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Death to Deconstruction: Reclaiming Faithfulness as an Act of Rebellion
"Another Christian renounces the church and Christ." "Former Christian music star turns her back on faith." "I kissed Christianity goodbye." Headlines like these are becoming common. It seems like the most popular trend in faith circles lately is to deconstruct, then deconvert.
Joshua Porter knows that story from the inside out. He was raised in the tangles of American evangelical Christianity, and the church he knew was conservative, fundamentalist, and politicized. It feared culture, music, art, Dungeons & Dragons, Harry Potter, and anything else that was slightly suspect. This foundation of dread and fear was full of holes he nearly fell through . . . and out of faith altogether.
His story put him on the road to deconversion--but that isn't where he ended up. Despite his years of being surrounded by disaffected former Christians and living large in the punk rock lifestyle, Porter now finds his faith closer to the historic Christian tradition than ever.
This book is more than Porter's own story. It also invites those who may be in the deconstruction process themselves to consider the perspective of someone who was tempted to leave his faith--yet stayed. And it provides theological insight and pastoral support to those who worry that everyone is bailing out on the church.
Joshua Porter knows that story from the inside out. He was raised in the tangles of American evangelical Christianity, and the church he knew was conservative, fundamentalist, and politicized. It feared culture, music, art, Dungeons & Dragons, Harry Potter, and anything else that was slightly suspect. This foundation of dread and fear was full of holes he nearly fell through . . . and out of faith altogether.
His story put him on the road to deconversion--but that isn't where he ended up. Despite his years of being surrounded by disaffected former Christians and living large in the punk rock lifestyle, Porter now finds his faith closer to the historic Christian tradition than ever.
This book is more than Porter's own story. It also invites those who may be in the deconstruction process themselves to consider the perspective of someone who was tempted to leave his faith--yet stayed. And it provides theological insight and pastoral support to those who worry that everyone is bailing out on the church.
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Published November 15, 2022
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About the author
Joshua S. Porter
10 books211 followersJoshua S. Porter is pastor of teaching and creative vision at Van City Church in Vancouver, Washington. He is also a former member of the experimental art-punk band, Showbread, and the author of With All Its Teeth, Death to Deconstruction, novel Punk Rock Vs. the Lizard People.
Find out more and connect with Joshua at joshuasporter.com.
Find out more and connect with Joshua at joshuasporter.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews
January 10, 2025
Man this one is realllly hard to rate.
On one hand I highlighted like half of it and wanted to screenshot and share whole chapters. On the other hand I really don’t think this book is for everyone.
Joshua Porter (AKA Josh Dies for those of us who grew up on Cornerstone Festival and Tooth & Nail samplers) writes in a very “in your face” way, that feels familiar and compelling for those of us who come from the same DIY punk rock background that the author emerged from. For many people though, I think some portions of the book will feel callous.
Joshua Porter survived (both literally and spiritually) his own brush with deconstruction, yet his writing often lacks empathy for those who are currently struggling with doubts of their own.
However, If you can get past the occasional brashness there is a lot of wisdom to be found in these pages.
On one hand I highlighted like half of it and wanted to screenshot and share whole chapters. On the other hand I really don’t think this book is for everyone.
Joshua Porter (AKA Josh Dies for those of us who grew up on Cornerstone Festival and Tooth & Nail samplers) writes in a very “in your face” way, that feels familiar and compelling for those of us who come from the same DIY punk rock background that the author emerged from. For many people though, I think some portions of the book will feel callous.
Joshua Porter survived (both literally and spiritually) his own brush with deconstruction, yet his writing often lacks empathy for those who are currently struggling with doubts of their own.
However, If you can get past the occasional brashness there is a lot of wisdom to be found in these pages.
September 14, 2023
This book missed the mark. I’m a fan of Showbread. I’ve admired Joshua Porter’s songwriting, anti-idolatry, and anti-nationalistic stances. I gave him the benefit of the doubt despite the book’s title and I was curious about his stance on what’s come to be known as deconstruction. And yet, this book bothered me.
It’s not all bad. I do believe that he has accurately identified some major things in American Christianity that lead to questioning, deconstruction, and even deconversion. I also think that the faith he’s found that rejects politicization and nationalism and embraces the mystery and complexity of God and scripture is a good thing.
But beyond that things aren’t so good. My biggest issues are the broad generalizations he makes about deconstructing people and the condescending tone he takes when talking about them. He paints deconstructionists as shallow, self-seeking people who are either hucksters looking for a quick buck with a book or a podcast or aimless drifters beaten about by the winds of whatever the latest social issue is. And I’ll admit that there are probably people like that who left their churches. But to say it’s the case most of the time is unfair, and to speak about it from a place of enlightened spiritual superiority is arrogant.
Porter repeatedly treats deconstruction like an easy way out. He says deconstructionists are people who failed to do the work or do the research beyond the narrow scope of the theologies they were fed. But I’m aware of many people who have done just that in an attempt to better understand their faith when it was shaken. I am one of those people. I did the work. And to be told that I just didn’t work hard enough from a place of apparent arrogance is just hurtful.
Deconstruction isn’t easy. There may be people who were just looking for their excuse to jump ship, but there are many more for whom deconstruction is a very painful and heartbreaking process. And some still struggle with the effects of it for years after.
I’ve been using the word arrogant a lot but some of Porter’s arguments just ooze with it. When he’s addressing the problem of evil, he’s adopted a theodicy that accepts the possibility of spiritual warfare and the reality of chaos. But he lays all of this out like it’s such an obvious conclusion when interpretations like this are on the fringes of modern American Christianity. Many readers may not even know that you could view God as not being all-powerful until they read this book. Similarly, with politicized religion, he uses the example of a Metallica shirt on a social media influencer to tell us that a few misguided people don’t corrupt a religion and shouldn’t lead us to reject it. But there are way more than just a few misguided people that have absolutely corrupted religion in this country and worldwide.
It’s really convenient that Porter has decided that he’s going to be an apolitical subject of the Kingdom of God and not of the world, wanting to just quietly exist and willing to accept hatred from both sides because he’s so enlightened. Meanwhile, people are suffering and dying at the hands of policies enacted by so-called Christians.
I could go on, but it would just be different versions of the same complaints. The patronizing and condescending tone towards deconstructing people never really goes away. I want to give Porter the benefit of the doubt and believe he knows that what he went through and recounts in this book--what he would call a “transformation”--was in fact a deconstruction. I want to give that to him because otherwise his tone and condescending nature when talking about the “deconstruction mindset” is very troubling. He even cites his experience with deconstruction and deconstructing people a few times, but it’s clear that his experience is limited. His broad generalizations are not representative of many, if not most people who have deconstructed.
