The Terrifying Faith of a Christian

 It is difficult for me to put to words what Jordan Peterson means to me. When I read his work and hear him share his thoughts, I feel a deep connection, almost a subterranean understanding of life and an affirmation or perhaps a validation of myself. He has written and spoken about the trouble and importance of finding peers of common caliber, and sticking with them. I do not consider myself a peer of Peterson by any stretch, but I find myself close enough to his class that I perceive I see as he does. It’s more than that, but I cannot find the words. It is here that I understand a bit more than what I believe most people comprehend. There is depth of thought and understanding that cannot be easily put to words, but I feel compelled to try. 

Since I have become aware of the man, I have observed people ask him about his faith and underlying belief system. He has not given people the answer they expect, and so people speculate, is he an atheist or is he a Christian? This seems to really matter to Christians. His answers, in my opinion, have been clear and honestly more reflective of the common believer than I think people understand. I do not regard his written work as “atheist” in nature. It is the rational expression of the working out the story of humanity. He understands faith in God more than the average Christian I have known, so much so that the average Christian probably cannot understand his answer about faith.

Peterson conveys his understanding of humanity and our existence by using Biblical truth as if it is a given, but also through the humanist reasonings of evolution and psychology. It is a curious blend that one might argue is contradictory in nature, but I also understand it. Some Christians might reject it simply because of its blend of influences, but by nature it is wholly human; faith plus intellect. He writes of Jesus as Christ with capital letters, and refers to him as Lord, albeit sometimes in sort of a 3rd person way. He writes of the stories from the old and new testaments of the Bible as if they are a given historical fact, or at least occurring from true humans as expressive of reality. Yet he also seems to view them much as the Christian views the book of Revelation; as a creative or perhaps deeply intellectual representation of the truth of the human story. Perhaps truth with layers that are equally true and equally valuable to the one perceiving them. I have to insert a sidenote here as I do fully believe the Bible’s main meaning is it’s most plain meaning and I take most of the Scriptures as literal fact. What I mean to say here is that there is simply more to it than that, which is equally valued and in no way contradictory. In this way, Peterson seems to accept the Gospel as true, and does so in a more honest, deep, and genuine way that any of us as he rationalizes that truth through the human capacity for understanding and expression. You see, to him what we understand as true is reflected in our being, so if we say the Gospel story is true, then by necessity we must live it as our very being. This leads me to how he has described his faith, which again I believe is a deeper reflection of the average Christian’s.

In multiple interviews, including just recently in early 2021, he has described his faith in Jesus as unavoidable and terrifying at the same time. He has said something to the effect of, he lives as though the Gospel is true, but also in the fear that to truly believe would require an expression of life that may not be possible, or the implications of such faith may be too much to bear. In a 2019 interview with Dennis Prager, he mentioned that if we were to truly believe in God, there is no end to what may be possible. Yet the fact that we do not experience that potential, implies we do not truly hold that faith to be true. He believes, yet is soberly afraid of what that means. Every Christian should be able to give that an amen. All of us fall short of the glory of God, and that calls into question the genuineness of our faith and our appreciation of that which we claim to believe. 

To intellectuals who are consumed and immersed in truth as the primary defining element of living, there is no other option than to express truth through our being. If I know something to be true, I cannot accept those as valid who proclaim otherwise, and I cannot myself live in a contradictory way. It is a blessing and a handicap, especially in a world that is subjective in nature. The truth either is or isn’t and you either live or don’t live accordingly, but to live in a contradictory way invalidates the truth or your understanding (faith) of it. 

The terrifying reality of the Gospel includes this: an eternal God. A supreme being beyond the ability of humanity to understand, who transcends time. He has no beginning or end. Eternity spans backwards and forwards forever, with the present being so small it is almost irrelevant. Yet the present is all we humans are truly capable of engaging, and it matters. We remember the past and imagine the future, but God transcends it all. To accept the Gospel, means to accept that this Creator who has always been and will always be, was never born and will never decay. To accept the Gospel, means to accept that God transcends the reality of the existence He created for us; the universe and everything in it. To accept this means to accept the possibility that God has created an infinite number of realities each with their own qualities, timelines, and possibilities. To accept the Gospel, means to accept the reality that just as God made all of our existence from nothing, He can return it to the nothing from which it came…including us…and we would never know we even existed. Is there even anything else to notice our absence? To accept God as Creator and Sustainer of life means the most basic of bodily functions and all its interdependencies exist and work purely as an act of God’s creativity, grace, and will. Air exists and we have the capacity to draw it into our bodies, retrieve oxygen to enrich our blood so that our cells can live, then expel the depleted remains. The fact that any of that even exists is itself miraculous, and now compare it to the diversity of life throughout the world. Now realize that substantive molecules exist on other planets, say Saturn for example, where they are interacting through cause and effect this very moment. All existing by the will of God. Now accept the possibility that another universe similar to ours exists with beings living out their reality as God’s creation who may be coheirs to the eternity promised us. We are totally and completely dependent upon God. That is terrifying, but it gets worse. 

God, is a God of justice and love, of which we cannot escape. God warns us that how we live in this reality within the confines of the human timeline and experience, will govern our fate for eternity. He didn’t create us to be a forgettable blip in eternity, an instant of time for him, but to exist forever with Him. Despite my natural assumption that humanity would be irrelevant to an eternal God, He loves us. The God of our existence loves us. Our faith and hope in Him matters to Him and to us. Our willingness and ability to live in obedience to that faith and hope, really matters, eternally so. 

If you believe in the Gospel, you accept that God created humanity in His image to be sustained by Him, yet that humanity chose to betray Him through sin by rejecting Him and His created order, choosing to live on our own terms which ultimately leads to our own death. Despite this, God offers humanity reconciliation to Him and eternal life through faith in Him which is reflected in our obedience to His ways. He promises to restore it all to how it was supposed to be. Being impossible for us to achieve that, Jesus came as God in the flesh to take on the consequence of our sin by living a sinless life then dying on the cross and defeating death through His resurrection. He did what we cannot, thus breaking the curse on humanity. He offers eternal life to all who believe in Him. The expression of this belief is that our lives should look as Jesus’ did. To put it simply; we must accept that our existence, both now and for eternity, is completely dependent upon the sovereignty and love of God, which means we must live that way. 

This is what an intellectual like Peterson, probably finds terrifying. The implications of “if” we truly believe, “then” our lives will look like His, are enormous. To an intellectual, proof must be given for an assertion of fact, otherwise faith is just an idea. For the human intellectual to claim this faith but who does not see his life expressing the fullness of Christ, then he must conclude that his faith must not be genuine or complete or the faith isn’t truth. Faith can be an idea people find good and attractive, and they can use this idea to pretend it is true, but truth demands far more. I suspect that many among the church who thrive off of the rituals of Christianity are fans of the idea more than adherents to the truth. This incomplete faith places us on a path to destruction and eternal condemnation. This is terrifying. Jesus gives us much to do and a very high bar to live by from a human point of view. Yet He also promises that his burden is easy. Living as He has called us should not be burdensome, yet doing so demands a radical lifestyle that will contradict the ways of the world and will clearly, as it did the early church, lead to persecution. Yet for any honest person, the burden of living to the fullness of Christ as the standard, is more than we can bear. Thus the terrifying reality that the Gospel is true, yet it is beyond our ability as humans to fully express that...which means we cannot fully understand it.

What is also terrifying is the implication to everyone around us who does not believe, and our role in their eternity. Our actions have consequences for them too, and they are equally valued to God as His creation. If we accept the Gospel but do not proclaim it, then those around us who have not heard or do not accept it are condemned to eternal suffering. Yet Jesus calls us to go into all the world and make disciples; to proclaim the Gospel as truth by our living, and to show the world what it means to live on earth as the people of God; the story of humanity redeemed. Yet all of us fail to live to that standard, and our story continues to be one of failure. How can we answer to God who put us here on earth and gave us the truth, yet we did not share it with His other children? If we believe, then our lives will reveal it, and if our lives don’t reveal it, then we may not believe. Also, if we know the truth but withheld it from others, how can we possibly answer to God for that crime of ultimate selfishness?

