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When the Walls Come Down: Rebuilding Sacred Spaces

By 2025 Festival, Goose News

When the Walls Come Down: Rebuilding Sacred Spaces

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

This week’s Wild Goose Experiences call us to tear down, reimagine, and rebuild the spaces we call sacred. Because holiness isn’t locked in a building—it’s roaming the hills, shaking the dust, and singing under the stars.

Hillbilly Theology: Bluegrass, Rebellion, and the Bible (Hunter)
What if the gospel has been hiding in plain sight, buried in the songs and stories of the hills?

Hunter Greene takes us deep into the roots of Appalachian culture, turning “hillbilly” into a battle cry for liberation. Expect fire, expect grit, and expect to leave seeing God in unexpected places.

Where Should the Living Temple Dwell? (Andy Barlow)
If the church is supposed to be a Living Temple, why does it feel so dead?

Andy Barlow strips away the pretense and asks us to rethink what church is, what it could be, and where it might come alive again. Is it a building? A backyard? A dinner table? Or just a handful of souls willing to listen?

Evening Vespers for Spiritual Reconnection, Rest, and Renewal (Christina Nelson)
What if the quiet is where God’s been waiting for you all along?

Christina Nelson invites you to step into a space where silence is prayer and nightfall is sanctuary. Breathe, walk, and find your way back to the sacred, one still moment at a time.

The walls are crumbling. The Spirit is moving. Are you ready to find holiness without walls?

Who’s Coming to Wild Goose? Part 7—Stories that Sing, Spirits that Stir

By 2025 Festival, Goose News

Stories that Sing, Spirits that Stir

Who’s Coming to Wild Goose?

The Goose welcomes storytellers, scholars, and holy disruptors—each with a voice that cracks something open. This week’s guests bring truth, tenderness, and transformation in equal measure. Come hear the songs, sermons, and stories that make the wild sacred and the sacred wild.

Foosie
Born in inner-city Indianapolis and forged through pain and prison, Foosie creates genre-bending music that honors untold stories. His “All-American Ghetto” style lifts voices too often silenced and celebrates the beauty, dignity, and struggle of the forgotten and overlooked. MORE

Dr. Roberto Che Espinoza
Politicized theologian and activist Roberto Che Espinoza brings bold truth rooted in history, identity, and resistance. Writing from the intersections of mestizaje, colonialism, and faith, Roberto’s prophetic voice calls us toward collective becoming and deep embodied liberation. MORE

Michael Morrell
Co-author of The Divine Dance with Richard Rohr and founder of Wisdom Camp, Michael Morrell curates transformative spiritual experiences that blend mysticism, community, and justice. A longtime Goose co-creator, he holds sacred space where imagination meets Spirit and wonder becomes real. MORE

Rev. Susan Sparks
A stand-up comic and Baptist pastor, Rev. Susan Sparks turns the pulpit into a place of laughter, healing, and fierce grace. A former trial lawyer and bestselling author, she brings humor, honesty, and deep faith to everything from fly fishing to theology. MORE

SCHEDULE NOTE
Our schedule is like a wild goose—unpredictable! The flock’s still forming. Expect some flapping and shifting before it settles.

Let the stories shape you. Let the Spirit stir you. The next chapter begins at Wild Goose.

Sacred Fires, Queer Joy, and a Path Forward

By 2025 Festival, Goose News

Sacred Fires, Queer Joy, and a Path Forward

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

This week’s Wild Goose Experiences aren’t here to calm you down—they’re here to wake you up, stir your spirit, and set your bones on fire.

Posting, Protesting, Gardening, and Giggling (Scott Hardin-Nieri)
What if the revolution isn’t just a march or a meme but the way you wake up in the morning?

Scott Hardin-Nieri invites you to dig your hands into the dirt, plant seeds of hope, and move through grief with grace. From protest chants to garden beds, this is where spiritual resilience meets the mess of everyday life.

Eucontamination and the Power of Queer Joy (Paul Hoard)
If queer joy is a contaminant, let it spread.

Paul Hoard flips the script on shame, unearthing the kind of joy that disrupts, shocks, and rewrites the rules. Whether you’ve been shamed for who you are or who you love, this is where you get to dance on the ashes and declare yourself “queerly beloved.”

Prophets, Poet-Luminaries, Artists Who Dream: A Call to the Threshold (Sarah Lumen Solis)
Step into the circle. Step into the fire. Step into what you know is waiting to be spoken.

Sarah Lumen Solis weaves poetry, prophecy, and the power of presence in this raw, unscripted Experience. You’ll be invited to name what’s stirring in your soul, to witness, to be witnessed—and to step through the threshold of what was and what will be.

You can stay asleep or you can wake up.
Let’s burn through what no longer serves and rise.

Who’s Coming to Wild Goose? Part 6—Liberating Voices, Grounded Presence

By 2025 Festival, Goose News

Liberating Voices, Grounded Presence

Who’s Coming to Wild Goose?

Wild Goose is where the sacred takes root in identity, story, and solidarity. This week, meet four fierce and faithful leaders whose work spans theology, music, justice, and tradition—each one reshaping the world through healing truth and radical inclusion.

Multi (Kagan Parker)
Poet, singer, and mindfulness instructor Multi blends queer identity, spiritual depth, and a passion for authentic community. A co-creator of Wild Goose’s Relating Arts Tent, Multi fosters brave, healing spaces rooted in joy, introspection, and the sacred power of being fully oneself. MORE

Jonah P. Overton
Rev. Jonah Overton is a queer and trans pastor, church planter, and podcast host reclaiming scripture for liberation. At Zao MKE Church in Milwaukee, they help lead a community where those long excluded from faith traditions finally get to lead—and thrive. MORE

Thomas Jay Oord
Theologian and author of 30+ books, Thomas Oord explores open and relational theology, divine love, and the problem of suffering. He directs the Center for Open and Relational Theology and champions a faith rooted in science, justice, and full LGBTQ+ inclusion. MORE

Chebon Kernell
A Seminole and Muscogee Creek leader, Chebon Kernell works within the United Methodist Church and global organizations to advance justice, healing, and reconciliation for Indigenous peoples. A traditional practitioner, he uplifts Native wisdom and calls the church to truth, repair, and right relationship. MORE

Living a free and Spirit-filled life is an art. Start painting.

Life After, Unfiltered: Dare to Sing, Speak, and Rise

By 2025 Festival, Goose News

Life After, Unfiltered: Dare to Sing, Speak, and Rise

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

This week’s Wild Goose Experiences are here to stir the pot and strip away the niceties. Let’s get raw, real, and a little reckless.

Life After… (Fill in the Blank) (Danae Casteel)
Life after church. Life after faith. Life after addiction. Life after all the things you thought you couldn’t survive. Danae Casteel opens the door to a no-BS conversation on what it really means to keep going when the world you built your life on crumbles. You won’t just sit and listen—you’ll dig into your own story, sift through the rubble, and find the pieces worth holding onto.

Is the Darkness Necessary? (Larry Dickinson)
Maybe the chaos is necessary. Maybe the world has to burn before it can be rebuilt. Dr. Larry Dickinson doesn’t sugarcoat the darkness—he holds it up to the light. In this roundtable, you’re invited to speak the ‘unthinkable’ out loud. Question the narratives. Dissect the mess. Say the thing you’ve been too scared to say. No apologies. No holding back.

