2 Pastors and a Mic

In this episode of Two Pastors and a Mic, we keep walking out what we’re calling the 2:6 Life - Anyone who claims to live in Him must live as Jesus did” (1 John 2:6). And today we go straight into a tension a lot of us feel after deconstruction, church hurt, or betrayal:

How do you protect your heart…without closing it off completely?

Because for many of us, cynicism starts to feel like wisdom. It promises we won’t be surprised again, disappointed again, or fooled again. But over time, cynicism doesn’t just guard the wound—it can quietly starve the heart: connection, wonder, curiosity, hope.

So we talk about the difference between:
Discernment vs. distancing
Wise boundaries vs. emotional retreat
Self-protection vs. staying tender

And we get super practical with real-life examples—how cynicism shows up in relationships, leadership, church spaces, and even the way we interpret “good” stories. We also give a few ways to stay tender without being naive—because tenderness isn’t fragility… it’s availability (with boundaries).

If you’ve ever felt yourself growing colder, pulling back, or assuming the worst just to stay safe… this one’s for you.

00:00 - Welcome to Two Pastors and a Mic (Episode 264)
00:46 - The 2:6 Life Theme: Living Like Jesus (1 John 2:6)
01:33 - Quick Recap: Deconstruction + Feeling Stuck
02:09 - Today’s Topic: Protect Your Heart Without Closing It
03:10 - Cynicism vs Tenderness: The Heart Posture Tension
04:37 - Why Cynicism Creeps In After Church Hurt
05:50 - Discernment or Cynicism? Processing the Difference
07:19 - What Cynicism Promises: No Surprise, No Disappointment, No Fooling
08:21 - Real-Life Example: “What’s the Catch?” When Good Things Happen
10:33 - Discernment vs Distancing: Staying Present vs Staying Safe
11:46 - How Hearts Harden: Disappointment Fatigue
13:50 - Polished Answers + Emotional Retreat (Not Strength)
14:13 - Why Tenderness Feels Dangerous After Betrayal
15:53 - Tenderness Isn’t Fragility: It’s Availability + Boundaries
16:31 - Real-Life Example: Naming Hurt Calmly Instead of Disappearing
17:42 - Tenderness Heals: Cynicism Shrinks, Tenderness Expands
19:35 - Practical Steps: Stay Curious Longer Than Certain
21:01 - Let Disappointment Teach You, Not Define You
21:37 - Speak Honestly Without Rehearsing Your Exit
22:28 - Counseling Story: One Foot In, One Foot Out
24:05 - The Invitation: Stay Reachable to Goodness Again
24:52 - Tenderness + Boundaries: Wise Without Being Cold
25:40 - Next Week Tease: Trusting God and Trusting Yourself Again
25:54 - Wrap-Up: Cynicism Robs Connection

What do you do when you feel stuck?

You’ve awakened to union. You’ve deconstructed beliefs that used to shape your life. You have clarity of thought… but not clarity of direction. And the weird part is: you don’t want to go back — you just don’t know how to move forward.

In this episode, we unpack 5 common reasons people get stuck after deconstruction (and why it’s not failure), plus real-life examples of what “stuckness” can look like when your beliefs have changed faster than your life knows how to hold it.

We also talk about:
Why being stuck isn’t laziness — it might be wisdom
The difference between deconstruction and formation
How losing a framework can feel like losing belonging
Why Sundays can feel “empty” (and how to reframe what Sundays are for)
Hypervigilance, certainty addiction, and scanning for what’s wrong
How stuckness often ends… when striving ends

And we close with a reframe that might change everything:
Maybe the question isn’t “How do I get unstuck?”
Maybe it’s “What is this season teaching me to release?”

00:00 - Welcome + Like/Subscribe
00:38 - IU Football Wins the National Championship
01:31 - Leadership Lessons From IU’s Turnaround
02:22 - 2026 Life + Union After Deconstruction
02:57 - Today’s Topic: What to Do When You Feel Stuck
03:45 - Stuckness Isn’t More Learning—It’s Living Differently
05:12 - Common “Stuck” Thoughts People Carry
06:15 - Reason #1: Awareness Grew Faster Than Wisdom
10:26 - Reason #2: Lost the Old Framework Before Building a New One
13:56 - Reason #3: Deconstruction Isn’t the Same as Formation
15:41 - Reason #4: Lost External Permission Before Internal Trust
17:14 - Reason #5: Afraid to Rebuild Anything That Resembles the Old Life
20:46 - Reassurance: Feeling Stuck Isn’t Failure
21:51 - “The Meantime Is a Time” + Unlearning the Rush
22:34 - Example #1: Not Arguing Anymore—Just Quieter
23:50 - Example #2: Less Reactive… But Feeling Less Passionate
24:46 - Example #3: Stopped Fixing People—Now What’s My Role?
25:47 - Example #4: Want Community Without the Old Rules
27:16 - Example #5: Waiting Isn’t Laziness—It’s Wisdom
28:48 - Better Question: What Is This Season Teaching Me?
30:16 - When Striving Ends, Stuckness Often Ends
30:43 - Map vs. Compass: Learning to Walk Without Certainty
31:12 - Grace, Patience, and Staying Open to the Spirit
32:02 - Next Episode: Staying Tender Without Becoming Cynical
32:50 - Closing: You’re Loved (Nothing You Can Do About It)

