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

Is your faith fueled by a "low-grade constant anxiety" about disappointing God? For many, modern Christianity has operated on a diet of dread, using fear of judgment or the "threat of hell" to enforce obedience. But if fear is the engine of your faith, something is wrong with the story you’ve been told.In this episode of Thinking Allowed, host Michael Wilson dismantles the bad belief systems that keep us stuck in behavior management. We’re exposing why fear-based preaching produces "rotten fruit"—like performance, shame, and legalism—and how to reconstruct a faith built on the radical truth that the Gospel begins with belonging.In this video, we discuss:-- Why fear-based Christianity is not the true Gospel.-- The difference between "Judge-centered" and "Father-centered" views of God.-- How religious trauma uses fear to silence questions and enforce conformity.-- The "Luke 15 Principle": Why you belong to God even when you feel lost.-- Practical steps to break the cycle of performance-based religion.If you are a spiritual misfit, a burnt stone, or someone walking through church deconstruction, this conversation is for you. It’s time to move from compliance to freedom.📘 *FREE RESOURCE:*Ready to dig deeper? Download my free guide to help you overcome fear-based Christianity and reclaim your identity as a beloved child of God: https://michaelwilson.org/ta-bonuses✨ *CONNECT WITH MICHAEL:*Facebook: facebook.com/MichaelWilson70Share your story in the comments—I’d love to hear from you!Time Stamps00.00 -- Introduction 01:25 -- Naming the Problem: Fear has become the engine of faith.04:28 -- Exposing the Flaw: Fear produces rotten fruit11:44 -- Reform the Belief: The Gospel begins with belonging.18:14 -- Practice: What am I afraid God will do to me right now?22:40 -- Closing Reflection: The Gospel creates sons and daughters#ReligiousTrauma #ChurchHurt #Deconstruction #SpiritualMisfit #GospelOfGrace #ThinkingAllowed #Christianity #FaithOverFear #RenovateChurch