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DAN FOSTER

The Backyard Church Newsletter - August 2022

Published over 1 year ago • 4 min read

Hey Reader

Just when I was about to donate my body to science, I finally caught COVID-19! Here I was thinking I was immune! Fortunately for me, my symptoms are very mild, and my quarantine period has given me plenty of time to write.

I'm coming to you from Day 5 of isolation.

In my online travels this month, I stumbled across a photo of a really cheesy church sign. One thing led to another and, before long, I had spent hours on Pinterest looking and laughing at all kinds of whacky church notices. This ended up being by far the most popular article I wrote this month. Have a read and a laugh!

The most fascinating thing I read this month was a study that discovered the traits people ascribe to God, are the ones they desired in their leaders on earth. For example, if you view God as an old, white, man, you're more likely to look for leaders like that! Extremely interesting read!

And the article that I most enjoyed writing this month was the tale of a Joel Osteen impersonator who attempts to crash one of Joel Osteen's own events. What happens next is unbelievable.

Whoever you are, wherever you are, I hope you are entertained and challenged by this month's top articles!

Enjoy!

Dan


THE WORST EVER CHURCH SIGNS: When signs with slide-in/slide-out letters were invented, churches salivated at the possibilities. No longer were they stuck with a static church sign with details that never changed. Suddenly, they could post a different message every day! The results were, well... errr... mixed.


WHY WHITE MEN GET MORE LEADERSHIP POSITIONS: Believe it or not, who we think should be in charge is inextricably linked to how we view God. I wrote this article in response to a fascinated study.... seriously one of the most thought-provoking pieces I've read!


MEET THE MOST MYSOGYNISTIC PREACHER IN THE EVANGELICAL CHURCH WORLD: I’ve been around the conservative evangelical church world for over four decades now, so when it comes to sexism, misogyny, and male chauvinism, I’m rarely ever shocked. That was until I stumbled across a YouTube video.


JOEL OSTEEN IMPERSONATOR BREEZES PAST SECURITY AND CRASHES OSTEEN EVENT: When Michael Klimkowski realized he looked exactly like famous mega-church pastor Joel Osteen, he hatched a plan. With no credentials, tickets, or ID, he decided to see how far he could as an Osteen look-a-like.


PASTOR SUES FOR BAD REVIEWS: When Julie Ann Smith of Beaverton, Oregon, walked away from her church, she was unprepared for what would follow. After finding herself shunned, she took her voice to the Internet and posted a review of the church on Google. A defamation lawsuit would follow.


THE RISE OF NON-RELIGIOUS FUNDAMENTALISM: The word “fundamentalist” is used most often to talk about religion. However, in more general terms, a fundamentalist is also any person who advocates for strict adherence to the basic principles of any subject, ideology, or discipline. Therefore, it is possible to be a fundamentalist about your non-belief.

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The Backyard Church is not just a blog or a newsletter. It’s a vibrant, real online community for people who have faith but can’t, don’t, or won’t go to church. Join today.

Maybe you've lost faith in the system. Maybe you've been hurt by the church or other Christians. Maybe you find the church is not an emotionally safe place to ask your questions or share your doubts. Maybe you've even arrived at a place where you want to grow in your faith, but the church is taking you around in circles. Here's what you'll find at Backyard Church Online

  • A safe place for your faith to fall apart without being judged for it.
  • People who will walk with you while to try to piece it all back together as well
  • A safe place to ask your big questions, share your doubts, talk about your pain, and unpack your religious trauma
  • Access to thought-provoking and challenging content that will help you move forward
  • Connection with like-minded people from all over the world who are on a similar journey
  • Online forums and discussions about matters of faith

Whoever you are, you belong. I pray that Backyard Church Online brings you life, faith, and hope.


Love after Love

The time will come
when, with elation
you will greet yourself arriving
at your own door, in your own mirror
and each will smile at the other's welcome,
and say, sit here.
Eat.

You will love again the stranger who was your self.
Give wine. Give bread.
Give back your heart to itself,
to the stranger who has loved you all your life,
whom you ignored for another,
who knows you by heart.

Take down the love letters from the bookshelf,
the photographs, the desperate notes,
peel your own image from the mirror.
Sit. Feast on your life.

by Derek Walcott


If you've got an idea for an article that you think I should write, then get in touch with me! Yes, I'm happy to have a go at answering any of your questions because hey... faith deconstruction can be a lonely road. Let's walk it together! Email thebackyardchurch@gmail.com


Stay tuned for more thought-provoking articles coming your way next month. This newsletter was free, but not cheap. Show your support forwarding this to someone you think might be interested, join Backyard Church Online, or make a donation.

Until next time,

God bless!

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DAN FOSTER

Writer / Poet / Blogger

I write about the complex intersection between life, faith, culture, religion, politics, and spirituality. Here for community and conversation. ABOUT ME: Once upon a time, Dan Foster was a prolific poet and writer. Then he grew up, got a job, had a family, and got busy spending many years as an educator, pastor, school teacher, and youth worker, writing took a back seat while he set about striving to attain a utopian existence that belies the reality of life. Fortunately, Life knew this and thrust him into the classroom of misfortune and pain, where he experienced burnout and mental health challenges. Here, he learned a whole lot of valuable lessons. Life then compelled him to pick up his pen again and give voice to the reality of broken dreams, sadness, grief, loss, and depression so that others might find comfort, hope, and solidarity in the shared human experience of suffering. Dan writes especially for Church alumni and religious refugees, and those who have experienced the reality of spiritual abuse, disappointment with the church, and doubts about their faith. Dan has Bachelor's Degrees in both Education and Theology and a Diploma in Business. He is the CEO of the Centre for Men & Families, Australia, a charity that supports men and their families through times of crisis and change. Dan is also the facilitator of The Backyard Church Online, a community for people who have faith but struggle to be a part of traditional churches, and he is the author of "Leaving Church, Finding God: Discovering Faith Beyond Organized Religion" and "Limbo Land: Poems from the In-Between."

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