In this episode, I share a word that’s been on my heart about identity, healing, and the kind of freedom that changes everything.

Not long ago, I had the privilege of connecting with Gene Morfitt from the Spiritual Program Retreat, a long-standing community rooted in the original spiritual principles of the 12 steps.

Since 1981, thousands have come through the Spiritual Program Retreat and walked away changed. It’s not about surface-level solutions it’s about facing truth, working the steps, and finding a new way to live.

If you're feeling stuck, burdened, or just ready for something different, this episode and the story of this retreat may be exactly what you need to hear.

In this episode, I’m not just talking about love — I’m talking about why real love is a high-risk, high-reward endeavor. We’re not sugarcoating it. Love, when it's genuine, puts you out there. It demands courage, vulnerability, and the willingness to be misunderstood, rejected, or even hurt. That’s why so many people back away from it, settle for less, or hide behind excuses like “righteousness” or “truth.” But I’m telling you — love is the truth.

You’ll hear stories from real-life tragedy where love became the last thing spoken — in the floods of Texas, the tornado in Joplin, and even the final moments aboard 9/11 flights. We'll explore why those words, “I love you,” rise to the surface when everything else is stripped away. I also pull in wisdom from Thomas Merton and Maya Angelou to help us confront how love must adapt and thrive in today’s complicated world.

This isn’t some soft, sentimental ideal. This is brave love — love that climbs mountains, runs marathons, and faces rejection without folding. I’ll also lead you in The Lord’s Prayer and Love’s Creed — because that’s our grounding.

If you’ve ever struggled with how to love in a world that often makes it dangerous or costly, this one’s for you.

Find the podcast, donate, or grab Love’s Creed at: https://linktr.ee/nobsbishop
Want a copy of the creed? Email me at randydeanministries@gmail.com

Well, friends, this one jumps right in. No fluff. No fanfare. Just two pastors mid-stream, wrestling out loud about the sacred, the cosmic, and the painfully personal. This week on No BS Bishop, I sit down with Pastor Justin Arnold in the church basement—with coffee in hand and hearts wide open—to talk about what it means to follow Jesus in 2025.

We get raw. We get real. We discuss the atomic interconnectedness of Christ and the crash test dummy wall that the church has hit. We unpack racism, LGBTQ+ inclusion, tribalism, Constantine, and even yard signs—yes, literal signs in the front lawn—and how our kids can sometimes see the Gospel better than we do.

Pastor Justin doesn't hold back. He talks about the real cost of love: not love as cheap sentiment or easy slogans, but the kind of love that incarnates. That walks across the chasm. That listens. That suffers. That lays down its life. You know—the Jesus kind.

And yeah, we talk about truth. But not the weaponized version that gets flung in Facebook DMs with all-caps and no context. We’re talking about truth rooted in mercy. Truth

Pastor Justin reminds me why I have hope. He’s doing the work. The hard, slow, relational, incarnational work. And in this episode, I pass him the torch and ask what will you do with it?

This one’s not a period, it’s a dot. Just a continuation. So pour a cup of something warm and settle in. Because the way forward isn’t through shouting across the void. It’s through eye contact. Coffee. And a little No BS.

And if this kind of conversation stirs your spirit and your soul, consider supporting the show so we can keep bringing these voices to the table:paypal.me/randydeanministries

Until next time,
I’m the No BS Bishop—alive to love.
Because all lesser values than love?
They devolve into BS. Let’s not go there.

Let’s do something beautiful.
Ugly has had its day.

"You say you want a revolution? Well, love is the only revolution worth fighting for."

Beloveds, this is Bishop Randy—your no-BS, straight-talking, love-obsessed friend—and I’m here to tell you: we’ve been wasting our time.

We argue. We post. We debate. We scream into the void. And for what? More noise. More division. More BS.

Enough.

In this episode, I’m calling for a bloodless coup of the heart—a revolution where love isn’t just a nice idea, but the oxygen in your lungs, the fire in your bones, the non-negotiable rule of your life.

I’ll take you through Love’s Creed—words I’ve lived by for over a decade—not because I’ve mastered them, but because I’m desperate for them. You’ll pray the Lord’s Prayer with me and feel it fresh, like it’s the first time you ever dared to mean it.

And yeah, we’ll even talk about the Beatles. (Because if John Lennon could imagine a world without religion but couldn’t shake the need for love, maybe we should listen.)