Deconstruction can feel like freedom… until the relief wears off.

In this episode of Two Pastors and a Mic, Cory and Channock talk honestly about what really changes after deconstruction — and what often doesn’t. Because many of us have shifted our beliefs about God, the Bible, hell, the devil, and faith… but still find ourselves stuck in the same emotional patterns we learned in the system we left.

You might think differently now… but still feel anxious, responsible, pressured, or lonely.

In this conversation, you’ll hear:
🧩 Why deconstruction is healthy — and why it’s often necessary
❤️ The real question: do you love better after deconstruction?
🔄 What does change: your opinions, language, and questions
🧠 What often doesn’t change: nervous system patterns, attachment styles, shame responses
😰 The four common “stuck” places after deconstruction:

If you’ve ever wondered, “Why do I still feel the same even though I believe something different now?” — this episode will help you name what’s happening and remind you: you’re not broken, you’re not behind, and you didn’t do deconstruction wrong.

👉 Like / Subscribe / Share
💬 Comment below: What changed for you after deconstruction — and what still feels hard?

00:00 - Welcome + Like/Share/Subscribe
00:34 - Why Sharing Creates Better Conversations
01:44 - Today’s Topic: Deconstruction—What Changed and What Didn’t
02:04 - IU vs Miami National Championship Predictions
03:41 - Revisiting the “2:6 Life” + Galatians 5:6
04:53 - Why Deconstruction Matters: Does It Make You More Loving?
06:35 - After the Relief: Why Deconstruction Can Still Feel “Off”
07:44 - New Beliefs, Same Patterns: Emotional Systems & Survival Habits
08:42 - The Goal: Living With What You Know Now
09:20 - What Changed (1): Opinions Shift (Curiosity, Nuance, Less Certainty)
10:50 - What Changed (2): Language Shifts (“The Bible clearly says…,” “God told me…”)
12:37 - What Changed (3): Better Questions (Truth, Identity, Love)
13:30 - What Didn’t Change: Nervous System Patterns & Attachment Responses
14:28 - Didn’t Change (1): Feeling Responsible for Others’ Feelings
16:06 - Didn’t Change (2): Pressure to Get It Right (Certainty as Safety)
18:15 - Didn’t Change (3): Worth Tied to Usefulness (Overfunctioning, Guilt in Rest)
20:37 - Didn’t Change (4): Loneliness Even With Better Beliefs
24:50 - The Hard Part: Being Isolated After Belief Shifts
25:04 - You’re Not Broken: This Is the Next Layer (Notice, Don’t Fix)
26:56 - Next Episode Tease: Why We Feel Stuck After Waking Up
27:53 - Closing: You’re Loved

Welcome back to Two Pastors and a Mic — and welcome to 2026.

In this first episode of the new year, Cory and Channock kick off what we’re calling “The 2:6 Life” (1 John 2:6): “If anyone claims to live in Him, they must live as Jesus lived.” But instead of turning that verse into pressure, performance, or behavior modification… we talk about what it looks like to live from union — and to actually integrate what you already know.

Because a lot of us don’t need more information… we need transformation that shows up in our relationships, our pace, our nervous system, and the way we carry ourselves in the world.

In this episode, we unpack Jesus’ inner posture through the “Four UNs”:
UNOFFENDED (not reactive, not self-protective)
UNHUSTLED (moving at the speed of trust)
UNAFRAID OF SCARCITY (no striving, no lack mindset)
UNMANAGED BY PEOPLE’S REACTIONS (not controlled by praise or criticism)

And we set up where we’re headed next: learning how to live with what you already know, and unlearning versions of “godliness” that were really just survival.

If you’ve ever felt exhausted by spiritual pressure… or you’re hungry to follow Jesus in a way that feels grounded, free, and real — this one’s for you.

