Church & Culture
My Grid - "A Non-Anxious Presence"
If you know me at all, then you know that when making decisions, it is of utmost importance to me to have a logical, sensible, Holy Spirit-inspired “GRID” from which to filter those decisions. As a pastor in the local church context, I have seen a drastic uptick in the ongoing need to have a grid to determine what I will address from the “platform” I steward and what I will discuss in smaller settings as in one-on-one conversations. This grid also helps inform my approach to social media, phone calls, and written forms of communication (texts, emails, direct messages, letters, etc.)
Generally speaking, I adhere to what I recently heard as a “Non-Anxious Presence” approach, and I identify with that language. I seek to preach through the Bible, and when the Scriptures address issues or topics, I will do so. I am not inclined to enter the sphere of addressing current issues weekly just because the culture and people in the church feel like it’s my job to do this. My style is informed by much of what you will read below (all credit to Andy Stanley as I have shared with you the highlights from his latest book that were especially meaningful to me), and I welcome questions or feedback after you’ve read what is below. Any discussion will be incomplete and most likely counterproductive until you process these thoughts that serve as the backdrop to my methodology.
This is what I do know for sure … Jesus would love everyone, and I am convinced that He expects His church to be a haven of differences of opinion while remaining focused on the centrality of Him and His Gospel! Politics isn’t our primary agenda. Our purpose is to discover Jesus and allow Him to transfer our lives. I seek to keep these questions in mind: Where would Jesus be? How would He treat people who are stuck in sin? These questions help me because I deeply long to have the heart of Jesus. We can’t be Jesus and anything else – no room for the “left agenda” or the “right agenda.”
I believe the Lord gives the Lead Pastor (in counsel with other leaders of a local church) the wisdom to say what should and should not be said. The Holy Spirit gives the leader(s) a sense of what should be done. So at the end of the day, I’m prayerfully pondering these internal questions: How do I think the Lord is asking me to lead here? Jesus, how do you want me to lead us through this?
My primary calling and purpose are to obey Christ’s command to love well and intentionally make disciples. I am working hard not to alienate those who have yet to find Jesus while navigating the un-Christlike rhetoric and fear-based posturing that swirls around this world.
Monthly I’m faced with the temptation to be dragged into and embroiled in far less noble conflicts with far less noble goals than loving well and making disciples. I’m prayerfully refusing to surrender influence with those who need to find and follow Jesus. I won’t be reduced to a voting bloc. I’m committed to following Jesus, which means that I will regularly be misunderstood and lose in a world obsessed with winning. The church is not here to win—just the opposite. By every human measure, our Savior lost. On purpose. With a purpose. And I’m a part of His body. So, like Jesus, to the best of my ability, I am not in it to win it. I am pastoring for something else entirely.
I believe the Apostle Paul lived with this same pastoral goal and his words to the church in Corinth help shape my framework for determining what I will address from the “platform” that I steward in this season of ministry …
“Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.” 1 Corinthians 9:19–23 (NIV)
By our standards today Paul would be labeled a coward, poser, and pretender. He’d be criticized for not choosing a position. It seems that so many today believe that we can’t stand in the middle. We have to be either hot or cold. I’ve been accused of being afraid of losing members/attenders and that I’m trying to have it both ways. But I am trying to do my best, with the counsel of our staff and board, to refuse to politicize Riverside Comunity Church despite pressure and criticism. My refusal to take a side has been interpreted as refusal to take a stand—though, in fact, I have taken a stand. Daily I ask the Holy Spirit to help me to courageously refuse to politicize Jesus’ church.
I am more committed to the Great Commission than anything else so I refuse to alienate half our community by siding with one political party over the other. I’m doing my best to stand with Jesus in the messy middle, where problems are solved, rather than capitulate to divisive, broad-brush political talking points. It’s difficult to take a Christlike stand when pressured to choose a political side. It’s hard to follow Paul’s example when so many want me to preach their preferences. But I’m serving to please an audience of One – not to win an election. I’m leading toward the goal of winning people to Jesus … not to save America. But I do desperately want to help save Americans.
I’ve been accused of being fearful when I’m trying to remain faithful despite pressure from those who desire me to do otherwise. I’m glad I don’t have to stand alone in this tension but I would willingly do so if it was required of me. My prayer times focus me on the same mission and strategy that the Apostle Paul had … I have become all things to all people. When I read that it challenges me to do whatever is necessary to blend in with my surroundings. I am learning to do the incredibly hard and difficult work of building and navigating relationships with people I have virtually nothing in common with. In very practical ways this approach to pastoring and following Jesus means that I’ll be misunderstood and potentially mistreated. But at the end of the day, if some are “saved” then it’s worth it because that’s His mission!
When I see the example of Jesus and then read the words of Paul I am inspired that he didn’t align himself with the temple, the empire, or any local priesthood. He was willing to stand apart and stand alone and that positioned him be the most effective advocate of Christianity ever!
“I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.”
I want to do this too! This means I must not become preoccupied with saving America at the expense of saving Americans. If I embrace and grow comfortable with “save-America” rhetoric that alienates some Americans, I will become derelict in my leadership. Jesus promised to be with me if I will prioritize His priority which is to make disciples of all nations. This means I must be willing to navigate and maintain relationships with all kinds of people in order to “save some” and “win some.” I wholeheartedly embrace a “by all possible means” mindset.
If I publicly align with a political party I will relinquish my ability to make disciples of half of our nation, much less all nations. If I were to align Riverside with a party or candidate the result would be to insert a huge obstacle to making disciples of those in the other party. Doing so alienates enormous portions of the population. Bottom line: saving America is not the mission of RCC – or of my life. If my love or concern for our country were to take precedence over my love for the people in our country, I am off mission. This isn’t about patriotism … it’s about priority. When I recite the Pledge of Allegiance, I declare the priority: “One Nation under God” – God first. Nation second. My ultimate allegiance is to King Jesus who came to reverse the order of things – the King who rather than requiring us as His subjects to die for Him, died for us instead. Saving America must never take precedence over loving the American next door to me. If I choose to publicly back a political party or candidate I abandon my calling, undermine my credibility, and exploit the body of Christ.
As a part of this grid for what determines what I talk about from our platform I firmly believe that there is no room for militaristic language in our New Testament command of Christ to love. I am called to compassionately and winsomely engage with the culture which means I refuse to speak of “invading enemy territory,” “occupying hostile institutions,” and “taking over secular society” to create “godly change” in America. It’s so tempting to see it all as a system to be conquered but the agenda of Jesus calls me to something higher than the culture war approach that confuses Christian power with biblical justice.
When I hear people say that “Christians should be in charge” I challenge that notion by recalling that Jesus didn’t take that approach. His cross is the absolute center of His Kingdom and in a world whose goal is to war and win, I am called to love and lose. I don’t see Jesus taking sides in the culture wars of His era. My calling is to neither withdraw nor seek to control but to faithfully represent the values of my King. I’m convinced that I will have trouble in this world but at the same time that Jesus has promised me that He has overcome this world. When I’m full of the Holy Spirit this inspires confidence that is not desperate to win the culture wars but is courageously committed to the good of others. I will admit that it is very hard at times to maintain this perspective … but with the help of Spirit I daily walk in submission to these convictions.
I see in the New Testament that I am to be an ambassador and RCC an embassy. I don’t think either panic nor proclaiming that we’ve triumphed is becoming. But I do seek to maintain a cheerful confidence. We are called to represent the heavenly and future kingdom now – no matter how hard it gets.
My refusal to take sides in the culture wars of our day is not because I lack opinions or conviction. I’m not afraid to take a stand. But when the church chooses a side, as defined by any political party, we’ve sided against people on the other side. In that moment, we elevate our potentially flawed views over people. I’ll choose relationships with people over my views. This may drive you nuts and it may make me look inconsistent at times. But with everything within me I’m prayerfully (with the wise counsel of others) trying to be calculatingly consistent. My calling to love and serve this world precludes me from joining forces with either side of any cultural issue. My refusal to take sides is not out of a lack of concern. It’s because what concerns me most (making disciples) precludes me from doing so.
I can’t make disciples of people I demonize publicly and label as enemies of the faith or the state. I can’t hate people and engage them with the gospel at the same time. I can’t war with people and show the love of Jesus. I can’t be both outraged and on mission. Jesus didn’t come to help any particular group succeed with their thing. He came to establish His own thing. His kingdom was fueled by an others-first ethic that stood in sharp contrast to the winner-take-all, win-at-all-costs ethic that fuels the kingdoms of this world. The moment I step into a ring that requires someone to lose in order for us to win, I am no longer following Jesus.
If I were to become a politically active pastor I would eliminate common ground with anyone associated with or sympathetic to the other party. My impression of politically associated churches is that they attempt to leverage Jesus for an agenda other than the agenda of Jesus. It’s a betrayal of my Savior, pure and simple. Jesus didn’t come to upgrade or fix something. He came to rule in my heart and reign over my behavior. He claimed the role of master and commander-in-chief of those who would acknowledge His right to rule. He was not and is not a religious figure. He is a King who clearly said …
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other.” Matthew 6:24 (NIV)
When I follow Jesus through the Gospels it becomes unmistakably clear that He cannot be recruited. He did not take sides. And one day He will take over. In the meantime, anything that serves as an obstacle to making disciples should be eliminated from RCC. Whatever or whoever distracts me from Jesus’ final instructions should be set aside. If I publicly participate in the culture wars of our day I would make it hard for those who are trying to turn to Jesus.
Here are some questions that require periodic reflection and I revisit them regularly: What is the faith of the next generation worth? What is the faith of my children worth? What is the faith of my grandchildren worth? What is the faith of my niece or nephew worth? Am I more concerned about my kid’s political views or their faith?
Generally speaking, I adhere to what I recently heard as a “Non-Anxious Presence” approach, and I identify with that language. I seek to preach through the Bible, and when the Scriptures address issues or topics, I will do so. I am not inclined to enter the sphere of addressing current issues weekly just because the culture and people in the church feel like it’s my job to do this. My style is informed by much of what you will read below (all credit to Andy Stanley as I have shared with you the highlights from his latest book that were especially meaningful to me), and I welcome questions or feedback after you’ve read what is below. Any discussion will be incomplete and most likely counterproductive until you process these thoughts that serve as the backdrop to my methodology.
This is what I do know for sure … Jesus would love everyone, and I am convinced that He expects His church to be a haven of differences of opinion while remaining focused on the centrality of Him and His Gospel! Politics isn’t our primary agenda. Our purpose is to discover Jesus and allow Him to transfer our lives. I seek to keep these questions in mind: Where would Jesus be? How would He treat people who are stuck in sin? These questions help me because I deeply long to have the heart of Jesus. We can’t be Jesus and anything else – no room for the “left agenda” or the “right agenda.”
I believe the Lord gives the Lead Pastor (in counsel with other leaders of a local church) the wisdom to say what should and should not be said. The Holy Spirit gives the leader(s) a sense of what should be done. So at the end of the day, I’m prayerfully pondering these internal questions: How do I think the Lord is asking me to lead here? Jesus, how do you want me to lead us through this?
My primary calling and purpose are to obey Christ’s command to love well and intentionally make disciples. I am working hard not to alienate those who have yet to find Jesus while navigating the un-Christlike rhetoric and fear-based posturing that swirls around this world.
Monthly I’m faced with the temptation to be dragged into and embroiled in far less noble conflicts with far less noble goals than loving well and making disciples. I’m prayerfully refusing to surrender influence with those who need to find and follow Jesus. I won’t be reduced to a voting bloc. I’m committed to following Jesus, which means that I will regularly be misunderstood and lose in a world obsessed with winning. The church is not here to win—just the opposite. By every human measure, our Savior lost. On purpose. With a purpose. And I’m a part of His body. So, like Jesus, to the best of my ability, I am not in it to win it. I am pastoring for something else entirely.
I believe the Apostle Paul lived with this same pastoral goal and his words to the church in Corinth help shape my framework for determining what I will address from the “platform” that I steward in this season of ministry …
“Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.” 1 Corinthians 9:19–23 (NIV)
By our standards today Paul would be labeled a coward, poser, and pretender. He’d be criticized for not choosing a position. It seems that so many today believe that we can’t stand in the middle. We have to be either hot or cold. I’ve been accused of being afraid of losing members/attenders and that I’m trying to have it both ways. But I am trying to do my best, with the counsel of our staff and board, to refuse to politicize Riverside Comunity Church despite pressure and criticism. My refusal to take a side has been interpreted as refusal to take a stand—though, in fact, I have taken a stand. Daily I ask the Holy Spirit to help me to courageously refuse to politicize Jesus’ church.
I am more committed to the Great Commission than anything else so I refuse to alienate half our community by siding with one political party over the other. I’m doing my best to stand with Jesus in the messy middle, where problems are solved, rather than capitulate to divisive, broad-brush political talking points. It’s difficult to take a Christlike stand when pressured to choose a political side. It’s hard to follow Paul’s example when so many want me to preach their preferences. But I’m serving to please an audience of One – not to win an election. I’m leading toward the goal of winning people to Jesus … not to save America. But I do desperately want to help save Americans.
I’ve been accused of being fearful when I’m trying to remain faithful despite pressure from those who desire me to do otherwise. I’m glad I don’t have to stand alone in this tension but I would willingly do so if it was required of me. My prayer times focus me on the same mission and strategy that the Apostle Paul had … I have become all things to all people. When I read that it challenges me to do whatever is necessary to blend in with my surroundings. I am learning to do the incredibly hard and difficult work of building and navigating relationships with people I have virtually nothing in common with. In very practical ways this approach to pastoring and following Jesus means that I’ll be misunderstood and potentially mistreated. But at the end of the day, if some are “saved” then it’s worth it because that’s His mission!
