Do I Stay Christian? Exploring a Question for Our Time

A few years ago, a close friend—someone who had been deeply involved in church life—confessed that he wasn’t sure he could call himself a Christian anymore.

“It’s not that I don’t believe in Jesus,” he said. “It’s that I don’t recognize him in the church I grew up in.”

His words echoed what I’d heard from so many others. Over time, I began to notice a pattern: their struggles weren’t just about theological doubts, but about how Christianity had been reshaped—especially in recent years—to reflect nationalism, power, and exclusion rather than the radical love and humility of Jesus.

The close allegiance of many churches to a president and a political movement only deepened their doubts. They struggled to reconcile this alignment with the love, compassion, and life-giving nature of Jesus.

For many, it was a breaking point—forcing them to step back and ask hard questions:

Do I still belong here? Is this really the faith I signed up for?

If you’ve ever found yourself wrestling with those same questions, you’re not alone. And that’s exactly why Brian McLaren’s book, Do I Stay Christian? Exploring a Question for Our Time, is such an important read.

It doesn’t try to force an answer but instead creates space for reflection, offering insight into why so many are struggling with this question—and what to do about it.

Why Some Choose to Stay

In Do I Stay Christian?, McLaren outlines ten reasons why many, despite their doubts, choose to remain within Christianity. A few of the key ones include:

• Jesus’ Teachings Still Inspire – When stripped of institutional baggage, Jesus’ message of love, forgiveness, and justice remains deeply transformative.
• A Desire to Reform the Church – Rather than leaving, some feel called to reshape Christianity into something more aligned with its core values.
• Community and Tradition Matter – Faith communities offer a sense of belonging that’s hard to replace, even when beliefs evolve.

Why Others Feel Compelled to Leave

At the same time, many people find it impossible to stay, often for deeply personal and painful reasons:

• Christianity and Political Power – The increasing alignment of the church with nationalism and partisan agendas has alienated those who see faith as something deeper than political loyalty.
• Harmful Doctrines and Experiences – Many have endured exclusion, shame, or even abuse within religious settings, making it impossible to remain.
• Spiritual Growth Beyond Christianity – Some find that their journey leads them to a broader understanding of spirituality that no longer fits within the framework of traditional Christianity.

Navigating Faith Deconstruction

What I appreciate about Do I Stay Christian? is that it doesn’t pressure readers toward a specific conclusion. Instead, it invites them to engage with their doubts honestly.

For those struggling with deconstruction, other books like Faith After Doubt by Brian McLaren, The Sin of Certainty by Peter Enns, and Freeing Jesus by Diana Butler Bass offer additional perspectives on rethinking faith in ways that are freeing rather than fear-driven.

Why I Wrote Life Ascending

These struggles are one of the reasons I wrote my book, Life Ascending: Unlocking Mental Wellbeing through Timeless Wisdom and New Science. I’ve seen how so many people are wrestling with their faith, feeling disillusioned by what Christianity has become.

The version of Jesus many of us were taught doesn’t always align with the reality of what we see in churches today—where power, politics, and exclusion often overshadow love, compassion, and transformation.

I wanted to offer a way to reimagine the message of Jesus—not as a rigid belief system, but as a profound timeless wisdom rooted in love, inner awakening, and true freedom. My hope is that by peeling away the layers of dogma and cultural baggage, we can rediscover the essence of true spirituality—one that brings healing, renewal, and a deeper connection to ourselves, to each other, and to the divine.

A Question That Matters

If you’re struggling to reconcile faith with authenticity, searching for a way forward, or simply looking for a conversation that allows space for doubt and discovery, I highly recommend Do I Stay Christian?. It’s not a book that preaches—it’s a book that listens. And sometimes, that’s exactly what we need.

What about you? Have you found yourself asking this question?