02: In this episode, Paul takes a deep dive into all nine Enneagram types—revealing how each type’s core motivations, strengths, and struggles can shape the way we live, love, and follow God. From the Perfectionist’s drive to do things right, to the Peacemaker’s longing for harmony, each number offers both unique gifts and unique challenges.

Additional Resources:

• The Enneagram Made Easy by Renee Baron & Elizabeth Wagele

• The Road Back to You by Ian Morgan Cron & Suzanne Stabile

• The Story of You by Ian Morgan Cron

• The Path Between Us by Suzanne Stabile

• The Journey Toward Wholeness by Suzanne Stabile

• The Enneagram: A Christian Perspective by Richard Rohr & Andreas Ebbert

• The Sacred Enneagram by Christopher Heuertz

• Personality Types by Don Richard Riso & Russ Hudson

• The Enneagram of Emotional Intelligence by Scott Allender

• The Enneagram Made Easy by Renee Baron & Elizabeth Wagele

• The Road Back to You by Ian Morgan Cron & Suzanne Stabile

• The Story of You by Ian Morgan Cron

• The Path Between Us by Suzanne Stabile

• The Journey Toward Wholeness by Suzanne Stabile

• The Enneagram: A Christian Perspective by Richard Rohr & Andreas Ebbert

• The Sacred Enneagram by Christopher Heuertz

• Personality Types by Don Richard Riso & Russ Hudson

• The Enneagram of Emotional Intelligence by Scott Allender

What is the Enneagram, and why does it matter for your faith and personal growth? In this teaser episode, Paul introduces his new podcast season, Why Do I Do What I Do? Exploring the Enneagram. After months of conversations on faith, culture, and tough topics, Paul shifts the focus inward—showing how the Enneagram can be a powerful tool for self-awareness, spiritual formation, and transformation.

Drawing from ancient wisdom, modern psychology, and Scripture, Paul shares how knowing yourself is the first step toward living with integrity and experiencing God’s love more deeply. This episode sets the stage for what’s ahead: an introduction to the Enneagram system, in-depth interviews with all nine Enneagram types, and reflections on how self-knowledge leads to lasting change.

If you’ve ever wondered “Why do I do what I do?”—this season is for you.

#40 Over the past 10 months, we’ve tackled some of the most polarizing topics in culture—faith, politics, sexuality, justice, and more—not to divide, but to unite.

In this heartfelt finale of Uncomfortable Conversations with Christians, host Paul Basden revisits the core question: How can we have hard conversations that actually bring healing?

Join us as we explore: 🔹 The power of words to divide or unite (Proverbs 12:18, Ephesians 4:29) 🔹 How to be known for love—even in disagreement (John 13:34-35) 🔹 Practical wisdom for families, churches, and public discourse 🔹 Why unity, not uniformity, is the goal of gospel conversations

Whether you’ve felt misunderstood, wrestled with opposing beliefs, or simply long for a better way to talk across divides, this episode offers both challenge and hope.

May our conversations be honest, humble, and healing. And may they always begin—and end—in love.

🎧 Listen now to the season finale, and stay tuned next week for a brand-new season: Why Do I Do What I Do? Exploring the Enneagram.

#39 In Part 2 of our series on gun control, host Paul Basden is joined by Greg, a long-time gun owner, and Mike, an active-duty police officer. Together, they tackle one of the most polarizing topics in America—firearms—through the lens of faith, public safety, and personal responsibility.

Join us as we explore: Why Christians feel conflicted about gun ownership How personal experience shapes beliefs about gun laws The tension between the right to bear arms and the call to peacemaking What it means to prioritize both safety and compassion in a divided culture

Whether you're a Second Amendment supporter, an advocate for reform, or somewhere in between, this episode offers a grounded and thoughtful dialogue on one of today's most pressing issues.

#38 The gun control debate is more than political—it's personal, moral, and spiritual. In this episode of Uncomfortable Conversations with Christians, Paul Basden takes us to the epicenter of the controversy: the right to bear arms.

Before diving into interviews and expert opinions next week, this Part 1 episode explores the spiritual tension many Christians feel when trying to balance personal freedom with public safety.

Join us as we explore:

• Four foundational beliefs that shape American attitudes on guns—sacredness of life, human sinfulness, the instinct to defend, and the constitutional right to bear arms
• What Scripture says about valuing life and community
• How churches can step into the gap with radical acceptance and relational rescue

This episode challenges both extremes of the debate and asks deeper questions:

What kind of person are you becoming? What kind of society are we building?

Whether you’re a gun owner, an advocate for reform, or somewhere in between, this conversation invites reflection, not reaction. Listen now and prepare to be both convicted and comforted. Subscribe wherever you stream podcasts. Tune in next week for Part 2 featuring expert interviews.

#37 In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Uncomfortable Conversations with Christians, Paul Basden sits down with longtime Preston Trail Creative Pastor Allison Harrell and couples group coordinator D’Anthony Forte to talk about a subject too many know firsthand: church hurt.

Allison opens up about growing up in a high-control religious group she now recognizes as a cult—where authority went unchecked, manipulation was normalized, and eventually, her family was excommunicated. D’Anthony shares how fear-based faith, legalism, and judgment shaped his earliest experiences with church, leading to decades of anxiety and a 14-year absence from Christian community.

Together, they discuss:

• What spiritual abuse and toxic church cultures can look like
• Why walking away is sometimes a survival response—and why coming back is possible
• The role of therapy, vulnerability, and real community in healing
• How God’s love can meet us in our rawest, most wounded places
• The surprising truth: church can still be the place where healing happens

Whether you’ve been burned by spiritual authority, are afraid to trust again, or are simply walking alongside someone who’s been hurt, this episode offers honesty, grace, and hope.

🔔 Subscribe to hear more honest, unfiltered conversations about faith, pain, and the messy beauty of following Jesus.

#36 Is justice just a political buzzword hijacked by the culture wars—or is it central to the heart of God? In this thought-provoking episode of Uncomfortable Conversations with Christians, host Paul Basden dives deep into the biblical roots of justice and challenges us to move beyond partisan stereotypes to embrace God’s call to care for the vulnerable.

Join us as we explore: What the Hebrew prophets (like Isaiah) really said about justice (Isaiah 1:17, 10:1-2, 58:6-7) How Jesus wove justice into His mission (Luke 4:16-19, Matthew 25:31-46) Why justice is more than politics—it’s a reflection of God’s character How Christians can model “truth in action” (Benjamin Disraeli) to a watching world

Is justice just another liberal agenda, or is it God’s mandate for His people?

Tune in as we uncover what Scripture teaches and how the pursuit of justice might be what draws people back to the church.