What if the reason you walked away from God wasn’t because you rejected the real God but that you were introduced to a distorted version of Him? I Walked Away From God Until I Realized THIS | Steve Rotermund

Many Christians unknowingly view God through the lens of painful experiences, abusive parents, unhealthy churches, broken relationships, or shame-filled theology. But what happens when those false beliefs begin to crumble?

In this episode of The Miseducation of God’s People, Steve Rotermund shares the deeply personal story of how growing up with a narcissistic and abusive father shaped his understanding of God and contributed to a season of walking away from his faith. His journey eventually led him to discover the difference between religion built on performance and the gospel centered on transformation.

You can connect with Steve on his website: https://partnersofaddicts.com/

You can purchase Steve's book on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Gods-Imperfect-perfect-Steve-Rotermund/dp/B0F6CL8B4S/

We also tackle one of the most misunderstood statements in the Bible: “God hates divorce.” Have many Christians mistakenly turned that verse into the message that God hates divorced people? What does Scripture actually teach? Can someone who has experienced divorce still walk confidently in God’s love and purpose? We also explore questions like: Are you trying to earn God’s approval instead of living as His child? Is Christianity primarily about behavior modification, or heart transformation? Have you confused your identity with your failures? How does understanding adoption and sonship in Christ change everything? Can God redeem years marked by addiction, codependency, divorce, and brokenness?

Steve also shares lessons from serving as a pastor while walking through thirteen years of loving a spouse battling addiction. His story is one of loss, restoration, and discovering that your identity is never determined by your past, your pain, or another person’s choices. If you’ve wrestled with shame, church hurt, divorce, addiction, legalism, or questions about who God really is, this conversation offers biblical hope and challenges many assumptions that Christians often carry without realizing it.

If this episode encourages you, consider subscribing to The Miseducation of God’s People, where we examine popular Christian beliefs through the lens of Scripture and pursue a deeper understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ.