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Kingdom of God?

by chaplainshawn | May 23, 2022 | What Does the Bible Say About?

What does the Bible have to say about the kingdom of God? Quite a bit it seems. And many of us have not heard the complete story. I am going to tell you something that, as I think about it, is a pretty sad commentary on the churches that I have attended for most of my life. If you consider yourself a Christian, you may have experienced something similar. I gave my heart to Jesus, or at least I thought I did, when I was eight years old. Honestly, I did it because I was offered a choice between heaven and hell. And who wouldn’t chose paradise over punishment?

From then until I was middle aged, I believed God’s kingdom was only heaven and there was a distinct difference between here and heaven. Heaven was where God ruled and one day I would go there. That was the message I received and believed. Was that your experience, too? Were you taught that following Jesus was all about going to heaven when you die?

In Simply Good News: Why the Gospel is News and What Makes it Good, N.T. Wright asserts the word supernatural as it pertained to Christianity fell into disuse and what was intended by God to be a unified whole was split in two by man. “But with the big split that came about through eighteenth-century thought (where we humans decided we would run the world and that God, if there was a God, could be safely packed off upstairs to heaven, where people could go and visit him if they wished), the word supernatural was also sent upstairs.” (p. 79) It went so far that Thomas Jefferson’s Bible contained none of the supernatural events recorded in other Bible versions and translations. For many, heaven was where God belonged, not here on earth.

So, what is the Kingdom of God? It is the culmination of God’s plan for his creation. In The Kingdom of God: A Biblical Theology, by Nicholas Perrin, the author concludes “the kingdom of God is a liturgical reality rooted in creation, given expression in human history through the successive covenants, and decisively actualized through John the Baptizer and then Jesus.” (p. 33) In ordinary words, it is the promised reign of David’s offspring on earth forever.

When the Pharisees asked him about it, Jesus said, “There is no use saying, ‘Look! Here it is’ or ‘Look! There it is.’ God’s kingdom is here with you.” (Luke 17:21 | CEV) The king was standing in their presence and would soon fill the hearts of his followers. Since Abraham, the Jews had waited for their messiah to arrive, but when he finally did, they rejected him saying, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” (John 19:15 | ESV)

God began a new thing with the Incarnation. In his book, How God Became King: The Forgotten Story of the Gospels, N.T. Wright, asserts, “The ‘kingdom of heaven’ is not about people going to heaven. It is about the rule of heaven coming to earth.” (p. 43) Jesus’s ministry taught his followers how to live his way in the world he created. Some describe the kingdom as “already and not yet;” beginning with Christ’s ministry, crucifixion and resurrection and will conclude when he returns to rule on earth.

Wright asserts, “the early Christians all believed that with Jesus’s death and resurrection the kingdom had indeed come in power, even if it didn’t look at all like they imagined it would.” (p. 173) After his Ascension, Jesus sent his Spirit to lead believers into all truth. “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.” (John 16:13 | NIV)

Followers of Jesus today have the same Spirit living in them that the disciples did who walked with Jesus. As we share the gospel and live by the Spirit, God’s kingdom on earth grows. We are doing our part by doing God’s will on earth as it is in heaven. What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we’ve been given a brand–new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven—and the future starts now! 1 Peter:3-4 | MSG

The Holy Spirit leads us to emulate Jesus’s character. For now, he reigns from heaven, and communicates through his Spirit, but one day he will return to reign and rule right here. “For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds.” Matthew 16:27 | NLT

What I experienced is the rule, rather than the exception. In fact, Wright contends the real gospel story has been lost. “The story the gospels tell, of a Jesus who embodied the living God of Israel and whose cross and resurrection really did inaugurate the kingdom of that God, remained not only incomprehensible, but unheard.” (p. 161) He ultimately concludes, “The main theme is that, in and through Jesus the Messiah, Israel’s God reclaims his sovereign rule over Israel and the world.” (p. 240)

If we claim to be Christians, we are living in God’s Kingdom and, as his followers, we are expected to look and act like Jesus. “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.” (Luke 6:40 | ESV) We are expected to live our lives in such a way Jesus can be seen in us. Finally, if we are kingdom citizens, we must exercise care that our political involvement does not overshadow our kingdom responsibilities or loyalties. (See A Kingdom Choice)

A Kingdom Choice

by chaplainshawn | Jan 17, 2022 | Christian Living

Jesus changes us and we change the world through our kingdom behavior, not our political affiliation. God doesn’t need our help.

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only’” Matthew 4:8-10 | NIV.

In September 2021, Christianity Today ran an article entitled, “‘Political Evangelicals’? More Trump Supporters Adopt the Label,” by Kate Shellnutt. She quoted historian Thomas Kidd, who opined, “the possibility that Americans began calling themselves evangelical simply because they backed president Trump ‘should be of concern to all pastors and committed churchgoers.’” I know it certainly worries me.

Evangelicalism is apparently assuming an entirely different identity and the ripple effect is shaking the Body of Christ. People are proudly proclaiming themselves “political evangelicals,” an apparently self-identification with a political gospel. Instead of proclaiming the Good News of freedom from the penalty of sin and striving for the advancement of God’s kingdom on earth, political evangelicals are supporting a politician and working to accomplish a purely political agenda.

