This has brought me so much joy to know I am on the right path!! I am looking forward to the new journey and I no it won't be easy🙏🏽Please keep me in prayer
So true. I am forgiven but when I confess to my sisters in Christ, the shame and Satan had to flee cos the confession is truth and I found my Savior and forgiveness in Jesus from it.
I have to say I’m guilty of judging this man for his sins. Then I went through my own journey of losing a child, marriage broke down and church rejecting us. It made me understand him way more and relate to the church hurt and how lecrae responded to it all. I repent for judging you man and I’ll be your brother in Christ praying for you like I use to. God bless you brother
You had a lot of good things to say here brother. I am an older white man, and, as you said, that is no crime. Not at all. But I am sorry for how some of us handled some of these societal issues without understanding, sympathy or compassion. We need truth AND grace. One without the other is empty. We need sound theology from the Bible, and hearts that match it with empathy and true care and compassion. That's what I hear you reflecting. By God's grace, there is still goodness in the "institutional church" even though there are major imperfections and flaws, sometimes character flaws, sometimes theological flaws, often both. As you said in one of your early songs about the church: don't throw the baby out with the bath water. You also had some great thoughts about the Kingdom of God. God bless you brother.
“How close can I get to disobedience without actually disobeying.” I went through that phase! 😳 Now, I just want to be as close to Jesus as I can possibly be! 😊🙏🏻
This statement is weird. Even partial disobedience is disobedience. Even delayed obedience is disobedience. You can not get close to disobedience. Either you're obeying or you're not.
Totally understand what you’re saying. Just like teenagers toe the line. They try to push boundaries & find loopholes. It’s fear based in obedience. When you’re being driven by your own desires instead of compelled by Christ to obey out of love.
Love it man. I fell into heroin addiction at 21 because I was drawn to this world thinking nothing could ever touch me. But that snake bit me and Satan trapped me beyond what I ever imagined. It was also my first year of marriage. It took me 7 years to get freed of that addiction. In the midst of all that mess, God miraculously preserved my marriage. And although financially I lost everything, I did gain Christ. It took me getting to a place of absolute desperation to realize that either you’re going to die or God‘s gonna do something. And when I humbled myself and surrendered, he did everything for me. I went from living in one little room with my wife and our first child, to having complete restoration of my life, financial blessing beyond belief, amazing family with three kids, and a relationship with Jesus, that I could have never imagined. God is good, and everything good comes from him. Just celebrated 7 years clean and 14 years of marriage!
@@michaelstuckey9282 God bless you and strengthen you, my friend. Praying hard for you for a breakthrough right now. Here's trusting for better times and closer walk with God ahead.
@@StephenJahn thank you brother. Us believers have a huge advantage that non believers don’t have. We belong to a great Body of Christ. And we support eachother and lift one another up. Thankful to share that with you. I appreciate your words and prayers
Priorities. The word I have been repeating to myself for the last month and going to through 2024. If I can watch trash, I can give that time to the Lord.
I’m so grateful that I go to a STABLE church where I KNOW they love me and I love them just the same. I see the same people every service, the youth are in tune with the services and participate. We still have testimonies to where we can encourage one another. We are thriving and growing, without the pomp and circumstance that I see going on at these other churches. The truth of God doesn’t need all of this extra stuff that a lot of churches do, nowadays. I’m closer to them than my own blood family. We all have the same goal in mind, to overcome sin and live FULLY for God. My life has changed completely, since I have been there under this teaching. God has blessed my marriage, my children, saved my life and increased us financially, all out of being obedient to the Lord and following Him. I love the Lord too much to turn back and go back to the world. He’s done TOO MUCH. People will be people. When you stand 10 toes on the word, you will NEVER go wrong.
I grew up in the church, I walked away from organized religion after dealing with the wickedness of the people and their greedy, envious ways. I hadn't done anything! and because the pastor wanted me sexually and his wife was onto his BS, He turned the situation around and made it appear that I was the problem! I couldn't believe he did that, but you live and learn. Those are his bloody hands, I experienced it with the second church that i started going to.
Have you heard of Reformed theology? I encourage you to watch the documentary called American Gospel. And listen to sound Biblical teaching from Voddie Baucham, John MacArthur and James White. May Christ bless you!
What he was saying about the church at the beginning was so refreshing. The machine that gets called "church" is not what God had in mind for His bride.
Bruh…. I never comment on anything on you tube, but your message here so coincides with my experience as a Christian here in America. It is SO hard to find a church “home” group here in the south because it is so ideolitic in politics or the world. I just want to seek Jesus and not culture. Bless you brother! Thank you for your voice.
I'm so hooked on your videos I think I have deconstructed so many times and right now I'm under construction I try to fight my depression daily but it's so exhausting the first time I tried to take my life I was 9 that's when me and Jesus became friends when I felt alone I knew his presence was there but as I got older going through more crap in life as we all do in some ways I just get so dragged down by the pressures of the world and now I'm at a confusing place my mom has stage 4 lung cancer and bone cancer and trying to mend our relationship while she going through her own hell my mind is just giving up it feels like I'm so glad I stumbled on your podcast so thankful please keep going your voice is needed brother in Christ 🙏🫂
May the Holy Spirit give you and your mom the healing, grace, peace, comfort and strength you need to go stay rooted in your faith and overcome the struggles of this season in your life 🙏🏾
Thank you for this perspective and sharing your journey. I am an educated white man. I greive the use of Jesus instead of the following of and submission to Him. I grieve for the injustice in our country. I grieve for the systematic racism in this country. I grieve for the treatment of the unborn and the lack of support for women that leads to the choice of abortion. I grieve for the lack of care and support for the poor. I grieve at the vilification of the immigrant and refugees. I grieve the division that is being encouraged by our leaders for their benefit and power. May God bless you!
I will admit I am part of the crowd that usually thinks of deconstruction as a negative thing. I have been listening to your music since 2014 or 2015 when I was in middle school. I always loved Christian rap because in my experience it is the genre of music that has the best theology. Artists are more willing to talk about the things they struggle with. Being a fan for so long made it hard to hear you were deconstructing your faith. All I knew about deconstruction was it usually is used as a term for people leaving their faith. It felt like seeing an icon leave the faith. Watching this video was an encouragement. Hearing about how you want to strip away a lot of the fluff we see in the church today to try to live our faith in a more traditional manner. I always loved the sound of the close-knit community the church has in Acts, hearing you speak make me long for that sort of community even more. It sounds like you're in a good place with your faith, and i am truly happy for that.
I hear u. The hardest part of being a Christian for me is feeling like other Christian’s are eagerly watching me in excitement to tell me I’m lukewarm or I don’t know god when in reality I just simply don’t know everything or as much they may know yet. I never get the benefit of the doubt and they just assume the worst about me. Keeps me very isolated and to myself. I feel like it’s just me, god, and my Bible sometimes. I wish other Christian’s were more inviting and understanding. I’m wholeheartedly seeking the kingdom with everything I’ve got.
Just remember that Jesus didn’t even judge the world for what they did to him when he was crucified, but asked the father to forgive the world for they do not know. If Jesus didn’t judge what gives us the right? Just remember whenever the next time a so called “Christian” judges u for something, they themselves are the same if not worse. Don’t let others put u down because in the end, we all fall short in the glory of God and no one man is above another. All we can do is pray for others and repent/believe in Jesus Christ.
