Christianity Without Compromise: Rebuilding Faith Around Jesus Alone

Jake Doberenz
  • 4.6 (7)
  • Religion & Spirituality
  • Updated Weekly

Christianity Without Compromise is a podcast for Christians weary of shallow faith, culture war religion, and forms of Christianity that harm people. Hosted by Jake Doberenz, the show explores what it means to rebuild faith through honest conversations about church hurt, deconstruction, justice, the Bible, discipleship, and spiritual formation. Each episode examines the ideas, systems, and assumptions that distort Christian faith while moving beyond critique toward hopeful reconstruction. This is a space for Christians who want to ask hard questions without abandoning Jesus, seeking a faith shaped less by ideology and more by community, faithful living, and the way of Christ. Subscribe and join the work of rebuilding a faith centered on Jesus: jakedoberenz.substack.com

  1. 4d ago

    Why Christian Unity Requires More Than Keeping the Peace - Pricelis Perreaux-Dominguez

    Keeping the peace can look spiritual while actually undermining Christian unity through avoidance, uniformity, and unresolved division. Pricelis Perreaux-Dominguez, pastor, justice worker, and author of False Peace, is on Christianity Without Compromise with host Jake Doberenz to discuss why the church must reject false peace and pursue a more honest vision of unity. Pricelis explains that Christian unity does not require agreement, sameness, or relational closeness, but it does require seeing others as image-bearers, approaching disagreement with curiosity, and discerning when boundaries or even division are necessary. She argues that the church’s habit of retreating into theological, political, and cultural tribes distorts the body of Christ and prevents Christians from learning how to live faithfully across real differences. Resources Mentioned: False Peace: How to Reject the Lie of Sameness, Embrace Difference, and Embody True Unity by Pricelis Perreaux-Dominguez [affiliate}Pricelis Perreaux-Dominguez’s website: pricelispd.comInstagram: @pricelispdGuest Bio: Pricelis Perreaux-Dominguez is a pastor and justice worker whose work explores faith, justice, spiritual formation, and Christian community. Her latest book, False Peace: How to Reject the Lie of Sameness, Embrace Difference, and Embody True Unity, challenges Christians to move beyond uniformity and division toward a biblical vision of unity that embraces difference. Follow this show and Jake Doberenz’s writings at http://jakedoberenz.substack.com.

    Why Christian Unity Requires More Than Keeping the Peace - Pricelis Perreaux-Dominguez

  2. Sep 1

    100 Episodes of Rethinking Christian Faith

    In this special live 100th episode, Jake Doberenz, creator and host of Christianity Without Compromise, reflects on the show’s journey, revisits its ten most popular conversations, and answers listener questions about faith, church, doubt, and Christian convictions. Looking back, Jake explains why Christianity Without Compromise has increasingly focused on clearing away the things Christians treat as essential so that Jesus remains at the center. After 100 episodes of Christian faith conversations, one lesson stands out: strong convictions and intellectual humility do not have to be enemies. Thanks for supporting the show 100 episodes in! Episodes Mentioned Ep 52 - “Creating a Healthy Church” - David Ruybalid, Traci Rhoades, Scot Loyd, and Christy Lynne WoodEp 47 - "Justice and Jesus in a Colonized Church” - Joash P. ThomasEp 87 - “How Christians Can Heal from Trauma” - Mary DeMuthEp 27 - “Isolation and the Search for Authentic Community” - Nic FloresEp 35 - “How Church Culture Can Turn Leaders into Idols” - David RuybalidEp 76 - “Cultivating Christian Courage” - Alan NobleEp 49 - “A Christian Response to Violence” - Joash P. Thomas, Malcolm Foley, Natalie Drew, Nathan Perrin, and Joshua SchuettenhelmEp 58 - “The Myth of Good Christian Parenting” - Marissa Franks Burt and Kelsey Kramer McGinnisEp 66 - “Resisting Christian Nationalism” - Jared Stacy, Joash P. Thomas, Caleb E. Campbell, and Larry LinEp 80 - “Why Christian Faith Turns Into Performance” - Kristen LaValleyEp 23 - “Youth Ministry Needs the Rest of the Church Family” - Luke DockeryEp 71 - “When To Speak Up About a Toxic Church” - Amy FritzEp 70 - “Christians Need a New Approach to Abortion” - Angela WeszelyEp 97 - “What We Miss When We Ignore Church History” - Amy Brown HughesEp 85 - “Finding Jesus Through Doubt and Deconstruction” - Tommy Preson Phillips Host Bio Jake Doberenz is the host of Christianity Without Compromise. He holds multiple degrees in Bible and communication studies and is passionate about Christians finding Jesus outside of the Culture Wars. Follow this show and Jake Doberenz’s writings at http://jakedoberenz.substack.com.

