He Wrote “Come Jesus Come.” But Hated Jesus.

Stephen McWhirter is known as the songwriter of “Come Jesus Come,” but behind the worship songs is a story of addiction, church hurt, forgiveness, and radical restoration. In this episode of Grown-Up Church Kids, Stephen shares how growing up around ministry shaped his view of God, why he once hated Jesus and Christians, and how a 3 a.m. encounter with God changed everything.Dwan, Shama, and Stephen talk about church hypocrisy, addiction, repentance, forgiving his father, family, ministry, and what it means to know Jesus beyond the people who misrepresented Him.00:00 Stephen’s Story Begins01:15 That’ll Preach06:31 When a Christian Artist Gets Real07:48 “I Don’t Know If You Want Me On This Podcast”09:27 Growing Up With Church Hypocrisy10:40 Addiction, Anger, and Hating Jesus14:15 The Billy Graham Crusade15:22 Reading The Case for Christ at 3 A.M.16:13 “You Won’t Do It. I’ll Do It.”17:05 Quitting Drugs Overnight18:14 Returning to Church20:14 Forgiving His Father24:09 His Father’s Final Breath25:20 Why Forgiveness Is So Hard27:15 Repentance, Consequences, and Grace31:07 “You Don’t Know Who You Are Yet”33:05 Ministry With Jesus vs. Ministry For Jesus35:08 Choosing Family Over the Grind40:28 Stephen’s Book and Music41:32 “Come Jesus Come” and What’s Next41:54 Old Rugged CrossABOUT THE SHOW:Grown Up Church Kids is more than a show, it’s a full-circle moment where Sunday Morning Meets Real Life. Bringing together community, conversations, shared stories, and songs that shaped a generation, this is a space for Grown-Up Church Kids to reconnect with their roots, redefine their journeys, and celebrate the faith together.There are more of us than you think.🔔 Subscribe on YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9KOBazbPvWdcopb_dd1M5g🎧 Listen on Audiohttps://www.buzzsprout.com/2607662📚 Resourceshttps://amzn.to/3PISqfXFOLLOWMore from Dwan HillYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DwanHillInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwanhillWebsite: https://www.dwanhill.com/More from Shama MremaYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/AfterSchoolProgramInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/shama4realzWebsite: https://www.shamamrema.com/More from Grown-Up Church KidsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9KOBazbPvWdcopb_dd1M5gInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/grownup.churchkids/Website: https://www.grownupchurchkids.com/More from The Choir RoomYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thechoirroomInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.choirroom/?hl=enWebsite: https://www.choirisback.com/CREDITS:Director & Editor: Kyle WhittakerProducer: Hannah Gifford (Open Hand Management)Production Assistants: Sarah Bush, Abby LoomisAudio: Garrett Miller, Aaron RochotteVideo: Seth ScruggsVideo, Photo & Social: Jordan RubinoManagement: Annie Cunningham#grownupchurchkids #dwanhill #shamamrema #stephenmcwhirter #thechoirroom #faithjourney #churchkid