We don't know what to do. We are becoming numb to terror. At least 34 dead in Brussels. At least 16 dead on the Ivory Coast. And we don't know how to to respond. But this is the same with all of life. In the United States, we are in the middle of the most brutal political season ever, namely because of social media. More people are more aware of what is going on because of media coverage and more people than ever are sharing their opinions because of social media. And we don't know how to respond.
When I say 'we,' I mean all of humanity, but I can't ever say 'we' without meaning the Body of Christ. We Christians aren't sure how to respond. We are broken-hearted over lost life and lost innocence in places where terror strikes. We are angry and vengeful to see the terrorist pay. We are remorseful that our world has come to this. We are outraged at political commentary and our friends' contrasting opinions on the candidates for our country's presidency. And we ask ourselves, "Are they really my friend if they see this issue differently?"
And outrage seems to be what the Church does best these days. We Christians are really good at outrage. That's kind of our 'go-to' response, but deep down we know it doesn't feel right. We just don't know what to do, so we're outraged. We're outraged at a religious group killing innocent people. Outraged at this or that government's response. Outraged at that politician comments. Outraged at this politicians lack of comments. Outraged at this governmental policy. Outraged at school board decisions. Outraged at teacher's teaching methods. Outraged at our kids lack of playing time. Outraged our pastor said something political. Outraged our pastor won't say anything political. We're just really good at outrage. I think non-believers have gotten the message: Christians are outraged.
I'm outraged, too. I'm outraged that people are killing other people in places like Brussels and the Ivory Coast. I'm outraged at terror. But I'm not surprised by it. In fact, I'm outraged at myself and my lack of courage, compassion, and selflessness. I'm outraged at my own sin and selfishness and hardness of heart. This world is broken. Sin reigns because we've let it. All of us. It's a world that needs Jesus. And I'm convinced my outrage won't help.
I'm convicted by Philippians 1:27, when the Apostle Paul wrote, "Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ." Whatever happens. We control how we conduct ourselves. What if 100 people in one church took that seriously in their neighborhood? What if 1,000 from a few different churches took that seriously in their community? What if 100,000 took it seriously in a region? What if millions of Christians took that seriously in the U.S? What if the 2-3 billion Christians took that seriously worldwide? What if we conduct ourselves at work, at the ball field, at home, on social media, in the grocery store line in a manner that is worthy of the gospel of Christ?
We do know what to do -- we just won't do it. Outrage is so much easier than obedience.
First United Methodist Church of Griffin
Showing posts with label neighbor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label neighbor. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
The Difficult Issue of Religious Liberty (in which I don't solve much)
Religious liberty has become the 'hot-button-issue-of-the-day" in America. From what I've seen, people are really quick to form an opinion. I have been very slow in forming one, and I'm still not quite sure what I think. The controversy mostly centers around the issue of gay marriage. A common theme might include whether or not a cake baker has the freedom to deny baking a cake for a gay wedding in states where gay marriage is legal. Or, is that baker forced to bake a cake for all who walk in the door.
I'm no politician, and I have not interest in being one. My calling is to discover what it seems like God has called people of faith to do. So, how should we respond? What is the faithful witness Christians should have on this issue and those that relate to it. Well, I think it's a very complex issue, which is why I've been slow to form an opinion.
First, let's be honest: gay marriage will be legal in every state in a very short time. So, we've got to figure out how to navigate this issue. If you want to know my thoughts homosexuality and gay marriage, you can check them out here, here, and here. The short version is that I believe homosexuality is not in line with Christian teaching, but gay people and the issue of homosexuality have been treated terribly by the Church. I believe there is a way for us to be in community and dialogue together. Though I can't faithfully affirm homosexuality and believe that God has a better plan, that doesn't mean we can't be friends with people with which we disagree. And it doesn't mean that we can't love each other genuinely. The Church ought to be a place where people from all walks of life dealing with all kinds of issues can come to connect with their Creator.
