In this episode of Clemenz With a Z, I sit down with Jeremy Steele, also known as The Skeptic Pastor for a conversation that’s honest, wide-ranging, and refreshingly unpretentious. Jeremy is a United Methodist pastor, author, podcast host, and the founder of Not Church, a faith community for people who’ve been hurt by religion but haven’t given up on the sacred. We talk about what it means to unlearn harmful theology, live with doubt, and stay curious without becoming cynical. If you’ve ever wondered how to hold onto your spirituality without the baggage, or if you’ve walked away from church but still long for something deeper, this one’s for you.

You can follow Jeremy on Instagram @skepticpastor, check out his podcast Unbelief (available wherever you listen to podcasts), and learn more about his inclusive, online community at notchurch.net. His book including How to Not Suck at Being Christian, and others, are available wherever books are sold.

As always, you can find more episodes, blog posts, and ways to support the show at clemenzwithaz.com, or follow me on Instagram @clemenzwithaz. or you can contribute to the GoFundMe here: https://gofund.me/7ebb0524. Every little bit helps keep this going, and I’m so grateful for it. Thanks for being here and for staying open.

What does it really mean to “share your faith”? In the church I grew up in, it didn’t mean storytelling or connection—it meant recruitment. Evangelism wasn’t optional; it was expected, required, and tracked. In this episode of This Was Supposed to Be the Place, I unpack the intense pressure we felt to bring people to church, the shame tied to “not producing fruit,” and the way our relationships became tools for expansion. From Kmart training days to paintball invites to spiritual performance disguised as purpose, I trace how sharing faith got twisted into selling it. And then I share the moment it all flipped—sitting in a friend’s truck, drinking a beer, having a real conversation with no script and no strings. It turns out, maybe that’s what sharing your faith was supposed to look like all along.

If this one hit close to home—if you ever felt like your worth was tied to how many people you “brought out,” or if you still carry that little voice saying, you didn’t do enough—just know: you’re not alone. And you’re not crazy.

Some of us were just kids trying to survive youth group politics and Kmart evangelism while pretending we were saving the world. If you want to reach out in any way, you can do that at clemenzwithaz@gmail.com or DM me at the Clemenz With a Z instagram page.

As always, if you enjoy the podcast, please rate and review—it helps more people find these stories. And don’t forget: I’m just a channel, I ain’t the source.

You can support the show by visiting clemenzwithaz.com, and grabbing something cool from the shop, subscribing to my Substack, or contributing to the GoFundMe here: https://gofund.me/7ebb0524. Every little bit helps keep this going, and I’m so grateful for it.

Until next time, take care of yourself, stay grateful, and keep growing. Peace!

n this powerful episode of We Were In a Cult?, I sit down with Tara to unpack the layers of pain, survival, and spiritual manipulation she experienced—both before and during her time in the ICOC. Tara speaks openly about growing up in a home marked by abuse and instability, and how that history made her vulnerable to the church’s promises of love, family, and transformation. This conversation is raw, honest, and at times deeply unsettling. But it’s also brave—and necessary. If you've ever wondered how high-control religious groups prey on people’s wounds and rewrite their stories, Tara’s voice brings that reality into sharp, unflinching focus. Trigger warning: This episode contains discussion of childhood abuse and trauma.

If you are a member, were a member, or know someone who was a member of the ICOC or ICC and would like to share your story about life in and out of the church, I’d love to hear from you. Together, we can continue exploring the question, “We were in a cult?”—and perhaps find some healing along the way. You can reach me via email at clemenzwithaz@gmail.com, or send me a DM on Instagram at the Clemenz With a Z podcast page.

As always, if you enjoy the podcast, please rate and review—it helps more people find these stories. And don’t forget: I’m just a channel, I ain’t the source.

You can support the show by visiting clemenzwithaz.com, and grabbing something cool from the shop, subscribing to my Substack, or contributing to the GoFundMe here: https://gofund.me/7ebb0524. Every little bit helps keep this going, and I’m so grateful for it.

Until next time, take care of yourself, stay grateful, and keep growing. Peace!