Pastor's Kid

In this episode, Piper chats with Cameron Hepola about the history of evangelicalism, universalism and the Gospel, and how faith grows and evolves over time.

Cameron grew up in Michigan as a youth pastor's son. At the age of 10, he moved to Greenville, South Carolina where his dad served at a non-denominational megachurch. He attended Anderson University where he obtained a bachelor's degree in Christian Theology. After graduating, Cameron enrolled in a master's program in philosophy and began teaching Bible and Church History to middle school and high school students. Finally deciding to pursue a life-long dream after completing a MA in philosophy, Cameron applied to Duke Divinity School in Durham, North Carolina where he now studies the history of evangelicalism in America.

In this episode, Piper interviews her friend, Jaci Wells. They talk about their shared experience as Nazarene university grads, the perks of living in a parsonage, raising pastor’s kids, and the simplicity of loving God and loving people.

Jaci Wells is a pastor’s kid from Central Ohio. When she was in 3rd grade her father became a pastor, and seemingly overnight she became a pastor’s kid. After finishing her undergrad, she married her best friend Dan. Jaci and Dan now lead a ministry in the rural Appalachian region of Southeast Ohio. She also has two adventurous and rambunctious boys, Thomas and Lincoln. In addition to her involvement in ministry, Jaci owns and operates a successful custom cake business, Really Good Cakes in Dresden, Ohio.

Another sister interview! In this episode, Piper interviews her little sister, Erin Ramsey. They discuss transitions, coming out, and evolving faith. Piper and Erin reminisce about Christian school problems and singing in the worship band.

Erin grew up a Nazarene pastor’s kid in Oklahoma and Texas. Her father started pastoring when she was one year old, and switched careers when she was 25, so she spent the entirety of her childhood and adolescence in church—anytime the door was open.

Erin is queer and engaged to her partner of 2.5 years, Kai, who she shares two dogs and two cats with. She’s currently in her 6th year of a clinical psychology program at a non-affirming evangelical seminary in Southern California and will graduate in 2024 with her PhD. She also holds an MA in clinical psychology and an MAT. Her master's thesis was about the experiences of guilt and shame among those who broke purity pledges, and her dissertation is about the experience of multiple minority students with microaggressions on college campuses and their identity development. She hopes to work in community mental health and on college campuses after graduation.

Erin is passionate about the intersection of queerness and faith, and has worked to foster a community on Instagram with fellow exvangelicals, queer students attending Christian institutions, and anyone else interested in the subjects of theology, queer identity, and facing heterosexism in day-to-day life.

Piper Ramsey-Sumner is back to hosting Pastor’s Kid! In this episode, she interviews fellow podcaster, Josh Lieuallen. They discuss growing up as pastor’s kids in the 90’s and what it is like now to reflect on Christian culture and its influence. Piper and Josh bond over their shared experiences at the touring worship event/spectacle that was Acquire the Fire and muse over psychology and how religion functions in society.

Josh Lieuallen is a Montana-raised, Baptist PK, who now lives in Seattle and flirts with being ecumenical and sometimes calls himself a Christian-ish agnostic.

Growing up in the peak of 90’s American Christian culture, church has been a central experience for Josh. He had a Larryboy mural in his room from grade school through college, and he’s pretty sure his first crush was Connie Kendall from Adventures in Odyssey. Church also got him to learn how to play the drums, volunteer to be a youth leader, and attend ministry school before college.

Coincidentally, Josh always managed to play the part of “the drunk” in the Lifehouse Everything skit, and then went on to study Alcoholics Anonymous and spirituality for his undergrad in psychology and sociology.

Josh’s passion for people and meaningful dialogue extended into launching a project called Beerlosophy, where he has facilitated over 100 roundtable discussion events on controversial and current philosophical topics.

Josh currently is a co-host on a podcast called Ravel, works in the corporate side of the coffee industry for his day job, listens to too many podcasts, and is always searching for a good book.

In this episode, Piper Ramsey-Sumner interviews one of her oldest friends, Emily Funkhouser. They talk about how moving across the country multiple times for her father’s ministry affected her childhood and how being married to another pastor’s kid has helped her feel seen and understood. Piper and Emily catch up on life after Christian college and discuss being the new kid, the importance of music, hell houses, shifting faith, and even a Fear Factor-themed Vacation Bible School!

Welcome to the first episode of Pastor's Kid! In this episode, our host, Piper Ramsey-Sumner interviews her big sister, Meghan Ramsey. They discuss being PKs in the Church of the Nazarene and growing up in the Bible Belt. Join along as the conversation dives into the evangelical bubble, perfectionism, the post-Columbine Christian persecution complex, authenticity, Bible college problems, church potlucks, summer camp, and so much more!