Honestly I feel you. I became a Christian in 2020. I'm so glad I didn't share anything with Christians back then because it would've made me leave. The way I used to think back then verses now is only something God can do. Because of my background and where I come from, I understand both sides of a lot of issues and I try to offer grace when I see a new Christian come on the scene who doesn't know about certain things yet. I didn't believe abortion was bad until Oct/Nov 2021 when God literally showed me how horrible it is. I still don't judge the people that do it, I don't judge the people that do and regret it, and I don't judge the people that don't see it the way I do because Jesus even said on the cross, Father forgive them FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO. That is something that should be practiced with everything in our lives. Because people didn't understand Jesus, so they hated him because they didn't understand. It's the same today. People judge and hate because they don't understand. More Christians need to stand up and stop judging and start actually teaching people the true Word of God and Jesus. Jesus is the only reason I believe. Not one person on this earth ever made me believe, because all they told me was that I was going to hell if I didn't believe in Jesus. I never wanted to know Jesus when they said things like that because it felt so hateful. I didn't understand what they were saying because I didn't understand the Bible. If they would've started with who Jesus was, showed me His character and what He did on this earth and for us, then i would have been a lot more curious about Jesus before 2020 and i wouldve wanted to know who He was. But Christians don't start with who Jesus is and what He's done. They start with you're going to hell. I'm so blessed that I woke up to the truth in 2020, but it took facing the reality of knowing it was all true, the Bible and Hell and Jesus, to turn to Jesus. That's sad to me because not many people face that reality alive, most of the time they face that when they die.
God bless you friend. I remember seeking more knowledge about God and was lead to one of the Best Bible teachers in the modern era David Pawson (I attached some important links below from some of his most important sermons/talks). Absolutely blessed my life and lead me to so much insight and wisdom in my walk with God I never had before. So I wanted to share that treasure with you as well. May it bless you as it has me. Some of the most vital and powerful teaching I could recommend to you. Vital teaching rarely taught in full about the way of salvation and what is required to run your spiritual race on all 4 cylinders. Most haven't had all 4 Biblical vital steps of the Normal Christian Birth, and end of struggling in some way as a result in their walk of Faith. So I can't recommend David Pawson enough or his official UA-cam channel or ministry websites. He passed away recently, but has left the Church with so much wisdom and insight into God's Word in his books and video series and has had such a miraculous testimony that is an encouragement to the power of God when we seek to do His will instead of fearing man and compromising our destiny and so many miraculous events in our lives when we choose the world over obedience and faithfulness to God. So please check out his official UA-cam channel and beyond to see more of his powerful sermons to take you deeper into understanding scripture and God's will for your life. He's one of the best I could ever recommend when it comes to taking the knowledge of God and salvation to the next level. To a vital level I wish I'd had earlier in my Christian walk. So here's some of his most important talks he's given. There's certainly more I could recommend on his official UA-cam channel etc.., but this is a really good start below. May God bless you and keep you always 🙏✝️🙏: David Pawson The Normal Christian Birth: ua-cam.com/play/PLfk5IZQHKovIZta6d2LLnMchcR5TswyRr.html&si=845stiBH34mxCu_F David Pawson Once Saved Always Saved? 10 minute clip from his Unlocking the Bible series on UA-cam about what the Book of Hebrews reveals about the danger of taking salvation for granted. The Book of Hebrews, Peter, and every New Testament author warns us not to lose what we've found in Christ. 80 passages in Scripture. The links below elaborate on this fact: ua-cam.com/video/_EafowbLkFo/v-deo.htmlsi=gZkaf5SStjehDK-B David Pawson Heros of the Faith Interview Once Saved Always Saved?: ua-cam.com/video/HxMepzHl-sA/v-deo.htmlsi=1myyGKOVg0jhtH1C David Pawson Once Saved Always Saved? Full Sermon: ua-cam.com/video/hG-zaJXv5D0/v-deo.htmlsi=zKPQlgHio-is775p David Pawson Believers in Hell: ua-cam.com/video/8gh2LXHUhIA/v-deo.htmlsi=3rXmOO5DLMEEyyE5
Thank you so so much for this. I'm getting choked up listening because so much of this is exactly what I'm currently going through - deconstructing the crappy parts of fundamentalism but staying with Jesus and the gospel. Thank you!!
Lecrae, I’ve listened to your music since ‘05 when I was bumping Real Talk in my old Ford Taurus. In 2018 I went through unexpected church hurt & trauma. There was a big cover up by the church board from things the pastor did that came to light. I grew up without my father & the pastor was a mentor/father figure to me. Long story. But now all these years later, your words are ministering to me again.
Lecrae, I've been looking for this for months now. This has been such a blessing to listen to...I feel like I deconstructed several years ago. I needed to hear this. Thank you brother!
Yes sir! I was 26 when I got saved, I'm now 54, I have been saved for more than half my life. My analogy: what kind of screen do you want on your window that you sleep by at night? One with big squares so big insects can get through and bite you? No you want a screen with very small holes so the fresh cool air can refresh you but stop the insects that want harm you. The more you know and understand God's word the smaller the squares become and the less lies that get through that want to harm you. So if that Bible is collecting dust on your bed side table you have a screen with big squares ⬛. ❤ your analogy about being away from your wife....IT IS SO TRUE!! Appreciate you.
The problem with “deconstruction” is that most people who go down that rode almost never come back and suffer… they need to be guided through the path by others who have gone down it. But that takes wisdom and a true heart to want the truth.
Everything you spoke about resonates with me so deeply. I too struggled with the hyper conservative Evangelical church view of the world. I had zero nuanced perspective and as a result, far less compassion and grace for others. After years of going through a lot of pain, I have finally come to the place where the true, simple Gospel means everything to me and all of these extra side issues that Christians fight each other, and the world about, became far less critical. Now I'm at a place where I can disagree with people over issues and still be loving and caring towards them... After all these years, the thing that I've learned the most is that I'm way more of a sinner than I thought I was!!!! and God is way more merciful than I believed he was!!!!!
I truly feel like you’re my brother. This was so good and so relatable! I deconstructed around the same time and God kept proving Himself to me time and time again! I RAN back! Thank you for sharing your testimony!
Man, honestly ever since I became born again your music has strengthened my faith, like an elder brother sending his younger brothers and sisters letters of encouragement, I'll always be grateful, just praying to the almighty to always continue being with you on your path. Proverbs 24:16
I am so grateful for this podcast. It has been a blessing to me in my faith journey as I process through disappointments and trauma that I’ve experienced in church. Thank you for being so transparent and Christ-focused.
with love n respect, 1 can Never walk away from Our FATHER n the lamb is never lost when they Know they will "never" be left "nor forsaken" by their Shepherd, they just have to silence the flock so that they can hear Him better n remember that the Very ground under Our feet speaks to THE FATHER WHO commanded It into Perfect creation that HIS/IT's little lambs would know joy.
Bless you, brother, for sharing this with people publicly. Mat 5:11-12 “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you[fn] and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way."
your transparency is encouraging been there bro for real walked away from the Lord in 2015 and everything in me wanted to die went back in drugs homeless in philly had my son and now 2 years clean and seeing the Lords mercy and calling still there but my mind I am seeking to renew to not be futile in my thinking preparing myself as a new wineskin desiring to truly know what rest in Christ looks like and working from that place because my mind my heart knows scriptures but struggles get the revelation from him
That Travon Martin story you shared is crazy. Its hard to wrap my head around anyone following Christ taking that kind of action yet I see it far too often. It's hard work sometimes to stop value them and not let that kind of thought get in the way of Christ.