As for the issues we're facing now, I would ask a Christian cake baker, "For whom do you bake cakes?" The problem here is that I don't think the issue is Christian marriage. Would these same cake bakers bake a cake for a man and woman who were living together before marriage or had engaged in pre-marital sex? Would this cake baker make a wedding cake for an atheist couple who planned to have a civil ceremony with no mention of God? Would this cake baker make a cake for a couple that had been divorced? What if it was their 3rd, 4th or 5th marriage? Would this cake baker bake a cake for a serial cheater? What if the wedding is "Christian" at a local church but everyone plans to get rip-roaring drunk at the reception down at the country club? What if the cake baker doesn't think people from different races ought marry because they have been (wrongly) taught that? Is it okay for them to deny mixed couples? Does this baker only bake cakes for Christian couples who kept themselves pure in courtship, are actively engaged in a local church, and have a Christian wedding in which the name of Jesus is invoked?
Is the witness Christian business people in our country want one of the exclusion? Do we want to be known for closing off our lives to those in the outside world? Is that what Christians did in the New Testament? Is that what Jesus did? Is that why Jesus went to Levi's house to have dinner with his tax collecting friends and sinners? Was Jesus 'endorsing' their sin because he went and ate with them? There was one group that thought that :) I don't really wanna be in that group. It seems we should bake the best cake we could as a witness to our love for people. It seems like one cake could start a relationship which might lead to a conversation which might lead to our Jesus. And when people meet Jesus -- things change.
Of course, the problem we're having here is that we're seeing how ill equipped our laws are to deal with what are moral issues. And this is just the beginning. Soon, people will be asking, "If the government can't tell me what gender I can marry, why should the government tell me how many people I can marry at once?" OR, "Who is the government to tell me what the legal age of marrying should be?" In other cultures, polygamy is common and people marry at much younger ages. As the U.S. becomes more and more diverse, those questions will continue. Do we reach a point where the laws can make no moral judgments about love and marriage? And to what extent do have the freedom to live by the convictions of my faith. I don't really know, I just know that this issue is at the heart of the matter.
And that points to how complex it is -- because then there's me and pastor's like me. Now, I'm pretty up-front in my premarital counseling. If couples are living together, I ask one to move out until the wedding. I ask them to be abstinent. I've counseled couples to not get married, that I didn't think they were ready or didn't feel like I could stand in good conscience and ask God to bless their union. Does the government have the right to force me to marry anyone? What if my faith, denomination and personal convictions stand against that? Should our church building be subject to the same demands as the baker? It's a little different. The church isn't in a for-profit business, but it raises questions, doesn't it?
Where do we draw the line? A good friend of my has a daughter who runs her own photography business. She does weddings, senior portraits, and family photo shoots. What if someone approaches her to shoot some pornographic images between consenting adults? It's completely legal? At what point does she have the freedom to stand on her convictions about who and what she photographs?
See there. It's complex. I'm not sure what the answers are. I just know that I hope for three areas of discretion and patience.
1. I would hope that all people, but especially my brothers and sisters in Christ, would be diligent in forming an opinion about an issue about which it is so easy to draw quick conclusions.
2. I would hope that Christian business owners would prayerfully consider how they can help live out, display and spread the Gospel in every situation. But we don't have to protect it. The Gospel will take care of itself. Death couldn't hold it down.
3. I would hope that those on the other side pushing hard in the name of equality would understand the concerns about where the line stops. Most Christians I know don't won't to hurt people, but they wonder what will come next and, if this isn't where people of faith draw the line, where exactly do they?
See there. I told you I didn't solve much. We need to be prayerfully consider these things. We need space for conversation and understanding. It's too easy to jump to conclusions. God wants more thoughtfulness from us. This issue deserves it. People deserve it. Our calling to reach all people demands it.
I'm no politician, and I have not interest in being one. My calling is to discover what it seems like God has called people of faith to do. So, how should we respond? What is the faithful witness Christians should have on this issue and those that relate to it. Well, I think it's a very complex issue, which is why I've been slow to form an opinion.
First, let's be honest: gay marriage will be legal in every state in a very short time. So, we've got to figure out how to navigate this issue. If you want to know my thoughts homosexuality and gay marriage, you can check them out here, here, and here. The short version is that I believe homosexuality is not in line with Christian teaching, but gay people and the issue of homosexuality have been treated terribly by the Church. I believe there is a way for us to be in community and dialogue together. Though I can't faithfully affirm homosexuality and believe that God has a better plan, that doesn't mean we can't be friends with people with which we disagree. And it doesn't mean that we can't love each other genuinely. The Church ought to be a place where people from all walks of life dealing with all kinds of issues can come to connect with their Creator.