Do you or I live everyday as if God created all of this and we are wholly dependent upon Him? Do we live everyday seeking to reflect the glory of Jesus to the world around us? Do we live everyday in light of the fact that by simply living for ourselves will result in our eternal condemnation and suffering? Do we live everyday in a way that is worthy of the life God has given us? The mere fact that we exist is an enormous blessing. Yet do we live in a way that reflects our appreciation of that miracle? The honest answer to any of that should terrify us. We are completely unfaithful and unappreciative. Yet there is hope and value in living as though it is all true, while also failing to prove it by our actions. 

Enter the grace of God, the trust it demands, and the ultimate good news. God’s promise is that despite our failure to live a life worthy of what He has given us and asked of us, if we call on the name of Jesus we will be saved. If we admit our failures to Him, confess our sins, and proclaim Jesus as Lord over all of it, then He promises to forgive us of our failures. If we accept Him, He promises us peace for our souls through the assurance of our blessed eternity, while He transforms us by the gift of His Holy Spirit and the renewing of our minds. The implication of that reality is terrifying in a sobering way. Afterall, fear of the Lord is the beginning of all wisdom.

There is even some dose of terror to be found in the concept of heaven. We exist and comprehend ourselves, our being as humans, through the gift of free will. We are not simply animals or programmed automatons destined to life by pre-defined impulse. To be human, as we know it, means to be presented with information and to make decisions; being given options and having to make choices, our choices, with them. This is where personal expression comes from with all its consequences and benefits. This is also how and why sin exists. It seems free will cannot exist without sin. It is the inevitable result of every human being, part of the tragedy of the human story. However, in heaven we are promised a new body and an existence with Christ by which we will have no more needs, no more pain, no more sin. Does this then mean we will no longer have free will or does it mean we will only be presented with options that are good, or does it imply we will be compelled to good action through some force or by the mere intimidation of being in God’s presence? Giving into this hope, means letting go of ourselves, even our existence as we have known it. That is terrifying, but also unavoidable, and also tremendously peaceful. 

I presume very few of us actually spend time pondering these things. Doing so hurts my soul, and I understand it has the same effect on others. Yet there is beauty in this understanding, as I believe C.S. Lewis so brilliantly expressed in his series of books called the Chronicles of Narnia. There is also peace in this understanding, because all of life becomes contextualized, and the worries that trouble us become inconsequential. 

The answer to it all is found in having faith like a child; we must simply accept it as our reality, and enjoy every moment of it, letting God own what is rightfully His, and releasing ourselves from trying to make it all work out. Children thrive in their dependency and their subconscious faith in the care of their parents. This is the easy burden Jesus promises; peace for our souls so we can revel in our existence. Solomon with the wisdom of God came to this same conclusion. He looked everywhere for the meaning of life, and found simply this: nothing is new under the son and everything is meaningless, like chasing the wind, so enjoy your time under the son, and embrace what you have. 

It all matters more profoundly than any of us can comprehend, but the beauty is, we don’t need to comprehend it. We simply need to accept it, and live. 

Anecdotally, I set out to explore if Jordan Peterson is an atheist. Indeed, I believe he is not an atheist, not even close. He’s far more of a believer than even he may understand. His burden that he will need to learn to let go of, is that which makes him so valued in so many people’s eyes; his intellect. The burden he perceives to be the lift of the Christian is both of a mass beyond the human’s ability to wield, and it is carried by Christ. This is no easy task to accept and it is not trivial to comprehend. Alas, ignorance is bliss, and I both envy and pity the blissful. I only wish the blissful appreciated their ignorance.

Slavery and Christian America

 It’s 2020, so all things are extreme and insane, making this year extremely insane. 

One of the raging debates in the streets, around the virtual water cooler, and overwhelming the conversations in the community square, is the issue of slavery and how it relates to our modern context. The debate is centered around the lie that America was founded by racist men who implemented slavery as a means to build individual and national prosperity. The lie continues that this foundation created “systemic racism,” which now permeates all of life and the subconscious bias of white people. The phrase “America’s institutions were built on the backs of slaves” adds fuel to the fire, and creates the perception that white Americans are only prosperous because they abused black people. American expressions of Christianity (revealed in local churches) are even criticized as exhibits of this injustice, as some argue that the culturally or stylistically “white” expression of Christian faith is itself racist. 

A prominent Democrat politician was quoted earlier this week supporting his party’s platform as the moral authority which can finally right these alleged wrongs of our founding, by finally addressing what he called, our original sin of slavery. One party says America is racist, the other says that some individuals are racist and that cannot be blamed on all America. Last night, as the result of people drawn to extreme anger that stems from this “systemic racism” belief, there were riots in the streets in cities all over America, with the rioters calling on each other to “burn it all down,” because they didn’t get what they wanted; an injustice that would satisfy their hate-fueled demands for revenge. And so 2020 goes.

While this “race” debate is going on, I happen to also be reading through the words and work of our nation’s founding fathers. I will not claim to be an expert in early American history, but I am certainly a student of it, which means I actually read about it from the original point of view of those who were there. As my wife and I homeschool our children, we also happen to be studying the US Civil War at this same time, immersed in stories from people who lived it. 

While it is somehow controversial to say this, it is absolutely true to say, that the men who wrote the Declaration of Independence and with it solidified American values, were staunchly anti-slavery. These men who were the chosen delegates selected to represent each of the thirteen colonies in a new Congress, were united in their view that all men are created equal by God, and that no man should own another. While slavery was common in their time of the late 1700s, they inherited it from the generation before. However, slavery was not part of the founding of the New Word (which birthed the Revolution), as Pilgrims traveling to America did not own slaves, nor did they have the wealth or opportunity to import slaves. Slavery came to America from England between the times of the Pilgrims (1607) and the Revolution (1775), and by the time the Declaration of Independence was written (1776), it was well established as a cultural norm. 

Never being satisfied with this, the struggle of slavery was a constant source of tension in early America, which culminated in the definition of the Republican Party which elected President Abraham Lincoln, who went to war with fellow Americans in 1861 to force an end to the debate, and who ended slavery in America with the Emancipation Proclimation (1862). Interestingly, the pro-slavery south argued that the anti-slavery north lacked the moral authority they claimed, because “free” factory workers of the north were often treated far worse than slaves in the plantations of the south. Regardless, the issue that could not be resolved in the Declaration of Independence, was resolved with the Civil War, yet it took more time to normalize society, to shake it from a culture that it inherited from all previous cultures that had existed to that point on Earth. 

It took roughly 170 years for slavery to be firmly established in America (before her founding), and 86 more years to legally end it, and another 100 years to achieve civil rights parity. Clearly, America has been fighting, from her core values, to achieve equality among all men since her founding and for over 200 years.

Yet somehow today, that history is forgotten. I have read recent headlines from pundits, quotes from politicians, summaries in a Chrisitian book, and words from fellow believers, all claiming that the founding of our nation was rooted in the evil establishment of slavery. Their criticisms hint that establishing slavery was a motivation of the founding fathers; a reflection of their racism. These critics call it our nation’s “original sin,” and our founding fathers are today “canceled” because they didn’t abolish it with the Declaration. People today, look back at the founders and argue, “well, they had slaves, so obviously they didn’t believe all men were equal, or they didn’t regard black people as humans, revealing their true racism.” Christians today even use these arguments to conclude that America’s founding was not “Christian,” and that we are therefore not a “Christian nation.” These are simply ignorant and quite frankly stupid conclusions to draw. But rather than debate what is quite obvious if you actually study those men and read their words, and examine their lives, I want to point something else out.