Borther. I hope to God you read this. Your music was in my ears for the first couple years I began to walk with the Lord. All I listened to was rap and you gave me the ability to rap and praise my Lord and Saviour. May the burning in ur heart for Jesus Christ consume you and me in these coming days . I partner with you in prayer right now!!!
Growing up in a christian cult and then Charismatic Mega churches after that.... at 38 I had a deconstruction on my porch for 4 yr's strait... over and over reading the bible cover to cover. The word of God will deconstruct and reconstruct you if you will let it.
Your heart is in the right place. Praying for you my friend. As a 49yr old who didn't grow up in church and did live the life of a sinner i agree with some of what you say and disagree with others. We all have our of journey that creates our way of thinking and we're responsible for sharing our opinion with caution while sharing our faith with strength. There's a difference.
Amen! Thank you for this message! I heard the rumors of you being a sell out awhile back. Your words prove differently. My husband & I have stepped away from the non denominational church after reading the Bible for ourselves. We found many discrepancies with what we were being taught vs the scriptures themselves. We have learned more in the last 3 yrs than all the years we spent going to a private Christian school and attending Sunday mornings, evenings & Wed night church. Its so freeing to find spirituality vs religion and churchianity. God bless and continue the walk and the talk!! Ill be following you...
I really appreciate you sharing your journey. I went through a season what my teacher says "dark day", my faith was shaken a lot and it's been a journey coming back to Jesus. Remove all the noise, it's all about Jesus.
Thank you so much! I struggled to watch at first, because I judged you. I’m sorry for that. Listening to you changed my perspective as a Christian. I learned so much from your story. God Bless You. 🙏🏼
Lecrae! Thank you! I didn't realize that's what I was doing at the time, but deconstruction began for me in January 2016. Thank you so much for being open and sharing your story. I need it.
Thank you for being real with your faith, people are hungry for the Truth. God is going to use your deconstructing to reach people in a real way that people need at this moment in history. I’m thankful for you, keep it real my brother in faith.
I truly love God for you. God has refined you and you have come forth as pure gold and it is for all to see. The hardship that you went through are now your pearls of wisdom for others. Without the refinement process there can be godly character which is greater than all the riches in the world. To God be all the glory, in Jesus Mighty Name.
I grew up in church, and my family owns a lot of churches in MS. My dad was a preacher, uncles are pastors and bishops, etc. Lecrae's description of how he feels about Today's church is so accurate. I 100% agree that there are a lot theatrical performances and not enough authentic fellowship. There is also something else that people dont talk about: politics. I noticed politics so much, especially when i was being groomed to be the next preacher in my family and admittedly, it's left a bad taste in my mouth. The most authentic fellowship I've ever felt was when I went to a random bible study in a dorm with some guys I had nothing in common with in college. They've ended up being my groomsmen at my wedding. That type of fellowship is just what works for me, though
What you described I would say is biblical fellowship, in the early days. Large buildings and paid-for clergymen weren't really a thing until the Holy Roman Empire made Christianity, "cool."
When the song is over, when the music stops, do you know Jesus, does he live in your heart? Music has become a lot of people’s God! Sing with much passion, but it’s passion for the music, not God.
Find a reformed Orthodox Church, that’s what I did after coming to feel the same way and it’s the first time I’ve found genuine, biblical, God focused worship. Prayer, discipleship, Word focused living. Get back to basics.
Your success is due to your efforts with God's gifts for you. You enabled all your resources big/small, Good/bad for your growth. This is from the strength of the Holy Spirit & your hearts desire to pursue. Thank you for sharing all your sweat, pain, feast & triumphs with the church. The body of believers' are with you & pray for you always. Such a blessing!
Well said. Thanks for sharing this. I’m an OG fan - found Lecrae in the early stages of my faith and remember road tripping thru LA LITERALLY riding with the top down listening to Jesus music. Those lyrics always stuck with me. I’m super grateful to have grown up in a secular home and when I did get saved I always seemed to find unconventional fellowship. The institution of church is painfully whack. It’s cool to see this deconstruction happening more and more. The saints are returning to the source.
Looking forward to this. The first episode was so good, and I have a feeling this one may be better. I’ve heard him rap about this and have always hoped he’d expound on it. Man, this may blow up!
I appreciate this thoughtful discussion. You’re clearly a critical thinker who’s embraced personal growth and healing. We need more of this. God bless your life!
Wow. You said everything. The veil was lifted from your eyes, heavenly wisdom was instilled, freedom in Christ was embraced and you brother in Christ have been a side bumper in my life as I try to walk this path with My Lord and Savior and when I’ve found myself demotivated and lost your music has allowed God to jump start my faith again. Your video was so relatable to me God bless you and protect you and your family.
i grew up on you since about 2010. i remember when you felt distant in your music. bring an artist myself i could imagine growing in realtime all while being THE christian rapper. i was praying for you during that time and still am. the fact that you were so real here is so relatable and is a side of faith and edification that needs to be seen
Great to hear your heart Lecrae, bless you bro. I'm still wrestling with you saying "I completely walked away from Christ." Where would you go, that's not even an option.
Lecrae I am SO GRATEFUL I watched this. I wasn’t very aware of what happened and with the little bit I knew I thought you had walked away from the Truth. I was so heartbroken and it made me ask the Lord again to please keep me and I prayed for you. Watching this video I kept thinking that you are so beautiful. You are the man of God I knew you to be, and wiser now. My heart is full to see and hear what the Lord has done- Making you ever more like Him❤️🙌🏼❤️
Been praying and will continue to pray for you! God is real and using you to reach the deconstructed and those that forgot to leave the cornerstone. Be in strength and wisdom and blessing.
Thank you for your vulnerability and honesty, Lecrae. Thankful to Jesus for the work He’s done in you and for the work you’ve put in with Him. I’m grateful for your perspective and platform. You continue to challenge me in ways and to consider perspectives I might have missed. Praying for you and yours. 🙏🏼🩷
Love to hear this Lecrae. Heard the song "deconstruction" last year and it stopped me in my tracks. Relatable to a time in my life that God helped me out of, and was happy to hear you lay it all out on this song because I knew something had happened. I stopped listening after Anomaly and felt a shift in your music towards the secular and did not feel God breathed anymore. Glad you are back in good spirits, God bless!
This was very insightful and encouraging. I've never heard of deconstruction, but that's what I've been going through over the past 3+ years. I thought I was backsliding. To a certain extent I was/did but I want to REconstruct. Thanks for all you do! Your testimony and music have made such a positive impact on my life... I probably would have walked away from Christianity by now... but God.
I deconstructed and reconstructed by writing The Catalysm of the Kingdom of Heaven. For me it's a perfect individual expression of orthodox Christian doctrine, devotion, and action. I love God and my neighbor but I am tired of my beliefs being subject to the authoritarian, contentious, and whimsical nature of institutional faith. It doesn't mean that I am any more liberal or progressive - just aspiring to be perfectly empathetic to others, and perfect on the way I honor God and uphold essential doctrine. So much more peace now! Thank you Lord.
Thank you for sharing this brother. I have been on this journey myself and have found all of this EXACTLY what you’re saying to be THW WAY. It started with Frank Viola’s Pagan Christianity. I can’t tell you how much this has blessed me
I've never heard of this man until I started to work at my current job. This is the first time I've heard anything other than a song, and I must say he's a very articulate young man
Amen. Now Let your eyes and ears be open. We are the church. As we respect our elders. Let’s Occupy until he comes. Bring the Kingdom down to the earth.
