Deconstruction
October 15, 2023 - November 5, 2023
No one just wakes up one day and decides to walk away from Jesus on a whim—there’s a process leading up to deconversion. This process of questioning and picking apart fundamental Christian beliefs is known as deconstruction. Yes, it’s true that deconstruction leads some to walk away from their faith, but in this 4-week series we’ll see how deconstruction can also lead to a deeper, stronger, more biblically rooted faith.
Is It OK To Doubt? | Chase Gardner
Oct. 15, 2023—Doubt is natural. We all question our faith at one time or another—but then what? Most of us need to take time to think hard, research, and go deep into God’s word to figure out what parts of our faith can and should be thrown away and what parts need to be added. In week 1 of the series, Chase Gardner teaches that the best way to handle a crisis of faith is not just to deconstruct, but to reconstruct on the foundation of Jesus.
Did God Really Say...? | Chase Gardner
Oct. 22, 2023—The Bible is one of the first things people begin to doubt in the process of deconstruction. Did God really say…? Are certain parts of the Bible more true than others? Is it a God-breathed, God-inspired story or humanity’s best attempt at explaining God? Some even ask what Jesus thought or said about the Bible. In week 2, Chase Gardner helps tackle these questions and more.
Is There Only One Way? | Chase Gardner
Oct. 29, 2023—There’s something about the exclusive claims of Jesus—“I am THE way, THE truth, and THE life…”—that gets under people’s skin. For those of us who get hung up on the exclusivity of the Christian faith, Chase Gardner spends week 3 pointing to the radical inclusivity we may have overlooked.
Why Did Jesus Have to Die? | Léonce Crump
Nov. 5, 2023—We all have questions about God and the Bible, but beneath all of them lies one crucial tension: Why did Jesus have to die? Once we have the answer, all the other doubts cease to be hurdles between us and Jesus. In the fourth and final week of Deconstruction, Léonce Crump (Senior Pastor of Renovation Church) tackles this fundamental question.
Message Resources
Wipe the Slate Clean by Autumn Ward
For Parents
For Teenagers and Older Kids
- Can I Ask That?: 8 Hard Questions about God and Faith– Student Guide / Leader Guide (for parents/mentors)
- Can I Ask That Volume 2: More Hard Questions About God & Faith – Student Guide / Leader Guide (for parents/mentors)
- 10 Questions Every Teen Should Ask (and Answer) about Christianity
- How We Read the Bible: 8 Ways to Engage the Bible with Our Students
For Kids of All Ages
Books
“Another Gospel” Alisa Childers
“Can We Still Believe the Bible” Craig Blomberg
“Evidence That Demands a Verdict” Josh and Sean McDowell
Sermons
“Is the Bible Reliable” Asking for a Friend, Week 1
Online Resources
Books
“Simply Jesus” N. T. Wright