A more beautiful story

sharing my journey, my reflections on theology and life, and resources for your journey of faith

What if Jesus meant it when He said the most important thing we could ever do was to love God and to love people?
What if there was a way to follow Jesus that didn’t entail a rejection of science?
What if there was a way to read the Bible that didn’t force you to ignore the difficulties you find in it?
What if God is inviting you into a more beautiful story than the one you’ve experienced so far?

 

 

Latest Blogs

Latest Blog Posts
Book Group Starting Oct 22 - “When Everything’s On Fire” by Brian Zahnd
Book Group Starting Oct 22 - “When Everything’s On Fire” by Brian Zahnd

It’s easier to deconstruct something than to renovate it. It’s easier to tear something down than to build something back up that is better than the original. My own personal “deconstruction” of the way I had been taught and taught others in the Christian faith started about 10 years ago. There have been times I’ve wondered if anything was going to remain of my faith, and if so, how would it hold together?

Brian Zahnd's book "When Everything's On Fire" has been so inspiring to me I'm starting a book group on Oct 23, 2024.

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The problem of Biblical assumptions
The problem of Biblical assumptions

For most of my life I was taught and taught others this basic assumption: “The Bible was given by God to humans, who wrote it down, and now we have God’s clear teaching about everything we need to know.” Flowing naturally from that assumption are a couple others, such as “The Bible is completely accurate in everything written in it because the author was God, and God does not change or lie.” Also, “Although it was written by about 40 different authors over a span of thousands of years, it is perfect, because God is perfect.”

For many Christians, these assumptions about the Bible provide a meaningful framework for their lives, and a sense of being in a right relationship with the Creator.

But…

…for many people, these assumptions only work for so long before they notice problems.

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Her water broke in a barn
Her water broke in a barn

Mary, I know you’re eight months pregnant, he says
But we have to travel to Bethlehem
They look at each other across the room
She nods quietly as she looks at Joseph

If she expected special treatment
For being chosen as special
By the Creator of Galaxies
She hadn’t had much of it during the last 8 months

Read More →
 
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Loving God with all my mind has long entailed wrestling with big questions about the story of Christianity I was taught and for many years taught others. This site shares my journey, my reflections on many topics, and resources that I hope will be helpful for you if you’ve found it more and more difficult to align with the Christian story you’ve been taught.

I’ve got good news. God is not offended by your questions, doubts, and frustrations about the Bible and Christianity. I've found greater joy, deeper peace, and increased love for God and others as I've faced these issues head on. You too are invited into a more beautiful story.

~Don Jaques, site creator

 
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My Journey

My story of following Jesus toward a more beautiful story since the 1980s, with evolving and expanding views of the love of God in and out of pastoral ministry.

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Reflections

Thoughts and ideas on theology and life. Can it be that God is leading us all toward a more beautiful story that is bigger than we dreamed?

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Resources

Want to jumpstart your own journey? These books, podcasts, and individuals have guided me toward a more beautiful story and could help you too.