It’s also worth noting that Porter also doesn’t give much space to the reality that many people, especially marginalized people have not only been hurt but genuinely harmed and abused by people claiming the names of God and Jesus. He would most likely rebuke these churches and pastors and call them quasi or so-called Christians. But taking the tone he does in this book with an abused former Christian will not paint his arguments in a positive light. The language used in the self-denial section especially, regardless of its motive, is often language that is used for spiritual abuse.
In the end, I’m glad that Josh is still with us, and I’m even happy that he has found a version of faith that works for him and has given him a great purpose in his life. But I’m not a fan of this book. It will most likely only serve to validate the opinions of people who have decided that deconstruction is a problem and a threat. And they’re not the ones that need convinced. I think it will only further alienate deconstructing people. And I feel like there’s a non-zero chance that it will shame some Christians away from asking any questions at all.
It’s not all bad. I do believe that he has accurately identified some major things in American Christianity that lead to questioning, deconstruction, and even deconversion. I also think that the faith he’s found that rejects politicization and nationalism and embraces the mystery and complexity of God and scripture is a good thing.
But beyond that things aren’t so good. My biggest issues are the broad generalizations he makes about deconstructing people and the condescending tone he takes when talking about them. He paints deconstructionists as shallow, self-seeking people who are either hucksters looking for a quick buck with a book or a podcast or aimless drifters beaten about by the winds of whatever the latest social issue is. And I’ll admit that there are probably people like that who left their churches. But to say it’s the case most of the time is unfair, and to speak about it from a place of enlightened spiritual superiority is arrogant.
Porter repeatedly treats deconstruction like an easy way out. He says deconstructionists are people who failed to do the work or do the research beyond the narrow scope of the theologies they were fed. But I’m aware of many people who have done just that in an attempt to better understand their faith when it was shaken. I am one of those people. I did the work. And to be told that I just didn’t work hard enough from a place of apparent arrogance is just hurtful.
Deconstruction isn’t easy. There may be people who were just looking for their excuse to jump ship, but there are many more for whom deconstruction is a very painful and heartbreaking process. And some still struggle with the effects of it for years after.
I’ve been using the word arrogant a lot but some of Porter’s arguments just ooze with it. When he’s addressing the problem of evil, he’s adopted a theodicy that accepts the possibility of spiritual warfare and the reality of chaos. But he lays all of this out like it’s such an obvious conclusion when interpretations like this are on the fringes of modern American Christianity. Many readers may not even know that you could view God as not being all-powerful until they read this book. Similarly, with politicized religion, he uses the example of a Metallica shirt on a social media influencer to tell us that a few misguided people don’t corrupt a religion and shouldn’t lead us to reject it. But there are way more than just a few misguided people that have absolutely corrupted religion in this country and worldwide.
It’s really convenient that Porter has decided that he’s going to be an apolitical subject of the Kingdom of God and not of the world, wanting to just quietly exist and willing to accept hatred from both sides because he’s so enlightened. Meanwhile, people are suffering and dying at the hands of policies enacted by so-called Christians.
I could go on, but it would just be different versions of the same complaints. The patronizing and condescending tone towards deconstructing people never really goes away. I want to give Porter the benefit of the doubt and believe he knows that what he went through and recounts in this book--what he would call a “transformation”--was in fact a deconstruction. I want to give that to him because otherwise his tone and condescending nature when talking about the “deconstruction mindset” is very troubling. He even cites his experience with deconstruction and deconstructing people a few times, but it’s clear that his experience is limited. His broad generalizations are not representative of many, if not most people who have deconstructed.
It’s also worth noting that Porter also doesn’t give much space to the reality that many people, especially marginalized people have not only been hurt but genuinely harmed and abused by people claiming the names of God and Jesus. He would most likely rebuke these churches and pastors and call them quasi or so-called Christians. But taking the tone he does in this book with an abused former Christian will not paint his arguments in a positive light. The language used in the self-denial section especially, regardless of its motive, is often language that is used for spiritual abuse.
In the end, I’m glad that Josh is still with us, and I’m even happy that he has found a version of faith that works for him and has given him a great purpose in his life. But I’m not a fan of this book. It will most likely only serve to validate the opinions of people who have decided that deconstruction is a problem and a threat. And they’re not the ones that need convinced. I think it will only further alienate deconstructing people. And I feel like there’s a non-zero chance that it will shame some Christians away from asking any questions at all.
January 8, 2023
Unbelievable…
Finding Christian literature from contemporary authors that feeds my soul has been difficult. I try not to be publicly critical of anyone’s particular ministry, but truthfully, I find myself fairly discouraged by the over abundant publishing from pastors today that repackage the same content of better authors who pioneered articulate thoughts from complex ideas, just to boost a paycheck or grow a brand for themselves. It’s hard to sift through the lot for interesting text today when everyone wants to rate their pastor’s book a solid five stars, not by merit of content, but just because they love their pastor (borderline worship masquerading as honor if you ask me). I tend to stick with the texts from Milton, Lewis, Kierkegaard. This isn’t to say there aren’t brilliant authors writing fresh content today, cause there absolutely is. Some of my favorite reads are from Comer, Staton, and Swoboda. Most of the time though, it’s needles in hay.
Death to Deconstruction is far and above one of the best contemporary Christian books I’ve had the pleasure of reading. Joshua has an incredible awareness of not only the message that’s needed for the modern (or post-modern) era of the church, but also how to communicate that in a way that’s engaging, darkly funny, grammatically interesting, and challenging in a practical way. I’ve honestly referenced sections of this book to my friends too many times to count since I started reading it. Surprisingly, this is actually a perfect book study for high school small groups, one that I imagine would drastically influence the integration of a kid’s faith that was an extension of their parents’ faith into their own relationship with Jesus.
I’m gonna be leading a book study next month for this when my church launches our next season of small groups. I’m eagerly awaiting the conversations, confrontations, and growth that will inevitably come from deep diving into this with several people. Thank you for pouring yourself into this book, Joshua. It has been a true treasure to me and hopefully will be to my church as well.
Finding Christian literature from contemporary authors that feeds my soul has been difficult. I try not to be publicly critical of anyone’s particular ministry, but truthfully, I find myself fairly discouraged by the over abundant publishing from pastors today that repackage the same content of better authors who pioneered articulate thoughts from complex ideas, just to boost a paycheck or grow a brand for themselves. It’s hard to sift through the lot for interesting text today when everyone wants to rate their pastor’s book a solid five stars, not by merit of content, but just because they love their pastor (borderline worship masquerading as honor if you ask me). I tend to stick with the texts from Milton, Lewis, Kierkegaard. This isn’t to say there aren’t brilliant authors writing fresh content today, cause there absolutely is. Some of my favorite reads are from Comer, Staton, and Swoboda. Most of the time though, it’s needles in hay.
