The value of perspective: The American Church is a minority

Don't underestimate the value of a proper perspective.  Our ability to see the Truth and facts clearly, which exist independent of our comprehension or acceptance of them, often is heavily influenced by the combination of our own point of view, and our awareness/acceptance that other views exist.  With that in mind, the chart above offers us 18 categories where statistics regarding the global Christian population can be applied.  Before offering some general thoughts, let me look at whether or not I am in the majority or minority for each.

1. Language: Minority.  I speak English, only 10/100 Christians speak English
2. Continent: Minority. I live in NA, only 11/100 Christians live in NA.
3. Tradition: Minority.  I'm a Protestant, only 22/100 Christian are Protestants
4. Gender Inequality: Majority.  55/100 Christians live in nations with low inequality.
5. Age: Majority.  64/100 Christians are between 15-64
6. Urbanization: Minority.  Only 35/100 Christians live in rural communities
7. Internet: Majority.  53/100 have access to the internet, but its almost an even split.
8. Water: Majority.  86/100 have access to clean water.
9. Malaria: Majority.  95/100 do not have Maleria.
10. HIV: Majority. 99/100 do not have HIV.
11. Life Expectancy: Majority.  55/100 have expectancy of 75+ (It is currently 78 in USA)
12. Infant: Majority.  98/100 children born to Christians survive infancy.
13. Physicians: Majority 66/100 have access to doctors.
14. Development: Minority.  Only 19/100 Christians live in highly developed countries/regions.
15. Corruption: Minority.  Only 21/100 live in countries with low levels of corruption.
16. Income: Minority.  Only 19/100 live on >$100 per day.
17. Literacy: Majority.  89/100 are literate.
18. Education: Majority.  65/100 have secondary education.

Looking at the list, that places me in the minority 7 times, with the majority 11 times, but the ones where I am in the minority (and so are you if you're reading this as a Protestant in the USA) are very significant: Language, Continent, Tradition, Urbanization, Development, Corruption, and Income.  The conclusion is inescapable: When compared to the bulk of Christians living in the world today, I have tremendous privileges and advantages.  {And yes, this doesn't take into account the additional benefits of being a white male as well, placing me ahead of others here in America that must contend with racism or sexism.}

1. The Church in America is a small piece of God's Kingdom around the globe.
Given the cultural hegemony enjoyed by America, as well as the out-sized role played by the United States on the world stage since WWII, it is natural for American Christians to assume that we are the rudder that steers the Christian vessel; that what happens here will determine the future of the Church.  The explosive growth of Christianity in the Southern and Eastern hemispheres in recent generations has made that assumption less and less true with each passing year.  This was, of course, the dream of the Modern Missions movement, establishing the Church in new nations around the globe.  Our responses?  Humility and hallelujahs.  Whether or not the Church in America grows or declines in coming decades, the global Church is moving forward, the kingdom of God is expanding rapidly, and souls are being saved.

2. Most of the worlds Christians do not speak our language, enjoy our rights/freedoms, or have nearly as many resources and opportunities in life.
As Christians, we ought to be familiar with God's grace.  It is part of the foundation of our theology that we don't deserve the loving kindness of God shown to us in Jesus Christ.  We need to also remember that many of the other blessings we enjoy in life are 'accidents of birth', not products of our hard work, and thus once again acts of God's grace.  Thank God for your blessings, support organizations that work to help alleviate poverty and injustice, and pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ for whom the simple act of living life is not so simple.

3. Our hopes, fears, concerns as rural American Protestant Christians may be out of touch with the hopes, fears, and concerns of most of the world's Christians.
Have you ever been involved in a social media squabble among Christians about an issue that would seem trivial to Christians living under an oppressive regime or trying to raise a family on less than $10 per day?  Have you ever been to a church committee meeting where people were upset about a decision made, not because we have no choices, but too many?  Perhaps some of what consumes our time and energy is not as important as we think it is.  We have Bibles in abundance, access to numerous excellent seminaries, the freedom to worship where, when, and how we choose.  The controversies that consume us, the fears that keep us up at night, are not the same as those facing the majority of our brothers and sisters around the globe.

