The Road Back to Wonder

In this sermon, Pastor Dan addresses the ongoing process of faith deconstruction, urging the congregation not to camp on the demolition site but to replant good seeds in new soil that is loving, kind, and inclusive, free from the shame and fear associated with bad religion. Focusing on the story of the Road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35), Pastor Dan relates the experience of the two disciples walking away from Jerusalem, filled with doubt, disappointment, and trauma over their shattered expectations of what faith should look like. He emphasizes that Jesus met these struggling followers not in a sanctuary or a worship session, but in the middle of their conversation about doubt. Jesus acts as a “walking partner,” listening before teaching or revealing, demonstrating a trauma-informed approach that encourages the community to listen to others, affirm their painful experiences, and refrain from attempting to “fix” their problems with easy answers.

Pastor Dan explains that the trauma of harmful religious experiences and deconstruction can blind people to moments where God is revealing resurrection power, causing them to stop expecting anything sacred to show up. However, resurrection meets us precisely on the “road of doubt, confusion, and disappointment,” appearing in a humble, safe, and soft manner, walking beside us and asking questions instead of demanding allegiance. The moment the travelers recognized Jesus was at the breaking of the bread, underscoring the massive importance of community. Unlike the “old soil” where communion focused on exclusion, Pastor Dan asserts that in the “new soil,” the breaking of bread is about revelation, healing, and the disclosing of resurrection power found when people sit, listen, and simply have a meal together. These divine moments—found through conversation, hospitality, and community—cause the travelers to return toward faith, not out of obligation or adherence to doctrine, but because they encountered love.