Asbury is not OUR revival

What’s happening at Asbury is not MY revival. It’s not OUR revival. My participation in it is tertiary at best. And even though I thought about making a trip, I’ve decided against it.

Honoring God and Asbury University

As I have been reflecting on the Asbury Awakening¹, I have found myself conflicted by the “conversation” happening among those not in Wilmore.

As an outsider and spectator, I want to make sure my heart is in a posture of humility. I don’t want to be dismissive or in denial regarding what is taking place.

I also don’t want to assume “ownership” or “rights” to something I have not prayed for specifically and have not been laboring for intentionally.

Let me say it bluntly. What’s happening at Asbury is not MY revival. It’s not OUR revival. My participation in it is tertiary at best. And even though I thought about making a trip, I’ve decided against it.

Whatever benefits I may glean from what God is doing in Kentucky, it will be to praise him for visiting a people who have called for a special impartation of his presence. Other than that, it would be improper and disingenuous of me to go there and try to reap where others have sown.

I don’t need a spiritual fix. The students, faculty, and staff of Asbury don’t have to prove anything to me. And God doesn’t need to verify his purposes with me so I can put my stamp of approval on it. Please just sit down with that foolishness!

Discernment is a Process, not a Weapon

My temperament is generally “wait and see.” Not out of disinterest in what is happening. I have been filled with so much joy seeing what God has been doing. Reading and hearing the testimonies have encouraged me profoundly.

I am the type of person who trusts that if what is taking place is of God it will last and if it’s not, it will pass. Over the years I have learned that discernment is a process we grow into. We must never use it as a weapon to manipulate others to our way of seeing or doing things.

Either way, God is neither flustered nor bothered by my response or lack thereof. There do appear to be some who have been. And I think it’s right to offer some clarifying counsel on the tone of this conversation.

When we do not make assessing our presuppositions and bias a part of the discernment process, we invariably make avoidable errors. We will become the very people we are warning against. And, what’s worse, we may do it with a self-righteous spirit.

So, with that in mind, I would like to offer some thoughts.

Maturity takes Time

As I’ve grown older, I hope I have also grown wiser. But, only the trust of others can confirm that. Maturity takes time. And the reason it does is that some things have to be seen, felt, and even tasted in order to properly understand them.

Here are some of the thoughts I have been processing as I have been reading, watching, praying, and sharing with some friends and colleagues.

As with anything in life, we are almost always dealing with tension created by opposing forces. So what are those forces at play here? I will provide some examples to help us move the discussion along.

There is honest questioning.

There is dishonest questioning.

Honest skepticism.

Dishonest skepticism.

Honest caution.

Dishonest caution.

Honest concern.

Dishonest concern.

How do we tell the difference?

I’ve been asking myself this for the last few days.

As a pastor, I have to navigate between my role as a shepherd of souls and my life as a disciple. And it’s at the intersection of those two realities in my life that I find clarity.

If my motivation is wisdom, truth, genuineness, and the advancement of the kingdom, then I am leaning toward honesty.

But if what is happening needs to prove to me that it’s real, then I’m leaning toward the dishonesty side.

Being concerned for the well-being of another’s soul is honest. Being concerned about a “Simon the magician” (Acts 8:9-24) getting some air time is dishonest.

Desiring that more people experience a renewal of faith or the start of it is honest. Being concerned that people are going to miss out on the “real thing” is dishonest.

Voicing caution because of the temptation to sensationalize and even force a move of God is honest. Hyperventilating about how this move of God is not like or not as good as others is dishonest.

Beware the Sin of Pride

Once again, I sense there are some of us who are looking at the right things in the wrong ways. Fighting for something while undermining it in an attempt to “protect” it.

We should take care of how we speak. For we may be speaking out of turn!

The following clip always reminds me of this. God knows what He’s doing.

We esteem our wisdom too highly; our maturity too quickly; our discernment too prescriptive; and our longing more passionate than it truly burns.

When God shows up, the mouths of fools are shut, the strength of muscles melts like wax, and the thirst of parched souls is satiated.

I’ve seen that in my own life and journey with God. And I’m seeing glimpses of that now at Asbury. Even from a distance.

That doesn’t mean it’s “perfect.” Nothing handled by human beings ever is. But just because it’s not how I would do it doesn’t make it wrong or “less than” what God can use.

We must be careful not to become the appraisers of the quality of God’s plans. That is a very dangerous position to assume.

If there are those trying to take center stage for selfish reasons, they will be revealed. And no one will pay them any mind.

So let not your hearts be troubled. The king is still reigning. And he is more than capable of sorting out the wheat from the chaff than we are. Or ever will be.

I would like to give credit to Dr. Timothy Tennent for using this framing of what is happening at Asbury [↩]

There are No Winners

The events that transpired and the responses of many people, both within my circle and in the general population, left me with a sense of foreboding. There is something wrong in this nation.