Here’s the truth: Love isn’t weak. It’s the hardest work you’ll ever do. It’s easier to hate, to judge, to scroll and snarl. But hate never healed a wound. Never fed a soul. Never changed a damn thing.

So let’s cut the crap. Let’s be dangerously kind, recklessly compassionate, and stubbornly tender in a world that rewards the opposite.

This is your invitation.
This is your rebellion.
This is the only way out.

"Love alone is my walk. Love alone is my thought. Love alone is how I measure my days."

Join me. The revolution starts now.

Alright, folks, get ready for Part 2 of my powerful conversation with the brilliant historian, Dr. Selika Ducksworth-Lawton. We're not just talking about history here; we're grappling with where we're headed in 2025, examining the entire "circumnavigation" of history. Selika lays out her deep concerns about violence and the tough truth about non-violence in the face of authoritarianism. You know, history doesn't just repeat itself; it rhymes, and we're seeing those echoes right now.

We ain't holding back as we dive into the corruption that can creep into institutions, from our police forces to even our churches. Selika reminds us that these are human-made, and if we're honest, they can get twisted. I'm with her when she challenges us to look at the Bible through a historian's eyes, stripping away the comfort that makes us twist truth. You'll hear how even Paul used rhetorical devices, and why getting to the real meaning of ancient texts is crucial for our faith today.

My goodness, this conversation gets real as we confront the enduring patterns of prejudice and that deep "psychological tug of war" that shapes our society. Selika shares some truly poignant personal stories, from seeing Jim Crow signs as a child to facing stereotypes as a Black Catholic. She pulls back the curtain on how anti-immigrant rhetoric from generations past is the "exact same rhetoric we see today." It's a stark reminder of why we must see individuals beyond stereotypes and embrace the non-violent call to understand even those who cause pain.

So, how do we bring it home in a world that's so polarized? We discuss the importance of "adult conversations" and how to provide genuine, constructive feedback rather than merely playing "gotcha." Selika and I stress the critical importance of being discerning about the media we consume and, most importantly, our ongoing obligation to "bend the arc of the universe towards justice," just like Dr. King taught us. This episode is a challenge to get uncomfortable, seek genuine connection, and actively push for a more just and loving world. You don't want to miss this.

Join Bishop Randy Dean as he explores love, urging you to engage with Love's Creed and make it your legacy. This episode addresses the 21st-century loneliness epidemic, distinguishing between digital noise and genuine human connection, while offering practical tools such as setting boundaries and diaphragmatic breathing for stress management. Drawing from addiction recovery, Bishop Dean emphasizes that "the opposite of addiction is connection," highlighting the essential role of self-love. Discover how simply vocalizing "I love you" daily, both to yourself and others, can strengthen connections and foster a more loving mindset.

In this powerful episode, Bishop Randy Dean tackles a pressing question: what truly cooks in the kitchen of your soul? With recent tragic events in Minnesota as a backdrop, Bishop Randy cuts through the BS to declare that love is the only credible answer to the human condition.

He unpacks Jesus's Sermon on the Mount, revealing how hatred in the heart is the insidious beginning of murder, even when cloaked in religious justification. Join Bishop Randy as he challenges listeners to examine their hearts, offering "Love's Creed" and a fresh perspective on prayer to help you cultivate love as your governing law. Don't miss this urgent call to choose love over the destructive path of hatred.

In a thought-provoking episode of the No BS Bishop podcast, Bishop Randy Dean and historian Selika Ducksworth-Lawton explore the struggles of modern Christianity. Bishop Dean highlights a significant decline in evangelicalism, attributing it to the church's reluctance to engage in "adult conversations" about issues like race, LGBTQ+ rights, and gender roles.

Ducksworth-Lawton, a Black Catholic and civil rights historian, shares her unique perspective, drawing from personal experiences of integration in the South and discussing the historical intertwining of faith and social justice movements. She underscores the importance of seeking common humanity through dialogue, contrasting it with the divisiveness often seen in contemporary discourse.

The discussion delves into the "hubris of certainty" prevalent in some religious circles, where a lack of challenge can lead to insular views. Both guests advocate for a faith that is open to scrutiny and engagement with diverse perspectives, arguing that true faith should be robust enough to withstand exposure to differing ideas. They emphasize the need for Christianity to move beyond performative beliefs and instead focus on action and service, as exemplified by the Sermon on the Mount.