“This has been quite a year“ is probably the understatement of this century. Disease, Pestilence, and Hate have run amok. People are living in fear and don’t have the ability to cope. Normal methods of dealing with suffering and need have been shut down The Church which in centuries past has been the rallying point for suffering and lost. Quietly closed its doors and became mute. Listening rather to state edicts than staying open in a time of want. To put it simply the American church has failed its greatest commandment. To Seek and Save the Lost. So what exactly happened?!!? How did we as a radical God driven institution. An institution that’s suppose to be separate from the state get to this point of blind submission to the state? How did our best intentions lead us to be a wet rag in the face of lost and suffering? We know the road to hell is paved with good intentions and 2020 seems to be the year this saying exists. I know especially my branch of the American church thought they were helping to curve the spread of COVID-19 by keeping its door shuts. Like I said best intentions. They even did a good job at the beginning of the shutdown to have every other person take personalized Easter Baskets to its members. Which was wonderfully Spirit driven. Helping to show our members we weren’t alone or so isolated as we think. (Remember depression and suicide is on the rise). But that lost steam after Easter and nothing else was done. People retreated into their homes and lived in fear.
Matters have deteriorated further with the riots. Louisville sadly was one of the many cities that overflowed with anger and hate at a time of loss. And the church further isolated itself or spewed the rhetoric of the secular society. Neither looking out for its members to make sure they were safe in a time of crisis or help love win the day. Too many have yelled at the other side for being heartless. Have un-friended, ignored, and cut communication if your beliefs didnt exactly match with their own. Again the...” greatest commandment of these is to love.” Instead the church as a whole preached critical race theory. Rather than calling for love to rule the day the American church also demanded death and destruction as perfectly justified. Preacher after Preacher banged on their pulpit for their personal fire and brimstone sermon or in this case self-flagellation and shame. Quoting Martin Luther King Jr. “A riot is the language of the unheard.”
One standout, Dr. Voddie Beacham was a ”lone voice in the wilderness“ as it were calling for church to stop self-flagellation and instead Preach the GOSPEL only. Calling not for shaming of its members but rather preaching the gospel ...that our hope is in Christ alone. Of course this world is sinful and not fair. It is not our home. We need to instead desire our heavenly home. When more preachers were able to come back to their pulpits. The message was limited again with trying to instead just stay open. By any means. Never considering whether they were actually beneficial or lining up with what is the matter of God’s business. Making a place for the lost. Too many of our brethren feel judged and hated by fellow church members over something as inane as a mask. People don’t feel like they are welcomed at church?!?!??!?!!!! We have failed not only miserably but spectacularly in just one year. Our communities are hurting more than ever, yet the church is not stepping up to breach the divide. There is not a needed outpouring of food at the food pantries. A much needed Christmas drive to help our local communities that will want this Christmas. Not just for gifts but much needed necessities (Toilet paper anyone?)
Don’t waste your crisis has been on many Christians lips but few have done anything practical to help. Still concentrating on themselves their middle class luxuries. Rather than using this crisis as a perfect opportunity to further the Kingdom of Heaven and show the world we are radical soldiers of Christ. So what about the name of this blog post? How do we keep the faith. . It’s simple. Unless you have a pre-existing condition or immune compromised . Get off your precious derrière and go talk to your neighbors. See if they need anything, ask how they are coping. Pass out a questionnaire at the apartment building by your church. Stating simply...NEED HELP COME BY OUR CHURCH at such a time and day. Have people on hand willing to make runs and actually do rather than talk. Simple steps that will have long term rewards. Mostly pray! Pray without ceasing! When in doubt pray the Lord’s Prayer. It is much needed in these troubled time
