Grown-Up Church Kids is a podcast for anyone who grew up in church and is still figuring out what to do with it.
Hosted by Dwan Hill and Shama Mrema, the show blends honest conversation, humor, music, and storytelling as they unpack faith, culture, and the realities of growing up in and around the church. From choir stands to church politics, from deep belief to hard questions, nothing is off limits.
It’s real, it’s reflective, and it’s for anyone who’s ever asked:
What do I keep, what do I let go of, and where is God in all of it now?
Do You Ask AI What You Can’t Ask in Church? w/ Tommee Profitt, Jon Keith & Lacy Abercrombie
Can AI replace church, pastors, sermons, prayer, or real Christian community? In this live Grown-Up Church Kids episode, Dwan Hill and Shama Mrema sit down with Tommy Profitt, Lacy Abercrombie, and John Keith for a funny and honest conversation about ChatGPT, AI-generated sermons, church hurt, hearing God’s voice, spiritual discernment, creativity, singleness, parenting, and why church still matters. From Whoop Triggers and “Pastor GPT” jokes to deeper questions about revelation, silence, wor...
14 Jun 2026
Do You Still Speak in Tongues? Michael Bethany on Pentecostal Faith & Modern Worship
Michael Bethany joins Grown-Up Church Kids to talk about growing up Pentecostal and COGIC, learning the difference between gospel music and modern worship, leading in CCM spaces like Gateway, and how he thinks about speaking in tongues today. This conversation is full of church kid nostalgia, honest theology, Black church memories, worship leading, spiritual gifts, and the journey of carrying Pentecostal faith into new rooms without losing the fire. 0:00 Welcome to Grown-Up Church Kids 0:45...
7 Jun 2026
He Wrote “Come Jesus Come.” But Hated Jesus.
Stephen McWhirter is known as the songwriter of “Come Jesus Come,” but behind the worship songs is a story of addiction, church hurt, forgiveness, and radical restoration. In this episode of Grown-Up Church Kids, Stephen shares how growing up around ministry shaped his view of God, why he once hated Jesus and Christians, and how a 3 a.m. encounter with God changed everything. Dwan, Shama, and Stephen talk about church hypocrisy, addiction, repentance, forgiving his father, family, ministry, a...
31 May 2026
We grew up in church. Should we stay?
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, ...
24 May 2026
Gracie Binion Wrote “Goodbye Yesterday,” Heard God’s Voice, and Talks Fake Prophecy
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 i...
17 May 2026
What If God Doesn’t Heal Me?
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. Hi...
10 May 2026
DOE Palmer: No Disney, No Dating, New Baby, and a Grammy
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 ...
3 May 2026
Catholic vs Protestant: What We Got Wrong About Each Other
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...
26 Apr 2026
God Used a Muslim to Save Us And It Changed My Faith Forever
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 chu...
19 Apr 2026
The Truth About Church Hurt, Suffering & Bad Theology with Ian Simkins
“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 eve...
12 Apr 2026
Confessing Addictions, Interracial Marriage, and Growing Up COGIC w/ nobigdyl
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...
5 Apr 2026
Franni Cash - Finding Jesus After Growing Up In A Cult and What Church Looks Like Now
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 fait...
4 Apr 2026
There are more of us than you think.
Coming Easter 2026!
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