Steve Welch

Turn up the volume on your spirit—this week we’re highlighting three immersive musical experiences that use melody, story, and sight to weave us back together.

Brother James

While music may not solve every global crisis, it offers a vital path toward collective care. Spiritual indie-folk artist Brother James blends contemplative storytelling with heart-forward melodies. Inspired by the likes of Paul Simon and Pete Seeger, this session invites us into a “goodness-oriented life,” using shared song and language to rally around our common humanity. Join us for a genre-bending performance that reminds us how our own stories can become sources of connection and communal growth.

Paula Fong

Experience the healing power of roots music in its purest form. Singer-songwriter Paula Fong blends stark traditional folk with soulful country swing. Drawing on her background in classical choirs and Americana “church” services, Paula uses her pure-toned clarity to create songs that offer “nutritional value” for the spirit. Join us for a session designed to heal, release, and uplift through the universal language of harmony.

Tuf Francis Music: An Immersive Audio-Visual Experience
Step into a multi-sensory landscape where music and visual art collide. In Tuf Francis Music: An Immersive Audio-Visual Experience, tenured professor and multi-instrumentalist Tuf Francis joins forces with “party-machine” composer Mister Tim. This session features the “Organic Robot Choir”—a joyful, loop-driven group sing-along—followed by Tuf’s original, masterfully textured compositions set against live visual projections. Together, they create an intoxicating tapestry of sound and sight that invites you to move beyond passive listening and into a fully realized artistic world.

The harmony rises. The heart heals. Come as you are to Wild Goose, and see what finds you.

Voices That Heal. Songs That Proclaim. Stories That Liberate.

Some gatherings give you information. Wild Goose gives you encounter. This week we’re introducing four co-creators who come from vastly different traditions—Catholic concert stages and Carnegie Hall, evangelical deconstruction, Bapticostal mysticism, and Indigenous ceremonial grounds—and yet share a single conviction: that faith, honestly lived, is the most transformative force on earth.

ValLimar Jansen
An internationally acclaimed singer, storyteller, and performing artist, Dr. ValLimar Jansen brings Scripture to life through dynamic, costumed performances that blend proclamation, music, and theater. A Kennedy Center honoree and Carnegie Hall headliner, she has ministered on six continents—and she’s still got more to say.
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Brian Recker
A former Marine, the son of a Baptist preacher, and onetime evangelical pastor, Brian Recker took the long road to a spirituality rooted in love rather than fear. His book Hell Bent dismantles the doctrine of hell and invites everyone—deconstructing, curious, or just church-hurt—into a Jesus-centered faith that actually sets people free.
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Bec Cranford
Certified spiritual director, artist, urban missiologist, and self-described Bapticostal misfit, Bec Cranford helps people heal from spiritual abuse, integrate their faith, and discover their most authentic selves. She’s painted icons, directed community engagement at Atlanta’s largest homeless shelter, taught at Candler School of Theology, and served Wild Goose as Director of Community—all while sitting on the porch talking about life and God with anyone who’ll show up.
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Chebon Kernell
Of Seminole and Muscogee Creek heritage, the Rev. Chebon Kernell is a land defender, water protector, cultural practitioner, and United Methodist minister whose work spans the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues to ceremonial grounds in Oklahoma. Through decades of advocacy, he has pushed the church to move from words of repentance to acts of repair—and challenged every room he enters to listen more deeply to Indigenous voices.
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Come with your questions, your wounds, and your wonder—and leave knowing you weren’t meant to do this alone.

From the wisdom of the earth to the rhythm of the trail, we’re highlighting sessions that offer practical roadmaps for aligning your life’s work with your deepest values.

Experience a 3Practice Circle Deep Dive, a structured, disciplined conversation tool designed to build clarity and community across deep differences. Guided by referees Jim Henderson—a serial entrepreneur, author, and organizational leadership coach whose work on crossing the difference divide has been featured on This American Life—and Jim Hancock—a veteran designer of experience-based learning and author of over a dozen books—the session features a live “3Practice Circle.” Rather than a traditional panel, you will experience a practical communication tool that attendees can directly apply to your own spiritual communities, classrooms, families, and organizations.

