Becoming Mainline

Becoming Mainline

How Some Christians Use “Love” to Avoid Accountability

It sounds like the center of our faith...but it’s often a shield that keeps us from doing the real work.

Beau Stringer's avatar
Beau Stringer
Jul 04, 2025
∙ Paid
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(Update: Video now included. Thanks for your patience!)

When I hear people say, “I just try to love God and love people,” I know they usually mean well.

But I’ve started to notice a pattern.

That phrase gets used most often not to enter into deeper conversations…but to avoid them. To shut them down. To sidestep accountability.

Love, in the way of Jesus, is never an excuse to bypass hard truths. It’s not vague. It’s not polite. It’s not passive. Real love confronts. Real love repents. Real love transforms us.

In today’s behind-the-scenes video, I unpack what happens when Christians use the language of “love” to protect themselves from the discomfort of change.

We talk about power, tone policing, theological avoidance, and how to reclaim love as something strong enough to carry truth.

If you’ve ever found yourself on the receiving end of that phrase…or if you’ve used it to keep things simple…this video is for you.

Paid subscribers, watch the full video below.

And if you’re not a paid s…

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