Shows
I Don't Know S*** - a Christian PodcastE9. A World without heart attacks? with Dr. Jeffrey BooneWhat if the number one killer in America didn't have to kill anyone?Dr. Jeffrey Boone has spent 50 years trying to answer that question. He's a cardiologist, founder of Boone Heart Institute in Denver, and author of A World Without Heart Attacks — and he believes we can eliminate heart disease if we find it early and treat it before it ever becomes a crisis.We talk about why your cholesterol isn't actually the disease, how genetics can predict your risk decades before symptoms appear, and why the healthcare system's financial incentives are working against your he...
2026-06-0259 minI Don't Know S*** - a Christian PodcastE8. Did we get the Trinity right?... with Alex WaltonWhat if one of the most central beliefs in Christianity… just doesn’t quite make sense to you?In this episode, Jake sits down with pastor and theologian Alex Walton to wrestle honestly with the doctrine of the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. From the ancient creeds to modern church experiences, they explore why this foundational belief can feel confusing, abstract, and even unsettling.Jake shares his own struggles with the Trinity after years of study, along with personal experiences that shaped his skepticism—while Alex brings a thoughtful, humble perspective that makes space for both...
2026-04-021h 01I Don't Know S*** - a Christian PodcastE8. Did we get the Trinity right?... with Alex WaltonWhat if one of the most central beliefs in Christianity… just doesn’t quite make sense to you?In this episode, Jake sits down with pastor and theologian Alex Walton to wrestle honestly with the doctrine of the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. From the ancient creeds to modern church experiences, they explore why this foundational belief can feel confusing, abstract, and even unsettling.Jake shares his own struggles with the Trinity after years of study, along with personal experiences that shaped his skepticism—while Alex brings a thoughtful, humble perspective that makes space for both...
2026-04-0148 minI Don't Know S*** - a Christian PodcastE7. The gift of Sabbath: How one family is embracing rest with Lauren ZitekNo work. No rushing. Just rest, play, good food, and time together.It’s called Sabbath — an ancient, biblical rhythm woven through Scripture — yet most modern Christians barely practice it.In this episode of I Don't Know S***, Jake spends a Sunday with the Zitek family, who’ve built their lives around Sabbath rest. They’re not pastors or theologians — just a regular family choosing a radically countercultural way to live. What they’ve found is simple: Sabbath isn’t a rule to keep, but a gift to receive.If you’re feeling burned out or stre...
2026-02-0448 minI Don't Know S*** - a Christian PodcastE6. Is Artificial Intelligence (AI) here to save or ruin us, with Ryan FindleyIn this episode, I sit down with my longtime friend Ryan Findley—better known as Fin. A former teacher turned tech insider, Fin has spent the last three years helping schools and organizations make sense of the sudden avalanche of artificial intelligence. As the technology’s impact has become impossible to ignore, he’s shifted his focus toward an even bigger question: how families and parents can prepare for life in the Age of AI.Together, we tackle one of the strangest and most urgent questions of our time: what is AI, really—and is it saving us, ruin...
2026-01-161h 06I Don't Know S*** - a Christian PodcastE5. Israel from the early 20th century to present-day with Dr. Carl YonkerIn this episode, we talk with Dr. Carl Yonker, a senior researcher at Tel Aviv University, to unpack the complex history and present-day realities of Israel and the Middle East. Carl traces the roots of Zionism, the formation of Israel, and the evolution of modern conflicts through Carl’s expert lens — blending historical context with deeply personal reflection. Recorded just before the most recent ceasefire, this conversation offers an honest, human perspective on life in Israel amid war, politics, and shifting worldviews.Note: The views expressed by Dr. Yonker are his own and do not represent Tel...
2025-10-3141 minI Don't Know S*** - a Christian PodcastE4. Women's health and Abortion with Stephanie PeverillIn this episode, we sit down with my friend Stephanie Peverill, a counselor who specializes in reproductive and maternal mental health, to talk about one of the most complex and emotional topics out there: abortion. We dig into women’s health, access to care, the politics around it, and why investing in women changes everything for families and communities. Stephanie brings tons of experience and compassion to the table, and I walked away realizing how much more there is to this conversation than I thought.One quick note: I know this is a sensitive topic fo...
2025-09-161h 01I Don't Know S*** - a Christian PodcastE3. What It's Really Like to Be a Pastor with David BurkeIn 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 a...
2025-08-0654 minI Don't Know S*** - a Christian PodcastE2. Is the Bible Inerrant? A Conversation with Evan KimIs 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.Wh...
2025-07-021h 17I Don't Know S*** - a Christian PodcastE1. What is I Don't Know S***?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...
2025-04-2311 min
Interesting Lives of Normal PeopleThe Happy Journey of Listening, Learning, and Creating Something That MattersOverviewHow do you start a podcast that’s about making a podcast? For us (Jake, Ryan and Fin), we ‘start’ this podcast almost a year into a what-should-we-make-a-podcast-about? journey. This “episode 1” is actually episode 14, recorded only once we found our proverbial North Star and were able to articulate--for ourselves and listeners--what this show was going to be about. So what’s it about?In the end, we found that our podcast wasn’t about making a podcast at all; this podcast became about meeting people outside of our typical ‘circle’, asking them thoughtf...
2021-03-0441 min