Scores of Evangelical Christians are questioning their beliefs, leading to what is commonly called “deconstruction.” Deconstruction is a process used to carefully examine beliefs and practices. Some people who deconstruct stay in their chosen belief system. Changes are made around the edges, belief-wise, but core doctrines remain unchanged. Others leave Evangelicalism, moving on to different sects and beliefs. Many people choose to reject religions, embracing spiritualism instead. And for others, deconstruction leads to a rejection of Christianity altogether. Many of these people become agnostics or atheists.
As more and more Evangelicals deconstruct, preachers take to their pulpits to “explain” why people deconstruct. More often than not, these preachers lie through their teeth as they give reasons for people deconstructing.
Over the weekend, I listened to a number of preachers attempting to explain why people deconstruct and leave their churches. Without exception, these so-called men of God lied about those leaving the faith. These preachers may be ignorant about deconstruction, but facts are but a Google search away. At best, these preachers are lazy. At worst, their objective is to smear the character of former believers, using former Christians as sermon illustrations or using them as a warning sign from God. I have critics who do this very thing by saying my health problems are a warning sign from God. “Look at what happened to Bruce Gerencser,” these preachers say. The problem with this line of stupidity is that my health problems predate my loss of faith. Any time I have a serious problem in my life, Evangelicals will claim that God is judging me for my alleged rebellion against the Almighty. How these Nostradamuses know their pronouncements are true is never stated. When I draw my last breath, you can count on these same critics taking to the Internet and their pulpits to say that I am now burning in Hell, facing the just consequences of having a doubting, questioning mind.
By far, the number one reason Evangelical preachers give for why people deconstruct is that the church has hurt them. While church hurt certainly plays a part in the deconversion process, I don’t know of anyone who says that “hurt” is the sole reason for walking away from Christianity. That said, Evangelical churches are known for shooting the wounded, sometimes causing mortal wounds. Go ahead and cross the preacher or disagree with him and see what happens. Go ahead and do or say something that the church’s power brokers (and every church has them) object to and see what happens. Oh wait, you know what will happen, because you have experienced it. Dare to walk your own path, expressing questions and doubts, and you will find yourself marginalized, ostracized, or excommunicated. Why would people want to remain in churches where they are treated as outsiders?
Another reason preachers use to explain why people deconstruct is that they secretly want to sin. Specifically, those who deconstruct want to commit licentious sexual immorality. Numerous critics of mine say that I left Evangelicalism because I am a closeted gay man. This, of course, is patently untrue. I don’t know of anyone who deconverted solely did so because they wanted to “sin.” Besides, the church has lots of “sinners” in its midst. The Black Collar Crime Series records the criminal behavior of over a thousand preachers — mostly Evangelicals who committed sex crimes. I have yet to read an article or hear a sermon about the problem Evangelicalism has with sexual misconduct. Why not focus on the “sin” within instead of judging, criticizing, and condemning those who are without?
Let me give you one more reason Evangelical preachers give for why people deconstruct. Preachers love to paint those who deconstruct as ignorant, superficial people; people who know very little about the Bible. This, of course, is patently untrue. Most of the people I know who deconverted spent countless hours re-examining their beliefs. What these preachers are most upset about is that the deconversion process exposes the shallowness of their preaching and calls into question what they teach and preach. Worse, it reveals that most Evangelical preachers are unable or unwilling to answer serious, challenging questions about Christianity and the Bible. When no suitable answers are forthcoming, people are told to just faith-it; that in time, God will soothe all doubts and answer all questions. People might have to wait until they die and enter the Pearly Gates, but all questions will one day be answered.
Most people deconvert because Evangelical Christianity no longer makes sense to them. Why are preachers afraid to admit that this is the primary reason people deconvert? To do so would call into question their ministry; their teaching, preaching, and way of life. Instead of serious introspection, preachers blame those who have lost their faith. (Please see The Michael Mock Rule: It Just Doesn’t Make Sense.)