As for the issues we're facing now, I would ask a Christian cake baker, "For whom do you bake cakes?" The problem here is that I don't think the issue is Christian marriage. Would these same cake bakers bake a cake for a man and woman who were living together before marriage or had engaged in pre-marital sex? Would this cake baker make a wedding cake for an atheist couple who planned to have a civil ceremony with no mention of God? Would this cake baker make a cake for a couple that had been divorced? What if it was their 3rd, 4th or 5th marriage? Would this cake baker bake a cake for a serial cheater? What if the wedding is "Christian" at a local church but everyone plans to get rip-roaring drunk at the reception down at the country club? What if the cake baker doesn't think people from different races ought marry because they have been (wrongly) taught that? Is it okay for them to deny mixed couples? Does this baker only bake cakes for Christian couples who kept themselves pure in courtship, are actively engaged in a local church, and have a Christian wedding in which the name of Jesus is invoked?
Is the witness Christian business people in our country want one of the exclusion? Do we want to be known for closing off our lives to those in the outside world? Is that what Christians did in the New Testament? Is that what Jesus did? Is that why Jesus went to Levi's house to have dinner with his tax collecting friends and sinners? Was Jesus 'endorsing' their sin because he went and ate with them? There was one group that thought that :) I don't really wanna be in that group. It seems we should bake the best cake we could as a witness to our love for people. It seems like one cake could start a relationship which might lead to a conversation which might lead to our Jesus. And when people meet Jesus -- things change.
Of course, the problem we're having here is that we're seeing how ill equipped our laws are to deal with what are moral issues. And this is just the beginning. Soon, people will be asking, "If the government can't tell me what gender I can marry, why should the government tell me how many people I can marry at once?" OR, "Who is the government to tell me what the legal age of marrying should be?" In other cultures, polygamy is common and people marry at much younger ages. As the U.S. becomes more and more diverse, those questions will continue. Do we reach a point where the laws can make no moral judgments about love and marriage? And to what extent do have the freedom to live by the convictions of my faith. I don't really know, I just know that this issue is at the heart of the matter.
And that points to how complex it is -- because then there's me and pastor's like me. Now, I'm pretty up-front in my premarital counseling. If couples are living together, I ask one to move out until the wedding. I ask them to be abstinent. I've counseled couples to not get married, that I didn't think they were ready or didn't feel like I could stand in good conscience and ask God to bless their union. Does the government have the right to force me to marry anyone? What if my faith, denomination and personal convictions stand against that? Should our church building be subject to the same demands as the baker? It's a little different. The church isn't in a for-profit business, but it raises questions, doesn't it?
Where do we draw the line? A good friend of my has a daughter who runs her own photography business. She does weddings, senior portraits, and family photo shoots. What if someone approaches her to shoot some pornographic images between consenting adults? It's completely legal? At what point does she have the freedom to stand on her convictions about who and what she photographs?
See there. It's complex. I'm not sure what the answers are. I just know that I hope for three areas of discretion and patience.
1. I would hope that all people, but especially my brothers and sisters in Christ, would be diligent in forming an opinion about an issue about which it is so easy to draw quick conclusions.
2. I would hope that Christian business owners would prayerfully consider how they can help live out, display and spread the Gospel in every situation. But we don't have to protect it. The Gospel will take care of itself. Death couldn't hold it down.
3. I would hope that those on the other side pushing hard in the name of equality would understand the concerns about where the line stops. Most Christians I know don't won't to hurt people, but they wonder what will come next and, if this isn't where people of faith draw the line, where exactly do they?
See there. I told you I didn't solve much. We need to be prayerfully consider these things. We need space for conversation and understanding. It's too easy to jump to conclusions. God wants more thoughtfulness from us. This issue deserves it. People deserve it. Our calling to reach all people demands it.
