Most often, when people hear that we stopped attending church, they assume they know the reasons we left. I assume they hear these accusations from their leadership. They have some consistency, even though they most often miss the mark entirely. They assume:
In this episode, Karl and Laura Forehand discuss the troubling aspects of their experiences from their 20 years in Evangelical Christian Ministry. The churches flourished until they didn’t, and the same patterns of behavior seem to even survive love, dedication, and grace. Try not to label this as “bashing” the church or an organization. This episode is about truth-telling and our actual experiences, which are often painful to relive.
A decade ago we set out on a journey to get better, and it worked. Listeners may be able to stay, but we had to go in search of wisdom and peace.
Are you serious about deconstruction and asking bigger questions?
If that’s the case, this book was created for you. As a former pastor, I made the mistake of deconstructing a bit and then trying to start something new, as I was trained to do. The problem with that approach is that I wasn’t ready to begin something new.
I hadn’t delved deeply enough or asked enough questions. The first stage of deconstruction typically includes assessing our beliefs regarding hell and the afterlife, supporting queer individuals and women in their fight for equality, and achieving a better understanding of racism and privilege.
Many people in deconstruction communities expend significant effort criticizing Evangelicals and attempting to gain a following. While I believe they deserve intense criticism, this strategy fails to effectively tackle the problem because they generally don’t listen to us!
Our tendency to punish our former organizations sometimes overlooks the challenging process of healing and growth. It is the same trap we fell into in our former associations.
Campfires occupy a special spot in the mosaic of history. They act as communal hubs across different cultures and faiths. The campfire’s circular design fosters equal participation within the collective group. The flames at the center draw our focus and encourage face-to-face interactions as we exchange experiences, wisdom, and insights about the world beyond. It is where legendary myths and tales are born.
Order Now – Study Questions in each chapter!
This book is named Campfires in the Desert as it stems from nearly 400 discussions we held with individuals on our podcast, The Desert Sanctuary, and our aspiration to improve.
Thanks for considering us, autographed copies are $20
