A Major Part of The Movement
Over the course of this year, I have continually written about the deconstruction movement by detailing the overall dangers and concerns I see present within what it is seeking to advance. A particular aspect of this movement that I have yet to address is the concept of coaches and guides who seek to “aid” individuals as they go through the process of deconstruction. One such individual is Crystal Cheatham who started “Our Bible App” and was the subject of an article by Religion News Service. The article details the basics of her story and background:
“When Crystal Cheatham, a Black woman who grew up in a Seventh-day Adventist church she described as fundamentalist, came out as a lesbian, her church didn’t accept it. That rejection led to a rejection of her own — a shunning of what she calls the “toxic theology” of her past. But Cheatham wasn’t interested in abandoning Christianity wholesale. She believed it was possible to distinguish the corruption from the core truths.”1
We see here, that to say the least, Cheatham is most certainly not a theological conservative. She clearly went wholesale with the LGBTQ revolution in her life. There are two particular words that she uses to describe her work which I want to zero in upon. They are “decolonize” and “deconstruct” which she asserts are two of her goals in her project. Now, what might having this objective lead her and her organization to teach theologically? The answer to that question comes on the website for “Our Bible App” which says:
“Through highlighting devotionals that are pro-LGBTQ+, pro-feminism, and encouraging of interfaith inclusivity — we hope to provide a tool that is needed to create healthy spiritual habits.”2
Again, we see a clear tie between progressive leftist ideology and an individual leading in the deconstruction movement. To be frank, that comes as no surprise. However, as it pertains to thinking about Cheatham’s goals of trying to “decolonize” and “deconstruct” we can be reassured she is not operating on the basis of Scripture as her foundation. Anyone outright and knowingly promoting the LGBTQ movement is so far away from the Word of God that they are very clearly not operating on it as their foundation. Anything in Christian beliefs that does not accord with progressive ideology must be dismantled. Essentially, Christianity must be obliterated a new religion must rise from the ashes. They may not state their goal so starkly, but it is their objective nonetheless. What we see is this individual is trying to “coach” others through the deconstruction process. In other words, she is a false teacher trying to lead others astray.
Biblical Counsel For Spiritual Guidance
I have dealt with individuals promoting the ideas that Cheatham and other leftists espouse on multiple occasions. In this post, I want to address something more foundational, I want to try to answer the question, why is there a market for deconstruction coaches as supposed “spiritual advisors” to begin with? I believe there are two primary reasons for this phenomenon. First, it is a breakdown of understanding of the nature and place of the local church. The foundational role of the pastor is to teach the truth (1 Timothy 3:2). He is to preach the Word of God resting on it as his sufficient authority (2 Timothy 3:16-4:2). Yet, he is also to rebuke those who contradict sound doctrine and teach as is evidenced by the reality that Timothy was left in Ephesus by Paul to rebuke falsehood (1 Timothy 1:3). All of this brings us to an important point, if an individual in the church is struggling with questions, theological doubt, and doctrinal confusion, who should they go to? Obviously, they should be able to seek wise counsel from their pastor. Family and other mentors would clearly be a route the person should go to as well. But, my point is that the local church should be a source of knowledge and wisdom for the person, and particularly the pastor should be leading in this as an elder over the flock. Yet, in the deconstruction movement, we see individuals going to the lost world for advice. This reality shows a lack of spiritual understanding as to the fact true knowledge is found in God’s Word, not the world.
However, there is another issue that I firmly believe would drive someone to go to a deconstruction coach, and it is if they did not like the advice the mentors, family, and pastors in their life gave them. No doubt, a pastor or any individual can err in their theology and beliefs. So, do not accept something merely because anyone, whether they are a pastor or not, says it. We must test all things by the authority of Scripture. Yet, nonetheless, if a person gets biblical counsel from their pastor, but rejects it because it was not what they wanted to hear, then it is conceivable they would go to a deconstruction coach in order to receive “education” in the doctrines of progressivism. In fact, the story of Cheatham illustrates this reality because when the “church” didn’t accept her LGBTQ beliefs, then she walked out the door. Individuals taking actions of this kind need repentance. They need to understand they are acting with a hard heart towards the truth of the God who is their judge.
Let’s Return To Scripture and The Local Church
What is my counsel and conclusion as a result of considering all these things? Friends, I pray that we shall come back to Scripture as our ultimate authority holding tightly to the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us renew our desire to fellowship in the local church with believers. May we hold one another accountable to the standard of God’s Word instead of running straight into the towering pole that is progressive wokeism. You do not need a deconstruction coach to know truth. Dear reader, you do not need to go to this group for spiritual advice. Instead, open your Bible and learn by reading divine truth. And, go fellowship in the local church with those whose lives have been changed by the risen Lord. Push one another to more faithfulness to Christ. Have deep conversations and continue to walk with each other day-by-day as all of us as believers seek to honor the Lord more. It is a lie that we need a deconstruction coach, what we need is the Gospel, the Word, Christ, and the fellowship of the church united around the Lord!
Sources
1 https://religionnews.com/2022/05/12/deconstructing-theres-a-coach-for-that/
2 https://www.ourbibleapp.com/mission
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