Farewell and thanks for listening

I’ve got some sad news, so I’ll just come out and say it. Preach is ending. It’s my fault, I take full responsibility. I accepted a new job with All Things Considered at NPR headquarters in Washington, D.C., and unfortunately that means leaving KUER and Preach behind. It’s an exciting opportunity. But I’m very sad, heartbroken even, about moving on from a show and all of you who mean so much to me. 

In the early days of Preach, our team used to joke that the show would end with me joining a new faith and finding answers to all of life’s biggest questions. Obviously that wasn’t the point, and that didn’t happen. But I wouldn’t say it’s too far off from where I ended up. Making this show didn’t lead me to join another faith or cause me to further commit to my own. But I do feel more settled and more at peace. 

The hope with Preach was that some people might want to hear a fun, existential conversation every now and then. I greatly underestimated how hungry we all are to talk about these things. And to talk about them in a way that is frank and honest. Because we’re all a little bit messy, especially when it comes to finding peace in a strange and surprising world (where microscopic viruses can bring life as we know it to a screeching halt). 

This final episode is a conversation between me and my producer Tricia Bobeda. It’s about what we’ve learned making this show. The moments that have stuck with us. And what’s next.

Thank you for listening.

Take care,

Lee Hale
 

Growing Up Jehovah’s Witness

Host Lee Hale finds himself talking to strangers about religion a lot. So when he was test driving cars, it was bound to come up. It turned out the car salesman, Pete Philbrook, grew up a strict Jehovah’s Witness. And he was willing to answer all of Lee’s questions about the other door-knocking faith. From KUER and PRX.

Amanda Yates Garcia On Witchcraft and Magical Acts

The Oracle of Los Angeles and author Amanda Yates Garcia talks with host Lee Hale about being raised a witch, how she practices magic now, and the power of Saturn. From KUER and PRX.

Sam Sanders On Dogs, Prayer And Putting Down Your Phone

The host of NPR’s It’s Been A Minute opens up about his Pentecostal roots, the power of church music and what he's praying about in these challenging times. From KUER and PRX. Hosted by Lee Hale.

Jessamyn Stanley on breaking yoga stereotypes

She describes herself as a fat, black and queer yoga teacher. And Jessamyn Stanley has garnered a massive following online for her authentic, unapologetic love of yoga. The author and podcaster talks with host Lee Hale about leaving behind her strict upbringing in the Bahá'í Faith and wandering in a spiritual wilderness. Plus, how to combat cultural appropriation. From KUER and PRX.

Calling a Friend To Calm Your Nerves

Host Lee Hale woke up to an earthquake in Salt Lake City Wednesday morning. Between that, and all the coronavirus news, it seemed like a good time to call his friend Jakob Lewis. Jakob hosts the podcast Neighbors from Nashville. They had an honest chat about finding faith in times of need, existential uncertainty, and how maybe we can all be better neighbors (even while we keep our physical distance). And they wanted to share the conversation with you.

From KUER and PRX.

Simon rich on ‘miracle workers’ and existential anxiety

The former Saturday Night Live writer and creator of the TBS comedy talks about how his Hebrew school days inspired him to create a God character perfect for Steve Buscemi, writing through his existential anxiety and why he’s agnostic about pretty much everything. Hosted by Lee Hale. From KUER and PRX.

Mormons, Muslims And A Rabbi — Hear Our First Ever Live Show

This episode is packed with goodness from our first ever live show, including:

• Mindfulness expert Thomas McConkie on why he ran away from home as a teen.

• The founders of The Emerald Project on training FBI agents to combat Islamophobia.

• Millennial Rabbi Samuel Spector on leading Utah’s largest Jewish congregation.

• Comedian Stacey Harkey on navigating being black, gay and Mormon in Utah.

  Hosted by Lee Hale. From KUER and PRX.

Growing Up Moonie, And What Comes Next

Hideo Higashibaba was born into the Unification Church. Its members are commonly known as “Moonies” because of their devotion to the self-proclaimed messiah Rev. Sun Myung Moon. Hideo left the church in his 20s and has since come out as queer and transgender. He now calls the church a cult, and mined his own story to create a podcast called Growing Up Moonie. He talks with host Lee Hale about why he decided to delve into his painful past, and what he learned from it. From KUER and PRX.

Discovering Your Destiny As The Son Of A Yoruban Priest

Makinde Adedapo grew up practicing an ancient West African tradition in Chicago. He talks with Lee Hale about discovering your destiny, the explosion of interest in Yoruban culture, and how things can get complicated when your dad is also your priest. From KUER and PRX.