They decry violence directed against the unborn, yet support policies that marginalize the living. They dream of a world in which America was “Christian” and life was good and fight against anything that might tarnish that ideal. Sadly, when you drill down far enough, bigotry, misogyny and self-interest become obvious. Politics, rather than profession of faith has become the door to the community of faith called “political evangelical.” Entire churches have embraced secular kingdom values over those of Scripture.

Political evangelicals have ignored or distorted Christ’s teaching while claiming the moral high ground. There is no evidence of God’s love and grace in their words or actions. Some of the big mouthpieces of American evangelicalism sold their birthright and evangelical credibility for a bowl of maggot-infested stew when they hitched their wagon to Donald Trump. When they did, Jesus was no longer the primary focus of their ministries. It seems that they might have forgotten the kingdom to which they profess allegiance. They knew who and what Trump was prior to the 2020 election, yet they chose to muddy the reputation of Christ to curry the favor of Caesar. For now, Caesar has been sidelined, but his deadly legacy remains.

Beginning with his initial mishandling of the virus, including minimizing the threat and suggesting preposterous remedies, the last president poisoned the well of responsible public health. His words created a political impediment that has contributed to the deaths of nearly 800,000 of our family members, friends and neighbors. He suggested the virus was a hoax, but was first in line for monoclonal antibody treatment of his “hoax” and to receive the vaccine. The monster he created turned on him recently when he was booed for encouraging his audience to get vaccinated. Public health issues should never become political talking points. Talk is cheap. Lives are precious.

COVID became political when President Trump and his unqualified advisors realized how badly they had mishandled the only real challenge his administration faced. He waited too long to act. So, he returned to what works for him. He gaslighted America by pretending COVID didn’t exist. He wished it away while calling himself a wartime president. His wartime presidency has resulted in more American deaths than died in both World Wars, Korea and Vietnam, combined. Even worse, smart people are refusing the vaccine because of misinformation, unfounded conspiracy theories, and bad theology.

I read recently that many pastors admit they are afraid of taking a stand against moral compromise for political gains for fear they will lose their job. (So much for suffering for the truth of the gospel.) Other pastors, those who refuse to compromise their faith, are leaving or considering leaving the ministry because of what they perceive to be a toxic, political environment in what is intended to be a place of peace and worship.

Speaking of fear, the primary motivator of political evangelicalism is fear. In the period after World II, it was fear of godless communism. Now it is fear of an overreaching government. Instead of being a sobering reminder of the horrific cost of the last civil war (620,000 dead), the January 6, 2021 insurrection is now spurring calls for another splintering of our nation. This week Newsweek reported, GOP Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene suggested using “Second Amendment rights” on those trying to implement what she referred to as “tyrannical government.”

It was not the first time she insinuated use of arms may be a legitimate means to accomplish desired outcomes. The Newsweek article went on to quote her as saying, that she hopes to “never see a civil war in this country.” And yet, that is exactly what she implied. Her speech sounded more like John C. Calhoun then it did Abraham Lincoln. Just two days ago she renewed her call for what she termed a “national divorce” between Republican and Democrat-run states.

Recently I heard of an insurrectionist who boasted about how much ammunition has been hoarded by anti-government groups. When I heard that, I immediately thought to myself, they might have bullets, but the US military has tanks and planes. But a federal military response to an internal threat may be less certain than we might expect. Since the end of the draft we have created what can only be called a “military class” consisting of almost three generations of military families, many from areas currently leaning toward Green’s “national divorce.” If a national conflict should arise, one can’t help but wonder which side our military would choose.

The words of Joshua are as pertinent today as when he spoke them. “And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” Joshua 24:15 | ESV. Genuine Jesus-followers are faced with the same choice today. Which will you choose? Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” Matthew 24:35 | NIV. His words focused on reconciliation with his father, love, peace, mercy and social justice. Genuine Jesus followers are striving to be like him through loving and serving others while exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit. When the smoke clears, only God’s kingdom will remain. Time spent on political pursuits will prove meaningless.

This is not the time for fear. It is the time for self-examination and repentance. It is time we turned away from the god of politics. Jesus proclaimed his kingdom was not of this world and that his followers could not serve two masters. We can certainly call ourselves political evangelicals, but if we do, we might just as well call ourselves antichrist. There is little, if anything, of Jesus in political evangelicalism. He expects his disciples to display his character of loving humility and self-sacrifice.

We are charged with three things, none of which is political. We have been directed to: love God; love others and share a gospel of freedom found in Christ, alone. Time spent attempting to change public policy is wasted. In the new heaven and new earth all that will matter is who is in and who is out. Our focus should be on loving others into the kingdom of God, not running over them using the name of Jesus. We should be spreading the gospel, not silly conspiracy theories. Everything we do should be a reflection of God’s love in us demonstrated through our words and actions.

Drinking Alcohol?

by chaplainshawn | Dec 31, 2021 | What Does the Bible Say About?

