You may have heard of people “deconstructing” their Christian faith and wondered what it was. Perhaps a son or daughter, or a grandchild has announced that they are deconstructing their faith or have already done it. What does that mean?

Essentially, “deconstruction” in the context of one’s faith means that they are re-examining all the various elements of their faith, all of their previously held beliefs, and eliminating those they no longer want to hold and affirming some new ones. Practically speaking, it means that they are leaving the historic faith. Most of the people I have known who “deconstructed” their faith have done so because the culture has influenced them to question their trust in the Bible. They question whether Jesus Christ is truly the only way to salvation, and whether the Bible is the authoritative Word of God. They question whether biblical sexual ethics are still relevant. Essentially, they transition from an orthodox, traditional Christian faith to a more progressive one, or they abandon the Christian faith entirely.

The motivating factor in many of those who “deconstruct” their faith is the Bible’s teachings on homosexuality and other modern issues. Deconstructionists frequently bend to the cultural standards out of peer pressure and other factors. Very often this is because either they didn’t have solid biblical teaching in their discipleship programs, or they stopped participating in their church and/or small groups. Just as an ember removed from a fire dies out, so does a person’s faith if it is removed from the fellowship of other believers and the solid teaching of the Bible.

So what is to be done?

First of all, we must redouble our commitment to teaching the Bible and orthodox Christian doctrine. Beyond that, we must pray for those who are struggling in their faith. If your child or grandchild, niece or nephew, or anyone else you know is struggling, connect with them and walk along side of them. And pray. Don’t preach at them, pray for them and let them see your life as it relates to God. Speak of any questions you have. Sometimes, people deconstruct their faith because they were not allowed to question anything about their beliefs. God is a big God; He is able to take our doubts and our questions! Be open to the questions and doubts of others, and respond to them with love and faith. Let your faith (and how you live your life before God) guide them to RE-construct their faith in Jesus Christ.

And let me know if I can be of any help to you.

Blessings,