Reconstructing Faith Around the Life and Love of Jesus.
Many people today are not walking away from Jesus. They are walking away from versions of Christianity that no longer make sense to them, that don't seem to reflect a God of infinite love, or that don't hold up for them under honest questions. With more information available than ever before, younger generations are doing exactly what good faith has always required: asking, searching, and wrestling for themselves.
Recover Christianity exists for anyone in these conversations, and especially for parents who want to stay in healthy relationship with their children through it.
We believe that questioning your faith doesn't have to mean losing it. In fact, it can become the very thing that makes it real. Our earliest Christian ancestors held a faith rooted more in restoration and grace than in fear and punishment, and that tradition is still available to us.
You don't have to choose between honesty and faith. You don't have to pretend to believe things that deeply trouble you. And you don't have to let hard questions pull families apart. Christians have held a wide range of views on doctrine from the very beginning, and there is far more room inside this faith than many of us were taught. By valuing relationship over rigid interpretations of doctrine, we can find common ground within Christianity, and even higher ground by prioritizing relationship. As scripture puts it simply: "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." (1 Peter 4:8)
An intro to our mission
Recover Christianity begins with a simple posture: curiosity over certainty, love over fear, and relationship over control.
The perspectives we explore here are not new ideas. They are grounded in the life and teachings of Jesus, and they reflect how many of our earliest Christian ancestors understood their faith, long before certain doctrines hardened into fear-based systems. They are also consistent with trusted Protestant voices closer to our own time. C.S. Lewis, one of the most widely read Christians of the twentieth century, held views that would surprise many evangelical readers today.
If your faith has felt more like a burden than a gift, you may have been handed a smaller story than the one Christianity actually tells.
The Journey to Recovery
At the heart of this work is a simple conviction: what we believe about God shapes who we become.
When God is portrayed primarily as wrathful or punitive, faith often produces anxiety and division, especially between parents and children. When God is revealed as loving and restorative, faith can become a shared language again, creating space for trust, honest conversation, and real connection.
This is also about remembering who we are. C.S. Lewis believed that human beings are made to become, in his words, "little Christs," lives shaped by love rather than fear. That vision of human dignity and divine possibility is at the center of everything we explore here.
We examine five of the most common questions people bring when their faith begins to feel strained. We call these The Big Questions:
Is God a God of wrath?
Are human beings inherently good or bad?
Is Jesus the only way?
How should we read the Bible?
Why suffering?
From there, we offer a constructive vision of why Christianity, recentered on the life of Jesus with the desire for transformation, is still worth holding onto.
If you are questioning, rebuilding, or simply trying to stay in conversation with someone you love who is struggling with faith, you are not alone here. The goal is not just common ground. It is higher ground, where honesty and love can hold together in the midst of the differing theology viewpoints.
NOTE: EACH OF THE BIG QUESTIONS BELOW WILL TAKE YOU TO OUR SUBSTACK PAGE WITH MULTIPLE POSTS ABOUT EACH TOPIC.
Recover Christianity: Rethinking Faith Without Throwing It Away
So your child just told you they're done with Christianity. Maybe it came out over dinner: "I just can't believe in a God who would torture people forever, with no hope of redemption." That was my conversation with my oldest son. (You can read more in the "About" tab and watch "Conversations with My Son" below.)
Now you're losing sleep, wondering where you went wrong. You are not alone. And if you're honest, you may have wrestled with some of the same questions yourself.
The theologian A.W. Tozer wrote that "what comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us." Albert Einstein asked something similar from a different direction: "Is the universe a friendly place?" The way we answer that question shapes not just what we believe, but how we experience being alive.
For many of us, the God we were handed growing up felt more like a cosmic scorekeeper than a loving Father. Yet the phrase "do not fear" appears over 300 times in scripture. That's worth sitting with. If the primary posture God invites us into is trust rather than terror, something may have gotten lost along the way.
What if some versions of Christianity drifted from what Jesus actually taught? What if earlier Christians understood grace more broadly than many do today? What if C.S. Lewis, one of the most beloved voices in Protestant Christianity, held a different view of God and the afterlife than what is preached in most evangelical churches? Then perhaps some of the questions that are driving people away from faith deserve a closer, more honest look.
At Recover Christianity, we want to set a table for honest, respectful conversation. Some of what we explore will feel new, but much of it is simply what earlier Christians believed before certain doctrines hardened into narratives built more on fear than on love. Our hope is not to pull anyone away from their faith, but to help families find enough common ground to keep talking to each other.
None of us has a backstage pass to the afterlife, and we hold our perspectives with humility rather than certainty. People can land in very different places theologically and still call themselves Christians. There is no need to abandon a faith centered on the life and love of Jesus simply because some of the harder questions remain open.
Let’s start by tackling THE BIG QUESTIONS making people reconsider Christianity. Then, we’ll share why we believe Christianity is still worth holding onto.
Practice Mindfulness to Renew the Mind
The call in Scripture to be “transformed by the renewal of your mind” (Romans 12:2) connects beautifully with modern science. Neuroplasticity demonstrates how the brain can be rewired, forming new pathways of gratitude, compassion, and awareness rather than the old pathways of fear and shame. Contemplative practices like Centering Prayer become the bridge - where spiritual renewal and scientific rewiring meet - helping us take thoughts captive and live out genuine transformation with a nondual mindset. Click here to read more about the rewiring your mind.
