A Prayer

I am grieved again by recent events in our nation. Institutionalized racism has again ascended into public consciousness, but it's been there all along. Much work must be done. And listening is a must. But God's people need to pray, for prayer is our great weapon. For this, I recently wrote a prayer from my heart to God.

Heavenly Father,

You are the God of all flesh. You chose Abraham and his offspring but called him to be a blessing to all nations. And through your Son, every tribe, nation, and tongue can be one in Christ. Through his blood, we find the equality people made in your image should have. We thank you for this glorious gospel.

But, yet again, sadly, in recent weeks we have had to watch the ugly manifestation of racism rear it's head in our nation. We pray for the families and friends of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd. We don't for a second believe these are isolated events, momentary problems to address. Instead, they seem systemic, part of the very fabric of our nation. For this, we grieve.

For decades now, this stain has been with us, and your church has often been silent. Many have argued there is no real issue, that it is contrived as a way to divide us, but so many others have lived the nightmare. Too many know the wounds, struggles, and hindrances racism has induced.

Father, forgive us. Help us listen to one another. Help us confront injustice. And help us learn and grow. Let your church, including ours, be part of the solution. For this, give us wisdom. Please show us what to do, collectively, and as individuals. Not just today, not only when it catches mainstream attention, but as a constant cry of our gospel-saturated hearts.

Amen.

Covid-19 & The Church

The world seemed such a different place in early March. We heard the coronavirus was coming, but we weren't certain how to respond to it. I suppose that uncertainty hasn't changed very much. We are still trying to figure this thing out.

But, fast forward to three months later, and the impact is everywhere. Though the number of deaths has not been as catastrophic as first imagined -- praise God! -- they are still sobering. The economic destruction has been widespread, but is especially devastating to poorer nations and communities. And the social fallout has been disheartening. We are so divided we can't even be brought together in a quest to overcome a worldwide pandemic. Anger abounds. People are frustrated. And the whole thing has become a political hot-mess.

And now, in the church, dividing lines are being drawn. One believer asks: Is your church opening up in defiance of the governing authorities? Are your pastors unaware of the risks to public health from gatherings like the church provides? Do you want to destroy our gospel witness? Are your church members believing conspiracy theories and debunked hoaxes? Another believer asks: Has your church cowered to the principalities of the current age? Does your pastor obey man instead of God? Does your church require facemasks? Does the state now dictate when and how your church can meet? And the passion, for many, runs deep.

But we would be foolish not to see the handiwork of Satan during this time. God is at work here, but so is the enemy of our souls. He would love to create an unholy division in the body of Christ -- one set of churches against another, or one group of believers against another, even within individual churches. To fall for this would mean we fall for one of Satan's oldest tricks -- to defeat us from within. There are numerous things which should break fellowship, this is hardly one of them.

And, as I said, I believe God is doing some amazing things during this time in human history, unprecedented in many of our lifetimes. Though difficult, I am grateful for the lessons I am learning through this season. But I am more hopeful for the long-term lessons no one even knows about at this point. It will take years to see this whole situation shake out. What is God doing? Tons. But only time will tell. There are some guiding lights that have helped me during this time.

First, we know we are important in the eyes of God. We are the church of Jesus Christ, his body here on earth. From the moment the word "essential" took on a brand new application, I determined I would never need the word to be applied to the church by the state. I know we are essential in the mind of God. This is all that really matters to me. A constitution, a president, or a governor do not give us our authority. I am thankful for my country and the freedom to worship as we see fit. These are rights God has given that our founders recognized. For this, I rejoice. But Jesus Christ, in every nation and time, calls his church essential.

Second, we have a responsibility to be wise and safe. Even if the virus did not go as far as many thought, it is still a threat of some kind. We should behave wisely and serve to protect our congregation and community, especially the most vulnerable. We know we hold the types of gatherings that spread this disease; they are shoulder to shoulder, hour-plus, closed-door meetings. Throw in singing, and our type of meeting is one the coronavirus could spread in. There is no store or business on the planet offering anything more important than Jesus and his word. Our gatherings haven't closed because they're less important than a liquor store, but because of their style. Therefore, as we reopen, we will continue to be cautious and safe. A small fraction of pastors are reopening without precautions, saying, "I am going to obey God, not man." But to me and many others, being wise, safe, and loving toward our community is what obedience to God looks like.

Third, we are ambassadors for Christ. During this time of division, hostility, complaint, anger, and fear, believers should be calm, hopeful, and loving. Our hope is in Christ, and we should project a quiet confidence and determination that our world lacks. Though these feel like perilous times to many of us, we know our God is on the throne. He can redeem this terrible mess. He can use it for his purposes. So let's act like it.

So, as our church collects everything it needs to meet again, high-demand items like hand cleaning stations and intense cleaning products, and as we put together our reopening plans, we trust in the Lord. He is good. And, though we wait to meet with great anticipation, our hearts break for our world. The social, health, and economic devastation has hit us all hard. And, as Christ's hands and feet, we want to be a great gift to our communities. Use us, O God, to serve this broken world. Open hearts to the gospel. Use us to love and serve our communities well.

Book Recommendations

This month, I would like to recommend the book Heal Us, Emmanuel. It is a series of essays written by thirty church leaders of various ethnicities and backgrounds on the subject of racial reconciliation, representation, and unity in the church. I read this book a couple of years ago, and found it enlightening, and certainly challenging.

Here is its own description:

"Most Christians would say they believe all people are made in the image of God and are equal before him. They would say red, brown, yellow, black, and white, they are precious in his sight. But do they have any friends of another race? Is there anyone at their church who does not look like them? Does this matter to God? The majority of American Christians do not have significant relationships with anyone who does not look like them, which makes them susceptible to cultural blind spots and less effective as ambassadors for biblical justice. The thirty church leaders who contributed to Heal Us, Emmanuel desire racial reconciliation, representation, and supernatural unity in all the churches of Christ."

https://amzn.to/2Ml9YdT

Prayer Requests

• Wisdom for Calvary Monterey: each week new regulations and guidelines are released, and we need God's wisdom for these uncertain times.
• The Holdridge Family: for God's blessing on our raising of three teenage girls. Christina and I are having such a good time during these years, but need God's grace and wisdom to help prepare these young women for adulthood.