4 Common Christian Practices To Unlearn

There are some common Christian practices that would be wise to unlearn.

I understand. I’ve been there. I’m guilty.

My intentions are to give people help and hope in response to their questions or doubts about God. I feel it’s important to have a reasonable answer for every question about the faith. It’s what Christians should do, right?

We like to connect the dots towards an explanation. But God doesn’t fit into a box or even a systematic theology. And some events or experiences have no simple or even complex answers. In the mystery of faith, a pat answer or even an informed answer can diminish everything real faith in God is all about.

The purpose of Christianity is not to be dogmatic about every aspect of God’s character, ways and purposes. I’ll share what the purpose is at the end of this post.

In 2025, there are four things we would be wise to unlearn.

1. Claiming that unexplainable things are in fact explainable.

God is transcendent and beyond even the shadowy wisps of imagination in our finite minds.

The Trinity, for instance, is not as simple as a metaphor of water (ice, water, steam) or an egg (shell, white, yoke).

Sometimes I think we would be better off if we just said, “These ideas are so beyond me that if God did reveal them to me, I am pretty sure my brain would explode.”

2. Not acknowledging our doubts within the drama of faith.

When another person challenges us with a difficult theological/philosophical issue, sometimes it is best to just admit that those questions are very challenging and even emotionally taxing on the soul. (I think people like to know that our faith is so important to us that it does impact our soul in both encouraging and difficult ways.)

Difficult questions for me include:
“What is the destiny of people with no access to the true and loving message of Christ’s gospel?”
“Where did evil come from?”
“Why did God put this whole human story into motion when it has caused so much pain?”

3. Claiming we are more confident than we really are.

The culture of pretending within Christianity seems almost at an epidemic level.

Many feel the need to hide their doubts and questions. They feel compelled to act like our faith life is totally satisfying, when in fact it can feel limited, dry, cold or numb.

I think we also believe that our “witness” will be less powerful if we reveal a less than “perfect” religious experience. The funny thing is that the opposite is true. Non-Christians are often drawn to stories of an authentic and even struggling faith.

That is borne out in leadership experiences. It’s my failures and struggles in ministry that most resonate with other leaders. Of course, successful leadership is necessary but only sharing the end result and not the journey of setbacks and mistakes makes success feel less attainable.

4. Claiming we understand other beliefs, faiths and world views.

It would be profitable to unlearn saying things like, “I understand atheists,” or, “I know what a Muslim thinks/believes.”

Do you want someone saying that they understand your faith experience because they once lived in a Greek Orthodox neighbourhood? Do you think a Muslim would accurately understand your beliefs because they read a book about Christianity (particularly one written by Muslim scholars)?

Belief systems are extremely diverse (in Christianity there are hundreds of Protestant denominations alone, before we even talk about Orthodox, Coptic, Armenian, Syrian, Palestinian, just to scratch the surface).

Other religions are just as diverse. Further more, faith experience can be as specific as a neighbourhood, family or individual.

Choosing to unlearn these practices may be the best thing you can start this year.

Purposeful

The purpose of Christianity is to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom God has sent. (John 17:3)

I believe that God loves His creation, sent his Son, Jesus, as Saviour, and raised Jesus from the dead after his sacrificial death in our place. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God, Lord, Saviour, and King. My purpose is to glorify God by living and speaking as a witness of the Resurrection and the grace of God.

I quite like Philip Yancey’s summary of Christian belief:

1. This is our Father’s world.
2. As an expression of love for the world, God entered its history (the Incarnation) and gave the Son’s life as a sacrifice for its redemption (the Atonement).
3. Through the power of the Spirit, followers of Jesus advance God’s kingdom in the world.

What do you think? Please join the conversation and post a comment below.

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