Blake Long

The term ‘deconstruction’ has been a buzzword in evangelicalism the past few years; it seems at least once every year popular or well-known professing Christians detail their falling away. From Rhett and Link (the guys of Good Mythical Morning) to Derek Webb, the latest on the deconstruction wheel, it’s clear to see that many of our “evangelical” celebrities aren’t so evangelical.

Like social justice and Christian Nationalism, deconstruction is used by different people in various ways. There doesn’t appear to be a set definition because not everyone defines it in the same way, which brings massive amounts of confusion when someone uses the term, but isn’t necessarily falling away from the faith.

There are many who, through the ups and downs of the Christian life, use the term deconstruction to refer to the process of abandoning unbiblical ideas and replacing them with biblical ones. I certainly advise against using that term, but that’s just part of sanctification.

In an episode of the popular podcast The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill, Paul Tripp provided commentary on deconstruction, but used the term in a positive way.

We should all be deconstructing our faith — we better do it. Because our faith becomes a culture, a culture so webbed into the purity of truth that it’s hard to separate the two. And we better do some deconstructing or we’re going to find ourselves again and again in these sad places.

Though I would still caution against using that word, he’s absolutely correct. I think this is another way of conveying the truth of semper reformanda—always reforming. We must always be looking for holes in our theology, for cracks in our orthopraxy.

In his song Deconstruction, rap/hip-hop artist Lecrae details his vulnerable journey on seemingly losing his faith only to regain it in the end—a deconstruction of sorts.

My peace has been cemented, my soul has been re-lifted;
My deconstruction ended, reconstruction is beginning.

Deconstruction leads to apostasy if it’s not followed by reconstruction. Sometimes you must tear down false and unbiblical ideas, but you must rebuild them with biblical ones. If all you do is tear down, you’re only leading yourself into apostasy.

That’s the thing: more often than not, when a professing Christian deconstructs their faith, it leads to either wholly falling away from the faith and not believing in anything or getting cozy with liberal Protestantism which, as you might guess, is a completely different religion from biblical Christianity. That is apostasy.

When communicating with someone who has deconstructed, it’s important to understand the context. Has this person completely abandoned the faith, or do they still profess to be a Christian? If so, what do they not believe? What they believe currently is a good indicator of what actually happened in their deconstruction. Again, deconstruction leads to apostasy if it’s not followed by reconstruction.

What we must remember, friends, is those who are truly born again—those of whom God has truly saved—will never truly fall away from the faith, or deconstruct if you want to use that language. God keeps His children. We can rest well in that promise.

Do you know of someone who has completely deconstructed? Don’t lose heart; pray for them. Keep pleading for God to bring them back home. Continue to intercede for then, praying they will come to their senses like the prodigal son (Luke 15:17).