Traci Rhoades Shares Her Journey of Faith, Church Unity, and Spiritual Discovery
PHOTO: Author and Bible teacher Traci Rhoades brings grace, insight, and heartfelt authenticity to every conversation about faith and church life.
Exploring Christian Traditions, Healing Practices, And Deepening Faith
Traci Rhoades discusses her faith journey, the importance of church history, discovering diverse Christian traditions, embracing spiritual practices, and encouraging authentic, compassionate conversations within the global Church community.
Traci Rhoades has long been a voice of wisdom, grace, and uncommon insight in the Christian literary world. As an author and Bible teacher, she extends an open hand across traditions, inviting believers into a deeper understanding of their shared faith. Her books, Not All Who Wander (Spiritually) Are Lost and Shaky Ground: What to Do After the Bottom Drops Out, are rich with honesty, hope, and a heartfelt commitment to church unity. Through personal stories, theological reflection, and a spirit of genuine curiosity, Rhoades reminds us that the body of Christ is broader and more beautiful than many dare imagine.
In the conversation that follows, Traci Rhoades shares the experiences, lessons, and moments of grace that have shaped her journey. Her words are a refreshing call to humility, understanding, and the kind of spiritual depth that comes only from a life steeped in both Scripture and community.
Traci Rhoades writes with rare honesty and deep compassion, bridging traditions with wisdom, humility, and a passion for authentic Christian unity.
What inspired you to start exploring different Christian traditions in your faith journey?
For me, it started with Judaism. When teaching Bible study, I found learning about the context of time and place in Scripture went a long way in understanding the meaning of passages. I the same way, reading books by faith writers from other church traditions, progressive and conservative, etcetera helped me understand the vastness of Christianity. From there, I was introduced to church history, which was largely new to me. A whole world opened up, full of disciples and pilgrims, who shared a common love for our Savior Jesus Christ.
How did growing up Southern Baptist shape your early understanding of the Church?
Growing up Southern Baptist gave me a love for Scripture, and a picture of what church fellowship can be in a person’s life. It was our social structure as a child. When that fellowship was broken, and our local church split off into various factions, I better understood how vital it was to put our trust in Christ alone, and not in the human institution. I was meant to serve in a local church, not the other way around. I wrote a blog post once, “65 Things Southern Baptists Didn’t Teach Me About Faith.” I think most of us who grew up in one church tradition could write a similar list, with perhaps the exception of Episopalians in the United States. They seem to do a good job of introducing various branches in my experience. Personally, I knew nothing of liturgy, church calendar, most other traditions, creeds, confessions, or any church history. Huge gaps in the role I was playing in the greater Church.
“Learning about practices that are outside your church tradition is not wrong, no matter what you’ve been told.” — Traci Rhoades
What was one of the most surprising things you learned while visiting other denominations?
The most surprising thing I learned was how similar we are. How often we bring preconceived notions into our interactions among one another. In Jesus’ final prayer over his disciples in the Upper Room, he prayed we would be one (John 17). We hardly give this any attention at all. He didn’t focus on right theology or certain doctrinal beliefs. If you’re a follower of Jesus, one with one another. A second that that surprised me in the best way was people’s willingness to explain what was new to me, and have conversations about how we might understand things differently. I’ve learned a ton about being a good listener, creating a respectable space, and cultivating genuine curiosity. This makes people open up and explore with you, not against you. As a result, I’ve lost interest in most of our attempts at apologetics. Don’t we have enough lines drawn in the sand already? As Jesus said: He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone…” (John 8:7 KJV).
Can you share a moment when you felt deeply connected to a tradition very different from your own?
This is a fun question to look back and consider a decade later. The first time I attended an Ash Wednesday service at a local Catholic church, I was moved to tears. As the Priest went from one part of the service to the next, there was no rush. Time seemed to slow down. At times, it was completely silent, and not in an awkward way as it would have been in my own church. If things went quiet, it was because someone had missed their cue. Typically, we even put music under our prayer time. Sitting in a sanctuary, having space to sit in the quiet and reflect, with other faithful people in attendance, opened something up in me. I didn’t know how much I craved it until it was put before me.