Singing Ourselves Home (Naomi Griffin Self)
Got a voice? You’re in. Naomi Griffin Self leads a raw, reckless singing circle where even the ‘I don’t sing’ folks are welcome. Here, you don’t just sing—you howl, wail, and belt it out until your bones vibrate and your soul remembers what it’s like to feel free. No sheet music. No pressure. Just your voice, your breath, and the sound of a hundred other brave, untamed voices singing you home.

You weren’t built to stay small. You were built to break open, shatter, and come back louder. Let’s go.

Who’s Coming to Wild Goose? Part 5—Prophets, Preachers, and Provocateurs

By 2025 Festival, Goose News

Faith on Fire: Prophets, Preachers, and Provocateurs

Who’s Coming to Wild Goose?

Each week, Wild Goose introduces voices lighting up the intersection of spirit and justice. These are the truth-tellers and hope-bearers reshaping church, culture, and community. Ready to meet them?

Rev. Dr. Grace Ji-Sun Kim
Theologian, author, and podcast host, Grace Ji-Sun Kim brings global perspective and prophetic edge. With over two dozen books, her work explores race, gender, and justice in the church. She hosts the Madang podcast and teaches at Earlham School of Religion. MORE

Rev. Dr. James A. Forbes Jr.
Called one of the most effective preachers in the English-speaking world, Dr. James Forbes is the former Senior Minister of Riverside Church. Now leading the Healing of the Nations Foundation, he calls us to deeper health, justice, and spiritual renewal. MORE

Sam Heath
Sam Heath leads Equal Justice USA’s Evangelical Network, mobilizing Christians for justice reform and violence reduction. With roots in Baptist, Presbyterian, and Anglican traditions, Sam weaves stories of grace, trauma, and transformation from both church pews and public policy. MORE

Flamy Grant
A chart-topping drag queen singer-songwriter, Flamy Grant blends queer theology and gospel grit. With music praised by Rolling Stone and Billboard, she delivers bold, healing performances that slay shame and spark joy—one sequin at a time. MORE

This year’s Goose is at the intersection of spirit and justice. Add your voice.

Wild Goose Pre-Festival Events

By 2025 Festival, Goose News

12 Pre-Festival Events

Why wait until Friday to jump into the Wild Goose spirit? Join us on Thursday, August 28, 2025 for a full day of deep dives, playful experiments, and spirit-stirring conversation. These one-day intensives are your chance to connect, learn, and cultivate fresh insights before the main festival roars to life. Space is limited—reserve your spot today!

Wisdom Camp 2025: Radical Mysticism
Facilitators: Debonee Morgan & Carl McColman
Explore how mystics like Howard Thurman, Teresa of Ávila, and Dorothy Day fueled radical social change. Through guided contemplative practices and storytelling, Debonee (“contemplative troublemaker”) and Carl (spiritual author) will help you discover how deep inner work sparks collective transformation.

Eden Camp: Garden Transitions
Facilitators: Michael Morrell & Aline DeFiglia
Feeling at a crossroads of sexuality, spirituality, or relationship shifts? Michael (award-winning author and Wild Goose organizer) and Aline (licensed psychotherapist) guide you through embodied practices to recover exiled parts of yourself and sow seeds for a fuller, more integrated life.

Don’t Skip Recess 2025
Facilitator: Matthew Ray Lyda
This magic medicine is for anyone interested in returning to the wisdom of childlikeness. Drawing on Rumi’s invitation to stay “playfully childlike,” Matthew blends games, experiential experiments, and Brené Brown’s shame research to help you reconnect with joy and presence.

Sowing Seeds in the Sand: Transforming the Way You Find Yourself in Antiracism
Facilitators: Jennifer Holt Enriquez, William Bouvel, Crystal Elliott-O’Connor, and Beth Hunt
Dive into antiracism from a relational, embodied perspective. This is a brave space for unlearning, identity reflection, and generational storytelling—equipping you with the tools to cultivate lasting personal and community transformation.

It’s a Neurodiverse Universe
Facilitators: Sarah Frinks Morgan & Jillian Morgan
Celebrate the beauty of diverging brains and learn how to make every space—worship or workplace—truly inclusive. Through hands-on activities, Sarah and Jillian showcase sensory diversity and neuroaffirming practices that deepen empathy and honor minds of all kinds.

LeadNow! 2025
Facilitators: Jacqui Buschor and Jones
Designed for First-call Pastors & Seminarians (full scholarship; application required)
If this is your first Wild Goose as a newly ordained pastor or seminarian, welcome to your tribe. LeadNow! covers your registration, grants free access to all pre-festival camps, and offers year-round mentor gatherings—setting you up to lead with resilience in “ministry on the margins.”

Peace in a Violent World
Facilitators: James Warren, Jennifer Garcia Bashaw, Ellen Corcella, and Paul Nuechterlein
Wrestle with René Girard’s mimetic theory to understand how sacred nonviolence can flourish amid systemic violence. Through scripture, case studies, and embodied practices, this workshop equips you to embody peace in your church, community organizing, or everyday relationships.

Ancient Wisdom in a Modern World
Facilitator: Chebon Kernell
Discover how early Christian practices and Indigenous spiritual traditions can dance together today. Through storytelling, ritual demonstrations, and cross-cultural dialogue, you’ll gain practical ways to weave ancient rhythms into contemporary life.

Music and Liturgy for Resilience and Resistance
Facilitators: Ken Medema, Rev. Lisa Janke, Richard Bruxvoort Colligan, and Travis Beck
Explore how congregational song can be both balm and battle cry in turbulent times. Learn to craft liturgies that uplift marginalized voices and fuel justice movements—then leave with fresh songs and tools to lead your community toward resilient, prophetic worship.

Responding to Christian Nationalism: A Faithful Way Forward
Facilitators: Doug Pagitt, Lisa Sharon Harper, Rev. Paul A. McAllister, and Rob Schenck
In an era when faith is weaponized for power, this interactive workshop unpacks the rise of Christian nationalism and models a gospel-centered resistance. Engage historical context, articulate counter-narratives, and practice faithful witness to stand for liberation and solidarity.

Hands-On Experiments in Climate Science
Facilitator: JD Stillwater
Science can be both playful and urgent. In this small-group workshop, JD leads you through hands-on demonstrations: greenhouse-effect models, carbon-cycle simulations, and DIY experiments that reveal practical insights—and give you climate projects to share at home.

Faith-Rooted Organizing on New Terrain
Facilitator: Lisa Sharon Harper, with Kristen Irving and Jennifer Butler
This workshop will equip participants to analyze their community, strategize, build collaborative networks, and take action inspired by their faith! We are entering new terrain. For that we must also turn to our brothers and sisters whose faith-soaked actions won their fights against authoritarian governments. It’s time to get ready.

Ready to dive in? Visit each link to learn more, grab your ticket, and we’ll see you Thursday for a day of inspiration, hands-on exploration, and community.

Pre-Festival event tickets are $59 (in addition to your regular admission ticket).

Peace, play, and pre-festival vibes,

Unstuck, Unmasked, Unafraid: Your Healing Starts Now

By 2025 Festival, Goose News

 Unstuck, Unmasked, Unafraid: Your Healing Starts Now

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

This week’s Wild Goose Experiences don’t whisper “take a deep breath.”
They dare you to break things open — body, mind, and story.

Set Yourself Free: Breaking Patterns That Hold You Back (Cheryl Hall)

Tired of dragging your old pain around like a second skin?
Cheryl Hall pulls you straight into the heartbeat of real, messy healing — no gurus, no quick fixes.  You’ll move, shake, sound, and tear loose from the ancestral junk that’s been welded to your ribs.  It’s not about thinking your way out—it’s about moving your way free.