Thursday, December 4, 2014
Hope for the Hurt
This past week, I had the honor of praying at a Candlelight Vigil for those from Gwinnett County that had been murdered in the last year. It was sponsored by the District Attorney's Office of Gwinnett County. We prayed, sang songs, lit candles, reflected and read the names of every murder victim from the last year. There were too many names. One is too many. People from all walks of life and every nationality gathered in remembrance. Past victim's families also gathered, as they have become a part of this make-shift yearly congregation of hurt and loss. I asked myself a question as I left, "Why do we hurt each other?" How could that many people be murdered in the last 11-12 months in my county? Why are we killing each other?
The events in Ferguson and the death and anger over Eric Garner continue to raise difficult issues. I would not begin to understand the emotions, evidence and politics behind it all. I grew up white in the deep South. Those are the only shoes I've ever walked in, and the only experience from which I can speak. I'm not an attorney and wouldn't dare to dive into legal issues I don't understand. But I know this: we've got to stop hurting each other.
A couple of months ago I flew out to a conference, and I was struck by a sense of despair as I prepared to put my shoes, everything I had on me and my belt in the X-ray machine. My shoes. We are now afraid of my canvas crocs. We don't trust each other. We are afraid that if we trust others, we will get hurt. So, we choose to not trust and when when there is one step past the imaginary line we have drawn, we hurt others to protect ourselves.
We do this emotionally and spiritually, and in recent tragic cases, we do so physically. A teenager is dead because of a lack of trust. Maybe it was well-founded. Maybe it was completely unfounded. Rioters have taken to the streets to inflict hurt because they lack trust in authorities. The natural order of our DNA is to hurt others if we fear getting hurt. I'll bet you know someone who does this with their heart and tongue.
But, Jesus gave a different kinds of commands, "Love one another as I have loved you" and "Love your neighbor as yourself." Don't protect yourself from hurt -- love! The thing about love (and you learned this at 13 with your first 'steady') is that if you love and trust, you can get hurt. But it's the only way. I don't now all the answers to stopping crime. I don't know the answers we're all seeking in race relations. I don't know the issues to fix our legal system. I do know the answer the world needs, though. We have to show radical love. I have to believe we live in a world hungry for it. And I have to believe that if the Church would do as our Lord commanded us to do in our communities around the world, that people might want to know where that love comes from. And we might get the opportunity to tell them that it's not a 'where' but a 'who' that is the source of our love. Love someone. Trust someone. Risk for love. If you follow Christ, this is the only way.
The events in Ferguson and the death and anger over Eric Garner continue to raise difficult issues. I would not begin to understand the emotions, evidence and politics behind it all. I grew up white in the deep South. Those are the only shoes I've ever walked in, and the only experience from which I can speak. I'm not an attorney and wouldn't dare to dive into legal issues I don't understand. But I know this: we've got to stop hurting each other.
A couple of months ago I flew out to a conference, and I was struck by a sense of despair as I prepared to put my shoes, everything I had on me and my belt in the X-ray machine. My shoes. We are now afraid of my canvas crocs. We don't trust each other. We are afraid that if we trust others, we will get hurt. So, we choose to not trust and when when there is one step past the imaginary line we have drawn, we hurt others to protect ourselves.
We do this emotionally and spiritually, and in recent tragic cases, we do so physically. A teenager is dead because of a lack of trust. Maybe it was well-founded. Maybe it was completely unfounded. Rioters have taken to the streets to inflict hurt because they lack trust in authorities. The natural order of our DNA is to hurt others if we fear getting hurt. I'll bet you know someone who does this with their heart and tongue.
But, Jesus gave a different kinds of commands, "Love one another as I have loved you" and "Love your neighbor as yourself." Don't protect yourself from hurt -- love! The thing about love (and you learned this at 13 with your first 'steady') is that if you love and trust, you can get hurt. But it's the only way. I don't now all the answers to stopping crime. I don't know the answers we're all seeking in race relations. I don't know the issues to fix our legal system. I do know the answer the world needs, though. We have to show radical love. I have to believe we live in a world hungry for it. And I have to believe that if the Church would do as our Lord commanded us to do in our communities around the world, that people might want to know where that love comes from. And we might get the opportunity to tell them that it's not a 'where' but a 'who' that is the source of our love. Love someone. Trust someone. Risk for love. If you follow Christ, this is the only way.
