In many ways, 2022 through the spring of 2023 has been a time of transition in my life and my spiritual journey. I haven’t been blogging as much because I’ve been focused on completing two books that will be published later this year.
One of my new books, which should be out at the end of May, is about religion. The Long Road to Zion: A Journey of Faith Beyond Religious Deconstruction is my spiritual testimony and an in-depth argument for Christianity, especially the theology associated with radical Restorationist traditions such as Latter Rain Pentecostalism and the Latter-day Saint movement. If you’d like to be notified as soon as it’s published, please contact me and I’ll be in touch.
When The Long Road to Zion is published, Universal Restoration Ministries will focus on spreading the word about the book and its ideas. We will also launch an online book club for people who would like to read and discuss it together.
This ministry will not be relaunching an online church. Instead, we are shifting into promoting specific ideas and teachings within Christianity in general. Much of our work will be aimed at expanding awareness of the concept of a “Restoration” of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, by highlighting important truths that were mostly lost from mainstream versions of the religion but can be vigorously defended using the Bible.
These truths that need to be restored include:
- The gender-completeness and family nature of the Godhead, including both a Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother.
- Human nature as spiritual children of God, created in God’s image and called to be perfected like the pattern Son of God, Jesus Christ.
- The destiny of disciples of Christ as co-heirs in God’s Kingdom, ascending to an exalted state of divine power and purpose.
- Postmortem salvation of people who have died without Christ.
- God’s plan to redeem the fallen Earth and defeat the powers of evil, through the ministering service of human souls who are raised up as kings and priests in the Millennial age to come.
Anyone who is well familiar with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or the more radical versions of Latter Rain Pentecostalism (“sonship, kingdom, reconciliation”) will immediately recognize this worldview. For most other Christians, it may feel strange and perhaps heretical.
If you’re not sure about this kind of theology, I would invite you to get a copy of my new book when it comes out and consider my arguments. Or, if you already believe in these things, my book may be helpful to give to ordinary Christians to explain the Biblical reasoning for this way of thinking.
Much of our work will be aimed at expanding awareness of the concept of a “Restoration” of the Gospel of Jesus Christ … I would invite you to get a copy of my new book when it comes out and consider my arguments.
Universal Restoration Ministries is ecumenical, but when we do talk about churches and Christian traditions, we’re going to focus on those that are compatible with our understanding of Christianity. That means we’ll mostly be emphasizing these sources of spiritual truth:
- Ancient church fathers who taught a version of the Gospel that was less corrupted than what Christians commonly believe today.
- Christian mystics throughout history, who saw truths that mainstream Christian leaders didn’t understand and sought to suppress.
- The Orthodox and Catholic version of the Heavenly Mother and Divine Family concept, as expressed in the veneration of Mary as the “Mother of God.”
- Pentecostal prophets and evangelists who have taught many of the things we teach, who are mostly rejected by mainstream Pentecostal churches.
- Latter-day Saint prophets and apostles who have taught many of the things we teach, who are mostly rejected by Christians in general.
My goal is to deepen and broaden the faith of mystical, Neo-Orthodox, and Restorationist Christians, by showing how these streams of thought are part of an overall vision of Christianity that is a profound alternative to Reformed/mainline Protestant theology and practice. I also hope to encourage mainstream Christians to explore beyond the boundaries of what they consider to be orthodoxy. And I hope to encourage “spiritual but not religious” people to reconsider Christianity in a different light than what they’re used to seeing presented.
In the months and years ahead, I may be experimenting with several formats to present my message, including blogging, micro-blogging on social media, and different types of videos and live meetings. I’m not sure yet what will be most effective to spread the word and attract a larger audience, but this ministry will do whatever possible — as time and energy and resources allow — to get positive attention and engagement.
Thank you for your interest and support. If you’d like to get in touch with me to discuss my vision and plans, or your own ideas to help this ministry grow, I’d be happy to talk with you! Please also like and follow Universal Restoration Ministries on Facebook.