When I see the example of Jesus and then read the words of Paul I am inspired that he didn’t align himself with the temple, the empire, or any local priesthood. He was willing to stand apart and stand alone and that positioned him be the most effective advocate of Christianity ever!
“I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.”
I want to do this too! This means I must not become preoccupied with saving America at the expense of saving Americans. If I embrace and grow comfortable with “save-America” rhetoric that alienates some Americans, I will become derelict in my leadership. Jesus promised to be with me if I will prioritize His priority which is to make disciples of all nations. This means I must be willing to navigate and maintain relationships with all kinds of people in order to “save some” and “win some.” I wholeheartedly embrace a “by all possible means” mindset.
If I publicly align with a political party I will relinquish my ability to make disciples of half of our nation, much less all nations. If I were to align Riverside with a party or candidate the result would be to insert a huge obstacle to making disciples of those in the other party. Doing so alienates enormous portions of the population. Bottom line: saving America is not the mission of RCC – or of my life. If my love or concern for our country were to take precedence over my love for the people in our country, I am off mission. This isn’t about patriotism … it’s about priority. When I recite the Pledge of Allegiance, I declare the priority: “One Nation under God” – God first. Nation second. My ultimate allegiance is to King Jesus who came to reverse the order of things – the King who rather than requiring us as His subjects to die for Him, died for us instead. Saving America must never take precedence over loving the American next door to me. If I choose to publicly back a political party or candidate I abandon my calling, undermine my credibility, and exploit the body of Christ.
As a part of this grid for what determines what I talk about from our platform I firmly believe that there is no room for militaristic language in our New Testament command of Christ to love. I am called to compassionately and winsomely engage with the culture which means I refuse to speak of “invading enemy territory,” “occupying hostile institutions,” and “taking over secular society” to create “godly change” in America. It’s so tempting to see it all as a system to be conquered but the agenda of Jesus calls me to something higher than the culture war approach that confuses Christian power with biblical justice.
When I hear people say that “Christians should be in charge” I challenge that notion by recalling that Jesus didn’t take that approach. His cross is the absolute center of His Kingdom and in a world whose goal is to war and win, I am called to love and lose. I don’t see Jesus taking sides in the culture wars of His era. My calling is to neither withdraw nor seek to control but to faithfully represent the values of my King. I’m convinced that I will have trouble in this world but at the same time that Jesus has promised me that He has overcome this world. When I’m full of the Holy Spirit this inspires confidence that is not desperate to win the culture wars but is courageously committed to the good of others. I will admit that it is very hard at times to maintain this perspective … but with the help of Spirit I daily walk in submission to these convictions.
I see in the New Testament that I am to be an ambassador and RCC an embassy. I don’t think either panic nor proclaiming that we’ve triumphed is becoming. But I do seek to maintain a cheerful confidence. We are called to represent the heavenly and future kingdom now – no matter how hard it gets.
My refusal to take sides in the culture wars of our day is not because I lack opinions or conviction. I’m not afraid to take a stand. But when the church chooses a side, as defined by any political party, we’ve sided against people on the other side. In that moment, we elevate our potentially flawed views over people. I’ll choose relationships with people over my views. This may drive you nuts and it may make me look inconsistent at times. But with everything within me I’m prayerfully (with the wise counsel of others) trying to be calculatingly consistent. My calling to love and serve this world precludes me from joining forces with either side of any cultural issue. My refusal to take sides is not out of a lack of concern. It’s because what concerns me most (making disciples) precludes me from doing so.
I can’t make disciples of people I demonize publicly and label as enemies of the faith or the state. I can’t hate people and engage them with the gospel at the same time. I can’t war with people and show the love of Jesus. I can’t be both outraged and on mission. Jesus didn’t come to help any particular group succeed with their thing. He came to establish His own thing. His kingdom was fueled by an others-first ethic that stood in sharp contrast to the winner-take-all, win-at-all-costs ethic that fuels the kingdoms of this world. The moment I step into a ring that requires someone to lose in order for us to win, I am no longer following Jesus.
If I were to become a politically active pastor I would eliminate common ground with anyone associated with or sympathetic to the other party. My impression of politically associated churches is that they attempt to leverage Jesus for an agenda other than the agenda of Jesus. It’s a betrayal of my Savior, pure and simple. Jesus didn’t come to upgrade or fix something. He came to rule in my heart and reign over my behavior. He claimed the role of master and commander-in-chief of those who would acknowledge His right to rule. He was not and is not a religious figure. He is a King who clearly said …
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other.” Matthew 6:24 (NIV)
When I follow Jesus through the Gospels it becomes unmistakably clear that He cannot be recruited. He did not take sides. And one day He will take over. In the meantime, anything that serves as an obstacle to making disciples should be eliminated from RCC. Whatever or whoever distracts me from Jesus’ final instructions should be set aside. If I publicly participate in the culture wars of our day I would make it hard for those who are trying to turn to Jesus.
Here are some questions that require periodic reflection and I revisit them regularly: What is the faith of the next generation worth? What is the faith of my children worth? What is the faith of my grandchildren worth? What is the faith of my niece or nephew worth? Am I more concerned about my kid’s political views or their faith?
Cancel Culture
Our cancel culture today deeply saddens me. It’s as if past performance and context are irrelevant—unless past performance and context fit a preferred narrative. Apparently, believing the best is a relic of a bygone era as well. One of the many things I appreciate about Jesus is that He was never concerned about guilt by association. If He had been, He would have stayed in heaven. He would have certainly refused to associate with me.
Andy Stanley’s book, Not In It To Win It defines the cancel culture as follows …
The reality is that if you say one thing I disagree with or don’t like, I discount everything you’ve ever said, along with everything you’ve ever accomplished. You’re dead to me. Beyond the personal harm inflicted by this insidious and insane trend, there are broader consequences …
Christians are reconciled people who’ve been given the ministry of reconciliation. Reconciling is more productive than canceling, right? Jesus thought so. When I’m talking with those leave RCC based on something I’ve said or not said I try and ask the question that I learned from Andy … What have you heard me say or not say that has led you to this conclusion? I want to remain teachable and sometimes I discover that their interpretation of what I’ve said or not said many times overrules my explanation. There really isn’t anything I can do about that except to love well.
I am saddened that Christians cancel years of ministry partnership not because of our theology and not because of our political stance. We are apolitical. On purpose. Some people have chosen to leave because I refuse to take a stand politically. More specifically, I refuse to take their stand politically. They would never admit it—because they can’t see it—but these folks leave because we refuse to be political. We refuse to politicize the movement of Jesus. We opt for under God. At first it surprised me because they didn’t leave over something I said or did. They left because I wouldn’t say or do what they were convinced I should say or do. My understanding is that what drove them away often times has nothing to do with the teaching of Jesus. It is based on partisan spin.
Andy Stanley’s book, Not In It To Win It defines the cancel culture as follows …
- The phenomenon or practice of publicly rejecting, boycotting, or ending support for particular people or groups because of their socially or morally unacceptable views or actions.
- The shared attitudes and values within a particular segment of society that lead to such public rejection of particular people or groups. In a cancel culture, we appoint ourselves the arbiters of right and wrong.
The reality is that if you say one thing I disagree with or don’t like, I discount everything you’ve ever said, along with everything you’ve ever accomplished. You’re dead to me. Beyond the personal harm inflicted by this insidious and insane trend, there are broader consequences …
- Cancel culture lowers the IQ of the entire culture. It lowers our IQ because we are no longer willing to listen to or learn from individuals or groups who don’t see, interpret, and experience the world the way we do. Canceling an individual or group produces nothing while undermining a fundamental catalyst for progress, namely, the unfiltered exchange of ideas, opinions, and insight without the necessity of anyone always being right.
- Cancel culture cancels the right to be wrong. It cancels the right to be partially wrong but still heard. It cancels our willingness to appreciate and learn from the highlight reels of those we disagree with or who later say something offensive, bigoted, or racist. The implication being, we should remain open to learning only from those who are as perfect as we are—as we define perfect.
Christians are reconciled people who’ve been given the ministry of reconciliation. Reconciling is more productive than canceling, right? Jesus thought so. When I’m talking with those leave RCC based on something I’ve said or not said I try and ask the question that I learned from Andy … What have you heard me say or not say that has led you to this conclusion? I want to remain teachable and sometimes I discover that their interpretation of what I’ve said or not said many times overrules my explanation. There really isn’t anything I can do about that except to love well.
I am saddened that Christians cancel years of ministry partnership not because of our theology and not because of our political stance. We are apolitical. On purpose. Some people have chosen to leave because I refuse to take a stand politically. More specifically, I refuse to take their stand politically. They would never admit it—because they can’t see it—but these folks leave because we refuse to be political. We refuse to politicize the movement of Jesus. We opt for under God. At first it surprised me because they didn’t leave over something I said or did. They left because I wouldn’t say or do what they were convinced I should say or do. My understanding is that what drove them away often times has nothing to do with the teaching of Jesus. It is based on partisan spin.
Unity & Oneness
Fundamental Attribution Error describes our tendency to attribute people’s behavior to their character, while attributing our behavior to our circumstances. Fundamental attribution error happens when we assume someone’s actions reflect the kind of person they are rather than circumstances they’re navigating.
To disagree politically and maintain our unity will require us to evaluate our politics through the filter of our faith rather than the other way around. This is something we’re all convinced we’re already doing. We’re on the Lord’s side and He supports our side. And the people on the other side who are deluded into thinking the Lord is on their side need to switch sides.
These days I’m asking myself if I’m willing to follow Jesus if doing so requires me to reject portions of my party of preference’s platform. To take it a step further, am I willing to speak up when following Jesus puts me at odds with the views, the tone, or the decisions of my party or my party’s candidate of choice? Locally or nationally? If my answers to these questions don’t align me further with what Jesus asks of me then I’ve got some submission work to His Lordship to do.
In the current political climate, disagreement is defection. There’s no middle ground. But if we’re unwilling to compromise politically, we will compromise our faith eventually. We won’t compromise what we believe. We’ll compromise our faith in other, more subtle ways.
When I follow Jesus though the Gospels I see that the kingdom He introduced and invited us to participate in is a kingdom characterized by public behavior, not private belief. What He never said is as instructive as what He did. Jesus never said, By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you believe correctly. The world will know whose we are and whose kingdom we represent by how we treat, respond to, serve, forgive, and talk about one another.
Do we actively love, serve, and bear the burdens of people who aren’t like us and who disagree with us? Do we pray for anybody on the other side of the political aisle? Pray for. Not at. Not against. Do we pray on their behalf? Reducing faith to a list of beliefs provides us with plenty of margin not to love, forgive, provide for, celebrate, and pray for people we disagree with. Reducing faith to a list of beliefs frees us to slander people we don’t align with politically. It gives us license to mock, jeer, and celebrate the failure of people whose views differ from ours. If our version of Christianity leaves the door open to those behaviors, we’re nothing like our Father in heaven. And we’re nothing like His Son. We must steadfastly refuse to be an instrument of disunity. We must not work for the enemy of our souls. We cannot reduce membership in God’s kingdom to belief, because the King doesn’t allow it.
Jesus challenges us to “… let our light shine before others, that they may see our good deeds and glorify our Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 (NIV) As long as we’re content to be believers rather than doers, we will be divided. Our politics will divide us. Again, we will be reduced to a constituency rather than the conscience of the nation and the light of the world.
Jesus prayed for supernatural, trinitarian-level oneness. That means Jews. Gentiles. Romans. Samaritans. Women. Slaves. Freed people. Soldiers. Tax collectors. Zealots. The educated and not so educated. The poor, middle class, wealthy, and super wealthy. Brown, Black, Beige, and White. Young and old. Single, married, divorced, remarried. Republicans, Democrats, Independents, and Indecisives. You. Me. Us. Oneness for the win. Oneness is the win.
When oneness is my win, I lose my right to size others up and write them off regardless of who they voted for. We lose our right to write one another off, because neither the Father nor the Son wrote us off. Instead, they redeemed us and invited us to join them. And when we join them, their agenda becomes our agenda. There’s less that divides us. More that unifies us. Because it won’t be about us. We can’t continue to allow it to be about us—we can’t continue to allow politics to divide us—because there is too much at stake. The purpose of our unity is that the world may believe that Jesus has sent us. Unity is not just nice to have. Unity is mission critical.
It's mission critical because unity authenticates our message. It makes us credible and convincing. Disunity makes us like everybody else. Public shaming, theological elitism, heresy hunting, name-calling—those confirm the suspicions of those looking for reasons to size us up and write us off as posers, users, and hypocrites. That behavior undermines our influence, silences our voices, and causes outsiders to wonder why we insist on referring to our message as good news.
The enemy of RCC is not the other political party. Our enemy is division. The way forward is simple (not easy). We must choose unity over party. We must choose one another. Our commitment to and love for one another must publicly supplant our commitment to political brands and talking points. And when our party of choice requires a choice that conflicts with Jesus’s new-covenant, one-another brand of love we choose people over party!
Riverside will win or lose – the communities we serve will win or lose – based on our response to Jesus’s new-covenant command and our refusal to let anything or anyone divide us. There is no room in our family for cruelty, violence, or the threat of violence. We are to be winsome so that we might win some. Jesus didn’t size people up and write them off. We shouldn’t either.
