Meet Kelly Benware

My name is Kelly; I am a lover and servant of Christ Jesus, my Savior.

I have a B.S. and M.A., both in Intercultural Studies, with a minor in Addictions Counseling and an Advanced Level Certificate in Spanish from Universal de Idiomas in San Jose, Costa Rica.

I have worked in numerous Christian settings; churches, Christian colleges and a conference center.

I grew up in Southern California by the Mexico border, loving Spanish and Latino culture, also spending time in many Central American countries. I LOVED learning about and experiencing new cultures!

My father was a pastor and I was grounded in my faith, though later in life, I found myself struggling with anxiety and depression. One triggered the other and would not let me heal in a “Social Justice” environment.

I was plagued at how divided we are becoming as Christians and why many grounded Christians, in my circle, did not have concern that Christ was being replaced by works in society’s view of “justice”.

After having children, I learned that much of “Intercultural Studies” and the conversation of “diversity” had changed under the framework of “Social Justice” and “Critical Theory”. It was no longer about the beauty of others, grace in learning, and my degrees were becoming less beneficial as I am not a minority.

The anxiety led to depression. If God was not enough, then there was no purpose, no hope, no reason for my struggles, and no way out.

And, why was there such a disconnect with the world’s view of “Social Justice”, when Christ and the Bible speak of “justice”, itself?

I thought I could only have a voice in the Intercultural Studies field and diversity discussion if I embraced these ideologies. After researching, a new environment and facing my fear, I was reminded that this is not true. My ability to speak into anything is Christ through me.

I believe that Christ’s death on the cross is the solution to hope and His Word guides us in living a Christian life. “Social Justice”, according to the world, places works first and answers life’s major questions through the liberation of human effort.

Many Christians are taking this view of works and adding Scripture to support society’s interpretation; leaving Christ as an add-on, not THE solution.

The two are incompatible in their very creation and nature [Critical Theories and the Gospel], this is why I lost hope and now emphasize that “CHRIST IS ENOUGH”. I found myself no longer seeing Christ, and my reconciliation to a holy God, as the foundation and answer to all things, even racial division.

My constant pondering was, “If Christ is not enough, then what is THE solution to racial reconciliation?”

(I believe in God but, again, could not reconcile the faultiness of Critical Theory with the Gospel. At the time I did not know this theory by name, only by context.)

Our reconciliation to Christ is what drives us to live lives honoring to God, ones that exemplify true “Biblical Justice”. It is not “Social Justice” that brings reconciliation to humans and the world; reconciliation begins with Christ.

While not new, these ideologies are now emerging. Sadly, these philosophical, legal theories and their history, are not taught in much of academics; the very place they emerged and one that should inspire critical thinking. If they are, it is a controlled and limited perspective that is taught.

You may not have encountered this discussion, activism or environment but it is very present in our culture, America, and in many Christian environments. My heart and passion are to help others be aware of and understand these ideologies and theories, so that they can filter what they are hearing through a Biblical lens.

Christ is enough and the answer to hope. No matter who you are, what you have done or how hopeless you feel; He loves you deeply!

Please join my journey in discovering the only means of “steadfast” Truth; Jesus Christ!