Death to Deconstruction is far and above one of the best contemporary Christian books I’ve had the pleasure of reading. Joshua has an incredible awareness of not only the message that’s needed for the modern (or post-modern) era of the church, but also how to communicate that in a way that’s engaging, darkly funny, grammatically interesting, and challenging in a practical way. I’ve honestly referenced sections of this book to my friends too many times to count since I started reading it. Surprisingly, this is actually a perfect book study for high school small groups, one that I imagine would drastically influence the integration of a kid’s faith that was an extension of their parents’ faith into their own relationship with Jesus.
I’m gonna be leading a book study next month for this when my church launches our next season of small groups. I’m eagerly awaiting the conversations, confrontations, and growth that will inevitably come from deep diving into this with several people. Thank you for pouring yourself into this book, Joshua. It has been a true treasure to me and hopefully will be to my church as well.
January 28, 2023
“I trust the bible because Jesus trusted the bible”
1 hour later
“How else do we know Jesus but by the bible?”
So I trust the bible so I can trust Jesus so I can trust the bible so I can trust Jesus .. ?
So many problems with this book. Too many to count here. Joshua, what happened here?
Read
May 27, 2023This book defies a star rating for me. Porter’s path mirrors my own in many ways (though I didn’t grow up in the Deep South or tour with a band) and our convictions align very closely.
I have some minor quibbles with his interpretation of theodicy but the theology here is pretty solid. I especially liked his treatment of Bible illiteracy and skewering of different kinds of hypocrisy.
I’d be careful with to whom I’d recommend this book and when. Someone who has only just begun the delicate work of untangling their faith from the web of fundamentalism will likely have a hard time with Porter’s tone (although those coming out the other side may find themselves agreeing with him quite emphatically). That doesn’t make what he’s writing untrue, but still worth considering how it may come across.
Porter examines a lot of heavy subjects but ultimately returns to why following The Way of Jesus is so fulfilling and truly the only way.
I have some minor quibbles with his interpretation of theodicy but the theology here is pretty solid. I especially liked his treatment of Bible illiteracy and skewering of different kinds of hypocrisy.
I’d be careful with to whom I’d recommend this book and when. Someone who has only just begun the delicate work of untangling their faith from the web of fundamentalism will likely have a hard time with Porter’s tone (although those coming out the other side may find themselves agreeing with him quite emphatically). That doesn’t make what he’s writing untrue, but still worth considering how it may come across.
Porter examines a lot of heavy subjects but ultimately returns to why following The Way of Jesus is so fulfilling and truly the only way.
September 4, 2023
The author's story is relatable, and the writing keeps your attention. However, he falls prey to a few major problems.
1) He boxes deconstructionists into the "woke" movement variety and completely ignores the socially conservative yet religiously deconstructed variety such as The Genetically Modified Skeptic and others like him. The author goes to significant lengths to discredit deconstructionists without actually responding to their legitimate concerns.
2) The author's explanation for why he didn't commit suicide was completely based in his relationship to his son, which is sweet, but which lacks a truly Christian answer. Any good agnostic could have said the same thing.
3) The argument that God didn't create evil does a switcheroo between the cruelty of nature and the cruelty of man. The reality is that all of nature is based in immense cruelty and suffering in order to survive. It's built into the system. Most animals literally cannot survive without destroying other animals in some way. It’s “designed into”the system. The author mentions this but didn't resolve it and simply says that this “wasn’t God’s choice.” In my opinion the only theistic way to resolve this problem is to revert to polytheism, where some other god created the universe and Yahweh is now dealing with the fallout.
4) The author says that God isn't all powerful, but at the end he switches back and says that he is. It's a glaring inconsistency.
5) The author appeals multiple times to the trustworthiness of orthodoxy as the middle road, but he never gets explains why it's more trustworthy, other than saying that there have been many people to back it.
6) The author promises to “shoot straight” with the reader, but he ends up pandering to the evangelical Christian audience while only insulting the deconstructionists he’s trying to win over.
7) There are numerous circular arguments as others have pointed out.
Overall you shouldn't expect a logical argument from this book. It's an emotional appeal based on the author's own perspective on God and Jesus. He never addresses the authority of Scripture and simply pivots to calling it art that needs interpretation. Many Christians who fear the deconstruction movement will feel relieved that there is some response, but those going through deconstruction will find the book wanting.
1) He boxes deconstructionists into the "woke" movement variety and completely ignores the socially conservative yet religiously deconstructed variety such as The Genetically Modified Skeptic and others like him. The author goes to significant lengths to discredit deconstructionists without actually responding to their legitimate concerns.
2) The author's explanation for why he didn't commit suicide was completely based in his relationship to his son, which is sweet, but which lacks a truly Christian answer. Any good agnostic could have said the same thing.
3) The argument that God didn't create evil does a switcheroo between the cruelty of nature and the cruelty of man. The reality is that all of nature is based in immense cruelty and suffering in order to survive. It's built into the system. Most animals literally cannot survive without destroying other animals in some way. It’s “designed into”the system. The author mentions this but didn't resolve it and simply says that this “wasn’t God’s choice.” In my opinion the only theistic way to resolve this problem is to revert to polytheism, where some other god created the universe and Yahweh is now dealing with the fallout.
4) The author says that God isn't all powerful, but at the end he switches back and says that he is. It's a glaring inconsistency.
5) The author appeals multiple times to the trustworthiness of orthodoxy as the middle road, but he never gets explains why it's more trustworthy, other than saying that there have been many people to back it.
6) The author promises to “shoot straight” with the reader, but he ends up pandering to the evangelical Christian audience while only insulting the deconstructionists he’s trying to win over.
7) There are numerous circular arguments as others have pointed out.
Overall you shouldn't expect a logical argument from this book. It's an emotional appeal based on the author's own perspective on God and Jesus. He never addresses the authority of Scripture and simply pivots to calling it art that needs interpretation. Many Christians who fear the deconstruction movement will feel relieved that there is some response, but those going through deconstruction will find the book wanting.
March 3, 2023
From the start, I was caught off guard and intensely invested. Halfway through, I had an unsettling anticipation as the key points reveal themselves through decades of wrestling with experience and reason. By the end, the reader's thoughts outnumber the word count.
Similar to the author's music career (Showbread), the listener/reader is kept on the verge as he teeters between shock and hope, allegory and practical application, doubt and grace... There is no shortage of ways I, and you, will relate to these chapters. This is deeply personal, entertaining, and at times euphoric. What an important story. This needs to be digested.
Similar to the author's music career (Showbread), the listener/reader is kept on the verge as he teeters between shock and hope, allegory and practical application, doubt and grace... There is no shortage of ways I, and you, will relate to these chapters. This is deeply personal, entertaining, and at times euphoric. What an important story. This needs to be digested.
