America: Idol?

The Wrong Focus in Worship

Can you picture Israel in the Old Testament walking into the Temple preparing for a special Sabbath gathering, and beginning their gathering with songs praising…Israel?  Thereafter, can you imagine the entire gathering standing and pledging their allegiance to…Israel?  And, at the conclusion of the service, after a brief message is shared about how God has favored Israel, they ask all of the warriors of Israel in their midst to stand and recognized as the “reason why Israel is the greatest nation and the chosen people of the world”? 

I don’t know about you, but this sounds to me like a “wrath of God in the Old Testament” moment waiting to happen! 

Seriously, I believe that if we read such an account, we would likely cringe and expect some sort of divine correction, or at least imagine a prophet rising up in their midst speaking against using the worship time set aside for the God of Israel to praise Israel!

Yet, all over the U.S. this coming Sunday, the Sunday after Independence Day (July 4^th), very similar services will take place.  These services will exalt America, its politics, and its soldiers, and not Israel’s (although these services tend to be occasions when American is strongly compared to Israel as the “Chosen” nation).  Many of the same people – clergy and non-clergy alike – who would be quick to chastise Israel (or most any other country) for taking up valuable worship time devoted to God and use it to exalt a nation, will do just that this Sunday.  These services will receive much praise from many of the congregants.  In fact, many of these services will evoke more hand raising and shouting and tears than most any service of the year.

We know that Israel consistently got in trouble in the Old Testament for their extreme nationalism: isolating themselves and keeping God’s blessings to themselves, even though Abraham’s original calling was to be “the father of many nations” (see Genesis 17:3).  God’s blessings were to be shared with all the world, as Jesus the Messiah reminded His original disciples (see Matthew 28:18-20). 

Yet, nationalism is a tempting idol.  We all long for a strong identity, and identifying with the nation of our birth – especially a nation that has the unique strengths financially and militarily as the U.S. does – is certainly normal, as long as we keep one thing in mind.

Thankfulness, Not Self-Reliance

If we can remember that all we have as a nation is a gift from God, and that God is the one who ultimately measures the success and strength of a nation - not its money, its military might, or even its creativity and hard work – then perhaps our worship services during times of the year when our nation celebrates its own accomplishments and memorials would be less like the worship of idols.  Perhaps they would be more like services of humble thanksgiving to the God who is the giver of all good things.  The emphasis that often characterizes the worship services around holidays such as Independence Day and Memorial Day are often more about how self-reliant and strong America is, and how because we are America, we are free to be Christian (or not).  We thank our military (and we should of course be thankful for men and women who serve) for “dying for our freedoms”, as if to say: “Jesus, you provided a nice example, but if it were not for our military, we would be in big trouble!” 

However, the biblical response would seem to be more like this: “No matter how strong our military and economy may be, without you, Lord, we would be in big trouble!”  This is more than semantics: it is sound biblical theology.  It is the kind of theology that avoids idolizing America, its resources, and its military.

A Different Language

The reason this approach is foreign to Americans, I believe, is that we have throughout our history allowed the language of politics, money, and military to bleed into the language of worship and theology.  We mix these together in what often becomes an idolatrous recipe.  We see our political leaders – especially those affiliated with our own parties of choice – as messiahs!  If only the correct party would win all the seats, if only there were legalized prayer in schools, if only the right man (or woman) were president, then we would be “one nation under God” again!

Here is the real story, though: Every single political party that has been in power in the nearly 240 years of our country’s official existence has had scandals and has done and said things that can easily be shown to go against the ways of Jesus outlined in Scripture.  Even the most pious of our presidents have had at least one skeleton in their closets, proving that they themselves are not “the answer.” 

Also, even in the last 40 years, each of the two major parties has been in power in Congress and in the White House at one time or another, yet we have not achieved the Utopian dream that their supporters (and the folks on the radio and TV) would have us believe would be the case!  Also, our military has done some things to be proud of, but it has also been led by flawed men and women who at times have carried out missions which have placed a dark shadow over the very values we say we stand for as a nation.  Speaking of the values we say we stand for, most of the very men who wrote “all men are created equal” in our founding documents would not affirm the rights of women to vote and owned other human beings as slaves!  Some even wrote that certain men with lighter skin color should not have too much power to make decisions, because they could not be trusted.

