What if we can acknowledge with clarity some of the problems of purity culture while also rediscovering and fortifying the foundational Christian teaching about chastity? What if we can remove the rot and uphold the foundations, as a way of standing apart from the world for the good of the world? We need to distinguish what the Bible teaches, by getting out of our culture and looking at the church through history (including the excesses and flaws there) as well as the church around the world (where the question of sexual ethics is a non-negotiable).

On this episode of Reconstructing Faith, join Trevin Wax as he wrestles with the best way to articulate and apply a Christian sexual ethic in our day.

Episode 4: I Kissed Chastity Hello Discussion Guide

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Social media primes us to see our life as a stage, a performing of an identity for our online community. These practices form and encourage negative character traits that lead us away from the kind of wholeness God desires for us. We get lonelier and more isolated, finding online communities that don’t ask much of us, often at the expense of flesh-and-blood neighbors and church members. Social media makes it harder to be a follower of Jesus, to be whole, an integrated person. The water is toxic, and we feel trapped.

On this episode of Reconstructing Faith, join Trevin Wax as he discusses how we can be purifying agents in the toxic waters of social media.

Episode 3: The Water Is Toxic Discussion Guide

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We’ve experienced a wave of terrible revelations about the condition of the church in the past decade. So much has come to light. And like homes that didn’t get the attention they needed after a flood, there’s rot, for sure. There’s mold in the house. Rotting floors. Sin has seeped in, and it’s left a watermark. And even after the floodwaters are gone—after the church split, after the abuser is exposed, after the deconversion—the effects of all that remain. The rot is strong. But thankfully, so is the foundation. On this episode of Reconstructing Faith, join Trevin Wax as he discusses how we can be the generation that roots out the rot to start the process of rebuilding.

Episode 2: Renewing the Church Discussion Guide

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When we see leaders fall by the wayside either because of life or doctrine, the pain cuts in many directions all at once, with a lot of hurt left in the wake. The long-term effect of this kind of failure is a diminishing of the credibility of the church. Will God fail because of human weakness? No. But the church’s failures can become obstacles in the path of those who don’t yet know God or can cause believers to stumble in their faith. The spiritual fallout can be devastating. On this episode of Reconstructing Faith, join Trevin Wax as he tackles a problem that has been decades in the making.

Episode 1: The Church’s Credibility Crisis Discussion Guide

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I’m Trevin Wax. In October, I’m starting a new podcast called Reconstructing Faith that examines the state of the American church’s witness. For years now, we’ve seen the church rocked by sin and scandal and our credibility as Christ’s followers has been diminished. Reconstructing Faith avoids the simplistic knee-jerk reactions you see on social media and instead looks at the church the same way you’d look at your home after a natural disaster, say a flood. We’ll examine the foundations of the church that have stood the test of time, both here in America and around the world. We’ll also examine the rot in the church, the attitudes and practices that have sprung up over the decades like mold. While there’s been a lot of bad news, we’ve got to remember the good news of the gospel and work within the church to restore and rebuild its witness so that people experience the majesty of Jesus. I hope you’ll join me.