Deconstructing Your Faith: Review of "Invisible Jesus"
In Scot McKnight’s latest book, Invisible Jesus, he looks at the recent Deconstruction movement and helps people to navigate this journey.
Creating a Positive Church Culture: The Power of Words
People are leaving the church and pastors wonder why. They are speaking the truth, right? It might have to do with the words they use and the tone in which they speak their words.
Church Hurt Podcast with Christy Boulware
I join Christy Boulware on her podcast to kick off her new series on “Resilience in the Pews: Tackling Anxiety and Church Wounds. In this post I answer a few of the questions that she posed to me about spiritual abuse.
Set Boundaries to Prevent Spiritual Abuse
People can easily find themselves caught in the web of a spiritually abusive church. How does that happen? And how can you prevent that from happening again? This post offers practical steps that you can take to protect yourself by setting boundaries.
Trauma and Post Traumatic Spiritual Growth
Many people experience trauma but they aren’t able to bounce back. It’s like something gets broken inside of them. Their focus turns inward and they can’t seem to recover. But if people can reframe their loss and see things from God’s perspective, they can often experience a dramatic change. This is Part One of an interview with F. Remy Diederich from the Life Above mental health conference looking at trauma and post traumatic spiritual growth.
Ten Reasons Why People Fail to Leave a Toxic Church
Many people suffer from spiritual abuse in toxic churches. But they often struggle to leave. Why is that? Here are ten reasons why people fail to leave a toxic church.
How to Recover from Loss, Grief, and Exile
Experiencing loss is much like being sent into a deep emotional exile. The intense grief that accompanies loss can leave you feeling isolated and disconnected from the life you once knew and cherished. However, it is possible to find your way back. Here are five practical steps you can take to begin the journey of healing and restoration, ultimately returning to a life full of hope and flourishing.
Double Blessings From God: Day 39
When God brought people out of a time of trouble and suffering, he often gave them a double blessing. Are you able to let God bless you?
Facing Your Nakedness - Day 26
When everything has been stripped from your life and you stand alone and “naked” what do you do? Where do you find your worth? What can you learn about yourself? Facing your nakedness can be a turning point for you.
The Discipline of Darkness - Day 25
Oswald Chambers spoke of a “discipline of darkness.” This means that God teaches us things during dark times that we will never learn in the light. What might God be teaching you during your season of loss or hardship?
Obedience Is A Trigger Word
The word, “obedience” triggers an adverse reaction for many reasons, one of them being the thought of spiritual abuse. But could it be that obedience to Jesus should trigger joy?
How To Recover and Heal From Spiritual Abuse
Healing and recovery from spiritual abuse is often elusive. But you can find your way back to a full life and meaningful spirituality. This post outlines a new five part video series on how to recover and heal from spiritual abuse.
Why Are Boomers Leaving the Church?
Why are Boomers leaving the church today? Here are seven suggestions to consider. See if you agree.
Agnosticism, Susan Cain, and Bittersweet
Susan Cain’s new book, Bittersweet, looks at the longing that we have in moments of beauty and even sadness. C.S. Lewis said this longing points us to God but Susan isn’t so sure. This post reflects on agnosticism and the love of not knowing.
Church Culture: How to Create A Culture That Attracts People
How do you create a culture that genuinely attracts people to your church community? This post delves into the essential elements—the “secret sauce”—that encourages individuals not only to visit but also to feel welcomed and motivated to return regularly.
Why I Don't Tell The Resurrection Story on Easter
I have rarely told the story of Jesus’ resurrection on Easter. That confuses some but it’s very intentional on my part. The resurrection of Jesus isn’t meant to be a nice story. It’s meant to change your life.
God's Love: Your Baseline Identity
Too often we left our emotions or the words of others define our value. But God’s love for us should be what determines our value in this world.
The Fear Behind Your Selfishness
This is part three of a a three part series on Generosity and Jesus. This post looks at the fears that make us selfish.
Greed is Not Good. Jesus' View on Generosity.
Greed is the opposite of generosity. Greed fills you with darkness while generosity draws you close to God. These are some of the thoughts Jesus spoke about in his Sermon on the Mount.
Bad Religion and the Resurrection of Jesus, by F. Remy Diederich
So much of what is called Christianity today poorly represents Jesus. It’s just bad religion. Jesus didn’t come to give us more of the same. He came to exchange something new for the old… something alive and life-changing. His resurrection was proof that his way will last.