I don’t know what brought you here, but welcome. Whenever someone first hears about or comes across this site, I assume they are saying, “why weird souls?” I mean, half of the population wouldn’t want to be called weird; the other half probably loves being weird. You are correct in guessing I’m part of group “B.”
But I decided on this name because life is about more than just fitting in and going with the flow. I truly believe every person has an amazing plan and purpose for their life if they can be ok with being a little, or a lot, weird. So I wanted a place to make it normal to be weird, and yes, that’s weird. But not just any type of weird, Jesus Weird, because following Jesus and having your identity set firmly in him makes you weird in a couple of ways.
God Weird
Being a Christian is supposed to make you weird, in a good way. You’re supposed to live a very backward, upside-down life when you follow Jesus. Roman’s 12 is one of my favorite spots that talk about what a Christian life looks like, which tells you how to treat others inside and outside the church. Romans 12:2 sumerizes it all well:
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Non-Conformity screams weird to me. It talks about how we should act, which makes us counter-cultural, which we’ll talk about at another time. Still, Romans 12:4-6a talks about the other kind of weird we don’t talk about as much in the church as a whole.
For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.
The life we live as Christians is supposed to be so attractive, people want to be a part of it before they even know the details of what Jesus did for them. Christianity grew because it was a faith built on a God who came to us and fixed our problems rather than a religion that expected us to fix everything and appease the gods. But it also grew because all the outcasts who could not provide for themselves could find a family and a group to take care of them in the Christians. I would say the general belief about American Christians is this is not how it is now.
Unique Weird
I grew up in the Church, and there is a reality that most churches have their own vibe and look that most of the people who attend conform to. I’ve been a part of churches that do what they’re supposed to by caring for each other and helping each other grow. I’ve also been a part of unhealthy churches that care about image and outcomes more than they care about following Jesus. But in all of the churches, there seem to be unspoken hierarchies that if you do certain things, act certain ways, and look certain ways; then you are a “better Christian.”
I have, at moments, fit into some expectations and, on the whole, not fit into some of those expectations. And for those who love Jesus but don’t feel like they fit or are welcome in a church family, it’s lonely, hard, and makes many want to leave.
Welcome to Weird
So I want to talk about both types of weirdness and what that means for each of us as we grow in our relationship with God. I’m hoping this site can be a resource to anyone that wants to be a little more like Jesus with the passion and purpose God gave them. And maybe if we’re all a little more ok with each of us being our own weird selves living the way Jesus showed us to live, more people might think this version of weird is interesting enough to give it a try.
Because at the end of the day, God didn’t hit the copy-paste button on us; he made us all different in looks, interests, abilities, life, etc. And to try or expect people to look alike and act alike outside of being like Jesus is a disservice to how God created us to be.
Stay Weird,
