Project Next Media

Project Next Media Team
  • 5.0 (6)
  • Society & Culture
  • Updated Weekly

Project Next Media wants to help make your life better by taking out the fear, hate, and division in your news. www.projectnextindiana.com

  1. 4d ago

    Life Church: Sex, Power & Politics

    This Project Next is one you need to watch. Sarah sits down with independent journalist Tom LoBianco of 24sight News to catch up on his years-long investigation into Life Church, lead pastor Nathan Peternel, his son Jonathan Peternel, and Indiana Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith. What started as one disturbing criminal case has grown into a much bigger story. Jonathan Peternel pleaded guilty to four felony counts involving more than 200 videos of child sexual abuse material. Then former members of Nathan Peternel’s youth ministry began coming forward. They described disturbing sexual conversations, treatment of teenagers, and experiences they say harmed them for years. Some now call themselves the “Survivors of Stormfront.” Nathan has not been criminally charged over these allegations. And then there is Micah Beckwith — Indiana’s lieutenant governor, a friend and longtime associate of Nathan Peternel, and a pastor at Life Church. Beckwith’s office has also faced a separate controversy after LoBianco reported allegations that members of Beckwith’s staff viewed a sexually explicit AI deepfake of an Indiana lawmaker’s wife. Beckwith has denied that happened. Meanwhile, pastors, staff, and families have continued leaving Life Church. How is this allowed to happen? Who holds powerful church leaders accountable? What happens when sex, religion, politics, and power become tangled together? And how do we protect our children when the people we are supposed to trust are the ones raising serious concerns? Tom has spent years digging, talking to people, finding records, and following this story wherever it leads. Watch as Sarah and Tom break down what he has uncovered, what former members are saying, what is still unanswered, and why this story matters. Please support Tom LoBianco and the incredibly important work being done at 24sight News⁠. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.projectnextindiana.com

    Life Church: Sex, Power & Politics

  2. Sep 24

    Clark County Sheriff Candidate: Tim Deeringer

    Clark County has been rocked by scandal after scandal. How do we clean it up and earn the public’s trust back? Sarah Blessing sits down with Clark County Sheriff candidate Tim Deeringer to talk about the Jamey Noel scandal, problems with EMS and 911, corruption and accountability, community policing, the ICE detention center, Flock cameras, and mass surveillance. How do we make sure this never happens again? Tim came in person for this important conversation. Watch it, and tell us what you think. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.projectnextindiana.com

    Clark County Sheriff Candidate: Tim Deeringer

  3. Sep 23

    Who Owns Our Freedom?

    🚨 What happens when technology starts taking away our freedom? Data centers. Flock cameras. Mass surveillance. These issues are showing up in communities across America, including ours. Today on Project Next, Dustin Cerda and Sarah Blessing talk about something even bigger: what regular people can actually do about it. We don’t have to roll over and accept every loss of freedom. We don’t have to be senators or members of Congress to make change. Dustin and Sarah are helping start movements in their own communities, and you can do it, too. 🇺🇸 We the People still have power. Freedom belongs to all of us. And sometimes change starts with a few neighbors who decide to stand up. Watch, share, and find out how you can start where you live. 💜 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.projectnextindiana.com

    Who Owns Our Freedom?

  4. Sep 3

    How we get our power back: It starts with local

    WE ARE NOT POWERLESS. It may feel like we’ve lost our voice in Washington. In Indiana, it can feel the same way. But locally? We still have power. Sarah Blessing sits down with her close friend Adam Schneider, candidate for Harrison County Council District 3, to talk about something we ALL need to understand: If we want our power back, we start at home. Your town. Your city. Your county. We share real stories of regular people speaking up, talking to local leaders, and actually creating change. Stop waiting on Washington to fix everything. Learn how YOU can make a difference right where you live. Local first. State next. National after that. 💜 This is how we get our voice back. Together. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.projectnextindiana.com

    How we get our power back: It starts with local

  5. Sep 1

    Can you support our troops and question war?

    What does it really mean to serve? Join Sarah Blessing as she sits down with her new friend Kayla, a Navy veteran who served 10 years on active duty as an Aerographer’s Mate (AG), working with weather and ocean conditions to support Navy missions. Kayla shares why she joined, what her job was like, and some of the amazing places her service took her, including Japan and Germany. They also talk about something many of us may not fully understand: the sacrifice that comes with military service. Service members don’t always get to speak freely about what is happening or simply walk away when they disagree with a mission. They have a duty to serve and protect, even when that can be incredibly difficult. The conversation also looks back at Vietnam and Korean War veterans, mental health, and how our understanding of what veterans need has changed over the years. Most of all, this is a conversation about learning to hold two ideas at once: We can be deeply thankful for the people who serve and the sacrifices they make, while still asking hard questions of our government and working to do better. Tune in for a thoughtful conversation about the real people behind the uniform—and what their service means. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.projectnextindiana.com

    Can you support our troops and question war?