Like, share, and subscribe — and if you know someone who needs a fresh start to the year, send this episode to them.

00:08 - Welcome + Where You’re Watching From
00:25 - Like/Share/Subscribe + Help Spread the Podcast
00:56 - Why We Started: A Resource Off the Stage
01:13 - Cory’s Sick + First Episode of 2026
01:33 - The “2:6 Life” as the 2026 Theme
01:46 - Shift for 2026: Integration, Not Just More Theology
02:08 - “Apply What You Already Know” (Bible + Union)
02:51 - Knowledge Puffs Up, Love Builds Up
03:37 - 1 John 2:6: “Live as Jesus Did”
04:10 - Inspired vs. Exhausted: Two Ways People Hear It
04:48 - Why It Feels Exhausting: Behavior Modification & Performance
05:13 - WWJD Bracelets + Honesty About Shame-Based Religion
05:55 - Union Changes Everything: Obedience From Intimacy
07:10 - Love First: 1 John 4:16–17 + “We Is Risen” Callback
08:10 - Not Copying Jesus—Sharing His Life
08:22 - Why Jesus Was So Attractive: Inner Posture
09:31 - Trust in the Father + Nervous System Question
10:02 - Does Trust Feel Like Peace or Pressure?
11:06 - The Body Keeps the Score + Religious Trauma
11:47 - The Four “UNs” of Jesus’ Inner Posture
12:21 - UNOFFENDED: Not Driven by Insults or Self-Protection
14:30 - UNHUSTLED: The Speed of Trust (No Hurry)
16:33 - Hustle Isn’t Faithfulness: Demand Doesn’t Direct Jesus
17:02 - UNAFRAID OF SCARCITY: No Striving, No Lack Mentality
19:00 - UNMANAGED by People’s Reactions: Praise & Criticism
20:24 - Recap: The Four UNs + Living the 2:6 Life
20:51 - Walking Like Jesus = Trusting His Source
21:47 - What’s Next: Living With What You Know + Unlearning Survival “Godliness”
22:18 - Upcoming Topics: Trauma Responses, Mourning Loss, Unforced Rhythms of Grace
22:35 - Closing: You’re Loved + Music Outro

Happy New Year!

In this special recap episode, Cory and Channock kick off 2026 by looking back on a wild, emotional, growth-filled 2025. We celebrate wins, share honest behind-the-scenes moments, talk about what we’re carrying into the new year, and name what we’re wrestling with as leaders, husbands, dads, and pastors.

From podcast milestones (downloads, top episodes, consistency) to personal wins (books, ministry moments, RELife homes, and the launch of Zoay Intensive), this episode is a reminder that showing up matters — and that hope is still on the table.

✅ Like / Subscribe / Share (especially to start the year)
⭐ Leave a review if the podcast has helped you
💬 Comment below: What’s one win from your 2025 — and what are you hoping for in 2026?

00:08 - Welcome Back + Happy New Year (2026)
00:32 - Matching Sweatshirts + Shoutout to Lakata
00:59 - Why This Yearly Recap Is Happening Now
01:32 - Thank You to Listeners + Start of Year Six
01:54 - Share the Episode to Kick Off the Year
02:19 - Cory’s “Verse for the Year” + The 26 Life (1 John 2:6)
04:19 - Laugh/Cry/Celebrate: The Heart of the Recap Episode
05:01 - Biggest Win: Consistency (Showing Up Every Week)
06:18 - The “Sustaining” Season of Life
06:49 - Podcast Wins: Downloads, Growth, and 100K Milestone
08:07 - Most-Listened Series: “Let’s Talk About Hell” + Shane Willard
08:52 - Cory’s 2025 Personal Wins (Books, eBooks, Sacred Undoing, Zoay Intensive)
10:55 - Channock’s 2025 Wins (20 Years, Book Release, RELife Progress)
14:01 - Family & Life Wins (Kids, Relationships, Soccer Success)
15:41 - Supporting RELife: Housing Initiative for Single Moms
16:36 - Favorite Podcast Episode of 2025 (Channock)
17:13 - Cory’s Favorite Episode: “The Avocado Miracle”
18:25 - Favorite Hill City Sermon/Series of 2025
20:48 - Big Question: What Are You Wrestling With Entering 2026?
21:09 - Channock: Leadership Growth, Uncertainty, and Rest
23:24 - Cory: Taking Time Before Goals + Releasing “Quit” Language
24:00 - Cory Opens Up: The Hardest Three Months + Choosing Joy
26:50 - Closing: Share, Review, and You’re Loved (Outro Music)