When it comes to Christianity there is a lot that needs to be talked about….
And it feels like most churches these days are avoiding these discussions.
The Irreverent Podcast is a Christian Podcast that thinks no subject is taboo. We discuss everything from movements happening in the community, to questions sent in like “Is masturbation a sin?”, and everything in between.
We are able to do this since we are independent from any church label or stigma, we don’t have to worry if someone disagrees with us, we seem to actually encourage that. It’s ok for Christians to disagree, it’s ok to argue, as long as it’s done out of love.
That’s what we do, we discuss, we acknowledge, and we love.
We are The Irreverent Podcast,
We are Your Irreverent Podcast,
We are Christianity Unfiltered.
Zouain (Host)
After being raised in the church all of his life, Jose decided to explore “other possibilities” at the age of 13. He came in contact with books by very controversial authors like Anton LaVey (author of the Satanic bible and founder of the Church of Satan in the 60s) among many atheist, and agnostic writers who wrote a very biased view on Christianity. He became more and more interested in the occults and the more he searched the more angry he grew with the church and its history. He mostly hated when his parents would make him go to church and made him study stuff he didn’t really believe in. At one point, life at home got so bad that he was sent from Lake Mary, Florida to Shreveport, Louisiana to live with relatives. These relatives allowed him the liberty he wanted as far as his faith goes, while at the same time keeping strict academic rules in the house. While in school he came in contact with some Christians that kept talking to him and pestering him about this Jesus guy that his parents were so adamant about him following. A cute girl (go figure) invited Jose to a church that was very different from the one he grew up in (he grew up in a Southern Baptist church, pretty legalistic. Not his style of worship or message). These people rolled around on the ground and spoke in tongues (which he still finds a little creepy, but *ehh* to each their own.) After talking with a pastor there and talking to my friends who were very open about discussing “tabu” subjects about Christianity, he decided to take a look deeper into this Christian stuff. Later that year (right after his 18th birthday) he professed his faith in Jesus. He was the same blunt, rowdy, short tempered, and often-offensive guy he was before, he was (and is) just learning to use it to his advantage and to further the kingdom.
After many years of searching on where he is best used by God he found a friend (Anthony) who came up with idea of a podcast that would allow Christians AND non Christians to email questions about the Christian faith, no matter how crude, insensitive, or tabu the subject may be. With Jose’s interest in radio, talk radio in particular, he loved the idea and Irreverent podcast came to life.
zouain@irreverentpodcast.com
Al Sterling (Executive Producer)
Al Sterling came to the Irreverent Podcast as the executive producer in August of 2009. Growing up in a Methodist church, he began a career in youth ministry with an ill fated position at a very small church at the age of 17. Following that abysmal failure, Al returned to his home church where he helped in the development and then lead the first Young Adult Ministry at his church. Eventually finding another chance at youth ministry (this time at the more sensible age of 25) Al led the youth and young adult programs at a Presbyterian church for three years before deciding to spend some time traveling with his wife.
Al is a devout Christian nursing some grudges against the problems he sees running rampant in the church. The internal politics, backbiting, and narrow minded tendencies of the churches he has been a part of have made him suspicious. However, he still holds out hope as he and his wife continue hunting for a new church to call home.
When not ranting, Al loves video games, history, corporate espionage, and traveling. He loves piracy, but detests the “new age” practices, and insists on only sailing on all wooden triple-masted ships, complete with cannon. He has a peg leg.
Anthony Booyay (Technical Producer)
A child of divorced parents Anthony Booyay had the privilege of growing up in two cities at the same time, Orlando and St. Augustine, Florida. A raised Catholic who became a C & E Christian, Booyay had a very distant relationship with God when he was younger and has a very hard time even calling himself a Christ follower when he was a kid. Soon to declare himself Agnostic in high school, Booyay still had a very hard time breaking away from most of the morals he was taught growing up. Having no one to too really hang out with because of this, Booyay started hanging out at his local youth group just because he wanted to be around people with similar morals whom he could have real relationships with. After a while he stopped going but still kept some of the friendships he had developed. Then he heard of a youth group based in downtown Orlando, and started attending where he had his first encounter with God, and found his love for God through a ministry based at his high school.
Booyay jumped in head first, getting involved with different Bible Studies, speaking at several different conferences, and just volunteering his time to many different churches and ministries. Booyay now focuses mainly in volunteering with the student ministry at his home Church. booyay@irreverentpodcast.com