Introduction

I went to bed last night with a heavy heart. The events that transpired and the responses of many people, both within my circle and in the general population, left me with a sense of foreboding. There is something wrong in this nation. This feeling reached a high intensity yesterday, leaving me fatigued. But in my spirit I don’t believe we have crested the hill yet. I pray I am wrong. But again, as a student of Scripture and human nature I fear I am not. I believe there is worse yet to come.

In order to contextualize my thoughts I need say a few things first. About 11 years ago I had a conversation with a dear friend. We were journeying in a process of discipleship and he asked me a question. One that I “knew” the answer to, but I had never been asked out loud. I don’t remember the exact phrasing, but it had to do with what I believed God had called and commissioned me to do with my life in the body of Christ. When me met one week later I shared the answer with him. I believe that I am called to serve the Church. Not to a church. But to the whole of the body of Christ. But even as I serve a local congregation, my eyes are keenly vigilant to the greater purposes of God for those who have called upon the name of Jesus in faith.

I can honestly say, I have not always understood or appreciated what that calling means. Today I feel I have a better grasp on what I means for me. But I will proceed cautiously.

Our Current Situation

I have not felt the weight of this purpose as strongly as I have in the last 12 months. And in the last 24 hours the magnitude of it has only increased. I am fighting back tears as I write this. My heart breaks for the Church. She has been scandalized and ridiculed from without and within. She has been taken advantage of for personal gain and used as a toy by some who have been called to lead her and be her. The damage has been extensive. The trail of the carnage left in the wake of these acts of malfeasance has become incalculable. The harm has been catastrophic for those who have had to endure this abuse. And the few left willing to pick up the pieces are struggling under the weight of it all.

For the better part of twenty years I have found and grounded my sense of identity in ministry in the life of the Prophet Jeremiah. A man who’s example scares me as much as it inspires me. What I was not wise enough to see as a younger man, and what I have come to realize as I have become older, is that we often pray for peace when discipline is about to be handed down. Jeremiah understood this better than most.

The problem with this is, as I learned as a child, most often it is too late to stay the hand of discipline when it is coming down on you. And as my siblings learned, discipline will fall on all of us regardless of the level of culpability.

The Pieces of a Broken Nation

What we saw in the reports coming out of Washington, D. C., and what I am seeing from a smaller circle of friends on social media is what I believe to be an unfortunate misunderstanding of what is happening. Too many in the Church seem to believe what we see happening is political. That what has happened is the breakdown of the political processes of this nation. So the accusations from every side are being thrown around. Blame is being assigned, but no responsibility is being claimed. Those who support the President are calling out the hypocrisy of those who don’t. And those who support the President-elect are acting like they have been vindicated against the other side. Do you see the problem? It’s taken me some time to see it too.

There are Christians on both sides of this divide. There are Christians throwing arrows at each other about who supported who, and what that says about the “other.” We have reduced righteousness to political affiliation. And do you know who is right? The devil.

The Sin of This Current Moment Revealed

I am going to say this as simply as I can. I don’t care who you voted for. And I don’t care why you did it. We were wrong in doing it. Not because it was a sin to participate in the civic process. And not because one candidate was better than the other. We were wrong because of the result.

We were wrong because of the chaos it has created. And we are wrong in the rationalizations and justifications and smug retorts that are being thrown around. We have sinned against each other by standing in judgment over one another. There are too many Christians today who think that God is on their side of this political disaster. He’s not. And he never has been. And to say otherwise is to reveal our idolatry.

A political victory is not the grounds for calls to repent. Or for admonitions for reconciliation.

This is why making public political statements has been forbidden in our local congregation since its founding. And it has been the practice of our Pastor for over 40 years of ministry. It breeds division. And it fosters pride. They do not lead to forgiveness or grace. Politics is about victory over an enemy. And if we view other Christians as enemies, we have forsaken the unity of the Spirit. We have become agents of division, all in the name of being proven right.

The church has been infiltrated and the battle line has been drawn within the four walls of our congregations! We have been encouraged to turn against each other over something that changes every 2 or 4 years. We have lost sight of the ultimate aim of the Church. Which has caused us to lose perspective of one another.

The Gospel is Our Only Hope

What is frustrating to the point of being maddening to those of us who see this festering problem, is we are made to feel like we are going crazy. Well, I’m not crazy.

Holding onto the Gospel as the only hope for humanity is not crazy.

Believing that Jesus is the only way to peace with God and neighbor is not crazy.

Struggling and fighting to live a life that is pleasing to God and satisfying to me is not crazy.

Serving those whom God has led me to cross paths with is not crazy.

What is crazy is thinking that any system—political or otherwise—in this world will accomplish anything remotely resembling heaven is not only foolishness bound up in madness, but it is bound to fail. Not because our efforts are not many, but because our strength is not sufficient to the task. Our good intentions are always tainted when not surrendered to the wisdom of God.

This has been the clever façade placed before us by the spiritual agents at work against us. Like a cat trying to catch the laser dot, we have been distracted by the superficial and the temporary.

