Onward Christian Soldiers : One Pastor's Journey from Fundamentalism to Discipleship

You’ve probably heard someone say, “I go to a Bible believing church.” The implication is pretty clear: if you go somewhere else you’re attending a “Bible doubting” church. Some fundamentalist and evangelical pastors actually say just that from their pulpits. It’s branding genius! It’s also dismissive of most of Christianity. In this book I hope to reclaim words like “moderate” and “progressive” as a style of spirituality that actually reflects Jesus’ teaching. My goal is to present a scriptural basis for the beliefs of the other half of American Protestantism. I hope that those who read this book see that our differences from fundamentalist and evangelical congregations are grounded on an abiding trust in God’s goodness, especially as we see it in Jesus. It’s my desire to establish how discipleship in our communities is driven by the belief that the sacrificial love we see expressed by Jesus for us, should also be expressed by us in our everyday lives. Jesus calls us to follow his way of life, which is reflected in the Beatitudes. That kind of Christianity looks a lot different from what is being taught in most big-box churches across the country.