Editor’s Note: It’s not a secret that we’re pretty lady-thick over here in The Swipe Up, so I count our menfolk as a rare breed. It’s special to me that one of them would be willing to come out from the shadows to vulnerably share his heart on community and what it means to feel safe and beloved as a child of God. I really think one of the things that will change our world is men detoxifying masculinity and showing that tenderness and tenacity are not mutually exclusive (looking at you, Stronger Men Conference). Anyway. It always makes me feel mushy when any of the Lil Swipes decide to get brave and offer their thoughts to the class, and today’s essay is no exception. As I know you will, I look forward to seeing your encouragement and solidarity with Ben as he unpacks what it means to truly and honestly belong to the family of God. And if you’re one of our gentlemen Swipes, we’re glad you’re here.
Before we get started, let’s get to know this month’s writer, Ben Harrison! Can you believe this man is a dentist and he writes, too? We are not worthy. Here’s a few more facts about Ben:
“I’m a dentist, a 6 on the enneagram, a Floridian, a reader, and occasionally I write, too. I love to talk about evolving and reconstructing faith, the Enneagram, coffee, and just trying to figure it all out as a I go.”
You can follow Ben on Instagram or keep up with his writing over at
And without further adieu, here is this month’s guest essay!I live in a small(ish) town, and I attend a small(ish) church with my (big) extended family. If I were to describe myself in the classic church categories, I would fall into the categories of “young professional,” “single,” “volunteer,” plus a few other terms that I probably get called behind my back (“progressive,” “woke,” etc). I am also a currently deconstructing/reconstructing Christian. My church is the same church I started attending just weeks after I was born. When my parents brought me home from the hospital as a newborn, the church had placed a giant stork sign in our yard which read, “Here we grow again. We love babies.” This church has been a crucial part of my life and my upbringing. I spent a lot of time within the walls of my church building - I was there least two to three times a week for the first 17 years of my life. At my church, I was surrounded by my literal extended family, and came to be surrounded by people who felt like family, too. I left town for a decade as I finished school and residency, but moved back to this town and also to this church a few years ago.
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