Jason Boyett at “Oh Me of Little Faith” has posted my “conversion” story on his blog today, which is not not about how I became a Christian, but about how I left the pastorate and ended up where I am now at. It’s kind of more of a deConversion story. I haven’t ever shared too much of this story on this blog, since much of it is still painful and… even a little embarrassing (I’m not sure why).
Anyway, go on over there and read the post. Here is an excerpt:
Through a series of events described below, I left my Christian job, abandoned my goals of pastoring a church, and rejected several aspects of my Christian beliefs and practices. I didn’t convert to another religion; I just left what many think of as Christianity. But for me, leaving Christianity is what allowed me to better follow Jesus.
Jeremy,
Thank you for sharing this. It really was an encouragement to me.
FedEx,
President,
Men of Praise Motorcycle Ministry
Jeremy, thanks for your story which I just read on Jason Boyett’s blog. My story matches yours at some points.
I was a pastor, thoroughly devoted to building the church. I was determined to do so the biblical way and so i studied the Bible and prayed intensely to achieve this goal. In the process, I learned that the Bible does not want us to build churches today. We live in the day of the Lord, the kingdom of God. The reason there’s so little guidance in the New Testament about how to build a church (and the reason church builders today have to rely on business and sociological principles) is that God intended the church to be a one generation phenomenon. After that? The kingdom of God.
The kingdom of God is being ruled by Jesus. Going to church has nothing to do with it. I’ve also learned that everyone is going to heaven. This doesn’t mean however that we should not fear God. On the contrary, hell is a reality in this life. We are judged for our sins both here and in the hereafter. God is gracious, but He is also just.
In short, Jesus is the way. Or as Andrae Crouch used to put it so, so well: “Jesus is the answer for the world today, above Him there’s no other, Jesus is teh way!”
Hmm. That’s an interesting view on the church and the kingdom of God. I have never heard it before. I definitely agree that living in the kingdom of God is living under the rule and reign of Jesus in our lives. That is an idea that has changed my outlook on a lot of things, including how I read the Bible. Thanks for the comment. I will check out your blog soon.
Hi Jeremy,
Thanks for stopping by my blog today. As I commented over at Jason Boyett’s site, your article really struck a chord with me. Afterwards I went back and read your Dec. 19, 2007 post “The Heretic in Me”. I’ve had to re-evaluate what I believe about every single one of the things on your list of “leaning towers”. I can’t believe you were asked to resign over such non-essentials. It must be hard not to be a little jaded. But of course at some point one has to move past it and ask, “Where to from here?” Glad to walk that journey with you.
Chris,
I was jaded for quite a while. No super-saint here! But you’re right. At some point, you have ask, “Ok, What now?” Looking back, it was one of the best things that could have happened to me.
Haven’t read your story yet.would like to share ours with u and your wife sumtime.read a bit here on your blog and already I’m like,that’s so my husband and I at the moment!in my opinion you are one of the few people who I can actually relate to as a follower of christ.hopefully more people will become real about where they are at, going beyond the bullshit that is fed to us that has nothing to do with following Jesus.thanx for listening.
Mandy,
I appreciate your interaction here as well. Too bad we live on opposite ends of the world…
I would love to hear the story of you and your husband also. I’m not sure how though. I suppose you could always email it me … jmyers AT tillhecomes.org.
Thanks Jeremy for sharing your journey.
I see a parallel with your story (and mine) with Paul’s deConversion story:
Phil 3:4-11 (NIV) “though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.”
Good religious guys, fit in well with the religious folks.
Paul Continues:
“But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.”
Wow. I never thought of Paul as having a deconversion story, but you’re right. He did. Thanks for pointing that out.
You are brave and a encouragement to all of us who want to keep following messiah after we hav realised just how broken,flawed and fragile we really are.big Cape Tonian hug to you and your family
Big hug to you in return.