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."
The Backyard Church Newsletter - May 2022
Hey Reader
Thanks so much for being a subscriber to my monthly newsletter! So much to talk about this month! It all started when I went to a wedding and bumped into someone I knew from way back. When he heard that I no longer attend a church - at least in the traditional sense - he decided to make me his evangelism project. For the first time ever, I got to experience what it was like to be on the receiving end of someone trying to convince you that you need to repent or else you will end up in Hell. It wasn't very nice. You can read about the whole experience, in the article below entitled, "Today, I was Spiritually Violated."
In other news, the Hillsong Church continues to unravel after founder, Brian Houston, resigned over allegations of impropriety, but the Church has decided to throw his wife under the bus as well. A mile high worship flash mob has sparked controversy after breaking out into a spontaneous praise session to a captive audience stuck thirty thousand feet. And, I provide the definitive list of Biblical names to avoid naming your children. All this and more below....
I hope you find some thing here that makes you laugh, makes you think, and helps you grow! Happy reading!
Dan
TEN BIBLICAL NAMES NOT TO CALL YOUR KIDS: Many couples look to the Bible for divine inspiration when choosing a name for their soon-to-be-born bundle of joy. However, there are some Biblical names that you really should avoid. Here is the definitive list.
TODAY I WAS SPIRITUALLY VIOLATED: I bumped into an old 'friend' at a wedding this month. Next thing I know, he was trying to convert me. I experienced, for the first time, what it's like to be on the receiving on of a Bible-thumping Christian's evangelism efforts. It wasn't very nice.
WHEN CHRISTIANS THINK THEY HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD: Have you ever had someone come up to you and say, "God told me to tell you this...?" How did it make you feel? If you're like me then maybe you think this phrase should come with a warning label that says, "Use with caution." There are so many pitfalls when claiming to speak for God!
HILLSONG FOUNDER'S WIFE FIRED BY TEXT: Last month is was Hillsong founder, Brian Houston, in the firing line, after it came to light that he had engaged in several questionable encounters with 'other' women. However, after Houston resigned, Hillsong sought to purge the name from their brand by firing his wife as well.
WORSHIP FLASHMOB IN A PLANE SPARKS MASSIVE DEBATE: A video of a spontaneous worship time at 30,000 feet inside a plane went viral for all the wrong reasons this month. How would you feel if a praise expression session broke out inside the cabin of your intercontinental flight? Divinely inspired or angry as hell?
MEGA CHURCHES DON'T WORK: Former mega church pastor, Tim Keller, came out on Facebook recently and said that mega churches are poor places for formation and pastoral care” and tend toward “addictive dependence” on their founders. He explained why his mega church split into smaller churches when he retired.
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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.
DAY LILY
The day lily blossoms for merely a day
Bright orange and yellow and red
She warms and enlivens and punctuates grey
The very next day she is dead.
Her mighty green tower stems forth from the dust
Exploding with splendor and grace
And into the spotlight the flower is thrust
Then vanishes without a trace.
And people, in wonder, admire her style
And jealously gaze on her beauty
She reigns in her garden, but just for a while
Then she dies, as bound by her duty.
And all, like the day lily, rise in our youth
A moment we have in the sun
In the blink of an eye, an uncomfortable truth
Overtakes us and then we are done.
by Dan Foster
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."
Dear Reader There are moments in a person's life when everything suddenly pivots on a point, and you know immediately that life will never be the same again. This month, I had one of those moments. In fact, I had more than one of those moments. It all started when my wife went to the doctor with some abdominal pain. That was on the 1st of September. Fast forward one month to where we are today, the 1st of October, and we now know that my wife has stage 4 bowel cancer. I write for many...
Hey Reader Thank you for being a part of the Backyard Church community and subscribing to my monthly newsletter! I am pleased to announce that you can now subscribe to more regular updates from me if you want to receive my "Article of the Week" directly to your inbox. My dream is to do this work full-time, so I really and sincerely appreciate your support. Here is the link if you would like to subscribe. This month, you can read about the outcome of Hillsong Founder Brian Houston's court...
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