There are certain questions we're not allowed to ask in church. Forbidden issues. We're either ignored upfront or shut down with programmed responses.
What about: Porn addiction? Homosexuality? Self-harm and cutting? Sex before marriage? Suicidal thoughts? The evil in the world? And long dry seasons of doubt?
Over the last seven years as a pastor, blogger, and professional rambler, I've been asked thousands of questions through my blog from secretly hurting people who could no longer endure the pat, simplistic formulas found in church. Over and over, my heart was broken for such wonderful, struggling, fellow travelers. Now the toughest most viral questions have been organized into one place.
From sex, dating, sexuality, doubts, depression, pornography, abortion, apologetics, to family drama, these were questions that we've always wanted to ask in church, but were too afraid to stir the status quo. These are real stories. These are real people with real questions, about the raw, messy, gritty, uphill journey we call faith. For those looking for a safe, gracious space, for those looking for authenticity and honesty: this is what the church won't talk about.
This is a collection of the most viral questions I've received through my Q&A blog, about taboo subjects that we don't want to ask about in church.
Whether you're absolutely skeptical of faith or you've been attending church for years, this is a journey of the questions we've always wanted to ask.
It's also a critique and call for the church culture to examine itself with a more thoughtful, nuanced, self-aware honesty.