3 Spiritual Development Opportunities for Progressive Exvangelicals Who Can’t Go to Church Anymore

Last updated on: January 13, 2023 at 7:27 am by Andrew Lang

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3 Spiritual Development Opportunities for Progressive Exvangelicals Who Can’t Go to Church Anymore 2023-01-13T07:27:08-08:00 Andrew Lang

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Andrew Lang Progressive Exvangelical Spiritual Development

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I get it – I don’t go to church either.

For so many of us who have found pain in the confines of traditional church structures, there’s just no way we’re going back. It’s not happening. And yet, we feel this deep to-our-core desire for an embodied and meaning-filled spiritual life.

Without the structures we were handed and seemingly no “great” options around us, it can be difficult to find a way forward.

It can be really, really difficult.

Harder still, our desire for spiritual depth is often mixed together with the trauma of unhealed wounds. In this way, spirituality can’t just be about new belief systems and in-groups – we need it to be fully embodied and involve deep and gentle healing work.

Our lives and sense of purpose depend on it.

Here are 3 ways I’ve found that help me deepen my spirituality:

Find a spiritual director. No – not a pastor and not within a church. Find someone who has no institutional demands, no pressure for community growth, and who speaks a similar language to you. For me, it was important that I find someone who knew the Enneagram, was steeped in contemplative spirituality, was familiar with Richard Rohr and the Living School, and was politically progressive and open to other spiritual traditions. You can find spiritual directors here.
Experiment with spiritually-focused workshops, classes, and cohort-based groups. Once again – unaffiliated with church spaces! There are plenty of these out there. Here are a couple amazing spaces to check out:

Attend conferences and large events. You are not alone. Seriously – and all it takes is attending one or two large events filled with folks who have similar questions to remind you of this. I recommend The Wild Goose Festival and any events and conferences from the Center for Action and Contemplation.

Hope this helps wherever you’re at in your journey.

You’re Invited to An Evening with the Poetry of Rumi

In February, you are invited to join me for an evening of guided journaling around the poetry of one such Elder, the Sufi mystic Rumi. We’ll explore one or two of his poems and how they give language to our own life experiences.

All you’ll need during our time together is:

a quiet-ish place in your home,
a candle,
a cup of tea or water,
and a journal or something to write/doodle on.

If this feels like something that will feed your soul, your spirit, and help you connect deeper with your own story, I invite you to set aside this time for your own inner work and sign up here.

When: February 7, 2023; 7-8pm Pacific Time

Where: The comfort of your favorite chair or pillows! The Zoom link will be provided after you RSVP.

Cost: FREE!

Want to read more on embodied spirituality and contemplative practice?

Connect with me on Instagram, where I write the most, and through The Wednesday 1-2-3, a weekly email where I share 1 contemplative and embodied practice, 2 questions for your inner work, and 3 resources to go deeper.

Contemplative

Spiritual Practice

Embodied Spirituality

Spiritual Formation

About Andrew Lang

Andrew Lang is an educator in the Pacific Northwest, an alumnus of Richard Rohr’s Living School for Action and Contemplation, and author of Unmasking the Inner Critic: Lessons for Living an Unconstricted Life. Along with writing regularly, he facilitates workshops helping people to navigate their inner lives and explore their sense of identity and spirituality. You can read more about the author here.

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