November 9, 2022
Not only is this my favorite book I've read this year, but it's the most important one I've read too. Just like Showbread, he doesn't shy away from controversy but tells the truth. He clearly states how the walk with Jesus won't be easy and so many more insights, but that the choice is ours. I really don't want to spoil anything but some of the same deconstructions he dealt with, I have too. This is a book I will see myself reading again and even more importantly, going back to the Bible and gathering with others to know the truth and grow. I can't recommend this enough.
December 3, 2023
I really loved everything written in this book on despair.
“I’d prided myself on my willingness to endure, but I had been looking into the abyss for so long, indulging in it, that it had begun to warp my perception of just about everything.”
“I’d prided myself on my willingness to endure, but I had been looking into the abyss for so long, indulging in it, that it had begun to warp my perception of just about everything.”
Read
October 7, 2025Sheesh. Bro ain’t playing games.
February 6, 2024
This is the most darkly funny theology book you’ll ever read. Is the theology great? Honestly no. It left me wanting for some more biblical backing and seemed to lack emphasis on God’s control.
What it does well is storytelling. This may be one of the most entertaining reads that isn’t fiction. The last three chapters or so are excellent. Porter leaves the realm of teaching theology and challenges readers to embrace self-denial as the crux of Christianity.
He pulls no punches in urging you to run to Jesus—even if the picture of who Jesus is was, as far as I can tell, lacking some power that I think Scripture is clear on.
Porter is clear that it’s either the way of Jesus and self-denial or it’s the way of sin and self-love. The autobiographical parts are easily the best parts of the book. You get to see how and why he chose Jesus in a sardonic, darkly comedic look into choosing faithfulness.
What it does well is storytelling. This may be one of the most entertaining reads that isn’t fiction. The last three chapters or so are excellent. Porter leaves the realm of teaching theology and challenges readers to embrace self-denial as the crux of Christianity.
He pulls no punches in urging you to run to Jesus—even if the picture of who Jesus is was, as far as I can tell, lacking some power that I think Scripture is clear on.
Porter is clear that it’s either the way of Jesus and self-denial or it’s the way of sin and self-love. The autobiographical parts are easily the best parts of the book. You get to see how and why he chose Jesus in a sardonic, darkly comedic look into choosing faithfulness.
July 18, 2023
Joshua Porter is an author and pastor in Vancouver, Washington with a master’s degree in biblical studies. As a generational millennial, his spiritually turbulent past started from his upbringing in the evangelical American South, afterward founding the punk-band “Showbread” in 1997 as its lead singer, to eventually questioning the validity of theism or Christianity.
The rethinking or deconstructing of one’s faith is a popular topic of conversation in Western Christianity as of late. The dichotomy between the text of the Old/New Testament and the current zeitgeist has led some to attempt to conform the God of the Hebrew bible to humanist ethics and current personal experiences. In some circumstances, individuals may outright eliminate theism altogether at the end of their deconstruction journey. For Joshua who was cultivated in an evangelical world, he eventually found himself stricken with existential dread, challenged with conflict between what was being taught in the bible verses the reality of the world he was experiencing. In the pursuit of truth, Joshua ventured toward deconstruction, having explored what he saw was an antiquated faith run by repressive, morally bankrupt individuals engulfed in racism, homophobia, and nationalism.
However, Joshua’s subsequent investigation towards authentic faith was not constructed through the erroneous world of the sensationalized American evangelicalism, nor was it built upon the amorphous “you do you” psyche of the deconstructionist. The way forward for Joshua was within ancient Christian orthodoxy. The faith of the early followers of Jesus who were called to, “take up your cross and follow Jesus.” In essence, be willing to die to oneself and follow God was a true act of rebellion for Porter. To be molded by God, as opposed to shaping God into our own imagine. Joshua’s thesis is ultimately exemplified in the New Testament quote, “whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me will find it.”
Whether its Joshua Porter’s theological, philosophical, and poetic polemic on a particular type of American Christianity or its reactionary variant - the spurious reasoning of the deconstructionist, this book will absolutely challenge or captivate readers. In short, if I was to boldly write a critique of the excess and ignorance of Western Christianity or on those who elect to alter or denounce the authenticity of the historical faith, it would very much look like Joshua’s book. Every word is impactful and quotable. Theologically, this is a great book. For me personally, I relate to Joshua’s story in almost every conceivable way.
Thank you, Joshua, for sharing your intimate story.
The rethinking or deconstructing of one’s faith is a popular topic of conversation in Western Christianity as of late. The dichotomy between the text of the Old/New Testament and the current zeitgeist has led some to attempt to conform the God of the Hebrew bible to humanist ethics and current personal experiences. In some circumstances, individuals may outright eliminate theism altogether at the end of their deconstruction journey. For Joshua who was cultivated in an evangelical world, he eventually found himself stricken with existential dread, challenged with conflict between what was being taught in the bible verses the reality of the world he was experiencing. In the pursuit of truth, Joshua ventured toward deconstruction, having explored what he saw was an antiquated faith run by repressive, morally bankrupt individuals engulfed in racism, homophobia, and nationalism.
However, Joshua’s subsequent investigation towards authentic faith was not constructed through the erroneous world of the sensationalized American evangelicalism, nor was it built upon the amorphous “you do you” psyche of the deconstructionist. The way forward for Joshua was within ancient Christian orthodoxy. The faith of the early followers of Jesus who were called to, “take up your cross and follow Jesus.” In essence, be willing to die to oneself and follow God was a true act of rebellion for Porter. To be molded by God, as opposed to shaping God into our own imagine. Joshua’s thesis is ultimately exemplified in the New Testament quote, “whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me will find it.”
Whether its Joshua Porter’s theological, philosophical, and poetic polemic on a particular type of American Christianity or its reactionary variant - the spurious reasoning of the deconstructionist, this book will absolutely challenge or captivate readers. In short, if I was to boldly write a critique of the excess and ignorance of Western Christianity or on those who elect to alter or denounce the authenticity of the historical faith, it would very much look like Joshua’s book. Every word is impactful and quotable. Theologically, this is a great book. For me personally, I relate to Joshua’s story in almost every conceivable way.
Thank you, Joshua, for sharing your intimate story.
April 22, 2023
Recommended by a friend. This is not a typical Christian book. Porter is dark, raw, and brutally honest. Yet I love the thoughtful way he engages in so many of the modern debates and takes the discussion around deconstruction/deconversion a step farther. What happens when you tear down faith, leave the church, and embrace a post-Christian worldview? Often it is merely another style of rules, judgment, control, and hypocrisy. There must be more than tearing down and reacting; at some point we must build. We cannot just run away; at some point we must pursue.
I also felt Porter shined in discussing human evil and theodicy. He explains a special fascination with acts of horrible evil, but points out that everyone thinks that evil resides in some other evil people, never ourselves.
