The Handlebar Podcast
Hosted by Co-hosts Elyssa
A conversational Christian podcast where a team of hosts answers listener questions on faith, burnout, and ministry, often with guest pastors.
This is a workshop-style Christian podcast where the hosts and their guests troubleshoot real-life faith questions from their audience. Rather than a sermon, it's a peer-to-peer discussion about navigating spiritual exhaustion, relational hurt from church leaders, and theological questions about pain and God's love. The show operates as a hub for a larger ecosystem, including the hosts' own books, music, and live events which are frequently promoted.
“Its primary format of using listener-submitted questions as the direct prompt for entire episodes makes it highly responsive to its audience's immediate struggles. The show is also unusually transparent about its commercial ecosystem, with hosts frequently cross-promoting their own creative projects.”
Who hosts this show
The Handlebar Podcast is hosted by Aaron and Sarahbeth Smith, Elyssa Figueroa, and Raffi Greco, all of whom are involved with UPPERROOM Dallas. It's presented as a series of "honest conversations" about the practical and often difficult aspects of following Jesus. Episodes, released weekly on Mondays, are driven by listener-submitted questions and tackle topics like ministry burnout, suffering, and spiritual doubt, either in a co-hosted discussion or through interviews with pastors and authors.
Credentials & credits
- Aaron Smith: Author of 'Big Jesus', founder of the podcast, and oversees the UPPERROOM School of Ministry.
- Sarahbeth Smith: Worship leader and songwriter with the UPPERROOM collective.
- Elyssa Figueroa: Grammy-nominated songwriter, best known for "Surrounded (Fight My Battles)", and worship leader at UPPERROOM Dallas.
- Raffi Greco: Ministry leader who oversees second-year students at UPPERROOM School of Ministry.
Other ventures
- Aaron Smith's book 'Big Jesus'
- Sarahbeth Smith's album 'Foolish Offering'
- Elyssa Figueroa's album 'Wearing a Blindfold and Running'
- UPPERROOM Dallas (church & ministry school)
- The Handlebar Podcast Merch Store
- Handlebar Night (Live Events)
When new episodes drop
- 01Weariness, Soul Care and Self Medicating (Feat. Michael Miller )May 26, 2026 · 52 min
- 02Women that Follow Jesus (FT. Lorisa Miller)May 18, 2026 · 33 min
- 03An Honest Conversation on Pain + Suffering (FT. Tyler Staton)May 11, 2026 · 47 min
- 04Emotions, Fresh Fire, and the Bride (FT. Chase Durkin)May 4, 2026 · 44 min
- 05When Ministry Is Hard (FT. Chase Durkin)Apr 27, 2026 · 31 min
- 06How To’s of The Bible w/ Aaron + RaffiApr 20, 2026 · 31 min
- 07How To's of Prayer w/ Raffi + SarahbethApr 13, 2026 · 31 min
- 08How To's of Shabbat w/ Aaron + Sarahbeth SmithApr 6, 2026 · 39 min
Notable episodes
- 01An Honest Conversation on Pain + Suffering (FT. Tyler Staton)
A clear example of their interview style, using a guest's personal story (cancer) to explore a deep theological question from a listener about suffering.
- 02Women that Follow Jesus (FT. Lorisa Miller)
Demonstrates how the show tackles controversial topics like women in ministry by grounding the conversation in scripture and personal testimony.
- 03Emotions, Fresh Fire, and the Bride (FT. Chase Durkin)
Showcases their "rapid fire" Q&A format, where multiple hosts collaboratively answer a series of listener questions on diverse topics like burnout and spiritual intimacy.
What you'll be asked on this show
The interview format is driven by listener questions, which a host reads to the guest to frame the conversation. The hosts act as conversational partners rather than formal interviewers, sharing their own related experiences and vulnerabilities to build rapport. They often open by asking the guest to introduce themselves and their story, probe deeper with questions about process ("What rhythms tethered you?"), and frequently close by asking the guest to pray for the audience.
The show alternates between multi-host Q&A episodes and long-form interviews with guests. Both formats are highly conversational, with hosts sharing personal stories and vulnerabilities. Episodes often begin with a lengthy segment promoting the podcast's merchandise, sponsorships, and the hosts' own books and albums, and frequently conclude with a guest or host leading a prayer for the listeners.