Been praying for you since the beginning…I remember the first time I heard your music…my buddy had a burnt cd and told me to listen to it and it created so many opportunities for conversations about God while in the car with so many people…then I learned your story and have shared that with so many people and my admiration for you just continued to grow…I pray for you and pray for your faith to stay strong…you really have no idea how many people you have had a positive influence on bro…trust me you will be rewarded one day when you walk through those pearly gates and I can’t wait to meet you up there!
This music was also part of my finding Christ. I didn't want the crappy nerdy Christian music (was into rap etc) then found this and added some to Playlist and was so scared of being made fun of- but it helped my!
you are a man version of me. i went to many ways. was carious Ayumi. but now only carious about Jesus. Bless you. God def uses interest people. you went thru. glory to God.
After The Music Stops was the first album of yours that I purchased and have purchased every album since! I think I met you once at an Impact Movement Conference. Thanks for your open and honest testimony. Remember, “For a righteous man may fall seven times And rise again, But the wicked shall fall by calamity” (NKJV). In this fallen world, the difference between a righteous and an unrighteous man is not whether they fall or not, but rather what they do when they fall.
Thanks, man! I’m no stranger to the pharmaceutical world and am finishing a memoir about it and Jesus ability to get me through. Sounds like you know. He’s so faithful. I’m so sorry that doctor did that. …. Ugh.
Thank you for being so vulnerable. I know it has to take a lot of humility for, someone who has built a career on being a Christian, to talk so openly about your deconstruction and journey back to Jesus. I also "deconstructed" for a few years. When I ran away from God, I also distanced myself from anyone who loved Him because I didn't want to be held accountable for the way I was living. Praise Jesus for putting the pieces back together and bringing me back to Himself.
As a “used to be” fan I really respect and appreciate this candid discussion. I relate to just about all of this. I admit I was a one judging your process without knowing you. Only knowing you by the music I was wrong to make assumptions. Some were right and many wrong. This was a blessing!
I can understand your testimony. Thank you for sharing. I'm a pastors wife and have been a Christian since 1995 as a teenager. I really appreciate your authenticity and example of articulating your thoughts so well. God bless your life and ministry.
Thank you for sharing, Lecrae! This was encouraging. I also recently went through a very dark time where the Lord was sending me through things leftover from my past to heal and strengthen me, trials that grow us and help us to help others later. It's a great calling and I'm glad you are on the up and up :) Your honesty is much appreciated and you're definitely not alone, though the healing and brokenness of course looks different for each of us! The trials though? I feel you. I'm going to try and build spiritual armor per Ephesians 6, being prepared for the next round of trials as they come, as they will come! Because just when we think we're good, in comes an attack. This is what I need to work on. Thank you for exemplifying how to live this out. Praying for you! :)
I found true fellowship through Alpha hosted by my church. After growing up in 20+ years in the Western church, I finally experienced what Jesus wanted for us and it's hard to communicate that to my Evangelical family
Ive beenlistening to your music for years and this transperacy was so good obhear what a hope and encouraging word keep it going you help me understand how to listen to my kids
These have been so helpful.. my husband and I have been listening to your videos and we appreciate your transparency which led to your healing journey …
Really loving this. Been a forever and saw your struggles and obviously stepped back but never stopped jamming your music. Looking forward to seeing you on a tour soon hopefully
I so appreciate the honesty in this video. I don't know if I 100% agree with his assessment of American church, though I do agree it is desperately sick, and mostly an event to go to and a form of entertainment. Let's not throw what the Lord has been able to grow in it out with the bathwater. I appreciated him walking us back through his restoration , and think that part in particular will help so many people. I did really struggle with him saying "Oh my God" like it was nothing though, that had me scratching my head a little. But still, I am happy for this video and happy he came back to the Lord. No where else I'd rather be
I truly feels like fellowship is easier in smaller church. I don't see how these mega church can do that. But I do hope we all get back to the heart of wahat it is to be a Christian: be Christ like
Thank you for your obedience to God, no matter what has happened. I'm the same age, your an AMAZING MODEL...definitely for our generation❤️ Your an example, showing how God so adores YOU, continue to shine through, shutting that human noise out that's controlling, all around you!!! "Keep eyes on the prize," ALWAYS heaven-bound🙏🏾
Seriously, I learned my biggest lessons and saw God more clearly and deeply when I face planted HARD in my early years of walking with God. Things are a bit different now. Now I enter trials with a bit less resistance, still trepidatious buy more willing. Church hurt is like a boiling pot of water splashed on your soul, and healing takes some serious time and effort in obedience. Lecrae, just like all of us, has to walk his journey and its not going to be pretty and sunshine and always growing towards God, sometimes it makes us halt and ask, “Why do I believe what I believe?” And THAT is a mature maker question.
Lecrae I have certainly sensed something in your recent music that really reflects your walk with Jesus. You almost seem more… real now. I wonder if it’s because of everything you went thru? 😊 Praise God for your healing ❤️🩹 🙏
Praise God! So glad to hear that God brought back Lecrae🙏 his openness is powerful and I've also gone through some dark times in my life including battling anxiety and depression
I use to work at KAA sports camp in Missouri and I remember 116 !b y’all changed my life as a camp counselor and later to see over the years of impact you made ! It’s so incredible ! And the work of which you established from humility.
I am so happy to hear this and praise God. Will continue to pray for you. I have been hearing a lot of hate past few years. Rough seasons come and go. Hope is beautiful.
This a msg all the backsliders out there, don't let the devil condemn you, let the apostle Paul encourage you as he went thru the same struggles in Romans 7:15-25. God loves you still and is calling you home 🙏
Ahhh this is simply divine healing.. I love your truth and the fact that you are sharing your journey , your healing, looking in the mirror and doing that work.. Much love and appreciation for that..
Confession brings healing.
This has brought me so much joy to know I am on the right path!! I am looking forward to the new journey and I no it won't be easy🙏🏽Please keep me in prayer
AMEN!!!.Speaking strong...to the younger generations nowadays❤
Amen 🙏🏽
So true. I am forgiven but when I confess to my sisters in Christ, the shame and Satan had to flee cos the confession is truth and I found my Savior and forgiveness in Jesus from it.
Love you bro, I’m 30, been listening since 20. Thanks for all you do man
Much respect and love
I have to say I’m guilty of judging this man for his sins. Then I went through my own journey of losing a child, marriage broke down and church rejecting us. It made me understand him way more and relate to the church hurt and how lecrae responded to it all. I repent for judging you man and I’ll be your brother in Christ praying for you like I use to. God bless you brother
I feel the same way. I used to judge a brother over his anxiety, until I had an attack. And I had to repent of that to him and God
I'm with you
Bruh this the realest comment on the internet
THANK YOU!
Transparency is powerful❤
You had a lot of good things to say here brother. I am an older white man, and, as you said, that is no crime. Not at all. But I am sorry for how some of us handled some of these societal issues without understanding, sympathy or compassion. We need truth AND grace. One without the other is empty. We need sound theology from the Bible, and hearts that match it with empathy and true care and compassion. That's what I hear you reflecting. By God's grace, there is still goodness in the "institutional church" even though there are major imperfections and flaws, sometimes character flaws, sometimes theological flaws, often both. As you said in one of your early songs about the church: don't throw the baby out with the bath water. You also had some great thoughts about the Kingdom of God. God bless you brother.
“How close can I get to disobedience without actually disobeying.” I went through that phase! 😳 Now, I just want to be as close to Jesus as I can possibly be! 😊🙏🏻
This statement is weird. Even partial disobedience is disobedience. Even delayed obedience is disobedience. You can not get close to disobedience. Either you're obeying or you're not.
you missed the point@@keynat9755
You're confused to think your statement is possible. God Bless..
