“You need to repent”

I hear this phrase often in my line of work. But every time, it prompts the same question:

Repent for what, exactly?

I’ve dedicated my entire life to the ministry and teachings of Jesus. I’m not new to this—I’ve spent decades walking this road, and now, I’m even pursuing a bishopric in the Ancient Celtic Church. My journey has been messy at times, yes. But through every storm, I’ve stayed in faithful service to God.

Even when I couldn’t see the forest through the trees, I was still out there—feeding the hungry, sitting with the hurting, showing up when others made excuses. I’ve walked into darkness not for my own gain, but to be light for someone else. When others turned away from the broken, I leaned in. I reminded people of their worth. I reminded them of God’s love.

And yet here we are.

I’m 44 now. And one thing I’ve learned the hard way is that your good deeds won’t earn you favor with your fellow Christians. No matter how hard you love, serve, or give—when you choose to walk the narrow road of truth, some people will distance themselves. Some will turn on you.

And often, it’s the ones you least expect.

They’ll mock you. Judge you. Ridicule you.They’ll call you every name in the book: Backslider. Heretic. Reprobate. Deceived.They’ll say the enemy has you under a spell.

But in reality, you’re just following Christ.

Not the version made palatable by empire. Not the one remade in the image of power, politics, or patriarchy.You’re following the real Jesus—the one who broke bread with outcasts, the one who touched the untouchable, the one who flipped tables and called religious leaders to account.

Faith is Personal

Here’s something else I’ve come to understand:Faith is personal.

It’s not a formula. It’s not a uniform. It’s not a one-size-fits-all theological checklist.It’s a living, breathing relationship that changes us from the inside out. And that means sometimes it gets messy. Sometimes it’s hard. Sometimes it hurts.

And that’s okay.

It’s okay to wrestle with your beliefs.It’s okay to ask hard questions.It’s okay to take a path that others aren’t traveling—especially if that path points directly toward Jesus.

You don’t owe anyone a performance. You don’t have to sanitize your faith to make other people comfortable.God doesn’t require perfection.But God does desire honesty.

There is nothing wrong with being real about what is broken.In fact, God wants us to acknowledge the brokenness.

Because you can’t heal what you won’t admit is wounded.You can’t be transformed by a Gospel you only half-believe.

So What Is Repentance?

Let’s talk about that.

Repentance isn’t just saying, “I’m sorry.”It’s the sacred act of re-orienting your life.It’s turning away from shame, hate, fear, and greed—and turning toward love, justice, humility, and truth.

Repentance is caring for the wounded, not blaming them.It’s dismantling what harms others and rebuilding with compassion.It’s giving up the illusion of being right in order to do what is righteous.

Repentance is not fear. It is freedom.

So if following Jesus means I have to let go of what’s popular, or polished, or pleasing to the crowd—so be it.I’ll take up my cross. I’ll follow the narrow road.Even if I walk it alone.

Because at the end of the day, I’m not after their approval.I’m after Christ.

To Those Walking This Same Path

You’re not alone.You may feel exiled from the communities that once claimed you.You may be called names or made to feel like your faith doesn’t count.

But hear me clearly: your heart still belongs to God.Your questions are not failures.Your doubts are not disqualifiers.

There is a way of Jesus that does not demand you erase yourself to be accepted.

Keep walking. Keep wrestling. Keep leaning into the holy work of unlearning, relearning, and becoming.

Because this?This path you’re on—the one that feels unfamiliar, misunderstood, and narrow?

It may just be the road that leads you home.