“This is the most important election of our lifetime.” That’s what we have been told we are supposed to be focusing on. That’s like saying this is the most important breath of air you will take. There’s no end to this kind of histrionic thinking. And now we are seeing how this strategy has not done anything to advance the work of the kingdom of Christ. In fact, it has worked against the purposes of God.

We are Fighting the Wrong War

As Christians we are not in a battle with flesh and blood. Flesh and blood is the vehicle for spiritual warfare. The war that matters is fought in the prayer closet and in our own heart. “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds” (2 Corinthians 10:4 ESV). And there are many strongholds in each and every congregation in this nation.

But, on the surface we are seeing the breaking down of a nation that no longer believes all its citizens are equal. And you can interpret that in anyway you want. Because there will be some kernel of truth to it regardless of your perspective.

What we are witnessing, in real time, is the disintegration of the social bonds that at one time held us together. And again, define that as you want, and you will probably be “correct” to some degree or another.

However, as a follower of Christ, I feel compelled to point out that what is happening in this nation, and has been happening for several decades, is not new. It is not recent. (Which is another convenient lie we believe and/or promote to justify our actions.) It is the the culmination of where we have been headed for some time. And the question we must ask is why?

Regardless of your understanding of the founding of this nation, what made America prosper was the presence of the Church. Everywhere the Church is, God is. It’s a promise. We are mobile temples of the Holy Spirit. And as long as we are abiding in Christ he is abiding in us. But there has been a drift in the Church in America over the last century. It has been steadily gaining speed. That drift has borne full bloom in our day. It is the substitution of our trust in God for a trust in government. And our move away from God leads to sins and eventually discipline.

The physical prosperity of the nation has eroded as the spiritual foundations of the Church have shifted. It is a pattern that is as old as the book of Genesis. They have been shifting for a while, and now the spiritual disaster is primed for release.

We Have Failed to Discern the Times

Societies are always in motion. Nations are always in conflict with other nations who’s interests may or may not be aligned with each other. The difference has been that much of that discourse happened in the halls of national power and in the offices of officials who did not clue the citizenry into the machinations of governing. That is no longer the case.

Technology and social media and the growing political divides have exacerbated and amplified what used to be remote and foreign to us. But now, it’s in our face and on our screens in an unrelenting stream.

I started by referencing the Prophet Jeremiah. And I want to bring my thoughts full circle. Jeremiah’s ministry has been described as a failure. He did not change the mind of a single person that we know of. As a matter of fact, he even tried to quit being a prophet. But God would not accept his resignation.

Jeremiah was disheartened by the fact no one seemed to care about what God had said. The people ignored God and his prophet. They disobeyed God’s law and did as they pleased. Then, when the warnings were not heeded, God judged the descendants of Abraham and they were shocked. And that judgment came at the hands of their enemies.

Here’s what I have realized. Was the nation of Israel and Judah 100% evil and wicked? Fighting against God? No. I don’t think that is a reasonable assumption. But there was enough intentional sin and enough indifference to sin that the entire nation was held to account.

We Must Correct Course as the Church

It does not matter what side you feel an affinity to, the judgment of God will fall on all. If one side is the problem, the whole will suffer. If the other side is the problem, the whole will suffer. There are no winners when spiritual discipline is meted out.

This is one of the reasons, as Christians we should not be aligning ourselves with the systems of the world. They do not belong to us. And we do not belong to them. We have to see that they do not promote nor can they secure the ends for which we have been called into Christ’s service. Regardless of the promises made. The apostle Paul said as much in his encouragement to Timothy (2 Tim. 2:4). But for some reason we can’t seem to figure this out as the Church. It’s as if we keep trying to convince God, and ourselves, that we can serve two masters. We cannot. And Jesus said as much.

The breakdown of societal norms and political discourse is downstream from the spiritual decay of a nation. As a matter of fact, it is the warning bell of divine discipline. This is not a new pattern. It has been the way societies have fallen since the beginning of time. From Babel to Israel to Rome, from the British Empire to the United States of America. All nations will fall because all nations who reject God must. Only one kingdom will be standing at the end.

So what should the church do? Allow me to offer three actions for your consideration.

First, if you are a Christian, I implore you to stop using political language and political ideology as the paradigm of conversation. Trust in the words of God to convey what you believe should be. We must reject the new, the novel, and even the ancient for the eternal. When we don’t we are tacitly confessing a lack of faith in God’s word to be enough.

Second, refrain from publicly endorsing and celebrating political parties, candidates, and policies that are not in line with God’s character. And especially stop anything that causes animosity among and between followers of Christ. The only party we should champion is the Church, the only candidate is Jesus, the only policy is the Gospel. Any and every thing else will work to foster divisiveness—in your congregation and in your heart. Being “right” is not worth the soul of your neighbor.

Third, the Church, from leaders to the nursery, must do what it was commissioned to do from the first, it must seek the kingdom of God above all other aims, intentionally rejecting any supposed suitors; it must disciple the nations beginning in our own homes, and it must surrender any and every claim it feels entitled to in the earthly realm. Those treasures are not worthy of our ultimate sacrifice or our deepest allegiance. The cost is too high and the reward too cheap.