What does the Bible say about drinking alcohol? This is a topic that has developed into something that is not as straightforward as some churches would have us believe. Of course, any organization may establish rules for its members, but the Bible contains no prohibition on the consumption of alcohol, although it does address alcohol abuse.

In fact, the first sign that Jesus performed was at a wedding ceremony in Cana (John 2:1-12), where he turned water into wine. No it was not grape juice. It was wine. And not just wine but the best wine served at the gathering. On another occasion Jesus reported that he was accused of being a drunkard (Luke 7:34 and Matthew 11:19). Those watching him certainly confirmed he was not drinking grape juice. Finally, it is noteworthy that there is no prohibition against alcohol use in his longest recorded sermon, the Sermon on the Mount.

Scripture does contain numerous warnings against alcohol abuse (Ephesians 5:18, Luke 21:34, Romans 13:13) to name only a few. Since alcohol use is addressed in Scripture, but not prohibited, we might safely conclude moderate alcohol use is condoned. In fact, the Apostle Paul encouraged a young preacher to use a little wine medicinally (1 Timothy 5:23). And, in his guidance relating to Timothy about deacon selection, his criteria included “not addicted to much wine.” (1 Timothy 3:8).

The Old Testament, likewise, cautioned against drunkenness. Here are only a few examples: Isaiah 5:22 and 28:7, Hosea 4:11, and Proverbs 23:20-21. The issue, then, is alcohol abuse, not use, unless a prohibition has been embraced by your local assembly, denomination, fellowship or convention. If that is the case, you are expected to comply or go elsewhere to worship. To remain and drink secretly would make you a hypocrite and the church certainly does not need any more of them.

Medical personnel use what are called CAGE questions. They are: 1) Have you ever felt you needed to Cut down on your drinking? 2) Have people Annoyed you by criticizing your drinking? 3) Have you ever felt Guilty about drinking? And 4) Have you ever felt you needed a drink first thing in the morning (Eye-opener) to steady your nerves or to combat a hangover? Other factors you might consider are: 1) Do you have a family history of alcoholism? and 2) Do you find it possible to turn down the first drink, but not the second? If your answer to most of those questions is “yes,” it is probably a good idea for you to abstain.

One reason many Christians do not consume alcohol is they do not wish to jeopardise effective witness to unbelievers. Since the days of the Temperance Movement, many people tend to equate Christianity with tea-totaling. If they see a Christian drink, the first word that often comes to mind is “hypocrite.” The Apostle Paul cautioned against becoming a stumbling block; guilty of keeping anyone from coming to Jesus by our actions (1 Corinthians 10:23-24 and Romans 14:15-21). So, all of that having been said, the choice to imbibe or abstain is yours to make after considering both Scripture and medical science. “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all for the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31 | ESV)

The Immoral Majority

by chaplainshawn | Jul 4, 2021 | Book Reviews

The immoral majority demonstrated the pulpit is no place for politics. Otherwise, Jesus would have arrived as a powerful king not as an innocent baby. The Founding Fathers intended the separation of church and state to keep government out of the sanctuary. It was a court case that turned that concept around and may have given birth to a sense of “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em,” among evangelicals. Historically, when the Church delved into politics, things did not turn out well. The decline of the Roman church was accelerated by the conversion of Constantine and the establishment of a government-supported church.

The German Lutheran Church sold its soul by supporting Adolph Hitler. (For more details, see my blog entitled, Silence is Evil). Yet, over the past few elections cycles evangelicals have increasingly begun to define faith in political terms. In the interest of transparency, I am a graduate of Liberty University Baptist Theological Seminary. Sadly, the pride I once had in that diploma disappeared with the support Jerry Falwell Jr., son of its founder, gave President Trump during both his candidacy and presidency. Falwell’s own fall from grace only made it worse. This book helped me articulate what I have been feeling. I encourage anyone sensing a blurring of the line between faith and politics to invest some time reading it.

The author is the son of an evangelical pastor with strong, prior ties to Jerry Falwell, Sr. He asserts the moral majority has lost its way and reveals an ungodly change in American evangelicalism. His book describes “what happens when the people who believe they have the moral high ground find themselves on the low road.” He further asserted evangelicals turned a blind eye to the actions of the Trump administration in exchange for a “greater moral consideration.”

The focus of the original moral majority was the exact opposite of what self-professed evangelicals elected in 2016. The senior Falwell’s moral majority believed character matters and sought to elect those exhibiting moral lives. But this is how the author describes the current immoral majority. “They believe that one should be more concerned with the lives and happiness of their children than whether or not a president is a lying, philandering, unethical charlatan.” Trump’s moral reputation has further eroded since his election defeat in 2020. It is beginning to look like he will be adding criminal and insurrectionist to his resume.

In the author’s estimation, the moral majority had morphed into something far removed from the vision of its founder when Falwell’s son, Jerry junior, posed with Donald Trump in front of the cover of a pornographic magazine his father fought suppress. The author reminds us of Jerry Falwell’s Herculean efforts to see Larry Flynt, the publisher of a different pornographic magazine, surrender his life to Jesus. Howe observed, “. . . here was Falwell’s son, not seeking to “save” a man who was cut from the same cloth as Flynt but rather to endorse an effort to put such a man into the most influential position on the face of the Earth.”

