Not every bad idea comes from bad people.And not every theological error starts with rebellion.
In Episode 21 of the Altars & Ashes Podcast, we open the vault:
honestly, humbly, and with a good dose of laughter
and talk about the bad theology we once held, why it made sense at the time, and how God patiently, graciously outgrew us out of it.
This is not a hit piece.It’s a testimony of formation.
We begin with a simple but unsettling truth: everyone is discipled by something. Churches, books, fear, culture, youth groups, Christian subcultures, long before we ever examined our theology, we inherited it. And often, what we inherited was partially true, emotionally useful, and spiritually incomplete.
In this episode, each host shares concrete examples of beliefs we once held, things like decisionism, dispensational assumptions, faith-as-positive-thinking, or treating the church as an optional add-on. We talk candidly about who taught us, what Scriptures seemed to support it, and most importantly why it worked for a season.
Because false theology often survives not because it’s absurd, but because it’s functional. It relieves fear. It simplifies responsibility. It offers assurance without cost. It gives certainty in unstable times.Until it doesn’t.
We explore what finally broke those frameworks not usually in a single moment, but through erosion: Scripture that wouldn’t cooperate, suffering that exposed shallow answers, the weight of leadership, the sobering questions of parenting and legacy, and mentors who loved us enough to push back.
And we don’t stop at tearing things down.
We talk about what replaced those errors richer doctrines, deeper habits, steadier obedience, and a more covenantal vision of faithfulness. Growth didn’t come without loss, but it did come with freedom.
Throughout the episode, the tone stays light and jovial. We joke. We laugh. And we are careful to say this clearly: we love and honor the people who discipled us early on. We are deeply grateful for the true gospel seeds they planted, even when some of the frameworks were incomplete.
We close with a pastoral word for listeners who may still be where we once were:
God is patient with imperfect theology, but not with pride.And growth often feels like loss before it feels like life.
Listen in, reflect honestly, and take heart, the Lord is faithful to finish what He begins.
