If you’ve ever been hurt by the church, you’re not alone—and you’re not wrong for feeling it. Church Hurts And exists to help you move forward—not by ignoring the pain, but by facing it honestly. We talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly of church, faith, and spirituality, with a dose of real-life recovery along the way. Your story isn’t over. There is still a vibrant spiritual life ahead of you.
John's Ministry
This ministry exists for two groups of people: those who have been hurt by the church, and those who are carrying the weight of leading it.
John serves as a shepherd with Standing Stone Shepherds, a ministry dedicated to caring for pastors, missionaries, and ministry leaders who are discouraged, burned out, or hurting. His work is centered on listening, encouraging, and helping leaders find their footing again—so they can continue in healthy, sustainable ministry.
Whether you’re trying to rebuild your faith or carry the responsibility of leading others, you don’t have to do it alone.
John Bash has spent years engaging in meaningful conversations around faith, leadership, and the realities of church hurt. Through podcast interviews, speaking engagements, and guest appearances, he brings a thoughtful and experienced voice to topics many people struggle to talk about openly. If you’re looking for a speaker or guest who can address the complexities of faith, pain, leadership, and restoration with honesty and depth, John would be honored to be part of that conversation.
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
about Church, Religion and Spirituality,
with a dash of recovery thrown in.
Church Hurts And was a podcast created to foster a sense of honest, spiritually engaged living. It centered on the idea that in order to move forward, people needed to be truthful about their own stories—especially when those stories included pain caused by the church. That kind of hurt often left people feeling resentful, disillusioned, and stuck in their spiritual journey.
The podcast acknowledged that disappointment with the church was often justified, recognizing that it is made up of imperfect people. Drawing from decades in vocational ministry, Dr. John Bash brought firsthand experience of both heartbreak and questioning, while still holding onto the conviction that Jesus changes lives.
At its core, the message was simple: your story isn’t over.
The podcast created space for open conversations about the good, the bad, and the messy realities of church, religion, and spirituality, with an undercurrent of healing and recovery. It also aimed to support pastors and leaders who felt discouraged, offering a place where they could process their pain honestly.
Ultimately, it invited listeners to move beyond isolation and disillusionment, and to re-engage a deeper, more vibrant spiritual life.
If these conversations resonate with you, you can explore more of the work or support its continuation.