If we should today cancel America’s founding values and the culture they established, because the Founders didn’t abolish slavery, then we should cancel Jesus and the founding of Christianity, because neither He nor His Disciples nor His Apostles spoke against slavery, nor did they, as they established Christianity and the church, attempt to abolish slavery in the context of the church. In fact, they did the opposite.  

While giving instructions to help the early church understand how to operate in unity as a new family of God, Paul wrote in his letter to the Ephesian church (chapter 6:5-8), 

“Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one of you for whatever good you do, whether you are slave or free.”

Paul followed this with instructions to slave owners, that they treat their slaves well, in fact, “in the same way” as he encouraged slaves to act.

Later, in the book of Philemon, we see Paul sending a runaway slave back to his master, with an appeal that the master accept the slave as a fellow brother in the Lord. 

“I am sending him - who is my very heart - back to you. I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel. But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do would not seem forced but would be voluntary.”

In Luke chapter 7, we see Jesus heal the servant of a Roman officer. The officer, being well respected in the Jewish community, even had leaders from the community appeal to Jesus on his behalf. After hearing the words and seeing the faith of the Roman officer, Jesus’ response is recorded as,

“When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to the crowd that was following him, he said, “I tell you, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel!” 10 And when the officer’s friends returned to his house, they found the slave completely healed.” 

Note that neither did Jesus, nor Paul, rebuke slave owners for the practice of slavery. 

There is no mention of an anti-slavery movement in the New Testament. Quite the opposite, as early Christians were encouraged to bring the gospel into their lives as slaves or slave owners, and to allow the gospel to redeem the context and culture itself. Paul used slavery as an analogy to illustrate our relationship with sin and Jesus; he called unbelievers slaves to sin, and himself a slave to Christ. Today, we look back at these words and accept the cultural norm that had established slavery and to a certain degree, we recognize that it was necessary in that place in history. We see that slave owners are encouraged to treat their slaves more like servants and brothers and sisters in Christ. Some Biblical scholars comment that this dynamic was more like permanent employment, and it was often instituted through personal debt. However, we see no attempt whatsoever from Jesus, Peter, Paul, or any other founding father of Christianity to end human slavery. They didn’t even rebuke it. 

If you read the work and words of the likes of John Adams, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and others, you will see a strong parallel, in fact, a continuation of this New Testament Christian perspective on slavery. Adams rejected slavery as evil, period, but he was born and raised in a poor family that did not have the means nor necessity for slavery. Still, his wife, Abigail Adams, who was equally against slavery, did grow up with servants in her house. Jefferson owned many slaves which he inherited through his family’s wealth, but regarded them as servants for his house and laborers for his farm. Jefferson’s slaves were regarded by him as similar to today’s day laborers or migrant farmers, except back then there was no concept of daily work or seasonal migration. These slaves were totally dependent upon Jefferson, and he on them. George Washington’s closest friend and companion was also his slave, and he treated his slaves as servant members of his household, another employer/employee-like relationship, that clearly extended beyond that in many ways. In these ways, our founders followed a culture more like the NT church, than we do today, further solidifying their parallel with the founders of Christiantiy.

Our founding fathers originally sought to abolish slavery with the Declaration of Independence, and Thomas Jefferson had that explicitly written into his first draft. However, it was a point of debate (seemingly with 3 other delegates), which at the time did not rise above the surface of the urgent issue of pending war with England, and unified government among the colonies. The urgent issue, was declaring the colonies independent from England, and united together as one new nation. Instead of outright abolishing slavery, the founders established the legal and moral framework that would ensure an anti-slavery culture in America. They did this with the words, 

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” 

This cultural truth and Biblically rooted understanding is the cornerstone of our political system in the United States; a “self-evident” and obvious given that requires no qualification or debate. The founders simply agreed. Some people today claim that if the founders said this, and still owned slaves, then that means they did not believe slaves qualified as men created by God. This is a profoundly ignorant perspective, that requires those holding this point of view to ignore the words and works of the founders. They were well aware of the evils of slavery. They were well aware of the evils of the importation of slaves and the dangerous journey that brought men from distant shores to America. Their eyes were wide open, and their hearts for equality among all humans, including people with dark skin who descended from African tribes. 

In fact, Abigail Adams pointed out that the members of Congress would be hypocrites if they claimed the liberty they were enumerating for America didn’t extend to slaves. They well understood this. 

However, I want to draw your attention back to the parallels between the founding fathers of Christianity, and the founding fathers of America. Both inherited slavery from the cultures and generations that preceded them. Interestingly, the writings in the New Testament do not contain nearly the anti-slavery commentary and passion that fills the writings of America’s founding fathers. However, in the New Testament, Christians are encouraged by Jesus and His Apostles to redeem slavery by applying the gospel to it. This is what the founding fathers of America did; they implemented this guidance in stark contrast to the generations that preceded America’s founding, by using it as the basis for their argument that established independence. They actually lived the words of Jesus and the Apostle Paul in this way. 

Living the words of Jesus, is to me the ultimate expression of the Christian life, as you cannot live Jesus’ commands, unless you accept Him as Lord. Our expressed life represents our spiritual act of worship, and we only worship what we believe is worthy of submitting to. In this way, I can confidently say that America’s founding was indeed a Christian expression, and ending slavery was and is an American core value. Slavery was not our nation's "original sin." Actually, our core values regarded slavery as a sin, and our founding fathers paved the way out; a journey that has taken over 200 years, but a fight that has always been truly American.

The Church and Love in the Era of COVID-19

If you have never read the story of Adoniram Judson, you should read it. His story of going into the world to share the Gospel with people who have never heard of their creator, starts and ends with suffering. He left America on a ship bound for England where he was to seek financial support to start missions work in Burma. Instead, he found himself a prisoner and in jail. Later, once finally commissioned and resourced to go on mission to Burma, he departed the east coast of America, his wife by a few weeks at his side, wondering if they would survive the voyage. His time in Burma was defined by illness, hardship, death, death, and more death, torture, prison, more death, rejection, illness, death. His story is one of great personal loss despite the dangers, for the sake of being who God created him to be, and to be the light the people of Burma so desperately needed. He lost everything in Burma. Repeatedly. But he never gave up. He never retracted. He never self-isolated. At one point later in his life, he returned to the US where he was welcomed as a hero. He hated that. In his mind, he was simply being a Christian. 

Shortly after COVID-19 upended life in America, the church was rapidly flooding blogs, social media, and forums with questions and answers, offering believers in Christ ways to frame up, reflect, and respond to the emerging crisis. Faced with the fear of the potential impact this virus, which was generally unknown at the time, might have upon us all, the most urgent question on everyone’s mind was, “should we continue to gather?” The gut instinct of many of us was “yes of course,” but the answer, among all streams of the church, was a resounding “no.” The primary reason conveyed was that, “as an act of love to protect the vulnerable among us, we should avoid gathering so we do not spread the virus.” Given the fear, at the time, that everyone could become infected and could die from COVID-19, this seemed an acceptable course of action, for a time. That time period was originally assumed to be a few weeks. Two weeks to be exact. Sprinkled into this debate, I also saw a few comments urging Christians to “submit to the governing authorities,” who were of course advocating for extreme “social distancing.” 

We were wrong. This was never the right decision. Especially not for the church. 

Nevertheless, this new separation was fully implemented and after one month into forced isolation by local governments coupled with strong guidance from the elevated voices of the medical community, the church in America, resolved itself to a watch-from-home model where the dominant pillars of the weekly event (singing and preaching) were streamed live or replayed on TVs throughout America’s homes. Meanwhile, the Biblical hallmarks that have defined the church since it was initially termed “The Way,” (gathering, sharing life, praying, caring for needs, joining in communion, celebrating, mourning) became completely absent. We said it was all in love, of course. In reality, it was out of fear, but we’ll get to that later. Regardless, what has always defined the church was suddenly abandoned by her, in love. 