The Truth That Brings Real Freedom

That means that on Sunday mornings as we gather to worship God, anything that exalts any nation, party, group, or pledge above our ultimate commitment to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has no place in a worship gathering.  I am not saying that such declarations and times of honoring have no place at all among Christians.  Even the Bible reminds us that is acceptable to honor our leaders and to be thankful for the blessings of our nation.  However, that does not give any of us the right to set aside any worship time to bring the language of politics – including things like the pledge of allegiance to any flag – into Sunday morning worship hour.  Nor does it give us the right to substitute a proclamation of the Holy Scriptures during the sermon for a (usually very slanted and inaccurate) history lesson proclaiming any nation’s exceptionalism. 

We would be best served exalting Jesus Christ, who is the Truth, and who is the only source of lasting freedom and peace.  Lord knows that with all of our economic and military might and our lofty words we have not yet been able to bring about lasting peace in our world.  In exalting Christ, we can and should take time to thank Him for the blessings that our nation has received.  At the same time, it would be beneficial to engage in some repentance: II Chronicles 7:14 says that the people of God are to “humble ourselves, seek God’s face, and turn from our wicked ways,” so that our nation can be “healed.”  This implies that we are not self-reliant, nor are we perfect.  We are in need of healing, as one glimpse at the neighborhoods of any town or at any TV news program would remind us.  We can express thanks to men and women who serve in various ways, including our military, without stating that our hope is in war and fighting: “Some trust in horses, some in chariots” – instruments of war – “but we trust in the name of the LORD our God,” as Psalm 20:7 reminds. 

We can declare the need for our nation to “return to righteousness” even as we humbly acknowledge that we ourselves as the Church in America have sometimes been an obstacle rather than a help in moving in that direction (often by exalting politics over good theology and acting in arrogance instead of humility). 

An Important Note

Personally, I think I would be considered a patriotic person.  I am glad to be an American, and I have many generations of relatives, men and women, who have served the nation through a variety of venues, including the U.S. Military.  However, over 30 years ago, when I asked Jesus Christ to become my Lord and Savior, I stated that I wanted His ways above all else. I recognized that my only hope and peace would be from Him.  I declared that everything else – even my citizenship as a Texan and as an American – would not take priority over my citizenship in the Kingdom of God, which is a worldwide Kingdom and is the only one that will outlast all of the kingdoms of the world.  For me, that means that I can be a thankful and hopefully helpful citizen of the country of my birth.  I can speak up when my country is doing something right, and I can speak up when I feel my country is doing something wrong (it does a lot of both at times!). 

I can honor those who have sacrificed their lives and their comforts so that others can be more comfortable and have the chance at meaningful lives by thanking God for good examples.  I can seek to be more like those good examples God has sent my way.  I can also, as I do in this article, remind brothers and sisters that ultimately our hope is not found in any nation, no matter how strong or good, but in the One who is the founder and Lord of the Kingdom that will never end.  And He shall reign forever and ever.  Hallelujah.  Try that this Fourth of July weekend, and every Sunday for that matter, and maybe God will indeed continue to bless America.

Seven Movies Ministers Should See

Like any art form, movies are the source of a wide variety of debate and opinion.  Indeed, some movies probably should not even be considered “art.”  However, no one cannot deny the power of audio visual art, when done well, to move us and even to teach us.  Although I am part of a denomination that has not always embraced the arts – especially movies – I have been deeply moved and shaped by many movie classics and even by movies that are not exactly classics. 

