FISH BAG PODCAST

About FISH BAG PODCAST

A show here in Barcelona, where we contribute our home made lunch to feed the Hordes. Hopefully we can encourage you and bring more of a feeling of connection to what God is doing in this amazing city.

Publisher

Fishbag podcast

Category

religion & spirituality

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

19 Mar 2025

Latest episode

25 Aug 2026

Latest episodes

68 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   25 Aug 2026

   Breaking the Ice of my mind.

   Trying to get back into this after some time away for finishing school. The loss of momentum is hard to overcome. [00:30] Breaking the Silence It's been a hot minute—make that a couple of flaming-hot months. JP apologizes to the Fish Baggers for the radio silence, opens up about the paralysis that creeps in when ideas pile up and time runs dry, and breaks his own mental ice to get back into the flow of creating and communicating again. [02:35] The Dissertation Sprint The real reason for the pause: JP was in the final stretch of his dissertation on AI, going all-in on his defense and case studies. A last-minute scare over whether previously written case studies could be reused sent him into a week-long rewrite panic that, in the end, turned out fine. [05:02] 30,000 Words Later The wildest twist of all—days before submitting, JP discovered his project was meant to be roughly 14,000 words, not the 20,000–50,000 he'd convinced himself of. He'd written 30,000. Cue a frantic day of cutting it down, plus some anxiety over AI-detection scores along the way. [07:28] Defended — and 90% After weeks of waiting and wrestling with out-of-control anxiety, JP got the green light to defend. He defended on June 18th, received his grades, and scored 90% on his final dissertation. Everyone kept saying he'd do great; the fear still wouldn't leave. The degree is (probably) his—paperwork still processing. [09:51] Let There Be & The Light of Delight What's next? While finishing school, JP and Eve were already preparing for Let There Be, a July gathering for creatives rooted in Jesus and abiding in him. Now they're gearing up for a fall DTS (Discipleship Training School) in Barcelona called The Light of Delight—because as we delight in God and in loving each other, our light can't help but shine. Kicks off September 21st. [12:16] Staying in Barcelona So, back to China? For now, no. Eve steps into her role as treasurer for YWAM Barcelona, the kids are enrolled at Synergy Christian School, and baby boy number five arrives in October. JP shares his sense that God is calling him to lead DTS's and invest in Gen Z, plus his deep belief in YWAM's continuing legacy. [14:39] Rebuilding the Loop Drawing on Atomic Habits by James Clear, JP admits his content-creation loop got decimated—and that's okay. Miss two days and the habit breaks. They're starting back at the bottom and working their way up. If you've ever fallen out of a rhythm, this one's for you. Thanks for sticking around, Fish Baggers—something new is coming soon. Contact JP at: jpsanders@ywambarcelona.org Want to be on the show? Schedule a time here: https://calendar.app.google/YQ9VXVs5kMGm9Y2d6 Intro Song by Isaac Vasquez, link tree: https://linktr.ee/isaacxvasquez Outro song by James Tyson. IG: https://www.instagram.com/james.mtyson/ YWAM BCN web: https://www.ywambarcelona.org

2. 

   25 Mar 2026

   Re.Birth : A program to peel back the tradition and find the kingdom.

   Apply now for Rebirth in Barcelona: If you’re wrestling with church culture, deconstruction, or feeling stuck in your faith, stop scrolling and take your next step with Jesus—apply now for the Rebirth intensive at this link: https://www.cognitoforms.com/YWAMBARCELONA1/REBIRTHAPPLICATIONFORM Episode Overview – Rebirth, Deconstruction, and Finding Jesus Again Fish Baggers, this powerful episode dives into “Rebirth,” a 10–day intensive in Barcelona created to help believers who grew up in church but are now disillusioned, burnt out, or confused about what actually comes from Jesus and what’s just Christian culture. Derek shares his own journey of laying everything on the table—traditions, assumptions, and theological tension—and starting again from the life and words of Jesus, not from inherited systems or pressure to perform. If you’ve felt that deconstruction is pulling you toward walking away, this conversation invites you into reconstruction instead: rediscovering Jesus as truly good, beautiful, and worth following. What Rebirth Is All About Rebirth was born out of Derek’s struggle to untangle Jesus from church tradition—asking what is actually commanded by Jesus versus what is just cultural expectation. He talks about moving from an anxious, performance-based faith—“don’t drink, don’t smoke, don’t dance”—into a relational obedience rooted in trust, love, and genuine freedom. Through this lens, obedience stops being oppressive rule-keeping and becomes a life-giving response to a Jesus who wants our good and the good of others. Safe Space for Honest Questions This isn’t a lecture hall; Rebirth is a small, discussion-based environment where there are no spectators and everyone participates. You’ll be in a room with people from different nations, backgrounds, and traditions, all processing their questions, church hurt, disappointment, and doubts with zero judgment. Stepping away from your normal church or family setting into a neutral space in Barcelona can create room to ask questions you’ve never felt safe to voice. Because if Jesus and Scripture are true, they can withstand hard questions—and Rebirth is designed to help you ask them honestly. Tools, Not Quick Fixes Rebirth runs May 29th–June 7th, 2026: ten packed days, two sessions most days, mixing teaching, conversation, and time to explore Barcelona. Derek is clear this isn’t a one–shot “everything is fixed” promise, but a launchpad: new tools, reframed questions, and a more solid foundation to rebuild your faith on Jesus himself. Past participants have left with renewed hope that life with Jesus is still possible, fresh ways to read the Bible, and a path forward after deep disappointment with church culture. Why Barcelona + A Story of Breakthrough On top of the spiritual journey, you’ll be immersed in the beauty and vibrancy of Barcelona, making new friends and engaging with the unique spiritual landscape of the city. Derek shares the story of a young woman, a pastor’s kid from Europe, who came in exhausted and wounded by church culture, and left with opened eyes, new understanding, and real hope to keep following Jesus. This is the heart of Rebirth: not tearing everything down, but letting Jesus redeem, restore, and rebuild what’s broken. Your Next Step – Call to Action If something in this episode hits that deep place in you—the part that still wants Jesus to be true even if church has hurt you—don’t stay stuck. Set aside ten days, invest in your heart, and join Derek and the YWAM Barcelona team to walk through deconstruction into real, life-giving reconstruction with Jesus. Apply now at: https://www.cognitoforms.com/YWAMBARCELONA1/REBIRTHAPPLICATIONFORM Contact JP at: jpsanders@ywambarcelona.org Want to be on the show? Schedule a time here: https://calendar.app.google/YQ9VXVs5kMGm9Y2d6 Outro song by James Tyson. IG: https://www.instagram.com/james.mtyson/ YWAM BCN web: https://www.ywambarcelona.org