  6. Aug 20

    Why men should read romance novels

    🔥 MEN SHOULD READ MORE ROMANCE NOVELS. There. We said it. 📚 And before you come for us… hear us out. 😂 Sarah Blessing and her book-loving neighbor Ashley Ballard sat down for one of our favorite Project Next conversations yet—and this one went places. Why might reading romance actually help men in their own relationships? Because these books are filled with people trying to figure each other out. Communication. Attraction. Conflict. Vulnerability. Consent. Friendship. Trauma. Trust. What makes someone feel loved—and what makes them feel unheard. And maybe there’s something we can all learn from that. We also need to talk about the way our culture treats the things women enjoy. Why is reading a romance novel a “guilty pleasure”? Why should someone hide the book they’re reading because another person might think it’s silly, trashy, unrealistic or too spicy? Read the book. Enjoy the book. You don’t need to feel guilty. And partners: your spouse reading a romance novel isn’t necessarily a critique of you or your relationship. Sometimes a dragon is just a dragon. 😂🐉 We get into fantasy romance, Twilight, Fifty Shades of Grey, Ali Hazelwood, the enormous variety within romance, the books we love—and why we love them. But this conversation becomes about something much bigger than romance novels. It’s about being less judgmental of one another. Just because you don’t understand why someone loves something doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with it. People are stressed. People are carrying trauma. Money is tight. Life can be exhausting. And sometimes having a book waiting for you at the end of a hard day is exactly what you need. Reading can be an escape. It can be entertainment. It can build empathy. It can expose us to people and experiences different from our own. And after thousands of books between us, Ashley and Sarah talk about how reading has helped them better understand people and communicate with the world around them. So let’s stop calling books a guilty pleasure. Let’s stop the stigma. Let’s stop the shame. And let’s start talking about what we’re actually reading. 📖 WHAT ARE YOU READING RIGHT NOW? Show us your book in the comments. Seriously. Take a picture and post it. And MEN—we especially want to hear from you. Are there men out there reading romance novels? 👀 We KNOW some of you are. Tell us what you’re reading. Tell us what you think. And if you’ve never picked up a romance novel before… maybe it’s time. 😉📚 👇 Drop your current read below. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.projectnextindiana.com

    Why men should read romance novels

  7. Aug 18

    Data Centers: Follow the Money

    In July 2025, Sarah Blessing sat down with Oregon farmer Jonathan Tallman to talk about data centers. At the time, most people had barely heard of them. That was only 13 months ago. Now they’re popping up all over Indiana and across the country. Jonathan came back on Project Next to talk about why this is happening so fast and the enormous amount of money behind it. It’s bigger than people simply using AI. There is a huge race happening over who controls the technology, the computing power, and ultimately the money. Meanwhile, local communities are left dealing with the land, water, electricity, noise, tax breaks, and other impacts these massive projects can bring. Sarah and Jonathan talk about what regular people can actually do, why local government matters, and why we have to work together if we want to protect our communities. Pay attention. Work together. Follow the money. #ProjectNext #DataCenters #Indiana #FollowTheMoney This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.projectnextindiana.com

    Data Centers: Follow the Money

  8. Aug 13

    Harrison County Government used to work. How do we fix it now?

    Harrison County Government Used to Work. And It Can Again. This was one of the most fascinating — and hopeful — conversations on Project Next. Sarah Blessing sat down with Terry Miller, who served 17 years as a Harrison County Commissioner, including during the transformational years when casino revenue began coming into the county. Terry described a Harrison County government that might sound almost foreign today. Republicans and Democrats didn’t always agree. They questioned each other. They held each other accountable. But they also worked together. They had plans for the county’s money. They balanced budgets. They told the public what they were doing. People could ask questions — and instead of treating questions like an attack, they wanted people to ask. Compare that to where Harrison County is today. The last five State Board of Accounts audit periods have documented recurring financial reporting, internal-control, recordkeeping, and transparency problems. There have been errors involving millions of dollars in county financial reports and findings that continued from one audit to the next. Our tax dollars deserve better accountability. And that’s why this conversation matters. Terry Miller is now running for Harrison County Auditor. During his 17 years as Commissioner — including time serving as president of the Commission — Terry helped govern through some of the most consequential financial decisions in Harrison County’s history. Now he wants to bring that experience to the Auditor’s office with a very simple goal: Account for every single penny of the taxpayers’ money. Watch this episode and hear Terry explain what Harrison County government used to look like. How Democrats and Republicans worked together. How they planned. How they handled the casino money. How they communicated with the public. And what he believes needs to change today. Most importantly, this conversation is hopeful. Because it proves something important: Harrison County government doesn’t have to operate the way it does today. We’ve done better before. We can do better again. But collectively, as a county, we have to decide that it’s time for change. 🎥 Watch this episode of Project Next with Terry Miller, then share it with another Harrison County resident. People deserve to know what a functioning, transparent, and accountable local government can look like. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.projectnextindiana.com

    Harrison County Government used to work. How do we fix it now?
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About

Project Next Media wants to help make your life better by taking out the fear, hate, and division in your news. www.projectnextindiana.com

Information

  • Creator
    Project Next Media Team
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    274
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Project Next Media
  • Show Website
    Project Next Media

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