The Awkward Pastor

Brandon Estep and Tim Waybright
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Christianity
  • Biweekly

The Awkward Pastor is a savage Christian podcast for people exhausted by fake religion, shallow answers, and plastic faith. Hosted by Brandon—a pastor and Iraq war combat vet—and Tim, a seasoned believer with real ministry scars, this show confronts chaos with biblical truth, satire, and zero concern for religious comfort. From grace for the worst sinners to exposing church hypocrisy, nothing is off-limits. If you’re tired, skeptical, or done pretending—hit play.

  1. Oct 29

    (Ep. #32) Dead or Demonic? Collaboration with The Supernatural Sleuth

    Are ghosts really the spirits of the dead, or could something else be behind paranormal encounters? In this episode of The Awkward Pastor, we're joined by Brandon Gayheart, an 25 year police officer better known as The Supernatural Sleuth, for a fascinating conversation about ghosts, demons, Bigfoot, and the unexplained. We share personal paranormal encounters, swap Bigfoot stories, revisit the wonderfully ridiculous world of Weekly World News, and tackle a controversial question: Should Christians celebrate Halloween? But things get even more interesting when we examine what the Bible actually says about ghosts, demonic activity, spiritual deception, and the supernatural. Are all paranormal encounters demonic? Can the dead communicate with the living? And how can Christians distinguish biblical truth from superstition? From unsettling experiences and Appalachian mysteries to biblical discussions and completely unexpected humor, this conversation goes places you probably won't see coming. We don't pretend to have every mystery figured out. But we're certainly not afraid to ask the awkward questions. 🎙️ Special Guest: Brandon Gayheart | The Supernatural Sleuth

    (Ep. #32) Dead or Demonic? Collaboration with The Supernatural Sleuth

  2. Oct 27

    (Ep. #31) Former Special Forces Green Beret Keith Holland: Combat, Trauma, and Joint Task Force K-9s, Part 2

    In Part 2 of The Awkward Pastor Podcast, former U.S. Army Special Forces Green Beret Keith Holland returns for an unforgettable conversation about combat, trauma, faith, survival, and the warrior mindset. With 15 years in Special Forces, seven combat deployments, and four Bronze Stars, Keith has witnessed extraordinary courage, unimaginable hardship, and moments that defy explanation. According to Keith, he is alive today because of God's mercy and grace. In this episode, we explore a powerful account of divine intervention during a suicide attempt, the incredible story of a military working dog that saved a team of Green Berets, and practical advice from a seasoned Special Forces operator on developing mental toughness, discipline, resilience, and purpose in everyday life. We also confront a question that might make a few people uncomfortable: Have we turned Jesus Christ, the Lion of Judah, into a harmless pushover? Brandon, Keith, and Tim share their perspective on the strength, courage, and authority of the biblical Jesus and a Savior whose love should never be mistaken for weakness. From the battlefield to the battles within, this conversation explores PTSD, veteran mental health, Christian faith, military service dogs, and finding hope when life seems hopeless. Because sometimes the greatest battles aren't fought with weapons, the greatest rescues don't happen on battlefields, and the strongest men are the ones who discover they can't fight every battle alone. This is The Awkward Pastor where faith meets real life, difficult conversations aren't avoided, and nobody is guaranteed to leave comfortable. Content advisory: This episode includes discussion of suicide and combat-related trauma. Discover more here about Keith's organization and the incredible work they're doing:Joint Task Force K9's

    (Ep. #31) Former Special Forces Green Beret Keith Holland: Combat, Trauma, and Joint Task Force K-9s, Part 2

  3. Aug 30

    (Ep. #30) Former Special Forces Green Beret Keith Holland: Combat, Trauma & Joint Task Force K-9s

    What happens when the mission ends, but the war leaves something behind? Former U.S. Army Special Forces Green Beret Keith Holland spent 15 years in Special Forces, with multiple combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. But this conversation isn't just about what happened overseas. It's about what happened afterward. In Part One of this conversation, Keith opens up about combat, traumatic brain injury (TBI), trauma, faith, dark moments after leaving the military, and the long road toward finding purpose again. We also talk about the unexpected role dogs played in that journey and how Keith eventually turned his own experiences into a mission to help others. Today, Keith is the founder of Joint Task Force K-9s, a nonprofit providing trained service dogs to veterans and law-enforcement officers at no cost to the recipient. This is a conversation about war but even more than that, it's about what comes after it. About identity when the uniform comes off.About carrying things nobody else can see.About God meeting us in places we never expected to be.And about discovering that sometimes the next mission is helping somebody else survive theirs. The mission ended. The story didn't. This is Part One of my conversation with former Green Beret Keith Holland. Learn more about Joint Task Force K-9s, support their mission, or apply for the program at jtfk9s.org.

