“The desperate need today is not for a great number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for deep people.”
~ Richard Foster
In this post, I want to provide a platform for the sentiments of those who have moved “beyond evangelical” and who are part of “the deeper journey.”
Those who have moved “beyond evangelical” are, in fact, evangelicals.
They hold to the core tenets of classic evangelicalism (the authority of the Bible, the importance of the cross, the necessity of conversion, and spiritual activism).
But they’ve gone on to the deeper things of God. Namely, the Eternal Purpose (the gospel of the kingdom), the Indwelling Life of Christ, the Centrality and Supremacy of Christ, and the Practical Expression of the Ekklesia.
And they are neither Right nor Left.
To give you a better idea, countless Christians I’ve met have uttered the following statements in face-to-face conversations, over emails, over coffee at conferences, and on this blog. I’ve compiled them all, editing them slightly for consistency to give you an idea.
Together, they form a collective confession of sorts reflecting the thoughts and feelings of those of us who are on “the deeper journey” and have moved “beyond evangelicalism.”
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*We have grown tired of the media routinely characterizing “evangelicals” as if we were all part of “the Christian Right.”
*We have become weary of Christian progressives deeming themselves to be the “new evangelicals” in reaction to “the Religious Right.”
*We are turned off by the left vs. right posturing and the left vs. right political/theological debates.
*We’ve looked to the right and do not wish to venture there. We’ve looked to the left and do not wish to venture there either. The direction we feel pulling our hearts is above and forward.
*We believe that both the Religious Right and the Religious Left have vital truths to contribute. We also believe that they are both missing vital truths. We believe their focus is mainly “issues” rather than Jesus Christ.
*We want to see the Christian Right and the Christian Left learn from one another as well as learn from those of us who are not part of either stream. We feel that all Christians should be open to learn from one another, for we are all parts of the Body of Christ. None of us has the lock on all truth. Each member of the Body has a portion of the riches of Christ.
*We are sickened that so many evangelical Christians are either legalists or libertines. We want Christ’s lordship and we want His liberty as well. We wish to follow Jesus without being legalistic or libertine.
*We hold to the orthodox teachings of Scripture regarding the Person of Christ, His work on the cross, the inspiration and truth of the Bible, the Triune nature of God (the Godhead), but we are weary of Christians dividing over peripheral doctrines and their own private interpretations of Scripture on non-essentials. We passionately agree with Augustine’s sentiment: “In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things charity.”
*We’ve grown weary of the way that Christians routinely mistreat their fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, being quick to judge their motives, thinking the worst of them, condemning them, slandering them, gossiping about them, etc. We believe that being a Christian means treating others the same way you want to be treated (Matt. 7:12)—the forgotten words of Jesus. With deep remorse, we empathize with the words of Gandhi: “If it weren’t for the Christians, I’d be a Christian.”
*We’ve grown tired of the shallowness that marks so much of evangelical Christianity today. The same sermons, the same principles, the same teachings, etc. We are looking for depth in the Christian life. We know there’s more to Jesus Christ, more to His church, and more to the spiritual life than what’s been promoted in establishment Christianity. There is a cry in our hearts that says, “There’s got to be more than this.”
*We are saddened that the doers, feelers, and thinkers of the body of Christ have separated and isolated themselves from one another instead of learning from each other.
*We’ve grown sick of the entertainment-driven, duty-driven, guilt-driven message that’s laced in most Christian sermons and books today. Human-induced guilt and the conviction of the Holy Spirit are two very different things.
*We are tired of the tendency of some Christians to elevate certain sins that others commit while minimizing or justifying their own sins.
*We’ve grown tired of Christian leaders attacking and competing with one another, instead of networking together and supporting one another.
*We’re weary of the “good ole’ boy system” that’s present in much of establishment Christianity today because it ends up elevating and protecting the status quo and silencing the voices of the prophets.
*We’ve grown sick of Christians saying nasty things about their fellow brethren (whom they don’t know personally) on social media networks. And then justifying it in the name of God.
*We are saddened that so many Christians will believe what they hear about other believers second or third-hand, instead of going to those believers themselves and simply asking them questions in good faith.
*We’ve grown weary of some Christians falsely branding their fellow sisters and brothers in Christ with the words “heretic” and “apostate” when those same believers actually uphold the orthodox creeds of the faith.
*We’ve grown tired of Christians trying to rope us into the liberal vs. conservative battles of the 19th and early 20th centuries.
*We abhor elitism and sectarianism. We are open to all Christians of all stripes, receiving all whom Christ has received (Rom. 15:7).
* We stand for the unity of the Body of Christ. At the same time, we fiercely and passionately stand firm on our convictions regarding the absolute and unvarnished supremacy of Jesus, His indwelling life, God’s timeless purpose, and the church as a Christ-centered community.
*We want the Lord. We want spiritual depth and reality. We want HIM in all of His fullness. Everything else is secondary to us, and often, we find them to be largely a distraction.
If you resonate with any of the above sentiments, then be encouraged: You are not alone.
Listen to this audio for more details on what an evangelical is and what “beyond evangelical” means.
Connect with others who are on the deeper journey, have moved beyond evangelical, and have joined the Insurgence by subscribing to this blog (below). Also check out the new INSURGENCE podcast.
Amen! Thank you Frank.
So grateful. God heard the cry of my heart and directed me here; I’m so encouraged. It’s been wonderful to hear other like-minded followers of Christ. I’ve had such a longing, grateful for internet I’ll take it any way I can get it!!
Amen. God does not have a political agenda. God’s agenda is Jesus Christ.
Amen amen and again I say amen, thank you brother Frank.
I am encouraged by reading this post. It is really nice to know you’re not alone, as much as it may feel like you are. I am struggling in an environment, at home and in my community, that is either spiritually dead or in a spiritual infancy. I am so tired of the same stuff preached at every church, and have been longing for the deeper truths to reveal more and more of Christ for a long time now. I would like to hear any advice or similar experiences others may have had or are having. I feel like I am getting lost in a limbo of knowing where to turn and without the benefit of a loving Church body nearby, I am turning to online help if it is available. I would greatly appreciate any words of wisdom or advice another sister/brother in Christ wants to offer me. Thanks, and blessings to all in His name.
Amen!
I am glad to know that I am not alone, even when it feels like I am.
We could also add “Tired of Christian TV”. So many TV preachers are not preaching Christ, but instead teaching, “You can do it if you just follow these steps” messages.
Yes! it resonates with me. You become an outlier when you stand for righteousness. Well said. Frank.
Amen and amen.
Please also add “We are tired of celebrity Christians – all of them – left, right and center. Celebrity Christian is an oxymoron. We also don’t want people to lead out of the strength of their personalities – we want people who shepherd out of a recognition of Christ’s power operating out of real human experience; the greatest will be the servant of them all. No more pulpit/pew divide!”
All of it. Made me cry. If there are people who agree anywhere in my area, I haven’t met them.
I’m right there with you. In the same boat. Would love to find that true community Christ intended for us to be a part of. Blessings.
Yes, yes, yes, and yes! Totally resonate with many of these. Thanks for compiling them, Frank!
Amen, and thank you for speaking out for “the rest of us.” It’s true I have often felt alone because the voices on the left and right seem to be loud and prolific. Yet when i write on my own blog about unity and the true, loving voice of Jesus, I hear from those who walk this narrow path between those two wide roads. We can only pray those who have a heart for Jesus will step away from the divisiveness back onto the path of love and grace.