Episode Details

🎙 12. Pastor Joe Smith (Non-Denominational) - Reclaiming Faith from Christian Nationalism

Alexis Rice is joined by Pastor Joe Smith IG @therealjoe.smith — a bold and unflinching voice reclaiming Christianity from white Christian nationalism, spiritual manipulation, and cultural complacency. Known for his viral sermons and fearless online ministry, Joe shares his journey from fundamentalism to liberation—and how he uses his privilege as daily repentance for the harm he once enabled.

Together, they explore what it means to deconstruct in community, how to raise boys with a healthy model of masculinity, and why now is a Bonhoeffer moment for the American church. With raw vulnerability and prophetic fire, Joe calls Christians to choose: Will we stand with Jesus at the edge of the cliff—or be part of the mob trying to throw him off?

This episode is for anyone who’s questioned the church but still longs for Jesus, for those grieving the loss of community, and for all who are seeking a braver, freer, more Christlike faith.

💡 Key Takeaways

• White Christian nationalism is a distortion of Jesus’ message
• Deconstruction is not just personal—it’s communal and sacred
• The American church often rewards manipulation over integrity
• Healthy masculinity must replace the “UFC Jesus” culture
• Faith can survive—even thrive—on the other side of certainty

⛪ About Our Guest
Pastor Joe Smith (@therealjoe.smith) is a non-denominational pastor and the lead pastor of Shift GNV in Gainesville, Florida, currently merging into a new spiritual community called Maison—rooted in love, justice, and inclusion.

Raised in the Free Will Baptist tradition and trained at a fundamentalist Bible college, Joe spent decades inside the American evangelical system before publicly deconstructing his faith from the pulpit. Today, he’s known for preaching a gospel that centers the marginalized, confronts abusive power, and calls the church to account.

Joe is also a husband, dad, and history buff who draws inspiration from the civil rights movement, John Lewis, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

📚 Resources Mentioned

• Jesus for President by Shane Claiborne — @shane.claiborne
• Rob Bell (author/speaker) — @realrobbell
• Christopher L. Heuertz — @chrisheuertz
• Rep. Angie Nixon — @angieforfl
• Shift GNV Church and Podcast — @shifthappenspodcast_
• Meizon Church (launching soon)

Go in peace, friends. May you find a faith that speaks truth to power, holds space for healing, and follows Jesus all the way to the margins.

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About The Sacred Slope
Where the slippery slope becomes sacred ground.
For the spiritually tender—raised in or rooted in Christianity.
Come explore our global, diverse, inclusive Christian faith, deconstruction, and spiritual identity in a rapidly changing world. Through conversations with clergy, scholars, and cultural voices, the show creates space for people navigating faith after certainty, church harm, or political co-option of religion.

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🎙 Hosted by Alexis Rice
🎵 Music by Brett Rutledge, Eddie Irvin & Sean Spence
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