Totally understand what you’re saying. Just like teenagers toe the line. They try to push boundaries & find loopholes. It’s fear based in obedience. When you’re being driven by your own desires instead of compelled by Christ to obey out of love.
Love it man. I fell into heroin addiction at 21 because I was drawn to this world thinking nothing could ever touch me. But that snake bit me and Satan trapped me beyond what I ever imagined. It was also my first year of marriage. It took me 7 years to get freed of that addiction. In the midst of all that mess, God miraculously preserved my marriage. And although financially I lost everything, I did gain Christ. It took me getting to a place of absolute desperation to realize that either you’re going to die or God‘s gonna do something. And when I humbled myself and surrendered, he did everything for me. I went from living in one little room with my wife and our first child, to having complete restoration of my life, financial blessing beyond belief, amazing family with three kids, and a relationship with Jesus, that I could have never imagined. God is good, and everything good comes from him. Just celebrated 7 years clean and 14 years of marriage!
Glory be to God!
Your comment has deeply convicted me. I feel I am in that same place except I’m still in the struggle. I want to be free of sin. Thank you for sharing
@@michaelstuckey9282 God bless you and strengthen you, my friend. Praying hard for you for a breakthrough right now. Here's trusting for better times and closer walk with God ahead.
@@StephenJahn thank you brother. Us believers have a huge advantage that non believers don’t have. We belong to a great Body of Christ. And we support eachother and lift one another up. Thankful to share that with you. I appreciate your words and prayers
Wow 😭 glory to God!! He is so patient and faithful!
No greater love.
I just wanted you to know I gave my life to Christ because of your Gospel.. Forever Grateful
My wife was praying for you in that 2016/2017 season. God was chasing after you and I’m very thankful that you back on the side of Truth.
Priorities. The word I have been repeating to myself for the last month and going to through 2024. If I can watch trash, I can give that time to the Lord.
I’m so grateful that I go to a STABLE church where I KNOW they love me and I love them just the same. I see the same people every service, the youth are in tune with the services and participate. We still have testimonies to where we can encourage one another. We are thriving and growing, without the pomp and circumstance that I see going on at these other churches. The truth of God doesn’t need all of this extra stuff that a lot of churches do, nowadays. I’m closer to them than my own blood family. We all have the same goal in mind, to overcome sin and live FULLY for God. My life has changed completely, since I have been there under this teaching. God has blessed my marriage, my children, saved my life and increased us financially, all out of being obedient to the Lord and following Him. I love the Lord too much to turn back and go back to the world. He’s done TOO MUCH. People will be people. When you stand 10 toes on the word, you will NEVER go wrong.
I grew up in the church, I walked away from organized religion after dealing with the wickedness of the people and their greedy, envious ways. I hadn't done anything! and because the pastor wanted me sexually and his wife was onto his BS, He turned the situation around and made it appear that I was the problem! I couldn't believe he did that, but you live and learn. Those are his bloody hands, I experienced it with the second church that i started going to.
Have you heard of Reformed theology? I encourage you to watch the documentary called American Gospel. And listen to sound Biblical teaching from Voddie Baucham, John MacArthur and James White. May Christ bless you!
What he was saying about the church at the beginning was so refreshing. The machine that gets called "church" is not what God had in mind for His bride.
Bruh…. I never comment on anything on you tube, but your message here so coincides with my experience as a Christian here in America. It is SO hard to find a church “home” group here in the south because it is so ideolitic in politics or the world. I just want to seek Jesus and not culture.
Bless you brother! Thank you for your voice.
Seek Jesus and not the culture! My brother!
I'm so hooked on your videos I think I have deconstructed so many times and right now I'm under construction I try to fight my depression daily but it's so exhausting the first time I tried to take my life I was 9 that's when me and Jesus became friends when I felt alone I knew his presence was there but as I got older going through more crap in life as we all do in some ways I just get so dragged down by the pressures of the world and now I'm at a confusing place my mom has stage 4 lung cancer and bone cancer and trying to mend our relationship while she going through her own hell my mind is just giving up it feels like I'm so glad I stumbled on your podcast so thankful please keep going your voice is needed brother in Christ 🙏🫂
May the Holy Spirit give you and your mom the healing, grace, peace, comfort and strength you need to go stay rooted in your faith and overcome the struggles of this season in your life 🙏🏾
24:50 “A lot of my faith was attached to the Christian culture”
The pivotal explanatory statement. Freedom comes once ur faith is in God NOT culture.
Thank you for this perspective and sharing your journey. I am an educated white man. I greive the use of Jesus instead of the following of and submission to Him. I grieve for the injustice in our country. I grieve for the systematic racism in this country. I grieve for the treatment of the unborn and the lack of support for women that leads to the choice of abortion. I grieve for the lack of care and support for the poor. I grieve at the vilification of the immigrant and refugees. I grieve the division that is being encouraged by our leaders for their benefit and power. May God bless you!
"Jesus is worth it!" Enough said! So good. I'm thankful for you, Lecrae.
I will admit I am part of the crowd that usually thinks of deconstruction as a negative thing. I have been listening to your music since 2014 or 2015 when I was in middle school. I always loved Christian rap because in my experience it is the genre of music that has the best theology. Artists are more willing to talk about the things they struggle with. Being a fan for so long made it hard to hear you were deconstructing your faith. All I knew about deconstruction was it usually is used as a term for people leaving their faith. It felt like seeing an icon leave the faith. Watching this video was an encouragement. Hearing about how you want to strip away a lot of the fluff we see in the church today to try to live our faith in a more traditional manner. I always loved the sound of the close-knit community the church has in Acts, hearing you speak make me long for that sort of community even more. It sounds like you're in a good place with your faith, and i am truly happy for that.
I hear u. The hardest part of being a Christian for me is feeling like other Christian’s are eagerly watching me in excitement to tell me I’m lukewarm or I don’t know god when in reality I just simply don’t know everything or as much they may know yet. I never get the benefit of the doubt and they just assume the worst about me. Keeps me very isolated and to myself. I feel like it’s just me, god, and my Bible sometimes. I wish other Christian’s were more inviting and understanding. I’m wholeheartedly seeking the kingdom with everything I’ve got.
Just remember that Jesus didn’t even judge the world for what they did to him when he was crucified, but asked the father to forgive the world for they do not know. If Jesus didn’t judge what gives us the right? Just remember whenever the next time a so called “Christian” judges u for something, they themselves are the same if not worse. Don’t let others put u down because in the end, we all fall short in the glory of God and no one man is above another. All we can do is pray for others and repent/believe in Jesus Christ.
Honestly I feel you. I became a Christian in 2020. I'm so glad I didn't share anything with Christians back then because it would've made me leave. The way I used to think back then verses now is only something God can do. Because of my background and where I come from, I understand both sides of a lot of issues and I try to offer grace when I see a new Christian come on the scene who doesn't know about certain things yet. I didn't believe abortion was bad until Oct/Nov 2021 when God literally showed me how horrible it is. I still don't judge the people that do it, I don't judge the people that do and regret it, and I don't judge the people that don't see it the way I do because Jesus even said on the cross, Father forgive them FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO. That is something that should be practiced with everything in our lives. Because people didn't understand Jesus, so they hated him because they didn't understand. It's the same today. People judge and hate because they don't understand. More Christians need to stand up and stop judging and start actually teaching people the true Word of God and Jesus. Jesus is the only reason I believe. Not one person on this earth ever made me believe, because all they told me was that I was going to hell if I didn't believe in Jesus. I never wanted to know Jesus when they said things like that because it felt so hateful. I didn't understand what they were saying because I didn't understand the Bible. If they would've started with who Jesus was, showed me His character and what He did on this earth and for us, then i would have been a lot more curious about Jesus before 2020 and i wouldve wanted to know who He was. But Christians don't start with who Jesus is and what He's done. They start with you're going to hell. I'm so blessed that I woke up to the truth in 2020, but it took facing the reality of knowing it was all true, the Bible and Hell and Jesus, to turn to Jesus. That's sad to me because not many people face that reality alive, most of the time they face that when they die.
