Jumpstarter 8 of 10

Direct Answer The transcript suggests some churches draw the line of “acceptable Christianity” where convictions begin to challenge normal cultural loyalties, including views of war and discipleship. Dean’s response was not to abandon faith but to pursue obedience and seek grounding in Scripture and history, even if it meant loneliness.

Support from Transcript:

• After their convictions, Dean says, “Our Baptist church told us, ‘I think you’d be more comfortable worshiping elsewhere,’ was his literal words.”
• This happened in the context of Dean concluding his world was “contrary to the teachings of Jesus Christ,” especially around enemy-love/nonresistance.
• He describes the cost: “During that time… I was kind of lonely. Didn’t have much of a church.”
• Instead of quitting, he says, “history became… a church for me for a while,” as he asked, “Am I crazy? Or has there been other people who thought this way?”
• He found encouragement that “there has been a lot of people who thought this way,” and that “we have an immense amount of wisdom that we can gain from them.”
• He frames obedience as central: “I’ve tried to live that idea… believing that he meant every word that he said.”