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
Hope in the Brokenness
There is a great deal of hurt and brokenness going on in the world. I'm reminded of that with ugliness going on around us. Ferguson, MO is struggling, to say the least, with peace in its community. There are ugly things happening and being said there concerning race issues we thought or wished were long gone from our country. The ISIS threatens peace everywhere. We are scared and searching for the ways to deal with terrorist. We're not even sure we CAN deal with terrorist. The NFL, the world's most popular sports league, is dealing with the backlash of how poorly it handled an incident of abuse from one of its marquee players on his then fiancee. The video of Ray Rice seen 'round the globe has opened our eyes to the ugly world of domestic violence. The situation with Ray Rice has shed a dark shadow on even our justice system. Prosecutors and the judge HAD SEEN the video that rocked our world this week, and they still accepted Rice into a pre-trial intervention program that will eventually lead to the assault charge being dismissed from his record. We're learning that our justice system sometimes doesn't bring justice. And just this week, in a story that hit close to my heart, police and the FBI arrested a man that lives in the small town in South Carolina where my brother and his family live. The man had killed his five children, driven them to Alabama, and dumped their bodies off a dirt road. A man capable of killing his own five innocent children was living minutes away from my two nephews.
I'm not in the politics business, so I stay away from politics. There are a lot of politics surrounding the situations in Ferguson, the ISIS, and Ray Rice. There will be politics in the trial of this man in South Carolina. Politics are complicated. And they don't fully work. Our world doesn't need more political maneuvering. Our world needs healing. Because it is broken. This is the truth from the Bible that so many miss. We point to the beautiful things about life that point to how the world really is. That's not quite right. The beauty we see or experience points to how things could be. They are a 'foretaste of glory divine.'
Politics, policies, legislation, suspensions, and boycotts don't save people. Jesus saves people. Our world needs saving. Our world needs Jesus. The problem is that getting Jesus to the world is complicated. You won't get a chance to meet Ray Rice. You're probably not looking to meet someone from the ISIS. You probably don't have a vacation scheduled to Ferguson, and I don't think a revival in Ferguson is the answer.
The answer is you and me. The answer is teaching our sons how to honor all people (including women) because the Bible tells us to honor others above ourselves. The answer is to treat our co-workers and neighbors as children of the Most High God, made in His image, instead of according to our differing skin colors. The answer is in praying for our enemies because Jesus told us to pray for those that curse you. The answer is loving our neighbor as ourselves, instead of ignoring their drug and alcohol abuse, before they do something horrific in a substance-induced rage. The answer is in being Jesus for a broken world, one person at a time. The answer is in showing others another way of life, a new world, a Kingdom in which love of God and love of neighbor reign supreme.
I'm not in the politics business, so I stay away from politics. There are a lot of politics surrounding the situations in Ferguson, the ISIS, and Ray Rice. There will be politics in the trial of this man in South Carolina. Politics are complicated. And they don't fully work. Our world doesn't need more political maneuvering. Our world needs healing. Because it is broken. This is the truth from the Bible that so many miss. We point to the beautiful things about life that point to how the world really is. That's not quite right. The beauty we see or experience points to how things could be. They are a 'foretaste of glory divine.'
Politics, policies, legislation, suspensions, and boycotts don't save people. Jesus saves people. Our world needs saving. Our world needs Jesus. The problem is that getting Jesus to the world is complicated. You won't get a chance to meet Ray Rice. You're probably not looking to meet someone from the ISIS. You probably don't have a vacation scheduled to Ferguson, and I don't think a revival in Ferguson is the answer.
The answer is you and me. The answer is teaching our sons how to honor all people (including women) because the Bible tells us to honor others above ourselves. The answer is to treat our co-workers and neighbors as children of the Most High God, made in His image, instead of according to our differing skin colors. The answer is in praying for our enemies because Jesus told us to pray for those that curse you. The answer is loving our neighbor as ourselves, instead of ignoring their drug and alcohol abuse, before they do something horrific in a substance-induced rage. The answer is in being Jesus for a broken world, one person at a time. The answer is in showing others another way of life, a new world, a Kingdom in which love of God and love of neighbor reign supreme.
