In the beginning, God made a turd. And God breathed into it the breath of life and said, “Man! That stinks!” So, God broke off a fragment of the turd to polish as a treasure and then threw the rest in the fire. These few sentences may offend conservative Christians who don’t realize that this is their gospel in a nutshell. The doctrine of original sin claims that every human is born stinky because every human descends from a turd.... Read more
If you struggle with anxiety, using a rosary may help. There are many Christian rosaries to choose from—but can a Christian use Muslim prayer beads, if they want? Most of my clients struggle with anxiety. Many of them do things when anxious that get them in trouble. One, in particular, mentioned that he would like to try meditation to find inner peace but didn’t know where to begin. I told him I would be happy to introduce him to meditation.... Read more
One person called me their human Xanax. Another person called me the family hothead. How can one person contain both elements of peace and war in their soul? Maybe you ask the same question about yourself. My Name is Divided My name, Gregory, has two meanings. First, it means fierce protector. Second, it means watcher. So, one part joins battle while the other quietly observes. When I’m honest with myself, I find my spirit possesses both of these characteristics. Those... Read more
How can Christians make Jesus come again? First-century Pharisees believed that if every Jewish person simply kept the law for one day, the Messiah would come. Of course, that was never gonna happen, and that’s not the reason Jesus showed up. But here are 5 ½ ways that Christians can totally make Jesus come back a second time.* Share the Gospel in Every Nation. Matthew 24.14 says the end won’t come until the gospel is preached in every nation. Growing up, I... Read more
Being on fire for God sounds great when you speak Christianese. But sometimes it doesn’t feel so hot. Most people know the story of Moses, either from the Bible itself or from the movies. You know how he grew up as a prince of Egypt, but at some point, learned that he was Hebrew. When he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew slave, he killed him and fled to the desert to become a shepherd for 40 years. In the... Read more
Is it atonement to God the Father, or attunement to God the Mother that brings you peace? The Christian church has inherited a narrative that goes something like this: Because of Adam and Eve, you were born with the stain of original sin inside you. Your sin offends God the Father, and only the blood of a perfect sacrifice can remove that stain. Throughout the centuries, people tried to appease the wrath of God by offering animal sacrifices. This worked... Read more
The disheveled couple looked nervously into the faces of gathered Deacons. They wore their awkwardness like their dirty shirts as they comforted the crying baby in their lap and tried to look both respectable and pitiable at the same time. We waited uncomfortably for the last couple of deacons to straggle in after the worship service. Finally, we closed the door and turned the spotlight on the young couple. The chairman began. “Thanks for meeting with us. Now could you... Read more
Has your changing faith made certain church songs difficult for you to sing? Does Christian music communicate things about God that you no longer believe? In my last article, I wrote about bad theology in church music. Bloody songs can repulse people who are new to the church. Violent, nationalistic, and racist lyrics can send people the wrong message about Jesus, the Prince of Peace. “Worm theology” convinces people that they are nothing more than miserable, wormy, wretches, who are... Read more
Many people going through faith deconstruction say they have difficulty with hymns and worship music. The church needs to be more thoughtful about the songs we sing. Here are a few kinds of songs that would be better off, left out of the hymnal or the video projection: Bloody Songs Many of the songs we sing in church are more fit for a butcher shop than a house of worship. Songs like “Are You Washed in the Blood?” make me... Read more
Yesterday, I got confronted with my secret–it had finally gotten out. I was talking with one of my clients, whom I have known for a year and a half. In the middle of the conversation, he said, “I heard that you used to be a pastor!” I told him that yes, that’s true. (I consider myself to still be a pastor, ordination intact and everything, but that’s not the point.) I asked him where he’d learned the secret, and he... Read more
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