The church before COVID-19 has often been criticized as largely having become a spectator-sport where the spectators (commonly called Christians) outsource the work of being the church, to a select few who play the part on a stage or conduct activities from their offices throughout the week, as defined by their jobs enshrined in the title of “full time ministry.” That may have seemed harsh, but the point was the church was largely at risk of losing its identity, its power, and its relevance. Now, the criticism cannot be ignored, as this is what the local church has literally become; a streamed presentation, a show put on by people paid to do that. Ironically, this is being justified as the ultimate act of loving our neighbors more than ourselves, so much so, that we decided to physically stop being the church so that those at greatest risk might live a little longer, in more comfort. This model of dispersed church has also yielded responses from people saying through watching their pastors on TV, they still feel connected, but long to be able to return to their buildings. It is interesting to hear people say that by watching someone on TV, they still feel like they are being the church, but they are prevented from attending the church. I’ll save that for another writing. 

This, I am writing to tell you now, is all wrong. Completely wrong. It was wrong at the time, and has been proven wrong by the actual COVID-19 experience as it has unfolded in the United States. The “church” has bought a terrible lie, and is using that lie to be redefined by fear. 

In the face of a global pandemic, what the church should have stood up and said was, “in Christ, we have nothing to fear from sickness and death, and instead, our love for our neighbor compels us to go into the places of greatest need and bring the fruit of the Spirit. Our Lord, Jesus has already defeated death, and He calls us to continue His work on earth.” We are, afterall, the light of the world. We should have said to our neighbors clamoring for the last roll of toilet paper, “we will share with you all that we have.” We should have said to those panicked with fear, “all of you who are scared and need a place to rest, come on over and let’s play some games and share a meal.” We should have said to the lonely that “we are the family of God, and would love for you to come into our homes so we can share family life with you.” We should have said, “if you feel compelled to stay home, but need anything, let us bring to you what you need.” To those who were diagnosed with the virus, we should have said, “can we come over and pray for you?” To those needing an outlet, a place for their kids to play and to share their fears with another adult, we should have said “my home is open, and I’ll have coffee and my ear ready whenever you need it.” To those needing shelter, we should have said “make sure you find safety, and if you cannot, come into our home.” 

We didn’t. We bought a lie, packaged it in love, and shipped it to all our friends. Let me repeat the lie so that I can directly challenge it: the lie said that COVID-19 will affect the majority of Americans, will cause mass illness, mass hospitalizations, and mass deaths that will overrun our medical services, cause shortages in resources through all of life, and could lead to the end of civilization as we know it. The lie said that we can prevent this from happening, if we self-isolate, stop everything, and stay home. The lie said that all will be well, if we just shut everything down, and wait it out. The lie said, this illness is more powerful than Jesus, but we can overcome it by our own determination and will. 

In the backdrop of what we now know to be a lie, let us look to what we do know to be true.

We had nothing to fear to begin with. Jesus said “come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” He offers us peace that defies all understanding; rest for our souls. He also said “Dear friends, don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot do any more to you after that. But I’ll tell you whom to fear. Fear God, who has the power to kill you and then throw you into hell. Yes, he’s the one to fear.” Luke 12:4-5. Later on in Luke 12, Jesus tells us not to fear about our provisions or situation in life. In fact, He calls us to give up what we have so that we can share it with those in need. No where in Scripture does Jesus promise or promote the idea that Christian living will be painless, easy, comfortable, or effortless. In fact, He calls us to the opposite, driven by the hope that one day death will bring us to Him; a place where we will live in eternity, free of fear, sickness, and pain. None of us are guaranteed another moment of life, let alone what we have come to call a lifetime. Our end doesn’t matter. What matters is how we live, and Jesus calls us to live in boldness, not in fear. The Christian relief organization, Samaritan’s Purse exemplifies this perfectly; wherever there is an outbreak of illness, disaster, despair - they fly in and offer whatever they can to heal the brokenness of the situation. 

That’s what we should have remembered. But we didn’t. Instead we fled in fear and retracted into our homes. So, what happened outside while we were inside? Let’s take a look at what we were (and are) so afraid of. 

This Coronavirus also known as COVID-19, is a seemingly highly infectious virus that can cause serious illness in certain individuals with compromised immune systems, or who have multiple health conditions that place them at a normal state of “high risk.” Fortunately, this has proven to be a very small portion of the public, and the mortality rate in the US from the virus, is somewhere between 0.1% (Stanford research) - 0.7% (CDC). The mortality rate was originally feared to be closer to 5%, and it was assumed that most people who became ill, had a terrible, life threatening experience. It turns out that the virus most profoundly affects individuals over the age of 70, who have three or more pre-existing health conditions, while the risk increases significantly with age. Symptoms mirror those of influenza, with the exception that fever and an increased severity of respiratory illness are the dominant signs of the infection. It very rarely, to the point of statistically almost never happening, represents a significant health risk to the average healthy child or adult in the US. In fact the CDC has maintained from the onset that COVID-19 is a low risk to the individual. There are always exceptions, but they remain the minor portion of this story. The virus is said to be spread through droplets of fluid expelled from an infected individual, most of whom are asymptomatic, meaning they carry the virus but bear no symptoms and are therefore unaware. The virus seems to be exceptionally durable outside of the human body, allowing it to “live” in surfaces longer than prior Coronaviruses. The ease of spread and potential “bad outcome,” are the basis for the broad concern.

From this point of view, COVID-19 is very much like the seasonal flu, with the exception that it may be more virulent, and more extreme in rare cases. However, it differs from influenza in a much more significant way, in that the mass majority of people who are infected with COVID-19, bear no or only minor symptoms. This is a controversial, but true statement. Given the data released to the public, it is not disputable. The mass majority of people who contract this illness will either not know, or will have minor symptoms, often less severe than the flu. It is also true, that the severity of COVID-19 can far exceed that of the flu, in certain individuals. 

Putting this into perspective, based on the experience of COVID-19 in the United States, about 20% of those who have tested positive have symptoms that warrant dedicated medical intervention or hospitalization, and less than 10% require intensive care, with between 99.7-99.9% of those infected fully recovering (variation is dependent upon location and other health factors). This data is somewhat inflated, as given the generally benign or symptomless effect on the average person, we do not actually know how many people are or have been infected with the virus. Testing depends upon the severity of the individual’s symptoms, and the necessity of a test result as the determining guide for effective treatment plans. Some research based on random testing of people “on the street,” has estimated that at least 30% of the population has or has had the virus, but never noticed. Other research conducted at Stanford University among a select portion of the local population, projected that actual infections among the general public are likely 50 times the numbers confirmed by test results. If this proves to be true, then the hospitalization and mortality rates of the virus decrease significantly. With a recovery rate of between 99.7 - 99.9%, reducing the rate any further would make the virus, statistically speaking, impotent. This statistical impotence is further illustrated by the fact that less than 20% of those tested for the virus, actually have it. This figure is well under 10% in most places in the country. Remember, that those tested are largely individuals who have severe symptoms already, meaning something else out there is what is making the majority of people actually sick. COVID-19, despite its reputation for ease of spread, seems to be a minor contributor to the health issues of Americans.

