In this episode, we hear from a longtime friend and mentor, David Burke. With over 25 years of ministry experience—including 16 years in college ministry and nearly a decade as a senior pastor—David has a deep well of insight into the life of a pastor. Today, he serves with Standing Stone Ministry, offering confidential coaching and support to pastors and ministry leaders who are often overwhelmed, isolated, or burned out.

In this conversation, David helps us explore the often invisible emotional toll of pastoral work, the pressure of leadership, and the loneliness that can come with it. We also discuss how the public narrative tends to highlight scandals while overlooking the everyday struggles of faithful leaders quietly doing the work.

This episode is for anyone who wants a deeper understanding of what pastors go through—and why they need our support, not just our criticism.

Show notes: https://standingstoneministry.org/

Is the Bible perfect—unchanging and immune to cultural shifts? Does it contain errors (errant), or is it entirely without error (inerrant)? The belief in biblical inerrancy is a traditional and widely held view, but what if that wasn’t the original intent of the text?

In this episode, Jake sits down with his good friend Evan Kim, a former classmate at Denver Seminary. Evan holds a Master of Divinity from Denver Seminary, is an ordained pastor in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), and currently teaches Logic and Rhetoric at Arma Dei Academy in Colorado.

While Jake and Evan don't see eye to eye on the issue, they engage in a thoughtful and respectful conversation. Evan brings a more traditional perspective on inerrancy, while Jake—though he deeply values the Bible as divine revelation—questions whether it was ever meant to be viewed as strictly inerrant.

This episode doesn’t claim to solve the debate, but it does offer a rich dialogue that invites deeper reflection on how we read and understand Scripture.

Show notes: https://defendinginerrancy.com/bible-difficulties/

Welcome to the first episode of I Don’t Know S***, hosted by Jake Smeester—a seminary grad, former church worker, and lifelong learner. In this intro eposide Jake shares his personal journey through faith, ministry, and deconstruction, laying the foundation for a podcast centered on exploring the gray areas of theology, culture, and identity.

From his upbringing in a strict Christian school to working in the tech world in Seattle and Denver, Jake reflects on his evolving beliefs—particularly around politics, the role of the Church, and the inerrancy of Scripture and other topics. Inspired by voices like Richard Dahlstrom and Richard Rohr, he challenges the Western evangelical desire for resolution and instead advocates for growth through curiosity and humility.

This episode sets the tone for honest, nuanced conversations on hot-button social topics and biblical interpretation, as well as more subtle struggles like pastoral loneliness and corporate faith. If you're open to saying “I don’t know s***,” and willing to sit in the discomfort of uncertainty, this podcast is for you.