It would not be difficult to criticize the American political response to the combined blows of COVID-19 and the racial reckoning that followed the murder of George Floyd. It has been painfully clear as both of these unfolded that our current entrenched gerrymandered hyper partisanship is ill equipped to handle either crisis. As a realist (some would say cynic) about politics I did not have a high expectation given the level of dysfunction that exists in the system.
It would also not be difficult to criticize the American cultural response to the pandemic and race relations, as there are plentiful examples that illustrate where our culture has fallen far short of any number of ideals.
As a minister of the Gospel, however, my primary focus is narrower than the entire American political and cultural sphere. When I look at how self-professed Christians have responded to COVID-19 and the evidence of ongoing/systemic/systematic racism in America, the results have been little better than that of America as a whole. This is not acceptable. If the Church cannot be salt and light, cannot differentiate itself from American politics or culture through its increased commitment to a higher moral standard, especially in times of crisis, what then is the value that the Church brings to society, or what is the appeal of the Gospel?
Before highlighting the areas in which we, as a Church, have fallen short during 2020 thus far, let me explain why I often use the term 'self-professed Christians'. The Church, in the tradition of Saint Augustine, is made up of both those who have already been saved (saints) and those for whom hope of salvation remains (future proselytes/converts). As such, it will also contain within it those who are not currently being directed by the Holy Spirit, who remain slaves to sin, and who will likely therefore not be living up to the moral standards expected of those redeemed by Christ. In addition, the Church today, like Judaism in the 1st Century, contains its version of Pharisees (self-righteous) and Sadducees (theologically misguided) who while not new to the Church, still lack the indwelling of the Holy Spirit because they have failed to live by faith. In contrast with would-be converts, this minority within the Church is not actively seeking redemption as they wrongly assume they have already attained it. To make a long story short, the Church will always have those within it who represent the Church without actually being a part of the Bride of Christ; they have joined the Church in the physical/social realm, but not the all-important spiritual realm. Some of the criticism to follow is aimed at Christians who (should) know better, but have failed to live up to the high calling of being a disciple of Jesus Christ during these trying times, and some of it lands upon those who are 'in the Church, but not of the Church'. As God is the only one who truly knows hearts, I won't attempt to judge which is which, for the call to repentance remains for both groups. Lastly, I do not believe that what follows is true for the majority of the Church in America, although quantifying such things is difficult, it does however appear to me to be true for at least a significant, often vocal, minority, and that is concern enough.
So, how has the Church failed during the challenges of 2020 to live up to its calling?
1. By not putting Truth above personal beliefs
There are two primary ways in which this has manifested itself: (1) Denial of the reality of the COVID-19 pandemic in favor of a variety of politically expedient counter-narratives and/or the embrace of conspiracy theories. (2) A refusal to admit that racism remains a real issue in America, even within the Church. While uniformity of opinion on these issue is NOT required by those who would value Truth with a capital 'T', for those who would claim to follow a God who does not lie, the willing, often gleeful, embrace of half-truths and self-serving narratives by many self-professed Christians is a stark warning sign that all is not well in our hearts. As Christians, we must be servants of the Truth, we must be those unwilling to utilize lies even when they seemingly benefit us, and we must be those willing to confront uncomfortable Truths, even when they indict us.
See also: Faith is not anti-fact, at least it's not supposed to be.
Being a Habitually Accurate person
2. By not putting service/self-sacrifice above freedom/rights.
Lost among the cacophony of noise about COVID-19 restrictions has been the call placed upon all Christians by both Jesus' demonstration of a servant's heart, and Paul's call to respect governmental authorities in Romans 13. The requirements of Romans 13 are not absolute, and immoral laws are not to be obeyed by a moral people, but the words of Jesus, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” (Mark 9:35, repeated in various forms throughout the Gospels) have no limitation. I previously wrote about dangers of a "You do you, I'll do me" attitude {"You do you, I'll do me" - Quintessentially American, but incompatible with the Judeo-Christian worldview}. As the pandemic's role in our lives continues, there has been a noteworthy lack of Christian voices saying in one accord that other people's lives ought to be rated far above our comfort or preferences. Again, this is not a call for uniformity on the question of how best to combat the pandemic, but simply dismay that so many Christians seem to lack a servant's heart when considering these issues.
Likewise, when considering racism in America, too many Christian voices have expressed a, "I don't see any racism, therefore it doesn't exist." attitude. A heart of compassion, one built upon imitating the servant-heart of Jesus Christ, would instead consider the experiences and testimonies of our minority brothers and sisters. It would also readily admit that my own personal experience is insufficient, that my anecdotal evidence is not the final word on the matter.