A Reflection on the Death of Ahmaud Arbery

Injustice in any form, against any person is an affront to the character of God. It must be confronted and it must be denounced.

Not Again…

In the past several days, new information has come to light and our nation has suffered a severe blow. That blow came in the form of the untimely death of a young black man, Ahmaud Arbery, in Southeast Georgia, at the end of February. Not only is our nation dealing with the ramifications of Covid-19 at every level, but the ugly specter of racism has reared its head once again. The circumstances still have to be properly investigated (and this failure only exacerbates the problem) and the results of this process may very well contribute to feelings of “nothing ever changes.”

As an ethnically Latino man, as a native-son and resident of Georgia, as a pastor in a ministry that serves congregations that are majority Black and Latino, I have been trying to process how to respond. It is not easy and the reasons are many.

When events like this take place I find myself compelled to speak, as many others have justifiably done already. But I know my heart well enough to know that if I speak in a way inconsistent with my faith and convictions, I may very well do more harm than good. I do not want to speak in anger, even though I am angry. I do not want to succumb to hate, and then become guilty of the same sin as those who killed Ahmaud. As a believer and follower of Jesus, I want to speak in a way that helps bring me, and those who listen to what I say, closer to Him.

I know emotions are running high. I know that the calls for action are continuing to climb. I know that when news like this happens, we feel the frustration and emotions of what we can only describe as regression. I know because I feel it too!

But, I had to hit the pause button. Not because I didn’t want to speak out. I had to take a step back because I know that once I speak, I could never take those words back.

Trying to Understand

As our nation grapples once again with the actions of a few, I am convicted by several realizations that this has exposed in me. Introspection is an appropriate response to times like this. Not to make it about ourselves, but to determine if we too have become susceptible to the influences that lead to tragedies and injustices we have seen too often.

As a believer in Jesus Christ, as a believer in the God who speaks and reveals, I am convinced that the problems we face are fundamentally spiritual problems. They may and have manifested themselves in physical actions and resulted in unthinkable tragedies. But these actions are the final expression of what has been broken in humanity from the fall.

As a member of the body of Christ, I believe we have failed to see what God said about the war we are fighting. And it is a war. We are fighting principalities and powers that are spiritual. But the weapons of the secular world can only control the body. They cannot change or heal what is truly broken in the human heart. It is only the power of God, working in and through faith that can bring about the transformation of the soul and the mind. Not everyone will agree. I will concede that. But, I am trying to live as consistently as I can. I believe the foundations of my faith provide answers to what we have seen repeated in our nation.

What I have come to realize in the shadow of Ahmaud’s death I will attempt to summarize in the following way.

First, injustice in any form, against any person is an affront to the character of God. It must be confronted and it must be denounced. The violation of the image of God in any person is a damnable act. It is irreversible and it damages not only the victim but also the perpetrator and all who witness it. One of the primary reasons injustice is so harmful is that it leaves a vacuum in the lives, minds, and spirits of all who are affected by it.

Second, any calls for justice will ultimately leave many of us unsatisfied. This is an unfortunate consequence of living in a world filled with brokenness. For those who seek and desire justice, they will never be able to genuinely enjoy its application. The effects of the trauma received can never be erased nor forgotten. For those who deserve to be punished, nothing short of vengeance will suffice. But, that action belongs to God, and God alone.

Third, and this may be the most difficult one to accept, we will continue to see and feel the frustration sparked by Ahmaud Arbery’s death, and others like it, as long as we continue to point the finger at others, after the fact, rather than also looking inward before they happen. Until we confront the sin problem that exists within each of us, we will continue to be drawn into the darkness of a world wanting of God’s presence.

I do not know what you are going to do. I am not telling you what you should do. I can only tell you what I am going to do.

I will seek to be just in my own actions. I will seek to comfort those who have been victimized. I will pray for our nation to see that what it needs is revival and not more laws.

I will continue to call those who will listen to repentance and to greater obedience to Jesus. I do not have the power to change the world. I do not even have the power to change myself. All I can do is surrender to the one who can.

On the Death of Kobe Bryant

The loss of any person to tragic circumstances is hard. Even when they are not well know. But there is something about the death of a person whose name many recognize that makes it more shocking. There is the feeling that there was something of us in them.

As the news of Kobe Bryant’s death spread yesterday, the reaction from social media to my family’s living room was actually quite similar. Shock. Surprise. Sadness. The loss of any person to tragic circumstances is hard. Even when they are not well know. But there is something about the death of a person whose name many recognize that makes it more shocking. There is the feeling that there was something of us in them. That is why there is something else we mourn when a hero dies.

I am not a basketball fan. So, I don’t have much to say about the accolades that Kobe Bryant earned during his career in the National Basketball Association. He has been lauded as one of the greatest of his generation to play the game. Maybe one of the best ever. I will leave that determination to those who know better.