Turn Up the Funny: Restorative Parenting in Our Wonderful & Wicked World (Sam Heath)

Parenting. Dealing with family  Surviving being human. It’s messy, ridiculous, and way harder than anyone warned you. Sam Heath throws open the doors to an honest, loud, laugh-so-you-don’t-lose-it Experience where you’ll build something better from the scraps — joy, grit, and a new story that doesn’t end with “because I said so.”

I’m Overwhelmed! (And Here’s Why) (Sarah Frinks Morgan)

Overwhelm isn’t a weakness. It’s a siren. Sarah Frinks Morgan hands you the tools you need to listen to it, fight with it, and turn it into fuel. This isn’t about “managing your mindset.”  It’s about grabbing your own brain by the roots and learning how to grow something real, even in a world that keeps trying to drown you.

You weren’t built to play dead.
You were built to crack open, roar awake, and start again.

Let’s go.

Who’s Coming to Wild Goose? Part 4—Prophets, Poets, and Holy Disruptors

By 2025 Festival, Goose News

Prophets, Poets, and Holy Disruptors

Who’s Coming to Wild Goose?

This week’s lineup is a masterclass in faith-infused courage. From pulpit to protest, beat to book, these leaders show us how to speak truth, build community, and create with purpose. Get ready for voices that won’t back down—and won’t let you look away.

Watch this space for rollout announcements every Wednesday

Julian DeShazier
Julian DeShazier is a pastor, hip-hop artist, and community leader who brings prophetic fire and poetic soul to everything he touches. Known in the music world as J.Kwest, he’s a thought leader at the intersection of faith, justice, and creativity—currently serving as Senior Pastor at University Church in Chicago and a faculty member at the University of Chicago Divinity School.

Steve Chalke
Steve Chalke is a British pastor, author, and social entrepreneur who founded the Oasis Trust, one of the UK’s largest charities addressing housing, education, and justice. A relentless advocate for inclusion and progressive theology, Steve’s voice has challenged traditional interpretations while championing the full affirmation of LGBTQ+ people in the church.

Alexia Salvatierra
Rev. Dr. Alexia Salvatierra is a powerhouse of faith-rooted activism. A Lutheran pastor, scholar, and co-author of Faith-Rooted Organizing, she’s spent decades mobilizing communities on issues from immigration to poverty. As a professor and movement-builder, she equips people of faith to turn compassion into effective action.

Billie Hoard
Billie Hoard is a vibrant, multi-hyphenate artist and activist whose work bridges music, storytelling, and spirituality. Whether on stage or in sacred community spaces, Billie weaves honesty, heart, and a holy kind of rebellion into everything they do—amplifying marginalized voices and inviting all into deeper belonging.

Holy Mischief: Sex, Scripture, and Sacred Power

By 2025 Festival, Goose News

Holy Mischief: Sex, Scripture, and Sacred Power

This week’s Wild Goose Experiences aren’t here to behave.
They’re here to set you free.

Jesus and the Third Gender (Kevin Young)
Imagine standing at the crossroads of ancient texts and radical rebellion.

The Bible has always been queerer than the gatekeepers let on.
Kevin Young cracks open the dusty pages and hands you the keys to stories they tried to erase — stories of gender-bending holiness and furious belonging.

Come wrestle. Come reimagine. Come drag the ancient story back into wild, breathing life.

A Liberative Theology of Sex(uality) (Jon Carl Lewis)
Old rules weren’t made for bodies like yours.

This isn’t just a conversation — it’s a jailbreak.

With voices long ignored — womanist, indigenous, queer, ecological — Jon Carl Lewis helps us rip up the shame scripts and stitch together a gospel that smells like sweat, freedom, and joy. Theology that moves because we move.

Exploring Erotic Self-Care as a Spiritual Leader (Jon Carl Lewis)
Your body was never the enemy.

In this unruly, embodied ritual, you’ll breathe, touch, move, and remember: your erotic energy isn’t dangerous — it’s divine.

Rooted in integrity, alive with power, fueled by breath and holy mischief.
You’ll leave humming with the sacredness they tried to shame out of you.
Permission to rise? Already yours.

Faith isn’t supposed to be tidy. Neither are you.

Come get messy. Come get free.

Who’s Coming to Wild Goose? Part 3: Spirit, Sound, and Disruption

By 2025 Festival, Goose News

Spirit, Sound, and Disruption

Who’s Coming to Wild Goose?

Watch this space for rollout announcements every Wednesday

From TikTok theology to soul-powered rock, this week’s Wild Goose lineup brings voices that challenge, comfort, and connect. These four artists and leaders are reimagining faith, breaking down barriers, and turning up the volume on truth and justice. Come curious. Leave changed. The transformation’s already begun.

Starlette Thomas
A preacher, poet, and race abolitionist, Starlette Thomas is out to dismantle what divides us. With theology that sings and sermons that cut deep, she invites us to imagine a world—and a church—beyond color lines and bias. MORE

Josh Scott
Pastor of GracePointe Church and a voice for post-evangelical faith, Josh Scott helps people rethink God without losing the plot. With a gentle wit and deep curiosity, he makes deconstruction feel a little less lonely—and a lot more hopeful. MORE

Emily Musolino
Emily Musolino is a genre-bending powerhouse—fusing soul, blues, and rock into songs that roar with vulnerability and grit. Her voice shakes the rafters, her lyrics hit home, and her Wild Goose set will leave you buzzing with electricity. MORE

Brandan Robertson is a pastor, author, and public theologian exploring the intersections of spirituality, sexuality, and justice. Known as the TikTok Pastor, his inclusive content has reached over 250K followers and 6M views. He leads Sunnyside Reformed Church in NYC and founded The Devout Foundation. A prolific writer and sought-after speaker, his work has appeared in TIME, CNN, and The Washington PostMORE

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

Move Your Body. Wake the Earth. Charge the Waters.

By 2025 Festival, Goose News

At Wild Goose, you don’t just sit and soak it in.
You move, you listen, you play, you become.

This week’s Experiences are invitations to tear down walls with laughter, listen to the wild pulse of the earth, and wake up the sacred water inside you.

Play: The Antidote to Fascism
Brittany Sky reminds us that play isn’t a luxury—it’s a holy, defiant act of resistance. Through full-body games, communal storytelling, and playful rebellion, you’ll laugh, move, and reimagine what freedom feels like. Come ready to jump in. (Literally.)

Walking the Illuminated Path
Jenny Misslin leads a slow, sacred wander through the woods where every step becomes a prayer, a question, a quiet revolution. You’ll read the land like sacred text—no textbooks required. Move. Listen. Remember the wild voice inside you.

Awakening the Divine Within: A Water Ritual of Spiritual Embodiment
With SoFeya SahRa Joseph, water becomes your teacher. You’ll move, breathe, and bless — charging water with the qualities you long to embody. Healing isn’t something you think about here. It’s something you do with your hands.

This isn’t passive learning.
It’s holy mischief. It’s sacred play. It’s embodied revolution.

Who’s Coming to Wild Goose? Part 2: Voices of Fire, Faith, and Fierce Love

By 2025 Festival, Goose News

Voices of Fire, Faith, and Fierce Love

From justice-rooted preaching to soul-stirring music, these boundary-breaking leaders bring vision, vulnerability, and joy to this year’s Wild Goose Festival. Meet the prophets, poets, and provocateurs who will challenge, comfort, and inspire you in the hills of North Carolina this August.