Our social distancing and stay-home practices are often credited with this low impact. However, looking at the timeline of the experience so far, this does not add up. California had one of the earliest sets of confirmed cases in the United States, as TSA Agents at LAX and SJC airports were found to be infected, but asymptomatic. This was discovered in mid-February, but it implies these individuals were infected before the proactive testing began. It can be reasonably assumed that the virus was spreading through airports in early February. Thousands of people fly into California from China every day, and thousands more from around the world. Given that China has been dealing with their outbreak since at least December of 2019, it is totally reasonable to assume the virus first entered the US via one of these airports, perhaps as early as December but certainly between December and February. However, state-wide shutdowns did not go into effect until the middle of March, leaving Californian residents exposed to community spread of the virus, for at least one month before social distancing. If lifting the stay-home restrictions is so risky, why didn’t the outbreak materialize earlier? Florida had avoided shutting down their local communities until weeks after New York City was dealing with hundreds of deaths per day attributed to COVID-19. Yet in Florida, people were still partying at beaches and enjoying life as usual well into the time when the projections should have shown they should be overwhelmed. This, among a state with a high population of at-risk individuals. The projections simply never materialized.

Looking at the virus from a resourcing or impact perspective, none of our greatest fears have come true. Despite “major” outbreaks in multiple states and various degrees of shutdowns, we have far more capacity among medical resources than have been consumed. So much so, that states who previously demanded emergency aid from the US Government, are now sending those supplies back, or are simply not using them. This includes California and New York who were projected to be so overwhelmed, that the US Navy deployed hospital ships to help expand medical facilities and resources. We are told that these ships have been generally underutilized. 

I must pause here and reflect on the lives behind these statistics. I do not mean to convey that any life is insignificant, nor do I mean to downplay or disregard the very terrible experience many people are having with the virus. In my region, there are over 3 million residents, and 0.7% represents 23,100 people, if all 3 million do contract the virus. That is a significant amount of potential human suffering and loss.

However, let us keep that in perspective, because death is an absolutely normal and expected part of life. In fact, those who are in the “high risk” category of this issue, are already reaching the end of the average lifespan of an American, and already bear the signs of failing health. Today, the percentage of deaths in my region represents 0.001% of the population, yet we remain under a medical house arrest under the potentially illegal use of quarantine powers granted to the county government. In fact, many of the deaths attributed to COVID-19 were likely caused by something else, but where COVID-19 was also present. This, while we already, as a society, protect those who are most vulnerable by staying away from them while we are sick, and why those with compromised immune systems avoid certain activities, places, and people, because we know life has risks and ultimately results in death. The time, method, and place are variables largely out of our control. In California, on the average week, approximately 760 people will die from a cause unrelated to COVID-19. That is the accepted normal risk of life we take for granted everyday. Stanford’s aforementioned research concluded that COVID-19 has caused in the state of California, a 6% increase to that mortality number. Again, for the sake of perspective, COVID-19 is quite literally on par with the seasonal influenza in terms of it’s risk and community impact. In fact, this low impact assessment was generally accepted by medical experts in the US Government, as they were projecting a “minor” and “insignificant” impact from the virus on the American public, late into February of 2020, after the virus had been confirmed in multiple states among large populations. 

This national risk assessment changed when researchers in the UK examined the virus’ impact in Wuhan, China, as well as Singapore, and attempted to project what might happen if the virus was allowed to spread among large populations in the US, unchallenged by any mitigating factors (including hand washing and normal sanitization practices followed by Americans). The UK researchers created a data model that projected that as many as 2.2 million Americans could perish from an uncontrolled outbreak of COVID-19, again, assuming zero mitigating factors were in place; factors already in place as a normal part of American life. Almost immediately, the World Health Organization (WHO) who had to that point been downplaying the threat of the virus, declared it a global pandemic, explaining that they felt compelled to do so because governments around the world were not doing enough, in their assessment, to prepare for the potential impact. Many people challenged this mortality estimate from the start, pointing out that just about every “gathering” place or store in the US hosts hand sanitizer stations, where “wash your hands” signs are posted in every restroom by law, and where parents routinely wipe down their children and objects they interact with with sanitizing wipes. Our general germophobia has even made making hand sanitizer at home a normal practice. However, based on this new projection, and as both fear and the virus swept through America, the US Government decided to implement a full-scale shutdown of American life, under the call of “one death is too many.” In most places of the country, this has been extended to a complete lockdown of the public, prohibiting people from leaving their homes for reasons the local authorities determine “non-essential.” Local authorities, even digital road signs, promote the mantra that “staying home saves lives.” We have been encouraged to stay home as a means to prevent an uncontrolled outbreak, as the UK scientists forecasted. “Flattening the curve,” we are told, will allegedly save lives by preventing illness and preventing a drain on emergency services. The church, agrees. In fact the church has been ordered by the state to cancel all activities, and has capitulated, abdicating her role and responsibility and in America, her right.

Yet I must remind you, that death is a normal and accepted part of life. In fact, as Christians, the Word reassures us that death is not something to be feared. The Apostle Paul went as far as saying “to live as Christ lived, to die is gain.” We do not fear death, because with it brings eternity with Christ. We also serve a God who can and regularly does heal sickness, injury, and disease, most often working on the most impactful wounds on our hearts and souls. He promises to be with us, always, and offers blessings to those who walk in His ways. In fact, we, as His followers are called the “light of the world,” which is meant to represent Him and lead people out of darkness. America, right now, is living in the shadow of darkness, and what every American needs more than anything else, is the light of the world, and the hope of salvation. Let us look at that darkness as it plays out through our isolation. 

The general shutdown of American life has meant businesses are closed, schools are closed, parks and public gathering places are closed, and “essential” services such as grocery stores have become a nightmare experience. We cannot go to a restaurant, coffee shop, theatre, hotel, theme park, campground, or any place that allows groups to be in close proximity. In fact, one town in California has even banned churches from singing in their recorded services, and another state has ticketed Christians for gathering in parking lots, while still in their cars to listen to a broadcasted message. Since the “shutdown,” 16 million Americans have filed for unemployment, and small businesses across the nation are at very serious risk of closing permanently, as they have lost nearly all revenue for the last 6 weeks, but must maintain facility and staff expenses, as well as business fees, partnerships, and related expenses that come with having a business. Non-profit organizations are struggling to obtain supplies and continue distribution to those who need them. The financial markets have crashed, costing Americans life savings, retirement funds, and many other tangible investments. Education and youth activities have stopped, placing all the hopes, experiences, and enrichments Children were anticipating from normal life at a sudden end. Recreation has been closed, giving Americans no outlet for play or stress relief outside of their homes. Vacations have been canceled and abandoned, with holidays and personal ceremonies regulated to virtual screen time via Zoom. Children are desperate to play with their friends, parents are seeking ways to provide for their families, and all of us are trying to find ways to stay connected to each other.

Meanwhile, anxiety is universally rising as disruptions extend to all aspects of life. It is being reported that suicides and murders are increasing. Women in domestic violence situations are now stuck at home. Children who are faced with abuse are now facing their abusers all day, every day. People who are stressed and worried about all the uncertainty of life may be leaning on substances to dull their senses, which can lead to addiction, relapse, abuse, and long lasting impacts. People are quite literally dying of unrelated issues, yet are forced to pass their final moments in solitude because we are locked down from them, allegedly for their own good. Children are losing birthday and milestone celebrations, exposing them to depression and loneliness. Governments are rapidly expanding their powers and authority by using a “public health emergency” to instate new “public health policy,” with admittedly no regard for civil rights or our highest law and without due process. Public rallies to challenge government overreach are berated and broken up. People are quite literally being arrested for watching the sunset on the beach, or paddle boarding in the open ocean, or being prohibited to shop for essential goods if they aren’t wearing a face mask, or being banned from hiking trails or camping in the wilderness. 

100% of us have had our lives turned upside down, for the sake of extending the lives of a very small minority who are already near their end. We are nationally paralyzed by an irrational and unfounded fear; one that we took in stride mere months ago, and one which the church uniquely has the answer to absolve. The core human activities which God created in us to experience in community - to eat, work, play, co-create, celebrate, explore - have largely ceased. This is not the way we were created to exist, but the church is encouraging it, in love.

