Clemenz With a ”Z” Podcast

EP 194 Fear Wants Control. Boys Want More: Agency, Tenderness, and Raising Whole Humans

To be honest with y'all, I’ve been sitting with this one.
This episode is a response and a critique from of a podcast episode I recently listened to titled “Boyhood Resurrected.”
 
As someone who’s deeply invested in the work of raising boys, mentoring teens, and wrestling with what masculinity means today, I came to this episode curious, but also aware of the mouthpieces of this conversation.  What made me uncomfortable is that I agreed with some of what they said. I understand the concerns about boys feeling lost in modern systems. I share the desire to see boys grow into healthy, resilient men. That’s part of my life’s work.
But Boyhood Resurrected left me frustrated, unsettled, and, honestly, mad. Not just because of what was said, but because of what was assumed: about men, about women, about parenting, about power. This isn’t just a conversation about raising boys. It’s a cultural playbook wrapped in fear, control, and shame. And I think we need to talk about it. Because our boys deserve more than tired tropes and toxic narratives. They deserve agency. They deserve complexity. They deserve to be whole.
If this episode meant something to you, I’d love it if you’d take a second to like, subscribe, and leave a review, it really helps more people find the show.
You can head over to clemenzwithaz.com to grab something from the shop and help support the podcast. If you'd rather just drop a few bucks to keep this work going, you can do that through the GoFundMe link here:  https://gofund.me/7ebb0524 every bit helps.
And if you’re looking for more reflection, honesty, and spiritual wrestling, check out my Substack:Devotionals for the Deconstructing & Disillusioned, it’s a space for people who still have soul, but no longer fit in the boxes they were handed.
Thanks for being here.

EP 193 We Owe Thomas an Apology: The Gift of Doubt

What if the thing you were always taught to fear… was actually the thing trying to lead you home?
In this episode of Clemenz With a Z, I dive deep into the power of doubt not as a spiritual failure, but as a sacred invitation. I reflect on growing up in a faith system that demanded certainty, punished questions, and taught me that doubt was a sign of weakness. But over time, I’ve come to believe the opposite: that doubt isn’t the enemy of faith. It’s often the birthplace of something more honest, more human, and more mine.
From the story of Thomas to insights from Richard Rohr, Rob Bell, and Peter Enns, this episode explores what happens when we stop fearing the unraveling, and start trusting what it might reveal. If you’re deconstructing, doubting, or just exhausted from pretending, this one’s for you.
If this episode meant something to you, I’d love it if you’d take a second to like, subscribe, and leave a review, it really helps more people find the show.
You can head over to clemenzwithaz.com to grab something from the shop and help support the podcast. If you'd rather just drop a few bucks to keep this work going, you can do that through the GoFundMe link here:  https://gofund.me/7ebb0524 every bit helps.
And if you’re looking for more reflection, honesty, and spiritual wrestling, check out my Substack:Devotionals for the Deconstructing & Disillusioned, it’s a space for people who still have soul, but no longer fit in the boxes they were handed.
Thanks for being here.

EP 192 Faith, Doubt, and the Space Between: A Conversation with "The Skeptic Pastor"

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.

EP 191 Kmart, Paintball, and the Gospel According to Pressure: A Chapter From This Was Supposed To Be The Place

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!

EP: 190 We Were In a Cult? Tara's Story

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!

EP 189 Cherry-Picked Manhood: On Warrior Sermons, Selective Literalism, and the Men We’re Actually Forming

What does it mean to be a man of God and who gets to decide? In this episode, I take a hard look at how churches and Christian influencers are shaping men under the banner of “biblical masculinity.” From warrior sermons to purity culture to performative strength disguised as holiness, we’re naming what’s really going on: cherry-picked verses, selective literalism, and a whole lot of ego. Recorded during Men’s Health Month and following my Father’s Day sermon response, this conversation asks what kind of men we’re actually forming, and whether Jesus would even be welcome in the version of manhood being preached.
If this episode resonated with you, don’t forget to like, subscribe, rate, and review the podcast and share it with someone who might need to hear it. You can also support the show by visiting clemenzwithaz.com, subscribing to my Substack, or contributing to the GoFundMe here:  https://gofund.me/7ebb0524.
Peace Y'all!

EP 188 This Isn’t the Hill: A straight man’s honest reflection on queerness, faith, and the battles that don’t need to be fought.

So… yeah. It’s Pride Month.
And here I am, a straight, white, former church kid debating whether or not to even say anything. Because let’s be honest: the internet doesn’t need another straight guy weighing in on LGBTQ+ stuff like he’s doing anyone a favor. I didn’t want this to be some performative, “Look at me, I’m a good ally” thing. That’s not what I’m after. That’s never been the point of this podcast.
But I also don’t want to stay quiet.
I grew up in a church that had plenty to say about gay people, and none of it kind. I learned to hide. I learned to shrink. I learned to clip my wings and call it obedience. And I’ve seen what that kind of faith does to people who are just trying to be themselves. Especially kids.
So no, I’m not trying to center myself. I’m not part of the LGBTQ+ community. But I have been part of the silence. And honestly? I’m tired of pretending that’s somehow more respectful.
This episode isn’t polished. It’s not perfect. It’s not a mic drop or a manifesto.It’s just me sitting in the tension, saying something I probably should’ve said a long time ago.
Because out of all the hills I could die on…this isn’t one of them.
If any of this resonates with you, I’d love to hear from you. You can shoot me an email at clemenzwithaz@gmail.com or find me on Instagram @clemenzwithaz.
And if you want to support the show, keep it going you can head over to the gofundme here: https://gofund.me/7ebb0524, or grab something from the shop at clemenzwithaz.com (there’s some good stuff in there).
Also, if you haven’t already, do the whole like/rate/subscribe thingit seriously helps more than you know. And you can read more of what I’m writing over on clemenzwithaz.substack.com if you want to keep following along.

Rooms We Rented, Stories We Kept: A chapter from This Was Supposed to Be the Place

What happens when your childhood faith is built in hotel ballrooms, conference centers, and synagogues that weren’t actually yours? In this episode, I take you back into the strange, sacred spaces where I grew up trying to worship, belong, and stay out of trouble (usually). From stuffing my pockets with leftover banquet snacks to watching Beavis and Butthead after Wednesday night devos, this is a story about wandering faith, borrowed spaces, and the building we almost bought—but thankfully didn’t. There’s no tidy lesson here. Just memories. A little sugar. And the quiet question that still lingers: What makes a place holy—when it was never really ours to begin with?
Thanks for listening to Clemenz With a "Z." If this episode made you laugh, remember, or feel a little less alone in your own story, I’d love it if you’d take a second to like, subscribe, rate, or leave a review—it helps more than you know.
If you want to support the show and keep these conversations going, you can head over to clemenzwithaz.com. You’ll find ways to give, grab some merch, you can also donate at https://gofund.me/7ebb0524, or check out the weekly Substack  devotionals I’ve been writing. Every little bit helps fuel this work—and I’m grateful you’re here.