“The most surprising thing I learned was how similar we are.” — Traci Rhoades
What do you hope readers take away from Not All Who Wander (Spiritually) Are Lost?
I hope they realize the spiritual disciplines the capital-C Church has gifted us with, and it’s a huge variety, are tremendous gifts to us. They’re not meant to be burdens or weapons, but aids in connecting us with the love of God, the saving grace of Jesus Christ, and the wisdom of the Spirit. Learning about practices that are outside your church tradition is not wrong, not matter what you’ve been told. Also, some gifts that can help you, especially in shaky times, can be surprising. I shared about a time my daughter broke her arm, and in our race to theemergency room, I prayed over her. I was so distressed, I couldn’t even find my own words. I prayed the Lord’s Prayer and spoke Amazing Grace over her, as prayers, when words of my own failed me.
In Shaky Ground, you talk about finding healing practices during tough times—was there one that was especially meaningful for you?
I alluded to it already, but implementing the spiritual practice of silence has been huge in my faith life. It’s allowed for healing I’m not sure could have happened any other way. Words can fuel the fires of disappointment, bitterness, and hurt that often come from tough times. Silence taught me to sit with discomfort, allow time before addressing issues, be honest with what role you’ve played in tough times. Perhaps the greatest meaning I’ve found in silence is the fact that we’re never alone. He who promised to never leave us or forsake us is there, and he is our Great Healer. Jesus.
How has living in rural Michigan influenced your faith and writing?
I’ll give a nod to silence again. It can be quiet in the country. There are few places I like more than my own back porch. It’s where I do my best thinking. I’m fifty years old, and roughly forty of those years have been spent in rural living. It’s what I know best, and where I’m most comfortable. That being said, I wouldn’t have offered the same writing experience I have without the Internet. Living in a rural area can lack certain types of diversity, and actively serving in a local church can put constraints on visiting a variety of other churches. I’ve met thousands of Christians online, and watched any number of church services on Youtube and elsewhere. It’s helped a small town girl like me explore church traditions around the world, and I’m incredibly thankful for that. Social media can be used for bad or good, it’s merely a tool, and I’ve chosen to use it to expand my world.
What role does community play in your ongoing spiritual growth?
Community has been vital to my spiritual growth, especially when emphasizing what community is by definition. Christians live in community with the Spirit of the living God who resides in us. Our world allows us to live in a global community like never before. A local church community has always been precious to me. Looking at the micro level, the women I’ve gathered around a table with in Bible study are perhaps the most precious community I’ve ever developed. A common love for Scripture is a mighty bond, and when a trust is developed, we can go just about anywhere in conversation. These are the people who have prayed for me in some of the shakiest times of my life, and I cannot imagine not having these sisters in my life.
“Silence taught me to sit with discomfort, allow time before addressing issues, and be honest with what role you’ve played.” — Traci Rhoades
How do you balance honoring different Christian traditions while staying rooted in your own faith journey?
I invite people of all Christian traditions into conversation. As a social media friend told me once; it’s important to know what you believe. We have a responsibility to study scripture, and to became intimately acquainted with the doctrinal beliefs of our local church and leadership. So many take a casual approach to Christianity. That’s not discipleship. It’s because I was so rooted in Jesus, it became important to honor both his own heritage (Judaism) and that of my brother and sisters in Christ.
What advice would you give to authors who want to write authentically about their personal faith experiences?
Be authentic and honest. I always kept verses like James 4:1 in my mind, which usually gave me pause before writing even a single tweet, but especially a blog post. If Jesus prayed we would be one, and has never forsaken his Church, who am I to “burn it down with words” so to speak? There’s an art to using your voice to reform the church, and that can take practice. We’re writers, so this is an art we should be able to master. Lead with love, but be completely honest. I’d also add, we don’t have to share every single story that happens to us related to church or anything else in our lives. Pray for discernment. Aim to move the Church closer, ever closer to Christ and one another, and your words will be honorable.
