Michael Gunger is the most misunderstood person that I know.

Sometimes it feels like at least once a month the Christian media website will write yet

another takedown on why he's such a danger to the church, and that forgets the fact,

of course, that Michael doesn't claim to be a part of the church at all, much less

a leader in it.

It's not just conservative Christians who misunderstand Michael Gunger.

People ask me every week, what does Michael believe?

Or perhaps more amusingly to me, they'll ask what Gunger believes as if Michael the person

is indivisible from the band that shares his surname.

Or they'll ask me, what's with the Vishnu thing?

Or why is he so combative on Twitter?

To be Michael's friend is to entertain a constant stream of curiosities and confusions from

a world that never really sees him.

And that breaks my heart.

Not because people hold different views than Michael, gosh, I love and celebrate different

points of view.

Now I get sad because I realize that people don't see who I see.

Michael isn't a fallen worship leader to me or a podcast host or an author or even an

influential thinker and artist.

Michael Gunger above all is my best friend.

So I get sad when parts of the world can't see the wonderful kind and thoughtful soul that

has been such a dear and faithful friend to me, even at times when very few people were

...