Faith After Church Hurt: Can You Trust the Church Again?
A Reason for Hope
Have you ever felt wounded by the Church… and wondered if you could ever trust again? In this episode of the Reason for Hope Podcast, Matt Pana and Alanis Gonzalez dive into the heavy but important topic of church hurt—how it happens, why it cuts so deeply, and how we can begin the process of healing without abandoning our faith. We discuss the difference between being hurt by the Church itself versus being hurt by broken people within the Church, and how painful experiences with priests, leaders, or communities can distort our perception of God. This conversation also explores the importance of validating pain, allowing righteous anger, and pursuing real spiritual healing through prayer, inner healing ministry, confession, community, and accountability. We also discuss powerful tools like Unbound Ministry, spiritual direction, and learning to rebuild your relationship with Christ after betrayal or disappointment. If you’ve struggled with religious trauma, church wounds, or feeling disconnected from God because of past experiences, this episode is for you. 🙏 You are not alone. Healing is possible. Hope is real. -Support our Sponsors- Scapulars.com - Divine protection in life and death with the most durable, comfortable scapulars ever made. -Support Our Mission- Donate Here Book an Event -Follow Us On Social Media- Facebook: https://facebook.com/r4hpodcast Instagram: https://instagram.com/r4hpodcast YouTube: https://youtube.com/@R4HPodcast TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@r4hpodcast ⏰Timecode⏰ 00:00 Introduction 01:25 Start of Interview 06:03 Examples of Church Hurt 13:33 Separating the Individual from the Institution 18:20 Separating Anger Away from God 22:31 Rebuilding Relationship With Christ After Being Hurt 27:36 How do we promote Hope in the Church?