Podcast
Bodies Behind The Bus
Hosted by Bodies Behind The Bus · EN
The Bodies Behind the Bus is a podcast centering on the voices of spiritual abuse survivors. We began with stories out of the Acts 29 network and have branched into many organizations since our launch.
We are the discarded few. We have been abused, gaslit, ignored, slandered, deceived, intentionally hurt, and betrayed. Our stories were manipulated and our voices were stolen. We were left alone with all the confusion, grief, hurt, and pain but today we begin to reclaim our stories and find our voices once again because we matter, and being a body behind the bus is not the gospel.
16episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Michelle’s Story / IN
4w ago01:25:19Tap to summarizeMichelle shares her story of serving on staff at a church in Indiana, where subtle control, blurred pastoral authority, financial pressure, and spiritual manipulation slowly became clear over time. Her story names the confusion of being labeled, silenced, and pushed to question herself while navigating deep personal and family crisis. Through telling the truth, Michelle begins reclaiming the voice she was told to bury.Support the show
Transcribe →Katie’s Story / The Austin Stone
Apr 1701:43:24Tap to summarizeKatie shares her story of growing up in a highly controlled religious environment, entering a young marriage shaped by strict gender roles, and spending years overseas as a missionary. Through the pressures of ministry, isolation, and motherhood, she began to recognize patterns of emotional and spiritual harm in her life. This episode follows her journey of unraveling those beliefs, finding her voice, and taking steps toward healing and freedom. Support the show
Transcribe →Katherine's Story / Austin Stone Church
Apr 301:07:36Tap to summarizeKatherine shares her journey from a young missionary sent overseas to confronting the realities of faith, sacrifice, and survival. Raised in the church and driven by a deep sense of purpose, she and her husband moved to the Middle East in their early twenties, navigating cultural barriers, personal risk, and the complexities of mission work. After experiencing trauma, health crises, and the unraveling of expectations, Katherine reflects on identity, belief, and what it means to rebuild life after everything changes.Support the show
Transcribe →Dominique's Story / The Austin Stone
Mar 1901:20:17Tap to summarizeDominique shares her experience at The Austin Stone, where she became deeply involved in church life, missions, and leadership development as a young woman. In this episode, she reflects on the pressure, isolation, racial dynamics, and harmful church culture she encountered, and why telling the truth about those experiences matters.Support the show
Transcribe →Alicia's Story / OH
Mar 501:35:59Tap to summarizeAlicia served for years as both a volunteer leader and staff member at a growing non-denominational church in Ohio. After becoming deeply involved in ministry and church leadership, she began noticing troubling patterns within the church’s culture and leadership structure. In this episode, Alicia courageously shares her story and reflects on the impact spiritual manipulation can have on individuals and communities.Support the show
Transcribe →Julia’s Story / PA
Feb 1201:24:28Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Bodies Behind the Bus, Julia shares her story of becoming involved in an Acts 29 affiliated church plant that gradually shifted from hopeful beginnings into a culture of control, blurred boundaries, and spiritual harm. As she navigated marriage struggles, postpartum depression, and increasing pressure from church leadership, Julia began to see how manipulation, unmet promises, and power dynamics shaped her experience. Her story offers an honest look at how environments that appear vibrant and supportive can also cause deep personal and spiritual wounds.Support the show
Transcribe →ATBS: w/ Ciji Wagner
Jan 1601:01:32Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Bodies Behind the Bus, we’re joined by Ciji, founder of Louder Than Silence, an organization providing free, trauma-specific care and community for survivors of sexual violence. Together, we explore what trauma-informed spaces actually look like, the difference between big-T and little-t trauma, and how harm often compounds in faith communities through misplaced authority, lack of boundaries, and spiritual bypassing.This conversation centers on personal agency, the limits of pastoral care, and why learning to trust your body is essential to healing. A grounded, honest discussion for anyone navigating trauma, faith, and the search for truly safe community.Support the show
Transcribe →Convo w/ Christy & Joshua Pt 3
Dec 1901:31:38Tap to summarizeIn the final episode of this three-part series, Christy and Joshua come together to reflect on the shared impact of spiritual abuse and the long road toward truth and healing. Their conversation explores how harm reverberates through relationships, what accountability should look like, and what it means to move forward without erasing what happened. This closing chapter centers survivor clarity, connection, and the power of telling the full story.Support the show
Transcribe →Christy's Story / Anaheim, CA Pt 2
Dec 1801:34:42Tap to summarizeIn Episode 2 of this three-part series, Christy shares her story of spiritual harm, silence, and survival within church systems that protected power over people. She reflects on the personal cost of being unheard, the impact on identity and faith, and the long road toward naming what happened. Christy’s testimony deepens the series by centering the lived experience of abuse and the courage it takes to speak after being dismissed.Support the show
Transcribe →Joshua’s Story / Anaheim, CA Pt 1
Dec 1701:54:15Tap to summarizeIn Episode 1 of this three-part series, Joshua shares his story of spiritual harm, silencing, and the cost of telling the truth inside church systems built to protect power. His testimony traces the personal and relational fallout of abuse, the pressure to stay quiet, and the long road toward clarity and agency. This episode centers Joshua’s voice and sets the foundation for the series to come.Support the show
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