Try to imagine someone trying to convince you that the menu at the restaurant was better than anything you could eat at that restaurant. Or that the treasure map you were holding was the same as the actual treasure it was pointing you to. If you can imagine that, then you can understand the confusion that many Evangelical Christians have about the Bible. They try to convince you, and possibly even themselves, that the Bible will change your life, and... Read more
Wendy and I spent most of the day on Saturday at an event that featured author and psychologist Richard Beck. He shared several insights with us that really inspired me to reconsider my approach to the process of Spiritual/Religious Deconstruction. As co-host of the Heretic Happy Hour Podcast, I’ve talked to dozens of people – like Richard Rohr, Bart Ehrman, Derek Webb, Benjamin Corey, Brad Jersak, Bishop Carlton Pearson and David Bentley Hart – about their process of deconstructing... Read more
I don’t know about you, but I’m in a very uncertain place, these days. I moved to a new state. Took a new job. Lost that job. And now I’m trying to figure out why were are here, and what we should do next. I have a lot of pretty big, and scary, unanswered questions. Maybe you can relate? Are you unsure of what to do with your life? Are your worries about your kids keeping you awake at... Read more
Wendy and I had already pared down our belongings to make the move from Orange, CA to Boise, ID. Now, we need to do it again and this time cut everything down to what we can take with us on a flight to China in carry-on and checked baggage. The rest will go into storage for at least the next 2 years. I think God is trying to get us to learn how to live more simply. So, as... Read more
As some of you may already know, I’m going through a bit of a personal crisis at the moment. After packing everything up, leaving my sons behind in SoCal, saying goodbye to our house church family of 11 years, and relocating to Boise, Idaho for a new job, I’ve found myself unemployed and on the brink of financial disaster. That’s one way of looking at it. However, another way of looking at it is this: Wendy and I are... Read more
The Gospel is a picture of what it looks like to descend into greatness. Jesus divested himself of all power, authority and honor to become nothing – a servant – and to become obedient even unto death. We’re encouraged to follow Christ in this same path of weakness and humility. But, as one might expect, it’s not a very pleasant process. As a very relevant and recent example, I am experiencing this failure to success path myself as we... Read more
What if Jesus isn’t coming back soon? For many Christians, the hope and promise of the imminent return of Christ is just about the only thing that sustains them on a daily basis. They see the world becoming more secular and they experience great discomfort as the culture starts to become less “Christian” and more hostile to their worldview. As a result, many of these Christians cling to the idea that Jesus will return any moment now to vindicate... Read more
Recently, while studying the words of Jesus, I made a startling and slightly disturbing discovery. On the issue of salvation, Jesus never seems to urge anyone to say a prayer or confess belief in a set of doctrines. Although he is often asked by those around him, “What must I do to inherit Eternal Life?” the answers out of our Savior’s mouth rarely sound anything at all like what I learned in Sunday School. I can remember growing up and... Read more
Several years ago, I interviewed author and theologian Dallas Willard for a magazine that never made it to print. Instead, I published this interview in a book called “Subversive Interviews” which also included my conversations with author Walter Kirn [Up In The Air, Thumbsucker, etc.], Matt Redman, Jim Wallis [Sojourners], Neil Cole, Frank Viola and many others. Here is part one of that conversation with Dallas Willard: Keith Giles- “Dallas, can you explain the difference between the Gospel of... Read more
There’s a famous song written by Pete Seeger, yet popularized by The Byrds way back in 1965, called “Turn! Turn! Turn!”You’ve probably heard it before. It takes the words from Ecclesiastes, chapter 3 and sets them to a groovy tune and says: “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, a time to reap that which is planted; A time... Read more
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