    (Ep. #30) Former Special Forces Green Beret Keith Holland: Combat, Trauma & Joint Task Force K-9s

  4. Aug 11

    (Ep. #29) The King is Coming: Revelation 1:1-3

    Revelation isn’t a locked book of riddles reserved for scholars, prophecy experts, and people with a suspicious amount of end-times charts. It is “The Revelation of Jesus Christ" — an unveiling given by God, delivered through Jesus Christ, communicated by His angel to John, and preserved for us. Ordinary people. Working people. Christians who simply want to know their King. In Lesson 1 of The King Is Coming, we begin our verse-by-verse journey through Revelation by unpacking what revelation actually means, tracing the remarkable chain of delivery in Revelation 1:1, and examining what Scripture means when it says these things must happen “shortly” and that “the time is near.” How can something be “near” nearly 2,000 years later? Does God experience time the way we do? What does eternity look like from His perspective? And how should the promised nearness of Christ’s return affect the way we live right now? Before we chase beasts, bowls, trumpets, or timelines, we have to get the main thing right: Revelation is about Jesus Christ. He isn’t a side character in the book. He is the point of the entire book.

    (Ep. #29) The King is Coming: Revelation 1:1-3

  5. Aug 6

    (Ep. #28) Lead Well: The Leader's Inner World, Part 1

    What does God actually look for in a leader's inner world? In this episode of Lead Well — our biblical leadership podcast series — we are tackling three of the most overlooked qualifications from 1 Timothy 3: temperate, sober-minded, and not given to wine. These are not personality suggestions. They are character requirements. And every single one of them is about what is happening inside you before it ever shows up outside you. If you have ever worked under a leader who could not hold it together under pressure, made impulsive decisions that everyone else had to clean up, or was clearly being run by something other than the Holy Spirit — this episode explains exactly why that happens and what God requires instead. We break down the Greek words behind each qualification, look at what the research says about emotional regulation and leadership effectiveness, and ask the question most leaders never stop long enough to answer: is there anything that has more control over you than you do? This is Part One of a two part series on The Leader's Inner World. Part Two covers not violent and not quarrelsome — what happens when the leader gets pushed. The Awkward Pastor — biblical leadership that says what everyone is thinking but nobody is saying.

    (Ep. #28) Lead Well: The Leader's Inner World, Part 1

  6. Jul 28 ·  Bonus

    (Ep. #27) The Jesus Who Created You Can Recreate You

    Jesus did not merely arrive in Bethlehem. He existed before creation and made all things. In this episode of The Awkward Pastor, Tim, in this special teaching monologue, explores the biblical truth that Jesus Christ is both the Creator of physical life and the giver of spiritual life.T From John 1 and Colossians 1 to the new birth and the new creation, we discuss who Jesus really is, why humanity needs more than self-improvement, and how Christ makes spiritually dead people alive. The same Jesus who created the universe can transform a broken life. He does not simply repair the old you, He makes you new. Topics include Jesus as Creator, the deity of Christ, salvation, spiritual rebirth, eternal life, the Trinity, and what it truly means to be born again.

    (Ep. #27) The Jesus Who Created You Can Recreate You

  7. Jul 9

    (Ep. #26) Lead Well: God's Not Impressed With Your Resume

    What does God actually look for in a leader? In Episode 3 of Lead Well, our Christian leadership podcast teaching series, we are tackling one of the most important questions in biblical leadership: does your private life match your public one? A lot of leaders have an impressive resume. Not many have the character to back it up. We are diving deep into 1 Timothy 3, breaking down the Greek word 'episkopos,' and exposing the difference between leaders who carry the weight of responsibility and leaders who just want the title. If you have ever worked under a toxic leader, wondered what qualified leadership actually looks like, or questioned whether you are becoming the kind of person people can trust to follow, this episode is for you. This is not a leadership hack. This is a character audit. It is going to get uncomfortable before it gets encouraging.

    (Ep. #26) Lead Well: God's Not Impressed With Your Resume

  8. Jun 25

    (Ep. #25) Lead Well: Good Leaders Are Rooted In The Right Stuff

    Most leaders get evaluated on decisions and confidence — but what actually determines whether you survive pressure is what's underneath: your roots. Brandon breaks down Psalm 1, 1 Corinthians 3, and the fruit of the Spirit as a leadership framework, backed by research on self-awareness, empathy, and integrity in leadership...with the humor (and conviction) you'd expect from The Awkward Pastor.

    (Ep. #25) Lead Well: Good Leaders Are Rooted In The Right Stuff
See All (34)

Trailers

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

The Awkward Pastor is a savage Christian podcast for people exhausted by fake religion, shallow answers, and plastic faith. Hosted by Brandon—a pastor and Iraq war combat vet—and Tim, a seasoned believer with real ministry scars, this show confronts chaos with biblical truth, satire, and zero concern for religious comfort. From grace for the worst sinners to exposing church hypocrisy, nothing is off-limits. If you’re tired, skeptical, or done pretending—hit play.

Information

  • Creator
    Brandon Estep and Tim Waybright
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    34
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Brandon Estep and Tim Waybright
  • Show Website
    The Awkward Pastor