Sermon Video: The people who made Paul's ministry possible - 1 Corinthians 16:10-24

As he wraps up his letter to the church in Corinth, the Apostle Paul reminds them of his partners and colleges in the work of the Lord, from Timothy to Apollos, to a trio of men who assisted him, to the husband and wife team of Priscilla and Aquila. The point? The work of the Lord is a team effort. We need everyone in the local church to contribute, and we need partnerships with other churches and para-church groups. We're in this effort together, and everyone who works along with us to accomplish the Lord's work is our teammate.

To watch the video, click on the link below:

Sermon Video: If the Lord permits: Making Plans - 1 Corinthians 16:1-9

2020 has been, thus far, to say the least, a time of changed plans. First the pandemic cancelled things, rearranged things, and left us wondering when it was safe to reopen. Then, on May 25th, George Floyd was murdered in Minneapolis and our focus as a nation shifted abruptly from Covid-19. As the people of God, we must plan for the future and we must be ready when it surprises us. The Apostle Paul planned a collection from the Gentile Churches of Asia Minor and Greece to save Judean Christians from starvation. In doing so, he (1) used what worked in one churches in other churches, (2) encouraged each church (and each family within) to consider their resources and act accordingly, (3) prepared for success, (4) was a specific with his plans as possible, (5) retained flexibility, (6) and most importantly, remembered that the Lord holds the future. As we look ahead, as long as we are dedicated and hard working in our service to the Lord, whatever comes next, we will be ok.

To watch the video, click on the link below:

Sermon Video: Stand firm if you're doing the Lord's work - 1 Corinthians 15:58

As the culmination of his message about the triumph of Jesus over sin and death, and the future resurrection that awaits all those who believe in him, the Apostle Paul exhorts us to stand firm and serve.  If we are IN Christ, we're standing in the right place and must continue to do so, for were else would any of us go, and why?  While there, we need to serve.  The Church fulfills its mission when volunteers take it upon themselves to move forward the cause of the Gospel.  As important as our clergy are in leading the Church, the laity are the ones who impact the community the most.  In addition, Paul promises us that our labor for the Lord will never be in vain.  Whether or not we see results, those who serve from the heart will be rewarded in heaven and receive the transformation of their character here and now.

To watch the video, click on the link below:

"You do you, I'll do me" - Quintessentially American, but incompatible with the Judeo-Christian worldview

If you're like me, this meme below has floated through your Facebook feed at some point since the pandemic hit America.  It presents a binary choice that is not compatible with how contagions work in a pandemic, and of course makes it clear which of the two choices is to be preferred by anyone who is "not afraid" or who wants to choose freedom over the unspoken but implied opposite of tyranny.  Rather than delving into the topic of COVID-19 restrictions (which I'm guessing we're all tired of talking/hearing about by now), let us consider the foundational philosophy of this meme from the standpoint of a Judeo-Christian worldview, that is the way of thinking that is molded and shaped by Judaism (the Hebrew Scriptures) and Christianity (the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament).

A classic either/or false dichotomy

"You do you, I'll do me" is a very American sentiment.  It sums up nicely the Laisez Faire attitude of Ayn Rand {The Philosophy of Ayn Rand: Hatred of the Authority of God}, as well as the 'Rugged Individualism' championed by Rush Limbaugh {Pope Francis' views on Capitalism and Rush Limbaugh}, and the 'Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps' mantra that is far easier said by those who had ample help in achieving their level of success than by those with extra hurdles in their path.  "You do you, I'll do me" also touches upon the American distaste for governmental authority, as evidenced by the ongoing popularity of "Live free or die" and "Don't tread on me" slogans.  It is then not surprising at all that the American governmental response to the COVID-19 pandemic has created a backlash, nor that the heart of the messaging of the backlash is individualism.

What then is the disconnect between individualism, as evidenced by "You do you, I'll do me" and the Judeo-Christian worldview?

