Grown-Up Church Kids

Did you grow up in church and now wonder if you should stay? In this episode of Grown-Up Church Kids, Dwan Hill and Shama Mrema talk about pastors’ kids, church culture, childhood faith, ministry pressure, deconstruction, grief, and what it means to follow Jesus as an adult. If you’ve ever wrestled with church, Christianity, spiritual burnout, or the faith you inherited, there is room for you here. Grown-Up Church Kids is where Sunday meets real life, where there’s more of us than you think, and where stories are better than sermons.

00:00 Should Church...

Gracie Binion sits down with Dwan and Shama to talk about writing “Goodbye Yesterday,” hearing the audible voice of God, navigating fake prophecy, and what it actually looks like to release secular music as a worship leader. She opens up about growing up in a ministry family, leaving a toxic relationship, receiving prophetic words at 13 that did not make sense until she got married, and why she still believes God speaks even when the prophetic movement has been misused. Grown Up Church Kids is where Sunday morning meets real life.

ABOUT THE SHOW:

Gr...

Trip Lee was 19 years old when he was diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome. He has never fully recovered. And in that body he has pastored churches, raised a family, and written some of the most worshipful music in Christian hip hop. In this episode of Grown Up Church Kids, Dwan sits down with Trip to talk about what it costs to follow Jesus when your body won’t cooperate, what it felt like to grow up caught between two cultures, and what he believes about a God who hasn’t said yes yet. His new album For Your Glory is o...

Grammy-winning Christian artist DOE joins Grown Up Church Kids for a hilarious and honest conversation about growing up in church, and the rules a lot of church kids remember: no kissing, no Disney, no scary movies, no dating, and sometimes… no pants. From Pentecostal holiness culture and COGIC roots to Pokémon panic, purity culture, R-rated movies, dating, parenting, and spiritual conviction, this episode asks what protection was, what was fear, and what still matters now.

DOE also shares how her bilingual church upbringing shaped her worship, how her family prayer times formed her son...

In this episode of Grown Up Church Kids, Matt Maher joins Dwan Hill and Shama Mrema for an honest, eye-opening conversation about Catholic vs Protestant beliefs, church unity, saints, the Eucharist, and what it really means to follow Jesus. If you’ve ever wondered “Are Catholics Christians?”, struggled with church hurt, or felt disconnected from faith after growing up in church, this conversation bridges the gap with clarity, humility, and depth. From misconceptions about praying to saints to the meaning of communion and the beauty of liturgy, this episode explores how different traditions can still point to the same gospel...

What happens when you grow up in church but realize you don’t actually know Jesus? This episode of Grown Up Church Kids explores church hurt, faith journey, and the difference between religion and a real relationship with God. From surviving religious persecution in Nigeria to navigating American church culture, this conversation dives into spiritual burnout, authentic Christianity, and what it really means to follow Jesus beyond routines and inherited beliefs.

We talk about growing up in church, losing faith in ministry, and rediscovering God through personal encounter—not performance. If you’ve experienced church trauma, questioned your f...

“Everything happens for a reason.” It sounds comforting, but for many people it’s one of the reasons faith starts to fall apart. In this conversation, Ian Simkins calls out the church phrases and shallow theology that don’t hold up in real suffering, and why so many people who grew up in church feel disconnected, disappointed, and unsure what to believe. We talk about church hurt, leadership pressure, and what it looks like to rebuild an honest, grounded faith on the other side. If you’ve ever felt like church language didn’t match your real life, this conversation...

In Episode 2 of Grown-Up Church Kids, Dwan Hill and Shama Mrema sit down with hip hop artist nobigdyl to talk about confessing sexual addictions, interracial marriage, and growing up COGIC.

If you grew up in church, this episode will feel familiar and maybe a little too real.

ABOUT THE SHOW:

Grown Up Church Kids is more than a show, it’s a full-circle moment where Sunday Morning Meets Real Life. Bringing together community, conversations, shared stories, and songs that shaped a generation, this is a space for Gr...

Dwan Hill and Shama Mrema talk with Franni Cash about how she grew up in a cult, why she still chooses to be a part of the church, and what she thinks about women in ministry.

Grown Up Church Kids is more than a show, it’s a full-circle moment where Sunday Morning Meets Real Life. Bringing together community, conversations, shared stories, and songs that shaped a generation, this is a space for Grown-Up Church Kids to reconnect with their roots, redefine their journeys, and celebrate the faith together.

5/14 Live Show in Na...

Coming Easter 2026!