A Few Thoughts...

Blogging on the Road...
I have a thoughts spinning around in the foggy electron-cloud called my consciousness this evening.

I’ve noticed an increasing trend over the last few years of believers who once had a simple and compelling faith falling into a dystopian view of God and those who follow Christ.

I understand and accept that spiritual formation involves seasons of deconstructing ideas and doctrines that come into contradiction with changes in how we think about life, God, and our faith. Unfortunately, we often overestimate the profundity of our deconstructive prowess. It can turn an even uglier corner when we no longer limit ourselves to deconstructing ideas, but now we go after people.

If we cannot eradicate an idea, we go after those who endorse or defend the idea instead. Pretty gross, right?

We’ve all got grass stains on our knees and dirt under our fingernails on that one. None of us are innocent.

Many folks seem to define themselves by what they’re against rather than what they truly stand for. They never get around to explaining why they believe what they believe because they’ve become so defensive.

It doesn’t help when people use the most inflammatory rhetoric possible to simple provoke the ire of those whom espouse a theology they now reject.

I’ve known many provocateurs in my life and ministry. I think they mean well, but they end up looking more like schoolyard bullies.

Showing grace and theological hospitality sometimes feels like lost art, but hopefully we’ll find a way to communicate that’s kind and respectful.

Pastor Jeremy E.