Everywhere you look, Christians are questioning their beliefs. Evangelicals and Protestants alike are grappling with the wave of evolving faith often referred to as deconstruction. At its core, deconstruction is the practice of revisiting and rethinking long-held beliefs—especially within Christianity.

The term gained traction through Richard Rohr, a prominent Christian leader who describes faith development as a process with three key stages:

• Construction: Building your belief system and worldview.
• Deconstruction: Challenging that worldview and the beliefs that come with it.
• Reconstruction: Rebuilding a more holistic and grounded set of beliefs.

Thousands of books, podcasts, and social media accounts are devoted to deconstruction. What was once a quiet ripple has become a powerful wave.

The church is starting to notice. The Gospel Coalition recently published Before You Lose Your Faith: Deconstructing in the Church. While the book acknowledges deconstruction, its main message is clear: “Deconstruct all you want, but don’t leave the church.”

To that, I say, “Trust me, we’ve tried.”

The truth is, deconstruction isn’t about demolishing faith—it’s about refining it. As Brené Brown might put it, it’s about retelling the stories we’ve inherited, discerning what is good and helpful, and releasing what is harmful. But asking people to deconstruct within the confines of a church community often misses the point. Many churches view deconstruction as a threat to correct, not a process to support.

When church leaders dismiss, argue with, or try to “fix” those wrestling with their faith, they push people further away. If this continues, church attendance will dwindle faster than anyone expects.

Deconstruction is not just a passing trend—it’s a move of God. For centuries, evangelicals have prayed for revival. Deconstruction is the revival they’ve been asking for. It’s God’s way of returning us to the heart of the Gospel: love. Love for God, for ourselves, for others, and yes, even for our enemies.

It’s heartbreaking when deconstruction leads people to leave their faith entirely. But who could blame them? Most don’t walk away because they doubt God—they walk away because the church has become entangled with the very things Jesus opposed: greed, oppression, manipulation, and control. When the church forgets the greatest commandment—to love God and neighbor—people will inevitably seek love and truth elsewhere.

The deconstruction movement is not going away. People searching for the heart of Christianity will leave traditional church spaces for homes, parks, and community gatherings. They will seek others who understand the difference between godly authority and abusive power—who know how to speak, act, and live the truth in love.

Deconstruction is not a rebellion—it’s a return to what matters most. It’s a search for Jesus in a world where his message has too often been buried under politics and power.

The question for the church is not whether it can stop deconstruction—it can’t. The question is whether it will embrace it as a path to renewal or continue resisting it, at the cost of its own relevance.