Hi ladies. I’m halfway through this YouTube conversation and it made me think of this awesome article (below) I read about whether we’re putting our faith in Christ alone … or the Bible. I’ve also read Greg Boyd’s (he wrote the article) book “Inspired Imperfection.” Which was very thought-provoking. I have so enjoyed these podcasts. I wasn’t raised in IFB churches but I do believe God placed me in four over a 15 year period (roughly 1996-2013 … in Romania with the Peace Corps even!) that I’m still processing. I will say, that faith family showed me how to love the Bible. I should say love learning the Bible, which I didn’t separate from Jesu). But I agree with what I think April and Jessica are trying to get at. If our identity is wrapped up in what we believe the Bible says rather than identifying with our Savior then we have a very shaky foundation indeed. Have you ladies considered a support group or live chats? Or just being available (for a fee even! Life coach anyone? 😊 or how about a deconstruction coach?) for those like yourselves who no longer attend IFB churches … or other evangelical churches that share the same spirit with the IFB culture (I’m thinking non-denominational Bible Churches - which I’m a part of now but have been so “hurt” by the unChristlike spirit of Trumpism, Phariseeism and judgementalism toward those in our world who have been and are marginalized - with boogeyman words like “woke” and “communist” and “socialism” and even “Democrat”). I would love to be able to chat with you all in some way to see how you’re processing your faith and faith community. I have felt like I’ve had a third eye in the middle of my forehead these last ten years because I can’t believe the cultural shift in churches I’ve seen and just really don’t belong or feel a sense of belonging in any more … and I’m wondering what the fruit of this is all going to be? For me personally and for the American Church particularly. Oh and one more question. Is believing in Jesus non-negotiable? This is where I’ve arrived in my faith journey. I still see him as the diamond (God, the very God) among the jewels of other faiths (gods). Because all truth is God’s truth, I see his hand in many truths in other faiths … however, it’s their lack of Christ - the diamond - that I see as the big difference between Christianity and all other belief systems. Anyway, as you can see I can talk about this stuff forever. Thank you so much for being fragile. Please know you have a fan in me. I inhaled your first several episodes (all the ones before this one). Keep at it. There is something, I dare say, God is doing through you three. Now here’s that article. God bless you. https://reknew.org/2023/08/why-christ-not-scripture-is-our-ultimate-foundation/
I'm intrigued....but not where you are...at least not yet. Growing up in similar culture as you I have of course grown up with the idea that the Bible is alive and applicable to anyone anywhere. In essence, it's God's "love letter to me". So when you say "it's not written to us" I'm trying to grapple with this. I get that it's a Book about God.....but if it's not written to me.....I don't even know what questions to ask.
I would love to hear you dive deeper into this concept.
Hi ladies. I’m halfway through this YouTube conversation and it made me think of this awesome article (below) I read about whether we’re putting our faith in Christ alone … or the Bible. I’ve also read Greg Boyd’s (he wrote the article) book “Inspired Imperfection.” Which was very thought-provoking. I have so enjoyed these podcasts. I wasn’t raised in IFB churches but I do believe God placed me in four over a 15 year period (roughly 1996-2013 … in Romania with the Peace Corps even!) that I’m still processing. I will say, that faith family showed me how to love the Bible. I should say love learning the Bible, which I didn’t separate from Jesu). But I agree with what I think April and Jessica are trying to get at. If our identity is wrapped up in what we believe the Bible says rather than identifying with our Savior then we have a very shaky foundation indeed. Have you ladies considered a support group or live chats? Or just being available (for a fee even! Life coach anyone? 😊 or how about a deconstruction coach?) for those like yourselves who no longer attend IFB churches … or other evangelical churches that share the same spirit with the IFB culture (I’m thinking non-denominational Bible Churches - which I’m a part of now but have been so “hurt” by the unChristlike spirit of Trumpism, Phariseeism and judgementalism toward those in our world who have been and are marginalized - with boogeyman words like “woke” and “communist” and “socialism” and even “Democrat”). I would love to be able to chat with you all in some way to see how you’re processing your faith and faith community. I have felt like I’ve had a third eye in the middle of my forehead these last ten years because I can’t believe the cultural shift in churches I’ve seen and just really don’t belong or feel a sense of belonging in any more … and I’m wondering what the fruit of this is all going to be? For me personally and for the American Church particularly. Oh and one more question. Is believing in Jesus non-negotiable? This is where I’ve arrived in my faith journey. I still see him as the diamond (God, the very God) among the jewels of other faiths (gods). Because all truth is God’s truth, I see his hand in many truths in other faiths … however, it’s their lack of Christ - the diamond - that I see as the big difference between Christianity and all other belief systems. Anyway, as you can see I can talk about this stuff forever. Thank you so much for being fragile. Please know you have a fan in me. I inhaled your first several episodes (all the ones before this one). Keep at it. There is something, I dare say, God is doing through you three. Now here’s that article. God bless you. https://reknew.org/2023/08/why-christ-not-scripture-is-our-ultimate-foundation/
I'm intrigued....but not where you are...at least not yet. Growing up in similar culture as you I have of course grown up with the idea that the Bible is alive and applicable to anyone anywhere. In essence, it's God's "love letter to me". So when you say "it's not written to us" I'm trying to grapple with this. I get that it's a Book about God.....but if it's not written to me.....I don't even know what questions to ask.
I would love to hear you dive deeper into this concept.