In total, there were nine individuals who perished in the crash. While accidents happen all of the time, when a famous person dies, something happens to the collective consciousness of those who recognize the name. The more recognizable the name, the greater the shock. There is something within us that struggles to let go of the ideas and images of the famous. Their legend possesses an immortality that far exceeds the truth: Famous people die too.

All who bear the mark of the human image must live under the weight of our finitude. We all have an expiration date. We just don’t know when that will be. I think this is what shocks us most.

As a pastor, there were two aspects of these events that cause my heart to grieve. Both of which have to do with the fact I am a father.

Reports indicate that the helicopter was heading to a basketball game for one of his daughters. I can only imagine the joy he had in being able to participate in this moment. To have a child who enjoyed the very game you gave so much of your life to. And to be able to share in it with them. It is a beautiful testament to the great responsibility we who are parents feel for our children. I grieve for his other children who will grow up without the love of their father. I grieve for all the other children who lost parents in the crash as well.

Second, I grieve for the loss of the children in the crash. No parent should bury their child. That is not the way it should happen. But, we live in a world where it does. I don’t know how I would feel if that were my story. I’m not sure anyone really does. I know I looked at my children and was thankful for one more day with them. And that is something we all should do when things like this happen.

Every loss is an opportunity to remember what we still have. The greater the loss, the greater the opportunity. It may not happen in the moment, but I hope and pray that eventually, we can look and see that we are more blessed than we ever thought in spite of the loss or the pain.

I will pray for the families of all who lost a loved one in the crash yesterday. I pray that the love of God find them and comfort them in this time of mourning.

Why I believe God does not celebrate Reformation Day…but does not condemn our recognition of it.

If you didn’t know, the 500th anniversary of Reformation Day is today. Of course, if you are a part of a church context whose direct lineage is not the Reformation (like me), then you have no immediate reason to know this other than simply because you keep up with the extended Christian Church family. So in thinking about this momentous event, I figured I would offer a few reflections.

First, I do not believe God is ultimately pleased with division.

There are many reasons why God would not celebrate Reformation Day in the way that many Protestants do nowadays, but mostly because I do not think God celebrates division in his people – even when it’s perceived as necessary…

The immediate push-back to this line of thought will be statements like:

“But the Protestant Reformation ‘saved’ the Church!”
“The Reformers didn’t seek to separate, but just to reform – so it’s the Catholic Church’s fault, not theirs.”
“Look at all the good that has come from the Reformation!”

However, none of these statements get at the heart of the issue. The issue I perceive is whether God would celebrate such an event like we do, or would he mourn it? Or would it be some combination of both?

As I reflect upon this all I can think is: Did the Reformation please God?

Did the fact that the Reformation happened the way it did please God? Did the state of the Church that existed at the time which “required” the Reformation please God? Did the reality of the Reformation (which ultimately has caused all-out schism) dividing the largest representation of the Christian family at the time please God??

You may say: “Yes, it did please God, because Reformation Day represents those in the Church who were championing the Gospel and the Truth.” And I would say you are correct in what many feel it represents. But it is also about a host of other realities, both about that time period and the results that have been caused today…and are those things about the state of the church then and the state of the church now pleasing to God? I think it is much more up for debate than many who religiously celebrate Reformation Day would allow.

Second, I do not think Scripture teaches us to desire division.

From the very beginning division was not a part of God’s plan for humanity. Separateness (from God and from each other) has always been a result of sin. We see this first in Genesis 3 with Adam, Eve, and the Garden; then again soon after in Genesis 6-9 with the Flood and Noah and his sons; and then again in Genesis 11 with the Tower of Babel.

So even when division is deemed necessary (like God kicking Adam and Eve out of the Garden so that they would not eat from the Tree of Life after eating from the other tree), it does not seem to be something God is pleased with – nor should we be.

We see God’s desire for unity most prominently in Jesus’ prayer for his disciples and for us in John 17:20-21 (NLT):

“I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.”

So this places us as Christians in an interesting position, where we acknowledge that division can be necessary at times but that God does not celebrate it…and if you simply look around the Christian world today, you will see rampant division (much of which could be argued is unnecessary) which seems to simply fly in the face of Jesus’ own prayer.

Why is it a big deal whether we celebrate the Reformation or not?

Our celebration of the Reformation unfortunately is entangled in a much larger reality than just what Luther did on that day years ago. The very reality that Luther had to do what he did reveals that God’s people had become distracted by their own pursuit of knowledge rather than a relationship with God. And this would not be pleasing to God. God would have been burdened by this reality, not pleased. And so the action of Luther (while that specific action may have been pleasing to God), is still the result of a situation that God would not be celebrating.

So should we be so short-sighted as to celebrate a day in which the church had lost its way simply to acknowledge a single action of one man who was calling the church back to its first love?

Maybe. But probably not.

