Burning Butterflies

Burning Butterflies

Two women share their story of escaping spiritual abuse and toxicity while finding hope in Christ!

Episodes

April 3, 2025 • 76 mins

Chapter 5, Episode 11

Fresh off the Georgia trip, Tom is fired up about effective communication. For once, it seems like he’s actually all in—ready to implement everything he’s learned and get the church on board with his newfound passion. But how does he plan to make it happen?

Simple. He buys yet anoth...

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March 27, 2025 • 55 mins

Chapter 5, Episode 10

Tom comes back from Georgia fired up, ready to revolutionize church communication. Enter Grow Gatherings—meetings meant to bring people together, spark engagement, and finally give the congregation a voice. For a brief moment, it seems like something real is happening. People are excited. Ideas are flowing.

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March 20, 2025 • 57 mins

Chapter 5, Episode 9

Amanda finds a church communications conference in Atlanta that she’s eager to attend, but what starts as simply asking for permission quickly spirals into a full-blown staff trip—led and planned by Tom, of course. Suddenly, it’s no longer about learning or growth; it’s about control...

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March 13, 2025 • 49 mins

Chapter 5, Episode 8

The theme for VBS 2019 is Run Your Race, but as usual, Tom has his own agenda. Determined to put the men of the church in their place and prove they need to step up, he appoints himself as the lead. But in true Tom fashion, that really just means one thing—Brandi and Amanda will do all the work, while he takes all the credit. Who’s really running this race? And at what cost?

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Chapter 5, Episode 7

A new family walks through the church doors, and Tom smells money. They need to be love-bombed and pulled in immediately, and what better way than to hand them over to Brandi and Amanda? Fresh off being allowed to be friends again, the two are tasked with planning a funeral at Come As You Are—a funeral that quickly turns into a complete disaster.

...

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February 27, 2025 • 69 mins

Chapter 5, Episode 6

Pastor Young Gun is out, but the fallout is far from over. With the church divided, Tom is desperate to reassert his authority. He played his hand, forcing people to choose sides, and now it’s time to bring the Team Young Gun stragglers back into the fold. But how does he do it? And more importantly—does it work? Meanwhile, amidst the tension and ...

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February 20, 2025 • 48 mins

Chapter 5, Episode 5

Tom has never been one for deep self-reflection or lingering in raw emotion, but as a pastor, he knows he has to maintain the illusion of spiritual depth and care. With Good Friday 2019 approaching, he faces a dilemma—how to keep his mask on without letting the service become too int...

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Chapter 5, Episode 4

Coming off the success of the Christmas play, Melissa is determined to make the church’s Valentine’s event unforgettable with a dinner theater experience. The Griswolds take charge of the meal, while Melissa reimagines The Glass Menagerie with her own twist. But the rea...

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February 6, 2025 • 50 mins

Chapter 5, Episode 3

In this episode of Burning Butterflies, Amanda recalls the tense and defining moment when she decided to challenge Charlette’s rigid approach to women's ministry at Come As You Are. For years, the women's events at the church were steeped in tradition—every gathering required a keepsake, a craft, and, of course, worship. It had become an adult ver...

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January 30, 2025 • 65 mins

Chapter 5, Episode 2

Amanda has always wanted to serve, to be useful, to prove her devotion to the church and to Tom. But in this episode, we unravel how Tom expertly manipulates her, turning her into a pawn in his mind games—this time, with Beth as his target. As tensions rise, Amanda is unknowingly use...

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January 23, 2025 • 64 mins

Chapter 5, Episode 1

The premiere of Chapter 5 kicks off with a dramatic turning point as the subtle division within the church finally erupts into the open. For months, tensions have been brewing beneath the surface, with quiet alliances forming amongst the church body. Even Tom has acknowledged the spl...

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January 19, 2025 • 13 mins

Chapter 5 Mini-Sode

"It All Hits the Fan"

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January 16, 2025 • 83 mins

Chapter 4, Episode 14

The chapter finale delivers an explosive and emotional culmination as Melissa’s play turns out to be a resounding success. With stunning execution, the production dazzles the congregation, leaving no doubt about Melissa’s talents and leadership. But behind the scenes, the story is f...

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Chapter 4, Episode 13

In this episode, Amanda and Melissa dive into the aftermath of Tom and Charlotte’s decision to put Amanda and Brandi on "time-out." The fallout reveals the tangled web of manipulation and control within the church, as everyone scrambles to maintain a façade of order.

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Chapter 4, Episode 12

Fall 2018 marks the unraveling of everything. Within days of Young Gun leaving for basic training, Tom attacks his Family Ministry. Amanda and Brandi are abruptly placed in "time out" and forbidden from speaking to one another, their friendship collateral damage in Tom...

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December 26, 2024 • 48 mins

Chapter 4, Episode 11

Despite growing tensions within the church, Amanda is determined to honor the 20th anniversary of Come As You Are’s presence in the community. Alongside a small group of dedicated members, she convinces Tom to celebrate the milestone.

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December 19, 2024 • 64 mins

Chapter 4, Episode 10

The church enters the summer of 2018 as they always have—Retreat and VBS—but the spirit of unity is gone, replaced by veiled arguments and dishonesty. Petty conflicts arise over trivial matters, like classroom posters, while deeper fractures begin to surface.

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Chapter 4, Episode 9

Everything looks perfect on the surface. Froggy is finally home, Melissa has a job she loves, and Amanda is thriving in her dream job and serving in ministries she’s passionate about. The church’s new wing is complete, and leadership is gearing up for a season of unprecedented growth...

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Chapter 4, Episode 8

What happened to the money from the sale of the Baptist church? Tom crafts a façade of care and collaboration, gathering a wish list from those working in the trenches of ministry. He presents himself as a servant leader, intent on meeting the needs of the congregation. But behind th...

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November 28, 2024 • 52 mins

Chapter 4, Episode 7

It’s Christmas, and Amanda is finally living the dream—or so she thinks. She’s been hired as staff at Come As You Are, co-leading the children’s ministry with her best friend, and stepping into a key role alongside Pastor Young Gun to launch an exciting new ministry. Everything she’s worked for is falling into place.

What could possibly go wrong? Spoiler: Everything.

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