On Being’s Krista Tippett is a ‘little bit allergic’ to belief

We’re back for season two! And we’re kicking things off with Krista Tippett. The unofficial pastor of public radio talks with Lee Hale about her time as a chaplain for patients with Alzheimer's, why she’s a ‘little bit allergic’ to the language of belief and why mystery matters so much. From KUER and PRX.

Listen to a Sneak peek of season two

The second season of Preach launches Friday, Feb. 14. Host Lee Hale is back with a whole new crop of stories about the messiness of faith. Hear stories from witches, Army veterans, comedians, computer scientists, yoga teachers, car salesmen and more. From KUER and PRX.

Enneagram 101 with nerdette

In this bonus episode, host Lee Hale enlists the help of some friends to learn about a phenomenon that’s wildly popular these days, especially among millennial Christians. But what is the Enneagram, exactly? Lee talks to an expert, and then he and Nerdette host Greta Johnsen take an Enneagram personality test and see what it reveals about them. From KUER and PRX.

JEanniE Gaffigan on faith and funny people

She’s half of the comedy writing duo so well known for being Catholic that her husband, Jim Gaffigan, once opened for the Pope. But her faith was seriously tested when she found out she had a brain tumor. Hear how faith, family and funny people helped her survive. 

Hosted by Lee Hale. From KUER and PRX.

Peter Sagal On Running and The Practice Of Persistence

The host of NPR’s Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me! is a dedicated long-distance runner. It’s the closest thing the agnostic has to a spiritual practice. So host Lee Hale, who just struggled through a marathon, enlists Sagal as his running rabbi. And then they switch seats, because Peter has a LOT of questions about Mormonism. From KUER and PRX.

Finding Your Faith Mid-Flight

Plenty of people fall away from the faith they were raised in (either for a little while or permanently) when they head off to college. But Satin Tashnizi did the opposite. In fact, she converted to Islam while flying over the Grand Canyon with a friend. And her journey to that moment was a long and complicated one. Hosted by Lee Hale. From KUER and PRX.

Death Row, Faith And Heartbreak: Sister Helen Prejean On A Nun’s Life

Sister Helen Prejean has spent more than 60 years as a nun. Her spiritual counseling of death row inmates inspired the Oscar-winning film Dead Man Walking. She opens up to host Lee Hale about life in the convent, the priest who wanted to marry her, and what she prays for. From KUER and PRX.

‘stalking god’ with anjali kumar

Raised in a mixture of Jain, Hindu and Catholic traditions, Anjali Kumar wasn’t sure what she believed. Then, after the birth of her daughter, she decided she needed answers to existential questions. So the former Google lawyer ventured into the spiritual fringe with witches, faith healers and mediums to find answers. Hear what she learned along the way. Hosted by Lee Hale. From KUER and PRX.

The rise, fall and return of veggietales

VeggieTales is a Christian cartoon featuring singing vegetables that teach kids bible stories. It was huge in the 90s. Then it went bankrupt. Now, it’s making a comeback. The show’s two creators, AKA Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber, first met on their Bible College Puppet Team. On the eve of VeggieTales’ return, hear the story of how they created a Christian media empire, why it all fell apart, and what they learned about faith along the way. 

Hosted by Lee Hale. From KUER and PRX.

Simran jeet singh on growing up sikh in texas

As a kid in San Antonio, Texas, Simran Jeet Singh and his brothers were the only boys around wearing turbans. Hear what it was like to stick out because of his faith, the existential question he struggled with as a teen, and what he now calls a Sikh ‘superpower’. 

A Married Mormon Couple Comes Out Of The Closet

On paper, Kerry and Steve Spencer were the perfect Mormon married couple. They got hitched in their early 20s — and that meant being together forever. They had a couple of kids. Then, after more than a decade together, they both came out of the closet. In this unconventional love story, hear about their new and complicated relationship to each other, to God, and to religion. Hosted by Lee Hale. From KUER and PRX.

Let’s talk about sex (and God) with Dr. Bat Sheva Marcus

Dr. Bat Sheva Marcus is a feminist Orthodox Jewish sex therapist. She talks with host Lee Hale about the complicated aftermath of being taught God has strict rules for your sex life. Plus, the ‘Woodstock’ moment she sparked by carving out space for feminists of faith. From KUER and PRX.

snap judgment host GLynn Washington on Leaving A Cult, What Comes Next

The host of Snap Judgment opens up about being agnostic and rethinking the role of belief after growing up in an apocalyptic cult. Plus, the parts of your spiritual upbringing stick that with you in unexpected ways. Hosted by Lee Hale. From KUER and PRX.

actor Rainn Wilson on baha’i faith, ‘office’ binge watching

On the first episode of Preach, actor Rainn Wilson — best known for his role as the oddly obsessive Dwight Schrute on The Office — opens up about his messy journey to find a religion that felt right. Hosted by Lee Hale. From KUER and PRX.