In an age of “full consumer commitment,” finding work and community that aligns with your values can feel like an impossible climb. In Discernment for a Just World, interfaith educator Matt Hartley offers a roadmap for young adults and seekers alike to live with a clear conscience. This workshop moves beyond typical leadership lessons, exploring how we can unbind our daily lives from the status quo and tune them toward justice and solidarity. Join us to discover how collective wisdom can help us co-create a world where our work isn’t just about maintenance, but transformation.

Nature has spent 3.8 billion years perfecting the art of resilience, and it’s time we took notes. In Activism & Biomimicry: How to Build Resilient and Regenerative Movements Using Life’s Principles, researcher and outreach coordinator Beth Remmes explores how the “conscious emulation of nature’s genius” can transform our activism. This workshop moves beyond theory into practice, using games and group discussions to help you apply biological strategies to your own projects and communities. Join us to find a common language for caring for the Earth that transcends religious and political divides, building a movement that—like nature itself—is designed to thrive.

Whether you’re a seasoned hiker or a soul seeking a mental reset, the ancient “yellow arrows” of the Camino de Santiago offer a unique path to transformation. In Buen Camino 101: Hard-Won Lessons on the Camino de Santiago, retired pastor, justice advocate, and Wild Goose founder Robin Fillmore shares the practical “how-to” and the deeper “why” of this 500-mile pilgrimage. This session explores the inner landscape of the journey—the profound lessons in simplicity, resilience, and human connection that emerge when your only job is to put one foot in front of the other. Join us to discover how this historic pathway can become a catalyst for your own personal change and learn how to take that very first step.

The path winds. The soul stirs. Come to Wild Goose ready to move, listen, and—just maybe—change.

Art That Connects. Faith That Moves. Stories That Stick.

Some experiences don’t stay on the stage—they pull you in, hand you something real, and ask you to help shape what comes next. This week’s lineup brings together artists, theologians, and culture-shapers who blur the lines between audience and participant, head and heart, belief and becoming.

hot glue & the gun
Part performance, part participatory art experiment, hot glue & the gun create interactive theater-rock and assemblage experiences that turn strangers into collaborators. What began in the chaos of New York brunch shifts became a shared calling: to gather people, tell stories, and make something sacred out of the pieces.
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Lisa Sharon Harper
Founder of Freedom Road and a leading public theologian, Lisa Sharon Harper weaves storytelling, activism, and faith into a powerful call for justice. From Ferguson to global movements, her work equips communities to move from shared understanding to shared action toward a more just world.
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Rev. Dr. Shaleen Kendrick
An open and relational neurotheologian, Rev. Dr. Shaleen Kendrick explores how neuroscience, spirituality, and story shape human wholeness. Through teaching, consulting, and her forthcoming book Your Three Brains, she helps people integrate mind, body, and spirit into a lived practice of transformation.
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Thomas Jay Oord
Theologian, philosopher, and leading voice in open and relational theology, Thomas Jay Oord has written extensively on love, suffering, and the nature of God. A prolific author and engaging speaker, he invites us into a vision of faith grounded in freedom, relationship, and radical inclusion.
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Come make something beautiful together—and leave a little more whole than you arrived.

Get ready to expand your horizons—we’re diving deep into the intersection of spirit and science. 

Death is a universal experience that shapes our deepest fears, our spiritual stories, and how we value our lives. In this session, Facing Death Without Fear, author and researcher Matt Zemon dives into emerging evidence that psychedelics can catalyze profound shifts in meaning and connection, often easing the existential distress associated with the end of life. Through a moderated panel of spiritual and clinical experts, we will explore whether it is the experience itself, the community support, or the spiritual framework that truly allows a human being to face mortality with peace. Join us to discover how we might loosen fear’s grip and approach the inevitable with wisdom and grace.