Criticisms: the “apprentice” analogy fell flat sometimes. The treatment of biblical literalism was the weakest part, mainly because he used some easy targets (not everything is literal in Revelation) without giving a coherent hermeneutic. In fairness, I think his point was that we should remain open in how we read, and I’m on board with that.
Would recommend for a certain type of doubter, a certain type of seeker, or to bolster the faith of a certain type of believer.
I also felt Porter shined in discussing human evil and theodicy. He explains a special fascination with acts of horrible evil, but points out that everyone thinks that evil resides in some other evil people, never ourselves.
Criticisms: the “apprentice” analogy fell flat sometimes. The treatment of biblical literalism was the weakest part, mainly because he used some easy targets (not everything is literal in Revelation) without giving a coherent hermeneutic. In fairness, I think his point was that we should remain open in how we read, and I’m on board with that.
Would recommend for a certain type of doubter, a certain type of seeker, or to bolster the faith of a certain type of believer.
March 24, 2025
Poignant, honest, and compelling. I found this book to be convicting and faith-strengthening in ways I didn't expect. Far from the "make hummus, not war" tone I expected, Porter seems sick of everything; sick of sin, sick of suffering, and sick of the noise. The author seems to take on a somewhat cynical tone at points, but he's not content to stay there. He manages to seamlessly point every passage back to Christ. "Suffering is real," he seems to say, "Come take solace in Jesus."
This book has all the brazenness and honest comfort of a Josh White sermon, but still feels wholly original and thought provoking. Highly recommend.
This book has all the brazenness and honest comfort of a Josh White sermon, but still feels wholly original and thought provoking. Highly recommend.
December 31, 2022
Spiritual Formation seems to be a topic that routinely is brought to my mind in one way or another, and this book is the most recent catalyst. While before it's often been definitions (how we are formed spiritually, how we are formed individually, how culture forms us), Death to Deconstruction is more concerned with why Christians are spiritually forming in a way that rejects basic orthodoxy. Some of the blame is on culture, sure, but much of it is on the American church and on us as individual Christians in the way we choose to live our lives and the false characteristics of God we unknowingly show to those still forming their faith. Even if you agree (or disagree) with everything Porter writes, the way he phrases his points and the questions he asks are sure to challenge you to increase self-denial and better represent the faith.
December 25, 2022
This book is a ruthless takedown and condemnation of the movement that has recently become popularized as deconstruction. He calls it out as a fad, points out that it leads to atheism, and proclaims it’s hypocrisy and intellectual dishonesty. And all of this is done in an approachable and honest monologue.
Someone skeptical or who has “deconstructed” will find much agreement from Porter, as to the terrible things preached in the church over the last few decades, that pushed them to that point. He rightfully calls out the abuse, neglect and misdirected focus from the church, but he doesn’t let it end there. He answers the concerns.
But more than a treatise on the subject of deconstruction, the book is heavily autobiographical. I enjoyed so much personal context from the writer, and you don’t have to be an established fan of his music. Specifically, the political and nationalistic perspectives were well worded.
It’s obvious that I have some differing theological beliefs than the author, but on the overall subject of deconstruction, I am in complete agreement. He quotes a wide range of theologians, from both liberal and conservative camps.
⚠️Parental Warning ⚠️
Young adults will be particularly interested in this book, as fans of Showbread and from being primary targets for Deconstruction philosophy. If looking to get your teen a copy, here is what to expect:
Sex as a topic is mentioned multiple times when discussing events in the Bible, in rock n roll, in news, etc.
A particular chapter documents just about every evil and horrific thing that has happened in the world: war, rape, abuse, etc., in context to make larger story about evil and God’s love.
Someone skeptical or who has “deconstructed” will find much agreement from Porter, as to the terrible things preached in the church over the last few decades, that pushed them to that point. He rightfully calls out the abuse, neglect and misdirected focus from the church, but he doesn’t let it end there. He answers the concerns.
But more than a treatise on the subject of deconstruction, the book is heavily autobiographical. I enjoyed so much personal context from the writer, and you don’t have to be an established fan of his music. Specifically, the political and nationalistic perspectives were well worded.
It’s obvious that I have some differing theological beliefs than the author, but on the overall subject of deconstruction, I am in complete agreement. He quotes a wide range of theologians, from both liberal and conservative camps.
⚠️Parental Warning ⚠️
Young adults will be particularly interested in this book, as fans of Showbread and from being primary targets for Deconstruction philosophy. If looking to get your teen a copy, here is what to expect:
Sex as a topic is mentioned multiple times when discussing events in the Bible, in rock n roll, in news, etc.
A particular chapter documents just about every evil and horrific thing that has happened in the world: war, rape, abuse, etc., in context to make larger story about evil and God’s love.
March 10, 2023
This is probably one of the most impactful books I’ve read in recent years. Rich, clear, moving, clarifying, thought-provoking, and so beautifully honest. Josh brings his full self to this book.
Josh captures in a fresh—yet timeless—way the journey taken by the apprentice of Jesus.
A standout read, likely one I will revisit in years to come. I could not recommend this enough!
Josh captures in a fresh—yet timeless—way the journey taken by the apprentice of Jesus.
A standout read, likely one I will revisit in years to come. I could not recommend this enough!
February 14, 2024
Joshua Porter's journey of deconstruction and reconstruction is raw and real, stirring emotions while offering a path to healing. In a time when skepticism toward faith is on the rise, Porter's story pushes back against the trend of dismantling Christianity. Through his unique perspective, he encourages readers to delve deeper into their doubts and confront the inconsistencies they see, challenging them to grapple with their faith in a meaningful way.
April 21, 2023
I don’t even know how to explain how vital this book was to me.
I guess I’ll say it this way.
I think at the end of 2023 I will tell people this was the most impactful book I read.
I guess I’ll say it this way.
I think at the end of 2023 I will tell people this was the most impactful book I read.
February 23, 2023
Reader beware, the title of this book should have been My Journey Back to Orthodoxy: How a Blood Spewing Punk Rocker Fell in Love with Conservative Christianity Again. Porter’s book is a quasi-memoir using the tried-and-true Evangelical playbook for bestselling books - an edgy outsider warning believers against listening to the “wrong” voices, especially in popular culture. Porter repeatedly warns about those using Instagram posts, podcasts, etc. to spread false/water-downed/deconstructed Christianity (even as the author uses the same highly stylized and curated social media presence and podcasts/sermons to spread the “real” truth).
However, my biggest complaint with this book (don’t get me started on naming the Pilgrims Progress-ish parable, The Apprentice) is it’s title, as the book has nothing to do with the death of deconstruction or how to be a rebel. Instead of being honest, Porter uses the Evangelical playbook of taking trendy Christian buzzwords to attack those who question orthodoxy but haven’t come to the “correct” conclusion(s). In doing so, Porter’s book will most certainly become a bestseller as “concerned” and “good-intentioned” friends and family members recommend/buy the book for those who dare unpack, rethink and examine their belief systems.