3. 

   2 Mar 2026

   Intern Annie

   Time to meet Intern Annie and dive into one of the most delightfully unfiltered, coffee-shop‑style episodes of the Fishbag Podcast yet. From Minnesota lakes and busted knees to conspiracy theories and AI, this one has big youth‑group‑couch energy—with a surprising amount of depth under all the laughter. Meet Intern Annie (and Her Wobbly Knees) JP sits down with Annie, the newest intern at YWAM Barcelona, to talk life, calling, and why she randomly bought a plane ticket to the other side of the world at 18 just to serve kids and Jesus. You’ll hear about her small-town Minnesota roots, her love-hate relationship with hockey culture, and why cross‑country skiing totally owns her heart—even though her knees like to dislocate at the worst possible moments. Guns, Popeyes, and Small-Town America The conversation spirals (in the best way) into classic American territory: Walmarts, Targets, Starbucks counts, terrible local Popeyes, and whether there should be guns under every bed. Between jokes about never having shot a gun and longing for Chick‑fil‑A instead of disappointing fried chicken, Annie and JP paint a vivid, funny snapshot of Midwest life that expats and Americans alike will recognize instantly. Called to Teach the Next Generation Underneath the jokes is a serious sense of calling: Annie wants to teach kids and shape “the future of America” as an elementary teacher. She shares how serving in kids’ ministry at church awakened her passion for discipling children, helping them become change‑makers, and maybe blending that with Bible teaching—whether in public school, Christian school, or somewhere in between. Here in Barcelona, she’s testing that out by designing kids’ events around themes like friendship and how to make friends in a big, often isolating city. Friendship, Crafts, and Adult Loneliness The two talk about how making friends gets harder as adults and joke about running a “How to Make Friends” course for grown‑ups—with crafts, games, and all the kid stuff we secretly still want. Annie unpacks her heart for using creativity, play, and quality time to help kids (and maybe adults) become more like Jesus in very practical, relational ways. AI, Creativity, and Choosing Resistance Over Shortcuts In a surprisingly timely turn, JP folds Annie into his ongoing AI research for his dissertation. Annie admits she used to lean on AI a lot in high school, but she’s now intentionally pulling back because it was making her less creative and too dependent on something that always agrees with her. They explore procrastination, productivity pressure, and why we’re so tempted to offload hard work to AI instead of letting resistance grow our brains, our skills, and our character. From recipes to homework to event planning, they wrestle with how to keep humans—and the Holy Spirit—at the center of the creative process. Stuff, Novelty, and a Better Way to Live The episode closes with a thoughtful riff on consumerism: cheap stuff that breaks, planned obsolescence, and our addiction to “new.” JP and Annie wonder aloud whether a less cluttered, less hyper‑consuming life might actually make us more grateful, more present, and more creative with what we already have—both in our homes and in our hearts. If you love YWAM stories, creative discipleship, gentle roasting of American culture, and real talk about AI and formation, this episode is your jam. And if you’re dreaming about doing an internship or DTS with YWAM Barcelona, Annie’s story might be the nudge you’ve been waiting for. Contact JP at: jpsanders@ywambarcelona.org (mailto:jpsanders@ywambarcelona.org) Want to be on the show? Schedule a time here: https://calendar.app.google/YQ9VXVs5kMGm9Y2d6 (https://calendar.app.google/YQ9VXVs5kMGm9Y2d6) Intro Song by Isaac Vasquez – link tree: https://linktr.ee/isaacxvasquez (https://linktr.ee/isaacxvasquez) Outro song by James Tyson – IG: https://www.instagram.com/james.mtyson/ (https://www.instagram.com/james.mtyson/) YWAM BCN web: https://www.ywambarcelona.org (https://www.ywambarcelona.org/)

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

11 ratings