Kirk Franklin, the story he's never shared until now, the 20x Grammy winner bares his soul on childhood pain, absent fathers, fame under fire, faith in the storm, and the road to healing. Shocking truths, deep redemption, and the power of forgiveness.

Pivot Podcast

The Pivot Podcast Network

Football, Society & Culture, Sports

4.9 • 2.6K Ratings

🗓️ 1 July 2025

⏱️ 68 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Join us for a transformative discussion with Grammy-winning gospel artist Kirk Franklin, whose musical genius and unwavering faith have reshaped contemporary Christian culture. In one of the most raw and revealing Pivot Podcasts to date, Kirk sits down with Ryan, Channing and Fred to open up about the deeply personal battles he's faced behind the spotlight. Known for his musical influence, Kirk shows a different side here—one marked by pain, healing, and redemption. With honesty, humor, and deep vulnerability, he talks about what it really takes to heal—when the cameras are off and the crowd is gone. The guys are able to get him to let his guard down, turn heavy moments light and provide a safe space as the conversation transcends into identity, family, and finding purpose not just through success, but through surrender. In this moving episode, Kirk opens up about: The art of writing hope: Exploring how music becomes a vessel for healing—both for himself and the world. Faith through the fire: Navigating personal struggles, spiritual seasons, and finding renewal in the midst of chaos. The scars of a turbulent upbringing – and how trauma shaped his views on love, trust, and self-worth. Faith when it’s messy – how he wrestled with God during his darkest moments and found peace on the other side. Reuniting with the father he never knew – and the emotional toll of reconciling decades of abandonment. Fatherhood and forgiveness – breaking the cycle for his own children and choosing healing over bitterness. Leading with authenticity: What it means to shepherd a movement when you're also the one being led. With profound vulnerability and trademark energy, Kirk Franklin shares stories of redemption, breakthrough, and creative inspiration. This episode offers a blueprint for staying rooted in purpose, pursuing excellence, and never feeling to flawed to forgive and move forward. Comment and let us know your thoughts on this episode! Thank you to our friends and partners at KaChava for sponsoring this episode. Go to ⁠⁠https://kachava.com⁠⁠ and use code PIVOT for 15% off your next order for a limited time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Enough from the Tragl.
0:02.0	Spiele Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 and 4 and grinds as if it's 2002.
0:08.0	A legendary remake of original games with 9 parks, crasser tricks, platform-overgreifed multiplayer
0:14.0	and ab-gaffirned new game modi.
0:17.0	Holt you the new Tony Harks Pro Skater 3 and 4 and
0:20.0	and the world, the shred, never.
0:23.1	Now, now, on Tony Hawk thegame.com,
0:25.9	Shrekstri, Play Now,
0:27.5	verfible from the 11th, July.
0:30.0	20-time Grammy winner Kurt Franklin is imperfect,
0:33.4	and he knows it,
0:34.8	but he doesn't try to avoid accountability.
0:37.7	He grew up poor, rough, alone.
0:40.9	Many times, a piano was his only friend.
0:44.6	Music came easy for the prodigy.
0:47.1	But relationships, they didn't.
0:49.6	Not with his wife, not with his children.
0:52.6	He traces it all the way back to his birth mother abandoning him.
0:56.6	The man who gave us hits like smile and melodies from heaven often finds himself apologizing
1:02.6	for not being Christian enough. It's the duality of his realities. In a candid conversation
1:08.3	with the pivot, he opens up about his upbringing, losing friends to gun violence, music, family.
1:14.9	And of course, Chan disagrees with him that you can have a porn addiction.
	...

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