As interest in psychedelic experiences expands within spiritual spaces, many are reporting a profound encounter with the Divine Feminine—described as motherly figures, ancient goddesses, and loving earth spirits. In this session, When She Appears: Psychedelics and the Return of the Divine Feminine, spiritual director Joy Celeste Crawford leads a conversation on how these expanded states of consciousness might loosen strict hierarchies and reconnect us to our own bodies and the Earth. Whether you’ve had a psychedelic journey or are simply curious, join us to explore whether these visions are personal symbols or a collective reawakening of the Great Mother—a source of unconditional love and wisdom much needed in our time of global crisis

While some explore the internal landscape of the soul, others look to the physical artifacts that have defined our spiritual history. In The Mobile Museum of Psychedelic Religion, curator and academic Kaleb Graves invites you into a self-paced, experiential journey through a unique collection of entheogenic ephemera. From LSD-themed Gospel tracts to the personal artifacts of Terence McKenna, this traveling museum bridges the gap between counter-culture and the Church, offering a tangible look at how psychedelics and Christianity have intertwined over the last century. Whether you stay for five minutes or an hour, you’ll walk away with a deeper understanding of the complex, colorful story of psychedelic spirituality.

The veil thins. The Mother calls. The spirit awakens. At Wild Goose Festival come as you are, and see what finds you.

Move, Release, and Recharge: 3 Ways to Find Healing at the Goose

Discover three transformative ways to move, heal, and let go at the Healing Arts venue:

• Release Ecstatic Dance: Get ready to shed your inhibitions and rediscover your inner child at this body-positive experience led by the multi-talented Starchild. Since 2013, this Wild Goose favorite has invited participants to move with pure curiosity and wonder, creating a collective energy where there is no “wrong” way to dance. Whether you’re making animal noises, singing out loud, or speaking in “sacred gibberish,” Starchild creates a playful sanctuary designed to help you let go of what no longer serves you and simply enjoy the freedom of being alive.
• Let Nature Heal You: Releasing Hurt: After moving your body, take a moment to move your soul in this experiential workshop led by long-time Goose community member Em Cross. Em invites you to transform your private hurts into art by painting nature symbols onto rocks—keeping your secrets safe while giving them physical form. Following a grounding meditation, the session concludes with a collective walk where you will physically cast your rocks away, leaving the weight of those burdens behind in the beauty of the outdoors.
• Energy Healing for Healers, Helpers, and Holy Ones: Finally, if you feel depleted from the work of caring for others, join Bec Cranford and a team of gifted healers for a restorative session of Reiki, shamanic energy work, and Kabbalistic movement. This space is specifically designed to clear blockages and renew your spirit, offering a profound opportunity to receive the same deep, vibrational care that you so often give to the world.

Whether you’re looking to move your body, release old weight, or simply refill your cup, we invite to the Healing Arts tent to find the restoration you deserve.

Voices That Speak Truth, Make Beauty, and Invite Us Home!

Something powerful happens when truth-tellers gather — when the scholar, the poet, the pastor, and the mystic all pull up a chair at the same table. This week’s four voices are doing the hard, holy work of naming what’s broken and pointing toward what’s possible.

Bobby Jo Valentine
Queer poet, mystic, and award-winning songwriter, Bobby Jo Valentine makes art he calls “good medicine for everyone” — tender, courageous music rooted in the belief that everyday acts of love have the power to heal the world.
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Jaki Shelton Green
North Carolina’s ninth Poet Laureate — the first African American appointed to the role — Jaki Shelton Green is the author of ten poetry collections and founder of SistaWRITE, offering creativity retreats for women writers across three continents.
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Kristin Du Mez
NYT bestselling author of Jesus and John Wayne and Professor of History at Calvin University, Kristin Du Mez brings rigorous, courageous scholarship to the intersection of gender, religion, and power in American evangelical culture.
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Colby Martin
Pastor, preacher, and author of the bestselling UnClobber, Colby Martin has spent 20+ years advocating for a faith rooted in the Way of Jesus. In 2025 he founded The UnClobber Initiative, a ministry promoting LGBTQ inclusion in the church.
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When truth is spoken with love and beauty is made with courage, something holy stirs.

