Burning Butterflies

Happy Holidays: Dishes, Worship and Lies

Chapter 5, Episode 14
As the holiday season rolls in, the Griswolds step up to host a community Thanksgiving dinner—only to hit a wall when they find out their ministry fund is mysteriously empty. The questions start flying: where’s the money?
Meanwhile, Tom is on a mission. Still reeling from the worship team fallout, he’s determined to prove he’s still got it by pulling off the greatest Christmas Eve service ever.
It’s a season of confusion, control, and carefully crafted illusions. Because at Come As You Are, even the holidays come with strings attached.
Burning Butterflies is a listener supported podcast. Please check out our Patreon to learn more about how you too can support what we are doing!
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Meetings From Hell: Tom Has An Agenda

Chapter 5, Episode 13
Fall of 2019 brings two unforgettable meetings that cause a whole lot of damage.
First up: the worship team implodes after a blow-up at practice, and Tom calls a meeting to “resolve” things. But when emotions run high and accountability is mentioned, Tom storms out—leaving Ole Reliable and Amanda to clean up the mess and play peacemaker in a room full of broken trust.
Then, in an attempt to win back the young families post–Young Gun, Tom hosts a “vision casting” session for a new family pastor. But what starts as a family style brainstorming quickly spirals into a power trip as Tom derails the meeting and declares himself the all-powerful pastor.
You won't want to miss this one!
Burning Butterflies is a listener supported podcast. Please check out our Patreon to learn more about how you too can support what we are doing!
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This Ain't Your Mama's Women's Ministry

Chapter 5, Episode 12
Charlotte starts dropping hints that she’s ready to maybe let go of the reins of women’s ministry. But like everything else at Come As You Are, it’s not that simple. Instead of a healthy handoff, Charlotte uses the opportunity to manipulate, test loyalties, and maintain control—just from behind the curtain. The illusion of empowerment becomes a new form of gatekeeping.
Meanwhile, something feels off with Barry and Miss America’s story. Details don’t quite line up, and things they once said are slowly being rewritten. Pay attention—because the cracks are starting to show, and the truth is becoming harder to pin down.
Burning Butterflies is a listener supported podcast. Please check out our Patreon to learn more about how you too can support what we are doing!
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40 Days of Community: Campaigning for Tom

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 another program from Rick Warren. Because nothing says vision like a pre-packaged church growth strategy. Will this one finally be the thing that transforms Come As You Are? Or is it just another expensive distraction in Tom’s never-ending cycle of big ideas and zero follow-through?
Burning Butterflies is a listener supported podcast. Please check out our Patreon to learn more about how you too can support what we are doing!
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This Is It: Tom's All In!

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.
But then, reality sets in. Tom and Charlotte quickly realize that letting people have a voice also means hearing them—and that’s a problem. The solution? Vetting. Filtering. Controlling. Because at Come As You Are, not all voices are created equal.
Burning Butterflies is a listener supported podcast. Please check out our Patreon to learn more about how you too can support what we are doing!
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Georgia on My Mind: Amanda's Idea, Tom's Trip

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.
As with most things at Come As You Are, there's more that meets the eye. Who actually paid for this trip? What did they really learn? What did Tom want implemented? And back home, Froggy is up to something that’s pulling Tom’s attention away from the conference.
Burning Butterflies is a listener supported podcast. Please check out our Patreon to learn more about how you too can support what we are doing!
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Run HIS Race: Tom Leads a VBS

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?
Burning Butterflies is a listener supported podcast. Please check out our Patreon to learn more about how you too can support what we are doing!
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The Time Amanda Threw Miss America a Funeral

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.
Amanda and Brandi are manipulated, overworked, and taken advantage of, but in the chaos, something important happens. This new family starts sharing bits of their past—who they were before Come As You Are. But here’s the catch: their story is going to change. Pay close attention to what Amanda is told now, because as time goes on, their narrative will shift, and the truth will become harder to find. This isn’t just a funeral—it’s the start of something much bigger.
Burning Butterflies is a listener supported podcast. Please check out our Patreon to learn more about how you too can support what we are doing!
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Tithes & Serving: Tom Needed Control

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 manipulation, something unexpected happens. Brandi and Amanda are allowed to be friends again. What changed?
Burning Butterflies is a listener supported podcast. Please check out our Patreon to learn more about how you too can support what we are doing!
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Emotional Manipulation: The Good Friday Facade

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 introspective or heavy. His solution? Send Amanda and Froggy into the planning meetings to do the dirty work for him.
Burning Butterflies is a listener supported podcast. Please check out our Patreon to learn more about how you too can support what we are doing!
Please help us share our story with others! Follow us on FB, Insta or TikTok. Subscribe so you won't miss new episodes and don't forget to leave us a rating!