"Deconstruction" among Milennial and Zoomer Christians

[PogoJack]

There has been a sad string of high profile Christian figures who have left the faith such as Joshua Harris, Paul Maxwell, Michael Gungor, etc. who have publicly left their faith. It used to be called "falling away", but they have a new (to me) euphemism "Deconstructing Faith". If you do a search for it, you will see lots of stories.

People have always fallen away, but sometimes it seems like there's an epidemic of the under-40 crowd doing so. For those of us with under-40 children, it is somewhat discouraging but it is part and parcel with the last days.

Babylon Bee did a video with Alyssa Childers about it. I find her to be a very excellent resource on matters of worldview and addressing young people.

[2761377]

Does that mean they lost their salvation? Or were they never saved after all? All the sermons and books were lies? Lol

In the real Church it's called apostasy.

[Barang]

Jesus said, "Will I find faith when I return?"
also, "narrow is the gate leading to heaven and broad is the way to destruction."
and, "apostasy must come first before the revelation of anti-christ."

[CVShooter]

Maybe it didn't suit their life anymore. Maybe they found out just how much BS they were eating. Maybe the toxic culture of their specific church just chased them out for their own mental health. There are so many reasons why people leave religions. Let them go. If it's all as real as you think it is and if they're sincere in their desires to live a good life, then they'll be back. And if they are sincere but don't return, then let that be instructive to you somehow.

When I left one church for another denomination, I had people tell me all kinds of BS. I lost a lot of good friends and family over that. One pastor actually told me that I was leaving their church and could soon be one of those guys who eventually join a motorcycle gang & be DP'ing women on the back of a Harley. Seriously -- WTF? I was joining another (very conservative) church. The sheer volume of crap people deal with in church is reason enough to leave, in my experience. When I finally left the church for good, I then had over 15% of my week back to invest in things that actually matter to me & the people around me. That makes a world of difference in my own happiness and that of my family. Easy trade. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

Oddly, that same crazy pastor eventually left that denomination too, probably less than 10 years after me. So much ego...

[MrTokarev]

On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.’

[colossians323]

Does that mean they lost their salvation? Or were they never saved after all? All the sermons and books were lies? Lol

In the real Church it's called apostasy.

My experience for people who "fall away"

they never really had saving faith to begin with.
some view it as a social club
Some view it as their parents faith
some go to church because that is how they were brought up

Matthew 13, Jesus teaches us through this parable.

3 And He spoke many things to them in parables, saying, ?Behold, the sower went out to sow; 4 and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up. 5 Others fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil. 6 But when the sun had risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. 7 Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out. 8 And others fell on the good soil and *yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty. 9 He who has ears, let him hear.?

He then goes on to explain what he means

18 ?Hear then the parable of the sower. 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road. 20 The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away. 22 And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 23 And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.?

Where are your roots planted? In fertile soil or some place other than will serve His kingdom best?