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Heartbreaking Truth from an Unbeliever
“If Christianity is such an inessential add-on, why become a Christian?” Ben Sixsmith, The Sad Irony of Celebrity Pastors I found an article yesterday that made me weep. As I processed it, I literally had to stop my Christmas baking to have a good cry with Jesus. The author identified as “non-religious” and yet from his outside perspective he managed to nail the major issue across every brand of modern Christianity. Originally written as a response to yet another celebrity pastor stepping down because of sexual misconduct, the article ended as a critique of Christianity as a whole. I think the part that hit me the hardest was the fact…
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How 2020 is Preaching the Gospel
“2020 is going to be infamous for centuries to come. People are going to use it in sentences like, “My week started great and then it went all 2020 on me.” Our world appears to be falling apart on multiple levels. And it just keeps going. But maybe that’s a good thing. I feel like 2020 is exposing humanity’s need of the gospel like never before. We are broken. The world is broken. We cannot fix this alone no matter how hard we try. We need a Savior.” @christylynnewood 2020 is preaching us the gospel. I am increasingly convinced that this year — which appears to have come from hell…
- \'rant\ : to talk in a noisy, excited, or declamatory manner, And Then I Met Jesus, Exposing Legalism
Yeah, That’s Not Okay
I listened to the podcast episode in frustration yet not in disbelief because I’ve experienced the bitter pain of church hurt myself. An author I’ve read and resonated with–even though sometimes we’ve disagreed–shared how her family was asked to leave the church they had finally settled in because of her writings. Is this author on the progressive side of things? Yup. Does she have a fair share of questions and doubts? Absolutely. Had she been deeply wounded by religious Christians before this latest experience? Oh, yes. These are all the more reasons she had hoped to find a place of safety and grace as she rebuilt her fractured faith. Unfortunately…
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A Dry and Thirsty Land
I was reminded of one of my first blog posts this morning as I once again prayed for rain. The shriveled clumps of grass clung weakly to the dirt. Brown and brittle, they crunched under my feet. It hadn’t rained in weeks. Everything was dry and dusty. Just walking around kicked up so much dirt that a light tan film constantly covered my feet and legs. My favorite summer camp was quickly turning into a desert. We were desperate for some rain! It has been incredibly dry here in Michigan for the past few weeks. The grass is yellow with the exception of some weeds and I have to water…
- \'rant\ : to talk in a noisy, excited, or declamatory manner, An Impostor Jesus, And Then I Met Jesus, God Ponderings, Looking for the Real God
Here We Go Again
Another well-known Christian influencer, raised in church and the son of a pastor, has come forward to say that he no longer believes in God. John Steingard, lead vocalist of the band Hawk Nelson shared via Instagram how his doubts and questions have brought him to this place. Here we go again. If you’ve been around this blog or listened to my podcast, then you will know that I have no judgement for people who walk away from Christianity. Doubt, and questions, and lost faith are legitimate experiences and can be incredibly valuable. No, I have no problem with people who walk away, but I have a huge problem with…