My experience also. Church members immediately assume the worst about me and never give me the benefit of doubt. It is isolating and hurtful.
Same
God bless you friend. I remember seeking more knowledge about God and was lead to one of the Best Bible teachers in the modern era David Pawson (I attached some important links below from some of his most important sermons/talks). Absolutely blessed my life and lead me to so much insight and wisdom in my walk with God I never had before.
So I wanted to share that treasure with you as well. May it bless you as it has me. Some of the most vital and powerful teaching I could recommend to you. Vital teaching rarely taught in full about the way of salvation and what is required to run your spiritual race on all 4 cylinders. Most haven't had all 4 Biblical vital steps of the Normal Christian Birth, and end of struggling in some way as a result in their walk of Faith.
So I can't recommend David Pawson enough or his official UA-cam channel or ministry websites. He passed away recently, but has left the Church with so much wisdom and insight into God's Word in his books and video series and has had such a miraculous testimony that is an encouragement to the power of God when we seek to do His will instead of fearing man and compromising our destiny and so many miraculous events in our lives when we choose the world over obedience and faithfulness to God.
So please check out his official UA-cam channel and beyond to see more of his powerful sermons to take you deeper into understanding scripture and God's will for your life. He's one of the best I could ever recommend when it comes to taking the knowledge of God and salvation to the next level.
To a vital level I wish I'd had earlier in my Christian walk. So here's some of his most important talks he's given. There's certainly more I could recommend on his official UA-cam channel etc.., but this is a really good start below. May God bless you and keep you always 🙏✝️🙏:
David Pawson
The Normal Christian Birth:
ua-cam.com/play/PLfk5IZQHKovIZta6d2LLnMchcR5TswyRr.html&si=845stiBH34mxCu_F
David Pawson
Once Saved Always Saved?
10 minute clip from his Unlocking the Bible series on UA-cam about what the Book of Hebrews reveals about the danger of taking salvation for granted. The Book of Hebrews, Peter, and every New Testament author warns us not to lose what we've found in Christ. 80 passages in Scripture. The links below elaborate on this fact:
ua-cam.com/video/_EafowbLkFo/v-deo.htmlsi=gZkaf5SStjehDK-B
David Pawson
Heros of the Faith Interview
Once Saved Always Saved?:
ua-cam.com/video/HxMepzHl-sA/v-deo.htmlsi=1myyGKOVg0jhtH1C
David Pawson
Once Saved Always Saved?
Full Sermon:
ua-cam.com/video/hG-zaJXv5D0/v-deo.htmlsi=zKPQlgHio-is775p
David Pawson
Believers in Hell:
ua-cam.com/video/8gh2LXHUhIA/v-deo.htmlsi=3rXmOO5DLMEEyyE5
Thank you so so much for this. I'm getting choked up listening because so much of this is exactly what I'm currently going through - deconstructing the crappy parts of fundamentalism but staying with Jesus and the gospel. Thank you!!
Lecrae, I’ve listened to your music since ‘05 when I was bumping Real Talk in my old Ford Taurus. In 2018 I went through unexpected church hurt & trauma. There was a big cover up by the church board from things the pastor did that came to light. I grew up without my father & the pastor was a mentor/father figure to me. Long story. But now all these years later, your words are ministering to me again.
Lecrae, I've been looking for this for months now. This has been such a blessing to listen to...I feel like I deconstructed several years ago. I needed to hear this. Thank you brother!
Yes sir! I was 26 when I got saved, I'm now 54, I have been saved for more than half my life.
My analogy: what kind of screen do you want on your window that you sleep by at night? One with big squares so big insects can get through and bite you? No you want a screen with very small holes so the fresh cool air can refresh you but stop the insects that want harm you.
The more you know and understand God's word the smaller the squares become and the less lies that get through that want to harm you. So if that Bible is collecting dust on your bed side table you have a screen with big squares ⬛. ❤ your analogy about being away from your wife....IT IS SO TRUE!! Appreciate you.
The problem with “deconstruction” is that most people who go down that rode almost never come back and suffer… they need to be guided through the path by others who have gone down it. But that takes wisdom and a true heart to want the truth.
Everything you spoke about resonates with me so deeply. I too struggled with the hyper conservative Evangelical church view of the world. I had zero nuanced perspective and as a result, far less compassion and grace for others. After years of going through a lot of pain, I have finally come to the place where the true, simple Gospel means everything to me and all of these extra side issues that Christians fight each other, and the world about, became far less critical. Now I'm at a place where I can disagree with people over issues and still be loving and caring towards them... After all these years, the thing that I've learned the most is that I'm way more of a sinner than I thought I was!!!! and God is way more merciful than I believed he was!!!!!
I truly feel like you’re my brother. This was so good and so relatable! I deconstructed around the same time and God kept proving Himself to me time and time again! I RAN back! Thank you for sharing your testimony!
Thank you for sharing man. I’m equal parts challenged, humbled, and inspired. Praise God.
Man, honestly ever since I became born again your music has strengthened my faith, like an elder brother sending his younger brothers and sisters letters of encouragement, I'll always be grateful, just praying to the almighty to always continue being with you on your path. Proverbs 24:16
I am so grateful for this podcast. It has been a blessing to me in my faith journey as I process through disappointments and trauma that I’ve experienced in church. Thank you for being so transparent and Christ-focused.
This was so helpful as a mother of teens with one currently out there who walked away from God thank you for this episode
I used to be one of those teens. A praying mom goes along way! Keep trusting the Lord.
@@pfreemantz same, my momma is the reason i came back to Jesus. Keep praying for your kiddos. Jesus will get ahold of their heart eventually.
@@pfreemantzabsolutely! My momma’s prayers saved me from a lot! I thank the lord for a family who covers me in prayer!!!
with love n respect, 1 can Never walk away from Our FATHER n the lamb is never lost when they Know they will "never" be left "nor forsaken" by their Shepherd, they just have to silence the flock so that they can hear Him better n remember that the Very ground under Our feet speaks to THE FATHER WHO commanded It into Perfect creation that HIS/IT's little lambs would know joy.
Bless you, brother, for sharing this with people publicly.
Mat 5:11-12
“God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you[fn] and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers.
Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way."
I'm so happy that I've found you. You are one of the deep thinkers that Christianity needs today.
your transparency is encouraging been there bro for real walked away from the Lord in 2015 and everything in me wanted to die went back in drugs homeless in philly had my son and now 2 years clean and seeing the Lords mercy and calling still there but my mind I am seeking to renew to not be futile in my thinking preparing myself as a new wineskin desiring to truly know what rest in Christ looks like and working from that place because my mind my heart knows scriptures but struggles get the revelation from him
That Travon Martin story you shared is crazy. Its hard to wrap my head around anyone following Christ taking that kind of action yet I see it far too often. It's hard work sometimes to stop value them and not let that kind of thought get in the way of Christ.