See also: My rights are less important than doing what is right
Why are we free? Galatians 5:13-14
3. By not putting humility and repentance above pride and stubbornness.
We were never going to get the pandemic response exactly right. We were also never going to resolve something as complicated and deep seated as racism in one fell swoop. Mistakes were inevitable, some medical advice was bound to be proven later to have been in error, and some demonstrations against racism were bound to devolve into looting. How do we respond to these imperfections? As Christians, what do we do when the situation becomes muddled? Sadly, there has been far too much chest thumping, and far too little listening. Too many cries of, "Stay the course!" and far too little openness to change when new facts (remember #1's issue of Truth) become available.
Aside from outright heresy, there are few things as dangerous to the future health of the Church as pride and stubbornness. When God's people close their ears to the moving of the Holy Spirit toward repentance, they drift further and further away from the will of God.
2020 has held up a mirror to American politics, culture, and the Church. The results have not been pretty. Some have responded to one, or both, of the issues with a proper Christian worldview and a servant's heart inspired by Jesus. Perhaps those doing so may even be a majority of those claiming to be Christians, but the ugly truth remains that a sizable minority, numbering millions, have embraced falsehoods over the Truth, rely upon their rights more than their obligations to their fellow man, and are pridefully unwilling to consider change. What does this mean for the Church? Only God knows. I pray for repentance, for renewal, for change.
Thursday, July 30, 2020
Tuesday, July 28, 2020
Sermon Video: Jesus: Baptism, Temptation, and Proclamation - Mark 1:9-15
What does it take to get something big started? How much planning, what preparation? As the Gospel of Mark unfolds, Jesus travels to the Jordan to be baptized by John, and then into the Wilderness where he was tested by Satan. Following these two episodes of confirmation (the Spirit descending like a dove and the voice from Heaven on the one hand, and the ability to resist the Devil on the other), Jesus takes up John's message of repentance, adding to it the Good News that the Kingdom of God has come near (because he is here).
To watch the video, click on the link below:
To watch the video, click on the link below:
Tuesday, July 7, 2020
Sermon Video: Jesus' Opening Act: John the Baptist, Mark 1:2-8
It is not often that the Opening Act gains tremendous popularity, but John the Baptist, the one sent by God to prepare the people of Israel for the Messiah, drew large crowds to see his unique style and hear his message. What was that message? A baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. In other words, the same call as the prophets of old: repent. At the height of his popularity, John understood that his time in the sun was limited, and that the one he was the prelude to was far superior. Why? Because John could only wash with water, Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit.
To watch the video, click on the link below:
To watch the video, click on the link below:
Monday, June 29, 2020
Sermon Video: The Gospel according to Mark - Mark 1:1
Introductory information regarding the Gospel of Mark, including examining the genre began by Mark of writing a "Gospel about Jesus". Gospel is the Modern English pronunciation of the Old English: god (good) spel (news). Jesus is the Greek form of the Hebrew: Joshua, meaning "Yahweh is salvation". Messiah is the Greek word for 'anointed', the equivalent of the Hebrew word Messiah. In addition, Mark proclaims that Jesus is the Son of God, a far greater claim than being 'anointed' by God. This is the beginning of Mark's proclamation of Good News.
To watch the video, click on the link below:
To watch the video, click on the link below:
Sunday, June 21, 2020
Sermon Video: "Do we not all have one Father" Malachi 2:10
The prophet Malachi reminds us that everyone who is in a relationship (covenant) with God has the same father. One Father = One Family. In addition, he then reminds us that all of humanity has one Creator. One Creator = One Human Race. The prophet's subsequent question, "Why do we profane the covenant of our ancestors by being unfaithful to one another?" reminds us that there is no place in the Church of Christ for racism or discrimination of any kind. All those who are in Christ share the same Father, and all of humanity as a whole shares the image of God. Therefore, the Church must be proactive in supporting and defenders our brothers and sisters in Christ who face racism or discrimination, who suffer injustice. Additionally, the Church has no room for Nationalism or other false ways of dividing the world into groups of 'us' and 'them'. Silence is not an option, inaction is not acceptable. It is long past time for the entire worldwide Church to speak together against racism (for example) in ways that transcend politics, affect our own hearts and minds, and impact our family, friends, and neighbors.
To watch the video, click on the link below:
To watch the video, click on the link below:
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