Burning Butterflies

Chapter 6, Episode 13 - Chapter Finale

As tensions build in the church against Barry, people start asking questions. Barry and Miss America seem to have changed their narrative and people are taking notice. At the same time, Amanda is starting to question if Tom is someone worth following. 

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Chapter 6, Episode 12

Come As You Are finally gets cleared from the county to reopen from the Covid shutdown and who does Tom choose to make huge decisions? Barry! The man who has not even been at the church for a year, the man who hasn't taken any of the onboarding classes, the man who keeps changing his past. And in the midst of it all, Amanda finds the backbone to finally stand up to Tom and call out his questionable decisions. 

Chapter 6, Episode 11

Throughout the pandemic, Froggy travels out of state to work for his brother. This time apart is not only good for Froggy (who is finding fulfillment in his work) but also for Melissa (who is getting her groove back without the abusive cloud of Froggy looming over her). 

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Chapter 6, Episode 10

They're making Barry a pastor, so how does his debut go? And what is that smell coming from the church office? But there's no time to worry about any of that, we have a VBS to put on in the middle of a pandemic!

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Chapter 6, Episode 9

Some weeks blur together. This one? Felt like a lifetime.

In this episode, the ladies double-check the receipts, because there’s no way all of this chaos unfolded in just seven days… right? Wrong. In the middle of a glo...

Chapter 6, Episode 8

Amanda walks into the church office ready to quit. She’s exhausted, disillusioned, and done. But before she can even get to Tom, she’s intercepted by Charlette who begs her not to leave. To Charlette, it’s simple: Amanda’s just burned out. The solution? A vacation.

But this is 2020. ...

Chapter 6, Episode 7

The mandates loosen very slightly and suddenly, gathering in groups of 10 or fewer becomes the new spiritual loophole. Masks on, six feet apart, and… lights, camera, live stream! In this episode, the ladies recount the surreal phase of "10 people or Less."

Tom is elated—he finally has a live audience again, no matter how small. Amanda? She’s just relieved she no longer has to sneak into the building in the dead...

Chapter 6, Episode 6

In this episode, the ladies take us back to the earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, when fear and uncertainty were real—but inside the church, they were dismissed as weakness or lack of faith. Tom publicly reassured the congregation that they would “honor the authorities” because it was biblical, presenting himself as obedient and humble. But behind closed doors, it was a different story: mocking those who ...

Chapter 6, Episode 5

While the men were buzzing about the formation of an eldership, the women were… well, doing everything else. In this episode, the ladies dig into what they were actually up to while the boys were playing church politics. Plus: the shady origins of the phrase “you girls,” how it was used to diminish and what is the world is a red tent and why was i...

Chapter 6, Episode 4

Everyone who was asking problematic questions has left, but now how can Tom keep those pesky doubts from rising up again? We can have elders!

But we're not like a normal church here at Come As You Are! No! We don't do things just because that is how other churches do things. We will have elders on our own terms (aka Tom's Terms!)

Bur...

Chapter 6, Episode 3

As Amanda reels from the accusation that she is the reason people are leaving the church, the pressure mounts. She’s angry, confused, and desperate for clarity—but the one thing she’s not allowed to do is sit down and talk to anyone about it. In this episode, we unpack what was the t...

Chapter 6, Episode 2

Everyone take a sign of relief that the banquet went smoothly. Maybe, just maybe all of this staging a coup stuff will blow over. Or maybe not. 

What happens when Tom is called out before Sunday service? What was really said behind closed doors and why is it Brandi and Amanda's fault?

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Chapter 6, Episode 1

In this Chapter 6 premiere, the ladies discuss the aftermath of Tom finding out that there are people attempting to stage a coup. The tensions build as the body goes into the annual banquet of 2020 and what happens when the whole group of disgruntled members show up together? 

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Chapter 5 Finale

As 2019 draws to a close, the cracks at Come As You Are are no longer just surface-level—they’re splitting wide open. People are starting to ask real questions about Tom: his leadership, his choices, and most of all, the church’s finances. Whispers of a rebellion start circulating. Some ...

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 worshi...

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 ...

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 n...