Now that we have that context, let’s get back to the church. The church has held up the “stay home” guidance as a virtue and expression of love and selflessness. In fact, I’ve read it repeatedly in Christian commentary, that to live otherwise (meaning, to not shelter-in-place), is selfish. Why? Because we may be carrying the virus, and by living our normal life in an innocent way, we may expose the at-risk to the virus, which may lead them down a path of difficulty, possibly to death. And so, out of love for that very small portion of our community who we probably don’t come into contact with on a regular basis anyway, we are to sacrifice our lives and the lives of each other, ending what little remained of the church in America for the hope that we may save a few from illness and death. Is that love? No. That is selfishness born from fear. 

Let’s turn to Jesus’ greatest illustrations of love; His death for our sins, and the parable of the good samaritan. In His death on the cross, Jesus himself died so that we might live. He died, so that all humanity before and after him who believed, would have eternal life. That is an exchange of one death to save countless others. All others. Granted, He was innocent and died an unjust death, but His sacrifice cannot be compared to our current crisis where the majority are being asked to die to prolong the life of a few; we are sacrificing everything to postpone the inevitable. Those of us who are not affected by the virus, are being asked to suffer and die, for the sake of those who might. We are all destined for death. Jesus, being God, was not subject to that same human condition. It is not the same act of love. 

The Scripture says “9“I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. 10When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. 11I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! 12This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. 13There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command. 

Again, one life for many. Jesus did not say “many of you should die, so that a few might live a little longer.” That would be totally inconsistent with His character and His word. Especially as love is almost universally defined in Scripture as serving the needs of others in our lives. To ignore the pressing needs of the majority, to potentially extend the lives of a very small minority is unjust. It is the opposite of what Jesus did.

Regarding love for our neighbor, Jesus told us that if we should see someone in need, we should do all we can to help them, regardless of who they are; enemy or friend. This is the crux of the parable of the good samaritan. Indeed Christians have lived this through the centuries as war and disease have stricken humanity. It was most often the Christians who ran hospitals and went into people’s homes, caring for the sick. It was most often the Christians who ran food pantries and distributed supplies to the needy. It has most often been Christian missionaries who travel the globe practicing medicine for free, gifting those in most need with the resources of health and practical solutions of modern science. It is, afterall, Christians who bring the very presence and power of God to their neighbors. Yet in this time, while our neighbors’ needs are so many and so urgent, we are disregarding them all, because they don’t match the definition of what we have defined is our duty. This is unjust. It is the opposite of good. It is negligence. 

So in this time, as the church, we must ask ourselves, “who is our neighbor, and what do they need?” That is what should compel us to action, in love. That is where we will find our obedience to Jesus’ commands; as we go and do the work of meeting the needs of our neighbors, in the name and in the power of Jesus. 

I argue that the Christian thing to do right now, is seek out those in need, and meet their needs. Start within your family, then extend it to your neighbors. Be the light of the world. 

To the lonely, we should invite them in and gather around them.

To the poor and needy, we should share what we have and provide for their needs.

To the sick, we should bring prayer, care, and wellness. 

To the abused, we should grant them safety and protection.

To the fearful and stressed, we should bring truth and peace.

To those suppressed by unjust laws and regulations, we should bring freedom and justice.

We should celebrate with those celebrating. 

We should play with those who play. 

We should work with those who work.

We should mourn with those who mourn. 

We should live and show the world that death has lost its sting. Illness means nothing when compared to living the life Jesus has called us to and has provided for us.

Church in America, sheltering in place isn’t love; it’s complete selfishness. It isn’t good, it is evil. It isn’t boldness, it’s abandoning ourselves to fear. 

Sin's Power & Paul

On Sin's Power and Paul - An Often Miss-understood Topic

I'm sure you've heard it as I have many times; people referencing Romans 7:14-24 as an example of how we are slaves to sin and that even Paul could not escape that slavery, that power of sin's influence in his life and in our lives today. I've heard this section referenced this way in sermons, Bible studies, Christian conversations etc. Christians saying "I want to do what is right, but I can't. I want to do what is good, but I don't. I don't want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway," (verses 18-19, NLT), as a cover for their sin, as a notion that the struggle of sin is about our nature. Christians use this passage of Scripture to describe the human condition as bound in slavery to sin, a slavery that persists into the life of a disciple of Christ and lasts our lifetime, an excuse that says we can't stop sinning, not that we don't or won't, but that we can't. It's a convenient way to excuse our failures of faith and obedience. We say, "just like Paul, I know what to do, but I don't do it," then we laugh off our sin as if we can't be expected to be any better than the great Apostle Paul. We can't be who we aren't right? Hey, even Paul continued to struggle with sin right? Even he said he wanted to do what was good, but couldn't. Right?

Here's the often miss-understood passage from Romans 7:14-24 (NLT):

"So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. I don't really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do what I hate. But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is good, but I don't. I don't want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. But if I do what I don't want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. I have discovered this principle of life - that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God's law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?"

Ok, looks like this supports the Christian argument that even Paul is a slave to his sin, so we must be as well. He said it right there, "I am all too human, a slave to sin," and "this power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me." Here's the problem: using that passage to say Paul, or Christians in general, are still bound to slavery is wrong because it takes Paul completely out of context. In fact, Paul argues against that very notion in the surrounding chapters, 6, 7, and 8. In fact, if you read 3 verses longer, you'll see Paul proclaim that for those who belong to Christ, "the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death," and further "And in that body God declared an end to sin's control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins."

So wait, Paul said we're slaves to sin AND he said that we have been freed from that slavery?

Yeah, Paul said that once you come to faith in Christ, you die to sin. Your old life controlled by sin is gone, and you are living a new life. Sin's power is broken. This is the symbolism behind baptism. A sentiment echoed in the great hymn lyric, "my chains are gone, I've been set free." You see Jesus died to set the captives free. The captives are humans who are slaves to sin. Here's what Paul says about sin's power in chapter 6 (just before he describes this human struggle of slavery to sin), setting the tone so that we can understand the dynamic he's describing in the often miss-used passage (which comes after this).

"Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised with him as he was. We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. Do not let sin control the way you live, do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your while body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God's grace." Romans 6:5-14

So you see, sandwiched between this miss-understood passage that Christians use to excuse their disobedience, Paul clearly declares that sin is our choice. That we have been set free from it's power. That we are not slaves to sin any longer...if we have given ourselves fully to Christ. He uses Jesus as an example - his death put an end to sin's power, and now he lives for the glory of God. The implication there is that if we find ourselves slaves to sin...then we haven't fully given ourselves to Christ, and we cannot yet live for the glory of God.

I'm not saying that "real" Christians don't sin. They do. We all do. But, if Paul is correct, Christians are not slaves to sin, which means that when we sin it is by our own choice. We choose to embrace that sin over obedience to God. We choose our master.

So how do we explain this strange argument by Paul that seems to be his admission that he's a slave to sin? In chapter 6 he says we are free from sin, but in 7 he says we're slaves, but in 8 he says we're free again. Well...read Romans in context. He's writing to a largely Jewish population who has lived and died by the law for a long time. Many of them believe that they are saved by adherence to the law. He's describing in this section that the law exposes the fact that we as humans are slaves to sin. Sin entered humanity through Adam and made us all slaves to sin's power. God gave us the law to show how good he is and to expose our sin. Paul is pointing out that even though we have good intent to live by the law, that we want to do good, we can't, because the law doesn't set us free, only Christ does. See? He's describing the human condition apart from Christ to a people who lived apart from Christ and don't yet understand if the law saves them or if Jesus did. Yes, he references himself as the example, but that's to show an example.

