Dear [white] Christian women:

Don’t overdose on Bethel Music. Please. Don’t overdose on Kari Jobe’s eyelashes or ambiguously simple 4-word Bible verse T-shirts with chunky necklaces and wavy ombré hair and Jason Mraz hats. Don’t furiously shake your hands for not creating calligraphy in the likes of every single, “It Is Well” home decor item sold in random Christian stores in malls across the Southern slice of this country.

All that stuff is good stuff. But it’s not God.

If you didn’t have your almond milk latte in a Bible verse mug, would you still read your Bible?

If you didn’t have your Jesus Calling book, would you still call out to Jesus?

And when you get tired of listening to modern worship music, (and you will…)

…WILL YOU STILL WORSHIP?

Jesus is not in the things. He’s in your heart. Beware of relying on Christianese cultural crutches to experience His presence.

Yes – there is real power in worship music. You know what’s especially powerful, though? Listening to worship music in another language. Like Mandarin or Swahili or even just plain old Spanish.

Try it! Test your ability to sense His Spirit. And while you’re at it, test your love for Him. Is it dependent upon Starbucks dates where you and Katie chat about the importance of maintaining a smiling face in worship leading; because how dare you show the children’s congregation what depraved humanity actually looks like? Are you “meeting with Jesus” in the midst of those conversations?

I mean, it’s not an outright no. But I will say this: Jesus has met me most strongly recently in my cubicle at my underpaid internship. When you retrieve to your desk to put on your headphones to blast some Elevation Worship/Hillsong/Tasha Cobbs/”YOU DESERVE ITTTT” as a survival mechanism to rescue yourself from drowning under the pressures of job transitions & personal insecurity & others’ approval & your own sexuality & when will I get married & oh yeah, I forgot that I’m a really good singer and I need to get famous first & well, I mean, I need to get God famous & God…..

THANK YOU.
You deserve it.