First, my good friend, Pastor Danny Cox, host of The Open Table Collective Podcast. Our first “encounter” was in a Fuller Seminary classroom, where Professor Wilmer G. Villacorta uses Malestrom in his classes and quotes it in his own book, Unmasking the Male Soul. Reading Malestrom raised Danny’s curiosity about my other books, which led to an invitation to speak on The Gospel of Ruth at his church in Troy, Michigan. That led to an ongoing conversation. Ever since, he’s been a great friend and a huge encouragement to me. His newly launched ministry, The Open Table Collective—is a welcoming place for any who may never enter a church door and, if they do, may find they don’t belong. Here, they will find a warm welcome, friendship, and the love and hope of Jesus.

Second, Mary Margaret O’Connor is host of Your Radical Truth Podcast. She is Catholic, seminary trained, and shares the kinds of struggles and concerns that are all too familiar to Protestant women. We had an intriguing conversation about Malestrom and patriarchy and God’s vision for his daughters titled “From First to Final Breath: The Role Women Truly have with God.” Our discussion also wandered beyond patriarchy into feminism, women’s true role in the Bible, religious scandals, and more. Struggles women face in this broken world are shared by women everywhere! Her own story is fascinating but also heartbreaking. I loved interacting with her and felt afterwards that I’d made a new friend.

Third was The Hopper Podcast hosted by two PCA pastors, William Spofield and Dave Baggett, who describe themselves as “Too progressive to be conservative; too conservative to be liberal. Politically homeless Christians, tackling LGBTQ+, Gun Control, Racism, Universal Basic Income, Abortion, Grief, Politics, Social Media, and more with nuance and respect. Taking God seriously, and ourselves lightly.” And now they wanted to talk about Patriarchy and Malestrom with me. I told them this wasn’t the first time I’d been outnumbered by PCA pastors, but I must say this discussion was refreshing, rich, and deeply encouraging. As their description indicates—these pastors are fearless in taking up topics that impact us all, but are all-too-often pushed aside because their either deemed “taboo” or the answer is set in stone.