Granger Smith spent years thinking he was a Christian. Then he lost his son, and everything he believed got tested.

In this conversation, Granger opens up about walking away from a country music career at the height of it, becoming a lay pastor in Central Texas, and what he now calls the "toxic beliefs" that kept him from real faith for nearly four decades.

We get into:
- Why he left touring, and what "exalting yourself" on stage was actually costing him
- The night on his tour bus in Boise that changed his life
- What a "pastor's heart" is, and how he carries the weight of other people's pain
- The practical guardrails he uses to stay humble as a public figure
- The difference between empathy and sympathy in ministry
- Why suffering became the hinge point of his story

Granger's second book, Poison in the Well: Toxic Beliefs That Kept Me from the Living Water of Jesus, releases September 8.

If you've ever wondered whether you're actually following Jesus or just comfortable near him, this one's worth your time.

Grab Granger's book wherever books are sold.

Timestamps:
00:39 Welcome & show intro
01:43 Becoming a lay pastor
04:04 Discovering a pastor's heart
08:00 Carrying the emotional weight
11:22 The pull of self-exaltation
14:34 Guarding against pride offstage
17:53 Running on the right fuel
21:49 Saved out of nominal Christianity
26:19 Warning signs and toxic beliefs
32:14 No Christian community after loss
34:38 The night on the tour bus
37:38 John 14 and true conversion
41:31 Closing prayer: save me today

Granger Smith spent years thinking he was a Christian. Then he lost his son, and everything he believed got tested.
In this conversation, Granger opens up about walking away from a country music career at the height of it, becoming a lay pastor in Central Texas, and what he now calls the "toxic beliefs" that kept him from real faith for nearly four decades.
We get into: - Why he left touring, and what "exalting yourself" on stage was actually costing him - The night on his tour bus in Boise that changed his life - What a "pastor's heart" is, and how he carries the weight of other people's pain - The practical guardrails he uses to stay humble as a public figure - The difference between empathy and sympathy in ministry - Why suffering became the hinge point of his story
Granger's second book, Poison in the Well: Toxic Beliefs That Kept Me from the Living Water of Jesus, releases September 8.
If you've ever wondered whether you're actually following Jesus or just comfortable near him, this one's worth your time.
Grab Granger's book wherever books are sold.
Timestamps: 00:39 Welcome &amp; show intro 01:43 Becoming a lay pastor 04:04 Discovering a pastor's heart 08:00 Carrying the emotional weight 11:22 The pull of self-exaltation 14:34 Guarding against pride offstage 17:53 Running on the right fuel 21:49 Saved out of nominal Christianity 26:19 Warning signs and toxic beliefs 32:14 No Christian community after loss 34:38 The night on the tour bus 37:38 John 14 and true conversion 41:31 Closing prayer: save me today

We’re all looking for something.

 

In If You Can Hear Me, Ben Higgins sits down with people from all walks of life—celebrities, thinkers, everyday folks—to talk about what drives us, what shapes us, and what gives us hope.

 

These are honest conversations about the big stuff: identity, loss, purpose, peace, faith, and everything in between. Some guests have answers. Most are still figuring it out.

 

If you’ve ever felt like there must be more to the story—this show is for you.

We&rsquo;re all looking for something.
&nbsp;
In If You Can Hear Me, Ben Higgins sits down with people from all walks of life&mdash;celebrities, thinkers, everyday folks&mdash;to talk about what drives us, what shapes us, and what gives us hope.
&nbsp;
These are honest conversations about the big stuff: identity, loss, purpose, peace, faith, and everything in between. Some guests have answers. Most are still figuring it out.
&nbsp;
If you&rsquo;ve ever felt like there must be more to the story&mdash;this show is for you.

If You Can Hear Me

One Foot in the Quicksand: Granger Smith on Carrying Other People's Grief

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/0f7d6cf4-50d5-4092-8dfd-b4c60153be7a/transcript