As I have entered my fifth decade of life and have completed nearly three decades of ministry I have become very aware of and concerned that well-meaning Christians have a bad habit of importing warfare language and conflict imagery into a faith whose central figure surrendered His life rather than defending it and who invited us as His followers to follow suit. The language of warfare and conquest continues to permeate our vocabulary, slip into our sermons, and shapes our posture toward disturbing cultural trends. I am prayerfully seeking to lead a church and foster a family of Jesus followers that buries this longstanding tradition. It’s a tradition that undermines our credibility and stands in stark contrast with the message, posture, and approach of our Savior.
Jesus was not at war with anyone. We are His body. It stands to reason that we, as the church, are not at war with anyone. As Jesus followers, we shouldn’t be or pretend to be at war with anyone either. We have no business borrowing, importing, or continuing to use language or metaphors that leave an impression to the contrary. The apostle Paul made this point. The same apostle Paul whose religious liberty and life were literally threatened every day following his decision to follow Jesus. He wrote …
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood …” Ephesians 6:12 (NIV)
Paul was convinced our actual struggle isn’t against other people but against schemes of the devil. Apparently, one of the devil’s favorite schemes is to confuse us as to whom our struggle is truly against. It’s certainly an effective scheme. A kingdom divided against itself ruins itself.
Now I realize that refusing to go to war with an individual or organization that declares war on us is a bit un-American. Actually, it’s unnatural. It’s unnatural to maintain a peaceful posture in the face of hostility. But it can be done. And if we are truly Jesus followers, it must be done. Or we’re not following. We’re just believing. Maintaining a peaceful posture in the face of hostility is a foundational tenet of the kingdom Jesus introduced to the world. It’s not an add-on. It’s a demarcation, something that sets us apart. It’s required. Loving our enemies isn’t something Jesus suggested. It’s something He commanded. Jesus commanded us not to go to war with individuals or organizations that consider us the enemy. We are not to repay evil with evil. Or violence with violence. We may be their enemy but they are not ours because we are not at war.
I’m committed to discontinuing the centuries-old tradition of importing Old Testament military imagery, narratives, and metaphors into our new-covenant preaching, teaching, and application. They don’t belong there. The conquer and conquest narratives depicted in the Old Testament stand in sharp contrast to the tone and posture of Jesus. Those important narratives are the backstory to the main story. Likewise, we have no business reaching forward into the book of Revelation to import the military imagery associated with our returning, conquering, enemy-slaughtering king. Both Old Testament and end-times warfare imagery and language are incompatible with the new-covenant mandate of Jesus. A mandate given directly to us. A mandate to love, make disciples, and lay down our lives in the process if necessary. The Gospels and Epistles are unmistakably clear. We are not in it to win anything. Jesus already won it. Jesus will win it again. In the meantime, we are to love one another and the people around us in such a way that we are winsome whether we win anything or not.
Further, we are not Israel. I’m not Joshua. We’re pro-life, remember? The original Jericho march left babies and children buried under rubble. Instead, we are to love, serve, forgive, and submit to one another. We are to carry one another’s burdens. And, in the apostle Paul’s words, we are to ...
“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Colossians 4:5–6 (NIV)
When our conversation is full of salt and merely seasoned with grace, we’re not doing it right. Help us Holy Spirit!
Conquer and conflict language slows us down, divides us up, and confuses those standing on the outside peering in. Centuries of importing from the old and borrowing from the future to supplement and illustrate our new-covenant faith has resulted in a version of faith infested with shadows from the past. Paul thought so anyway. Referring to old-covenant leftovers, he wrote:
“These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.” Colossians 2:17 (NIV)
Old-covenant imports explain why some pastors feel it’s their responsibility to rail against the evils in society like an Old Testament prophet. Paul told Christians in Corinth that the behavior of unbelievers was none of their business (1 Corinthians 5:12). He assured them that God would judge those outside the faith. I’m glad I’m not the judge!
I am not at war with the culture. Culture-war Christianity is not simply a waste of time, it is diametrically opposed to the teaching of Paul and the example of Jesus. As it relates to the influence of RCC, our nation’s challenges do not stem from the our inability to convince unbelievers to behave like believers. Our challenges stem from our inability to inspire believers to behave like believers.
We must not prioritize “a view over a you” – something Jesus never did and instructed us not to do either. When Christians justify the mistreatment of people it often seems rooted in old-covenant practices, narratives, and values. So let’s change these harmful habits! We have no business retrofitting His current kingdom values, posture, language, and approach to persuasion with the values, posture, and language Jesus came to replace. When we attempt to shore up our Christianity with Old Testament win-lose, conquer-and-vanquish language, we erode what Jesus came to do. By the “old-covenant, kingdoms-of-this-world” standards, Jesus lost. But by “new-covenant, kingdom-of-God standards”, He won!
We do others and ourselves a great disservice when we retrofit the cultural values, behaviors, and narratives of the Old Testament to make them compatible with the new. First-century Jewish Jesus followers felt no compulsion to tidy up and remove the sharp edges from the Old Testament. It wasn’t their problem. In fact, it wasn’t a problem. Thankfully, something new had come! When we import warfare imagery from the Old Testament into our new-covenant way of life, we reach back and ultimately we step back. When we reach back, we lose our distinctive. When we accept the weapons of coercion offered us by the kingdoms of this world, we look just like them because we start behaving, responding, sounding, and posting on social media like them. Leveraging old-covenant conquest and warfare imagery distorts the way of Jesus.
There is no denying that there is language in the New Testament documents that describe upcoming battles. I am well aware of those texts. And if Jesus chooses to wage a literal war against His human enemies at a future date, that’s up to Him. That’s Jesus’s business. It’s not my business. Jesus may come on a literal white horse. That’s up to Him. He may literally smite His enemies with fire and watch them burn. If He wants to appear with a sword in His mouth, that’s His business. If He chooses to leave a banquet of human flesh for the birds, that’s His business. How and when and if He chooses to accomplish all of that is His business. If all that is figurative and represents something else entirely, that’s His business as well. What Jesus commanded us to do is our business. We should mind our own business. We should get back to business. We should look for feet to wash, not a war to fight.
Because of the posture of both Jesus and Paul … I don’t view our clash with culture as a war. I view it in terms of mission. Paul found nothing in the teaching of Jesus or His apostles to justify violent opposition against those who violently opposed the Way. When Paul became a Jesus follower, he could find nothing in the teaching of Jesus or His apostles to justify violent opposition to those who would violently oppose him and the movement he’d become a part of. He found the very opposite. As he would write years later …
“For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” Romans 5:10 (NIV)
King Jesus died for His enemies and thus paved the way for His enemies to be rescued, restored, and reconciled to their King. If his Savior refused to go to war with evil men, Paul knew he lost his right to do so as well. His encounter with Jesus signaled an end to all things violent, destructive, and coercive. He laid aside the sanctioned techniques of terror and persuasion. Weaponizing first-century Judaism was easy. Weaponizing Christianity was impossible. Violence and the threat of violence were incompatible with, at odds with, and counterproductive to the kingdom and covenant Jesus established. So Paul laid all of that down—and never picked it up again. Others would violently oppose him for the rest of his life. But he refused to return the favor. He refused to resort to violence. His religious liberty wasn’t threatened. His tax-exempt status wasn’t threatened. His life was threatened. But like his Savior, he refused to threaten back.
Paul calls the blended covenant model a “perversion” …
“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.” Galatians 1:6–7 (NIV)
He argued that when it comes to old and new, there can be no cherry-picking. If you pick and choose, you lose! The old covenant, like the new covenant, is an all-or-nothing proposition. Jesus announced in His sermon on the mount message (Matthew 5-7), the old and new covenants are not compatible. They’re not blendable. They’re sequential.
Paul saw what his contemporaries missed. He saw what the covenant-blending Judaizers missed. He saw what we miss. God’s covenant with ancient Israel had an expiration date. It was a means to an end. The arrival of the Messiah signaled the end. This was crystal clear to Paul because, as a Pharisee, he had the courage and zeal to go where few of his contemporary, Torah-abiding, first-century Hebrews dared to go. Then he met Jesus. And he let it all go. All of it. And we should as well.
My goal is to follow the example of the apostle Paul and unhitch our tone, terminology, approach to people, and our posture toward culture from the tone, approach, and posture toward others that permeates old-covenant narratives. I seek to be like the leaders of the Jerusalem Council and stand firm with courage to distinguish our new-covenant faith from a covenant we were never included in to begin with so that we are free to fully embrace the kingdom values, ethics, and message that Jesus “set loose in the world.” He’s got all authority in heaven and on earth and has shown us the Father. If we want to know what God is like, if we want the world to know what God is like, if we want our children and grandchildren to know what God is like, let’s not introduce them to a shadow. Let’s introduce them to Jesus. The reality!
If we embrace the blended covenant “gospel” the apostle Paul spent his ministry arguing against, we’ve got some unhitching to do. I’m not referring to salvation by works. I’m talking about a gospel draped in old-covenant values and terminology. If we’re comfortable using Old Testament warfare and conquest narratives to support our “Christian” posture toward culture and the people in it, we’ve got some unhitching to do. If we’re more energized by the failure of our enemy than we are broken over their plight, even when it is self-inflicted, we have some unhitching to do. If taking a political stand is causing division in our church … but since we’re right, we’re convinced it’s all right … we’ve got some unhitching to do. If making our point on social media isn’t making any difference but makes it difficult for outsiders to take our faith seriously because our tone leaves readers wondering if we take the teaching of Jesus seriously, we’ve got some unhitching to do. And perhaps some apologizing.
If we think God has plans “to prosper us and not to harm us” and that He “plans to give us hope and a future,” think again. That’s not our promise to claim. It’s not our covenant. Read it in context. Do we plan to wait seventy years for God to prosper and protect us? What are we going to do in the meantime? Our new-covenant promises are far better. Jesus promised His new-covenant disciple makers, “I am with you always …” Beginning right now.
If we’re convinced that 2 Chronicles 7:14 applies to or can be applied to the United States, we have some unhitching to do. That was a message for King Solomon after he completed the construction of the temple in Jerusalem. God was reiterating His commitment to the existing cause-and-effect covenant He’d established with the nation of Israel in the days of Moses. God doesn’t have a covenant with America. God has a covenant with us! A better covenant. A permanent covenant. A covenant established in His Son’s blood.
When we reach back to claim what isn’t ours to claim, we diminish the value and significance of what is ours to claim. Imagine the afront it is to our Heavenly Father when we opt for a covenant established with the blood of goats and sheep over and against the covenant established through the blood of His Son. Be done with the old and embrace the new. It’s the covenant God created especially for us. And the us beside us. And the us that doesn’t look or live like us. And the us that doesn’t even like us. The us Jesus commanded us to pray for. The same us He died for!
The self-serving, self-preserving, culture-warrior posture that characterizes certain streams of evangelicalism today stands in sharp and disappointing contrast with the new-covenant behavior that characterized the early church. Believing has become a substitute for following. We’ve been so focused on not substituting works for faith that many of us have quit working. Or in Paul’s words, we quit working out our faith. But authentic faith does stuff.
What does it look like and sound like to work out our faith? James instructs us to be doers, not just hearers. But do what? It’s an important question. As it turns out, we don’t get to choose the answer. The answer has been prescribed and modeled for us in the New Testament. Directions are included on the label: we should take only as directed. We should apply only as directed. But something else is included on that New Testament label as well: the outcome. If the outcome of our application isn’t as predicted, chances are we’re not taking as directed.
Following Paul’s instructions to Christians in Philippi (2:12) to “work out” or live out their salvation, he announced the results. When Jesus’s new-covenant teaching is applied as directed, here’s what can be expected. We will …
“… become blameless and pure, ‘children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.’ Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.” Philippians 2:14–16 (NIV)
Being right, even believing right, doesn’t make us shine. Applying right is what makes us shine. A concern of mine is that we aren’t shining because we aren’t applying our faith as directed. Consequently, while we believe differently than outsiders, we don’t behave much different. Most notable and noticeable is we don’t react much differently when things don’t go our way.
Our actions and reactions undermine the credibility of our faith claims. Outsiders aren’t about to take our faith seriously as long as they wonder if we do. If Paul is correct, if we aren’t shining, we aren’t doing it right. We aren’t applying our faith right. We aren’t applying it as directed. Instead, we’ve painted crosses on the means and methods employed by the kingdoms of this world, and the contrast isn’t apparent.
What did Paul mean by working out our faith? What was James referring to when he instructed first-century followers (1:22) to do and not just listen? Do what? What were the good deeds Jesus was referring to when he said …
“Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 (NIV)
What was Peter referring to when he instructed Jesus followers to …
“Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” 1 Peter 2:12 (NIV)
What does a good life look and sound like? According to Peter, a good life, whatever that is, has the power to “silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.”