Lisa Sharon Harper
A powerhouse of faith-rooted justice, Lisa Sharon Harper brings prophetic fire and practical wisdom. Founder of Freedom Road and author of The Very Good Gospel, she calls us toward healing in the places where race, faith, and politics collide. MORE

Stan Mitchell
Pastor, provocateur, and beloved heretic, Stan Mitchell is the spiritual uncle you didn’t know you needed. With warmth and wit, he brings a radically inclusive vision of Christianity that feels like both a challenge and a homecoming. MORE

Paula Stone Williams
With humor, humility, and hard-earned insight, Paula Stone Williams tells the story of transitioning from megachurch pastor to national advocate for gender equity. She’ll make you laugh, make you think, and maybe change your mind. MORE

HuDost
This genre-blurring duo weaves folk, rock, and Sufi soul into a transcendent soundscape. HuDost isn’t just a band—they’re an experience, inviting you to dance, grieve, hope, and awaken through music that feels like a prayer. MORE

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

Breathe. Create. Resist. Heal.

By 2025 Festival, Goose News

Tiny previews into something big. New ones land every week. Handle with curiosity.

At Wild Goose, transformation doesn’t sit still. It moves through your lungs, spills onto the page, and shows up in torn paper and unexpected poems.

This week’s Experiences are about healing what’s tender, claiming what’s true, and creating something beautiful from the wreckage.

Active Breathwork to Engage Mind, Body, and Spirit
Christy Doucette guides you through an immersive breathwork Experience where you’ll lie back, let go, and get out of your head — into your body, your intuition, your Spirit. This isn’t just meditation; it’s a full-body reset. Come breathe in what you need and exhale what you don’t.

Common Creativity: Using Color-blocking Collage to Connect to Ourselves
Nichole Myles brings scissors, glue, and soul work into this hands-on collage Experience. No art skills needed—just the willingness to show up and express. Through color and texture, you’ll tell stories words haven’t yet reached, and discover what your hands already know.

Writing Poems for the Resistance
Rev. Amy Vaughan invites you to write like it matters—because it does. Through metaphor, memory, and messy first drafts, you’ll find the phrases that hold grief, power, hope, and fight. No experience required. Just bring your full self and a pen.

These Experiences won’t just move you.

You’ll breathe them. Make them. Feel them. And maybe leave a little more whole.

You don’t have to be ready. You just have to show up.

Who’s Coming to Wild Goose?

By 2025 Festival, Goose News

Wild and Wondrous: Artists Stirring the Spirit at This Year’s Goose

With a lineup of artists and activists who speak truth, spark joy, and stir hearts, this year’s Goose promises a soulful celebration of justice, creativity, and connection. Here are just a few of the voices helping to weave this year’s wild and wondrous tapestry:

Crys Matthews
Equal parts songwriter, storyteller, and social justice troubadour, Crys Matthews delivers music with a mission. Her blend of folk, gospel, and blues fuels the movement and feeds the soul—think Joan Baez meets Tracy Chapman at a protest rally. MORE

Bec Cranford
Chaplain, activist, and all-around holy mischief-maker, Bec Cranford shows up with fierce compassion and zero tolerance for injustice. Whether she’s preaching, organizing, or making you laugh-cry with a story, she keeps it real—and deeply human. MORE

Doug Pagitt
Pastor, author, and merry theological disruptor, Doug Pagitt brings bold ideas wrapped in bigger questions. As founder of Vote Common Good, he helps faith communities reimagine public life with hope, humor, and just the right amount of holy trouble.  MORE

Ken Medema
Blind since birth, but able to see straight into your soul, Ken Medema has been improvising music and moments for decades. With piano keys and prophetic insight, he turns what’s happening in the room into songs that leave you changed. MORE

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

Holy Misfits, Big Fish, and Bibles That Don’t Bite

By 2025 Festival, Goose News

Holy Misfits, Big Fish, and Bibles That Don’t Bite

At Wild Goose, we don’t fear scripture—we step into it, queer it, and make it breathe again.

You don’t sit through these. You rise up inside them—speaking, moving, laughing, and reclaiming every word that tried to leave you out.

A Petulant Prophet and a Good Gracious God

Led by Drs. Melissa Jackson and Barry Biddle, this full-body retelling of Jonah invites you into the drama—literally. You’ll embody characters, wrestle with boundaries, and explore the unrelenting grace of a God who refuses to cancel anyone (even the cows). Come ready to play, laugh, and uncover sacred truths hidden in satire.

Reclaiming the Clobber Passages

Rev. Kali Cawthon-Freels invites you to step into sacred texts that have been used to harm—and flip the script. This interactive Experience offers tools, context, and soul-deep questions for reclaiming what was weaponized against LGBTQ+ folks. You don’t have to forget those verses—but you can change how you engage them.

The Bible is Not a Rule Book

With Lindsey Kelley, you’ll co-create a liberative way of reading scripture rooted in story, not shame. Through active engagement and group exploration, you’ll break free from rigid literalism and help shape new ways of encountering the sacred—with your body, voice, and full imagination involved.

These are not Bible studies.

They’re scriptural shake-ups. Spiritual jailbreaks. Comic re-tellings.

And you’re part of it.

Thread, Neurospice, and Grief

By 2025 Festival, Goose News

Thread, Neurospice, and Grief

At Wild Goose, transformation doesn’t sit still.
It’s stitched by hand, sparked in the brain, and held in our grief.

These are Experiences that move you—because you move with them.

Common Threads: Creating a Community Wild Goose Quilt

Led by Kristen McGeorge, this collaborative quilting Experience is an open invitation to stitch, create, and connect. Whether you’re a seasoned quilter or have never touched a needle, you’ll design a patch and help assemble a collective quilt that tells our story—one square, one conversation, one thread at a time.

Neurodiversity 101

Join cognitive scientist Sarah Frinks Morgan for an interactive, eye-opening dive into the world of neurodivergence. Through hands-on simulations, real talk, and shared stories, you’ll engage your senses, challenge assumptions, and walk away with a deeper understanding of the beauty and complexity of neurodiverse brains—maybe even your own.

A Grief Ritual for Those Lost Through Violence While Incarcerated

Led by Natalie Buck, this immersive grief ritual invites you to remember, move, and mourn with your whole self. Through sacred gestures, water, and embodied presence, we’ll create a shared space to name the pain, honor the lives, and refuse to forget. This is not quiet reflection—it’s active remembrance.

These Experiences won’t just move you.

They’ll involve you.

Come ready to stitch, to feel, to speak, to witness—and to be changed.

WildSpace: A Sacred Playground for Young Adults Who Give a Damn

By 2025 Festival, Goose News

WildSpace
A Sacred Playground for Young Adults Who Give a Damn

Art. Justice. Campfires. Big questions. Floor pillows. Coffee.
Your people. Your space. Your spark.

WildSpace is a new tent at Wild Goose—built by and for young adults (college-aged + career-minded) who care deeply and show up fully.

This isn’t church. And it’s not class.
It’s a sacred playground—and it’s yours.

You’re not here to sit back.
You’re here to co-create, to breathe, to belong.

This isn’t just a cohort—it’s your crew.
A circle of co-dreamers and justice-bearers who hold each other up and stand guard over each other’s light.

And the work won’t stop when the tents come down.
You’ll keep it alive—through DMs, shared projects, and real-life solidarity.

Here’s what you’ll be doing:

  • Making messy, meaningful art.
  • Camping + cooking in community.
  • Having soul-stretching conversations.
  • Creating in a sacred, scrappy tent filled with floor pillows + music.
  • Meeting your crew online before the fest even starts.
  • Launching a justice project that lives beyond the weekend.

