Tag Archives: faith blog

Faith Deconstruction: Good or Bad?

There’s a popular trend within the church of young people “deconstructing” their beliefs in regards to the Bible. Alisa Childers (apologist) defines faith deconstruction as, “the process of systematically dissecting and often rejecting the beliefs you grew up with.”

Deconstructing your faith can either propel you forward or it can pull you back!

Faith deconstruction can pull you back from faith because you allow your opinions about it to trump scripture’s meaning of it. You may manipulate the meaning of scripture’s truth to fit your own feelings about it. “What’s true for me, is truth for me.” Now, another side of it can be fruitful. The fruitful side of faith deconstructing is when you reconstruct it alongside the Bible, with God and among believers in Christ. This will propel your faith forward making a stronger connection to God because you are asking and seeking. The Bible says those who ask and seek will find. Find what? Find Him.

You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.

Jeremiah 29:13

I Deconstructed my faith 4 years ago

However, instead of rejecting the beliefs I grew up with… I decided to re-learn them, biblically. Not through my own opinion/feelings or popular preacher at the time, rather looking closely to the Bible and learning how to understand it. Instead of only listening to “pump-up” sermons, I decided to follow teachers that explained the Bible and how to read it. Although I’d never ever use the word “deconstructing”, I’d say I dedicated more time to “dissecting” scripture to better understand it. I chose to biblically understand it not merely just follow what people told me or what I told myself was “true”. This is a practice I continue to process. To ask questions. Then seek God for answers through understanding his Word and being convicted and comforted by it. Opening my heart to truth regardless of how I feel at the time about it. A fruitful process in growing our faith in THE truth not just “our own” truth.

Deconstruct your faith, BUT don’t LOSE it!

If you’re searching for biblical understanding – you’re in the right spot. God answers those who earnestly seek and believe in him!

“Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.”

Psalm 9:10

Resources that continue to help me understand the Bible:

Mike Winger (YouTube apologist)

Alisa Childers (YouTube apologist)

The Bible Recap (Podcast) – Bible reading plan and teaching on how to find God’s character in scripture *what he likes/dislikes, loves/hates..etc*.

The ESV Study Bible (Book on Amazon)

Then lastly, finding a community of believers in Christ that too want to better understand him and his Word. OH… and prayer – asking God to bring that community to your awareness as you search it out!

Blessings.

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Grow in Faith

The Bible isn’t a shelf decoration. It’s your life’s dedication. To grow in faith requires reading God’s word and putting it into action.

Children’s Song

If you grew up in a Christian home you might remember singing this song as a kid. It goes like this…
1 Chorus:
“Read your Bible, pray every day, Pray every day, pray every day;
Read your Bible, pray every day, And you will grow, grow, grow.”
2nd chorus:
“Don’t read your Bible and forget to pray, And forget to pray, and forget to pray;
don’t read your Bible and forget to pray, And you will shrink, shrink, shrink.”

Lean into the growing process

As my fear becomes larger than my faith I tend to shrink; burying myself in worry and distrust in God. I realize my earthly priorities aren’t in line with God’s eternal vision. A sure sign I haven’t been reading my bible and praying everyday. A sure sign that I need to get that Bible off the shelf and into my hands. Then I’ll… “grow, grow, grow”. Grow in faith, grow in peace and grow in vision of God’s will for my life.

1 Verse in 3 Different Translations

But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

Luke 8:15 NIV

And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest.

Luke 8:15 NLT

But the seed in the good ground—these are the ones who, having heard the word with an honest and good heart, hold on to it and by enduring, produce fruit.

Luke 8:15 CSB

In these three different translations you have 3 different verbs: “persevering, patiently and enduring.” This verse encourages us to not only hear God’s word but to actively hold on to it. How do we do that? Through consistency of reading and praying everyday so his words are secured in our heart. Even in face of trials and suffering we can stand firm on the word of God and grow… grow… grow!

Obey Christ to Follow Christ to Grow in Christ

It takes obedience to follow Jesus, the original trailblazer, who blazed a trail for us to connect to God. To navigate this route we have our “map” – the Bible. A navigational tool that leads and equips us to take the steps it requires to stay on trail so we can grow in likeness of Jesus.

New Year, Two Words: Stay Faithful

This year, 2023, represents two words for me: “stay faithful”. Every year I have a word to focus on, which keeps me accountable on what I want to work on for that year.

Last year, year 2022, the focus word was, “vulnerable”. For me, this meant, processing pain and not avoiding it, asking for help when I needed it, sharing my testimony/journey of faith publicly and utilizing my physical body to it’s best (i.e. running my first half-marathon).

A New Year

For 2023… I scramble to come up with a new word… like… “risk” or “try”. Thinking about pushing myself even further in what I dream of doing. “But before I get ahead of myself,” *I write in my journal*, “maybe I should pray and ask God first of what HE thinks my 2023 word should be…”

“Stay faithful” – immediately came to mind.

Simply, daily, without pressure to be perfect, stay faithful.

What does that mean? It means, responding to the daily convictions of the truth of the gospel. Wherever I am, however busy or mundane my day is… I stay faithful to God. In my decisions, actions, thoughts, words, and behaviour. I choose to seek Christ not culture.

looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:2

Stay faithful even under the pressure to “stay relevant”.

For me, the pressure falls more on my eternal call as a Christ follower and less on my earthly call as a woman. One where society might say, “work harder, be skinnier, make more money, increase followers… don’t you dare wear those skinny jeans anymore… etc”.

Fear to perform for man (people) makes me feel inadequate, not enough, and/or less than. Whereas faith to perform for Christ makes me feel at peace, hopeful, enough, qualified, because it is HE who does a work in me. He keeps me faithful, so I can stay faithful.

Stay in Christ

My word(s) for 2023 is: “stay” – “stay faithful”… in whichever emotion, feeling, situation, circumstance I am in. I’ll not allow the fears of WHAT IF overtake my faith in WHO IS. Jesus Christ my redeemer, Saviour, one true God, teacher, counsellor, creator, healer, and miracle worker. I choose to “stay” in him, who has overcome sin in the world.

For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

1 John 5:4