What does it look and sound like to apply our faith as directed by our Savior? The short answer: It looks and sounds a lot like losing. Jesus’s disciples certainly thought so. While on their way to Jerusalem, where Jesus would become the biggest loser, the disciples were arguing about which of them would hold the second and third spots in His soon-to-be established kingdom. Remember what Jesus said in response …
“You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them.” Mark 10:42 (NIV)
Of course they knew that. Everybody knew that. It’s why they were jockeying for position. When Jesus won, they wanted to be close to the winner! The next four words out of Jesus’s mouth are startling, disarming, and unsettling. His next words flip the power script. Jesus redefines winning. And losing. His next words are directed at us. We know how the power game is played. We’re aware of the benefits and perks that come with position and title. Our assumption is, if it comes to us, it must be for us. But not in the upside-down kingdom of King Jesus. So Jesus stared them all down and declared …
“Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:43–45 (NIV)
The implication here is that when it comes to opportunity, privilege, title, and position, forget everything we’ve learned and ignore what we’ve seen modeled. He was introducing a new model … Servant? Slave? Of all? That’s moving in the wrong direction. That’s going down, not up. That’s more lose than win. That’s not great. That’s humiliating and it’s why we resist. We want to be prophets calling out evil and calling down curses. We want to be warriors of Christ, bathed in the blood of our enemies (figuratively speaking). We want the nations to tremble. We want to be ancient Israel (minus the inconvenient dietary restrictions) retaking the promised land! What we don’t want to be is followers of Jesus. That requires going to the back of the line.
When Jesus finished, they continued on their way to Jerusalem, where the apostles realized He was not kidding. He was planning to lose. They witnessed firsthand what our Made in America faith makes it difficult for us to see. Jesus did not come to be served but to serve and to literally, painfully, selflessly give His life away. He worked His way to the back of the line. He was crucified by the winners between two other losers. No wonder we’re content to believe rather than follow. “Believers” can have it both ways. “Believers” get to go to new-covenant heaven when they die while determining for themselves what the Christian faith looks, acts, and sounds like in the meantime. And what does Made in America Christianity look, act, and sound like?
Winning. But Jesus had something to say about that as well …
“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?” Luke 9:23–25 (NIV)
In the end, winners lose. In the end, the savers are the losers. And the losers are the savers. Notice that it’s NOT … “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and believe in me.” Nope. It’s FOLLOW! Follow Jesus where? To the back of the line. For us Jesus followers, there is no place for rage, brawling, slander, or any form of malice at any time, for any reason. There’s no such thing as righteous slander. Or holy brawling. Those are the means and methods of the kingdoms of this world. Jesus didn’t use them. Paul abandoned them. We should follow their example.
Those with an unhealthy craving for controversy can always convince themselves that they are warriors for Christ—instead of captives to their passions. As Jesus followers, we are instructed not to be captive to our passions. Our lives should reflect the passions of our Savior. He was indeed passionate. But He was not fearful. Admittedly, it’s difficult not to be captive to our passions when it appears everything we value is under assault and that if we don’t fight to protect it, we’ll lose it. The good news is—and the advantage we have over our first-century brothers and sisters is—we can express our political, civil, and in some instances religious and moral passions legally and privately. We choose our own local, state, and national representatives. We aren’t subject to the empire. We have an opportunity and obligation to participate in we the people.
If we truly care about America and our fellow Americans, we should consistently do two things. We should apply our faith as directed by our Savior, and we should vote our law-of-Christ-informed conscience every chance we get. Regarding how we apply our faith, Paul wrote …
“Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Ephesians 5:1–2 (NIV)
Jesus’s new-covenant command—or as Paul refers to it, the law of Christ—serves as a north star for Christian behavior. Both Jesus’s and Paul’s instructions and imperatives are simply applications of that single, overarching command. We can debate what it looks like to love other people the way Christ loves us. But we don’t get to decide whether to love others the way God through Christ loved us. That’s decided for us. It’s been modeled for us. It’s been prescribed to us. The law of Christ should inform our consciences and stand guard over our hearts and mouths. The law of Christ should govern our responses, actions, reactions, and priorities. The law of Christ is how followers from every nation and in every generation discover what following looks and sounds like in their cultural context. The law of Christ should compel us to pause and ask questions like …
Once upon a time, the “love one another” behavior of the church stood in sharp contrast to the “bite and devour” one another behavior of the pagan world. What was true then should be true today. The “others first” way of Jesus appeals to something deep in the soul of every man, woman, and child. We all want to be included, honored, valued, recognized, and loved. Imagine a world where people were skeptical of what we believed but envious of how well we treated one another. Imagine a world where unbelievers were anxious to hire, vote for, work for, work with, and live next door to Christians because of how well we treated one another and how well we treated them. We can choose to follow Jesus. We do not get to choose what following Jesus looks and sounds like. It’s been prescribed. It’s on the label. It looks and sounds like Jesus.
The American church is in a state of emergency. But currently, we are too distracted to notice. We have continued to allow ourselves to be divided by secondary concerns while what should be our biggest concern continues to go unaddressed—namely, division. Division is the threat. Division is the enemy. Because of its size, a united church in the United States with all its beautiful cultural diversity would have the influence necessary to move the nation back toward the middle, the place where problems are actually solved. The middle, where defenses come down, experiences are shared, and people are inclined to listen to one another. Pause to consider the non-Great-Commission-critical issues we’ve allowed to divide us—everything from climate change to critical race theory to COVID, masks, and vaccines. Why would we, the light of the world, the salt of the earth, the hands and feet of Jesus, allow ourselves to be baited into debates and divided over questions about which we all have opinions informed by partial and skewed information?
We must not undermine the unity of the body of Christ. If we do, even if we’re right, we’re part of the problem. We are ignoring the real emergency. Five years from now, our “everybody needs to know” opinions will be all but irrelevant and forgotten. But the damage to the body will be done. And if we’re not fully submitted to the Holy Spirit, we will have contributed.
It may not be our intention to create division. But direction, not intention, determines destination. The nation is moving in a dangerous direction. But instead of leading, the church is following. We’re following because we’re divided. We’re divided because we’ve allowed ourselves to be divided. Unity will become the priority only if we are willing to acknowledge that a lack of unity signals an emergency. When that happens, the church in the United States will set aside our partisan differences along with a host of other mostly irrelevant points of disagreement and serve as the conscience of our nation.
Consider these words from the writer of Hebrews that adds value to the framework I’m advocating …
“… let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Hebrews 12:1–3 (NIV)
For such a time as this, could we not throw off anything and everything that entangles and divides us? Could we not rid ourselves of everything that trips us up? The race marked out for us two-thousand-plus years before a handful of brave patriots decided that life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness marked out our race. We are to fix our eyes on JESUS. What we stare at determines what we gravitate toward. Our division is proof that we’re not all staring—and thus not moving—in the same direction. Far too often our eyes are fixed on winning. Winning fueled by fear of losing our freedom. Losing our rights. Losing our country. And if we continue moving in our current divided direction, our misplaced fear will fuel what we fear most. We could lose all of these things we hold in such high esteem. We have lost our fear of division, and consequently, we have lost our voice and our influence. Thus, we’ve lost our best opportunity to preserve and protect the liberty many are so afraid of losing. Our division fuels the thing we fear most. So let’s orient our lives around Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith!
Unity of purpose is essential to the body of Christ. If we are members, unity must become important to us as well, or we will contribute to rather than respond to the current emergency. If we follow Jesus through the Gospels we’ll bump into something surprising and disturbing. While Jesus often stopped to meet the immediate needs of individuals, He posited no permanent solutions for any of society’s big problems. Not one. On purpose. Because He came for a different purpose.
Jesus refused to be dragged into or tricked into taking sides on civic, social, and what we would consider political matters. He made no effort to fix the system. And there was so much that needed to be fixed. It was a broken justice system unduly influenced by lobbyists representing the interests of the temple that led to His execution. Yet even as a victim of a broken justice system, Jesus refused to comment on the injustice of the system. Instead, He looked Governor Pilate in the eye and assured him that he wasn’t the one running the show. Stranger still, from a cross He did not deserve to be nailed to, Jesus forgave the folks who nailed Him there. Jesus refused to address the system because He came to address something else—the hearts behind the systems. The hearts that created, defended, and profited off the system.
The Gospels document interactions between Jesus and two tax collectors: Matthew and Zacchaeus. The system used to determine what taxes were owed, when they were owed, and how they were paid was extraordinarily corrupt. This was due in part to the fact that the system, like most ancient systems, was virtually impossible to monitor. But Jesus neither condemned the system, nor did He offer suggestions on how to improve it. Instead, He addressed two participants. He invited Matthew to follow Him and invited Himself to Zacchaeus’s house for lunch. While Jesus made no effort to change how taxes were collected, these two encounters changed two tax collectors. And that was His purpose. As far as we know, neither Matthew nor Zacchaeus attempted to change the system. Zacchaeus changed his approach. Matthew changed careers.
In another missed opportunity, Jesus was asked to heal a Roman centurion’s slave. He accepted the invitation but failed to condemn or even comment on slavery. During His final visit to Jerusalem, the Pharisees provided Jesus with the perfect opportunity to call out both the injustice of the imperial tax code as well as the horror inflicted on Judeans by their Roman occupiers. Again, He refused to take the bait. He refused to choose sides. Why? Obviously, He was a coward. He was afraid of losing followers. He didn’t want to offend anybody. So He refused to take a stand.
When a woman caught in adultery was taken against her will to the temple and placed at Jesus’s feet for judgment, how did He respond? Instead of addressing the system that justified this miscarriage of justice, Jesus addressed the hypocrisy festering in the hearts of the woman’s accusers. He addressed the source of the problem. When the woman’s accusers eventually left, Jesus addressed her heart issue as well. He didn’t excuse her behavior. He didn’t attempt to assuage her guilt. He didn’t take sides. He was as direct with her as He was with her accusers: “Leave your life of sin.” (John 8:11)
Everything that disturbs us about America originated in the hearts of Americans. Everything. We can say this with certainty because Jesus said it with such clarity …
“The things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart ...” Matthew 15:18 (NIV)
Are we disturbed by people talking at rather than to one another? Are we bothered by the condescending tone and dehumanizing terminology that characterizes so much of our national conversation? That’s not a political problem. That doesn’t change or improve if our candidate wins. If our candidate wins, it might get worse. Jesus labeled this behavior a heart problem.
“For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.” Matthew 15:19–20 (NIV)
Everything that disturbs us about our nation, along with everything that disturbs us about us, can be directly or indirectly linked to that short list. And these things aren’t just what defile a person … they are also what defile a nation.
Everything that disturbs us about the United States emanates from the sinful, selfish, self-centered, appetite-fueled, fear-driven condition of the human heart. Our government can protect us from it. But our government is powerless to do anything about it. No system of government, no political platform, no bill, law, or mandate can change a human heart. Why allow ourselves to be entangled by and divided by secondary concerns when we are stewards of the message that has the potential to make the most difference? Jesus knew better. We can do better. We must do better!
Imagine what would happen if the Big-C church refused to take sides politically, abandon our culture war mentality, and fearlessly, directly, and politically incorrectly addressed matters of the heart. What if we realigned our teaching, preaching, and discipleship around Jesus and His new-covenant command? Nothing highlights the garbage collecting in the recesses of our hearts faster than holding our actions and reactions up against Jesus’s command to love as He loved. Nothing clarifies where we are, where we aren’t, and where we should be with more precision than asking, What does Jesus’s love for me require of me?
While Jesus refused to fix or even address the systemic inequalities rampant in first-century Judea, Samaria, and Galilee, He never missed an opportunity to address an immediate need—regardless of whose it was or what created the need to begin with. As John observed, Jesus was the personification of grace and truth. He did not attempt to balance grace and truth. That’s what we do. Jesus was all grace and all truth all the time. He never dumbed down the truth. He never turned down the grace. It was confusing at times. It caused Him to look inconsistent at times. But He knew what we must rediscover: that grace and truth is the way forward. John, who grew up on the teaching of Moses, underscored the unique approach introduced by His resurrected Rabbi …
“For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” John 1:17 (NIV)
Jesus didn’t directly address the system, but He never missed an opportunity to address the physical and emotional needs of those hurt by the system and left floundering in its wake. Over and over, Jesus stopped what He was doing and came to the aid of the suffering, whether Judean, Galilean, Samaritan, or Roman. Slaves and slave owners. The righteous and the unrighteous.
As grace and truth, Jesus addressed matters of the heart while addressing the needs of those whose lives had been shattered by their own corrupted hearts as well as the heartlessness of others. In doing so, He revealed what God is like.
“Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” John 14:9 (NIV)
Implication: Anyone who has seen Me work has seen the Father at work. Want to know what is most important to your heavenly Father? Watch Me. Listen to Me. Then follow Me.
Want to see systemic change? Want to see America become great as Jesus defined great? Then somebody must stand apart from the legislative, executive, judicial, and political to address the hearts of those elected and selected to fill these essential and critical roles. We are that somebody. Somebody must model compassion, generosity, and empathy for those negatively impacted by the consequences of their own decisions as well as those suffering from the unintended consequences of imperfect systems. We are that somebody as well.
“I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” John 13:15 (NIV)
This was Jesus’s way of punctuating and illustrating the degree to which He expected them—and us—to embrace and live out His new-covenant command. To love others the way Jesus loved them would require them to get their hands dirty. With other people’s dirt. They knew from experience what we miss in this emotional encounter with their Lord. Washing one another’s feet ensured that their differences would not divide them. Because we can’t wash feet from a distance … or from an elevated position … or even eye to eye.
“Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” John 13:16–17 (NIV)
If we are willing to orient our lives around Jesus’s new-covenant command, it will serve as the bridge between our differences. It will bridge our political differences as well as our dissimilar life experiences. It will serve as a bridge between our disagreements regarding how problems should be solved and how issues should be addressed. Political and ideological alignment is not a prerequisite for carrying one another’s burdens. We can love one another the way Jesus loved regardless of who we voted for. We can wash one another’s feet without knowing where those feet have been or where they are headed next. We can—we must—wash one another’s feet knowing that they will, in fact, get dirty again. Washing feet doesn’t solve problems. But it keeps us close. If we choose to take our cues from Jesus, we will begin there. We will give, serve, and love first.
