17. Pastor Paul Drees (Lutheran) - Grace, Power & the Future of the Church

This week, Alexis Rice welcomes Pastor Paul Drees (@pastorpauldrees)—a Lutheran pastor of a local church. His online ministry, begun in 2021 in response to church trauma and toxic theology, has since reached 90M+ video views and drawn 650K+ followers across TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.

Together, Alexis and Paul dive into:

• Why grace comes first in Lutheran identity—communion as gift, not reward
• How Christianity has gone wrong whenever it chooses power over sacrifice
• The history of weaponized faith—from slavery to Christian nationalism today
• Different views of hell in Christian history, and Paul’s perspective as an annihilationist
• The role of a pastor in pointing us back to the gospel: “a different way is possible”
• Why progressive Christians must show up online and reclaim public conversations about faith

💡 Key Takeaways

• Grace is God’s gift from the beginning—we don’t earn it.
• Communion is not a prize; it’s an open table of love.
• Christianity’s witness falters when it seeks power instead of sacrifice.
• Loving our enemies—including those we most resist—is the radical call of Jesus.
• Progressive Christian voices must take up space in the digital and political commons.

⛪ About Our Guest
Pastor Paul Drees serves in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). A graduate of St. Olaf College and Luther Seminary, he combines parish ministry in Wisconsin with a bold online presence that challenges Christians to live faithfully, love radically, and resist injustice.

📚 Resources Mentioned

• God Didn’t Make Us to Hate Us — Rev. Lizzie McManus-Dail | IG: @rev.lizzie
• A Change of Habit — Sister Monica Clare | IG: @claudettemonica
• Jesus and Nonviolence — Walter Wink
• At the Altar of Wall Street — Scott W. Gustafson
• Rep. James Talarico — Texas legislator and seminary student whose public faith inspires many | IG: @jamestalarico. James Talarico talking with Joe Rogan about his Christian faith and progressive politics: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/2352-james-talarico/id360084272?i=1000717982651

Where the slippery slope becomes sacred ground.
For the spiritually tender—raised in or rooted in Christianity, exploring its many expressions.

🌿 Community Guidelines

If we claim to follow Jesus, let’s be known by our love—evidenced by the Fruit of the Spirit: ❤️ love • 💫 joy • ☮️ peace • 🕊 patience • 💝 kindness • 🌿 goodness • 🙏 faithfulness • 🤲 gentleness • 💪 self-control
🕊 May our words online and actions offline reflect that love.

🔗 Connect
🎧 Explore episodes & community: linktr.ee/TheSacredSlope
🎙 Hosted by Alexis Rice
🎵 Music by Brett Rutledge, Eddie Irvin & Sean Spence
📬 Nominate a guest: [email protected]