The issue with celebrating this day is also not about the day itself. It’s about the resulting realities of what this day has now come to create. To talk about what I’m trying to get at it might be interesting to look at the concept of the “butterfly effect”:

“In chaos theory, the butterfly effect is the sensitive dependence on initial conditions in which a small change in one state of a deterministic nonlinear system can result in large differences in a later state.” – Wikipedia

“The butterfly effect is the concept that small causes can have large effects.” – Scholarpedia

Reformation Day was a small event in and of itself. But it had large effects on the broader church culture and history of the church…

No, Luther was not trying to divide from the church. Yes, Luther was trying to help bring reform to the church. And yes, the Catholic Church is the one who decided to divide from Luther. However, understanding all that, and all the positives of the Reformation, division was still caused – a division that I still do not believe is pleasing to God just because there are justifiable reasons.

Also, this is not an issue of dividing based upon someone fully leaving the Christian faith behind, which I might be more willing to understand. Luther did not leave the faith.

What I would relate this situation to is a marriage – since Paul relates Jesus’ relationship to the church to a marriage, it seems like a good analogy to work with.

When a marriage ends in division (or divorce) because of a potentially necessary or justifiable reason, should we celebrate? Certainly we should celebrate the faithfulness of a person who may have remained faithful when infidelity is the cause. That’s not the issue. But should we celebrate the day that begins the end of that marriage? Even if it’s the unfaithful spouse who initiates it and even if it’s for a supposedly Scriptural reason (infidelity), there is still no reason to celebrate such a thing. Why? Because division is harmful no matter what the reason and is certainly not what God desires.

The same reality is true in the church. And most division in the church post-Reformation is for far less justifiable reasons than Scriptural infidelity.

Just like the butterfly effect, the effects of Reformation Day on the worldwide church have been traumatic, if we are honest. It gave way to the immediate multiplication of more divisions based upon personal readings of Scripture that led to persecution even within the Reformation camp itself!

How quickly we forget the atrocities…Anabaptists were being drowned for their belief in immersion baptism…people were being burned at the stake for their differing views on the Lord’s Supper…

Seriously. These realities were a part of the results of the Reformation (no matter whose fault they are) and we still desire to celebrate Reformation Day?

And that does not even count the ridiculous divisiveness we see in the church today that are mostly results of a reformation movement that eventually gave way to the justification of division based upon secondary issues of personal preference in interpretation of Scripture (including the explicit racial division that exists!). Is it the Reformers faults that such division has been caused? No. Is it still a reality that exists largely because of the movement they led? Yes.

So are you saying we should just refuse to acknowledge Reformation Day at all?

No I am not. Remember earlier in this post I acknowledged the differences between mourning and celebration. And this is where I would say that Reformation Day should be acknowledged, but should be done with sobriety and realism.

It should not be a celebration of achievement. It should not be a celebration of victory. And it certainly should not be a celebration of advancement.

We should appreciate the contributions of the Reformers. We should appreciate the context in which the Reformation happened and the positives that came from it (like Scripture being translated into native languages!). And we should look to the Reformation as a reminder of the importance of Scriptural Christianity.

But in all of that, we should not forget that ultimately the Reformation was about a division in God’s people that eventually would fracture His people into a multiplicity of divisions (mostly based upon personal preference or secondary issues). So as much as we would like to divorce the results from the cause, the reality is still there: the Reformation began a period in the church unlike any other – where our differences became what we were known for rather than our similarities.

And this should make us sad.

And that sadness should propel us to seek healing (in our circles of influence) for the brokenness and division that has for too long existed in the church. We should lay down denominational names, theological distinctions, and personal preferences where appropriate and find ways to serve & worship together.

And even more boldly, we should combine our congregations with other congregations, and our denominations with other denominations, in order to once again move back toward the displayed unity that the body of Christ once had – to the best degree we can. If there is going to be necessary division, those divisions should be few and far between – and they should definitely not be what we are known for.

And most importantly, we should pray the very prayer that Jesus prayed for us:

“May [we] experience such perfect unity that the world will know that [God] sent [Jesus] and that [He] loves them…” – John 17:23, NLT [my adaptations]

An Open Letter to the Church in America Regarding Charlottesville

I am writing this letter because I am becoming convinced that these kinds of events will happen more, not less, if we don’t go to the source.

To the Saints of God found in the United States of America,

I greet you as one also called out of the darkness of sin and into the glorious light of our God and King Jesus Christ. May the grace of our Heavenly Father fill you to overflowing and the comfort of the Spirit build between us the bonds of peace. Continue reading “An Open Letter to the Church in America Regarding Charlottesville”

A Pastoral Reflection: Why we can’t just get along.

Our words and deeds should bring healing to those we encounter. And when they do not, we see the evidence that we have strayed too far from the path that has been set before us as the body of Christ.

I have wanted to comment on the recent events that have gripped the attention and conscience of our country. And, as is often the case, I struggled to find a way to make sense of what was going on. After some time to think and several conversations I have decided to provide some of my thoughts. Continue reading “A Pastoral Reflection: Why we can’t just get along.”