Jesus said we are the light of the world, not the US Congress. We are a city on a hill, not the United States of America. We are the salt of the earth. We are the body of Christ. The hands and feet of Jesus. Jesus, who did not come to be served but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many. Jesus, who refused to be appropriated by a party so He could address the hearts of people in both parties. Jesus, who stopped to listen, paused to heal, and gave His life for the very men who took it. Jesus who lost. Jesus who won.
So let’s be quick to listen, slow to speak. Let’s not keep our distance. Let’s take our law-of-Christ informed consciences with us to the ballot box. Let’s lead the way in acknowledging that there are no perfect solutions that involve people because people are involved in both the problems and the solutions. Let’s love our enemies. Let’s go out of our way to serve those who have arrived at different conclusions and embrace different solutions. Let’s be kind yet willing to call out unkindness in our party of choice, especially when it hurts or dehumanizes others. Let’s be honest and willing to call out dishonesty when it undermines someone’s dignity. Let’s not settle for being law-abiding citizens or patriotic Americans. We’re called to something higher than that. More demanding than that. We’re Jesus followers. So let’s take up our crosses and follow. Let’s do everything without grumbling or arguing so that we may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Let’s “shine among them like stars in the sky.” And let’s do it in such a way that they see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven!
Let’s live, love, and lead in such a way that we, the family and movement of Jesus, regain the moral high ground and can serve as the conscience of our nation. Let’s do what’s just, not what we can justify. Let’s do what’s responsible, not what’s permissible. Let’s do what’s moral, not what’s modeled. Let’s stop trying to win. Let’s forsake our fear of losing. Let’s fix our eyes and our lives on Jesus.
To disagree politically and maintain our unity will require us to evaluate our politics through the filter of our faith rather than the other way around. This is something we’re all convinced we’re already doing. We’re on the Lord’s side and He supports our side. And the people on the other side who are deluded into thinking the Lord is on their side need to switch sides.
These days I’m asking myself if I’m willing to follow Jesus if doing so requires me to reject portions of my party of preference’s platform. To take it a step further, am I willing to speak up when following Jesus puts me at odds with the views, the tone, or the decisions of my party or my party’s candidate of choice? Locally or nationally? If my answers to these questions don’t align me further with what Jesus asks of me then I’ve got some submission work to His Lordship to do.
In the current political climate, disagreement is defection. There’s no middle ground. But if we’re unwilling to compromise politically, we will compromise our faith eventually. We won’t compromise what we believe. We’ll compromise our faith in other, more subtle ways.
When I follow Jesus though the Gospels I see that the kingdom He introduced and invited us to participate in is a kingdom characterized by public behavior, not private belief. What He never said is as instructive as what He did. Jesus never said, By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you believe correctly. The world will know whose we are and whose kingdom we represent by how we treat, respond to, serve, forgive, and talk about one another.
Do we actively love, serve, and bear the burdens of people who aren’t like us and who disagree with us? Do we pray for anybody on the other side of the political aisle? Pray for. Not at. Not against. Do we pray on their behalf? Reducing faith to a list of beliefs provides us with plenty of margin not to love, forgive, provide for, celebrate, and pray for people we disagree with. Reducing faith to a list of beliefs frees us to slander people we don’t align with politically. It gives us license to mock, jeer, and celebrate the failure of people whose views differ from ours. If our version of Christianity leaves the door open to those behaviors, we’re nothing like our Father in heaven. And we’re nothing like His Son. We must steadfastly refuse to be an instrument of disunity. We must not work for the enemy of our souls. We cannot reduce membership in God’s kingdom to belief, because the King doesn’t allow it.
Jesus challenges us to “… let our light shine before others, that they may see our good deeds and glorify our Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 (NIV) As long as we’re content to be believers rather than doers, we will be divided. Our politics will divide us. Again, we will be reduced to a constituency rather than the conscience of the nation and the light of the world.
Jesus prayed for supernatural, trinitarian-level oneness. That means Jews. Gentiles. Romans. Samaritans. Women. Slaves. Freed people. Soldiers. Tax collectors. Zealots. The educated and not so educated. The poor, middle class, wealthy, and super wealthy. Brown, Black, Beige, and White. Young and old. Single, married, divorced, remarried. Republicans, Democrats, Independents, and Indecisives. You. Me. Us. Oneness for the win. Oneness is the win.
When oneness is my win, I lose my right to size others up and write them off regardless of who they voted for. We lose our right to write one another off, because neither the Father nor the Son wrote us off. Instead, they redeemed us and invited us to join them. And when we join them, their agenda becomes our agenda. There’s less that divides us. More that unifies us. Because it won’t be about us. We can’t continue to allow it to be about us—we can’t continue to allow politics to divide us—because there is too much at stake. The purpose of our unity is that the world may believe that Jesus has sent us. Unity is not just nice to have. Unity is mission critical.
It's mission critical because unity authenticates our message. It makes us credible and convincing. Disunity makes us like everybody else. Public shaming, theological elitism, heresy hunting, name-calling—those confirm the suspicions of those looking for reasons to size us up and write us off as posers, users, and hypocrites. That behavior undermines our influence, silences our voices, and causes outsiders to wonder why we insist on referring to our message as good news.
The enemy of RCC is not the other political party. Our enemy is division. The way forward is simple (not easy). We must choose unity over party. We must choose one another. Our commitment to and love for one another must publicly supplant our commitment to political brands and talking points. And when our party of choice requires a choice that conflicts with Jesus’s new-covenant, one-another brand of love we choose people over party!
Riverside will win or lose – the communities we serve will win or lose – based on our response to Jesus’s new-covenant command and our refusal to let anything or anyone divide us. There is no room in our family for cruelty, violence, or the threat of violence. We are to be winsome so that we might win some. Jesus didn’t size people up and write them off. We shouldn’t either.
As I have entered my fifth decade of life and have completed nearly three decades of ministry I have become very aware of and concerned that well-meaning Christians have a bad habit of importing warfare language and conflict imagery into a faith whose central figure surrendered His life rather than defending it and who invited us as His followers to follow suit. The language of warfare and conquest continues to permeate our vocabulary, slip into our sermons, and shapes our posture toward disturbing cultural trends. I am prayerfully seeking to lead a church and foster a family of Jesus followers that buries this longstanding tradition. It’s a tradition that undermines our credibility and stands in stark contrast with the message, posture, and approach of our Savior.
Jesus was not at war with anyone. We are His body. It stands to reason that we, as the church, are not at war with anyone. As Jesus followers, we shouldn’t be or pretend to be at war with anyone either. We have no business borrowing, importing, or continuing to use language or metaphors that leave an impression to the contrary. The apostle Paul made this point. The same apostle Paul whose religious liberty and life were literally threatened every day following his decision to follow Jesus. He wrote …
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood …” Ephesians 6:12 (NIV)
Paul was convinced our actual struggle isn’t against other people but against schemes of the devil. Apparently, one of the devil’s favorite schemes is to confuse us as to whom our struggle is truly against. It’s certainly an effective scheme. A kingdom divided against itself ruins itself.
Now I realize that refusing to go to war with an individual or organization that declares war on us is a bit un-American. Actually, it’s unnatural. It’s unnatural to maintain a peaceful posture in the face of hostility. But it can be done. And if we are truly Jesus followers, it must be done. Or we’re not following. We’re just believing. Maintaining a peaceful posture in the face of hostility is a foundational tenet of the kingdom Jesus introduced to the world. It’s not an add-on. It’s a demarcation, something that sets us apart. It’s required. Loving our enemies isn’t something Jesus suggested. It’s something He commanded. Jesus commanded us not to go to war with individuals or organizations that consider us the enemy. We are not to repay evil with evil. Or violence with violence. We may be their enemy but they are not ours because we are not at war.
I’m committed to discontinuing the centuries-old tradition of importing Old Testament military imagery, narratives, and metaphors into our new-covenant preaching, teaching, and application. They don’t belong there. The conquer and conquest narratives depicted in the Old Testament stand in sharp contrast to the tone and posture of Jesus. Those important narratives are the backstory to the main story. Likewise, we have no business reaching forward into the book of Revelation to import the military imagery associated with our returning, conquering, enemy-slaughtering king. Both Old Testament and end-times warfare imagery and language are incompatible with the new-covenant mandate of Jesus. A mandate given directly to us. A mandate to love, make disciples, and lay down our lives in the process if necessary. The Gospels and Epistles are unmistakably clear. We are not in it to win anything. Jesus already won it. Jesus will win it again. In the meantime, we are to love one another and the people around us in such a way that we are winsome whether we win anything or not.
Further, we are not Israel. I’m not Joshua. We’re pro-life, remember? The original Jericho march left babies and children buried under rubble. Instead, we are to love, serve, forgive, and submit to one another. We are to carry one another’s burdens. And, in the apostle Paul’s words, we are to ...
“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Colossians 4:5–6 (NIV)
When our conversation is full of salt and merely seasoned with grace, we’re not doing it right. Help us Holy Spirit!
Conquer and conflict language slows us down, divides us up, and confuses those standing on the outside peering in. Centuries of importing from the old and borrowing from the future to supplement and illustrate our new-covenant faith has resulted in a version of faith infested with shadows from the past. Paul thought so anyway. Referring to old-covenant leftovers, he wrote:
“These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.” Colossians 2:17 (NIV)
Old-covenant imports explain why some pastors feel it’s their responsibility to rail against the evils in society like an Old Testament prophet. Paul told Christians in Corinth that the behavior of unbelievers was none of their business (1 Corinthians 5:12). He assured them that God would judge those outside the faith. I’m glad I’m not the judge!
I am not at war with the culture. Culture-war Christianity is not simply a waste of time, it is diametrically opposed to the teaching of Paul and the example of Jesus. As it relates to the influence of RCC, our nation’s challenges do not stem from the our inability to convince unbelievers to behave like believers. Our challenges stem from our inability to inspire believers to behave like believers.
We must not prioritize “a view over a you” – something Jesus never did and instructed us not to do either. When Christians justify the mistreatment of people it often seems rooted in old-covenant practices, narratives, and values. So let’s change these harmful habits! We have no business retrofitting His current kingdom values, posture, language, and approach to persuasion with the values, posture, and language Jesus came to replace. When we attempt to shore up our Christianity with Old Testament win-lose, conquer-and-vanquish language, we erode what Jesus came to do. By the “old-covenant, kingdoms-of-this-world” standards, Jesus lost. But by “new-covenant, kingdom-of-God standards”, He won!
We do others and ourselves a great disservice when we retrofit the cultural values, behaviors, and narratives of the Old Testament to make them compatible with the new. First-century Jewish Jesus followers felt no compulsion to tidy up and remove the sharp edges from the Old Testament. It wasn’t their problem. In fact, it wasn’t a problem. Thankfully, something new had come! When we import warfare imagery from the Old Testament into our new-covenant way of life, we reach back and ultimately we step back. When we reach back, we lose our distinctive. When we accept the weapons of coercion offered us by the kingdoms of this world, we look just like them because we start behaving, responding, sounding, and posting on social media like them. Leveraging old-covenant conquest and warfare imagery distorts the way of Jesus.
There is no denying that there is language in the New Testament documents that describe upcoming battles. I am well aware of those texts. And if Jesus chooses to wage a literal war against His human enemies at a future date, that’s up to Him. That’s Jesus’s business. It’s not my business. Jesus may come on a literal white horse. That’s up to Him. He may literally smite His enemies with fire and watch them burn. If He wants to appear with a sword in His mouth, that’s His business. If He chooses to leave a banquet of human flesh for the birds, that’s His business. How and when and if He chooses to accomplish all of that is His business. If all that is figurative and represents something else entirely, that’s His business as well. What Jesus commanded us to do is our business. We should mind our own business. We should get back to business. We should look for feet to wash, not a war to fight.
Because of the posture of both Jesus and Paul … I don’t view our clash with culture as a war. I view it in terms of mission. Paul found nothing in the teaching of Jesus or His apostles to justify violent opposition against those who violently opposed the Way. When Paul became a Jesus follower, he could find nothing in the teaching of Jesus or His apostles to justify violent opposition to those who would violently oppose him and the movement he’d become a part of. He found the very opposite. As he would write years later …
“For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” Romans 5:10 (NIV)
King Jesus died for His enemies and thus paved the way for His enemies to be rescued, restored, and reconciled to their King. If his Savior refused to go to war with evil men, Paul knew he lost his right to do so as well. His encounter with Jesus signaled an end to all things violent, destructive, and coercive. He laid aside the sanctioned techniques of terror and persuasion. Weaponizing first-century Judaism was easy. Weaponizing Christianity was impossible. Violence and the threat of violence were incompatible with, at odds with, and counterproductive to the kingdom and covenant Jesus established. So Paul laid all of that down—and never picked it up again. Others would violently oppose him for the rest of his life. But he refused to return the favor. He refused to resort to violence. His religious liberty wasn’t threatened. His tax-exempt status wasn’t threatened. His life was threatened. But like his Savior, he refused to threaten back.
Paul calls the blended covenant model a “perversion” …
“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.” Galatians 1:6–7 (NIV)
He argued that when it comes to old and new, there can be no cherry-picking. If you pick and choose, you lose! The old covenant, like the new covenant, is an all-or-nothing proposition. Jesus announced in His sermon on the mount message (Matthew 5-7), the old and new covenants are not compatible. They’re not blendable. They’re sequential.
