Christian hip-hop artist Lecrae is promoting a nuanced view of the deconstruction movement, asserting it can be spiritually beneficial if Scripture remains the foundation in order to rid one’s life of “unhealthy ideas and practices.”
“There are 2 types of deconstruction happening in the church. One is healthy, the other is dangerous,” the Grammy-winning artist wrote in a Twitter thread this week.
Lecrae said he had personally gone through deconstruction and wanted to give fans “food for thought.”
“One type of deconstruction actually involves using scriptures to deconstruct unhealthy ideas and practices,” Lecrae wrote. “Christ himself did this by deconstructing the Pharisees interpretation of Scripture. ‘You have heard it said, but I say…’ using Scripture to challenge things. Healthy.”
One type of deconstruction actually involves using scriptures to deconstruct unhealthy ideas and practices. Christ himself did this by deconstructing the Pharisees interpretation of scripture. “You have heard it said but I say…” using Scripture to challenge things. Healthy. 🧵
— Lecrae (@lecrae) September 14, 2022
On the other hand, he wrote, “many millennials are using culture to challenge scripture” – a practice that he criticized.
“This often leads to culture taking precedence over scripture & sadly people begin to deconstruct themselves out of the faith,” Lecrae wrote. “We begin to question the Bible because it doesn’t line up w/ culture. Unhealthy. Nine times out of 10, this type of unhealthy deconstruction begins with Church hurt. Racism, sexism, abuse of power etc. give way to a need to make sense of things, and the last thing people want to do is use Scripture to make sense of these failures by ‘church folks.’”
Nine times out of 10 this type of unhealthy deconstruction begins with Church hurt. Racism, sexism, abuse of power etc. give way to a need to make sense of things and the last thing people want to do is use scripture to make sense of these failures by “church folks” 🧵
— Lecrae (@lecrae) September 14, 2022
When individuals experience “church hurt,” Lecrae wrote, they often “look OUTSIDE of God for answers and find themselves being thrown around by every wind and wave of doctrine.”
Many don’t realize there have been healthy Deconstructions throughout history that have lead to health. There are generations of believers who have been thru this and we can learn from them versus destroying our life and faith trying to figure it out alone. 🧵
— Lecrae (@lecrae) September 14, 2022
“I’ve been here,” he said. “When God & morality are out of the picture, you now have license to make decisions that can wreck your marriage, family, mental health, & body.”
Scripture must remain the foundation of one’s faith, Lecrae said.
“The goal is not to tear everything down and live there. First is construction, then deconstruction, then reconstruction. Reconstruction leads to a stronger faith where you’ve thrown out unhealthy views & see Christ clear,” he wrote. “Many movements from the reformation to the civil rights movement involved deconstruction using Scripture and then reconstruction. I offer this as an encouragement to those struggling. My faith is stronger than ever. I’ve been there, and healing is possible.”
Many movements from the reformation to the civil rights movement involved deconstruction using scripture and then reconstruction. I offer this as an encouragement to those struggling. My faith is stronger than ever I’ve been there and healing is possible. 🙏🏾
— Lecrae (@lecrae) September 14, 2022
Lecrae engaged with users on the issue. When one person challenged his use of Scripture as the basis of morality, he asked, “How do you interpret 2 Tim 3:16 ‘All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.’ Also, if not Scripture, what is your standard for absolute truth & morality?” To another person, he wrote, “when it comes to faith, don’t let the culture define the scriptures; let the scriptures speak to the culture.”
Photo courtesy: ©Getty Images/Paras Griffin/Stringer
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
