Returning Home to Heal Trauma What we are learning about trauma is not necessarily that the key person in our life didn’t prevent the harm. We all interpret what happens to us differently, and sometimes the person could not have stopped what happened even if they knew how. In normal situations, something happens, and someone who is supposed to care for us helps us regulate those traumatic situations. They care for us, stay with us, and help us navigate through... Read more
A Treasure Trove of Trauma Resources Leaning Forward Conference https://thedesertsanctuary.org/leaning-forward-2023/ Recently, The Desert Sanctuary hosted the latest Leaning Forward Conference (<—click here for resources). This time, we decided to elevate women’s voices. It turned out great! And, we decided to preserve the videos on my YouTube Channel. A Treasure Trove of Trauma Resources In addition to the video, each speaker left behind links (<—click here for resources) to their specific specialty. https://thedesertsanctuary.org/leaning-forward-2023/ More Resources We are also continuing to add... Read more
When We Go on a Journey of Discovery Being at a funeral this week caused me to reflect on all the people I know and used to know. I wondered If any of them are on a similar journey as I am where I am asking questions about my previous faith, and I am discovering new things every day. I wonder if this is because most people do not speak up about things, especially if they are difficult or controversial.... Read more
Unmasking Patriarchy: Diagnosing Narcissism & Abuse David Hayward (from his Website) I am a pastor turned artist painting, drawing, and thinking about what it takes to be free to be you. If you’re interested in deconstruction, spiritual journeying, freedom of thought, or looking for your authentic self, you’re welcome to join me while I search too. In case you’re wondering, I’m not actually naked. The idea behind my name, NakedPastor, is to seek to tell the naked truth – no... Read more
Evolving from Racism and Homophobia (an excerpt from our book, Leaning Forward) After starting my deconstruction, I began writing about all the things I was discovering. but even though I was uncovering gaps in my understanding of racial issues and queer concerns, I hesitated to put pen to paper mainly because I realized my limited understanding. After I gained initial knowledge from some of the stories I heard, on our Desert Sanctuary podcast, I came out swinging, and I tried... Read more
Barbie Gets Revenge on Greg Locke Photo from Freepik – AI- Generated The roof of Greg Locke’s Global Vision tent church collapsed Monday evening due to the weight of snow. Pastor Greg Locke took to social media to share the damage to the church, which worships underneath a tent in Wilson County, TN. Ironically, the most recent sermon short posted on his Facebook page was titled, “YOU CAN’T RUN FROM GOD’S JUDGMENT…” Of course, it’s all caps. I commented, “Saw... Read more
There may not be a more popular thing to say in Christianity than, “God has a plan and purpose for your life.” As a former pastor, I remember the faces of people who were visiting for the first time. They were always a bit more attentive than the other members. They were a little more hesitant to be demonstrative, but they looked hopeful in a cautious sort of way. This always made me optimistic that they would be a new... Read more
What’s Wrong with Influencing? It is common, in certain branches of Christianity, for pastors to openly mobilize their congregants to “influence the influencers.” They cloak it in a gospel message, but their tactics are as old as Constantine (4th Century) and the early Christian church. The Roman Emperor made special concessions to the church and its leaders and even developed a new Christian city (Constantinople) which glorified mostly the leader. Eventually, Christians became comfortable fighting Rome’s battles instead of following... Read more
What’s Wrong with Prayer? The first prayer I ever really learned was simple but problematic. It went something like this: Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take. There are some assumptions in this rhyming prayer, written in 1781 in New England. To begin with, it assumes that our soul is constantly... Read more
Stop, Drop, and Heal Seven or eight years ago, we began what most people call deconstruction. Laura was silent about it because I was a pastor, and she did not want to interfere with my ministry. We attended a larger church for a couple of years, but almost immediately, we began to question everything and eventually, our questions were bigger than the place we found ourselves. While questioning everything, I discovered a process that helped me address my inner child... Read more
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