Ex-Pastor Kids - Why & How They Left Church

Ex pastor kid stories Hey I have been wanting to do a mini book of stories from ex pastor kids telling their story of why & how they left the church. I feel like this is something that is very important & would love to hear from anyone who is willing to tell their story. A bit of my story: I am the oldest of 6 kids & my dad is an evangelical pastor. I grew up being told that everything I do reflects my father & how my soul purpose is to obey him & the Lord. In 2023 I started my deconstruction & in 2025 I officially denounced my faith. I have never been happier leaving the church. I made sure to wait to research into the lies of the church until I made my own personal decision. Me being the only one who left the church was & is not easy this has lead to a lot of tension in my family. Back in 2021 when I lost someone very dear to my heart my parents decided to shun me for premarital sex a couple days after I lost someone close to me. During this conversation with my father I told him how it hurts that I feel like he neglects his role as a father. His response was to double down & say he is a pastor first before being my father. My story has constantly been hit with pushback from my family to protect his image. I believe if he gets to write essays & preach about his truth I figure it’s time I & others get to speak their truths.