And it’s free.
We’re keeping it accessible—and yep, we’re working on food.
(Because justice is hungry work.)

Backed by Sophia Seminary, Lead Now, ZOE, Sojourners, Creation Justice Ministries, Good Faith Media, and more.

If you care deeply and feel too much—perfect. You belong here.

For more information, please email Tim Kerr: [email protected]

REGISTER HERE

Clicking this will take you to a ticketing form. Scroll down to find WildSpace under the WEEKEND TICKETS section.

Desire, Dirt, and the Divine

By 2025 Festival, Goose News

At Wild Goose, we don’t just talk about transformation —
we feel it in our bodies and break through everything that told us we couldn’t.

This week’s Experiences invite you to write with passion, pray with your whole self, and speak your truth into the pulse of protest. They’re raw, intimate, and alive.

Lady Soul, Take Off Your Clothes

Led by author and mystic Jean Kelly, this Experience draws from the fierce, sensual writings of Mechtild of Magdeburg—a medieval mystic who knew how to speak her desire aloud. Through guided meditation and creative writing, you’ll craft your own love letters to the Divine, steeped in yearning, honesty, and holy heat.

Get in YOUR Body for the Good of the World

Amy Molina-Moore offers this earth-rooted invitation to get grounded, get moving, and get real. With movement and contemplative prayer, this Experience reconnects you with the sacredness of your own body—and calls you to live from that place in a world that desperately needs it.

“Conversations to Be”—Live Podcast + Artivism Experience

Join Melissa Turner and Missy Crutchfield for a podcast that doesn’t just record stories—it makes them. In this live artivism Experience, you’ll engage in dialogue, reflection, and creative expression around what it means to become an activist—and how art can carry that fire forward.

These aren’t just moments to observe.

They’re Experiences that move through you—sensual, grounded, and designed to break something open.

Your body already knows. Come see what it’s trying to say.

Write. Breathe. Resist.

By 2025 Festival, Goose News

Write. Breathe. Resist.

At Wild Goose, faith isn’t something we inherit.

It’s something we make.

With ink and breath, silence and fire, we shape a spirituality that reflects who we truly are—and who we’re becoming.

This isn’t just programming.

It’s permission to show up whole.

Your Life as Theology: Crafting Spirituality Through Story

Led by Jordan Sylar, this Experience invites you to throw out the dusty rulebook and build a living creed—one rooted in your story. Together, we’ll honor our lived experience as sacred text, and uplift voices often left out of traditional theology. Come craft the kind of faith that can actually hold you.

Contemplation as an Act of Love and Resistance

Stillness is revolutionary.

Jeff Campbell brings you into the quiet not to escape the world, but to re-enter it whole. Through breathwork, apophatic prayer, and shared silence, you’ll rediscover how spiritual practices can nourish you and empower you to stand against the chaos.

Poetry for the Resistance

Words can wound—but they can also heal.

Join Rev. Amy Vaughan in a writing workshop where metaphor meets movement. Find your voice, channel your grief, joy, and justice into poetry and prose, and—if you choose—contribute to a collective anthology of Wild Goose witness.

These three Experiences offer more than insight.

They offer transformation.

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

RV Registrations Are Now Open

By 2025 Festival, Goose News

RV Registrations Are Now Open

RV spot reservations for this year’s Wild Goose Festival are officially open—don’t miss your chance to camp with us! Whether you’re a festival regular or a first-timer, there’s nothing like being in the heart of the action. Wild Goose is a one-of-a-kind gathering filled with music, inspiration, and community, and your RV spot puts you right in the mix. Spots go fast, so grab yours today and get ready for an unforgettable experience!

Break Walls. Embrace Queer. Cross Thresholds

By 2025 Festival, Goose News

This Wall Will Not Stand: A Protest in Motion
Forget everything you know about “art installations.” This one moves.

Literally.

Created by poet and activist Sarah (Lumen Solis), this experience invites you to carry pickets painted by communities in crisis and help break open the wall — a living protest pulsing with grief, courage, and radical solidarity.

Theodivergent Theology
Ever felt like traditional theology didn’t see you?
Michael Brennan’s liberating vision of God is queer, neurodivergent-affirming, and deeply nurturing. With poetry, story, and open-hearted depth, this Experience reimagines spirituality as a space where you finally belong.

Embracing Queer Family
Some conversations change everything.
Join authors Nia and Katie Chiaramonte for a raw, real, and radically loving roundtable on trans identity, faith, family, and finding your voice in the spaces that once silenced it. Bring your heart — and your hardest questions.

These three Experiences are not just moments.
They’re thresholds.
Come ready to cross.

Check out our Pre-Festival Events for 2025

By 2025 Festival, Goose News

Come a day early and spend all day Thursday immersed in a Pre-Festival event!
They run from 9am-5pm and are ticketed separately.
Tickets are available on our regular tickets page.

Click on any title below for more details

Wisdom Camp 2025: Radical Mysticism
Subversive Contemplation, Playful Visioning, Storytelling and Other Keys to Interior/Exterior Healing and Transformation.
Our day will be facilitated by Carl McColman and Debonee Morgan, two Atlanta-based contemplative troublemakers who bring a breadth of knowledge and perspective to our shared conversation.

LeadNow!
LeadNow! is a select group of seminarians, first-call ministers & faith leaders from around the country – a diverse cohort of forward-thinking friends & colleagues committed to encouraging & supporting each other as we lead our communities toward a more just and equitable future.
Facilitated by Jaqcui Buschor and Jones

Don’t Skip Recess

What is it? What happens when a former youth pastor becomes a spiritual director specializing in the realms of trauma and addiction?

Oddly enough, Don’t Skip Recess happens. The emotional burden that precious humans can carry these days tends to be heavy, gloomy, isolating, and stressful. Can you relate?

Don’t Skip Recess is devoted to delving into the lands of
Play | Presence | Innocence
This magic medicine is for anyone interested in returning to the wisdom of childlikeness.  
Hosted by Matthew Ray Lyda

Faith-Rooted Organizing on New Terrain
Facilitated by Lisa Sharon Harper
Faith-Rooted Organizing draws from the roots of our traditions to help faith communities engage the larger movement for justice in our world. In this workshop, Lisa Sharon Harper will equip participants to analyze their community, strategize, build collaborative networks, and take action inspired by their faith!

Science Camp for Grown-Ups
Hands-On Experiments in Climate Science
Facilitated by JD Stillwater
Spend a day in our Science Tent laboratory, doing some serious playing with the science of climatology, which intersects with many other science disciplines.

Eden Camp: Garden Transitions
Cultivating Thresholds in Sexuality, Spirituality, and Relationship
Are you standing at the threshold of transformation? Whether you’re questioning conventional religious teachings about sexuality, considering new forms of relationship, or seeking to integrate your spiritual and erotic selves, Eden Camp offers garden tools for your journey.
Facilitated by Michael Morrell and Aline Defiglia

It’s a Neurodiverse Universe
Facilitated by Sarah Frinks Morgan and Jillian Morgan
– Learn the basics about neurodiversity and how it fits into our world.
– Increase your understanding & develop empathy if someone in your life (i.e., family member, co-worker, or YOU) has been diagnosed with a brain difference such as ADHD or on the Autism Spectrum.

Co-led by a cognitive scientist and a disabilities advocate—who are both neuro-distinct. 

Sowing Seeds in the Sand: Transforming the Way You Find Yourself in Antiracism
Facilitated by Jennifer Holt Enriquez and William Bouvel
There will be sociological examinations of definitions of race, racism, systemic racism, internalized racial privilege, internalized racial inferiority, and communal confession, healing and opportunity for liberation.