Howe quoted Michael Farris, chairman of the Home School Legal Defense Association, “Today, we see politics fully influencing a thousand Christian leaders. This is a day of mourning. . . In a generation, the movement had changed . . . from trying to be a force for change in politics, to being forcefully changed by politics.”

Sadly, many of Trump’s self-described, evangelical supporters have still not concluded they were sold a bill of goods. Howe maintains they hold the view that “you do not question the vessel,’ and goes on to observe Trump cannot be considered a hypocrite because he lacks a personal moral code to betray. He further asserts the president, “pulls many evangelicals into a vortex of moral ambiguity and relativism that has become almost required to continue supporting him.”

To underscore the damage Trump has done, he concludes, “Donald Trump is the single greatest source of hypocrisy I’ve seen in a movement already perceived by many as pharisaic.” In effect we have become that which we have despised, and the unbelieving world is chalking it up to even more church hypocrisy. Consequently, our evangelistic mission suffers because of it.

He then makes a case for evangelicals to adopt what he calls ‘empathetic conservatism,’ by which he means “speaking to people in a way that is optimistic and helps them see a brighter future without abandoning our principles or compromising our beliefs.” That is a far cry from the words shouted by some pastors since the election. The author addressed this, as well,” . . . creating a “Christian” culture that has become divisively self-interested and bitterly self-righteous, these leaders have taught their flocks to value the things of the world, rather than the things of Christ.”

He maintains, “for the Trump right, the end of overthrowing the popular left’s regime is worth achieving by any means necessary.” And on January 6, 2021, his words became truer than he could ever have imagined. He concludes by referring to Christ’s Sermon on the Mount. “That brings me back to the evangelical movement at large, which has a rather massive log in its eye at the moment. For the possibility of a bit of worldly influence, they surrendered their moral voice in the public sphere.”

The Immoral Majority: Why Evangelicals Chose Political Power Over Christian Values by Ben Howe, Harper Collins/Broadside Books, 2019

2000 Years of Pentecostal Christianity

by chaplainshawn | Mar 23, 2021 | Book Reviews

2000 Years of Charismatic Christianity by Eddie L. Hyatt

In 2000 Years of Charismatic Christianity Eddie L. Hyatt highlights a segment of the Church that has largely fallen by the wayside. Yet, this is the first time I have reviewed a book that I do not wholeheartedly recommend to everyone, but not because I didn’t like it or disagreed with the author’s thesis. It certainly served the purpose for which I purchased it and if you share my interest, I can recommend it to you. For several months prior to purchasing it I had been wondering what happened to the Charismatic Renewal that seemed to regularly make news in the late-1960’s and 70’s. It was a very exciting time for much of the church world. Some churches were alive with an outpouring of Apostolic gifts, including healing, prophesy and speaking in tongues. And the anticipation of the Lord’s return was palpable.

Hyatt does a wonderful job of describing the survival of those gifts to the Reformation and highlights many subsequent movers and shakers of what many called the “latter rain.” Although it is very readable, despite its title, it is neither scholarly nor comprehensive. It does a credible job of highlighting what happened in some Holiness congregations in the first third of the 20th century but, otherwise, seemed largely focused on the Assemblies of God. Only brief mention was made of Oneness or Jesus-only groups, which made me wonder if the author was not inadvertently succumbing to his own biases.

That suspicion was underscored by his omission of any mention of the contributions of Aimee Semple McPherson, who was not Oneness normember of the Assemblies of God. His omission was highlighted by the fact the Federal Government acknowledged her significant contribution, not only to modern Pentecostalism, but to contemporary Christianity itself. Angelus Temple might be considered the first mega church that fed both stomach and soul. This is what the National Parks Service had to say about it and her during National Women’s Month in 2002, the year of this book’s publication.

The Angelus Temple, located on Glendale Boulevard in Los Angeles, California, was designated a National Historic Landmark on April 27, 1992. The Angelus Temple is historically significant as the base of operations for Aimee Semple McPherson, a pioneer in the field of radio evangelism. McPherson set a number of important precedents for women in religion in the early part of the 20th century; she was the first woman to receive a FCC radio license and she was a pioneer religious broadcaster. On radio station KSFG (sic) and in her preaching at the Angelus Temple, McPherson was an innovator in incorporating Hollywood and vaudeville style entertainment into her sermons. In addition, she mobilized an extensive social ministry from her headquarters at the Angelus Temple. McPherson provided a social and educational center for thousands of Midwestern immigrants, and during the Great Depression she provided hot meals for thousands of hungry people. She also widened the appeal of Pentecostalism to millions of people via her tours and radio broadcasts, and her founding of a Bible College to train missionaries, ministers, and evangelists.

The author provides a broad-brush perspective, and, in a backhanded, thoughtful way refutes Pastor John MacArthur and his Strange Fire cessationism. Contemporary controversies notwithstanding, what stirred my heart most were the details he provided regarding those Pentecostal pioneers who hungered and thirsted until they were filled. Hyatt made me hungry for revival; to see God move again in a mighty way in my life, the Church, our community, and our nation.

