Are you stuck in a never-ending cycle of guilt, shame, and "altar call" promises you can’t seem to keep?For many of us, we were taught that repentance means shrinking, groveling, and beating ourselves up until we feel "sorry enough" for God to accept us. But what if that version of repentance isn’t actually biblical? What if it’s actually a religious tool that keeps us stuck in a cycle of performance rather than leads us to true freedom?.In this episode, Michael Wilson dismantles the cultural Christianity "shame-loop" and explores the radical, original meaning of the word Metanoia.In this video, we discuss:-- The "Saved Every Sunday" Cycle: Why emotional responses at an altar don't always lead to transformation.-- Why the Greek word metanoia means "to change your mind" or "reorient your thinking," not just to feel sorry.-- How Romans 2:4 proves that God’s goodness—not the threat of hell—is what lead us to change.-- How Jesus treated people like Zacchaeus and the woman caught in adultery with inclusion and clarity rather than demands for groveling.-- A Daily Practice: A simple question to help you shift from "What did I do wrong?" to "What am I believing that isn't true?".📘 *FREE RESOURCE:*Ready to dig deeper? Download my free guide **Repentance Reconsidered**: https://michaelwilson.org/ta-bonuses⛪ *JOIN OUR COMMUNITY:*If you’re in the West Tennessee area, join us at Renovatus Church—a space for the misfits, the dreamers, and the discontent. 📍 202 East Court St, Dyersburg, TN (The Community Church's youth room) Sundays @ 6:00 PM 🌐 Website: https://renovatus.org/✨ *CONNECT WITH MICHAEL:*Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichaelWilson70Share your story in the comments—I’d love to hear from you!#ChurchHurt #Deconstruction #SpiritualAbuse #Repentance #Metanoia #ThinkingAloud #CulturalChristianity #Grace #ReligiousTrauma

Jesus was constantly in the wrong places with the wrong people—at least according to the religious experts. We often treat "the lost" like a category of people to fix, a project to manage, or a problem to solve. But what if being lost isn’t about your worth, but about your belonging?In this episode, we’re dismantling the "sin management" version of Christianity to look at the heart of Jesus. Through the stories of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the two sons, we expose the flaw in how we view outsiders. Because for something to be lost, it must first belong.In this video, we discuss:--Why "lostness" is about displacement, not defiance.--The danger of being lost inside the house (the older brother syndrome).--Shifting our lens from "fixing" people to making room at the table.--How God searches for you not out of anger, but because you matter.Stop living like a servant for what already belongs to you. It’s time to think your way to freedom.📘 *FREE RESOURCE:*Ready to dig deeper? Download my free guide Lost Things Matter: https://michaelwilson.org/ta-bonuses

"If holiness means separation, why did Jesus keep crossing the lines?"For years, many of us were taught that holiness meant distance. Distance from "the world," distance from messy people, and distance from anything that felt morally complicated. But what if the "holiness" we practiced was actually just fear management in disguise?In this episode of Thinking Aloud, I’m getting brutally honest about how holiness has been weaponized into spiritual isolation. I share my own journey of moving away from a performance-based, fearful faith toward a version of holiness that isn't fragile—a holiness that actually looks like Jesus.We’re breaking down:-- How "staying uncontaminated" became a tool for control.-- Why Jesus was known as the "friend of sinners" while many of us have no non-Christian friends.-- The difference between being "set apart" and being isolated.-- Why your holiness isn’t something that can be "shattered" by the world.If you’ve ever felt like a spiritual misfit or a "burnt stone" trying to find your place in a rigid system, this conversation is for you. It’s time to stop seeing people as projects and start seeing holiness as a devotion to love, not a retreat from humanity.📘 *FREE RESOURCE:*Ready to dig deeper? Download my free guide *Holiness without Walls*: https://michaelwilson.org/ta-bonusesTime Stamps00.00 -- Introduction 01:16 -- Naming the Problem: Holiness has been weaponized.05:57 -- Exposing the Flaw: Separation was never the point.14:01 -- Reform the Belief: Holiness is not separation from people.17:13 -- Practice: Who, or what, have I been avoiding?21:00 -- Closing Reflection: Jesus didn't come to separate us from humanity.#ThinkingAloud #Deconstruction #Holiness #CulturalChristianity #SpiritualMisfits #Jesus #FaithJourney #Legalism