Participants will experience
– a heartfelt connection with America’s racial history
– a communal expression of grief and complexity
– a faithful Good News answer for why we do antiracism work in the church
– why our communities should embrace it.

Peace in a Violent World: A Workshop on Mimetic Theory and Sacred Nonviolence
Facilitated by Shannon Mullen

In an era of increasing polarization and conflict, finding a path to peace has never been more relevant. This workshop invites participants to explore how Girard’s work illuminates our personal relationships and efforts for social justice, offering insights for peacemaking and community transformation.

This workshop will be participatory, weaving academic insights, dialogue, reflection, and engagement with practical application. All faith backgrounds and levels of familiarity with Girard’s work are welcome.

Stories that Heal, Love that Resists, and Laughter that Saves

By 2025 Festival, Goose News

At Wild Goose, transformation isn’t just a theme —
it’s a lived experience.

Whether you’re searching for your story, seeking soul-fueled resistance, or just needing to laugh through the madness, we’ve got you covered. 

Step into story as sacred practice with Ron Pate’s Interactive Stories-telling Workshop. Go beyond “once upon a time” to discover how stories-telling (yes, that hyphen is doing real work!) can awaken new ways of seeing, healing, and connecting. Together, we’ll co-create a tapestry of meaning that can guide us long after the tent flaps close.

Find fierce love in the fight for justice with Katie Kinnison’s They Can’t Have Our Souls, a holy fire of a workshop where mysticism and resistance meet. Inspired by voices like Rumi, Merton, and Audre Lorde, we’ll imagine what it means to show up rooted in love, wild with wonder, and alive to the power of “Oneing.”

And when it all feels too heavy, let Susan Sparks bring the sacred art of laughter in Humor in a Time of Crisis. This isn’t fluff — this is gut-deep joy that defies despair. Come giggle, snort, and ugly-laugh your way toward resilience

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

Something Wild This Way Comes

By 2025 Festival, Goose News

Starting next week, your Mondays are about to get a little bit holy —and a little bit “Wait… what?”

Each Monday between now and the festival, we’ll be sharing a sneak peek into the Experiences that make Wild Goose unlike anything else — not lectures, not panels, but soul-stirring, heart-opening, body-moving moments that you’re invited to step into.

We’re talking about the kind of Experiences that help you:

  • Rediscover your story
  • Resist with love
  • Create without apology
  • Laugh your way toward healing

And Connect— deeply, wildly and whole-heartedly— in a space where nothing is too heavy, too weird, or too holy to hold.

Some you’ll expect. Some will surprise you.

All of them are invitations — to come alive in community, to stretch into the sacred, and to meet the Divine in motion.

Stay tuned. Your first batch of Wild Goose Experiences drops Monday, April 7

And trust us — you’ll want to read to the bottom.

Drew Brown, Sara Cunningham, Adam Harris, and Bryan Sirchio

By 2024 Festival

Who’s at Wild Goose Festival This Year?

Another in a series of many!

Drew Brown is an award-winning and Juno-nominated musician, producer, podcaster, photographer, social justice & anti-racist advocate, craft beer enthusiast, bourbon lover, storyteller, and all-around incredible human. His vulnerability and warm heart attract everyone he meets, and his tireless efforts to humanize every person and disarm hate with love are his daily pursuits. He also has a side project under the moniker Hymns For The Architect – in which he creates music for spiritual practices and the seasons of the soul. When he isn’t recording, performing, and producing, you can find him gracing the open mics, walking the protest lines, inspiring neighbourliness, speaking out in interviews + podcasts, and posting awareness, soulfulness, and silliness on Instagram. Thankfully, Drew Brown can honestly say he did not write this bio.

Sara Cunningham is an author, activist, and founder of the non-profit organization Free Mom Hugs. Her journey is a surprising one that began in conservative Oklahoma, when her son, Parker, came out as gay. As a woman of faith, Sara wrestled with the news until she began to study, research, and reconcile the two worlds. This journey resulted in her book How We Sleep at Night. She found herself on a journey “from the church to the Pride parade,” falling in love with the LGBTQIA+ community. In the wake of beautiful glitter-covered hugs and heart-breaking horror stories, the mission of Free Mom Hugs began. Simple acts of love and acceptance turned into a viral sensation, and Sara knew she had the opportunity to lead impactful change. Free Mom Hugs is now a movement across the country and the world.

Adam Harris grew up as an Evangelical Christian and experienced a difficult process of deconstruction while in undergrad and full-time ministry. This journey helped him better understand the necessary stages of faith people may experience, which has enabled him to help others who may be having a crisis of faith or reexamining it. He is currently a Pastor in Hendersonville, TN at a church called Godwhy. This unique and fully affirming community seeks to hold a balance between God, tradition, questions, and higher education to create a Christian community that is adequately equipped for the 21st century. He holds an undergraduate degree in Theological Studies from Oral Roberts University, a Master’s in Theological Studies from Vanderbilt University, and is currently working on his Doctorate of Leadership in Global Perspectives at Portland Seminary.

Bryan Sirchio is one of the founders of the Convergence Music Project (www.convergencemp.com), a digital source of new worship music characterized by progressive/expansive theology, inclusive language, social justice, spiritual growth, and honoring the well-being of the earth. He is author of the book, The 6 Marks of Progressive Christian Worship Music. Bryan is also a singer/songwriter, recording artist, curriculum creator, ordained UCC minister, and pastor of McFarland United Church of Christ in McFarland, WI (just outside Madison). He’s also founder of Haiti Allies, a non-profit that focuses on education, feeding people, and creating jobs among the poorest of the poor in Haiti. Despite the serious nature of much of his work, Bryan loves to goof around, not take himself too seriously, have great conversations, meet new people, and enjoy life. So don’t hesitate to approach him if any of this piques your curiosity!

Who’s Coming – THE BIG LIST

By 2024 Festival

Who’s at Wild Goose Festival This Year?

THE BIG LIST!

All these and more!

We just couldn’t wait any longer to reveal our BIG LIST of Co-Creators!

We’re not finished with our scheduling but we wanted you to see our work in progress. CLICK HERE to see the details.

Much of our schedule is complete, but it will be weeks before it’s finalized, and it will go through frequent changes. Some times are displayed and some are not. Some Co-Creators are still to be added – or removed due to cancellations. Of the times displayed, some will still change as we continue to assemble the schedule puzzle. Venues may also change.

So for now, take a peek at the Experiences (don’t be concerned about times) and start thinking about what YOU want to Experience at Wild Goose Festival 2024.

When you click to see details, you’ll notice we’ve added a “Fav” checkbox for Experiences, so you can keep track of your favorites.

 

Sarah McCammon, Aline DeFiglia, Ray Waters, and Brit Barron

By 2024 Festival

Who’s at Wild Goose Festival This Year?

Another in a series of many!

Sarah McCammon is an NPR National Political Correspondent, co-host of the NPR Politics Podcast, and an award-winning author. Her reporting spans America’s political, social, and cultural divides, with a focus on issues like abortion policy and the influence of the religious right. McCammon’s work, which includes coverage of significant elections and the overturning of Roe v. Wade, has earned her accolades such as the 2023 Edward R. Murrow Award. Her upcoming book, The Exvangelicals, delves into the politicization of the white evangelical church and the resulting departure from the movement.