Paul saw what his contemporaries missed. He saw what the covenant-blending Judaizers missed. He saw what we miss. God’s covenant with ancient Israel had an expiration date. It was a means to an end. The arrival of the Messiah signaled the end. This was crystal clear to Paul because, as a Pharisee, he had the courage and zeal to go where few of his contemporary, Torah-abiding, first-century Hebrews dared to go. Then he met Jesus. And he let it all go. All of it. And we should as well.
My goal is to follow the example of the apostle Paul and unhitch our tone, terminology, approach to people, and our posture toward culture from the tone, approach, and posture toward others that permeates old-covenant narratives. I seek to be like the leaders of the Jerusalem Council and stand firm with courage to distinguish our new-covenant faith from a covenant we were never included in to begin with so that we are free to fully embrace the kingdom values, ethics, and message that Jesus “set loose in the world.” He’s got all authority in heaven and on earth and has shown us the Father. If we want to know what God is like, if we want the world to know what God is like, if we want our children and grandchildren to know what God is like, let’s not introduce them to a shadow. Let’s introduce them to Jesus. The reality!
If we embrace the blended covenant “gospel” the apostle Paul spent his ministry arguing against, we’ve got some unhitching to do. I’m not referring to salvation by works. I’m talking about a gospel draped in old-covenant values and terminology. If we’re comfortable using Old Testament warfare and conquest narratives to support our “Christian” posture toward culture and the people in it, we’ve got some unhitching to do. If we’re more energized by the failure of our enemy than we are broken over their plight, even when it is self-inflicted, we have some unhitching to do. If taking a political stand is causing division in our church … but since we’re right, we’re convinced it’s all right … we’ve got some unhitching to do. If making our point on social media isn’t making any difference but makes it difficult for outsiders to take our faith seriously because our tone leaves readers wondering if we take the teaching of Jesus seriously, we’ve got some unhitching to do. And perhaps some apologizing.
If we think God has plans “to prosper us and not to harm us” and that He “plans to give us hope and a future,” think again. That’s not our promise to claim. It’s not our covenant. Read it in context. Do we plan to wait seventy years for God to prosper and protect us? What are we going to do in the meantime? Our new-covenant promises are far better. Jesus promised His new-covenant disciple makers, “I am with you always …” Beginning right now.
If we’re convinced that 2 Chronicles 7:14 applies to or can be applied to the United States, we have some unhitching to do. That was a message for King Solomon after he completed the construction of the temple in Jerusalem. God was reiterating His commitment to the existing cause-and-effect covenant He’d established with the nation of Israel in the days of Moses. God doesn’t have a covenant with America. God has a covenant with us! A better covenant. A permanent covenant. A covenant established in His Son’s blood.
When we reach back to claim what isn’t ours to claim, we diminish the value and significance of what is ours to claim. Imagine the afront it is to our Heavenly Father when we opt for a covenant established with the blood of goats and sheep over and against the covenant established through the blood of His Son. Be done with the old and embrace the new. It’s the covenant God created especially for us. And the us beside us. And the us that doesn’t look or live like us. And the us that doesn’t even like us. The us Jesus commanded us to pray for. The same us He died for!
The self-serving, self-preserving, culture-warrior posture that characterizes certain streams of evangelicalism today stands in sharp and disappointing contrast with the new-covenant behavior that characterized the early church. Believing has become a substitute for following. We’ve been so focused on not substituting works for faith that many of us have quit working. Or in Paul’s words, we quit working out our faith. But authentic faith does stuff.
What does it look like and sound like to work out our faith? James instructs us to be doers, not just hearers. But do what? It’s an important question. As it turns out, we don’t get to choose the answer. The answer has been prescribed and modeled for us in the New Testament. Directions are included on the label: we should take only as directed. We should apply only as directed. But something else is included on that New Testament label as well: the outcome. If the outcome of our application isn’t as predicted, chances are we’re not taking as directed.
Following Paul’s instructions to Christians in Philippi (2:12) to “work out” or live out their salvation, he announced the results. When Jesus’s new-covenant teaching is applied as directed, here’s what can be expected. We will …
“… become blameless and pure, ‘children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.’ Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.” Philippians 2:14–16 (NIV)
Being right, even believing right, doesn’t make us shine. Applying right is what makes us shine. A concern of mine is that we aren’t shining because we aren’t applying our faith as directed. Consequently, while we believe differently than outsiders, we don’t behave much different. Most notable and noticeable is we don’t react much differently when things don’t go our way.
Our actions and reactions undermine the credibility of our faith claims. Outsiders aren’t about to take our faith seriously as long as they wonder if we do. If Paul is correct, if we aren’t shining, we aren’t doing it right. We aren’t applying our faith right. We aren’t applying it as directed. Instead, we’ve painted crosses on the means and methods employed by the kingdoms of this world, and the contrast isn’t apparent.
What did Paul mean by working out our faith? What was James referring to when he instructed first-century followers (1:22) to do and not just listen? Do what? What were the good deeds Jesus was referring to when he said …
“Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 (NIV)
What was Peter referring to when he instructed Jesus followers to …
“Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” 1 Peter 2:12 (NIV)
What does a good life look and sound like? According to Peter, a good life, whatever that is, has the power to “silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.”
What does it look and sound like to apply our faith as directed by our Savior? The short answer: It looks and sounds a lot like losing. Jesus’s disciples certainly thought so. While on their way to Jerusalem, where Jesus would become the biggest loser, the disciples were arguing about which of them would hold the second and third spots in His soon-to-be established kingdom. Remember what Jesus said in response …
“You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them.” Mark 10:42 (NIV)
Of course they knew that. Everybody knew that. It’s why they were jockeying for position. When Jesus won, they wanted to be close to the winner! The next four words out of Jesus’s mouth are startling, disarming, and unsettling. His next words flip the power script. Jesus redefines winning. And losing. His next words are directed at us. We know how the power game is played. We’re aware of the benefits and perks that come with position and title. Our assumption is, if it comes to us, it must be for us. But not in the upside-down kingdom of King Jesus. So Jesus stared them all down and declared …
“Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:43–45 (NIV)
The implication here is that when it comes to opportunity, privilege, title, and position, forget everything we’ve learned and ignore what we’ve seen modeled. He was introducing a new model … Servant? Slave? Of all? That’s moving in the wrong direction. That’s going down, not up. That’s more lose than win. That’s not great. That’s humiliating and it’s why we resist. We want to be prophets calling out evil and calling down curses. We want to be warriors of Christ, bathed in the blood of our enemies (figuratively speaking). We want the nations to tremble. We want to be ancient Israel (minus the inconvenient dietary restrictions) retaking the promised land! What we don’t want to be is followers of Jesus. That requires going to the back of the line.
When Jesus finished, they continued on their way to Jerusalem, where the apostles realized He was not kidding. He was planning to lose. They witnessed firsthand what our Made in America faith makes it difficult for us to see. Jesus did not come to be served but to serve and to literally, painfully, selflessly give His life away. He worked His way to the back of the line. He was crucified by the winners between two other losers. No wonder we’re content to believe rather than follow. “Believers” can have it both ways. “Believers” get to go to new-covenant heaven when they die while determining for themselves what the Christian faith looks, acts, and sounds like in the meantime. And what does Made in America Christianity look, act, and sound like?
Winning. But Jesus had something to say about that as well …
“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?” Luke 9:23–25 (NIV)
In the end, winners lose. In the end, the savers are the losers. And the losers are the savers. Notice that it’s NOT … “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and believe in me.” Nope. It’s FOLLOW! Follow Jesus where? To the back of the line. For us Jesus followers, there is no place for rage, brawling, slander, or any form of malice at any time, for any reason. There’s no such thing as righteous slander. Or holy brawling. Those are the means and methods of the kingdoms of this world. Jesus didn’t use them. Paul abandoned them. We should follow their example.
Those with an unhealthy craving for controversy can always convince themselves that they are warriors for Christ—instead of captives to their passions. As Jesus followers, we are instructed not to be captive to our passions. Our lives should reflect the passions of our Savior. He was indeed passionate. But He was not fearful. Admittedly, it’s difficult not to be captive to our passions when it appears everything we value is under assault and that if we don’t fight to protect it, we’ll lose it. The good news is—and the advantage we have over our first-century brothers and sisters is—we can express our political, civil, and in some instances religious and moral passions legally and privately. We choose our own local, state, and national representatives. We aren’t subject to the empire. We have an opportunity and obligation to participate in we the people.
If we truly care about America and our fellow Americans, we should consistently do two things. We should apply our faith as directed by our Savior, and we should vote our law-of-Christ-informed conscience every chance we get. Regarding how we apply our faith, Paul wrote …
“Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Ephesians 5:1–2 (NIV)
Jesus’s new-covenant command—or as Paul refers to it, the law of Christ—serves as a north star for Christian behavior. Both Jesus’s and Paul’s instructions and imperatives are simply applications of that single, overarching command. We can debate what it looks like to love other people the way Christ loves us. But we don’t get to decide whether to love others the way God through Christ loved us. That’s decided for us. It’s been modeled for us. It’s been prescribed to us. The law of Christ should inform our consciences and stand guard over our hearts and mouths. The law of Christ should govern our responses, actions, reactions, and priorities. The law of Christ is how followers from every nation and in every generation discover what following looks and sounds like in their cultural context. The law of Christ should compel us to pause and ask questions like …
- What would it look like to love this person … these people … the way Christ loved me?
- What would a Christlike response look like? Sound like?
- How could I put this person first?
- What would it look like in this situation to go to the back of the line?
Once upon a time, the “love one another” behavior of the church stood in sharp contrast to the “bite and devour” one another behavior of the pagan world. What was true then should be true today. The “others first” way of Jesus appeals to something deep in the soul of every man, woman, and child. We all want to be included, honored, valued, recognized, and loved. Imagine a world where people were skeptical of what we believed but envious of how well we treated one another. Imagine a world where unbelievers were anxious to hire, vote for, work for, work with, and live next door to Christians because of how well we treated one another and how well we treated them. We can choose to follow Jesus. We do not get to choose what following Jesus looks and sounds like. It’s been prescribed. It’s on the label. It looks and sounds like Jesus.
The American church is in a state of emergency. But currently, we are too distracted to notice. We have continued to allow ourselves to be divided by secondary concerns while what should be our biggest concern continues to go unaddressed—namely, division. Division is the threat. Division is the enemy. Because of its size, a united church in the United States with all its beautiful cultural diversity would have the influence necessary to move the nation back toward the middle, the place where problems are actually solved. The middle, where defenses come down, experiences are shared, and people are inclined to listen to one another. Pause to consider the non-Great-Commission-critical issues we’ve allowed to divide us—everything from climate change to critical race theory to COVID, masks, and vaccines. Why would we, the light of the world, the salt of the earth, the hands and feet of Jesus, allow ourselves to be baited into debates and divided over questions about which we all have opinions informed by partial and skewed information?
We must not undermine the unity of the body of Christ. If we do, even if we’re right, we’re part of the problem. We are ignoring the real emergency. Five years from now, our “everybody needs to know” opinions will be all but irrelevant and forgotten. But the damage to the body will be done. And if we’re not fully submitted to the Holy Spirit, we will have contributed.
It may not be our intention to create division. But direction, not intention, determines destination. The nation is moving in a dangerous direction. But instead of leading, the church is following. We’re following because we’re divided. We’re divided because we’ve allowed ourselves to be divided. Unity will become the priority only if we are willing to acknowledge that a lack of unity signals an emergency. When that happens, the church in the United States will set aside our partisan differences along with a host of other mostly irrelevant points of disagreement and serve as the conscience of our nation.
Consider these words from the writer of Hebrews that adds value to the framework I’m advocating …
“… let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Hebrews 12:1–3 (NIV)
For such a time as this, could we not throw off anything and everything that entangles and divides us? Could we not rid ourselves of everything that trips us up? The race marked out for us two-thousand-plus years before a handful of brave patriots decided that life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness marked out our race. We are to fix our eyes on JESUS. What we stare at determines what we gravitate toward. Our division is proof that we’re not all staring—and thus not moving—in the same direction. Far too often our eyes are fixed on winning. Winning fueled by fear of losing our freedom. Losing our rights. Losing our country. And if we continue moving in our current divided direction, our misplaced fear will fuel what we fear most. We could lose all of these things we hold in such high esteem. We have lost our fear of division, and consequently, we have lost our voice and our influence. Thus, we’ve lost our best opportunity to preserve and protect the liberty many are so afraid of losing. Our division fuels the thing we fear most. So let’s orient our lives around Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith!
Unity of purpose is essential to the body of Christ. If we are members, unity must become important to us as well, or we will contribute to rather than respond to the current emergency. If we follow Jesus through the Gospels we’ll bump into something surprising and disturbing. While Jesus often stopped to meet the immediate needs of individuals, He posited no permanent solutions for any of society’s big problems. Not one. On purpose. Because He came for a different purpose.
Jesus refused to be dragged into or tricked into taking sides on civic, social, and what we would consider political matters. He made no effort to fix the system. And there was so much that needed to be fixed. It was a broken justice system unduly influenced by lobbyists representing the interests of the temple that led to His execution. Yet even as a victim of a broken justice system, Jesus refused to comment on the injustice of the system. Instead, He looked Governor Pilate in the eye and assured him that he wasn’t the one running the show. Stranger still, from a cross He did not deserve to be nailed to, Jesus forgave the folks who nailed Him there. Jesus refused to address the system because He came to address something else—the hearts behind the systems. The hearts that created, defended, and profited off the system.
