What The Hell Do I Know with Jason Becker

What happens when questioning your faith actually brings you closer to Jesus?

In Episode 92 of "What the Hell Do I Know with JB", I sit down with author, speaker, comedian, and content creator April Ajoy (@aprilajoy) for one of the most thoughtful conversations we've had on the podcast.

April grew up immersed in evangelical culture before beginning a long journey of questioning Christian nationalism, politics, church culture, and the beliefs she inherited. But contrary to what many assume, her journey wasn't away from Jesus—it was because of Jesus. Together we talk honestly about grief, deconstruction, LGBTQ relationships, church hurt, privilege, politics, and what it means to love people well while holding onto faith.

This isn't a debate.

It's two people asking difficult questions with humility and respect.

Whether you agree with April (or JB), disagree with her, or find yourself somewhere in the middle, I hope this conversation challenges you to think more deeply and love people more generously.

Topics include:

• Christian Nationalism explained • Deconstruction and rebuilding faith • Church hurt and religious trauma • LGBTQ conversations inside the church • Politics and Christianity • Learning to hold convictions with humility • Why asking questions doesn't have to destroy faith • What Jesus looks like through a different lens

April is the bestselling author of "Star Spangled Jesus", available wherever books are sold.

📚 Pick up "Star Spangled Jesus" today.

Follow April: Instagram: @aprilajoy

Follow me: Instagram: @_jason_becker

Website: [www.vintagewisdom.org](http://www.vintagewisdom.org)

A huge thank you to our sponsors for making these conversations possible:

🏡 Floorzz [www.floorzz.com](http://www.floorzz.com)

🛡️ TruNorth Pest Control [www.trunorthpest.com](http://www.trunorthpest.com)

If this episode challenged you, encouraged you, or simply made you think, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone willing to have honest conversations.

#AprilAjoy #ChristianNationalism #Deconstruction #Faith #Jesus #Church #Politics #Podcast #WhatTheHellDoIKnow #JasonBecker #Christianity #ChurchHurt #ReligiousTrauma #FaithJourney

Welcome to **Part 3 of the Summer Smash Up**—a collection of four of my favorite conversations from this season of **What The Hell Do I Know with JB**.

If you're new here, this is the perfect place to jump in.

This episode brings together four incredible guests who aren't afraid to ask difficult questions, challenge assumptions, and remind us that truth is often found in honest conversation—not easy answers.

🔥 **Ellie Unbound** (@ellieunbound) shares her journey through deconstruction after growing up in the megachurch world and why asking hard questions doesn't have to mean abandoning faith.

❤️ **Quinn Padilla** (@itsquinnpadilla), therapist and abuse survivor, courageously explains the cycle of abuse, trauma bonds, and what healing can actually look like for survivors.

💪 **Nathaniel Blackburn** (@nathanielwblackburn), founder of **TruNorth Retreats** and former MTV *Real World* cast member, talks about why vulnerability isn't weakness—it's where real transformation begins.

📖 **Zack Lambert** (@zackwlambert), bestselling author of *Better Ways to Read the Bible* and Senior Pastor of Restore Austin, shares why context matters, why grace matters, and how reading Scripture differently can deepen—not diminish—your faith.

These conversations don't ask you to agree with every opinion.

They ask you to think.

To listen.

To have empathy.

And maybe...to grow.

Whether you've been in church your whole life, walked away from faith, experienced church hurt, survived abuse, or you're simply searching for honest conversations that matter, this episode is for you.

👇 I'd love to hear from you.

**Which conversation impacted you the most?**

Leave a comment and join the discussion.

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### Connect with our guests

Ellie Unbound Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellieunbound

Quinn Padilla Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsquinnpadilla

Nathaniel Blackburn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nathanielwblackburn

Zack Lambert Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zackwlambert

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### Connect with JB

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_jason_becker

Website: https://www.vintagewisdom.org

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### Huge Thanks To Our Sponsors

🏡 **Floorzz** https://www.floorzz.com

Whether you're building your dream home or remodeling your current one, Floorzz has you covered with exceptional flooring and customer service.

🐜 **TruNorth Pest Control** https://www.trunorthpest.com

Keeping homes across Florida and Georgia pest-free with industry-leading service. Tell them JB sent you!

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👍 If you enjoyed this episode, please Like, Subscribe, and Share. Every share helps these conversations reach someone who may need them.

Thanks for being part of the journey.

—JB #WhatTheHellDoIKnow #JasonBecker #Podcast #Faith #Deconstruction #ChurchHurt #MentalHealth #Healing #TraumaRecovery #Leadership #NathanielBlackburn #EllieUnbound #QuinnPadilla #ZackLambert #BetterWaysToReadTheBible

Welcome to Episode 90 of What The Hell Do I Know with JB!

☀️ Summer Smashup Part 2 is here.

If you're new to the show, this is one of the best places to start. This special episode brings together some of the most powerful, emotional, and thought-provoking conversations we've had this year. Four incredible guests. Four completely different stories. One common thread...real people having honest conversations.

In this episode you'll hear:

🎙️ Jim Pierce sharing his heartbreaking story of childhood abuse, healing, forgiveness, and why getting help can change everything.

🎙️ Valentina Piloneita (@leerparacrecersrb) discussing immigration, education, reading, and why every child deserves hope regardless of where they were born.

🎙️ Marla Taviano (@marlataviano) challenging long-held assumptions about faith, love, heaven, and what it really means to love your neighbor.

🎙️ Shawn Vinson (@svinson9999) opening up about addiction, recovery, fatherhood, and the moment that completely changed his life.

These conversations don't all agree with one another—and that's exactly the point. At What The Hell Do I Know, we believe growth happens when we're willing to listen before we judge. If this episode makes you think, laugh, wrestle with something, or gives you hope...