Look at Romans sequentially and remember, he's arguing for the fact that we are saved by grace and that Jesus is the answer to it all, from the beginning. He's telling the gospel story from beginning to the future and he uses his human state as an example. He's using a first person voice through each stage of the story.

In chapter 4 Paul uses Abraham to argue that we are saved by faith...not by adhering to the law. Then he talks about how sin entered the world through Adam, and how Jesus proved the perfect human example by living a sinless life and taking on sin in his death. Adam was not a slave to sin - he chose it. After that, humanity became slaves to sin until Jesus in His humanity, lived a sinless life. In chapter 6, Paul declares that through Jesus' death, sin's power over humanity is broken. What broke with one man Adam, was fixed by one man, Jesus. Between the two men is the human state of slavery to sin. In chapter 7, Paul uses an example to show that we are no longer bound by a law that governed our former life, because as shown by baptism, that life has gone and a new one has come. Then he refers back to the law given after Adam and shows that it's purpose is to expose sin in our lives, to expose our slavery. This is where he talks about a life of slave to sin where the passage is taken out of context to describe the Christian life. No! He's using that slavery to sin to talk about life before Christ and under the law, which is where chapter 8 starts off again - new life in Christ, life in the Spirit, life set free from the old law that no longer binds us. You see Jesus restored us to the pre-fall state where we have a choice once again just like Adam did. We get to choose sin or not, and it's not what we do that saves us, but it's our faith in Christ who has already saved us. That's why the gospel is so amazing!!

See it now? He's telling a story, and like all stories, this one is meant to be read from start to finish.

If you even hear a Christian use Romans to justify our continued slavery to sin, you know that they are taking one small section completely out of context. You know that they don't understand the gospel story, our story. In fact, the majority of Romans declares and re-iterates the notion that those who are in Christ are set free from that slavery. That's the good news! That's the gospel story!

I'll end with this quote, from Paul, in Romans chapter 8:

"Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do." Romans 8:12

You have no obligation - it's your choice. You are free to choose...and what's amazing is even if you choose to sin, you are still free because of Christ. The cycle is broken. The power is broken.

Where Do You Fellowship?

Where do you fellowship?

Talk about Christian speak, that is one of the funniest questions ever! Where do you fellowship? I think it's an attempt by some Christians to ask what church body you are affiliated with without saying "where do you go to church" because they recognize there is something fundamentally wrong with that question. I'll save that for another post. We can't go to church. According to how Jesus defined us, we are the church. Yet we have this confused because most Christians do in fact simply go to church rather than be the church everywhere, all the time. So, instead, sometimes we ask "where do you fellowship?" What we really want to know though is, what local named institution of Christians are you affiliated with and do you spend time with them? We could just cut to the chase and ask "what Christian club are you part of?" but that sounds bad.

Sometimes when I've answered the church question with "I don't go to church," the fellowship question becomes a follow-up and veiled criticism as if Christian fellowship (as they define it) is some sort of essential to the faith and an expression of one's commitment to Christ. If you aren't going to a Christian club, and aren't fellowshipping, then you aren't Christian right? Isn't that what we think when we use the question as a criticism? When the question is a form of criticism, aren't we really saying that anything other than Christian club attendance and fellowship is bad? Now, don't get me wrong here, I absolutely believe that we are called to live our lives as the people of God among the people of God. No doubt. Jesus lived this way and I believe it's healthy for us to follow his lead. My point is the nature of the question and the underlying assumptions - and identity crisis it represents, but I'm getting ahead of myself.

Let's take a look at this little question a little deeper, shall we? What is the purpose of fellowship? It's a social interaction. The purpose is to engage socially with others. In Christian circles, we use the term fellowship to describe events where Christians mingle together, usually around food & drinks, usually after a Christian event, and to share a light moment of life with other Christians. It's a Christian word for post-event hang out. Sometimes we scheduled fellowship events simply for the time to hang out. It's to give Christians an alternate place to be social rather than out in the world. So, instead of asking where we fellowship, should we ask instead, "where do you hang out?" That's the core of what we are asking, but there's more to it than that, so that phraseology doesn't quite fit either. It doesn't fit because the word fellowship is used in the context of Christians, and again usually associated with a planned event or location like a fellowship hall, or Bible study, or youth program. So the question is really, "where do you mingle with other Christians for a snack and some conversation?" or more critically, "where is your Christian alternative to worldly hang-outs?" Before you were a Christian, you would hang out at <fill in the blank place not at a church building>, but now you have to fellowship, and clearly that's different.

Let's think about what fellowship isn't. It's apparently exclusive to Christians since people outside the church would have no idea what you are saying if you asked them to go fellowship with you. They might mistake the question for a quest to seek a ring of power or something epic like that. If you asked them where you can hang out together, and they said "let's go downtown and do some bar hopping this weekend," most Christians would think that is the wrong definition of fellowship or perhaps an evil pre-conversion experience that they are supposed to avoid, so that's not it. The bar might be where that person hangs out, but that's not "fellowship" in the Christian sense. So, we know "fellowship" is not for those outside the Body of Christ, and we know it's not for anything someone outside the church would do for fun. If one of our non-Christian friends attended a "fellowship" session, they wouldn't fit right? Since it's used in the context of a Christian gathering or place and usually attached to an event, we also know it's a scheduled activity outside of your home and thus not part of the normal stream of your life. It's also normally a short-term engagement lasting only about an hour or two, so we also know it won't be a deep engagement with other Christians or deeply personal exposure of your life. Since it has to be scheduled, often with sign-ups and the like, it probably won't be with people you would otherwise engage in your life. Those people, you just call up and say "hey, let's hang out," and you make it happen. It's not fellowship, it's life. So we also know it isn't with your close social sphere.

Based on this, we know fellowship will be a casual, brief, social, exclusive, Christian-friendly scheduled event where Christians can mingle with other Christians who they probably wouldn't encounter in life otherwise, as a safe alternative to what Christians may have done pre-conversion. Sounds like a club event, or a corporate party, or maybe a house warming party for someone you don't really know but want to show your support to. So fellowship isn't normal hang out social time. It's exclusive to Christians, pre-planned, shallow, and short. It's not real life, it's sort of stepping out of real life for the sake of some canned experience that's supposed to be essential for our spiritual health.

Here's the problem. Christians are identified not by our fellowship, but by Christ. Yet somehow we feel certain that fellowship is essential to our spiritual well being and our growth. How did Jesus fellowship? He took a small group of people (his disciples who he did every day life with all the time) into the social gatherings of sinners. He went to parties at tax collectors houses. He allowed prostitutes to anoint his head and wash his feet. He fellowshipped among the lost, and found his spiritual development there and while discipling his friends in every aspect of life.

If that's true, then something in our worldview is seriously broken. If our fellowship is defined by removing ourselves from sinners, then somehow we've stopped following Christ. If shallow social gatherings with other Christians are essential to our spiritual growth, then our spiritual depth will remain shallow.

So where & how do people outside the church fellowship? I'll toss out a few examples of what I've been invited to by the people in my life who aren't yet Christians. Football games, dinner out, movie theaters, sports bars, camp sites, comedy clubs, karaoke, bocce ball playing, ping-pong, sight-seeing, mountain biking & some social event following, night clubs, boats/on the ocean or a lake, coffee shops, a trip to the Apple store. Basically normal parts of life with other people. Almost all of the events I've attended involve alcohol at some point. I've also noticed the people attending the events are very open (sometimes too much), very casual, and very hospitable. They want to share their favorite experiences with you - they want you to know them. Vulgar language abounds. Offensive jokes are shared. They ask really personal questions trying to get to know you and your story...and they share theirs and their opinions no matter how offensive, dirty, or contrary to your own they could be. They don't hold back. I've also noticed people outside the church like to dance, and sing, and party. They drink a few rounds then jump onto the dance floor and boogie. They jump onto the mechanical bull at the bar and give it a try. They sing loud and off key. They spend a ton of money having fun. They are themselves, live it up, and have a great time. They are genuine...and way more fun than Christian fellowship gatherings.