“It is customary to blame secular science and anti-religious philosophy for the eclipse of religion in modern society. It would be more honest to blame religion for its own defeats. Religion declined not because it was refuted, but because it became irrelevant, dull, oppressive, insipid. When faith is completely replaced by creed, worship by discipline, love by habit; when the crisis of today is ignored because of the splendor of the past; when faith becomes an heirloom rather than a living fountain; when religion speaks only in the name of authority rather than with the voice of compassion--its message becomes meaningless.”
Abraham Joshua Heschel, God in Search of Man: A Philosophy of Judaism
However, my biggest complaint with this book (don’t get me started on naming the Pilgrims Progress-ish parable, The Apprentice) is it’s title, as the book has nothing to do with the death of deconstruction or how to be a rebel. Instead of being honest, Porter uses the Evangelical playbook of taking trendy Christian buzzwords to attack those who question orthodoxy but haven’t come to the “correct” conclusion(s). In doing so, Porter’s book will most certainly become a bestseller as “concerned” and “good-intentioned” friends and family members recommend/buy the book for those who dare unpack, rethink and examine their belief systems.
“It is customary to blame secular science and anti-religious philosophy for the eclipse of religion in modern society. It would be more honest to blame religion for its own defeats. Religion declined not because it was refuted, but because it became irrelevant, dull, oppressive, insipid. When faith is completely replaced by creed, worship by discipline, love by habit; when the crisis of today is ignored because of the splendor of the past; when faith becomes an heirloom rather than a living fountain; when religion speaks only in the name of authority rather than with the voice of compassion--its message becomes meaningless.”
Abraham Joshua Heschel, God in Search of Man: A Philosophy of Judaism
January 24, 2023
Although I wouldn’t typically pick up a book about deconstruction, I had high hopes for this one. I’ve found Josh’s teachings insightful and convicting. Also, he’s the front man of a punk band I was into growing up and just a rad artist in general.
The analysis and discussion of the contributors to deconstruction, while in part are biographical, seem reductive and somewhat shallow. Also a little bit predictable. I think I was surprised by this because the teachings that I have heard from Josh have offered a very unique perspective.
I did enjoy the apprentice allegory and the section on hypocrisy. The artistic elements of the book were really great and I wish he leaned more into them.
The analysis and discussion of the contributors to deconstruction, while in part are biographical, seem reductive and somewhat shallow. Also a little bit predictable. I think I was surprised by this because the teachings that I have heard from Josh have offered a very unique perspective.
I did enjoy the apprentice allegory and the section on hypocrisy. The artistic elements of the book were really great and I wish he leaned more into them.
September 1, 2023
still chewing this one over. more thoughts later…
Read
July 28, 2023Refraining from a star rating, because I don't quite know what to think about this. I will say that I enjoyed reading it and am pleased that it left me in the state of being uncertain what to think about it.
"Deconstruction" is without a doubt one of the most overused and vapid cultural buzzwords right now. And frankly, I'm of the opinion increasingly that its origins honestly aren't that impressive or deep either - Foucault is a delight to read and was an amazing mind and while I think he is in part the originator of "deconstruction" I think he'd be really wary of what it has grown into, so I don't feel especially critical of him. Derrida though? I don't think I'd go as far as my philosophy professor went and call him a charlatan, but I would say his major contributions have been mostly unhelpful (because they are based mostly, and ironically, on false assumptions). The same goes for the apostolic generation of Spivak and Butler and all the rest. All brilliant, obviously, but seemingly just, in my opinion, wrong on the level of fundamental assumptions.
Perhaps the cruelest irony of all is that the extremely unlikely possibility that even half of the things deconstructionists assume to be unnatural social constructs actually are, has somehow managed to convince so many people despite the evidence to the contrary. What I'm getting at: the assumptions of deconstructionism have created one of the only enormous cultural influences that I think might ACTUALLY be a cultural construct alone: deconstructionism. So most of what is said to be a cultural construct probably isn't (or isn't just that at its core), but the notion to call everything a social construct has become such an enormous social construct that I believe it is incumbent upon deconstructionists now to deconstruct deconstructionism and so come full circle right back into entertaining that not everything is a mutable social construct (or it is, but the blueprints are not), but might actually be based in some kind of nature just waiting to be freed from the construct of deconstructionism.
Deconstruction is just so easy. Not just in the religious sense written about by Porter here, but in the whole academic sense. One can create a whole academic career just writing papers that examine something and find something wrong with it. It doesn't have to, but it lends itself easily to cynicism. Ironically, I think the proliferation of deconstructionism in academia is a product of capitalism, which is a chief target for deconstruction (and rightly so, I'll say, as I'm no fan of it myself), because capitalism has infected the academic system in the form of an obsession with professors publishing all the time in order to keep their jobs, so the school can look good. It is intellectualism on demand, interested in quantity over quality and carefulness - disposable flavor-of-the-week regurgitations. Because of this, deconstructionists succeed, because it's so much easier to point to problems in other things than it is to come up with any new ideas or, i don't know, CONSTRUCT something yourself. So thousands of pages are written over and over with nary a single new idea in sight. Just more looking at structures for their nefarious agendas.
I'm reminded of the Nick Cave song, "We Call Upon the Author," when he sarcastically (I think) vents furiously that people are daring to "publish another volume of un-reconstructed rubbish." How dare they! It's hard to know exactly what Cave meant there, but considering what I've learned of his stances, there's a good chance it's exactly what I interpreted it as. What a backward old fool!
That completely unnecessary tangent aside, I'd have wanted to read something with such an antagonistic title no matter who wrote it, or what religion it came from.
"Deconstruction" is without a doubt one of the most overused and vapid cultural buzzwords right now. And frankly, I'm of the opinion increasingly that its origins honestly aren't that impressive or deep either - Foucault is a delight to read and was an amazing mind and while I think he is in part the originator of "deconstruction" I think he'd be really wary of what it has grown into, so I don't feel especially critical of him. Derrida though? I don't think I'd go as far as my philosophy professor went and call him a charlatan, but I would say his major contributions have been mostly unhelpful (because they are based mostly, and ironically, on false assumptions). The same goes for the apostolic generation of Spivak and Butler and all the rest. All brilliant, obviously, but seemingly just, in my opinion, wrong on the level of fundamental assumptions.