1. God judged Israel (and other nations) collectively regarding both blessings and curses.
The principle of collective judgment, whether it be positive or negative, seems incompatible with modern legal systems and with American civil rights in particular.  It is, however, one of the ways that God consistently acts in history.   When seeking to understand God's judicial actions in the day of Noah, or with Sodom and Gomorrah, with Egypt during the plagues of Moses, or with the inhabitants of Canaan during Joshua's invasion, it is impossible to comprehend the divine justice involved without seeing that entire towns, tribes, and peoples were being judged as a whole for the evil committed by some, many, or most of them {including their ancestors no longer living} .  That these passages are brought up consistently by atheists, agnostics, and apostates as one of their reasons for rejecting either the Bible as God's Word or the idea of God itself, should show just how difficult this concept is to square with modern views, particular those of post-modern Western peoples. 
Israel is treated the same way under the Covenant of Moses.  While there are examples of individuals being rewarded or punished for their actions, there also abound instances where the actions of a leader (think Saul's defeat at the hand of the Philistines) or of a significant portion of the people affect many others, including those who are in our minds, 'innocent bystanders'.  The point is simply this, my actions do not affect me alone, and your actions do not affect you alone.  No man is an island (to borrow the phrase from John Donne's poem), every action of both good and evil has a ripple effect, even if there were no God, doubly so when God's judgment is factored in as well.

Exodus 34:6-7 New International Version (NIV)
6 And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”

Leviticus 18:24-28 New International Version (NIV)

24 “‘Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, because this is how the nations that I am going to drive out before you became defiled. 25 Even the land was defiled; so I punished it for its sin, and the land vomited out its inhabitants. 26 But you must keep my decrees and my laws. The native-born and the foreigners residing among you must not do any of these detestable things, 27 for all these things were done by the people who lived in the land before you, and the land became defiled. 28 And if you defile the land, it will vomit you out as it vomited out the nations that were before you.

2. The repeated teachings of Jesus about responsibility for others.
Of the teachings of Jesus regarding our responsibility toward our fellow man, these three will suffice to demonstrate: (1) The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31, (2) The Parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37, and (3) The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats in Matthew 25:31-46.  When combined with his own actions in reaching out to "tax collectors and 'sinners'" along with the reviled minority Samaritans, lepers, and the demon possessed, it becomes clear that for those who wish to follow Jesus' example and heed his teachings, a philosophy which draws a thick line between myself and other people, for whatever reason, will be unacceptable.

3. The call for Christians to embrace the heart of servant.
Compassion for the needs of others is the beginning, working with a servant's heart is how we put it into action.  Jesus demonstrated this through word and deed, famously washing his disciples' feet before the Last Supper (John 13:1-17).  Likewise, the Apostle Paul was willing to go to great lengths, and set aside rights and privileges in order to fulfill the call of the Gospel:

1 Corinthians 9:19-23 New International Version (NIV)
19 Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 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. 21 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. 22 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. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

Self-sacrifice for the greater good is at the heart of Christianity, as is laying aside 'my rights' to help others.

4. The Church as one body with many parts.
Lastly, the very idea of considering myself as an individual without responsibility toward those around me flies in the face of the way in which the Word of God describes the function of the Church.  The entirety of the Paul's discussion in 1 Corinthians has value (in full here: 1 Corinthians 12:12-27), but the last three verses in particular make the point:

1 Corinthians 12:25-27 New International Version (NIV)
25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

Whether or not one agrees with any particular restriction or recommendation regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, the foundation for that belief cannot be, "You do you, I'll do me" if holding a consistent Christian worldview is to be accomplished.  Individualism is simply not a philosophy/morality of either Judaism or Christianity.  The same principle of collective responsibility holds true in the racial tensions involving the shootings of Ahmaud Marquez Arbery in Georgia on February 23rd, and the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25th.  While I may never be targeted for any form of discrimination because of my appearance, it is not 'their' problem, it is our problem. Know this: we share a common humanity with every oppressed and mistreated individual and group.  We also posses the clear teaching of God's Word that we were not called to individually pursue discipleship, nor to care solely for ourselves and are own family, but to an understanding of all of humanity as created in the image of God, of collective concern and responsibility which includes 'the least of these', and of service together to a cause greater than ourselves.  Stop thinking about you and me, we need to figure out what we can do together.