born/raised in Austin. pastor Restore Austin. cofounder Post-Evangelical Collective. doctoral student Duke University, author of Better Ways to Read the Bible (coming soon)
“I bet we’re still 90% people who have had bad church experiences,” said Zach Lambert, lead pastor and founder of Restore. “More and more people, I think, have seen a need for a church like ours to be an alternative to Christian nationalist, right-wing churches.” religionnews.com/2026/07/28/b...
Booted from evangelicalism, a progressive, ‘post-evangelical’ church blooms in TexasAUSTIN, Texas (RNS) — Led by Zach Lambert, Restore church is part of a small but growing countertrend.religionnews.comMaybe the only way to truly love America is to tell the truth about this nation’s flaws, both past and present, while tirelessly working for the day when America finally becomes what it has always promised to be. Happy July 4th, my friends. We have work to do. open.substack.com/pub/zachwlam...
Loving America Enough to Tell the TruthThe tension of 250 years of hard-fought progress and unfulfilled promises on July 4thopen.substack.comYesterday I posted that I am against the new Texas law requiring the Bible to be taught in public schools. I got some genuine questions about why a Christian pastor would be against state-mandated Bible study. So, I decided to write this article about it. zachwlambert.substack.com/p/this-lifel...
This Lifelong Texan and Christian Pastor Knows that Mandated Bible Study in Public Schools is WrongTexas is making a huge mistake with state-mandated Bible instruction.zachwlambert.substack.comSince Better Ways to Read the Bible released almost a year ago, people have been asking me about a virtual book club… and it’s finally here! Next month I’m hosting a free three-part online book club on 7/16, 7/23, and 7/30 from 7-8:30pm CT on zoom 📚 open.substack.com/pub/zachwlam...
Join us for the Better Ways to Read the Bible Virtual Book Club!✨Click for details and sign up link✨open.substack.comWhat does Scripture teach us about “just war” and are Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth correct in their assessment of God’s divine support for the war in Iran? Spoiler alert: No they are not. open.substack.com/pub/zachwlam...?
Does God Ordain War?Trump, Hegseth, and the dangers of violent theology.open.substack.comMany of the Christians who were declaring, “He is Risen, Indeed!” on Easter morning are now justifying the murderous threats of someone who has previously stated that he has never asked for forgiveness from God because he hasn’t done anything wrong. zachwlambert.substack.com/p/easter-sun...
Easter Sunday is OverAnd we are hungry for war.zachwlambert.substack.comIt’s Holy Week and ICE is currently detaining a pastor with no criminal record who is legally in the United States seeking asylum. They have also refused to give him a Bible. substack.com/home/post/p-...
A Pastor in ICE Detention on Good FridayAnd they won't even give him a Bible.substack.comNo justice movement is immune from the corrupting effects of power. This is absolutely devastating and my hearts breaks for all of César Chávez’s victims. Honoring the UFW legacy and pursuing justice for these survivors are not in conflict—they belong together. www.nytimes.com/2026/03/18/u...
Cesar Chavez, a Civil Rights Icon, Is Accused of Abusing Girls for Yearswww.nytimes.comIt feels like every other week some pastor loudly decries yoga pants and misquotes the Bible about modesty all over social media. If you’ve ever wondered why they do this, and why it’s contrary to how Scripture addresses modesty, I wrote this for you. zachwlambert.substack.com/p/biblical-m...
Biblical Modesty: It's Not About SexIt's not even about yoga pants!zachwlambert.substack.comHistory will remember where Christians stood in this moment. Our children will ask us what we did when fascism came to America wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross. zachwlambert.substack.com/p/you-cannot...
You Cannot Follow Jesus and Defend ICEHistory will remember where Christians stood in this moment.zachwlambert.substack.com