Questions Co-hosts Elyssa keeps coming back to
12 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when Co-hosts Elyssa reaches for it.
process
2- Q.01
“How do you stay faithful and avoid burnout when your heart feels tired?”
This question often frames episodes about ministry fatigue and the importance of soul care.
- Q.02
“What practical rhythms or practices tethered you to God during a hard season?”
This question seeks to move from theological discussion to actionable advice for listeners.
advice
4- Q.01
“How do you glorify God in suffering and grief while still enduring the pain?”
Used to explore the theology of suffering with guests who have experienced significant hardship.
- Q.02
“How should I process being betrayed or hurt by a close friend or leader?”
This is a recurring listener question the hosts address in their Q&A episodes, focusing on forgiveness and boundaries.
- Q.03
“How does suffering pair with the Father's love, since they feel like opposites?”
A theological question posed to guests to help listeners reconcile two seemingly contradictory concepts.
- Q.04
“Would you be willing to pray for the people listening?”
A signature closing move, turning the conversation into a moment of ministry for the audience.
controversy
1- Q.01
“What do you think about [a controversial topic like women in ministry]?”
The hosts use listener questions to broach sensitive or divisive topics within the church.
origin
1- Q.01
“How did you first come to know the Lord?”
A common opening question to establish a guest's faith backstory and personal testimony.
personal
3- Q.01
“How can I enjoy using my gifts for the church again after they've become a burden?”
Addresses the common problem of burnout among volunteers and ministry professionals.
- Q.02
“Would you be open to introducing yourself to our listeners?”
A gentle opening that allows the guest to frame their own story and ministry in their own words.
- Q.03
“Has anyone ever told you to your face that you shouldn't be in your role?”
A direct question used to surface stories of opposition, particularly on topics like women in leadership.
craft
1- Q.01
“Can you talk about the meaning behind the title of your new book?”
Asked to give authors a platform to explain the core thesis of their work.
Signature segments
- · Answering listener-submitted questions
- · "Handlebars" (practical takeaways)
- · Promoting hosts' books and albums
- · Closing episodes with a prayer
- · Lengthy intro promoting the podcast ecosystem
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
Guests are typically pastors, authors, and ministry leaders, often connected to the hosts' network at UPPERROOM Dallas. They are chosen to speak from personal and professional experience on the episode's central theme, which is almost always prompted by a listener's question.
- Michael Milleron Weariness, Soul Care and Self Medicating (Feat. Michael Miller )
- Lorisa Milleron Women that Follow Jesus (FT. Lorisa Miller)
- Tyler Statonon An Honest Conversation on Pain + Suffering (FT. Tyler Staton)
- Chase Durkinon Emotions, Fresh Fire, and the Bride (FT. Chase Durkin)
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
The podcast is sponsored by faith-based organizations and software like Care Net, Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry, Logos, and Audiolink. A significant portion of airtime is also dedicated to promoting the hosts' own books and music albums, merchandise, and ticketed live events.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
Pitch Co-hosts Elyssa
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People also ask
- Who are the hosts of The Handlebar Podcast?
- The main hosts are Aaron Smith, Sarahbeth Smith, Elyssa Figueroa, and Raffi Greco.
- What is the podcast's format?
- It alternates between interviews with guests (pastors, authors) and co-hosted episodes where the team answers listener-submitted questions.
- Is the podcast still running?
- Yes, new episodes are released weekly on Mondays.
- How can I submit a question to the podcast?
- The hosts direct listeners to submit questions through their official website, thehandlebarpodcast.com.
- What does the name "Handlebar" mean?
- It refers to the practical, actionable advice from each conversation that listeners can "get a grip on" to help them in their faith.
- Where are the hosts from?
- The hosts are all based in Dallas, Texas and are involved in the ministry of UPPERROOM Dallas.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]About | The Handlebar Podcastthehandlebarpodcast.com
- [02]The Handlebar Podcast - YouTubeyoutube.com
- [03]BIG JESUS - by Aaron W Smith (Paperback)target.com
- [04]Sarahbeth Smith | Worship Togetherworshiptogether.com
- [05]Elyssa Figueroa Artist Profile | NewReleaseTodaynewreleasetoday.com
- [06]Sponsor/Donate | The Handlebar Podcastthehandlebarpodcast.com
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