2000 Years of Charismatic Christianity by Eddie L. Hyatt, Charisma House Charisma Media/Charisma House Book Group, Lake Mary, FL, 2015.

Are You a Unifier or a Divider?

by chaplainshawn | Mar 6, 2021 | Just Sayin'

Are you a unifier or divider? Are you allowing political objectives to becom an idol in your life? How have your political opinions impacted your relationships? This week I read two articles that echoed what I have been saying for months. The first was from Aaron Earles of Lifeway Research entitled, “Half of U.S. Protestant Pastors Hear Conspiracy Theories in Their Churches.” The other was by Jaweed Kaleem from the LA Times entitled, “QAnon and Other Conspiracy Theories are Taking Hold in Churches. Pastors are Fighting Back.” I encourage you to read both. In his comic strip, Pogo, cartoonist Walt Kelly sums up both articles in just nine words. “We have met the enemy and he is us.”

Kaleem highlights the negative pushback pastors are experiencing when they call out conspiracies as “dabbling in darkness.” He asserts, “Trump’s false insistence that he won the 2020 election may have incited the mob, but it also pointed to a dangerous intersection of God and politics.” Another pastor laments congregants replacing Jesus with Trump. A quarter of evangelicals believe in the QAnonsense and 60 percent believe Trump won the last general election, according to the American Enterprise Institute.

Our Christian brothers and sisters not only believe the lies, but they are helping to spread them. Lifeway Research, an arm of the Southern Baptist Convention, indicated that 49% of Protestant pastors often hear congregants repeating conspiracies about national events. Only other believers can stop the damage being done to the Church by the lies and conspiracy theories. For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases. (Proverbs 26:20 | ESV) We need to treat political lies the same way we do other gossip and mindless babble—confirming what we hear before believing it and refusing to repeat what we hear, period. If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. (James 1:26 | ESV)

The folks behind the stolen election and other QAnonsense will only be persuaded by the truth when sincere Christians speak the truth to them in love. But, the messaging today is so divisive we need to exercise discretion. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. … (Ephesians 4:2-3 | NIV) Ironically, the man who popularized the term “fake news” is using fake conspiracies to destroy friendships, families, churches and, even our democratic norms.

His assertion of a stolen election is a lie that Trump began spreading months before the election to set the stage for his January 6th failed coup. However, the courts, including the US Supreme Court have made it clear the evidence doesn’t support his lie. And rational people are beginning to see the lie for what it is. Still, some people want to believe the Justice Department and Supreme Court are part of some conspiracy. Hearing that reminds me of the mother watching her boy marching at his army basic training graduation who exclaimed, “Look everybody is out of step, but my Donnie.”

The QAnon pizza pedophile cannibal conspiracy, likewise, has no basis in fact. It originated in the same place as the Jewish space laser behind the California wildfires story did. Frankly, if the preposterous conspiracies weren’t so dangerous they would be comical. The spiritual danger, however, is they have led people to quit trusting Jesus and start expecting Donald Trump to protect the Church. And sadly, the craziness has been abetted by some very influential pastors who seem to have forgotten the Church will suffer if it does its job of evangelism, but not for being a hypocritical, morality mob. Friends don’t let friends fall for dangerous, dumb stuff. If you are really serious about making America great again, work to stop the spread of misinformation. Believing a lie is bad enough, but sharing one is a sin. “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak . . .” (Matthew 12:36 | ESV)

There are no perfect churches because churches are people and no one is perfect. Statistics show the problems we see in what we call the “world” exist in the same percentages in the Body of Christ. Is it any wonder those outside the church see us as phonies? The primary reason we need to avoid Christian Nationalism is its basic objective; exclusion. They want to exclude everyone who is not like them. And that contradicts the underlying premise of Christianity. Everyone is welcomed into the family of God. Furthermore, our goal in this life is to be like Jesus. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. (Ephesians 4:14-15 NIV)

In its support of ex-President Trump, compromise has been embraced for the “greater good.” God does not need our help or, even Donald Trump’s to accomplish his will. With Fox News complicity Christian Nationalists have sold Jesus-followers a scare-tactic fiction that is easier to believe than the truth.

The Democrats will not turn this country into a godless, socialist nation allowing immigrants will take over what rightfully belongs to white Christians. That “right,” by the way, is also a fiction. We are not helpless victims whose only hope is Trump’s GOP. The independent vote will always be a tie-breaker. And thanks to Trump, there are many more of us today than there was four years ago. The GOP has even sunk so far that they had a Golden Trump at the CPAC convention in Florida last month. (The Golden calf must have been unavailable.) I am going to say it as plainly as possible. Christian Nationalism is idolatry.

America is not now, nor has it ever been a Christian nation. It can be, but it won’t be accomplished at the ballot box or on Capitol Hill. It will become a Christian nation by focusing on the Great Commission and the Great Commandment. The Church, not America, matters to God. But we have brought Baal into the sanctuary by mixing faith with politics, no matter how lofty our ideals might have been. How can we believe God considers American Christians any differently than he does Christians from another nation?