On Syrian Refugees and the Sin of Vicarious Hospitality

Over the last couple of days, I have been witness to a wide range of sentiments regarding what should be done with and for the Syrian refugees. I believe, it is without question a situation that must be addressed. However, the way that it is addressed will have consequences and implications for all those involved. I am still trying to make sense of the situation that is before me as an individual and pray that the decisions that must be made by those in the highest offices of our nation are in accord with wisdom and not political expediency.

As I have read, watched, and listened to what has been produced (and it has been a lot), I have found myself conflicted by all that I have seen. It is not just that people are taking sides. What has truly been bothering me is the manner in which we (and by “we” I mean Christians) have been skewering those who do not agree with what “we think Jesus would do.” The polarizing rhetoric is so stark, it has left me troubled by how far we are from embodying the grace we claim to have experienced.

A Renewed Mind is Necessary for Renewed Thinking

When the apostle Paul wrote that we should not be “conformed to this world,” he was indicating that there is a very real tendency toward this (Romans 12:2). As a matter of fact, it may be one of the greatest temptations for those who have been plucked from the clutches of sin. As fallen and yet redeemed sinners, we have been unshackled from the bondage of sin but, we are still making our way out of the prison of this fallen earth. We are no longer trapped and without hope but the struggle to walk out our faith by walking out of the prison is still an arduous endeavor. There are no shortcuts on this long walk from sinner to saint, from condemnation to glory.

What makes this idea of non-conformity so powerful is that Paul clearly identifies what we are to avoid—this world and its entanglements. The call to distance ourselves from the world is not a casual warning. It is a call that is only amplified by what follows. [su_pullquote align=”right”]There are no shortcuts on this long walk from sinner to saint, from condemnation to glory.[/su_pullquote]

Paul goes on to tell the Romans that we are to fight against conformity to the world and we are to be renewed in our minds. The intellectual faculties of the human mind truly set the species apart from all of God’s creations. The mind serves as a distinguishing characteristic, one that the apostle points to as the guide away from the temptation to become enthralled by the seductive allure of the world. John actually marks in greater relief this compulsory schism by saying that “if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15b ESV). We may not like this demarcation but, we cannot explain it away. We have to grapple with it face on.

This conundrum regarding the Syrian refugees has been a match to the kindling of the passions of a good many people. This is why Paul’s admonitions are an ancient clarion call to sober thinking in our time. Especially in times like these. Our passions are God-given gifts but, they are to follow the mind that has been renewed by the truth of God’s word. How do we know? We know because Paul spells out for us the purpose for the renewing of the mind. So that “by testing [we] may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

The essence of what Paul is saying is that we come to know the will of God because our minds have been changed, not because our hearts and passions have been roused. This is one of the perils of allowing ourselves to be carried along by the turbulent waves of societal turmoil. This is why we must think more clearly than ever before about what needs to be done and how it ought to be accomplished.

The Sin of Vicarious Hospitality

There are many within the Christian community who are calling for the President of the United States to proceed with the plan of domiciling around ten thousand Syrian refugees within the continental United States. Arguments are being made for a wide range of reasons. It’s the right thing to do. We have to show the compassion of Christ. We have to act like Christ himself. All of these sentiments are nice and maybe even correct. However, this is not the problem I have with the reasoning. This is the problem I have. Who is being asked to take in the refugees? Who is being asked to bear the brunt of the logistical and financial burden? The short answer is the government.

[su_pullquote]We come to know the will of God because our minds have been changed, not because our hearts and passions have been roused.[/su_pullquote]To all those who are calling for the reception of the refugees, to all those who are doing so and call themselves Christian, I would ask you to reevaluate your position. Not because what you desire to see happen in wrong. No, I ask you to take a look inward and ask yourself if what you truly desire is to show Christian hospitality or only a bastardized version of it.

The globalization of Christian hospitality is not hospitality at all. It is an abdication of our prerogative to serve the needy for ourselves. Or do we think that the government has the ability or even the inclination to apply a gentle hand to this situation? No, it does not. The reality we have to face as a church is that hospitality, in order for the word to have any meaning and moral substance must be pushed down to the individual. It is the individual who demonstrates compassion. Not some faceless, impersonal bureaucracy.

All of the calls for compassion, all of the accusations of hard-heartedness, all of the self-righteous indignation at those who “don’t get it” only reveals that we are not as hospitable as we would like to think. All of this reeks of manipulation and intimidation. Most of those who are complaining about the “rest of us” do not truly appear interested in getting their hands dirty with the hard reality of serving the “least of these.” As the body of Christ on earth, vicarious altruism can no longer be accepted as a substitute for authentic, humble servanthood. When we do not see this for what it is we have become complicit in the injustices we say we are fighting so hard to avoid. The sin of vicarious hospitality is pernicious. But, it also blinds us from truly identifying with those suffering terrible injustices.