If preachers truly want to know why people deconvert, I suggest that they actually talk to people who deconverted. Rarely does this happen. Most articles about deconversion are opinion pieces that lack any interviews with former Christians. Will preachers do this? Of course not. They have kingdoms and checkbooks to protect. I would love to be invited by local Evangelical churches to come share my journey from Evangelicalism to atheism. Surely, one former Christian’s testimony is no threat to the beliefs of others? Doesn’t the Bible say, “Greater is he that is in us, than he that is in the world?” I am no match for God, yet preachers fear that I will lead people astray if they ever hear from the horse’s mouth why I deconverted. Regardless, most Evangelicals have the Internet, and countless doubting/questioning Christians have contacted me for help. What reason do these people give for contacting me? Their pastors couldn’t or refused to answer their questions, or gave shallow, childish answers that they found unsatisfactory.
I suspect nothing will stem the tide of people deconstructing. It is clear, at least to me, that Evangelical churches/pastors/colleges have no answers for those who are desperately trying to hold on to their faith. Most doubters and questioners don’t want to deconvert, but the more they read and study, the more they realize that Evangelicalism no longer has answers for them. And when answers aren’t forthcoming, people will look elsewhere.
Bruce Gerencser, 68, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 47 years. He and his wife have six grown children and sixteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.
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Some religious groups are cults. Evangelical Christianity is one Luckily for me my parents did not bring me up this way and I never entered it.
Haredim or Ultra-orthodox Jewish groups are the same way.
There is a group of ex-yeshiva students who did not receive adequate education to live and work outside their group who are somehow making the New York government education groups require that these yeshivas provide at least basic education so someone could get a job outside the community, They are also a cult.
I can observe this happening but I do not know how to fix the problem. Humans like to form groups and then use excuses to punish those who leave the group.
Thank you very much for putting this information in your blog and giving me a place to express my frustrations without getting in to trouble family members who are tired of my observations and just want me to shut up,
Yeah, I totally left Christianity because I didn’t learn anything about the Bible in 20+ years of being raised in fundamentalist evangelicalism and 8 years of fundamentalist Christian school; i just wanted to sin and was “church-hurt” ((sarcasm)).
My journey has been happening as long as I can remember. As a child, there were so many things that just DID NOT MAKE SENSE. Granted, I can be a literal thinker, but I am extremely curious, and my brain naturally examines issues from a variety of angles. Rarely am I satisfied with a single, dogmatic statement. Nope, I need multiple pieces of evidence to examine. I think you can see why my brain has never been a good fit for fundamentalist Christianity.
I don’t expect Christians to understand deconstruction to agnostic atheism, though I know a number of Christians who have deconstructed from fundamentalism to a kinder, gentler Christianity. That was a step on my own journey as well, and it was a good place until my brain took off into examining evidence again.
Everyone has their own journey. Those of us who have deconstructed to agnostic atheism, though, are the ones who understand what it’s like to be at different points in the process. Those still in can’t possibly grasp where we are. And many still in are terrified to talk with us in detail. It’s easier and safer for their faith to stay in their bubble.
Yeah, I totally left fundamentalist Christianity because I never learned anything about the Bible in 20+ years in evangelicalism and 8 years in fundamentalist Christian school, just wanted to sin sin sin, and was church-hurt ((sarcasm)).
Deconstruction was a long journey fir me that lasted for decades. It started in childhood because I had so many unanswered questions about things that didn’t add up. My brain naturally examines concepts from many angles, requiring many pieces of evidence and much study. Rarely are dogmatic statements appealing or sufficient for how my brain works.
As someone who has been a fundamentalist Christian to someone seeking a kinder, gentler, more science-friendly Christian, to someone who ignored religion and spirituality for years, to someone devouring books, articles, podcasts, etc, on the history, archaeology, sociology, and psychology of religion in general, Christianity in particular, fundamentalism, politics, etc, I can say I’ve been in many parts of the deconstruction process. It simply isn’t possible for those who haven’t been through it to understand the journey from fundamentalism to agnostic atheism. It’s easier and safer to stay away from people who deconstruct because we will introduce “dangerous” ideas anathema to fundamentalism or even to kinder, gentler Christianity. I understand why they point to the “reasons”. Deconstruction is painful and frankly, a lot of work.
