Post 14 - Reasons for Faith Deconstruction

  

Post 14

Queen Anne's Lace
finishing its season.

Back to the Book - 

A Reason for Faith Deconstruction: Hypocracy in the Church 

The concept of deconstruction of faith or faith practices has gained prominence in recent years, particularly among those disillusioned by issues of hypocrisy they've seen in churches. The book  address many situations I've known about regarding the failures of pastors. 

In 2024, alone, more Christian movements have crumbled. I think of International House of Prayer in Kansas City (IHOPKC); Robert Morris' Gateway; Hillsong; sexual abuse cases of churches in the Southern Baptist Convention; and so many others. As a result, hypocracy within the church is in full view. 

I've witnessed this hypocrisy shared across various platforms, from articles to posts on Twitter/X. On one of my Twitter accounts, numerous people have reported on pastors involved in adulterous affairs, spiritual abuse, sedition, and embezzlement. There are frequent reports of church workers or volunteers arrested for sexually assaulting minors, and I’ve seen reports of pastors who attended the January 6th insurrection at the Capitol Building crossing into prohibited property. 

It’s troubling to see pastors use the name of Jesus and God to promote specific political agendas as we've seen strongly in the last few years--many of them siding up to Trump, disregarding the division between church and state. This doesn't sit well with me, and I know it doesn’t sit right with many others either.

The book (in the photo above) I'm reading highlights how Canadians, like myself, are influenced by American culture. Many authors we read are American, even if they started as Canadians and later moved to the U.S. to reach a broader audience. I recognize the names of all the players mentioned in the book. 

As I read this book, I notice a Joyce Meyer magazine sitting on the table beneath it. I have her digital cube on my bedside table and a shelf of her books. So, yes, I can clearly see the influence of American voices in my life. And, thus, Canadians are affected by what occurs in the US.

It's easy to see why the church is going through a sifting and why some are leaving. Not everyone is taking what the church is offering at face value. 

A Reason for Deconstruction - Church Turnoffs:

My father revered evangelist Billy Graham. My father was all-in where the Christian faith was concerned. While I respect the influence Graham had on his faith, the message I received growing up was that my father seemed to love the church and the gosepel message more than he loved his own children. It felt like he didn’t know how to show love to us—only judgment and criticism. Thus, he had his own version of hypocracy. And it was a turnoff. As a result, I didn't want to fall in line just to please my father. 

I'm sure he had many reasons for this. He was brought up to work on the family farm, one of ten children. At 17, he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Airforce. He was deployed to England during WW2. Separated from all he was familiar with in a very trying time. 

Billy Graham preached powerfully about sin—his messages were convicting, and while they turned some people off, they were widely respected and taken at face value. 

Today, though, when some pastors try to deliver similar messages, it often doesn’t resonate in the same way. These kind of messages can be a turnoff!

I recoiled when a newsletter was sent out post-pandemic declaring it sinful not to attend in-person church. This came from a church we had visited just before the pandemic and supported financially throughout 2020. The message struck me as desperate and legalistic, as though the writer was trying to use guilt as a motivator to pressure parishioners to return to in-person services. 

My husband and I are in the high-risk category where catching Covid-19 was concerned. We are seniors and both have Type 2 Diabetes. We remained vigilant where contact with people was concerned right through to April of 2023. Reading the sentiments of this newsletter was a complete turnoff. I vowed years ago to not be part of a legalistic church ever again. And so we cut ties. 

 

A friend once told me, "A person has to be led to the Lord by another person," as if someone can’t find God on their own. I’ve never seen that in Scripture. While it’s true that God often uses others to share the gospel, a person can respond to Christ’s call no matter where they are, without needing someone to lead them step by step and/or taking the credit for a person's salvation. Things like this make me cringe.

I recently cringed when I heard a pastor imply that 'attending church is necessary for salvation'. He said, that 'if you don't invite your friends to church, you don't care enough about them going to heaven'. 

These pastors are in their own canoes--those they chose long before the pandemic hit. And now as the church is dwindling, it's like they are frantically paddling against a growing impending wave surge. Some appear to be desperate, scrambling to bring more fish into the boat before it sinks.  

In their desperation to keep from capsizing, they make irrational statements, hoping to steady the boat. But no matter how hard they paddle, they can’t control the tides. The church is changing. Fear-driven manipulative statements only serve to push people further away, rather than calm the waters. 

A Reason for Deconstruction - Integrity:

We’re smart, and we’re listening. I have to question a pastor who says things that simply aren’t true—like claiming, "We have a great kids program," when in reality in the church startup there’s no kids program at all.

I also paused when I heard a pastor say, "If you want to sign up to help at the church, come and see me." But when I approached him, he looked at me like a deer in headlights. Did I hear him wrong?

I resented filling out a form to participate in something, only to never hear back. Did the pastor not mean what he said? Or was I not the candidate he was looking for?

A wood deck was deconstructed here.

I could go on, but none of these complaints will get me back home.  They were offputting events, and pastors would be wise to put such statements in check before they alienate others.

The good news is that today’s Christians are more discerning than in the past. We no longer view our pastors as infallible or place them on pedestals the way people may have in the '60s or '70s. Too many of those pedestals have toppled for us to be easily misled.

It feels harsh to use the word "conned," but in light of many events that have come to light in recent years, it’s how many parishioners feel—conned. And now, they’re cautious, even leery about trusting any church.