Bullies within the Gates

Finally, I want to say something about, what I would call, the unnecessary accusations being flung around by those who say “yes” to bringing the refugees here to the lower forty-eight. Just because people disagree with a course of action, that does not make them fearful, bigoted, racist, ignorant, or unChristian. As a matter of fact, I would say that this kind of language is not in line with what Jesus would want for his followers, regardless of where you fall on the social justice spectrum.

I am one of those who has not made up my mind. I honestly do not know what the best way of handling this would be. I am glad this is not my responsibility but, I will be affected by the course chosen by those who do have to make the call. And because I will be affected I would like for some wisdom to be exercised, particularly in light of what happened in Paris. To take a moment’s pause is not outside the question. And, while I doubt it will happen, rethinking the plan may be in order, rather than proceeding with a business-as-usual mentality. This is such a big issue, it cannot be reduced to simple answers. Or to answers motivated by feigned compassion when no skin is actually at risk.

However, I want to focus on the inter-Christian exchanges I have seen that are unfortunate at best, and horrifying at worst. The bottom line to me is that making people feel stupid, calling people names, calling people’s motives into question (particularly people you don’t really know) is not going to win people over. This kind of behavior and attitude will not win anyone over.

Jesus’ own brother provides some needed parameters regarding how to proceed.

¹⁴ What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? ¹⁵If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? ¹⁷ So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. ¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. ¹⁹ You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! ²⁰ Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? (James 2:14-20 ESV)

Do you believe that Jesus would want for the refugees to come to here? Then call your local congressman, call your senators and tell them you will buy a ticket for one refugee and house them. Show me your faith. Don’t just tell me that it is the right thing to do. Don’t just allow the impersonal, anthropomorphized arms of the government to do what should be done by the body of Christ. Allowing the government to shoulder the burden to bring them and then counting that as an act of hospitality is a farce. But, in the process don’t demean me or try to shame me into agreeing with you. Don’t hurt me when I am not there yet. Live out what you believe and help me to see it in your example. Extend some grace to those of us who find it harder to jump into this particular pool head first without looking.

That’s unrealistic. That’s just plain dumb. Maybe. But, I’m sure the first-century believers who sold everything they had to feed the widows and orphans were probably accused of the same thing too. Or have we become too sophisticated in our time to do the same? Have we evolved beyond that kind of thinking? Could it be that it really is just too inconvenient? As a nation, we do not appear to be interested in results anymore. We are so easily pacified with some impassioned lipservice.

Paul put it this way when he was correcting the practice among the mature in the Roman church about eating meat sacrificed to idols.

²⁰Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. ²¹ It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. ²² The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. ²³ But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. (Romans 14:20-23 ESV)

Your strength of faith does not give you the freedom to beat me up over my weakness. Paul said, “that for the sake of food,” and I say, for the sake of refugees, do not destroy the work of God in me. Imagine that. Paul is saying that even when considering something as mundane as where we get our food we should not cause others to stumble. How much more important then when we are talking about people who are in need. If you think (or even know) you are right, then win me over. Do not run me over. I am not equating. I am applying the principle that Paul himself provides.

If this is the right thing to do, then let’s put our money, our homes, and our lives on the line. This would be a radical hospitality I can cheer. Otherwise… well, I do not know what the otherwise is. I am still trying to figure that one out.

In times like these…

Shooting in Colorado

The news out of Littleton, Colorado, is basically that it could have been worse. Bruco Strong Eagle Eastwood, 32, began shooting at middle school students as they were leaving to go home. The motive has not been identified, but in the end, it doesn’t really matter. Murder is a horrible thing, but when you take it to the level of attacking children it takes on another dimension of the sinister. I think of the brave teacher, David Benke, that tackled Eastwood and still wishes he could have done more. I can’t even think about what Benke did without getting a little choked up. The line between heroism and cowardice is a fine one, and yet we see average, normal people stepping up and doing things that inspire all the time.

In times like these, I find myself wondering why does this happen? What is going on in the lives of some people who would think shooting kids is “the thing to do.” As a Christian, I struggle to make sense of the chaos that finds expression in our world. To say that it is because of sin seems to over-simplify and even trivialize the issue. But I think that this only appears to be the case because we don’t truly understand what sin is.

Sin on Display

Sin has to be understood not by the nature of the offense, but rather by the worth of the offended. Rape is a terrible scourge independent of the victims involved, but make the victim a child and you raise the level of indignation. In like manner, the depth of sin’s offense must be seen by virtue that God, the one offended, is infinitely perfect and holy. It is because of God’s purity that any sin, no matter how small, deserves eternal punishment for God is of eternal worth.

In times like these I have to remember that sin is an utterly terrible blight in the human experience. I have to remember that sin is an insidious enemy that taunts us and tempts us away from God. I have to remember that none of us is beyond the reach of Sin’s influence. Sin will only be eradicated when God sends Jesus back to claim those that have called to him and believed that Jesus is the only way to have a relationship restored with God the Father.

While I understand these things to be true I still mourn and struggle with having to wait for Jesus to return as long as we live in times like these.