More people than ever are…
at a place of confusion, struggling with doubts and questions….
at a place of transition, change, new direction…
at a place of questioning…
at a place of waiting…
at a crossroads of faith…
I know what it feels like to doubt. I’ve stood at the crossroads of faith and doubt, and chose the path away from God. But, I also know that God didn’t walk away from me. When I was at my lowest point, I found God right there beside me.
Teresa MacBain made headlines as the former pastor-turned prominent atheist then returned to a life of faith. After serving in ministry for most of her adult life, Teresa walked away from her faith and came out publicly as a non-believer. Having walked the path from losing faith to atheism and back, Teresa shares her story with churches and other organizations that want to create safe spaces for seekers and skeptics. She works to promote compassion, understanding, while encouraging organizations to provide safety, support, and community to those who feel alone in their struggle.
During one of the most difficult periods of her life, she began working to strip away the last pieces of her childhood indoctrination. As she peeled away the layers of fundamentalism, she discovered something unexpected: FAITH. Not the closed-minded, judgmental belief she was raised to believe, but an inclusive, compassionate, and accepting, faith.
Currently, Teresa is web designer and freelance videographer.
Teresa shares how she walked away from her faith, lived as a prominent atheist, and then rediscovered God.
“I know what it feels like to doubt. I’ve stood at the crossroads of faith and doubt, and chose the path away from God. My hope is that my experiences will raise awareness within religious communities regarding the difficult path of those who struggle with their beliefs walk.”
*By Jonathan Merritt In 2010, Barna Group released a poll indicating that 4 out of 10 non-church Americans claim they do not attend due to negative experiences with churches or congregants. Seven years later, I doubt the numbers have improved. Countless Americans have been hurt by a church’s negative teachings, oppressive policies, immoral leaders, rigid expectations and misbehaving …
Continue reading “Hurt by the Church? It’s Time to Talk About It.”
We must not stop doing the necessary and much needed work of charity, but we also must not stop there. We must push on, risking ourselves, risking ridicule, risking our places of privilege, and reclaim the biblical and prophetic voice of justice. We must stand in the footsteps of the likes of Dr. King, Dorothea Day, and Gandhi for without justice, charity falls short.
Because, you see, charity and justice? They are a matched set. It is time to let justice roll.
The church has an opportunity to really make a difference in our lives but sadly, that isn’t happening. It’s not an easy task, but I believe it is what Jesus would do. Many times churches invest all their energy and time on evangelism, which is important, but fail to see the hurting people right in front of them. A lot of churches begin the new year with fasting and prayer. They’re asking God to give them direction and vision for the future. Maybe it’s already there just waiting for you to open your eyes and do something. Maybe you’re on the verge of walking past the Wounded Warrior as you travel the road to Jericho. Maybe it’s time to take the parable of the Good Samaritan seriously…