Aline Defiglia is a licensed psychotherapist and coach. Her practice specializes in mind and body healing modalities and all-around, experiential skill building for crafting a vibrant life. Aline has been a long-time attendee and co-creator at the Goose. She founded and nurtures the on-going evolution of the Relating Arts Tent experiences and joyfully schemes with fellow facilitators, healers, and mischief makers of The Grove. Her current (ahem) passions include integrating conscious sexuality information and experiences into deconstructing Christian spaces. Along with her 5-year-old son, Max, Aline lives and plays in Chattanooga, TN. On any given day, you might find her going on adventures with her son, hiking, riding horses, traveling, out on the water, dancing, hosting community events at her house, or reading one of the many books piled on her nightstand.

Ray Waters is the Founding Pastor of The Village Church, a progressive Christian church located in South Atlanta. Raised evangelical, Ray led The Village to full inclusion in 2009 and performed his first same-sex wedding ceremony in 2011.
Ray has gained the reputation of being the pastor to people who have no pastor. His style is conversational, entertaining, and authentic.
Ray lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with his wife, Jane, his best friend. They are the proud parents of three grown children and eight beautiful grandchildren, who affectionately call them Big and Mimi.

Brit Barron is a celebrated speaker, teacher, and author of “Worth It,” known for her advocacy and engaging workshops that emphasize transformative storytelling in various settings including higher education and non-profits. Her work encourages people and organizations across the country to explore and improve the narratives they create about themselves and others. Brit enjoys life in Southern California with her partner Sami, their dog Charles Barkley, and numerous beloved houseplants, valuing both deep, honest conversations and the daily pursuit of joy and fun.

Sanseria Murray, Mitchell Gold, Judy Peterson, and hot glue & the gun

By 2024 Festival

Who’s at Wild Goose Festival This Year?

Another in a series of many!

Sanseria Murray, experienced by many as Mama Star, lives to awaken, ignite, heal, and propel everyone she encounters through her words, her workshops, and her embraces. Sanseria (she/they) is a word nerd and a storyteller with deep conviction that the only way to our collective liberation is by living with a transformative and restorative, radical love ethic. Sanseria teaches middle school theatre arts, hosts workshops and retreats, and spends their time writing, creating, loving, laughing and learning what it means to lean into rest, especially as a Black, Queer person.

Mitchell Gold is perhaps best known as Cofounder of Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams home furnishings but is also widely known as an advocate to end religion-based bigotry aka white supremacy. His advocacy focus is on motivating non-affirming religions to change their teachings and in simple words, to take ‘homosexuality off the sin list.’ Mitchell has been widely featured in the media including CBS Sunday Morning, Wall Street Journal and, Architectural Digest. He serves on the NC Daycare Commission as a Gubernatorial appointee and Governor Cooper’s NC Business Council.

“The Walking Pastor” Judy Peterson was terminated from her eleven-year tenured position as campus Pastor at North Park U. of Chicago in 2019 because she officiated a same-sex wedding. Earlier in her career, her faith came into focus as she set out on a spiritual journey. She walked across the United States from coast to coast in a quest to know what it means to “walk with God.” While she understands and appreciates the process of deconstruction, she prefers to call it composting. Today, she is founder and President of Haecceitas Inc. designed “to create spaces where those who feel disconnected from their faith might (re)discover a God who delights in each and everyone making a space for themselves in close proximity to the Divine.”

hot glue & the gun craft transformative, interactive theater-rock! Founding members Carrie Klein & joEL McGlynn met serving seafood and brunch to hungry upper west siders in New York City. At first irritated by each other, they then became friends in the brunch trenches, and then, in an act of ordinary mysticism, simply decided to spend as many days as possible together. They co-formed hot glue & the gun to explore the GLUEY intersections of artistry & community. They invite our co-creative participants to infuse their song, story, and assemblage art with the broken, beautiful pieces of their sacred selves.

Karen Swallow Prior, J.Kwest, Rob Schenck, and Jonah Overton

By 2024 Festival

Who’s at Wild Goose Festival This Year?

The eighth in a series of many!

Karen Swallow Prior, Ph.D., is a professor and acclaimed author with titles such as “The Evangelical Imagination” (2023) and “On Reading Well” (2018). She contributes to publications including The New York Times and The Atlantic, writes a monthly column for Religion News Service, and has roles as Contributing Editor for Comment, founding member of The Pelican Project, and Senior Fellow at the Trinity Forum. She also co-edited “Cultural Engagement: A Crash Course in Contemporary Issues” (2019) and hosted the “Jane and Jesus” podcast, establishing herself as a prominent voice in both academic and public spheres.

Julian J.Kwest DeShazier, an Emmy Award-winning musician and national speaker, has been featured on major media outlets like ABC, CBS, and FOX, and on Dr. Maya Angelou’s Oprah & Friends radio program. As a Chicago native and pastor of University Church, he actively campaigns for social issues, including a trauma center on Chicago’s South Side, while teaching at the University of Chicago Divinity School and McCormick Theological Seminary. His contributions extend to documentaries such as “The Line,” addressing poverty and violence, and he is a regular contributor to Sojourners and Huffington Post.

Rob Schenck, a former prominent figure in the U.S. evangelical movement and now a Christian progressive, has been active in religious circles for nearly 50 years, with 35 years as a religious right activist. Ordained and trained within evangelical institutions, he has shifted to critiquing his religious tribe through works like his memoir, “Costly Grace: An Evangelical Minister’s Rediscovery of Faith, Hope and Love.” Schenck’s transformation and critiques of evangelical gun culture and Christian nationalism are highlighted in Emmy-winning “The Armor of Light” by Abigail Disney and Rob Reiner’s “God & Country.”

Rev. Jonah P. Overton (they/them) is a queer and trans community organizer and the founding pastor of Zao MKE Church in Milwaukee, which began in their living room and now occupies a historic church building. Passionate about making scripture accessible and relevant, Jonah hosts two podcasts, “Jonah & the Peacock” and “Christian Queeries,” exploring faith through an inclusive and trauma-informed lens. They cherish leading a church that empowers historically marginalized voices and enjoy life with their spouse, Cameron, and daughter, Micah, dreaming of paddle boarding and reading in their scarce free time.

Ken Medema, Mike Morrell, Multi, and Bec Cranford

By 2024 Festival

Who’s at Wild Goose Festival This Year?

The seventh in a series of many!

Ken Medema, blind from birth, has been writing songs since the 1970s and performs concerts, leads workshops, retreats and conferences. He will improvise after speakers at Wild Goose and at 80 years old he’s going strong and loves the road.

Michael Morrell is the collaborating author, with Fr. Richard Rohr, on ‘The Divine Dance: The Trinity and Your Transformation,’ founder of Wisdom Camp, and a founding organizer of Wild Goose Festival.  He lives in Asheville, North Carolina, with his two kiddos. You can read Michael’s ongoing exploration of Spirit, Culture, and Permaculture at MikeMorrell.org.

Multi aka Kagan Parker is a certified mindfulness instructor, a diversity educator, a singer/songwriter and poet. They use their diverse background to promote spiritual introspection, unapologetic authenticity, and healing within self and community. This year they will be helping co-create the Relating Arts Venue as well as performing on the Commons Stage.

Bec Cranford is a Bapticostal Misfit floating in the Mystic, Interfaith, and Spiritual Waters. She’s a long time abolitionist, advocate for those #unhoused, and believes in harm reduction. Bec also is a spiritual director. She has served in various amazing organizations, including Wild Goose Festival, Candler School of Theology, Policing Alternatives and Diversion, and many more. Bec resides in West Georgia and likes walking in the woods.

Bryan Johnson, Su Yon Pak, Stan Mitchell, Angela Spearman

By 2024 Festival

Who’s at Wild Goose Festival This Year?

