Category Archives for "#ConfessYourChurchMess"

Why I’m Trying Out Church Again for the First Time

By Steve Austin | #ConfessYourChurchMess , Best of Messy Grace , faith , Messy Grace , Millennials , Religious Recovery , Spirituality , The Struggle With Church

“I suppose that since most of our hurts come through relationships, so will our healing, and I know that grace rarely makes sense for those looking in from the outside.”-Wm. Paul YoungDead InsideFor a while now, my Christian friends have laughed (or cringed) at my response to theological talk. I usually say something like, “I […]

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Why Purposeful Demolition is Good for Me

By Guest Blogger | #ConfessYourChurchMess , faith , guest post , Millennials , Religious Recovery , The Struggle With Church

A guest blog by Sara Sullins – “For the first time in my life, it was time to stop building. It was time to start something altogether new to me: purposefully demolishing. “

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Following Jesus Out of the Evangelical Church

By Steve Austin | #ConfessYourChurchMess , Ask Steve Austin , Best of Messy Grace , Current Events , faith , lgbtq , Messy Grace , Millennials , Recovery , Religious Recovery , The Struggle With Church

In Episode 41 of the #AskSteveAustin Podcast, Steve Austin talks with David P. Gushee, author of the brand-new book, Still Christian: Following Jesus Out of American Evangelicalism. Tony Campolo says, “Still Christian takes us on the journey of a Christian leader who endeavors to maintain his integrity while navigating his way from a rigid fundamentalism with its right-wing […]

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How to Reconstruct While You Deconstruct Your Faith

By David Hayward | #ConfessYourChurchMess , faith , Recovery , Religious Recovery , The Struggle With Church

I’ve been thinking a lot about deconstruction: the changing of our beliefs, the loss of faith, the shift in our religious habits and behaviors, and the transformation of our inner and social selves. This is what I help people do. I’ve been doing it for many years. Deconstruct Your Faith One of the things I […]

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The Truth about Millennials and Church

By Steve Austin | #ConfessYourChurchMess , Best of Messy Grace , faith , Messy Grace , Millennials , Recovery , Religious Recovery , The Struggle With Church

“Only those who recognize the extent of their wounds and their wounding can be made well.”-Rachel Held Evans,  Searching for SundayI’m a 30-something Millennial, and a former pastor. Most folks would assume that combination would make me pretty cynical. For a while, they would have been right. While I was railing against toxic people and […]

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Finding the Will to Forgive Spiritual Abuse

By Steve Austin | #ConfessYourChurchMess , faith , Recovery , Religious Recovery , The Struggle With Church

This is the final installment in the #ConfessYourChurchMess series. Follow the conversation on Twitter, and catch up on the other posts by clicking here. Forgiving Spiritual Abuse We’ve all seen the headlines. We’ve heard the horrible things done to people in the name of God. Some of you have lived those very ugly experiences. How […]

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Christianity: My ‘but’ always gets in the way…

By Steve Austin | #ConfessYourChurchMess , Best of Messy Grace , faith , Messy Grace , Recovery , Religious Recovery , The Struggle With Church

Growing up in the Bible Belt, life seemed fairly simple – you were either “sinner” or “saint”, Alabama or Auburn, Republican or Democrat – Christian or not. But these days, I’m not so sure. Nothing is certain. And that isn’t just the biggest part of my church struggle, it’s the biggest part of my faith […]

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Christians! Do you have questions for God?

By Steve Austin | #ConfessYourChurchMess , Ask Steve Austin , Best of Messy Grace , faith , Messy Grace , Recovery , Religious Recovery , The Struggle With Church

“Courage doesn’t happen when you have all the answers. It happens when you are ready to face the questions you have been avoiding your whole life.”― Shannon L. Alder I’m a Christian, but I’ve had questions for God for many years. My wondering started way back in high school. The familiar questions and answers about faith […]

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No, You Don’t Have to Go to Church. Here’s Why…

By Guest Blogger | #ConfessYourChurchMess , faith , Recovery , Religious Recovery , The Struggle With Church

“It isn’t necessary that we stay in church in order to remain in God’s presence. We can make our hearts personal chapels where we can enter anytime to talk to God privately. These conversations can be so loving and gentle, and anyone can have them” Brother Lawrence You Don’t Have to Go to Church I suppose I […]

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I’m a recovering pastor. This is my confession.

By Guest Blogger | #ConfessYourChurchMess , faith , Recovery , Religious Recovery , The Struggle With Church

My name is Brian. I’m a recovering pastor. And this is my confession. Yes, I’ve been a pastor before. I’ve even quit “for good” twice. I want to confess something to you that many “professional” clergy know, but hesitate to admit. Source: Pexels Confession of a Recovering Pastor Why do we not enjoy admitting this? Many individual […]

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