Conversations With My Son
Visit my Substack page that has a collection of conversations with my son. We discuss his journey from Atheist to believer and the factors that influenced his faith.
How to approach a child questioning their faith
Remember, what’s most important when your child is questioning their faith is your relationship with them. Watch this short video for guidance on what to say to them that will honor your relationship and show them understanding.
CORE VALUES
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Supporting Young Adults
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Encouraging Collaboration
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Understanding the Bible
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Bridging Ancient and Modern
Understanding our Core Values
Key Scripture for Recover Christianity: "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." — Romans 12:2
Recover Christianity is built upon four essential values that guide our mission: Supporting Young Adults, Encouraging Collaboration, Understanding the Bible, and Bridging Ancient and Modern. These values shape our approach as we seek to offer a renewed, hope-filled vision of Christianity that is deeply rooted in love, grace, and inclusion. Each value is deeply connected to the biblical narrative and is reinforced by key scriptures.
At its deepest core, Recover Christianity is about transformation. This is being transformed from a mindset of fear and scapegoating others to love and compassion, and from a mindset of anger to sadness. We have all been conditioned to believe certain things with absolute certainty, often viewing beliefs as either completely right or completely wrong - even if those beliefs go against what we feel in our heart. This dualistic mindset limits our ability to grow spiritually and see the fullness of God's grace. A contemplative mind is a non-dual mind. The journey of transformation requires us to step beyond rigid frameworks and allow our minds to be renewed so that we may adopt the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16). Only through this renewal can we fully grasp the depth of God’s love, the expansiveness of His truth, and the calling to live in unity rather than division.
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Key Scripture: “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers….” — 1 Timothy 4:12
Young adults often find themselves caught between the faith they inherited and the questions that won’t go away. Many feel disillusioned with religious institutions that emphasize fear over love, conformity over curiosity. We create a space where their questions are not only welcomed but encouraged. Jesus himself engaged deeply with young people—calling teenagers as his disciples and challenging the religious establishment with fresh perspectives. Our goal is to provide young adults with a faith that is intellectually honest, emotionally rich, and spiritually transformative.
Additional Scriptures:
Jeremiah 29:11 – "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Matthew 11:28-30 – Jesus calls the weary and burdened to himself, offering rest and a lighter yoke, which speaks directly to young adults struggling with religious baggage.
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Key Scripture: “That they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.” — John 17:21
Faith was never meant to be an individualistic pursuit. The early church thrived in shared community, breaking bread, learning together, and supporting one another in love. Yet much of Western Christianity has become hyper-individualized, focused on personal salvation and private piety. True transformation happens when we walk together, challenge one another, and embrace the collective wisdom of the body of Christ. Collaboration isn’t just a good idea—it’s foundational to the gospel.
Additional Scriptures:
Acts 2:42-47 – The early believers devoted themselves to teaching, fellowship, breaking bread, and prayer.
1 Corinthians 12:12-27 – The body of Christ has many parts, and all are needed for the whole to function.
Hebrews 10:24-25 – “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together…”
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Key Scripture: “Then beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself.” — Luke 24:27
One of the biggest reasons people walk away from Christianity is because of how the Bible has been misused. Whether it’s weaponized theology, proof-texting, or a failure to understand the cultural and historical context, many people have been hurt by bad interpretations. Jesus himself had to reframe the scriptures for his followers, showing them the deeper meaning of God’s love woven throughout the story. See, for example, Matthew 5:21-48 where Jesus repeatedly says, “You have heard that it was said… but I say to you…” during the Sermon on the Mount. By engaging the Bible with nuance, historical insight, and a commitment to love over legalism, we reclaim its life-giving power.
Additional Scriptures:
Hosea 6:6 / Matthew 9:13 – “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” Jesus reinterprets the scriptures through the lens of love.
John 5:39-40 – “You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.”
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Key Scripture: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” — Hebrews 13:8
Christianity is not static; it is alive and dynamic. Many doctrines that seem essential today—such as penal substitutionary atonement and eternal conscious torment—are actually relatively recent theological developments. At the same time, we cannot ignore the reality of modern scientific discoveries, cultural shifts, and evolving human understanding. We aim to bridge the ancient wisdom of the faith with today’s world, recognizing that truth is not threatened by new knowledge but enriched by it.
Additional Scriptures:
Matthew 13:52 – "Every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old."
Romans 12:2 – "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."
Colossians 1:17 – “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”
Recover Christianity is about recovering love over fear, relationship over religion, and transformation over transaction. These four values—Supporting Young Adults, Encouraging Collaboration, Understanding the Bible, and Bridging Ancient and Modern—are not just good ideas; they are deeply biblical and reflect the heart of Christ’s mission. Through these guiding principles, we seek to build a faith that is not just about escaping this world and getting to heaven, but about healing, restoring, and transforming the world here and now.
“Recover Christianity answered some of the questions I had been struggling with for a long time.”
— Katherine B., COLLEGE STUDENT