The sixth in a series of many!

Bryan Johnson leads the Trinity United Church of Christ Choir Ensemble in Chicago, known for their powerful performances that blend gospel music with social justice themes. This year Bryan is co-leading the Worship Music Workshop , an all-day Pre-festival event on Thursday July 11.

Dr. Su Yon Pak, currently serving as the Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean at Union Theological Seminary, has a rich background in field education, chaplaincy, and spiritual direction, with a focus on contemplative practices, chaplaincy education, and women’s leadership. Having immigrated from South Korea to NYC at a young age and later returning with a doctorate from the Teachers College – Union Theological Seminary program, her work embodies a commitment to integrative, embodied, and critical pedagogies.

Stan Mitchell, a pioneering pastor and advocate for LGBTQ+ inclusion, founded GracePointe Church in Tennessee, gaining national attention in 2015 for his support of same-sex marriage and challenging traditional evangelical views on sexuality. Through his work and as a sought-after speaker, he promotes a message of love, acceptance, and equality, bridging theological divides and fostering welcoming communities for LGBTQ+ individuals and allies.

Angela Spearman is a Licensed Professional Counselor with a Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy. She founded a private practice The Center For Well-Being, LLC. serving adults & children impacted by addiction, trauma, depression, anxiety, grief, and other mental and relational wellness concerns. She will be co-leading “Don’t Skip Recess,” an all-day pre-festival event on Thursday, July 11.

Dietra Wise Baker, Chris Kratzer, Chebon Kernell, Colby Martin

By 2024 Festival

Who’s at Wild Goose Festival This Year?

The fifth in a series of many!

Rev. Dr. Dietra Wise Baker, serving as Assistant Professor of Community Engagement and Director of Contextual Education at Eden Theological Seminary, is a certified anti-racism trainer and a leader in faith-based community organizing. With expertise in church planting, youth ministry, and social justice movements, Dr. Baker’s educational background includes degrees from Howard University, Eden Theological Seminary, and Aquinas Institute of Theology, alongside her role as a mother to her son Cornell.

Chris Kratzer is a pastor and author of 25 years. His transition away from conservative Evangelicalism has served thousands around the world in discovering a faith that doesn’t require one to lose their mind, heart, and self in the process. Chris purposes his writing on being a voice for the spiritually oppressed that they may know they are loved, affirmed, and not alone, while also calling the evils of modern, conservative Christianity out of the shadows. Chris is married with four children.

The Rev. Chebon Kernell, an ordained Elder in the Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference, has notably served as the executive secretary of Native American and Indigenous Ministries, collaborating with international bodies like the World Council of Churches and the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. His efforts focused on fostering improved relationships between the United Methodist Church and Indigenous communities through dialogue, study, and actions of repentance for historical injustices.

Colby Martin has spent two decades navigating the realms of evangelical and post-evangelical, progressive Christianity, authoring books like “UnClobber” and “The Shift” to help people find liberation from harmful religious doctrines. After founding and leading Sojourn Grace Collective in San Diego, he now focuses on reaching a global audience through digital platforms and itinerant preaching, emphasizing the importance of openness and the belief that everyone is inherently beloved by God just as they are.

Paula Williams, Hal Taussig, Josh Scott, Starlette Thomas

By 2024 Festival

Who’s at Wild Goose Festival This Year?

The fourth in a series of many!

Paula Stone Williams, known for her impactful work and speaking on Gender Equity, LGBTQ+ Advocacy, and Religious Tolerance, has reached millions through her TEDTalks and media appearances, and authored the best-selling book “As a Woman – What I Learned About Power, Sex, and the Patriarchy After I Transitioned.”

Hal Taussig, a New Testament Professor with 16 published books and extensive lecturing experience in the U.S. and internationally, is known for his innovative work on early Christian texts and practices, including “A New New Testament: A Bible for the 21st Century.” He will be sharing his scholarly insights and engaging with us on the historical and contemporary relevance of Jesus movements.

Josh Scott currently leads GracePointe Church in Nashville, focusing on exploring faith through a Progressive Christian perspective and authoring books like “Bible Stories for Grown-Ups.” His work and insights into reframing Christian narratives are available at joshscott.online, where he shares with a broad audience while balancing life with his wife, Carla, and five kids near Nashville.

Starlette Thomas, a race abolitionist and womanist in ministry, champions a raceless gospel through her work as associate editor and director of The Raceless Gospel Initiative at Good Faith Media, and as the author of “Take Me to the Water.” She will be sharing her vision of a reconciled, desegregated church, engaging with us on the intersections of race, religion, and politics.

Spencer LaJoye, Obery Hendricks, Alexia Salvatierra, Doug Pagitt

By 2024 Festival

Who’s at Wild Goose Festival This Year?

The third in a series of many!

Spencer LaJoye, an East Coast singer/songwriter with Midwest roots, creates queer indie folk music that resonates deeply through their debut album, “Shadow Puppets,” which explores themes of childhood, shame, and desire. They will return this year, bringing their unique blend of music, storytelling, and emotional connection.

Obery Hendricks, a distinguished African American biblical scholar and social activist, is celebrated for his critical examination of religion in American politics and economy, notably in his book “Christians Against Christianity.” He will be sharing his profound insights on the intersection of faith and social justice, engaging us with his thought-provoking analysis and prophetic intellectualism.

Rev. Dr. Alexia Salvatierra, Academic Dean of the Centro Latino at Fuller Theological Seminary and expert in immigration, faith-rooted organizing, and cross-cultural ministry, is a long-time Wild Goose veteran known for her impactful speaking, training, and workshops aimed at fostering holistic Christian communities.

Doug Pagitt, an American author, pastor, and social activist known for his role in progressive Christianity and as executive director of Vote Common Good, frequently appears in national media and at speaking events. He’ll be engaging in conversations about faith and social action and sharing insights from his latest book, “Outdoing Jesus.”

Brian McLaren, Sarah Heath, David Gushee, Ruby Sales

By 2024 Festival

Who’s at Wild Goose Festival This Year?

The second in a series of many!

Brian McLaren, a Wild Goose founder and renowned author, speaker, and advocate for progressive Christianity, focuses on fostering a just and generous faith across all religions for the common good, with recent works including “Faith After Doubt” and “Do I Stay Christian?”. He’ll be sharing his insights and experiences, engaging us in discussions on doubt, faith, and the future of Christianity in a world facing challenges.

Sarah Heath, an ordained United Methodist clergywoman with a multifaceted career as an actress, author, podcaster, and more, leads a unique church in Southern California aimed at embracing all humans and integrates spirituality with daily life through her work, including her books “What’s Your Story?” and “The Authenticity Challenge.” She’ll be bringing her inclusive message and dynamic storytelling to Wild Goose Festival, encouraging us to explore our narratives and the intersection of faith with everyday life.

David Gushee, a preeminent Christian Ethics scholar with contributions including “Kingdom Ethics” and “Changing Our Mind,” holds distinguished positions at Mercer University and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, and is recognized globally for his influential books and activism within the post-evangelical movement. He’ll share his expertise and insights, and engage with us on ethical living and the intersection of faith and social justice.

Ruby Sales

Ruby Sales is a nationally-recognized human-rights activist, and public theologian. She has made significant contributions to civil rights, social justice, and community building – beginning in the 1960s as a student freedom fighter and continuing through her work with the SpiritHouse Project and other initiatives aimed at fostering racial, economic, and social justice. She will be sharing her wealth of experience and insights, inspiring us with her dedication to activism and advocacy for marginalized communities.

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