I’m not too surprised to hear that preachers are addressing ” jumping ship” and trying to stem the hemorrhage of congregants from all their churches. And yes, church/ abusive parents DO have a role in people deciding to leave. Leaving cuts into the tithes and offerings,so sure they’ll come out thundering against people who are thinking of getting out of a church, and going solo. Many people are ” nones” meaning they keep the faith, but are simply done with churches in America, and their craziness. Most churches really ARE crazy environments so be in. Given the Puritans and Pilgrims, their way of instituting belief as they require it, there poison began there. When you read accounts of children who are or were abused by ” Christian” parents, you see the pattern emerge that’s been in place since the 1600’s here in the States. Either ones is absorbed and brainwashed totally, or they are aware of the harm done to them for years, and they take a hike. Lots of C- PTSD out there. The tyranny and arrogance of most of these church leaders is astounding! Look at that a-hole Robert Morris,of Gateway Church in Texas- after being removed from that church for grooming and messing with a 12 year old girl, and getting busted for it, he’s NOW demanding the church support him for life, with a stipend of $500K- $800K annually,and a payout of $1 million dollars to start,on top of it! He’s actually suing Gateway in court. A totally unrepentant 💩, this guy ! Is it any wonder people are quitting church??
I didn’t become a full on, drinking the Kool-Aid, Bible school attending kind of evangelical Christian until I was in my 20’s. I was that way until around 2017 or so. Give or take a little time. Around 25 years of hard-core Christianity. I got “saved” when I was 12, so about 37 years total as a Christian. Overall, I really enjoyed my time in church and as a Christian. I met my wife during this time (we’ve been married over 30 years) and made some good friends. I still play trumpet to this day because I was able to keep it up in various churches. Sure, there was some hurt and disappointment as far as how we were treated when we didn’t do what the leaders wanted us to do, but none of that turned me away from my faith. I did start to have questions based on what I saw in the Bible, and in an effort to find answers to those questions, I eventually decided I didn’t believe any of that shit anymore. I’m still a pretty closeted agnostic atheist with only a couple friends knowing the extent of my deconstruction. But I didn’t leave because of any hurts, or because I wanted to sin more. I did plenty of “sinning” when I was a Christian. Hell, I probably do less “sinning” now! I wouldn’t consider myself a Bible scholar, but it sure wasn’t a lack of knowledge regarding the Bible that sunk my beliefs. Like many, it happened over time as I allowed myself to see the world as it is, used common sense, and let the Bible turn me into an atheist. I never listened to or read any material by an atheist until after I left the faith. So I can’t even blame someone else for my apostasy. I’ve also heard preachers talk about how deconstruction is “hip” right now so people are jumping on that. For me, there was nothing hip about it. If I came out fully to friends and family about my atheism, I could lose my marriage and the relationships of many friends and other family members. I’m not ready for those conversations yet. Early in my deconstruction, I thought I might be losing my mind. It was tough! I talked to god often about what I started seeing and begged him to show me that I was wrong. Nothing. The foundation of my life crumbled under me and I had to learn how to deal with that. It was really, really hard at times. Nothing hip about it. For the most part, now I’m settled now and feel much more free than I ever did as a Christian.
As far as why more and more preachers are addressing the issue of deconstruction, I think Yulya said much of what I would say above in this comment section. Basically, people leaving the church is bad for business. Which is ok with me.
It sounds like those preachers use “deconstruction” in a similar way to how Trump and his cultists used “critical race theory” and are now using “DEI.” They–the preachers and MAGAts–completely misrepresent the terms to render them as bogeymen.
Deconstruction is HORRIBLE while you’re going through it, and by far the most difficult thing I’ve ever done. I sobbed for months. But when you finally give yourself permission to ask questions, research, and examine every little thing, it open a whole new world. I’ve never had an Evangelical ask me why I did it—or ask anything actually. I think the answer scares them.
I’m forever grateful to Bruce for recommending Bart Ehrman. His books have been very instrumental in alleviating my nagging fears that I’m a reprobate who rejected God and headed straight for hell. Telling children such things amounts to child abuse in my book.