Truth

You didn’t come here for safe. You came for movement. Here’s your weekly nudge.

Tell Your Story
Liz Dyer—activist and founder of the Real Mama Bears—joins Sara Cunningham — author, speaker, and founder of Free Mom Hugs—in sharing transformative stories from their journeys as mothers of LGBTQ+ children. This storytelling experience explores the shift from inherited expectations to fierce advocacy, inviting participants to discover the profound connection that emerges when choosing love over fear.

Truth in Journalism
Mark Wingfield and other writers from Baptist News Global share what it’s like in the trenches writing about the battle for America’s soul every day. We’ll talk about choosing reliable news sources and how truth telling is one of our most important weapons against Christian nationalism and for the cause of social justice. Ask us anything you want to know.

True to Ourselves
Jon Reese designed this workshop for those who seek to be more intentional about living their values. It’s a noble pursuit, one that relies on introspection, mindfulness, and discernment. Identifying our core values and exploring our histories – and challenges – with those values offers a gentle opportunity for re-centering.

Speak Your Truth: Poetry Open Mic
Cathy Tyner encourages us to speak up and speak out! Raise your spirit and your voice at this poetry reading. Sign up to share a reading of your own original poetry – or – come listen and be inspired by the wise and diverse poetic voices across your Goose Community!

Come ready to breathe deep, speak true, and write what only you can.

Stories That Challenge, Heal, and Reimagine

This week’s Wild Goose lineup gathers voices that refuse to look away—from hard truths, hidden histories, and the stories we carry in our bones. Through ethics, music, scholarship, and storytelling, they invite us into a faith that wrestles honestly and lives courageously.

David Gushee
Christian ethicist, author, and global thought leader, David Gushee helps the church navigate faith in a changing world. A key voice in post-evangelical theology, his work on justice, democracy, and moral courage challenges believers to live what they profess.

Foosie
A storyteller from the heart of struggle and redemption, Foosie creates music that lifts up the unheard. With an “All-American Ghetto” style, he reminds us that every life holds a story worth telling—and every voice deserves to be heard.

Elizabeth “Libbie” Schrader Polczer
New Testament scholar and former singer-songwriter, Libbie Schrader Polczer explores the complexities of early Christian texts, especially the role of Mary Magdalene in John’s Gospel. Her work blends rigorous scholarship with a lifelong passion for story, music, and rediscovery.

Gareth Higgins
Writer, peacebuilder, and co-founder of Wild Goose, Gareth Higgins explores how stories shape our lives and communities. Drawing on roots in Northern Ireland, he invites us into courageous storytelling that nurtures justice, imagination, and a deeper, freer way of being.

Come listen closely. The stories we tell might just change the ones we live.

Workshops for a Deeper Personal Understanding

You didn’t come here for safe. You came for movement. Here’s your weekly nudge.

Listen to Yourself

Hannah Rowen Fry invites participants to be present in the moment with the presence of God. Experience the simplicity of guided reflection, moving thoughts from head to paper in this contemplative writing practice. Enjoy a moment of peace and stillness. Leave feeling lighter and equipped to receive what’s next.

Reclaim Your Story

Zach Helton leads this workshop for anyone looking to transform narratives that once felt binding—or even shaming—into living resources for healing and courage. Zach provides practical tools to move from “cringing” at your tradition to creatively reclaiming it. It’s an invitation to stop grieving the stories you’ve lost and start reimagining them as catalysts for your own spiritual liberation.

Write Your Lyric

Cheryl Wilder invites us to explore our inner lives, which are mysterious to us and beyond our control. The function of the personal lyric, broadly speaking, is to help us express and regulate our emotional lives, which are confusing and sometimes opaque. In this workshop we learn how to “translate” our emotions into language and actively make them into a poem.

This year’s Goose is writing something wild and wondrous. You in?