Patriotism has its place in public life. Politics, likewise gives us a small voice in governance. Yet neither plays a role in the Kingdom of God. My prayer is those who are striving to make America Christian again would do it the old fashioned way; by sharing the Good News of the gospel, living a life that honors God and recognizes, even the unbeliever is God’s image-bearer, regardless of race, faith, gender, nationality or sexual orientation. Christ and his teaching about love and unity is missing from Christian Nationalism. If you consider yourself a Jesus-follower, run, don’t walk, away from it’s ungodly influence.

Unequally Yoked

by chaplainshawn | Feb 1, 2021 | Christian Living

On January 13, 2021, ten Republican members of the House of Representatives voted to impeach former president Trump. Calls to remove them by the GOP were swift and shrill. I am struggling to understand. An amoral president allegedly breaks the law and people of strong ethical principles are punished for taking the moral high ground. Liz Cheney, Jaime Herrera Butler, Dan Newhouse, and others are being ostracized by their party while Marjorie Taylor Green, a woman alleging California wildfires are the result of a Jewish, space laser and the Sandy Hook and Parkland violence was fabricated, is placed on key committees. her assignments even include an education committee. She earned her credentials and party standing by currying favor of the ex-president, despite spouting one QAnon conspiracy theory and lie after another and endorsing political violence and extremism.

Her election by a strong majority is a microcosm of what we are witnessing across our nation. It is bad enough the Republicans have lost what moral compass they once may have had, but combined with evangelical fervor, the Church seems to be following along a similar path toward irrelevance. If the GOP continues to fracture, losing ground as they have in Georgia, Green’s state, it will be a boon to Democrat candidates in 2022. Conversely, if her base, which includes die-hard Trump supporters many with guns, increases, the violence we witnessed in the January 6th Capitol insurrection will resurface with intensity. (Ammunition in popular calibers has been scarce for months, largely because of hoarding.) Instead of war, we should be praying peace will break out. And it will if the Church becomes, what it was intended to be, a counter-insurgency for good, if we return to our roots—the teaching of Jesus–the Prince of Peace. He asked, “So why do you keep calling Me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say?” Luke 6:46 | NLT We are even witnessing Christians attacking their own; a far cry from the love and unity Jesus preached.

There was an article in “The Atlantic” on January 28, 2021 about another one of the ten that supported impeachment in the House, Adam Kinzinger. In a letter to him, a member of his own family accused Adam of voting as he did because he was demon possessed. Kinzinger, a professed Christian told the reporter, “The devil’s ultimate trick for Christianity … is embarrassing the church. . . And I feel it’s been successful.” The reporter summarized Kinzinger’s concerns like this, “The Lord has been speaking to him about his role as a Christian in politics . . . and how he can reach people who are thinking about their eternal life. He has concluded that his faith and his party have been poisoned by the same conspiracy theories and lies, culminating in the falsehood that the election was stolen.” He went on to tell the reporter, “When you look at ‘the reputation of Christianity today versus five years ago, I feel very comfortable saying it’s a lot worse . . . . Boy, I think we have lost a lot of moral authority.’” That loss of moral authority in the Church should concern anyone who calls him or herself a follower of Jesus. It is the antithesis of God’s kingdom on earth. If you listen closely, you might hear Jesus saying to Kinzinger and to all of us, “What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” Matthew 16:26 | NIV

Trading a consistent kingdom message for political clout has contributed to the loss of moral authority. For anyone except those mainlining cable news, sixty lost court cases and a couple of Dominion lawsuits support Kinzinger’s conclusion that a “stolen election” is a lie. But if it is repeated often enough, especially on television, it becomes believable. Yet, it is a lie that has further split an already divided nation. That lie is the work of the Father of Lies—Satan, repeated by Donald Trump and attested to by many in the GOP. It has fomented conflict in the nation, in its churches and even in our families. Healing cannot begin until all who helped spread it accept responsibility for the damage done to the Nation by acknowledging it for what it is. More importantly those who spread it from the pulpit should consider repenting and return to teaching about the only kingdom that cannot be shaken. So let us be thankful, because we have a kingdom that cannot be shaken. We should worship God in a way that pleases him with respect and fear . . . Hebrews 12:28 | NCV

Sadly, there is no shortage of well-meaning, professed Christian voters who have bought into the conspiracy theories and lies: hook, line and sinker because of their pervasiveness. In many cases, Satan’s work is being done by God’s people. Representative Kinzinger’s experience and conclusion about the damage being caused to the Body of Christ is only the tip of the iceberg. While the attack is being orchestrated by Satan, it is being led by some of America’s most influential pastors. By perhaps unwittingly facilitating the devil’s work, they have done more damage to the contemporary Church’s reputation than the most determined atheists.

