Church

Evangelism at its best and worst

john

A couple days ago, I came across a facebook group called “Christian Republicans”, one of those dreadful groups whose contents are all images of the “like or comment to [some meaningless gesture in support of God, country, troops, etc.]” variety. The first objectionable part of the group, to me, is its name: “Christian” and “Republicans” are neither synonyms nor antonyms. Nor, of course, are “Christian” and “Democrats”, or any third party. I am sure God would find something to like, and much to dislike, about every political party. The disliked qualities may be taking stands not praising Him at every opportunity, or about shooting first, second, third, …, and fiftieth and asking questions later, rather than turning the other cheek.

I came across this group via an image stating, “LIKE if… AMERICA SHOULD RETURN TO ITS CHRISTIAN VALUES!” What really infuriated me was seeing this comment among the thousands underneath the image:

we need to do it in a hurry before the gays take over

“we need to do it in a hurry before the gays take over”? What in the world does that mean? The most “aggressive” things I have heard about recently are movements to allow gay people and lesbians to share the right to marry whom they love, or to allow gay people to be in the Boy Scouts as troop members or leaders. How is sharing fundamental rights, not being excluded from groups, or being treated like (nearly?) equal citizens “taking over”?

Such facebook groups are utterly worthless forms of “evangelism”. Posts like this bigot’s post, presuming he was not writing ironically, only gives fuel to those who would dismiss all Christians as a bunch of rednecks. Even ignoring the comments and focusing solely on the post, such “like or comment” images are minimal effort praising at best, and worthless gestures at worst. I especially detest those that are supposed to “support our troops”, sick kids in a hospital, destitute people, etc. Does that click do anything to help a jobless veteran get a job or the medical help he needs? Does that click put food in a hungry child’s plate, or provide company to a lonely, scared child in a hospital?

How refreshing, then, to see on the front page of my local newspaper today a story about Mary Jo Copeland, being awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal for her work feeding, clothing, and sheltering the poor. That is what Jesus would do! Those are the Christian values that some allege are missing from the country.That is evangelism at its finest.

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. – Matthew 25:35-36

Thoughts from Yesterday’s All Saints Sunday Service

john

Sara and I attended a very meaningful All Saints Sunday service at our church, Lutheran Church of Christ the Redeemer, yesterday. The service had special meaning to us with the passing of Sara’s father early this year. The most moving part of the service was when those who wished to do so walked to the front of the sanctuary, picked up a lit candle, and placed it on the altar in memory of a loved one who passed away in the past year.

As I looked at all the people standing in line, it was hard not to be reminded that LCCR is a Reconciling In Christ congregation – that the church weleomes

gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons, as well as those who may have been excluded because of other human distinctions, such as race, economic status, or gender. We thus affirm that this welcome includes all people. We pledge to ourselves and to all others that we will strive to live as a reconciling people, in our life together and in our outreach to the world.

I saw all kinds of individuals and families proceeding to the altar to remember their loved ones lost in the past year: mom, dad, and children families; individuals; gay and lesbian couples with their precious adopted children; widows; retirees; immigrants from Togo; and others. It was a reminder of how we all are born, live a limited time on this earth, and die, and that

There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. – Galatians 3:28

And further, that

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.[Romans 3:23-24]

It was hard not to think of the vote on the marriage amendment coming up tomorrow when looking at the members of my congregation. I have already stated my reasons for voting against the amendment. As I saw my gay and lesbian friends among those standing in line to remember their loved ones, sharing in the same sort of joys and pain that all people do, it was hard not to think of all the hateful things I have seen written about the issue by proponents of the amendment. No discussion of the issue seems possible without some cruel person thinking they are showing the height of wittiness by using the same idiotic “Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve” joke that was old when I first heard it sometime in the 1980’s. Somehow they never think to end the comparison with “not Lamech and Adah and Zillah“, or “Esau and Adah and Oholibamah and Basemath“, or “Solomon and his 700 wives of royal birth and 300 concubines“. People who make this joke should remember that they are mocking their fellow brothers and sisters in Christ – created, like them, in Gods’ image.

I urge those considering this vote to remember that this amendment affects the right of people, not abstract concepts or jokes. Remember that your church cannot be forced to marry same sex couples, and that freedom of religion means freedom for all, not freedom to enforce your beliefs on everyone – any more than you would want, for example, Sharia Law imposed on you.