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“Sometimes I feel like a failure for this one reason: I didn’t adequately prepare people for the turmoil of 2020. Specifically, I didn’t adequately cultivate an allegiance to Jesus, his life, and his words that surpassed other traditional and cultural allegiances.”
What happens when you suddenly awaken to your complicity in leading congregations to worship cultural and political idols? That is the story bravely told by Jeff Mikels in the book Evangelical Idolatry: How Pastors Like Me Have Failed the People of God. Diving into how a specific evangelical subculture shaped him to avoid political engagement, remain segregated from the experiences and wisdom of vast parts of the church, and develop a propensity for enemy-making, Jeff tells his own story of awakening and transformation, one that cost him his church.
The (Re)union Project is a movement for people like Jeff, who are working to engage with the broader church community so that we can learn from one another and better embody the good news of the kingdom. In this episode of In Conversation With…, we talk with Jeff Mikels about his journey, his learning, and how God has been at work widening and deepening his gospel. We discuss our reading and interpretation of the Bible, being shaped by culture, getting lost in theological debates, and how to begin building bridges and cultivating peace across cultural boundaries. For those who have found themselves in Christian communities isolated and closed off from the larger church, you will find encouragement, challenge, and hopefulness in Jeff’s candor.
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