Our People: Holdeman Mennonite Stories

In this episode, Amanda reconnects with her cousin Jared Smith after more than a decade apart. Growing up together in Mississippi after Amanda's family moved from Arizona, Jared was Amanda’s first white cousin among a sea of Mexican cousins—an early sign that his path might look different from others. The two shared many childhood memories, but after drifting apart for 13–15 years, Amanda is eager to hear how Jared’s life has unfol...

This episode of Our People: Holdeman Mennonite Stories features a conversation with Janice Selby, a therapist, author, podcaster, and YouTuber specializing in religious trauma. Hosted by Amanda Esau and Wayla, the discussion explores Janice’s personal journey growing up in a Pentecostal household in Kelowna, British Columbia, and later encountering the Holdeman Mennonites in adulthood.

Janice shares how her early religious experienc...

In this heartfelt episode of Our People: Holdeman Mennonite Stories, Amanda and Waylon welcome Justin Hunt to share his remarkable journey through life, faith, and self-discovery. Born in 1990 in St. Mary’s, Ontario, Justin opens up about his early life as the youngest of five children, navigating the challenges of his parents’ separation and the pivotal decision of his mother to join the Holdeman Mennonite Church.

Justin reflects ...

In this heartfelt episode of Our People: Holdeman Mennonite Stories, hosts Waylon and Carlie welcome guest Cam Isaac for an enlightening and deeply personal discussion. Cam, who previously delivered a widely resonated TED Talk, revisits some of the key lessons from his journey and expands on the life experiences that led to his transformative insights.

The episode delves into Cam’s evolving relationship with faith, authority, and...

In this episode, Weylin continues his exploration of the theory of spiral dynamics, a psychological model for religious growth.

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In this episode, Amanda and Weylin hear from Roberta, who was abducted from her mother by Hilltop Mission, a children's home that was then operated by Church of God in Christ Mennonite. Following her kidnapping, she details years of abuse including sexual assaults and regular beatings that left major emotional scars. Mamzy, as her loved ones call her, goes on to describe how her "foster parents" turned her into a missionary, pressi...

In this episode of Our People: Holdeman Mennonite Stories, Waylon and Amanda welcome Ray, who takes us on a journey through his life as a member of the Church of God in Christ Mennonite. Ray begins by introducing himself as someone currently living in Muskogee, Oklahoma, but his story starts in the small, tight-knit congregation of Crooked Creek in northern Alberta, Canada. At just four years old, Ray’s family moved to Kansas, wher...

In this episode of "Our People: Holdeman Mennonite Stories," we had the pleasure of sitting down with Wes Friesen from the Barron, Wisconsin congregation of Church of God in Christ Mennonite. Wes takes us on a journey through his life, sharing intimate and heartfelt stories about his upbringing, experiences within the church, and his eventual path out of the Holdeman community. Wes begins by recounting his childhood in Barron, Wisc...

In this heartfelt episode of Our People: Holdeman Mennonite Stories, we sit down with Rosina Friesen, who offers a candid and inspiring account of her life’s journey. Born in 1950 in Crooked Creek, Alberta, Rosina grew up as the third of nine children in a bustling, hardworking family. Now living in Peace River, Alberta, she reflects on her early years in a traditional, close-knit community, shaped by the teachings of the Church of...

In this episode of Our People: Holdeman Mennonite Stories, Amanda is joined by Herman Friesen, who shares his deeply personal story of growing up in a Holdeman Mennonite family and his life after leaving the church. Herman begins by recounting his early years, including his father’s role as a preacher and the significant moment when his father was "benched" from preaching when Herman was only four years old. He shares how he was co...

This episode of Our People: Holdeman Mennonite Stories features Tyson, a guest who joins Amanda to discuss his journey of personal growth, healing, and self-discovery. Tyson starts off nervously but quickly opens up, sharing how he envisioned a podcast like this two years ago as a way for people with similar experiences to connect and heal. Surprisingly, Tyson discovered the podcast only a few months prior, making his appearance fe...

In this episode of Our People: Holdeman Mennonite Stories, Weylin Unruh sits down with Nolan Raber to discuss his life growing up in the Church of God in Christ Mennonite community and his journey of leaving the church. Nolan starts by sharing his early years in Kidron, Ohio, where he spent the first eight years of his life. He reflects on the close-knit nature of the Holdeman community and the strong emphasis on conformity, which ...

The episode of Our People: Holdeman Mennonite Stories features Amanda as the host and Waylon as the guest. The discussion dives into the concept of spiral dynamics, a psychological model used to explain human development and behavior, especially in the context of religion.

Waylon introduces spiral dynamics as a tool that has helped him understand why people react in different ways depending on their stage of psychological developme...

In this episode, titled "Avoidance Kills: A Discussion With Mary Byler," Amanda and Billy explore the impact of avoidance, a term used within the Church of God in Christ Mennonite for shunning. Mary Byler, founder of The Misfit Amish, discusses how the practice of avoidance, or shunning, within high-control Anabaptist communities perpetuates harm by isolating individuals and suppressing important conversations about abuse, trauma,...

In this episode of Our People: Holdeman Mennonite Stories, our very own Amanda Esau takes the spotlight to share her personal journey, while being interviewed by Starla and Jordie. Born in Phoenix to a mixed-race family, Amanda opens up about the challenges she faced growing up with a Hispanic mother and a Caucasian father. She recalls how the cultural and racial differences were met with resistance within the Holdeman church, shar...

In this episode of Our People: Holdeman Mennonite Stories, hosts Weylin and Amanda sit down with Jaclyn (Jackie) Peachey to discuss her life journey, growing up within the Holdeman community and eventually finding her way out. Jackie opens up about her early life in Moundridge, Kansas, where her father left the family when she was just nine months old. She reflects on the strength of her mother, who went to nursing school and raise...

This episode of "Our People: Holdeman Mennonite Stories" features Laura Smith, who shares her journey growing up in the Church of God in Christ Mennonite and her eventual departure from the church at the age of 20. Originally from the Walker, Missouri congregation, Laura's family moved to Monterey, Tennessee when she was 12, and she describes the challenges and experiences that came with that transition.

Laura delves into her early...

In this episode of "Our People: Holdeman Mennonite Stories," Weylin sits down with Chris, a former member of a Central Kansas congregation of the Church of God in Christ Mennonite. Chris offers a candid look into her life, from growing up in a rural farming family to navigating her way out of the Holdeman church and redefining her beliefs.

Chris recounts her childhood as the youngest of four daughters in a family that thrived on ha...

In this episode of Our People: Holdeman Mennonite Stories, host Amanda sits down with David Justus, a former member of the Church of God in Christ Mennonite, to share his life journey that led him from the confines of the Holdeman community to the expansive wilderness of Alaska. David talks about his early years growing up in the Bonners Ferry congregation, where strict rules and expectations shaped every aspect of his life. He ref...