👍 Like the video 💬 Leave a comment 🔔 Subscribe for more honest conversations every week.

Follow Jason Becker 📸 Instagram: @_jason_becker 🌐 Website: https://www.vintagewisdom.org

Guests 📚 Valentina Piloneita Instagram: @leerparacrecersrb ✍️ Marla Taviano Instagram: @marlataviano 💪 Shawn Vinson Instagram: @svinson9999

Huge Thanks To Our Sponsors 🏠 Floorzz https://www.floorzz.com Whether you're remodeling your home or building your dream house, Floorzz has you covered.

🐜 TruNorth Pest Control https://www.trunorthpest.com Protecting homes and businesses throughout Florida and Georgia with world-class pest control.\

Thank you for supporting the sponsors that make this podcast possible.

Watch the entire What The Hell Do I Know Podcast Playlist for more conversations that challenge perspectives, inspire growth, and remind us that none of us have it all figured out.

#WhatTheHellDoIKnow #JasonBecker #Podcast #SummerSmashup #Faith #Recovery #AddictionRecovery #Immigration #MentalHealth #PersonalGrowth #Leadership #Healing #ChristianPodcast #Storytelling #Hope

☀️ SUMMER SMASH-UP | PART 1 OF 3 ☀️ I'm taking a little summer break, but I didn't want to leave you hanging. So I dug through some of the most powerful, thought-provoking, and meaningful conversations from Season 3 and put together this Summer Smash-Up series.

In Part 1, you'll hear four unforgettable moments: 🎙️ Meaghan Hampton (@soulcareforfamilies) on parenting, grace, discipline, and why fear-based parenting often misses the mark. 🎙️ Jason Becker (me) (@_jason_becker) reflecting on 25 years of marriage, the lessons learned through counseling, raising kids, faith, and the hard work that builds a lasting relationship. 🎙️ Doug Pagitt (@dougpagitt) discussing politics, faith, immigration, empathy, and what it means to truly see the humanity in people who think differently than we do. 🎙️ Dr. Brandon Orr (former Director of Sports Psychology for the University of Missouri Wrestling Program and attached to the 7th Special Forces Group Green Berets) sharing elite performance psychology, mental toughness, discipline, and one of the most powerful life lessons I've heard all year.

This episode is about: ✅ Marriage ✅ Parenting ✅ Faith ✅ Leadership ✅ Mental Toughness ✅ Grace ✅ Personal Growth ✅ Becoming a Better Human

Whether you're on vacation, driving to work, sitting at the beach, or just looking for something meaningful to listen to, I hope these conversations challenge and encourage you. Buckle up. This is Part 1 of the Summer Smash-Up.

Special Thanks To Our Sponsors 🏠 Floorzz.com Whether you're building, remodeling, or upgrading your home, the team at Floorzz can help with flooring, design, and project planning anywhere in the continental United States. Visit Floorzz.com. 🛡️ True North Pest Control Serving the Emerald Coast, Central Florida, and Georgia. From ants and spiders to full-service pest prevention, True North Pest Control has you covered. Visit TrueNorthPest.com.

#SummerSmashUp #WhatTheHellDoIKnow #JasonBecker #Marriage #Parenting #Faith #Leadership #MentalToughness #PersonalGrowth #Podcast #MarriageAdvice #ParentingTips #ChristianPodcast #SelfImprovement #BrandonOrr #DougPagitt #MeaghanHampton

Episode 88 of *What the Hell Do I Know with JB* welcomes pastor, author, and thought leader **Zack Lambert**, founder and lead pastor of Restore Austin.

Zack joins Jason Becker for a powerful and honest conversation about faith, church culture, biblical interpretation, inclusion, doubt, and what it means to follow Jesus in today's world.

Drawing from his book *Better Ways to Read the Bible: Transforming a Weapon of Harm into a Tool of Healing*, Zack shares why so many people are walking away from the church, how harmful interpretations of scripture have impacted generations, and why asking difficult questions may actually strengthen faith rather than destroy it.

Together, Jason and Zack discuss:

• Why millions of Americans have stopped reading the Bible • Church growth, Christian nationalism, and the future of faith communities • LGBTQ+ inclusion and what scripture actually says • Women in leadership and the history of patriarchy in the church • Why curiosity, doubt, and questioning should be welcomed • How Jesus consistently expanded the circle of belonging • The difference between religion that harms and faith that heals • Raising kids who can think critically about faith • Finding safe spaces to ask difficult spiritual questions

Whether you're deeply religious, spiritually curious, deconstructing your faith, or simply searching for a better understanding of scripture, this conversation offers wisdom, compassion, and hope.

📖 Learn more about Zack Lambert: https://www.restoreaustin.org

📸 Follow Zack: @zackwlambert

🌐 Visit Jason Becker: https://www.vintagewisdom.org

📸 Follow Jason: @_jason_becker

Special thanks to our sponsors:

🏠 Floorzz Premium flooring solutions for homes and businesses.

🧭 TruNorth Helping individuals and organizations navigate growth, leadership, and purpose.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who could use a little more hope, curiosity, and grace in their journey.

#WhatTheHellDoIKnowWithJB #ZackLambert #JasonBecker #WhatTheHellDoIKnowWithJB #BetterWaysToReadTheBible #ProgressiveChristianity #FaithDeconstruction #BibleStudy #ChristianPodcast #Jesus #ChurchHurt #LGBTQInclusion #RestoreAustin #FaithAndCulture #SpiritualGrowth #Christianity #Theology #PodcastLife #VintageWisdom #FaithJourney #ReligionAndCulture