So, below, I will make a case for a few of the many movies that I believe every pastor would benefit from seeing.  Some of these movies contain elements and language that I would not endorse outside of the context of the actual movies presented.  In those cases, though, I believe that overall themes of the movie are more powerful and positive than some of the distracting elements of the movies themselves.  Again, these are not necessarily movies recommended for “movie night with the family” (though some could be!) or at the church.  They are, however, movies that I believe can challenge us and shape us as pastoral leaders in dealing with the realities of the fallen world in which we are called to minister.  More specifically, many of these movies can challenge us toward excellence in our calling to “shepherd the flock of God.”  The movies with an asterisk (*) are rated R.  There are many others I could add to this list, but for the sake of time and space, I submit the following movies as helpful to ministers:

1. Babette’s Feast (1987) – This movie won the Oscar for best foreign film and has been a mainstay in many religion departments ever since.  To watch it in English requires watching subtitles, but it is very much worth the time and effort (DVD versions do have overdubbed English, but it is more fun and insightful to watch it in the original language and read the subtitles, in my opinion).  Babette is a young woman who shows up one day in a devoutly religious closed community and becomes a cook and housekeeper for two sisters whose father founded the religious (Christian) community.  Through various twists of fate, Babette, after years of quietly serving, discovers that she has won the lottery, and has enough money to leave this isolated island community.  She decides to throw a lavish feast.  Its ramifications on this sheltered and simple community become life-changing and are meant to teach us something about community and even about Communion (Eucharist).  It is rated PG and is meaningful for the whole family.

*2. Shawshank Redemption (1994) – Shawshank Redemption follows Andy Dufresne (pronounced “Dufrain”), an upper middle class banker who is falsely convicted of murdering his wife.  It follows his journey (narrated by “Red,” who befriends him in prison, and is brilliantly played by Morgan Freeman) into the notorious Shawshank Prison, and his quest for his own survival and redemption.  Warning: there are a few scenes that are difficult to watch, and there is language that reflects that hard realities of prison life in America (though this story is set in the early to mid-twentieth century).  However, like many Stephen King adaptations (this movie is an extended version of a Stephen King short story), there are subtle and not so subtle Christian based themes, including strong Messianic symbols throughout.  This is useful to ministers, because it is ultimately about ways of being religious – some healthy, some not so healthy – and about finding and sharing redemption in unexpected places.

3. High Noon (1952) – This now classic Western starring Academy Award winner Gary Cooper in his last great film performance contains so many parallels to the kinds of choices and conflicts ministers (and other leaders) are faced with.  Cooper’s character is a marshal, who is about to give us his role in order to marry a Quaker woman (played by Grace Kelly, in her first major role).  At the time of their wedding, Cooper finds out that many of the criminals he helped put away in order to clean up the town years earlier are coming back into town for revenge.  He is faced with a dilemma: face them and possibly face his own death at the beginning of this new life, or stick to his resignation and just ride away.  Unlike the “shoot ‘em up” Westerns of this era, High Noon has very little gun play.  It is focused more on the pressures that go into making life changing decisions.  And though many great present and future 1950s stars dot the cast (see how many you can recognize!), the real “star” seems to be the clock, which is seen ticking toward high noon in nearly every scene.  Do you want a preview about the nature of support – good and bad – a pastor/leader receives in a ministerial setting?  High Noon is the place to start.

4. A River Runs Through It (1992) – This semi-autobiographical movie about the life of former University of Chicago professor Norman Maclean (1902-1990) gives us a glimpse of frontier Montana in the early twentieth century.  More than that, this movie traces the relationship of two brothers (Norm and his younger brother, played by a young Brad Pitt!) whose father is a Presbyterian minister in a land that contains both impeccable beauty and dark treachery.  How do families and individuals navigate such a terrain?  That is an everyday question in ministry, and this story shows the reality of such a journey, reminding us of the importance of words, of family, and of love.

*5. Schindler’s List (1993) – Although this now one of the most recognized movies on the planet (and rightly so), it still has much to say about things like courage, original sin, and the power of love.  Arthur Schindler, like many of us, begins as a pragmatists, but in the face of great suffering and great love becomes much more.  May it be so for us, as well.

