Yesterday, I shared that stewardship is the thread that holds together much of what I talk about—faithfully tending what God has placed in our hands while trusting Him with the outcome.
One of the most significant things God has entrusted to us is our faith.
We are called to steward what we believe, how we are being formed, how we respond to truth, and how we represent Christ to other people.
Faith is also one of the areas where I have spent decades walking, studying, wrestling, practicing, and being formed.
Last week, in my “Wrestling with Faith” post, I shared some of the questions and struggles that have marked my faith over the past several years.
That season involved disappointment, unanswered questions, theological tension, and the unsettling experience of reexamining some of my beliefs, assumptions, interpretations, and experiences.
Much of what I received gave me a genuine love for God, Scripture, and faith. Reexamining particular beliefs did not erase that inheritance; it was part of learning to steward it faithfully.
At the same time, I was trying to navigate the noise around me—both in the broader culture and within the church. I encountered strong opinions, conflicting interpretations, and people who seemed equally certain while reaching very different conclusions. I was also trying to make sense of behavior within the church that seemed inconsistent with the truths being taught—and how to respond without becoming cynical, dismissive, or silent.
As I tried to faithfully steward what God was placing before me, I found myself returning to one central question:
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🧠How do we become people who can think biblically, discern wisely, love faithfully, and remain rooted in Christ—whatever the next moment brings?
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I wanted more than a way to evaluate individual claims or navigate particular controversies. I wanted a steady biblical center of gravity—a foundation I could return to when questions were complicated, voices were confident, and conclusions conflicted.
That meant better understanding and practicing the principles Scripture gives us for approaching truth—principles that keep Christ at the center, remain deeply rooted in Scripture, and keep our hearts humble and teachable.
From that foundation, a series of questions began to emerge:
🔹 How can we receive from faithful teachers without outsourcing our discernment to them?
🔹 How can we test what we hear without becoming cynical or suspicious?
🔹 How can we keep our highest allegiance to Christ—without allowing any teacher, church, movement, or tribe to take His place?
🔹 How can we stand firmly for truth without becoming harsh or proud?
🔹 And how can we extend grace without abandoning truth, wisdom, or conviction?
As I wrestled, studied, prayed, listened, returned again and again to Scripture, and tried to remain humble and teachable, that process began producing language, questions, distinctions, and practical tools that helped me examine what I was hearing without losing either conviction or humility.
One of the things that emerged from that process was what I now call the Berean Framework.
It grew out of my own need—but I believe it may help others too.
In my next post, I’ll share the framework itself. 🔎
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