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 Kids Stay?
01:07 Welcome to Grown-Up Church Kids
02:44 Growing Up Around the Pulpit
04:24 First Church Memories
06:17 Church Every Single Week
10:37 Black Church and Public School
12:23 Sheltered Church Kid Moments
18:09 Gospel Church vs CCM Church
20:50 Shama’s Missionary Kid Story
24:53 When Church Changed a Family
26:09 Church Planting in Tanzania
29:03 Pastor’s Kid Pressure
32:12 Choosing Faith for Yourself
35:21 Fired From Church Ministry
38:26 Old Church Kid Pictures
40:41 The Cost of Ministry Commitment
46:00 Trying to Be Perfect
47:58 Dwan’s Salvation Story
50:08 Childhood Faith as an Adult
53:21 Faith When Parents Get Sick
55:34 Wrestling With Disappointment
57:19 Grief, Joy, and Seasons
1:00:24 Deconstruction and Returning to Faith
1:01:56 Trying Church Again
1:04:03 Don’t Give Up

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 Grown-Up Church Kids to reconnect with their roots, redefine their journeys, and celebrate the faith together.

There are more of us than you think.

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🎧 Listen on Audio

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📚 Resources

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FOLLOW

More from Dwan Hill

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DwanHill

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwanhill

Website: https://www.dwanhill.com/

More from Shama Mrema

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/AfterSchoolProgram

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shama4realz

Website: https://www.shamamrema.com/

More from Grown-Up Church Kids

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9KOBazbPvWdcopb_dd1M5g

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grownup.churchkids/

Website: https://www.grownupchurchkids.com/

More from The Choir Room

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thechoirroom

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.choirroom/?hl=en

Website: https://www.choirisback.com/

CREDITS:

Director & Editor: Kyle Whittaker

Producer: Hannah Gifford (Open Hand Management)

Production Assistants: Sarah Bush, Abby Loomis

Audio: Garrett Miller, Aaron Rochotte

Video: Seth Scruggs

Video, Photo & Social: Jordan Rubino

Management: Annie Cunningham

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