Perhaps the cruelest irony of all is that the extremely unlikely possibility that even half of the things deconstructionists assume to be unnatural social constructs actually are, has somehow managed to convince so many people despite the evidence to the contrary. What I'm getting at: the assumptions of deconstructionism have created one of the only enormous cultural influences that I think might ACTUALLY be a cultural construct alone: deconstructionism. So most of what is said to be a cultural construct probably isn't (or isn't just that at its core), but the notion to call everything a social construct has become such an enormous social construct that I believe it is incumbent upon deconstructionists now to deconstruct deconstructionism and so come full circle right back into entertaining that not everything is a mutable social construct (or it is, but the blueprints are not), but might actually be based in some kind of nature just waiting to be freed from the construct of deconstructionism.
Deconstruction is just so easy. Not just in the religious sense written about by Porter here, but in the whole academic sense. One can create a whole academic career just writing papers that examine something and find something wrong with it. It doesn't have to, but it lends itself easily to cynicism. Ironically, I think the proliferation of deconstructionism in academia is a product of capitalism, which is a chief target for deconstruction (and rightly so, I'll say, as I'm no fan of it myself), because capitalism has infected the academic system in the form of an obsession with professors publishing all the time in order to keep their jobs, so the school can look good. It is intellectualism on demand, interested in quantity over quality and carefulness - disposable flavor-of-the-week regurgitations. Because of this, deconstructionists succeed, because it's so much easier to point to problems in other things than it is to come up with any new ideas or, i don't know, CONSTRUCT something yourself. So thousands of pages are written over and over with nary a single new idea in sight. Just more looking at structures for their nefarious agendas.
I'm reminded of the Nick Cave song, "We Call Upon the Author," when he sarcastically (I think) vents furiously that people are daring to "publish another volume of un-reconstructed rubbish." How dare they! It's hard to know exactly what Cave meant there, but considering what I've learned of his stances, there's a good chance it's exactly what I interpreted it as. What a backward old fool!
That completely unnecessary tangent aside, I'd have wanted to read something with such an antagonistic title no matter who wrote it, or what religion it came from.
September 15, 2024
This book is challenging. It’s provoking.
It, like art, is meant to disturb.
It doesn’t pull its punches. It will probably offend you.
So, my challenge to those curious:
If you take this book and read it, inviting God into the process, wherever you are at with him. He will meet you.
If you ask him to show up in your questions, in your doubts, and in the places you are holding too tightly, He will.
If you read this book wanting to know who God really is, you’ll see him more.
Read this book and ask God to show you what’s in your heart.
And what’s in between you and him.
And he will.
Read this book with a posture of repentance, with a hunger, with a willingness to look closely at what’s not working and to dive into the questions.
It’s both a calling out and a calling in.
Who is this book for?
Anyone who wants to hear about an unflinching honest journey THROUGH to find Jesus
Anyone who has felt disillusioned, who was taught the formula and choreography of perfection and following rules in church.
Anyone who knows the emptiness of going through the motions and the emptiness of making God in your own image.
Anyone wanting to have a conversation and is okay with it getting a little uncomfortable.
Note about the author:
It’s strange to me to say that Josh Porter has been an influence in my life for twenty years— but it’s true. I was introduced to Showbread by a boy I had a crush on. My teenage angst was drawn to the tension and wrestling..
The emotional resonance and passion
The vivid imagery and the vocabulary
The raw, messy pursuit of Jesus
So with that, I recognize my starting point with this book may look different than a lot of people. I have bias, being in a pre-existing, one-sided relationship prior to picking it up. Like watching a tv show with an actor you love or hearing a friend explain their favorite page to screen movie, it lends a favorable lens. It gives grace as the story unfolds, when you’ve watched the storyteller’s path over the years.
Here’s the thing though, it's not about him. It is, but it isn't.
This book is not about getting in line with anything specific ideology.
You don’t have to agree with his politics or stances or opinions on things.
It’s about the engaging in a conversation that will be uncomfortable and challenge you to do some rearranging. It’s about getting through whatever is standing between you and Jesus.
It, like art, is meant to disturb.
It doesn’t pull its punches. It will probably offend you.
So, my challenge to those curious:
If you take this book and read it, inviting God into the process, wherever you are at with him. He will meet you.
If you ask him to show up in your questions, in your doubts, and in the places you are holding too tightly, He will.
If you read this book wanting to know who God really is, you’ll see him more.
Read this book and ask God to show you what’s in your heart.
And what’s in between you and him.
And he will.
Read this book with a posture of repentance, with a hunger, with a willingness to look closely at what’s not working and to dive into the questions.
It’s both a calling out and a calling in.
Who is this book for?
Anyone who wants to hear about an unflinching honest journey THROUGH to find Jesus
Anyone who has felt disillusioned, who was taught the formula and choreography of perfection and following rules in church.
Anyone who knows the emptiness of going through the motions and the emptiness of making God in your own image.
Anyone wanting to have a conversation and is okay with it getting a little uncomfortable.
Note about the author:
It’s strange to me to say that Josh Porter has been an influence in my life for twenty years— but it’s true. I was introduced to Showbread by a boy I had a crush on. My teenage angst was drawn to the tension and wrestling..
The emotional resonance and passion
The vivid imagery and the vocabulary
The raw, messy pursuit of Jesus
So with that, I recognize my starting point with this book may look different than a lot of people. I have bias, being in a pre-existing, one-sided relationship prior to picking it up. Like watching a tv show with an actor you love or hearing a friend explain their favorite page to screen movie, it lends a favorable lens. It gives grace as the story unfolds, when you’ve watched the storyteller’s path over the years.
Here’s the thing though, it's not about him. It is, but it isn't.
This book is not about getting in line with anything specific ideology.
You don’t have to agree with his politics or stances or opinions on things.
It’s about the engaging in a conversation that will be uncomfortable and challenge you to do some rearranging. It’s about getting through whatever is standing between you and Jesus.
March 12, 2023
4-5 Stars! This is really hard for me to rate.
To one degree, this is one of the most potent books I've read anytime recently, or read on doubt, deconstruction, reason for faith, etc. Josh is an extraordinary writer! Metaphors so vivid it will leave you speechless. Certain points he hits home with such force as to leave you moved, challenged, worshipping, and marveling at insights coming together so intricately.
On the other hand, as someone who grew up in a Reformed denomination and context (who honestly, in my own deconstruction journey has probably moved to not looking much left like anything Reformed at all), I found his conversation on the sovereignty of God to be too short-sighted and simplistic. I got the sense that he was equivocating mistakenly and unnecessarily where he simply didn't need to. Perhaps, this is just my Reformed tradition speaking, but I would have found conversation on the differing wills of God helpful here. His permissive will, (what he permits to take place, though he is not the arbiter of such actions himself [like terrible evils that are the hands of Satan]), and his moral will (that which aligns with his holy, perfect self, that he desires for all his creatures). I think of the story of Job, Satan on a leash. Satan is certainly carrying out these activities himself, but God in his mysterious love withholds himself from stopping him.