    100 Episodes of Rethinking Christian Faith

  3. Aug 25

    Is Therapy Culture Changing the Way Christians Think? - Matthew Loftus

    Pop psychology promises greater self-understanding, but therapy culture can turn normal sadness, conflict, suffering, and personal responsibility into problems that require medical labels and solutions. Dr. Matthew Loftus, physician, writer, and author of Resisting Therapy Culture, is on Christianity Without Compromise with host Jake Doberenz to discuss how therapeutic language has expanded beyond its proper uses and reshaped how Christians understand themselves, relationships, and the church. Matthew explains why labels such as trauma, narcissism, and toxic behavior can become distorted when applied too broadly, while also emphasizing that legitimate therapy can help people experiencing serious mental illness or specific problems. He argues that resisting therapy culture does not mean rejecting therapy but recovering Christian agency, recognizing the proper purpose of the church, and refusing to treat every difficult human experience as a diagnosis. Resources Mentioned: Resisting Therapy Culture: The Dangers of Pop Psychology and How the Church Can Respond by Matthew Loftus — https://amzn.to/4hPWSWb [affiliate] Matthew’s family mission’s website - https://matthewandmaggie.org/X/Twitter — @Matthew_LoftusGuest Bio: Dr. Matthew Loftus is a physician and writer who practices family medicine at a mission hospital in Kenya. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, Christianity Today, First Things, and Mere Orthodoxy. He received the Trinity Forum’s 2025 Michael J. Gerson Prize for Excellence in Writing on Faith in Public Life and is the author of Resisting Therapy Culture: The Dangers of Pop Psychology and How the Church Can Respond. Follow this show and Jake Doberenz’s writings at http://jakedoberenz.substack.com.

    Is Therapy Culture Changing the Way Christians Think? - Matthew Loftus

  4. Aug 18

    Why So Many Christians Feel Ashamed of Sex - Kelly Edmiston

    Purity culture taught many people to fear their own bodies, desires, and capacity for pleasure. Kelly Edmiston, pastor and author, is on Christianity Without Compromise with host Jake Doberenz to discuss how purity culture created a damaging divide between the body and spiritual life. Kelly distinguishes Christian chastity from sexual repression, explains why desire can reveal what is forming us, and argues that embodied faith takes seriously both the goodness of pleasure and the moral significance of sexuality. Drawing from creation, Song of Songs, and the broader story of the Bible, Kelly offers a vision for moving beyond purity culture toward a Christian sexuality shaped by covenant, community, consent, and spiritual formation. Resources Mentioned: Shame-Free Sex Talks: Guiding Kids to Live Out Their Faith, Love Their Bodies, and Understand the Goodness of Sex - https://amzn.to/3S6Tn37 [Affiliate] www.drkellyedmiston.comKelly Edmiston SubstackGuest Bio: Kelly Edmiston is a pastor, author, and spiritual director with a doctorate in spiritual formation and roughly two decades of vocational ministry experience. Her work explores sexuality, embodiment, desire, and spiritual formation, including helping couples pursue sexual flourishing. She also preaches and creates resources designed to help Christians develop a more integrated understanding of their bodies and spiritual lives. Follow this show and Jake Doberenz’s writings at http://jakedoberenz.substack.com.

    Why So Many Christians Feel Ashamed of Sex - Kelly Edmiston

  5. Aug 11

    What We Miss When We Ignore Church History - Amy Brown Hughes

    Many Christians know the Bible but effectively skip 2,000 years of church history, leaving them disconnected from generations of believers who wrestled with many of the same questions facing the church today. Dr. Amy Brown Hughes, historical theologian and scholar of early Christianity, is on Christianity Without Compromise with host Jake Doberenz to discuss why church history should become part of how Christians understand theology and faith. Amy explains how historical theology connects Christians to the “great cloud of witnesses,” challenges the myth of a unified early church, and gives believers practice engaging people whose convictions differ from their own. She also argues that Christian theology should leave room for growth, humility, and even admitting when deeply held beliefs need to change. Resources Mention: OnScript Podcast - https://onscript.study/Christian Women in the Patristic World: Their Influence, Authority, and Legacy in the Second through Fifth Centuries by Lynn H. Cohick and Amy Brown Hughes - https://amzn.to/3TOne0I [Affiliate]Guest Bio: Dr. Amy Brown Hughes is a historical theologian specializing in early Christianity, particularly the third and fourth centuries. An Associate Professor of Theology at Gordon College, she earned her Ph.D. in historical theology with an emphasis in early Christianity from Wheaton College. She co-authored Christian Women in the Patristic World with Lynn H. Cohick, co-hosts the OnScript Podcast, and works to make historical and academic theology accessible beyond the academy. Follow this show and Jake Doberenz’s writings at http://jakedoberenz.substack.com.

