How does a pastor deconstruct their faith, are you on a path of deconstruction too? If God is what we think He is, is there, maybe, something that is beyond our idea of God? Is the God we believe in perhaps a reflection of who we are more than a separate entity to ourselves? In this podcast episode, Billy and Brandy Eldridge speak with David Hayward aka NakedPastor. Meet David Hayward aka the NakedPastor After 30 years in the church, he left the ministry to pursue his passion for art. NakedPastor uses words and images to challenge the status quo, deconstruct dogma, and offer hope for those who struggle and suffer under it. David is no stranger to belief systems – he holds a Masters in Theological Studies, as well as Diplomas in Religious Studies and Ministry, and University Teaching. His art expresses the stories and struggles of spiritual refugees and independent thinkers who question, doubt, or oppose the confines of religion. Each piece encourages difficult conversations and acts as a catalyst for critical thinking. He is an artist and writer who supports LGBTQ+ people and groups, BIPOC and women artists, creatives, journalists, and more, and encourages others to do the same. Visit his website. Connect on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, and Twitter. In This Podcast Summary * Why the NakedPastor? * Be aware that abuse can happen anywhere, even in church * We pick our own Gods Why the NakedPastor? For David, the NakedPastor, the title was won in an auction that he was not even aware of being a part of, but it developed into a title that he uses in order to portray real, raw honesty for him behind the role of pastor. Not only to share the victories and the growth but to also share the struggles, doubts, and conflicts in his blog with his followers, sharing brutal and sincere honesty behind the role of being a pastor while being fully clothed. Be aware that abuse can happen anywhere, even in church I say the church is the perfect culture for abuse to occur and you have to work against it, pastors and leaders and churches have to work and they have to be diligent 100% of the time because the gravitational pull towards communities is towards the dehumanization of its members. (David Hayward aka NakedPastor) With spiritual abuse, there is no evidence of it, because it is all a strange feeling of questioning and doubting yourself, feeling the need to submit and putting your needs aside or it can be an unquestionable adoration of a leader: these are all examples of spiritual abuse in David’s experience. For Billy, his faith was only based on what he had been taught and told and nothing more. As an adult, the cognitive dissonance began to set in where he saw the inconsistencies but did not feel he had the space to question them, and so began his suffering. [It was like] if you open your mind up too much your brain might fall out, why did they have to keep us from things? Why did they have to control us? It was more about fear and coercion, it wasn’t about being consecrated into something beautiful and free, we were being shackled. (Billy Eldridge) We pick our own Gods We pick and choose to believe in the type of God that we feel worthy of following. Some people who are vengeful, hateful, and deeply dislike themselves may believe that God is punishing them or wants them to punish themselves and that they can only receive absolution in this way.