Should We Let THRIVE Die?

Should We Let THRIVE Die? A Critical Assessment of Community Building in the Post-Mormon Space

When a community organization faces questions about its own survival, it forces difficult conversations about purpose, impact, and accountability. THRIVE, a post-Mormon community-building initiative, recently opened exactly this conversation in a candid discussion on the Mormon Stories Podcast. The question, should THRIVE die?, reveals deeper tensions within the growing landscape of faith-transition support groups and raises important questions about how alternative communities should function, fund themselves, and respond to criticism.

For those unfamiliar with THRIVE, it is not an MLM (a common point of confusion with the unrelated company Thrive Life). Rather, it is an organization dedicated to creating events and local community spaces for people navigating life after Mormonism. In a tradition where leaving the Church often means losing one's entire social infrastructure, a reality many ex-Mormons describe as sudden and devastating, THRIVE emerged as a structured response to that isolation.

The Origins and Mission: Why Community Matters After Faith Transition

Understanding THRIVE requires understanding the trauma of religious exit. According to Mormon Stories Podcast coverage of THRIVE leadership, members consistently reported that leaving the LDS Church meant losing their entire social network. This isn't a minor inconvenience, it's a documented pattern in high-control religious organizations where identity and community are inseparable from doctrine.

THRIVE founders recognized this gap. They began organizing larger events, multi-day conferences featuring speakers, bands, and workshops, alongside smaller local groups where people could gather for coffee, conversation, and connection. The model was ambitious: rent major venues, pay professional speakers, invest in audiovisual production. It was also costly.