6. Malcom X (1992) – Why does the story of a former leader in the Nation of Islam make the list of movies Christian ministers should see?  There are several reasons.  First, the performance of the great Denzel Washington is flawless.  You will not be able to watch actual Malcolm X clips again without seeing Denzel.  Secondly, over the past twenty years of asking students and parishoners in largely white Evangelical communities how many have seen this movie, very few say that they have seen it.  The era in American history that this movie addresses (the Civil Rights Era of the mid-twentieth century) is one of the most influential periods in American history, and this movie gives an important “inside story” regarding this era that is not often seen in mainstream media.  Third, and most important for our discussion here, it can help ministers and other leaders see the importance of empathy and of growing in our own leadership.  Malcolm Little, who becomes Malcolm X, begins as a hustler and their, he then becomes a convert to the Nation of Islam who is full of zeal, and finally his eyes are opened to a larger way of thinking that he has encountered in the Nation of Islam, emerging before his assassination as a civil rights leader whose vison began to expand beyond the confines of the limited vision of his former leader Elijah Mohammed.  For those seeking to be multi-cultural leaders, this movie is a must.  For those seeking to continue to develop a broader perspective of a more global ministry, this movie is quite helpful as well. 

7. Two Pixar Movies: UP and Toy Story 3 – (UP, 2009; Toy Story 3, 2010) – A good minister must be in tune with every age group.  Up beautifully weaves in themes regarding young, old, married, widowed, divorced, and lonely characters who discover how to really live.  While all the Toy Story movies are worthwhile, Toy Story 3 gives us insight to the growing population of empty nesters, and it reminds us of our need to not take ourselves too seriously as leaders, even though we are to take what we do very seriously. 

I know that technically there are eight movies here, but please know that there could have around 100!  There are many honorable mentions including Lord of the Rings, the Matrix, and even The Godfather!  By only including these above, I only mean to highlight the important role movies can play to help remind us of the kind of journey we are on in ministry: a journey that does not seek to escape the realities of our world, but rather seeks to confront those realities with the love and grace that is best found in the community of faith, the Church. 

Do you have movies that ministers or other leaders should watch?  I would love to hear about them.  Chances are I will agree with your selections.  Happy viewing!

Ethical Conflict: Four Things to Keep in Mind

Not “Just Business”

In an employer/employee situation, conflict is inevitable.  This is true because conflict is inevitable everywhere, no matter the relationship.  In a traditional employment setting, the extent of conflict usually has defined and agreed upon parameters.  For instance, if you are an employee involved in conflict with the manager or owner of a company, there will come a time when you as an employee will have clearly defined choices: quit, be fired, resolve by convincing of your position, or resolve by agreeing to give way.  In all of these choices, the ultimate solution lies in the nature of employer/employee relationships.  Namely, the employer has a clear and predetermined advantage.

What happens in other forms of relational conflict, though?  In church life, the difference is twofold.  

First, the vast majority of those serving under the umbrella of ministerial leadership are volunteers.  They do not receive financial income to do what they do, though they do receive a variety of other benefits and what some have called “internal compensation” or satisfaction.  Secondly, volunteers in church life are not simply “employees,” or tools that used to make a profit or to manufacture something, even if they are “paid staff”.  They are friends and family.  They are part of a community that Jesus Himself instituted called the Church, brought together by His design and command and functioning as His representatives.  It is much easier to be in conflict with an employee than with a friend or family member.  Yet, even in the realm of religious life, serious disagreements and conflicts can occur. 

The goal is not to avoid conflict (that is impossible and unhealthy).  Nor is the goal to simply solve a problem (remember, there are relationships involved with people who have grown to know and even love each other).  The goal in handling church conflicts is deeply rooted in relationship building and re-building in a way that keeps the person and work of Jesus Christ in clear focus.  Since the resolution to conflict in the more complicated environment of church life can be tricky, here are four key concepts to keep in mind.  Incidentally, these are concepts that do not come easily, and I myself still struggle with their implementation and have made many mistakes along the way.