The Gospels document interactions between Jesus and two tax collectors: Matthew and Zacchaeus. The system used to determine what taxes were owed, when they were owed, and how they were paid was extraordinarily corrupt. This was due in part to the fact that the system, like most ancient systems, was virtually impossible to monitor. But Jesus neither condemned the system, nor did He offer suggestions on how to improve it. Instead, He addressed two participants. He invited Matthew to follow Him and invited Himself to Zacchaeus’s house for lunch. While Jesus made no effort to change how taxes were collected, these two encounters changed two tax collectors. And that was His purpose. As far as we know, neither Matthew nor Zacchaeus attempted to change the system. Zacchaeus changed his approach. Matthew changed careers.
In another missed opportunity, Jesus was asked to heal a Roman centurion’s slave. He accepted the invitation but failed to condemn or even comment on slavery. During His final visit to Jerusalem, the Pharisees provided Jesus with the perfect opportunity to call out both the injustice of the imperial tax code as well as the horror inflicted on Judeans by their Roman occupiers. Again, He refused to take the bait. He refused to choose sides. Why? Obviously, He was a coward. He was afraid of losing followers. He didn’t want to offend anybody. So He refused to take a stand.
When a woman caught in adultery was taken against her will to the temple and placed at Jesus’s feet for judgment, how did He respond? Instead of addressing the system that justified this miscarriage of justice, Jesus addressed the hypocrisy festering in the hearts of the woman’s accusers. He addressed the source of the problem. When the woman’s accusers eventually left, Jesus addressed her heart issue as well. He didn’t excuse her behavior. He didn’t attempt to assuage her guilt. He didn’t take sides. He was as direct with her as He was with her accusers: “Leave your life of sin.” (John 8:11)
Everything that disturbs us about America originated in the hearts of Americans. Everything. We can say this with certainty because Jesus said it with such clarity …
“The things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart ...” Matthew 15:18 (NIV)
Are we disturbed by people talking at rather than to one another? Are we bothered by the condescending tone and dehumanizing terminology that characterizes so much of our national conversation? That’s not a political problem. That doesn’t change or improve if our candidate wins. If our candidate wins, it might get worse. Jesus labeled this behavior a heart problem.
“For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.” Matthew 15:19–20 (NIV)
Everything that disturbs us about our nation, along with everything that disturbs us about us, can be directly or indirectly linked to that short list. And these things aren’t just what defile a person … they are also what defile a nation.
Everything that disturbs us about the United States emanates from the sinful, selfish, self-centered, appetite-fueled, fear-driven condition of the human heart. Our government can protect us from it. But our government is powerless to do anything about it. No system of government, no political platform, no bill, law, or mandate can change a human heart. Why allow ourselves to be entangled by and divided by secondary concerns when we are stewards of the message that has the potential to make the most difference? Jesus knew better. We can do better. We must do better!
Imagine what would happen if the Big-C church refused to take sides politically, abandon our culture war mentality, and fearlessly, directly, and politically incorrectly addressed matters of the heart. What if we realigned our teaching, preaching, and discipleship around Jesus and His new-covenant command? Nothing highlights the garbage collecting in the recesses of our hearts faster than holding our actions and reactions up against Jesus’s command to love as He loved. Nothing clarifies where we are, where we aren’t, and where we should be with more precision than asking, What does Jesus’s love for me require of me?
While Jesus refused to fix or even address the systemic inequalities rampant in first-century Judea, Samaria, and Galilee, He never missed an opportunity to address an immediate need—regardless of whose it was or what created the need to begin with. As John observed, Jesus was the personification of grace and truth. He did not attempt to balance grace and truth. That’s what we do. Jesus was all grace and all truth all the time. He never dumbed down the truth. He never turned down the grace. It was confusing at times. It caused Him to look inconsistent at times. But He knew what we must rediscover: that grace and truth is the way forward. John, who grew up on the teaching of Moses, underscored the unique approach introduced by His resurrected Rabbi …
“For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” John 1:17 (NIV)
Jesus didn’t directly address the system, but He never missed an opportunity to address the physical and emotional needs of those hurt by the system and left floundering in its wake. Over and over, Jesus stopped what He was doing and came to the aid of the suffering, whether Judean, Galilean, Samaritan, or Roman. Slaves and slave owners. The righteous and the unrighteous.
As grace and truth, Jesus addressed matters of the heart while addressing the needs of those whose lives had been shattered by their own corrupted hearts as well as the heartlessness of others. In doing so, He revealed what God is like.
“Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” John 14:9 (NIV)
Implication: Anyone who has seen Me work has seen the Father at work. Want to know what is most important to your heavenly Father? Watch Me. Listen to Me. Then follow Me.
Want to see systemic change? Want to see America become great as Jesus defined great? Then somebody must stand apart from the legislative, executive, judicial, and political to address the hearts of those elected and selected to fill these essential and critical roles. We are that somebody. Somebody must model compassion, generosity, and empathy for those negatively impacted by the consequences of their own decisions as well as those suffering from the unintended consequences of imperfect systems. We are that somebody as well.
“I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” John 13:15 (NIV)
This was Jesus’s way of punctuating and illustrating the degree to which He expected them—and us—to embrace and live out His new-covenant command. To love others the way Jesus loved them would require them to get their hands dirty. With other people’s dirt. They knew from experience what we miss in this emotional encounter with their Lord. Washing one another’s feet ensured that their differences would not divide them. Because we can’t wash feet from a distance … or from an elevated position … or even eye to eye.
“Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” John 13:16–17 (NIV)
If we are willing to orient our lives around Jesus’s new-covenant command, it will serve as the bridge between our differences. It will bridge our political differences as well as our dissimilar life experiences. It will serve as a bridge between our disagreements regarding how problems should be solved and how issues should be addressed. Political and ideological alignment is not a prerequisite for carrying one another’s burdens. We can love one another the way Jesus loved regardless of who we voted for. We can wash one another’s feet without knowing where those feet have been or where they are headed next. We can—we must—wash one another’s feet knowing that they will, in fact, get dirty again. Washing feet doesn’t solve problems. But it keeps us close. If we choose to take our cues from Jesus, we will begin there. We will give, serve, and love first.
Jesus said we are the light of the world, not the US Congress. We are a city on a hill, not the United States of America. We are the salt of the earth. We are the body of Christ. The hands and feet of Jesus. Jesus, who did not come to be served but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many. Jesus, who refused to be appropriated by a party so He could address the hearts of people in both parties. Jesus, who stopped to listen, paused to heal, and gave His life for the very men who took it. Jesus who lost. Jesus who won.
So let’s be quick to listen, slow to speak. Let’s not keep our distance. Let’s take our law-of-Christ informed consciences with us to the ballot box. Let’s lead the way in acknowledging that there are no perfect solutions that involve people because people are involved in both the problems and the solutions. Let’s love our enemies. Let’s go out of our way to serve those who have arrived at different conclusions and embrace different solutions. Let’s be kind yet willing to call out unkindness in our party of choice, especially when it hurts or dehumanizes others. Let’s be honest and willing to call out dishonesty when it undermines someone’s dignity. Let’s not settle for being law-abiding citizens or patriotic Americans. We’re called to something higher than that. More demanding than that. We’re Jesus followers. So let’s take up our crosses and follow. Let’s do everything without grumbling or arguing so that we may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Let’s “shine among them like stars in the sky.” And let’s do it in such a way that they see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven!
Let’s live, love, and lead in such a way that we, the family and movement of Jesus, regain the moral high ground and can serve as the conscience of our nation. Let’s do what’s just, not what we can justify. Let’s do what’s responsible, not what’s permissible. Let’s do what’s moral, not what’s modeled. Let’s stop trying to win. Let’s forsake our fear of losing. Let’s fix our eyes and our lives on Jesus.
Not In It To Win It
I highly recommend Andy Stanley’s book, Not In It To Win It, for more on these matters. At a time when I was most desperate to have someone coach me through the framework I use … I found his voice to be refreshing and Christ-glorifying, along with other trusted mentors. They have served as faithful examples of the grid I now use.
A Non-Anxious Presence
After this webpage was created I came across this book by Mark Sayers ... A Non-Anxious Presence: How a Changing and Complex World will Create a Remnant of Renewed Christian Leaders. Here is the description ...
For much of recent history individuals and institutions could plan, execute, and flourish with their visions of a better world. Volatile, complex forces could be addressed and confronted with planning and management. But crisis is a great revealer. It knocks us off our thrones. It uncovers the weaknesses in our strategies and brings to light our myths and idols. Our past strategies run aground, smashed by unpredictable and chaotic waves. Yet in the midst of the chaos of a crisis comes opportunity. The history of the church tells us that crisis always precedes renewal, and the framework of renewal offers us new ways forward. A Non-Anxious Presence shows how that renewal happens and offers churches and leaders strategic ways to awaken the Church and see our culture changed for Christ.
For much of recent history individuals and institutions could plan, execute, and flourish with their visions of a better world. Volatile, complex forces could be addressed and confronted with planning and management. But crisis is a great revealer. It knocks us off our thrones. It uncovers the weaknesses in our strategies and brings to light our myths and idols. Our past strategies run aground, smashed by unpredictable and chaotic waves. Yet in the midst of the chaos of a crisis comes opportunity. The history of the church tells us that crisis always precedes renewal, and the framework of renewal offers us new ways forward. A Non-Anxious Presence shows how that renewal happens and offers churches and leaders strategic ways to awaken the Church and see our culture changed for Christ.
How Pastors Should Approach Divisive Issues - Part 1
It was also no coincidence that at the same time I was asking the Holy Spirit for resources to help me process my own thoughts I was introduced to an episode of Equip and Engage (from The Subsplash Podcast) entitled “How Pastors Should Approach Divisive Issues - Part 1”, which is an interview with Dr. Russell Moore. Pastors today face mounting pressure to address today’s socially and politically charged issues. In response, some may choose not to address any of these issues, while others attempt to confront each and every issue as quickly as they arise. Check out this episode to learn more about navigating today’s hot button issues from a biblical and pastoral perspective.
Episode At A Glance
[0:00] Introduction to Dr. Russell Moore, his background with the Southern Baptist Convention, and his new role as Public Theologian at Christianity Today. What is a “public theologian” and why is it needed today?
[2:58] Pastors are facing major challenges addressing hot button issues—vaccine mandates, Critical Race Theory, and “heartbeat laws,” just to name a few. Some have even been publicly confronted over how they approach these issues. What framework can pastors use when navigating these conversations?
“Sometimes a pastor or leader asks me, ‘How do I address this?’ or ‘How do I fix this?’ I say, ‘You can’t.’” — Dr. Russell Moore
[7:43] How can pastors be a non-anxious presence in the midst of a culture-wide nervous breakdown?
Dr. Moore explains that, on top of their traditional duties, pastors are now under additional pressure to take on complex new responsibilities—infectious disease laws, public health policies, political science and state election laws, OSHA regulations, and so on. But pastors need to realize that they can’t address all of these issues at the same time.
“Work at the principle level instead of the issue level,” he suggests. Get past the inflammatory issues of the moment, and instead use auxiliary issues that address the heart of the topics at hand.
Pastors should also realize that these challenges aren’t new. Jesus faced similar polemical cultural and political issues. He had the wisdom to decide when to answer a question, when to reframe the question, and when to remain silent.
[15:54] What are some first steps when considering to say something or remain silent on these issues?
Dr. Moore notes that pastors already know how to address complex issues. To put this in perspective, pastors need to consider the different situations they already face daily, such as marital counseling or relationship management. Pastors should address these social issues in the same fashion using the same type of wisdom they’ve acquired over time.
[21:28] Dr. Moore shares that pastors from all corners of the country are facing the same pressure when it comes to addressing sensitive issues today. In other words, pastors need to realize they are not alone in their struggle.
[22:35] What are some practical steps pastors can take today, and what resources can pastors read or listen to in order to grow in their understanding?
Episode At A Glance
[0:00] Introduction to Dr. Russell Moore, his background with the Southern Baptist Convention, and his new role as Public Theologian at Christianity Today. What is a “public theologian” and why is it needed today?
[2:58] Pastors are facing major challenges addressing hot button issues—vaccine mandates, Critical Race Theory, and “heartbeat laws,” just to name a few. Some have even been publicly confronted over how they approach these issues. What framework can pastors use when navigating these conversations?
- Look at the urgency of the issue. What’s really going on here?
- Separate yourself from the task of addressing the issues. How do I mitigate the effects for my congregation right now?
- Avoid getting on “the hamster wheel.” How do I prepare to address whatever issues may come up without spiraling out of control?
“Sometimes a pastor or leader asks me, ‘How do I address this?’ or ‘How do I fix this?’ I say, ‘You can’t.’” — Dr. Russell Moore
[7:43] How can pastors be a non-anxious presence in the midst of a culture-wide nervous breakdown?
Dr. Moore explains that, on top of their traditional duties, pastors are now under additional pressure to take on complex new responsibilities—infectious disease laws, public health policies, political science and state election laws, OSHA regulations, and so on. But pastors need to realize that they can’t address all of these issues at the same time.
“Work at the principle level instead of the issue level,” he suggests. Get past the inflammatory issues of the moment, and instead use auxiliary issues that address the heart of the topics at hand.
Pastors should also realize that these challenges aren’t new. Jesus faced similar polemical cultural and political issues. He had the wisdom to decide when to answer a question, when to reframe the question, and when to remain silent.
