Sermon Tone Analysis

Good News For The Religiously Tired

Deconstruction, Discontent, and Deconversion

These are hot topics right now within the American Church.

One of the opening sermons of this series delt with these topics.

There are many podcasts, YouTube videos, articles, and TikTok's that approach the subject.

Some who have deconverted.

Some who are deconstructing.

Some who are discontented with the church.

There are also many difinitions of deconstruction.

For some it simply means clearing out unbiblical clutter that has been added to the faith by popular America Christianity.

For some it means tearing down their faith completely and rebuilding their life completely apart from historic Biblical faith.

For some it means questioning everything and looking for answers outside the faith.

So it’s hard to talk about deconstruction with any clarity without listening to the person talking or without defining the terms.

I’m not going to define deconstruction more than this, other than to say that any deconstruction that is more concerned with cultural acceptance and defining absolute truth outside of Scripture is a dangerous demonic scheme to lead folks to deconversion and does not lead a deeping faith, deepening life, or deepening spiritual experience.

But I do want to tackle the growing phenomenon of deconstruction for a few minutes this morning.

I’ve listened to many deconstruction stories and read many of their reasons for deconstruction.

There are a few common traits among deconstructionists.

Church Hurt

Many question the faith because they have been hurt by people in the church.

Hurt by pastors or leaders.

It’s important here to understand that church hurt is real.

But it’s also important to understand legitiment church hurt and simple disagreement or personality clash - being accountable to leaders, striving to live in unity and love, those are biblical concepts that we sometimes don’t like so we claim church hurt.

There is legitimate church hurt - abuses of power, sexual abuse, and ungodly character, those things are real and when they occur can really cause the hurt party or those who have witnessed the hurt question the faith and leave the church and maybe even walk away from the faith altogether.

Cultural Questions

Many deconstruct because of questions that are specific to our cultural moment.

Questions lIke science and faith, or gender and sexuality, or racial strife, artificial intelligence.

We ask these questions like they are new.

The specifics may be new but the foundations are not.

They may be specific to our cultural moment but the are not new questions.

Scriptures answers them all.

Christian faith has answers.

They begin to view their faith and the scripture thru the lens of culture instead of viewing culture thru the lens of the faith and the scripture.

The begin to seek out answers that haven’t been tested.

They think their questions are new questions that have never been asked in the 2000 years of Christian faith and tradition.

Now, I’m not saying that there aren’t questions I’m saying that there are good, sufficient, tride and true answers that do not lead away from the faith but that find there foundation in it.

God never pushes us away when we come close with our doubts.

He always invites us closer to himself.

Christian Hypocrisy

From listening to stories I would say that the recent uptick in deconversion has really been accelerated by what is seen as Christian hypocrisy.

What I mean is that especially over the last 10 years there has been an increasing belief that what Christians want more than the salvation of their enemies is power over their enemies.

I do not believe that is true of the true Church.

But there is a Christian Hypocrisy.

There is a vocal Christian Hypocrisy that demands from others what they don’t live up to themselves.

The church has preached against sexual sin while others who claim Christ cover up sexual sin by it’s leaders.

The church has preached against racism while others who claim Christ embrace racist rhetoric and unjust policies.

The church has preached against sinful politicians while others who claim Christ embrace a political power at all costs mentality (republicans and democrats).

This Christian Hypocrisy doesn’t look like Jesus.

And if the world doesn’t see Jesus when they see the Church they won’t believe in Jesus when the Church speaks.

This is actually a common theme in the ministry of Jesus.

Religious Hypocrisy.

And it’s actually one of the things Jesus railed against.

Jesus always had his strongest rebuke for the Religious Hypocrits.

It’s actually the reason that I don’t get bent out of shape or rant against sinners.

Sinners are going to sin.

Offer them hope.

But the Church, the church is supposed to be holy, the church is supposed to be righteous, the church is supposed Christ-like, the church is supposed look different than the world.

I believe we should call the Church to live like the Christ’s Bride.

I’m not going to rant against the other team.

But I am going to call out my team when my team is running dumb plays.

I’m also going to applaud my team when my team gets it right.

And I’m going to warn my team against the strategies of the other side.

And I’m going to encourage my team to follow the playbook they’ve been given, and to live out what is true and right.

That’s what I see in Jesus.

Loving the sinner.

Preaching righteousness.

Calling out hypocrisy.

Encouraging those who want to know and love God.

And in Luke 11 and 12 Jesus confronts these Religious Hypocrits that are pushing folks away from true religion, from true relationship with God, from true understanding of the scriptures.

So… let’s dig in to Jesus words to these religious leaders and lawyers.

Called Out But Not Cancelled

Jesus didn’t cancel people.

But Jesus would call them out.

Look at Luke 11 & 12 with me.

Alright, lets start here.

The Pharisee, the religious hypocrite in the story, actually in much of the Gospels, invites Jesus to his house for dinner.

Jesus goes.

Jesus always goes were he’s invited.

He could have said, I don’t want to be seen with you.

But he didn’t.

He was willing to associate even with those who would seek to kill him.

And this Pharisee is about to be called out for his hypocrisy.

The religious hypocrite is always more concerned with the outside than the inside.

They are always more concerned with appearances than character.

They are always more concerned with power than integrity.

Always more concerned with rules than justice.

Always more concerned with reputation than behavior.

Always more concerned with preservation of self than love of neighbor.

Jesus calls this out.

Called Out For Financial Hypocrisy

Jesus calls out financial hypocrisy.

He says these religious Hypocrits make sure that thier religious reputation is good but neglect the poor and needy.

Some would say that Jesus is rebuking them for tithing.

Jesus is clearly not rebuking them for tithing.

He is rebuking them for thinking that tithing to God while ignoring the poor is pleasing to God.

He specifically tells them that they should tithe.

He also specifically rebukes them for not giving to help those in need.

Religious hypocrisy says tithe so folks see me as religious but don’t concern yourself with the poor and needy.

Jesus says both are required.

Called Out For Prioritizing Social Standing

Jesus calls out Religious Hypocrits for caring about their seat at the synoguge and the standing in the marketplace.