In this episode of Clemenz With a Z, I take a hard look at how fear-based faith and the obsession with the afterlife can steal the present from us—how it turns life into a constant performance instead of a real, lived experience. Using a gut-punch line from Frank Turner—“If you’re all about the destination, then take a fucking flight”—I unpack how Jesus’ own teachings and presence call us back to the moment, to the street, to the beauty of now. This isn’t about throwing away faith—it’s about reclaiming it from the systems that make it all about tomorrow, so we can finally start living today.

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Clemenz With a Z. If this stirred something in you—if you’re beginning to question the constant striving, the obsession with the afterlife, or the idea that you have to earn your worth—I just want you to know: you're not alone.

I’ve been there. And I’m still here, learning what it means to stop performing and start being. To believe that maybe presence is the point. That maybe the Kingdom really is already within us.

If you're a member, were a member, or know someone who was part of the ICOC or ICC and wants to share your story—especially around what it felt like to live under all that pressure—please reach out. You can email me at gofund.me/7ebb0524, or grab something meaningful from clemenzwithaz.com to help keep this space alive.

Until next time, take care of yourself. Slow down. Be here. And remember: I’m just a channel. I ain’t the source.

Peace.