Maybe you are going through this process yourself, or maybe you are asking, what do young people mean when they say they are “deconstructing?” In a simple sense, it means they are questioning things about their faith.

“Questioning your faith,” or questioning how certain people practice the Christian faith, is not new. I would add that this questioning process is entirely normal and necessary. This doesn’t have to mean that you are losing your faith or de-converting. It just means you’re clearing away the rubble to see what’s foundational and immovable. God himself did this very thing. He promised the prophet Isaiah he would sweep away the lie that his people had built their faith on. And then he promised to rebuild them, to “lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation” (Isaiah 28:16).

It’s healthy to have a “coming of age” season where you aren’t relying on what you’ve been told by one pastor, denomination, or your mother. The challenge for this generation is two-fold. First, the post-modern waters we swim in are toxic towards faith and already assume that there are no ultimate truths, only subjective opinions (and therefore, faith is a myth). That’s a big assumption, and it often accuses Christians and churches of being coercive, self-serving, imperialistic, or defensive. Secondly, the anger, resentment, and skepticism of “deconstruction” stories in the echoing hallways of social media make it sound like everyone is walking away or that there’s nothing left to believe in. For that reason, “deconstruction” hasn’t been a helpful, clear, or friendly term. So, moving forward, I want to offer a few caring thoughts to people who are honestly “reevaluating” what they believe.

1. Asking Questions 

As already mentioned, asking questions and searching for serious answers is a good thing. Just make sure you’re going to reputable sources. Do you really think that clicking on twenty YouTube videos is the way to seriously investigate deep philosophical and historical issues about faith or skepticism? There are entire libraries of books and centuries of scholars who have spent a lifetime researching and answering difficult questions you’re only now stumbling over. That brings me to my second point.

2. Asking for Help

Don’t be afraid to ask someone you can trust to help you on this journey. I know this is difficult for the digital generation, which likes the safe distance of watching through a screen. But you need an impresario, a spiritual coach, to walk you through the labyrinth you’ve never been through. It needs to be someone who will respect your journey and not coerce you, someone to whom you can address the sacrilegious questions and not be stoned to death.

 3. What makes you think you need to be sure?

Just because you struggle with certain truth claims or feel uncertain about certain issues doesn’t mean your faith is totally unraveling. Ambiguity, curiosity, and mystery are a part of any philosophic journey. Trust me, there’s no doubt or question you can raise that hasn’t been debated for centuries by very exceptional men and women.

At the end of the day, there are no absolute certainties. The question is, with the total amount of evidence we have, which philosophic system is the most reasonable?

4. Offense

Don’t let offense shut down your faith journey. And believe me, there’s plenty to be offended by. Just because a church or someone who claimed to be a Christian did something hurtful, narrow-minded, or practiced a double standard doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with the message of Jesus, only the messengers. Maybe you need to find a safer church community. Or a different pastor. Or maybe their narrow way of interpreting the scriptures is not helpful or truthful. 

Jesus had scathing remarks for the hypocrites that misrepresented his Father in heaven. He takes that very seriously. But he also warns us not to allow emotional offense to cause us to walk away from the narrow doorway to life. Grace and truth exist together. The Christian community is the first in need of being transformed by the Jesus it preaches. But that doesn’t negate the historical reality of Jesus, his healing reputation, his pure and subversive message, his life-death-empty tomb, and the early conversion of so many skeptical observers.  

5. Some of the Issues

There is a fairly predictable list of issues people struggle with. I still wrestle with some of these myself. That list may include: 1) How we understand the Bible and the claims that it makes. 2) The idea of eternal torment in hell for unbelievers. 3) The “angry God” perspective in which people are sinners deserving God’s wrath. 4) The suffering of innocent people. 5) Bad theology, such as strange “End Times” fetishes. 6) The duplicity in the Church, hypocritical Christians, or the narrow-mindedness of believers. Some people are frustrated at the way churches have handled politics, their church’s interpretations of science, racial issues, etc. Many articles have been written describing the common pillars of deconstruction. I pulled some of these from Keith Giles’ article 6 Pillars of Religious Deconstruction.

My Journey and Conclusions

Even as a pastor, intellectual, and spiritual pilgrim, I still struggle with the depth of some of these issues myself. But I find the congruence of evidence—emotional, ethical, scientific, philosophic, and historical evidence—to lean compellingly in favor of a Christ-centered worldview: A personal world filled with story and meaning that was designed, flawed through human choice, and redeemed through divine compassion. More than intellectual, that is intensely personal and spiritual. “What those in the process of deconstruction want and need,” writes Anglican Rev Dr Jack Gabig, “is an encounter with the Undeconstructible Jesus.”

Jesus didn’t say, “Come, follow me, and I’ll answer all your questions.” Actually, quite often, he spoke in riddles, parables, and provocative ways that stirred up more questions. His approach forces us out of the driver’s seat.

“Will you trust me?” Jesus asks. It’s not a trust without any evidence; it’s a trust without absolute certainty, using the evidence that we have. 

Jesus is still calling to us today, “Come, follow me.” And you might be saying,

“But I have questions.” You can bring them along with you. Follow the one who said, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). The world has never witnessed an ethic lived so completely. 

“Yes, Lord,” we object, “but your followers have done such a splendid job of ruining it.”

“Yes, this is true,” I can hear Jesus saying. Yet, “every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots” (Matthew 15:13). “What about you,” he continues to press, “who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15).

The question hangs in the air. The gravity of it forces us to pause and consider. There are no cheap answers.

“Who is this Jesus?”  I’m still pursuing the answer to that question twenty years later. I’ve literally walked his footsteps in Israel. Studied his philosophy and words. Learned his language. Meditated on his commands. Practiced his hard teachings. Tried to teach his Scriptures to his followers. I still have a lot of questions. But I can also tell you I have never been disappointed.

There is no one more beautiful or truthful that you will ever meet. There is no one more sober or joyful. No one more majestic or earthly. Meek or marvelous. Gentle or confrontive. There is simply no one in history like Jesus! Do I understand him? Not entirely. But my soul is entirely satisfied in him. I trust him. That’s my story, anyway. You have to make that decision for yourself.

A Resource: 

If you’re looking for a readable resource to help you through a season of questioning, the authors John Marriott and Sean McDowell have written Set Adrift for the purpose of “deconstructing what you believe without sinking your faith.” You should consider reading it.

Tags: faith, evidence, doubt, questions, mentor, skepticism, deconstruction, deconstructing, church, offense