After the votes of Kinzinger and the others, on January 14, 2021, Franklin Graham, son of well-known evangelist Billy Graham tweeted these words, “Shame, shame on the ten Republicans who joined with Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats in impeaching President Trump yesterday. After all that he has done for our country, you would turn your back and betray him so quickly?” He went on to observe, “And these ten, from his own party, joined in the feeding frenzy. It makes you wonder what the 30 pieces of silver were that speaker Pelosi promised for this betrayal.“ The Charlotte Observer, Graham’s hometown newspaper, ran an opinion piece equating Graham’s words to blasphemy by his linking of Donald Trump to Jesus Christ. Too bad Franklin didn’t pay a little more attention to what his dad had to say about politics in a “Parade” interview in 1981. “I don’t want to see religious bigotry in any form. It would disturb me if there was a wedding between the religious fundamentalists and the political right. The hard right has no interest in religion except to manipulate it.“

Graham is not the only apple that fell some distance from the tree. Disgraced Liberty University president, Jerry Falwell, Jr. and his wife, Becky, ironically joined forces with Trump beneath a March 1990 Playboy magazine cover on June 26, 2016 to support his presidential run. Falwell’s father, Jerry Falwell, Sr., consistently denounced Bill Clinton’s sin and fought pornography throughout his ministry. On June 1, 2016, Falwell, Jr. during an Anderson Cooper interview on CNN, justified Trump’s behavior by observing when it comes to politics it is “every man for himself.” Apparently for the younger Falwell, situational and Christian ethics are one and the same. He went on to say, “We’re not electing a pastor-in-chief. We’re electing a commander-in-chief.” In a 2018 interview with the New York Times, he stated unequivocally, “I do not look to the teachings of Jesus for what my political beliefs should be.“ A far cry from the exhortation of the apostle Paul. So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 | NIV

In The Immoral Majority: Why Evangelicals Chose Political Power Over Christian Values, author Ben Howe quotes Michael Farris, chairman of the Home School Legal Defense Association, “Today, we see politics fully influencing a thousand Christian leaders. This is a day of mourning. . . . In a generation, the movement had changed from trying to be a force for change in politics, to being forcefully changed by politics.” Again, we would do well to heed the wisdom of the apostle Paul. Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 2 Corinthians 6:14 | NIV.

The Inevitable Insurrection

by chaplainshawn | Jan 29, 2021 | Just Sayin'

The inevitable insurrection occurred on January 6, 2021 when America witnessed the first attack on the U.S. Capitol since the British did it in 1814, during the War of 1812. It was the first, organized insider attack against our nation since cannons fired on Fort Sumter to begin the American Civil War in 1861. Many believe president Trump, along with other, prominent politicians and religious figures were responsible. An impeachment trial will likely not punish the most guilty. No doubt the members of the mob who are identified will have their day in court, but those most responsible will slink back into the shadows.

A Senate trial is, by definition, a toothless, political sideshow, especially now, given the fear GOP politicians have of the former president’s supporters. In fact, the vote to call the process unconstitutional was their cowardly way of avoiding responsibility and guilt by association. They would rather debate the process than adopt a moral position. The party of Lincoln has proven to be more like the party of Nixon, except that GOP finally had enough. Certainly, we cannot expect them to take their Senate juror oath any more seriously than they have their oaths of office. You’d be wrong to conclude Republicans fear the former president. They do not fear Donald Trump. They fear the mob behind him. And that is the Presidents most potent weapon.

Homeland Security issued a national domestic terror alert this week because the threat persists. And it persists because the lies and cover-up persist. House leader McCarthy tried to blame all Americans for the insurrection, but that is simply a smoke screen intended to conceal his party’s culpability. If we conservative Christians share any responsibility at all, it is our lack of outrage and silence in the aftermath of the insurrection.

That mob has been conditioned from both the bully pulpit and the church pulpit to believe they are doing the right thing, indeed, the will of God. Sociologists refer to the unholy view of Christianity that so obviously perverts the teaching of Jesus, Christian Nationalism. Some folks, who call themselves followers of Jesus, have taken their eyes off him and placed their trust in politics and politicians. It is up to us to lovingly guide our brothers and sisters back into a Church that practices, not just praises, the teaching of Jesus.

Admittedly, I was angry as I watched people carrying Bibles and the banner of Jesus while yelling obscenities and making murderous threats against elected officials, including the vice-president. This is what I wish our ex-president and the weak-kneed GOP members of Congress would hear from the Church. You do not have the privilege of encouraging others to kick down our door, attack our family, bust up our furniture, steal our tv and then blame us. Yet, that is exactly what representative Kevin McCarthy did. Nor do they have the standing to tell us to forgive, forget and move on as many Trump-supporting politicians have done. I suspect most of us have already forgiven, but I doubt we will ever forget. It was a knife to the heart of our nation akin to 9/11.

Genuine followers of Jesus are not the ones pouring gas on the fire intemperate words and actions ignited. But the fire is still raging and GOP elected officials pretend not to see anything—just as they pretended not to see the ex-president’s immoral actions. Until he, and others who perpetuated the stolen election lies admit responsibility and take public action to restore confidence in our electoral process, the rift in our nation will remain an open wound.

My Confession

by chaplainshawn | Jan 18, 2021 | Christian Living

I am a forgiven sinner who traces my forgiveness to the finished work of the cross through faith in Jesus the Christ, my lord and savior. I am not a fan, but a determined follower who accepts my responsibility to share the Good News of the gospel. I have a duty to tell the world about him and live out God’s earthly kingdom by channeling his love for me to others. It is easy to love God who first loved me and sent his son to pay the price for my sin. But I confess, lately it has been hard for me to love my neighbor as I much as I love me because I am angry. Jesus equates anger to murder. And I don’t want any part of violence, especially murder.

