Couverture de Unhinged: Separating Faith from Fiction

Unhinged: Separating Faith from Fiction

Unhinged: Separating Faith from Fiction

De : Michele Kus M.A. & Dr. Martin Trench
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What if the version of God you were handed… isn’t the whole story?

Welcome to Unhinged: Separating Faith from Fiction — a bold, grace-filled, sometimes wild and wacky exploration of what happens when real faith breaks free from fear, performance, burnout, and outdated religious assumptions.

Hosts Michele Kus, M.A. and Dr. Martin Trench aren’t afraid to question what we’ve been taught, rethink common church narratives, and wrestle honestly with scripture, spirituality, emotional health, and what it actually means to become more like Jesus.

If you’re tired of churchy clichés, spiritual jargon, and performative “Church-ianity” that leaves you more anxious instead of more whole… you’re not alone.

Each episode separates what’s authentic from what’s manmade, helping listeners rediscover a faith rooted in freedom, grace, honesty, humanity, and authentic spiritual maturity.

Because the truth really does set you free — and it might be far better than you were told.

New episodes drop (almost) every Friday. Follow the show so you don’t miss any!

Copyright ©️ 2026. All rights reserved. Christianisme Ministère et évangélisme Spiritualité
Épisodes
  • Ep31: What If You Never Had a Spiritual Childhood?

    Ep31: What If You Never Had a Spiritual Childhood?
    Jun 19 2026

    What if the thing missing from your faith isn’t more theology... but a simple spiritual childhood?

    And what if some of the questions keeping you exhausted don’t need answers right now — they just need to be left on the shelf?

    In this episode of Unhinged: Separating Faith from Fiction, Michele Kus and Martin Trench launch their new Simply Jesus series by exploring what happens when believers grow up too fast spiritually.

    After hearing many listeners say, “I never had a spiritual childhood,” they unpack why so many Christians were rushed into doctrine, performance, ministry, and having all the right answers before they ever learned the simple foundations of faith.

    Through stories, humor, and honest conversation, Michele and Martin discuss spiritual milk versus spiritual meat, inherited beliefs versus integrated beliefs, catechism versus altar calls, the problem with constant correction, and why healthy spiritual growth requires space to wonder, question, and … gasp! … even get stuff wrong!

    If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by religion, exhausted by theological debates, or pressured to have everything figured out, this episode is your invitation to slow down, return to the basics, and rediscover the simple goodness of God.

    Sometimes the healthiest thing you can do is LEAVE IT ON THE SHELF!

    If you enjoyed this first episode in our Simply Jesus series, FOLLOW the show and SHARE this episode with a friend!

    Purchase Martin’s book, Secrets of Spiritual Growth.

    Don’t miss the FULL VISUAL EXPERIENCE with scripture references, definitions, funny pics, random small animals, and of course our beautiful faces! Watch this episode or binge the entire series on our awesome Unhinged YouTube channel.

    And remember to LIKE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE while you’re there!

    -- READY TO GO DEEPER? --

    If this stirred something in you, don’t just listen — take the next step.

    Join Michele’s online community, New Creation Academy

    Join Martin’s online community, The Gathering

    -- SUPPORT THE PODCAST --

    Love our free content and want to support the show?

    Grab some fabulous, custom-designed snarky Unhinged merch or send us a donation (thank you!)

    -- ABOUT OUR SHOW --

    Unhinged helps you unlearn toxic religious thinking, rediscover a freer and healthier way of understanding God, faith, and yourself… and laugh a little along the way.

    -- RESOURCES --

    Michele’s music (Grace Remixed) on Spotify

    Michele’s music (Grace Remixed) on Apple Music

    Martin’s books on Amazon

    -- CONNECT WITH US! --

    Michele’s Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Linktree, & website

    Martin’s Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Linktree, & website

    CHAPTERS

    00:00 Systematic Theology Show-and-Tell

    00:44 Welcome to Unhinged: Separating Faith from Fiction!

    03:02 What If You Never Had a Spiritual Childhood?

    08:30 Why Constant Correction Hurts Spiritual Growth

    11:57 Inherited Beliefs vs. Integrated Beliefs

    13:33 Catechism vs. Altar Calls: Two Different Approaches to Conversion

    14:23 Which Beliefs Should We Examine?

    17:47 Leave It on the Shelf!

    19:51 What’s one thing you wish someone had told you during your spiritual childhood?
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    21 min
  • Ep30: Spiritual Parenthood: The Journey Home