I loved and was greatly helped by Josh's attribution of all evil to dark spiritual forces (even natural disasters in the world), but I felt myself wanting for him to connect back to God's nature. I would give myself a lot of caution not to neuter God's power. I don't think it's either/or, but both/and.
This is plainly and likely my only gripe with the book. So much respect, so much honor for Josh, and deep love and appreciation for this book he released into the world. This moved and aided me so greatly on my journey forward to choose Jesus each day as his disciple, and I know it will do the same for many others!
To one degree, this is one of the most potent books I've read anytime recently, or read on doubt, deconstruction, reason for faith, etc. Josh is an extraordinary writer! Metaphors so vivid it will leave you speechless. Certain points he hits home with such force as to leave you moved, challenged, worshipping, and marveling at insights coming together so intricately.
On the other hand, as someone who grew up in a Reformed denomination and context (who honestly, in my own deconstruction journey has probably moved to not looking much left like anything Reformed at all), I found his conversation on the sovereignty of God to be too short-sighted and simplistic. I got the sense that he was equivocating mistakenly and unnecessarily where he simply didn't need to. Perhaps, this is just my Reformed tradition speaking, but I would have found conversation on the differing wills of God helpful here. His permissive will, (what he permits to take place, though he is not the arbiter of such actions himself [like terrible evils that are the hands of Satan]), and his moral will (that which aligns with his holy, perfect self, that he desires for all his creatures). I think of the story of Job, Satan on a leash. Satan is certainly carrying out these activities himself, but God in his mysterious love withholds himself from stopping him.
I loved and was greatly helped by Josh's attribution of all evil to dark spiritual forces (even natural disasters in the world), but I felt myself wanting for him to connect back to God's nature. I would give myself a lot of caution not to neuter God's power. I don't think it's either/or, but both/and.
This is plainly and likely my only gripe with the book. So much respect, so much honor for Josh, and deep love and appreciation for this book he released into the world. This moved and aided me so greatly on my journey forward to choose Jesus each day as his disciple, and I know it will do the same for many others!
November 20, 2024
Someone else wrote that there are some really great nuggets of truth here if you can get over the brash delivery. Perhaps because I listened to the audio version with the author reading it, I got an extra level of the brashness, but wow. There are a lot of extremely good points that many need to hear, but sometimes it felt like palpable anger spewing out--especially the last few pages. There was also this weird 'reject the left and the right' message, but then followed it up by splicing views of the left and right together which was confusing. For example, he felt strongly about the ridiculousness of Christian angst against tattoos and 'young Earth' understandings of creation (he's a punk rocker that loves dinosaurs), but then found it ridiculous for Christians to examine their conscience on sexual ethics (he appears to hold conservative views on sexuality, but then rips conservative Christians for their handling and views on sexuality...???)
If you can get over the strong delivery and some of the more confusing bits, it's not too bad. I read it because of the John Mark Comer endorsement. I would recommend reading Comer first who, in my opinion, delivers a similar take on God in a more direct and loving way.
If you can get over the strong delivery and some of the more confusing bits, it's not too bad. I read it because of the John Mark Comer endorsement. I would recommend reading Comer first who, in my opinion, delivers a similar take on God in a more direct and loving way.
March 3, 2023
What a hard-to-review book.
Would’ve been five stars for content and pure writing style. Porter manages to be as accessible, informal and binge-readable as his “mentor,” John Mark Comer, but he does it without the short, punchy paragraphs and frequent italicization. I could hardly put this book down. It made me laugh and it made me feel strong stuff deep inside, and it made me take a break to clear the water from my eyes. There’s powerful truth here in memoir form.
I took a star off because Porter is too … what’s the word? Crass? Provocative? Too irreverent for me. From the use of a Christian-y cuss word that called to mind its quite obscene alternative, to its incessant mocking of young-earth-Creationism, to his all-too-recent punk-rock antics, Porter fails the Titus 2 test of “sound speech.”
There are some people I would give this book to. For those in the darkness of deconstruction, especially the “ultimate deconstruction” of suicide, Porter could be the understanding friend whose story helps them find the light. For those looking for a mentor, though, or discipleship — maybe they should move on to reading Porter’s own mentor and beyond.
Would’ve been five stars for content and pure writing style. Porter manages to be as accessible, informal and binge-readable as his “mentor,” John Mark Comer, but he does it without the short, punchy paragraphs and frequent italicization. I could hardly put this book down. It made me laugh and it made me feel strong stuff deep inside, and it made me take a break to clear the water from my eyes. There’s powerful truth here in memoir form.
I took a star off because Porter is too … what’s the word? Crass? Provocative? Too irreverent for me. From the use of a Christian-y cuss word that called to mind its quite obscene alternative, to its incessant mocking of young-earth-Creationism, to his all-too-recent punk-rock antics, Porter fails the Titus 2 test of “sound speech.”
There are some people I would give this book to. For those in the darkness of deconstruction, especially the “ultimate deconstruction” of suicide, Porter could be the understanding friend whose story helps them find the light. For those looking for a mentor, though, or discipleship — maybe they should move on to reading Porter’s own mentor and beyond.
December 15, 2023
This book, written by a post-punk rock, formerly suicidal Christian pastor, pulls no punches in its argument of how to remain faithful as a Christian. This book is not coddling and placating. The author’s argument is subversive to today’s “you do you/live your truth/nature is my church” mentality in that his argument is: Orthodoxy is the way to remain faithful. Expect to be offended by people in your church, expect to weave through times of integration and disintegration, expect religion to ask so much of you—this is the way God is shaping us.
This book gave me so much to think about. I loved his examinations on the barriers to spirituality and how to break those barriers. Most importantly, I loved the central message of how Christ is found in community and the reminder of how important it is to be aware that the world is beckoning so many away from that community.
This book gave me so much to think about. I loved his examinations on the barriers to spirituality and how to break those barriers. Most importantly, I loved the central message of how Christ is found in community and the reminder of how important it is to be aware that the world is beckoning so many away from that community.
February 9, 2025
I read this because I’m a longtime fan of Josh’s band Showbread who my high school Christian punk rock band got to open for in Spokane, WA when we took some of the band with us to jump off the 7 Mile bridge at night into the cold river below after the show.
This was a great read. Josh made many great points and shared many personal things that led credibility to where he was coming from. I appreciated his candor. He’s a great writer too. The pose in the last chapter made me know I need to find his fiction and read that too.
This was a great read. Josh made many great points and shared many personal things that led credibility to where he was coming from. I appreciated his candor. He’s a great writer too. The pose in the last chapter made me know I need to find his fiction and read that too.
February 2, 2023
This is a must read. My words are inadequate. The combination of vulnerability, grief, and deep pain, with goodness & faithfulness of God at the center is transformational. Josh is a artist & a voice we must listen to.
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