Many Christians know someone who used to claim to believe in Christ but no longer identifies as a Christian.

Struggling with one’s faith is not new to our generation. The Apostle Paul warned that some would depart from the faith (1 Timothy 4:1) and encouraged Timothy to continue in the things he had learned (2 Timothy 3:14). Here at WCBC, we are dedicated to helping students develop a Christian worldview to which they might “hold fast” and “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (2 Timothy 1:13, Jude 3). Yet, Satan is always working to tear down truth and plant doubt.

Current trends of “deconstruction” have caused understandable alarm. Some people approach this topic optimistically and hope to end up with a version of Christianity that is more biblical than before. Regrettably, this journey often ends in a complete loss of faith.

If deconstructing one’s faith simply meant correcting errors, it would be something to celebrate. And some people do use the term deconstruction in this sense. If the purpose of dismantling wrong ideas was to build more firmly on the foundations of Scripture, that would be a good thing.

But the current deconstruction movement is not so much an examining of beliefs to understand which ones are truly biblical as it is a dismantling of beliefs to decide which are acceptable. Former pastor David Hayward teaches that “finding and expressing your spiritual independence” is the most important factor in deconstruction. It is telling that some people would argue that a person hasn’t deconstructed if they end up as a Christian.

For example, author Alisa Childers tells about a season when she struggled deeply with her faith. When she described her faith crisis as “deconstruction,” however, she was consistently corrected. She found that “many in the deconstruction spaces don’t think an experience can be rightly called deconstruction if the one claiming to have deconstructed remains a historical Christian.”

Because many people believe deconstruction always results in leaving the faith, it is unwise for Christians to encourage people to deconstruct.

Understanding the Movement

We may never know the full range of motives for deconstruction. Some people deconstruct because they have never been grounded in the faith. Some deconstruct to justify a chosen sinful path. Some struggle because they view Christianity as toxic, harmful, or oppressive. Modern culture may not always claim that Christianity is untrue, but it constantly casts doubt on whether Christianity is good. Of course, some Christians have sinned and hurt the name of Christ. But, as many have observed, when someone plays Beethoven poorly, we don’t blame Beethoven.

Secularism has formed a foundation for the deconstruction movement by removing God and the Bible as the standard for right, wrong, and happiness. This results in each person believing that objective truth doesn’t exist and that they are left with the task of creating their own personal happiness.

Secularist thinking is often transmitted through education systems, social media, and friends. Social contagion is a significant element for deconstruction. We would do well to remember Paul’s warning to the Corinthian Christians in reference to those who denied the resurrection, “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners” (1 Corinthians 15:33). Harmful ideals and harmful associations can generally be found together.

Preparing to Help

If you know someone who is deconstructing, God may have placed you in their life so you can step in to help. Having a crisis of faith is a scary experience for many people and not one that most feel they would have chosen. As someone who has personally had real encounters with doubt, I have found that the Christian faith thrives under a thorough investigation.

What Can You Do to Help?

1. Build your confidence in the truth of Christianity.
   Someone struggling with their faith needs people in their life who are knowledgeable and confident about what they believe. They may feel they have been told what to believe, but not why to believe it. First Peter 3:15 applies to all of us: “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.”
2. Recognize that every person will make their own choice.
   Ultimately, each of us is responsible before God for our decisions. Not all of Jesus’ disciples or early followers in the church remained faithful. “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.” (1 John 2:19). We are responsible for our own response to the gospel, but no one else’s.
3. Embrace a clear hierarchy of belief.
   There are some areas of the Christian life that are matters of conscience. (See Romans 14:5–6.) Other truths are clearly taught in the Bible, but one may be wrong and still saved. (Consider premillennialism, Revelation 20:2.) Some doctrines are so foundational that one must affirm them in order to be a believer in Christ. (The bodily resurrection of Christ is one example, 1 Corinthians 15:3, 16–17.) Give your most vigorous defense for that which is most central to our faith, but don’t split hairs over matters of conscience. Someone who is struggling with a belief in the deity of Christ doesn’t need to be convinced whether or not the Bible teaches one should dress up for church.

Addressing the Individual

How should you interact with a friend or loved one who is deconstructing?

1. Pray.
   Christians love and support one another. One of the greatest ways that we can do that is through intercessory prayer. Whether someone is simply struggling with doubt or completely deconstructing, pray for them. James 5:16 promises, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”
2. Keep the relationship alive as long as possible.
   When someone is deconstructing, they may view their relationships with Christians as suspect or harmful. Far too often, a grandparent has been kept from seeing his grandchildren or siblings have walked out of each other’s lives due to distrust over the faith. Don’t view every encounter as an opportunity to change their mind. Simply seek to remain in their lives so that you can be a good influence down the road.
3. Live out a rich, joyful Christian testimony.
   When we love unconditionally, prefer others above ourselves, live righteously, and generally display the fruit of the Spirit, those who are wrestling with doubt can have genuine hope for the joy that is a central aspect of the Christian life.
4. Listen and correct misunderstandings when possible.
   It is common for people who say they are deconstructing to completely reframe past experiences or beliefs. This is especially true around areas where theology is at friction with our current culture, such as the Bible’s teaching on hell or sexuality. Alisa Childers correctly noted, “There are a lot of claims that are made about Christian theology that are not true.” We can celebrate when someone rejects unbiblical theology, but be ready to correct the narrative if it departs from what Christians really believe.
5. If the person struggling with deconstruction is a minor, stop sources of harmful influence.
   This will likely include restricting internet access and social media. Social media use among children and adolescents has risen at an alarming rate with concerning results. There are individuals and entire communities that seek to draw young people away from the faith, often without the parents’ knowledge.
6. Be ready to provide the case for Christianity.
   It is not enough for Christian leaders to know that Christianity is true; we must be able to show that it is true. Do not underestimate the power of apologetics. The fact is that no worldview can come close to Christianity when it comes to explaining the origin of the universe, creation of life, and existence of objective morality. And there is no religion or system of belief (including secularism) that can come close to Christianity when it comes to the reality of a personal relationship with a God who loves us, lives in us, and transforms us from the inside out.

Conclusion

The process of deconstruction is scary and lonely. This is not only true for the person going through it, but also for those who love them. Our passion should match that of the Apostle John who, after giving a thorough account of Jesus’ life and ministry, concluded by saying, “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:31). May the same be our passion and prayer.