[15:54] What are some first steps when considering to say something or remain silent on these issues?
Dr. Moore notes that pastors already know how to address complex issues. To put this in perspective, pastors need to consider the different situations they already face daily, such as marital counseling or relationship management. Pastors should address these social issues in the same fashion using the same type of wisdom they’ve acquired over time.
[21:28] Dr. Moore shares that pastors from all corners of the country are facing the same pressure when it comes to addressing sensitive issues today. In other words, pastors need to realize they are not alone in their struggle.
[22:35] What are some practical steps pastors can take today, and what resources can pastors read or listen to in order to grow in their understanding?
- Know when to say, “I don’t know.” It’s refreshing to hear someone humbly acknowledge that they don’t have all the answers and reach out to others for help understanding issues.
- Know your Bible. The Scriptures help us better understand human nature and recognize the big picture of what is really happening.
- Spend time with good fiction. Novels enable us to experience people in a variety of different circumstances while our guard is down.
- Pay attention to a wide variety of legitimate media sources. Having an array of sources will develop a better understanding of different points of view.
- Look at the conversations your community is having on social media. What are they posting about? What ways are they demonstrating (or not demonstrating) the fruits of the Holy Spirit?
How Pastors Should Approach Divisive Issues - Part 2
Here is the second episode of Equip and Engage (from The Subsplash Podcast) entitled “How Pastors Should Approach Divisive Issues - Part 2”. In the final part of the interview, Dr. Russell Moore helps pastors and church leaders prepare for the challenges of political violence and secularized Christianity in the years to come.
Americanity
The following are highlights from Albert Tate's book, How We Love Matters. I found them helpful as I continue to develop my grid.
Americanity is the Bible that has taken American history and the Constitution and tried to weave them together into one entity. It’s the cross in front of your church paralleled by the American flag—way too close for comfort. It’s the not-so-subtle suggestion that America and Christianity are on the same level and go together hand in hand. It is the dangerous act of integrating the cross and the flag and making them one. In short, it’s the worship song that is not a worship song, and it’s all about a warped nationalism that puts America on the same level as the kingdom of God.
The most dangerous things about Americanity are its idols: the donkey and the elephant. We get so caught up in these representations of our political parties that we forget we don’t worship at the altars of donkeys or elephants—we’re called to worship only at the altar of the Lamb.
The reality of the Republican and Democratic parties is that they both have agendas, and these agendas shape the fight for a greater America. But the problem with these parties and their agendas is that Jesus Christ, the body of Christ, and Christianity as a whole do not fit under the elephant or the donkey. The word of God will not and cannot be found holistically under either of these agendas. So if God cannot be fully found under these agendas, how is it that so many are comfortably nestled and tucked in under the labels of “Democrat” and “Republican”?
This is the problem with Americanity: We create our own version of the Bible so that it fits the profile of our political party, and we end up missing the profile of the lamb, which is the kingdom of God. We have to understand and then resist the temptation to fit our theology, way of life, understanding of God, and doctrine under a donkey or an elephant. Why? Because we don’t fit! We won’t fit! So, if you find yourself comfortably fitting you and your faith in your political party, therein lies a huge problem.
What we need to understand is that the biggest problem with elephants and donkeys is that too many of us are so devoted and committed to something that will never offer up their life for you. They will not usher in the freedom for all that the gospel inevitably does and will do. You cannot give your life to something that won’t die for you, and the elephant won’t, and neither will the donkey. But the lamb? The lamb will die for you, has died for you, and actively does the opposite of what both the elephant and the donkey do, which is divide and degrade. They are not seeking to restore anyone or anything outside of their agenda. They are protecting their lives at all costs, and they are always going to preserve their agenda, their perspective, and their ideology at all costs, even if it requires them to be dishonest about what’s actually happening, even if it means they create their own personal truth through their narrow lens and perspective. The elephant and the donkey are all about self-preservation, and each will hold views that can be antithetical to the gospel. So, while we participate in political parties, our allegiance cannot be to our political party; it has to be exclusively and wholly to the lamb of God.
I often feel that the left is trying to create a world outside of the ruling reign of God and the right is trying to create a world where they are the ruling reign of God—but it doesn’t work like that! We are not of this world. This is a strange land bearing strange fruit, and we have to learn how to live in this tension as Christians. How we respond to it all is everything—it’s a big, important deal to God. With this in mind, we have to remember that sometimes our Christian worldview will shape the world and be in power, and other times it will be ostracized and persecuted. But how we respond to both scenarios is what matters to God. How do we respond when our biblical views and perspectives land in legislation, and how do we respond when they land in persecution?
I think that in America, we have been so consumed with having a Christian nation that we’ve forgotten about having a true Christian nature. And honestly? That can be such a dangerous thing. When the goal is only a Christian nation, the goal becomes the nation, not God. See, this is in direct opposition to the gospel because the goal of God’s word is not to create an exclusively Christian nation, but that the reader might be so impacted by God’s word that a new Christian nature will be born from within.
Jesus didn’t come to change a nation. He came to change our nature. Through that, He intends us to become a nation of nature-changed people pursuing not the well-being of this world, but the “well done” of God’s kingdom. We are meant to be living lives of grace and justice with courage as we move past the power that has defined American politics.
Looking over the political landscape of America and white evangelicalism, I can’t help but notice that they are losing credibility as they insist that Christianity is moving from a place of power to one of persecution. It just goes against what we know of Christ, and I think it speaks to how much we’ve misunderstood about how Jesus chose to show up in the world. See, He could have chosen to show up with a political agenda—with dominance and control. He showed up with power and authority, yes, but that power and authority were instead shaped by love and sacrifice. Jesus could have easily come in and overthrown the Roman government. He could have become the king of Rome and set up Israel to be this superpower in the world, but He didn’t do that. Jesus walked in power and for sure had authority, but the way He used it is so foreign to us and this country. He used His power for love and sacrifice so that He might influence the world to do the same. He had rights, but He didn’t come in with His right to overthrow. Rather, He laid down His rights and sacrificed so that we, His children, might know His love and live lives marked with His glory and grace.
I think we are grabbing the wrong thing in the political landscape and in this cultural war of rights. We’ve got the answer right—it’s Jesus and it always has been, but American Christianity is trying to force Him through a filter of dominance and control, and that’s just not who He is! That’s not Christ. He didn’t come to be a conqueror. Harlan was right in saying that people of color, especially Black people, see Christ as a loving, sacrificial liberator who has come to set the captives free—not to conquer them with His freedom.
Americanity will never lead you to the cross and sacrifice. It will only ever lead you to your rights and your self-righteousness and your ability to demand your way through control and dominance.
Political parties have proven an unwillingness to die for anyone, so they are unworthy of our undying allegiance. Don’t get it twisted: I’m not telling you to stay out of politics. Have a party and have a preference, but just don’t place Jesus at the center of your political party. He has chosen His symbol and it is a lamb, not a donkey or an elephant. He cannot fit holistically under either agenda, and we cannot force Him to.
Jesus is both conqueror and liberator; He is both lion and lamb, courageous and strong, meek and humble. And He calls us to live in this tension by abiding in Him. That’s why the Holy Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit are so important—we cannot succeed and be transformed if we are not abiding in Him.
We must take on new natures to form a new nation that is united under the cross-shaped sacrifice of Jesus Christ and brought to bear on the Star-Spangled Banner. We must be led by a savior who came not to uphold His rights, but to lay them down so that we all may be free from the oppression and abuse that sin brings.
Tate, Albert. How We Love Matters (pp. 161-163, 165, 168-169, 172-174). FaithWords. Kindle Edition.
Americanity is the Bible that has taken American history and the Constitution and tried to weave them together into one entity. It’s the cross in front of your church paralleled by the American flag—way too close for comfort. It’s the not-so-subtle suggestion that America and Christianity are on the same level and go together hand in hand. It is the dangerous act of integrating the cross and the flag and making them one. In short, it’s the worship song that is not a worship song, and it’s all about a warped nationalism that puts America on the same level as the kingdom of God.
The most dangerous things about Americanity are its idols: the donkey and the elephant. We get so caught up in these representations of our political parties that we forget we don’t worship at the altars of donkeys or elephants—we’re called to worship only at the altar of the Lamb.
The reality of the Republican and Democratic parties is that they both have agendas, and these agendas shape the fight for a greater America. But the problem with these parties and their agendas is that Jesus Christ, the body of Christ, and Christianity as a whole do not fit under the elephant or the donkey. The word of God will not and cannot be found holistically under either of these agendas. So if God cannot be fully found under these agendas, how is it that so many are comfortably nestled and tucked in under the labels of “Democrat” and “Republican”?
This is the problem with Americanity: We create our own version of the Bible so that it fits the profile of our political party, and we end up missing the profile of the lamb, which is the kingdom of God. We have to understand and then resist the temptation to fit our theology, way of life, understanding of God, and doctrine under a donkey or an elephant. Why? Because we don’t fit! We won’t fit! So, if you find yourself comfortably fitting you and your faith in your political party, therein lies a huge problem.
What we need to understand is that the biggest problem with elephants and donkeys is that too many of us are so devoted and committed to something that will never offer up their life for you. They will not usher in the freedom for all that the gospel inevitably does and will do. You cannot give your life to something that won’t die for you, and the elephant won’t, and neither will the donkey. But the lamb? The lamb will die for you, has died for you, and actively does the opposite of what both the elephant and the donkey do, which is divide and degrade. They are not seeking to restore anyone or anything outside of their agenda. They are protecting their lives at all costs, and they are always going to preserve their agenda, their perspective, and their ideology at all costs, even if it requires them to be dishonest about what’s actually happening, even if it means they create their own personal truth through their narrow lens and perspective. The elephant and the donkey are all about self-preservation, and each will hold views that can be antithetical to the gospel. So, while we participate in political parties, our allegiance cannot be to our political party; it has to be exclusively and wholly to the lamb of God.
I often feel that the left is trying to create a world outside of the ruling reign of God and the right is trying to create a world where they are the ruling reign of God—but it doesn’t work like that! We are not of this world. This is a strange land bearing strange fruit, and we have to learn how to live in this tension as Christians. How we respond to it all is everything—it’s a big, important deal to God. With this in mind, we have to remember that sometimes our Christian worldview will shape the world and be in power, and other times it will be ostracized and persecuted. But how we respond to both scenarios is what matters to God. How do we respond when our biblical views and perspectives land in legislation, and how do we respond when they land in persecution?
I think that in America, we have been so consumed with having a Christian nation that we’ve forgotten about having a true Christian nature. And honestly? That can be such a dangerous thing. When the goal is only a Christian nation, the goal becomes the nation, not God. See, this is in direct opposition to the gospel because the goal of God’s word is not to create an exclusively Christian nation, but that the reader might be so impacted by God’s word that a new Christian nature will be born from within.
Jesus didn’t come to change a nation. He came to change our nature. Through that, He intends us to become a nation of nature-changed people pursuing not the well-being of this world, but the “well done” of God’s kingdom. We are meant to be living lives of grace and justice with courage as we move past the power that has defined American politics.
Looking over the political landscape of America and white evangelicalism, I can’t help but notice that they are losing credibility as they insist that Christianity is moving from a place of power to one of persecution. It just goes against what we know of Christ, and I think it speaks to how much we’ve misunderstood about how Jesus chose to show up in the world. See, He could have chosen to show up with a political agenda—with dominance and control. He showed up with power and authority, yes, but that power and authority were instead shaped by love and sacrifice. Jesus could have easily come in and overthrown the Roman government. He could have become the king of Rome and set up Israel to be this superpower in the world, but He didn’t do that. Jesus walked in power and for sure had authority, but the way He used it is so foreign to us and this country. He used His power for love and sacrifice so that He might influence the world to do the same. He had rights, but He didn’t come in with His right to overthrow. Rather, He laid down His rights and sacrificed so that we, His children, might know His love and live lives marked with His glory and grace.
I think we are grabbing the wrong thing in the political landscape and in this cultural war of rights. We’ve got the answer right—it’s Jesus and it always has been, but American Christianity is trying to force Him through a filter of dominance and control, and that’s just not who He is! That’s not Christ. He didn’t come to be a conqueror. Harlan was right in saying that people of color, especially Black people, see Christ as a loving, sacrificial liberator who has come to set the captives free—not to conquer them with His freedom.
Americanity will never lead you to the cross and sacrifice. It will only ever lead you to your rights and your self-righteousness and your ability to demand your way through control and dominance.
Political parties have proven an unwillingness to die for anyone, so they are unworthy of our undying allegiance. Don’t get it twisted: I’m not telling you to stay out of politics. Have a party and have a preference, but just don’t place Jesus at the center of your political party. He has chosen His symbol and it is a lamb, not a donkey or an elephant. He cannot fit holistically under either agenda, and we cannot force Him to.
Jesus is both conqueror and liberator; He is both lion and lamb, courageous and strong, meek and humble. And He calls us to live in this tension by abiding in Him. That’s why the Holy Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit are so important—we cannot succeed and be transformed if we are not abiding in Him.
We must take on new natures to form a new nation that is united under the cross-shaped sacrifice of Jesus Christ and brought to bear on the Star-Spangled Banner. We must be led by a savior who came not to uphold His rights, but to lay them down so that we all may be free from the oppression and abuse that sin brings.
Tate, Albert. How We Love Matters (pp. 161-163, 165, 168-169, 172-174). FaithWords. Kindle Edition.