Is the point of following Jesus simply getting to heaven? Do we put our faith in God and just wait for the day when we get to leave this world behind and find peace? Is Christianity nothing more than the practice of staying faithful long enough that we are on the right side of the fence when we die? Something just doesn’t seem right about that. The God that we see in the Exodus is bigger than the gods of the world. The work of Jesus changes more than just one’s eternal final destination. The practice of discipleship and following Jesus is more meaningful than simply keeping us safe.

Maybe the questions you’ve asked or the problems you’ve observed with the Church don’t reveal doubts or unfaithfulness. Maybe they express a craving for what God really wants to do that goes beyond the common culture and teachings of the Church. It’s not that the Church is wrong in everything it says or teaches, but there is something more important we need to embrace for the rest of it to actually makes sense. Christianity isn’t about checking boxes and going to heaven—it’s about being restored to the image of God.