    Ep30: Spiritual Parenthood: The Journey Home
    Jun 12 2026
    What if spiritual maturity isn’t about learning more... but about coming home? And what if the final stage of spiritual growth looks surprisingly similar to the first? In this episode of Unhinged: Separating Faith from Fiction, Michele Kus and Martin Trench conclude their Secrets of Spiritual Growth series by exploring the often-overlooked stage of spiritual parenthood — the stage where faith becomes less about information, certainty, doctrine, and striving, and more about relationship, rest, wisdom, trust, and helping others grow. Drawing from Martin’s three-stage framework of spiritual growth from 1 John 2, they unpack how the spiritual journey often comes full circle. Spiritual childhood begins with trust, wonder, dependence, and being loved. Spiritual youth is marked by learning, searching, wrestling, overcoming, and growing stronger. But spiritual parenthood isn’t simply more of the same — it represents a profound return to simplicity, peace, trust, and love but this time, with the wisdom of lived experience. Through scripture, stories, humor, and honest conversation, Michele and Martin explore the difference between knowing about God and truly knowing God, the meaning of the Greek word gnosis, why relationship ultimately matters more than ideology, and why spiritual maturity is less about accumulating answers and more about learning to live from a place of deep rest and trust. They also discuss why many people who deconstruct their faith may actually be operating from a place of spiritual maturity rather than immaturity, why spiritual parents often feel disconnected from youth-focused church culture, and why many churches struggle to address the needs of believers who have moved beyond the spiritual youth stage. If you’ve ever felt like you’ve outgrown religious arguments, endless doctrinal debates, or the need to have all the answers — and instead find yourself longing for something simpler, deeper, and more relational — this episode may feel a lot like coming home. If you enjoyed this episode, FOLLOW the show and SHARE this episode with a friend! Purchase Martin’s book, Secrets of Spiritual Growth. Don’t miss the full visual experience! Watch this episode or binge the entire series on our awesome Unhinged YouTube channel. And remember to LIKE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE while you’re there! -- READY TO GO DEEPER? -- If this stirred something in you, don’t just listen — take the next step. Join Michele’s online community, New Creation Academy Join Martin’s online community, The Gathering -- SUPPORT THE PODCAST -- Love our free content and want to support the show? Grab some fabulous, custom-designed snarky Unhinged merch or send us a donation (thank you!) -- ABOUT OUR SHOW -- Unhinged helps you unlearn toxic religious thinking, rediscover a freer and healthier way of understanding God, faith, and yourself… and laugh a little along the way. -- RESOURCES -- Michele’s music (Grace Remixed) on Spotify Michele’s music (Grace Remixed) on Apple Music Martin’s books on Amazon -- CONNECT WITH US! -- Michele’s Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Linktree, & website Martin’s Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Linktree, & website CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction & Recap of the Spiritual Growth Stages 03:04 What Is Spiritual Parenthood? 03:29 Gnosis: Knowing About God vs. Knowing God 06:29 The Parenthood Stage Is about Relationship 08:35 Why Spiritual Parents Often Feel Out of Place in Church 10:42 The Hero’s Journey: How Healthy Spiritual Growth Comes Full Circle 17:32 Every Stage Has Value: No Need To Rush! 20:26 Raised in Church vs. Finding Faith Later in Life 26:13 Final Thoughts: Coming Back Home
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    29 min
  • Ep29: Spiritual Youth: Why Churches Rush You There... and Then Keep You There

    Ep29: Spiritual Youth: Why Churches Rush You There... and Then Keep You There
    Jun 5 2026
    What if the real battle isn’t the one you’ve been fighting? And what if your biggest spiritual problem isn’t the devil at all? In this episode of Unhinged: Separating Faith from Fiction, Michele Kus and Martin Trench continue their Secrets of Spiritual Growth series by exploring the spiritual youth stage — the stage of growth characterized by strength, passion, conviction, spiritual warfare, wrestling with scripture, and learning to overcome personal challenges. Together, they unpack why many churches rush believers into this stage as quickly as possible — and then unintentionally build entire church cultures around it. As a result, many Christians spend years or decades focused on fighting external enemies, resisting temptation through willpower, and endlessly searching for deeper spiritual “meat” without ever discovering what comes next. Through scripture, stories, humor, and honest conversation, Michele and Martin explore the difference between “fighting the devil” vs finding inner healing, why becoming whole weakens temptation more effectively than willpower, and how spiritual maturity involves learning to recognize when the real battle is happening within. They also tackle the idea of “real meat vs fake meat” — how some doctrines are constructed from stitched-together verses rather than from healthy interpretation, and they examine why spiritual parents sometimes feel disconnected from church culture when it’s aimed primarily at spiritual youth. If you’ve ever wondered why church sometimes feels obsessed with battles, enemies, growing stronger in the Word, and overcoming the devil — this episode may shed some light on that! Purchase Martin’s book, Secrets of Spiritual Growth. If you enjoyed this episode, FOLLOW the show and SHARE this episode with a friend! Don’t miss the full visual experience! Watch this episode or binge the entire series on our awesome Unhinged YouTube channel. And remember to LIKE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE while you’re there! -- READY TO GO DEEPER? -- If this stirred something in you, don’t just listen — take the next step. Join Michele’s online community, New Creation Academy Join Martin’s online community, The Gathering -- SUPPORT THE PODCAST -- Love our free content and want to support the show? Grab some fabulous, custom-designed snarky Unhinged merch or send us a donation (thank you!) -- ABOUT OUR SHOW -- Unhinged helps you unlearn toxic religious thinking, rediscover a freer and healthier way of understanding God, faith, and yourself… and laugh a little along the way. -- RESOURCES -- Michele’s music (Grace Remixed) on Spotify Michele’s music (Grace Remixed) on Apple Music Martin’s books on Amazon -- CONNECT WITH US! -- Michele’s Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Linktree, & website Martin’s Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Linktree, & website CHAPTERS 00:00 Welcome to Unhinged: Separating Faith from Fiction! 01:31 The Spiritual Youth Stage Explained 03:53 Are Demons Really Your Biggest Problem? 05:54 Why Spiritual Parents Often Drop Out of Church 07:20 Temptation: Fighting It or Healing It? 08:45 Wrestling with Scripture: Learning & Healing 14:14 Real Meat vs Fake Meat Doctrines 16:34 Why Most Pastors Are Still in the Spiritual Youth Stage 18:00 Final Thoughts on the Spiritual Youth Stage
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    19 min
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