Borther. I hope to God you read this. Your music was in my ears for the first couple years I began to walk with the Lord. All I listened to was rap and you gave me the ability to rap and praise my Lord and Saviour. May the burning in ur heart for Jesus Christ consume you and me in these coming days . I partner with you in prayer right now!!!
Growing up in a christian cult and then Charismatic Mega churches after that.... at 38 I had a deconstruction on my porch for 4 yr's strait... over and over reading the bible cover to cover. The word of God will deconstruct and reconstruct you if you will let it.
Your heart is in the right place. Praying for you my friend. As a 49yr old who didn't grow up in church and did live the life of a sinner i agree with some of what you say and disagree with others. We all have our of journey that creates our way of thinking and we're responsible for sharing our opinion with caution while sharing our faith with strength. There's a difference.
2 Timothy 2:13.
When we are faithless, He is faithful ...
I think a lot of us have been through similar mindsets...
Amen! Thank you for this message! I heard the rumors of you being a sell out awhile back. Your words prove differently. My husband & I have stepped away from the non denominational church after reading the Bible for ourselves. We found many discrepancies with what we were being taught vs the scriptures themselves. We have learned more in the last 3 yrs than all the years we spent going to a private Christian school and attending Sunday mornings, evenings & Wed night church. Its so freeing to find spirituality vs religion and churchianity. God bless and continue the walk and the talk!! Ill be following you...
I really appreciate you sharing your journey. I went through a season what my teacher says "dark day", my faith was shaken a lot and it's been a journey coming back to Jesus. Remove all the noise, it's all about Jesus.
Thank you so much! I struggled to watch at first, because I judged you. I’m sorry for that. Listening to you changed my perspective as a Christian. I learned so much from your story. God Bless You. 🙏🏼
Praise Jesus for this man! I thank God for the hope you shed on me today! All the way from Okinawa, Japan
Yo! What up?
I lived in Okinawa from 2000-2004 . I miss it.
Lecrae! Thank you! I didn't realize that's what I was doing at the time, but deconstruction began for me in January 2016. Thank you so much for being open and sharing your story. I need it.
we're not matter, living in space, going through time. we're spiritual beings, stuck in matter, who lives in space, going through time.
Thank you for being real with your faith, people are hungry for the Truth. God is going to use your deconstructing to reach people in a real way that people need at this moment in history. I’m thankful for you, keep it real my brother in faith.
I love that you said you are still learning. I have always heard it said the only time you stop learning is when you die.
I truly love God for you. God has refined you and you have come forth as pure gold and it is for all to see. The hardship that you went through are now your pearls of wisdom for others. Without the refinement process there can be godly character which is greater than all the riches in the world. To God be all the glory, in Jesus Mighty Name.
I grew up in church, and my family owns a lot of churches in MS. My dad was a preacher, uncles are pastors and bishops, etc. Lecrae's description of how he feels about Today's church is so accurate.
I 100% agree that there are a lot theatrical performances and not enough authentic fellowship. There is also something else that people dont talk about: politics. I noticed politics so much, especially when i was being groomed to be the next preacher in my family and admittedly, it's left a bad taste in my mouth.
The most authentic fellowship I've ever felt was when I went to a random bible study in a dorm with some guys I had nothing in common with in college. They've ended up being my groomsmen at my wedding. That type of fellowship is just what works for me, though
What you described I would say is biblical fellowship, in the early days. Large buildings and paid-for clergymen weren't really a thing until the Holy Roman Empire made Christianity, "cool."
Thanks for sharing this man.
When the song is over, when the music stops, do you know Jesus, does he live in your heart? Music has become a lot of people’s God! Sing with much passion, but it’s passion for the music, not God.
Find a reformed Orthodox Church, that’s what I did after coming to feel the same way and it’s the first time I’ve found genuine, biblical, God focused worship. Prayer, discipleship, Word focused living. Get back to basics.
@@houstonevangelicalministries i would have also put the quote things around holy in Roman empire n Christianity, because it's just what they say too.
Your success is due to your efforts with God's gifts for you. You enabled all your resources big/small, Good/bad for your growth. This is from the strength of the Holy Spirit & your hearts desire to pursue. Thank you for sharing all your sweat, pain, feast & triumphs with the church. The body of believers' are with you & pray for you always. Such a blessing!
Well said. Thanks for sharing this. I’m an OG fan - found Lecrae in the early stages of my faith and remember road tripping thru LA LITERALLY riding with the top down listening to Jesus music. Those lyrics always stuck with me. I’m super grateful to have grown up in a secular home and when I did get saved I always seemed to find unconventional fellowship. The institution of church is painfully whack. It’s cool to see this deconstruction happening more and more. The saints are returning to the source.
Thank you so much! You just don't know the magnitude of how effective you are being. God best you!
Looking forward to this. The first episode was so good, and I have a feeling this one may be better. I’ve heard him rap about this and have always hoped he’d expound on it. Man, this may blow up!
I appreciate this thoughtful discussion. You’re clearly a critical thinker who’s embraced personal growth and healing. We need more of this. God bless your life!
Wow. You said everything. The veil was lifted from your eyes, heavenly wisdom was instilled, freedom in Christ was embraced and you brother in Christ have been a side bumper in my life as I try to walk this path with My Lord and Savior and when I’ve found myself demotivated and lost your music has allowed God to jump start my faith again. Your video was so relatable to me God bless you and protect you and your family.
We love it too !! God bless you Lacrae, for even sharing this
i grew up on you since about 2010. i remember when you felt distant in your music. bring an artist myself i could imagine growing in realtime all while being THE christian rapper. i was praying for you during that time and still am. the fact that you were so real here is so relatable and is a side of faith and edification that needs to be seen
Great to hear your heart Lecrae, bless you bro. I'm still wrestling with you saying "I completely walked away from Christ." Where would you go, that's not even an option.
Lecrae I am SO GRATEFUL I watched this. I wasn’t very aware of what happened and with the little bit I knew I thought you had walked away from the Truth. I was so heartbroken and it made me ask the Lord again to please keep me and I prayed for you. Watching this video I kept thinking that you are so beautiful. You are the man of God I knew you to be, and wiser now. My heart is full to see and hear what the Lord has done- Making you ever more like Him❤️🙌🏼❤️
Been praying and will continue to pray for you! God is real and using you to reach the deconstructed and those that forgot to leave the cornerstone. Be in strength and wisdom and blessing.
Thank you for being so honest and open, may God continue to bless you.
Thank you for your vulnerability and honesty, Lecrae. Thankful to Jesus for the work He’s done in you and for the work you’ve put in with Him. I’m grateful for your perspective and platform. You continue to challenge me in ways and to consider perspectives I might have missed. Praying for you and yours. 🙏🏼🩷
Love to hear this Lecrae. Heard the song "deconstruction" last year and it stopped me in my tracks. Relatable to a time in my life that God helped me out of, and was happy to hear you lay it all out on this song because I knew something had happened. I stopped listening after Anomaly and felt a shift in your music towards the secular and did not feel God breathed anymore. Glad you are back in good spirits, God bless!
Thank you for saying everything I've been thinking as a recovering addict, Christian, and American.
This was very insightful and encouraging. I've never heard of deconstruction, but that's what I've been going through over the past 3+ years. I thought I was backsliding. To a certain extent I was/did but I want to REconstruct. Thanks for all you do! Your testimony and music have made such a positive impact on my life... I probably would have walked away from Christianity by now... but God.
I deconstructed and reconstructed by writing The Catalysm of the Kingdom of Heaven. For me it's a perfect individual expression of orthodox Christian doctrine, devotion, and action.