Friday, April 11, 2014
Sunday Preview & Thought for the Week (4.11.14)
For our educators, parents, and students, I hope you've had a great spring
break. I'm so looking forward to sharing the last part of our series
"How It All Went Down." We'll be talking about the
"Death of Jesus." The message of Christ's death is central to
our faith, and it's often misunderstood. It's the best news ever. I hope
you'll be there to be a part of this special Worship
Experience.
Thought for the Week
"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Have you ever thought about how some people make you feel versus how other people make you feel? Have you ever thought about how you make other people feel? The truth is, we send signals even beyond our language, and it is so important to encourage others. A Yale University School of Management study found that "of all emotional signals, smiles are the most contagious." I'm reading a book right now called Primal Leadership, and the authors talk about how important emotions are in relationships and organizations. There are some lessons from this passage and line of thinking.
God Bless,
Carter
Thought for the Week
"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Have you ever thought about how some people make you feel versus how other people make you feel? Have you ever thought about how you make other people feel? The truth is, we send signals even beyond our language, and it is so important to encourage others. A Yale University School of Management study found that "of all emotional signals, smiles are the most contagious." I'm reading a book right now called Primal Leadership, and the authors talk about how important emotions are in relationships and organizations. There are some lessons from this passage and line of thinking.
- Are you surrounding yourself with people who encourage you? It's so crucial to surround ourselves with people who give us good emotions, inspire us, encourage us, and make us want to do and be our best. Invest in people that smile and make you smile. Spend time with people that build you up.
- Are you building others up? Sometimes, we're the ones that are dragging the party down. I don't want to be that person. I don't know about you, but I want to be a 'smile giver.' I want to be an encourager. Think about how you treat and speak to others. This passage makes me want make sure that even my body language is sending encouraging signals.
God Bless,
Carter
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Who is my neighbor?
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| Volunteers organizing food for local families. |
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| Volunteers frying 70 turkeys to give away to local families. |
I've often struggled with how to put the global and local together in ministry. This past Sunday, our church hosted our 7th Annual Turkey Fry. In 2007, we moved into a warehouse across the street from one of the poorest streets in our county. It is a street that has been heavy on crime, drugs, and prostitution. We decided to love on the community. We did a number of things to love our literal neighbors, the biggest of which was fry turkeys around Thanksgiving and give them away. We actually went into the neighborhood, camped out in one of the front yards of a duplex, fried turkeys right there and handed them out door to door. Over the years, the outreach has morphed and grown. We now fry them at Archer High School, where we meet. We still provide a fried turkey to those 50 families in our old neighborhood. The last couple of years we've also given nearly a week's worth of food along with the turkey to about 20 families whose names the Archer cluster schools have given us. Most of the families are those that have foster kids. Some are just families that could use a helping hand this time of year.
I'm not against foreign mission trips. Please don't hear me say that. My wife went on a dental mission trip this past summer to Costa Rica. It was needed ministry and opened doors for the church down there with which her group was working. Nevertheless, I just think that the question of our neighbor isn't that hard to figure out, and it seems like it's something the Church has often gotten wrong. We Christians have $5 barbecue plates fund-raisers to help fund our mission trip to a foreign country. Shouldn't we just be paying for the barbecue ourselves and giving it away to the folks in our own community? Isn't the work of the Church in our local communities the actual mission?
For me, this has always been my heart. I think it's a both/and. I hope our church can send people to other countries one day to be in mission and ministry. Even now, we work to financially support missionaries sharing God's love in foreign lands. But there is so much to be done here. There are so many people to love in the Archer community. There is so much work to be done up and down New Hope Road. Then, there are so many people to serve and minister to in neighboring communities in Dacula, Grayson, Snellville, Loganville, Bethlehem, and the rest of Lawrenceville. And I'm not sure we'll ever be done loving our neighbors right in our own backyard. This week 70 families know that God loves them, but there are 70,000 more that need to hear that same message. I am not sure that each church has the potential to change the world. However, I am certain that each Follower of Christ can change his or her neighborhood, and each church in the world can change its community. We can all love the people we are around every day with the love of Christ. And if we would all do that, together, we'd change the world for Jesus. Dear Lord, let it be for your Church.
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