About Back Again
Back Again is a weekly newsletter on faith, life, and finding our bearings in the first post-Christian culture from Ian Harber. It’s about returning to Jesus over and over again through deconstruction, suffering, and a divided culture.
Coming back again is about recognizing the difficulties of life and returning to Jesus as an anchor in the storm.
Back Again Through Deconstruction.
We’ve lost the faith that we once had. We’ve wondered if there’s anything left of the faith to hold onto. And every time we want to let go, we find ourselves back again with Jesus. We are still trying to figure out everything else around him, and are okay with that being a journey that takes a lifetime. But we know that we can come back to him over and over again and rest in his love.
Back Again Through Suffering
The people that we’ve loved have died. The families we wished for fell apart or were never there to begin with. Tragedy has marked our lives and we hold out for hope that there’s something to make sense of it all. To give it meaning. That’s when we find ourselves back again with Jesus. We don’t have the answers or understand why terrible things happen. But we know that he makes everything beautiful in its time and uses it all for our good.
Back Again Through A Divided Culture
We’re tired of politics. Not of what politics can do. We know it serves the common good. We’re tired of what politics has done to us. It’s divided us. It’s torn families and friends apart. It’s made caricatures out of people we love and respect. It’s made an idol out of policies and politicians alike while using Jesus as a mascot for their ideology. We want the real Jesus. We find ourselves coming back again to him as our King above the political and cultural divisions. We might be conservative, moderate, or progressive, but we want Jesus above our ideologies.
There’s a space for you. You might feel out of sorts now, wondering if you’re alone. You’re not. We’re going back again to Jesus, to be formed into his likeness, and live into his story of the world. It’s the true story that gives life and shines light in the darkness. We’re going together.
The Book
I’ve written a book about deconstruction. It’s called Walking Through Deconstruction: How To Be A Companion In A Crisis Of Faith. It’s deeply personal, but it’s not a memoir. It’s an attempt to serve the church, to help them understand what deconstruction is, what causes it, and how to walk with people who are going through it.
Deconstruction shouldn’t be villainized or valorized; it deserves more care and compassion then critique and concern. This book comes from my experience deconstructing and reconstructing my faith over the course of about 10 years. This book is for everyone who wants to better understand deconstruction and love those who are in the midst of it.
About Ian
Ian Harber is a writer, media producer for Endeavor, and author of Walking Through Deconstruction: How To Be A Companion In A Crisis Of Faith (IVP ‘25). He amplifies the messages of digital ministries through social media and building partnerships and has helped ministries such as Truth Over Tribe, Mere Orthodoxy, and Ten Minute Bible Talks.
With a B.A. in Communication Theory from Dallas Baptist University, he has done marketing for nonprofits, churches, and small businesses for 10 years. He was the Communication Director at a local nonprofit where he used digital marketing to raise awareness and support for dozens of needs and nonprofits that could help.
He's been published by The Gospel Coalition, the Ethics and Religious Liberties Commission, RELEVANT, and Digital Liturgies. He has an essay included in the book Before You Lose Your Faith: Deconstructing Doubt in The Church (TGC, 2021).
Ian lives in Denton, TX with his wife Katie, and two sons, Ezra and Alastair. Follow him on Twitter, Instagram, and Threads.