One of the most profound things I've learned recently about people, is they want to be known and they use these social gatherings to facilitate that. Despite what we believe about people outside the church, they are very open and very raw. They love shared experiences. The more you attend with them, the more they open up - anywhere. The more you get to know them, the more honest they become and the more questions they ask.

I recently attended an offsite gathering among my peers at work. We were a leadership team struggling to find our harmony. My boss did something amazing. He took us to an incredible resort in the California Bay Area, put us into a conference room, and asked us each to stand up and share our life story. What followed was deeply personal. Among a group of men in a business context, tears flowed. Later that night we drank it off and challenged each other on a mechanical bull. From that moment on, we had each other's backs. We knew each other's stories. We stopped second guessing. I knew more about these men from their 2 hour story than many people I've known in the church for years. We became more accessible to each other and more a part of each other's stories than anything I've experienced to date aside from marriage. That night, we did fellowship the right way and in a way that most church people would blush at and probably discount as secular. You know what? It was sacred. The Holy Spirit was working in and through me through that experience. He broke down walls. He gave me insights into those men that changed my mission to them. I could see how Jesus was working in their lives and they didn't even know it. It was amazing.

If you asked to host the next church fellowship event at the local night club, would you be allowed to, or would you be advised to change to a home or church building location? If you invited all your coworkers to your house for a BBQ, would you also invite your home group or Bible study people and call it a fellowship night?

My absolutely favorite time of fellowship recently went down like this. I was at the office away from home, working with a group of about 10 people, when one of them said "hey Matt, any plans for dinner?" Being away from home the only plan I had was to grab a quick meal on my way to my hotel, so I said, nope. The next thing I knew, that group of people rallied around me and chose to take me out to one of their favorite experiences - Korean BBQ. Some called home to tell their family that they'd be late, others cancelled plans they had already made for the evening. Why? Because I was in town and they wanted to use the opportunity to get to know me - to fellowship. We landed at a place totally outside my comfort zone. The menu was mostly not in English, and I honestly couldn't understand most of the serving staff. But the meal was delicious and I had the chance to experience some of my coworkers in their natural context. One person in particular, I had read as somewhat aloof and cold. That night, he facilitated everyone's needs - ordering, cooking, pouring drinks, you name it with a level of hospitality that I've hadn't experience before and haven't since. He became one of my favorite people in the office that night. We shared stories, asked questions about family and personal history. We shared laughs. It was amazing...and deep...and just like what a family should look like.

You know what's sad? Most of my adult Christian life, I've looked at those gatherings of my coworkers as a negative thing. For years when invited out to a social event with coworkers, I would use the good old Christian excuse of needing to get home to take care of my family. Not two weeks before, that very same coworker who treated me out to a cultural experience to get to know him, was in town and asked me for restaurant recommendations. Instead of canceling my evening plans to show him hospitality, I gave him a few names of places I like. Talk about failure. Two weeks later, I was schooled in hospitality by someone outside the body. For years I'd work through lunch so I could bust home as quickly as possible, refusing countless invites out to lunch. I'd look down upon those coworkers as wasting time and money when they could be either working or home with their families. I'd skip out on goodby dinners, baseball games, everything for the sake of avoiding those secular traps. I'd bust home for Bible study or home group or worship practice, leaving my mission field behind for the safe and "sacred" gatherings of shallow Christian interaction. For years, I excluded myself from the mission field, from getting into the lives and stories of those I'm called to reach, for the sake of gathering with those who have already been reached and who are also supposed to be out on mission. I had it totally backwards, and I missed so many opportunities. The worst part is, my church reinforced my paradigm and praised my attitude and actions as a leader in the body. I've since repented for my Christian fellowship.

To be honest, Christian fellowship is boring. It's fake. It's forced. Yet somehow we think it's essential and amazing. So, where do I fellowship according to the Christian definition? Actually, that sounds like something I should avoid. Why? Let's take a look at what Jesus showed and told us to do.

Jesus was a very social man. He spent almost every recorded moment of His ministry engaging other people. At the same time, he chose a very small group of people to incorporate into the most intimate parts of his life, all the time. These men traveled together, shared resources, ate together, and were being constantly discipled by Jesus. He invited them into His life, and modeled daily how He wanted them to live. He revealed the Gospel to them as much by what he said as by what he did for others while they were watching. Regardless of who they were, He constantly pointed them to God. Meanwhile, He engaged people outside of this group, as He journeyed around He gave special insights to His disciples on what He was doing, and what He meant by the words He spoke. He demonstrated grace, compassion, and the fruit of the Spirit - the very presence and power of God, to those around Him. Jesus traveled to places and sought to be with the outcasts. He ate with sinners, allowed prostitutes to approach and talk to Him, healed the sick, touched diseased people, even debated with people who were adamantly against Him. That guy that everyone else in the town hated because he was a liar and a cheat...that's who Jesus went to dine with. All the while demonstrating the power and the presence of God to them all, and all the while making this smaller group of men into those who would carry on His work when His Father called Him home. All the while making disciples of a very small group. He didn't invite people to events, He went to them, engaged them, got into their story, touched the worst part of their lives, and loved them when no one else would. He didn't worry about the sacred and the secular - to Him every moment was sacred and His presence made it so. He redeemed the moment.

Note, the disciples didn't believe in Jesus yet or understand who Jesus was until He died. You could say, His disciples weren't Christians. They were learning to be Christians. Jesus hadn't set them free yet...hadn't given them His Spirit yet. They were being made into Christians, but they weren't fully until the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost, and that's when they engaged the world around them, bringing the good news everywhere, loving those around them just as Jesus did.

Jesus called us to be the light of the world, and the salt of the earth. He commanded us to go into all the world, making disciples of all people, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching these disciples to obey everything He taught. Can we do that in the context of the Christian definition of fellowship, surrounded by other Christians who are also supposed to be the salt & the light? Are other Christians the people we're supposed to engage socially to transform? I don't think so. They should already be in the process of transformation. I think we've missed the point with our Christian fellowship. I think we've killed the mission by fleeing our coworkers for the sake of the shallow gathering at the common building we call "church."

So, where do I fellowship? I'm trying to follow Jesus' example as my definition of fellowship. I'm choosing to spend my time with the people in my life, eating with them, drinking with them, sharing stories, sharing life, sharing parties, sharing trials, sharing celebrations...all the while showing them (as best as I can) the power and presence of God...the Kingdom of God breaking into their life...a light in their darkness. So when I am invited out to drinks (after dinner), I go. I drink (but not too much). When a group of coworkers decides to try out the mechanical bull, and they throw in $20 each into a pool to be awarded to the person with the longest ride...I jump in. I have my moral lines as defined in Scripture and I try my best to hold to them. When I have a chance to share my story, I do.

So where do I fellowship? You won't like my answer. It's not in church. I fellowship with the people God has placed in my life who don't yet know Him, don't realize they are lost, and need someone to open their eyes and introduce them to their Creator...their Abba. Many reading this would conclude that this is unhealthy, or angry, or that I'm in imminent danger of losing my faith and losing my way. I don't see it that way at all. In fact, I see this as the way to be obedient to the great commission, to be obedient to Christ, to be Christian.

Is it healthy and beneficial to hang out with other Christians? Absolutely yes!! We need time to rest, to be recharged, to be supported and spurred on. We need help on our mission and we need insights shared through the Holy Spirit and relayed to us by our Christian family. There are also things we can't share with those outside the Body. There are times when we need each other and that is good.

But getting back to the core nature of the question. The next time I'm asked, "what local named organization of Christians do you spend social time with?" my answer is going to be, "you are missing the point."