first years of their marriage trying to build a life together without following Jesus. Jason carried fears shaped by his parents’ divorce, while Tiffany struggled with perfectionism, anxiety, and the pressure to get everything right. In this conversation, Jason and Tiffany share how God gradually drew each of them to faith—and how their relationship changed when Jesus became the center of their marriage. Jason talks about the birth of their first son, his decision to start seeking God, and the community and service that helped him grow. Tiffany shares the moment a sermon on Romans changed how she understood perfection, grace, and her identity. Together, they describe how shared faith reshaped their communication, family values, parenting, and sense of purpose. This episode is especially for couples who want a stronger marriage but don't know where to begin, including couples where one spouse follows Jesus and the other doesn't. Jason and Tiffany offer an honest story of two people who started in very different places and gradually learned to walk in the same direction. Their story offers encouragement for anyone wondering whether God can meet a marriage in the middle of its mess and lead it somewhere new. Topics include: Building a Christ-centered marriage Marriage when spouses have different levels of faith How perfectionism can affect marriage and relationships Finding identity, purpose, and joy in Jesus How shared faith can reshape family values and parenting Taking the first steps toward faith and spiritual growth as a couple

  6. Sep 24

    S3E29: Music, Liturgy & Faith | Britt Herrington on How Music Shaped His Spiritual Journey

    What happens to your faith when life doesn't turn out the way you prayed it would? Britt Herrington began asking that question at age 12, when his mother died from a brain tumor just weeks after his birthday. His childhood faith gave him a framework for belief, but it didn't give him easy answers to grief, suffering, and the goodness of God. In this conversation, Britt shares how those questions shaped his journey through Baptist and non-denominational churches, seminary, music, and eventually Anglican worship. He talks about the connection between theology and music, why the repeated rhythms of liturgy have become spiritually rich for him, and how the church calendar helps him orient his life around the life of Christ. He also reflects on Psalm 90, learning to "number our days," and the place of lament in an honest life of faith. This episode will especially resonate with people wrestling with grief, Christians who have questions that don't fit easy answers, and anyone curious about liturgical worship or the relationship between music and theology. Britt's story offers a thoughtful perspective on how faith can grow deeper through suffering, daily rhythms, beauty, and the lifelong pursuit of wisdom.   Topics include: Grief, loss, and wrestling with God after the death of a parent How suffering can challenge easy answers about faith The connection between music, theology, beauty, and Christian faith Britt Harrington's journey from Baptist and non-denominational churches to Anglican worship Why liturgy and repetition can shape daily spiritual life Psalm 90, numbering our days, wisdom, and the role of lament Additional resources and recommended reads: Lament for a Son by Nicholas Wolterstorff A Grief Observed by C. S. Lewis Psalm 90

  7. Sep 17

    S3E28: What Happens When You Start Questioning Your Faith? | Tim Stephens on doubt and Rebuilding Faith

    What happens when the faith you’ve always accepted starts raising questions you can’t ignore? Tim Stephens grew up in an independent, fundamentalist Baptist church, spent nine years traveling with a conservative revival ministry, and eventually became an executive pastor at a growing church. For decades, his beliefs felt settled—until painful experiences and difficult questions about God, suffering, Scripture, and faith began to pull at the certainty he had always known. Tim talks openly about what he calls his journey from certainty, through questioning and deconstruction, toward a faith grounded in what he could genuinely own. He shares how exposure to different churches challenged his assumptions, how his brother-in-law’s ALS diagnosis raised questions about the sovereignty of God, and why he believes there needs to be room for people to ask hard questions without being afraid of where those questions might lead. He also reflects on leadership, church culture, mentoring, and discovering that administrative and organizational leadership could itself be ministry. This conversation will especially resonate with pastors, church leaders, and Christians who have inherited a faith framework but are beginning to ask deeper questions about what they actually believe. Tim’s story offers a thoughtful perspective on questioning faith without assuming that questions have to lead away from Jesus—and on how a person can arrive at a faith marked by humility rather than certainty about everything. In This Episode Growing up in a fundamentalist Christian church Legalism and the pressure to have the “right” answer Questioning and deconstructing inherited beliefs Faith, doubt, suffering, and questions about God’s sovereignty Church leadership and the role of an executive pastor Building a healthy church culture and leading with curiosity

  8. Sep 10

    S3E27: Fearfully & Wonderfully Made | Kristen Basden on Faith, Chronic Pain & Choosing Joy

    How do you keep trusting God when the pain doesn’t go away? Kristen Basden has undergone 45 surgeries and lives with a rare genetic condition that has changed what her body can do, but she refuses to let those limitations define her life. In this deeply personal episode of This Is My Story, Pastor Paul Basden sits down with his daughter Kristen to talk about growing up as a pastor’s kid, navigating chronic pain and unanswered questions, and learning to focus on what she can do rather than everything she can’t. Through surgeries, setbacks and seasons that looked nothing like she expected, Kristen has held onto the words of Psalm 139 and the truth that she is fully known by God. “He knows me and has known me and will continue to know me more than I’ll ever know myself.” Kristen’s story is a reminder that even when circumstances don’t change, God can still use our hardest seasons to encourage someone else. In This Episode Growing up as a pastor’s daughter Kristen’s diagnosis and 45 surgeries Wrestling with God through chronic pain Finding purpose within physical limitations Friendship and community through difficult seasons “Recycling your pain” to encourage others Why Psalm 139 became Kristen’s life verse Her encouragement to anyone who feels like giving up

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About

The Pastor’s Studio is a space for honest conversations, meaningful questions, and stories that reveal how faith meets real life. Hosted by pastor and author Paul Basden, this podcast brings together authentic dialogue, spiritual reflection, and real-life experiences to help listeners navigate what it means to follow Jesus in a complex world. Across every season, the aim is the same: to help listeners see God more clearly, understand themselves more deeply, and live out their faith with wisdom, humility, and grace. Thoughtful, grounded, and full of heart, Pastor Paul invites you to slow down, listen well, and pay attention to the story God is writing in and around you. Season 1: Uncomfortable Conversations with Christians Season 2: Why Do I Do What I Do - Exploring the Enneagram Season 3: This is My Story Paul Basden is an author and serves as co-senior pastor of Preston Trail Community Church in Texas. A native of Dallas, Texas, Paul earned his BA from Baylor University and his Master of Divinity and PhD from Southwestern Theological Seminary. Paul also served as university minister and a professor of theology at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. He and his wife, Denise, have two grown daughters and four grandsons.

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