I love God and my neighbor but I am tired of my beliefs being subject to the authoritarian, contentious, and whimsical nature of institutional faith.
It doesn't mean that I am any more liberal or progressive - just aspiring to be perfectly empathetic to others, and perfect on the way I honor God and uphold essential doctrine.
So much more peace now! Thank you Lord.
Wow Crae...this brought me to tears 😭. God is in you and with you and it shows. Thank you for this podcast...it spoke straight to my soul!
Thank you for sharing this brother. I have been on this journey myself and have found all of this EXACTLY what you’re saying to be THW WAY. It started with Frank Viola’s Pagan Christianity. I can’t tell you how much this has blessed me
I've never heard of this man until I started to work at my current job. This is the first time I've heard anything other than a song, and I must say he's a very articulate young man
Amen. Now Let your eyes and ears be open. We are the church. As we respect our elders. Let’s Occupy until he comes. Bring the Kingdom down to the earth.
This was one of the realest things I've ever heard! My goodness. A lot of what was said was so relatable
Amen and amen. God bless you and your family. Keep speaking truth. It’s contagious 😊
Been praying for you since the beginning…I remember the first time I heard your music…my buddy had a burnt cd and told me to listen to it and it created so many opportunities for conversations about God while in the car with so many people…then I learned your story and have shared that with so many people and my admiration for you just continued to grow…I pray for you and pray for your faith to stay strong…you really have no idea how many people you have had a positive influence on bro…trust me you will be rewarded one day when you walk through those pearly gates and I can’t wait to meet you up there!
This music was also part of my finding Christ. I didn't want the crappy nerdy Christian music (was into rap etc) then found this and added some to Playlist and was so scared of being made fun of- but it helped my!
Awwww
you are a man version of me. i went to many ways. was carious Ayumi. but now only carious about Jesus. Bless you. God def uses interest people. you went thru. glory to God.
After The Music Stops was the first album of yours that I purchased and have purchased every album since! I think I met you once at an Impact Movement Conference. Thanks for your open and honest testimony. Remember, “For a righteous man may fall seven times And rise again, But the wicked shall fall by calamity” (NKJV). In this fallen world, the difference between a righteous and an unrighteous man is not whether they fall or not, but rather what they do when they fall.
Love you brother! What an awesome God!!! He who began the good work is faithful to complete it. Blessings!
Thanks, man! I’m no stranger to the pharmaceutical world and am finishing a memoir about it and Jesus ability to get me through. Sounds like you know. He’s so faithful. I’m so sorry that doctor did that. …. Ugh.
Thank you for being so vulnerable. I know it has to take a lot of humility for, someone who has built a career on being a Christian, to talk so openly about your deconstruction and journey back to Jesus. I also "deconstructed" for a few years. When I ran away from God, I also distanced myself from anyone who loved Him because I didn't want to be held accountable for the way I was living. Praise Jesus for putting the pieces back together and bringing me back to Himself.
As a “used to be” fan I really respect and appreciate this candid discussion. I relate to just about all of this.
I admit I was a one judging your process without knowing you. Only knowing you by the music I was wrong to make assumptions. Some were right and many wrong.
This was a blessing!
I can understand your testimony. Thank you for sharing. I'm a pastors wife and have been a Christian since 1995 as a teenager. I really appreciate your authenticity and example of articulating your thoughts so well. God bless your life and ministry.
Thank you for sharing, Lecrae! This was encouraging. I also recently went through a very dark time where the Lord was sending me through things leftover from my past to heal and strengthen me, trials that grow us and help us to help others later. It's a great calling and I'm glad you are on the up and up :) Your honesty is much appreciated and you're definitely not alone, though the healing and brokenness of course looks different for each of us! The trials though? I feel you. I'm going to try and build spiritual armor per Ephesians 6, being prepared for the next round of trials as they come, as they will come! Because just when we think we're good, in comes an attack. This is what I need to work on. Thank you for exemplifying how to live this out. Praying for you! :)
I found true fellowship through Alpha hosted by my church. After growing up in 20+ years in the Western church, I finally experienced what Jesus wanted for us and it's hard to communicate that to my Evangelical family
Thank you Lecrae... Church hurt is real.. thank you for pointing us to Yahweh
Thank you Crae… Needed this from you. #LoveYouMan
Ive beenlistening to your music for years and this transperacy was so good obhear what a hope and encouraging word keep it going you help me understand how to listen to my kids
These have been so helpful.. my husband and I have been listening to your videos and we appreciate your transparency which led to your healing journey …
Really loving this. Been a forever and saw your struggles and obviously stepped back but never stopped jamming your music. Looking forward to seeing you on a tour soon hopefully
I so appreciate the honesty in this video. I don't know if I 100% agree with his assessment of American church, though I do agree it is desperately sick, and mostly an event to go to and a form of entertainment. Let's not throw what the Lord has been able to grow in it out with the bathwater. I appreciated him walking us back through his restoration , and think that part in particular will help so many people. I did really struggle with him saying "Oh my God" like it was nothing though, that had me scratching my head a little. But still, I am happy for this video and happy he came back to the Lord. No where else I'd rather be
I truly feels like fellowship is easier in smaller church. I don't see how these mega church can do that. But I do hope we all get back to the heart of wahat it is to be a Christian: be Christ like
It may be hard to listen to All Things Work Together, but they (all things) truly did. I'm definitely encouraged. ❤
preach brother!!!!!! your testimony is a sermon to others worldwide.
Thanks brother. I also deconstructed due to church hurt. I believe in Jesus
Thank you for your obedience to God, no matter what has happened. I'm the same age, your an AMAZING MODEL...definitely for our generation❤️
Your an example, showing how God so adores YOU, continue to shine through, shutting that human noise out that's controlling, all around you!!!
"Keep eyes on the prize," ALWAYS heaven-bound🙏🏾
Seriously, I learned my biggest lessons and saw God more clearly and deeply when I face planted HARD in my early years of walking with God.
Things are a bit different now. Now I enter trials with a bit less resistance, still trepidatious buy more willing.
Church hurt is like a boiling pot of water splashed on your soul, and healing takes some serious time and effort in obedience.
Lecrae, just like all of us, has to walk his journey and its not going to be pretty and sunshine and always growing towards God, sometimes it makes us halt and ask, “Why do I believe what I believe?” And THAT is a mature maker question.
Lecrae I have certainly sensed something in your recent music that really reflects your walk with Jesus. You almost seem more… real now. I wonder if it’s because of everything you went thru? 😊
Praise God for your healing ❤️🩹 🙏
Praise God! So glad to hear that God brought back Lecrae🙏 his openness is powerful and I've also gone through some dark times in my life including battling anxiety and depression
Thank you for your willingness to share and use your life to help others (myself included) learn and grown.
This testimony blesses me so much. Thank you for sharing.
I use to work at KAA sports camp in Missouri and I remember 116 !b y’all changed my life as a camp counselor and later to see over the years of impact you made ! It’s so incredible !
And the work of which you established from humility.
I am so happy to hear this and praise God. Will continue to pray for you. I have been hearing a lot of hate past few years. Rough seasons come and go. Hope is beautiful.
This a msg all the backsliders out there, don't let the devil condemn you, let the apostle Paul encourage you as he went thru the same struggles in Romans 7:15-25. God loves you still and is calling you home 🙏
Ahhh this is simply divine healing.. I love your truth and the fact that you are sharing your journey , your healing, looking in the mirror and doing that work.. Much love and appreciation for that..