    What We Miss When We Ignore Church History - Amy Brown Hughes

  6. Aug 4

    Rebuilding Your Faith After Evangelicalism - Beau Stringer

    Many Christians assume that leaving evangelicalism means abandoning faith altogether, but that false choice keeps many people stuck. Beau Stringer, writer and minister, is on Christianity Without Compromise with host Jake Doberenz to discuss how Christians can navigate deconstruction while remaining deeply committed to Jesus. Beau shares his journey from Southern Baptist pastor to serving on staff at one of the largest Methodist churches in the world, explains common misconceptions about mainline churches, and explores why doubt, curiosity, Scripture, and community can become catalysts for stronger Christian faith rather than reasons to abandon it. He argues that reconstruction begins by centering Jesus, embracing honest questions, and finding a church community that nurtures both spiritual formation and intellectual integrity. Resources Mentioned: www.BeauStringer.com Guest Bio: Beau Stringer is a writer, speaker, and church leader serving at Church of the Resurrection in Kansas. After spending more than a decade as a Southern Baptist pastor, Beau now helps evangelicals navigate deconstruction, discover the wider Christian tradition, and explore life within mainline churches through his writing on Becoming Mainline. Follow this show and Jake Doberenz’s writings at http://jakedoberenz.substack.com.

    Rebuilding Your Faith After Evangelicalism - Beau Stringer

  7. Jul 28

    How to Become a Christian Peacemaker - Mark DeYmaz

    Many believers confuse peacemaking with either avoiding conflict or winning arguments. Mark DeYmaz, pastor, author, and longtime advocate for multiethnic ministry, is on Christianity Without Compromise with host Jake Doberenz to discuss how the Prayer of St. Francis offers a practical roadmap for becoming genuine peacemakers. Mark explains why following Jesus means removing “peace-disturbing factors” from people’s lives, why today's culture has lost the ability to think with nuance, and how Christians can respond to polarization with wisdom, humility, and courageous love. Rather than reacting to every controversy, he argues that spiritual formation shapes believers to become people who embody the Gospel through both faithful words and faithful actions. Resources Mentioned: Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace: Becoming More Like Jesus Through the Prayer of St. Francis by Mark DeYmaz (affiliate)“7 Guiding Principles for Advancing Peace” by Mark DeYmazGuest Bio: Mark DeYmaz is a pastor, author, speaker, and longtime leader in the multiethnic church movement. He founded Mosaic Church in Little Rock, Arkansas, has spent more than four decades in ministry, and has written extensively on reconciliation, church unity, leadership, and spiritual formation. His latest book is Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace. Follow this show and Jake Doberenz’s writings at http://jakedoberenz.substack.com.

    How to Become a Christian Peacemaker - Mark DeYmaz

  8. Jul 21

    Why Churches Keep Failing Abuse Survivors - Johnna Harris, Amy Fritz & Chantal McKinney

    When church abuse happens, some of the greatest failures comes after the harm itself. On this episode of Christianity Without Compromise, originally recorded live, Amy Fritz, host of the Untangled Faith Podcast, Johnna Harris, co-host of the Bodies Behind the Bus Podcast, and Chantal McKinney, author of Following Jesus Beyond Church Walls, are on Christianity Without Compromise with host Jake Doberenz to discuss why churches so often fail abuse survivors and what must change. The conversation examines how institutions can become more committed to protecting their reputation than caring for wounded people, why forgiveness should never replace accountability, and how spiritual abuse thrives in cultures that silence survivors. The panel also explores practical steps toward healthier churches through transparency, restorative justice, compassionate listening, and communities that prioritize people over institutional preservation. Resources Mentioned: Bodies Behind the Bus PodcastUntangled Faith PodcastFollowing Jesus Beyond Church Walls by Chantal McKinney (affiliate)Water and Light movementDiane Langberg: Narcissism and the System It BreedsGuest Bios: Amy Fritz hosts the Untangled Faith Podcast, helping Christians separate authentic faith from harmful church experiences. Johnna Harris co-hosts the Bodies Behind the Bus Podcast, which documents stories of abuse within evangelical institutions and examines the theological systems that enable harm. Chantal McKinney is the author of Following Jesus Beyond Church Walls, a church planting coach and consultant, and founder of the Water and Light network, which provides support and healing resources for people harmed by the church. Jake Doberenz is the host of Christianity Without Compromise podcast, writer of the weekly newsletter Smashing Idols, and founder of the podcast production company Theophany Media. Follow this show and Jake Doberenz’s writings at jakedoberenz.substack.com.

    Why Churches Keep Failing Abuse Survivors - Johnna Harris, Amy Fritz & Chantal McKinney
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Christianity Without Compromise is a podcast for Christians weary of shallow faith, culture war religion, and forms of Christianity that harm people. Hosted by Jake Doberenz, the show explores what it means to rebuild faith through honest conversations about church hurt, deconstruction, justice, the Bible, discipleship, and spiritual formation. Each episode examines the ideas, systems, and assumptions that distort Christian faith while moving beyond critique toward hopeful reconstruction. This is a space for Christians who want to ask hard questions without abandoning Jesus, seeking a faith shaped less by ideology and more by community, faithful living, and the way of Christ. Subscribe and join the work of rebuilding a faith centered on Jesus: jakedoberenz.substack.com

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