Admittedly, I am a flawed man desperately trying to follow Jesus in a Twilight Zone world; a world in which some would have us believe down is up and wrong is right. It is a world where the banner of Jesus and the Word of God is carried into the US Capitol by people shouting murderous threats. It is a world where the nation’s leader is sitting on Christ’s throne in the minds of many professed Christians and they have not yet realized they are worshipping a false god. It is a world where respected clergy equate elected men and women, who took a conscientious stand, with Judas.

That makes me angry. I am angry at the president and his enablers and apologists. I am especially angry at religious leaders who know it is the Church, not the USA that plays a role in God’s redemptive plan. Yet they continue to back a failed presidency and do nothing to stop the lies behind the chaos. Those who attacked the Capitol were largely, misguided sheep. It was the leaders, both the religious and secular shepherds who set them on a fool’s errand; sent them to attack our nation, once a beacon of democracy for the world.

Yes, I am angry. I am angry at what I have lost. I can no longer fly an American flag without fearing my patriotism will be misconstrued as bigotry or treason. I can no longer celebrate my right to keep and bear arms without fear of being lumped in with the violent, Capitol mob. I must now call myself a pre-Trump Republican for obvious reasons. But most of all, I can no longer self-identify as an evangelical for fear that will alienate others from the gospel I long to share with them.

Lastly, I am angry with myself because I struggle with loving those responsible for what I have lost. My anger is mostly fueled by guilt. I voted for Donald Trump in 2016, which implicates me in ripping babies from their mothers’ arms—some never to be reunited. It ties me to caging children. It links me to the alienation of our traditional allies in favor of friendship with evil dictators and despots. It makes me a party to lies, all of them, but especially the “stolen election” one that continues to divide us. Finally, the worst lie of all makes me culpable in the deaths of nearly 400 thousand Americans from COVID-19.

Sure, like most of my Christian friends, I can proudly proclaim that I voted against abortion, yet when he had absolute power to do something about it, he didn’t. Or I can brag that he secured our border. Next to, “Mexico is going to pay for it.” that’s one of the biggest lies he has spun as a success. Most recently there have been lies about vaccine availability and distribution. Non-existent stores were promised to states, further exacerbating immunization plans and threatening even more death.

I am still opposed to abortion, but not at the cost of my relationship with Jesus and the loss of our national prestige, democracy, compassion and self-respect. So, there it is. I am an angry, poor judge of presidents. (Yes, I voted for Richard Nixon in 1972, too.) Next time I’m voting for a moral candidate and leaving the moral policy changes to God. Finally I am praying we all pray for the new government and learn to leave politics out of the pulpit. There you have it. I have made my public confession. Thankfully, our God is a God of second chances.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9 | NIV).

Teach Your Sons to Man Up

by chaplainshawn | Jan 4, 2021 | Just Sayin'

It is time to teach your sons to man up. I’m not talking about making them macho, just responsible, contributors to society. The manly man focus introduced through Wild at Heart by John Eldridge, in my opinion, has done almost as much damage to Christian young men as Purity Culture has done to young women. The difference is there may also be a link to Christian Nationilism resulting from the Eldridge work.

Poor, delicate, little snowflakes. America, we have created a generation of helpless children that might look like adults, but lack the basic skills necessary to survive without mommy and daddy hovering over and protecting them. I recently listened for a second time to a podcast by Dr. Jeff Iorg, President of Gateway Seminary in Ontario, California that he called, “Man Card.”

Iorg encouraged parents, specifically Christians, to focus to making their children, especially their sons, responsible adults no matter how difficult it may be for all concerned. He lamented the ‘prolonged adolescence’ resulting from overprotective parents.

To make his point he described a new course offered by the University of California at Berkeley. Before continuing, consider this. California, along with a number of other states, allows 16 year-olds to register or pre-register to vote. And yet, college-aged young adults, at least in California, apparently need a class to know how to function in the grown-up world.

The course, Psychology 198, was called ‘Adulting.’ A grade of pass/no pass was awarded. (Apparently failure is not a part of the Berkeley adulting world). Perhaps that is why it filled up so quickly. Seems sort of like a trophy for participation, but that’s what many have come to expect.

Regardless, the course description used these words to describe the need for it. “The school system does not require a class for students to learn how to live in the real world and function as an adult. We often enter college unprepared to take care of ourselves.” Wow! Old enough to vote, buy a car, obtain a credit card and register to be drafted into military service, but unable to take care of themselves?

Is it any wonder politicians who resemble indulgent parents appeal to that demographic. It may also be why some parents must obtain a court order to remove adult children from the family home? I concur with UC Berkeley about schools not creating responsible adults.

Even more, I concur with Dr. Iorg that schools never had that responsibility. Parents do! It is time parents quit coddling their children, especially their sons. Learning to navigate the ‘real world’ should begin in elementary school not college or graduate school.

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