1. Stay focused upon the issue at hand. It is easy (and unhealthy) to bite off more in the conflict than we can chew.  In other words, it is tempting to allow the particular conflict to become an excuse to go after bigger issues in a person’s character or habits.  This is sometimes called “demonizing” those in conflict with us.  For instance, an inappropriate encounter with someone that is troubling and needs to be addressed can easily become a temptation to engage in name-calling: “He is so tacky.”  “She always says the wrong thing.”  “She is so rude.”  “He is a mean-spirited person.”  In contrast to this, healthy conflict begins with the issue at hand: “I was hurt when you said those words to me, and I felt the timing was inappropriate and disrespectful.”  The generalizations we are tempted to make may indeed prove to be true, by the way.  However, addressing the bigger picture of someone’s character or habits best begins with seeking to deal with a clearly defined issue.

2. Do not allow unhealthy escalation of an issue – either from them or from you. Just because you are staying focused on the issue at hand does not mean the person you are in conflict with will.  This can be an opportunity for you to assert clear boundaries when the subject begins to drift, or when they seek to offer (usually out of defensiveness) a “counter-punch” toward you that seeks to shift the attention away from the real source of the conflict: “Oh, yeah? Well, I saw you walk past someone without even acknowledging them last week,” etc.  In that case, it is appropriate to say something like: “We are not addressing that particular issue at the moment.  I would be glad to address it after we address the current issue.”

3. Even if you are right, leave room for redemption.  Just as it is easy to become defensive and make excuses when we are in the wrong in a conflict, it is also easy to come down too hard on someone who is clearly in the wrong.  This is not to say that we should ignore or simply gloss over clear wrongdoing.  Rather, we are to confront harmful or abusive behavior honestly while still allowing opportunities for the person who has clearly wronged us to reconcile with us.  This is helpful even if the person who is clearly in the wrong does not choose to acknowledge being in the wrong.  In Matthew 18, Jesus instructs Christians about addressing areas of conflict and even areas of blatant wrongdoing by another.  We are to begin with one on one confrontation (in love); however, Jesus was aware of the tendency to defend in deny instead of confess.  Therefore, Jesus instructs believers to enlist the help of other, more objective parties, with the goal being that the action of the person is addressed honestly and the conflict does not simply become a battle of personalities (see Matthew 18:16, for instance).  It should be noted that even if several others affirm the wrongdoing of a party in a particular conflict, the goal is not to shame or demean the guilty party, but to encourage him and her to acknowledge their wrongdoing, to reconcile with the injured parties, and to once again reclaim their place as a healthy part of the Community of Faith (the Church).

4. Recognize that your ability to reconcile is limited. Forgiveness is an act of one person’s choice, but reconciliation involves the choice of all parties involved in the conflict.  Therefore, even if you have honestly confronted, left room for redemption, and have granted an invitation toward reconciliation, the other party or parties involved may still say no.  Part of being a healthy person is recognizing that when you genuinely done all you know to do, you have permission to allow the other person the freedom to make his or her choices.  The tendency of many of us is to over pursue, which sometimes translating into nagging.  Nagging and pressuring someone with whom we have conflict to “do the right thing” may be counter-productive once we have taken clear, biblical, love-centered steps toward making things right.  As already stated, we are still responsible for doing all that we can do, which often means admitting our own unhealthy role in part or all of the conflict.  Rarely is a conflict a one sided matter.  However, once we do that and have presented the issue as clearly as we can, we must allow for the possibility that true reconciliation may not happen soon or ever.

Conclusion: The More We Know

The more relationships we have, whether personal or professional, the more learn about conflict.  Conflict is not necessarily a negative or bad thing.  In fact, conflict can bring about growth in our relationships and in our own understanding of ourselves and God.  We learn humility, grace, and the incredible power of love as we engage others in a variety of ways – including times of conflict.  Sometimes we become a catalyst to long needed change by engaging in a conflict that should have been addressed long before we arrived on the scene.  At other times, our very presence invites a conflict that we and/or the organization we are part of needs.  Still, at other times, we simply make mistakes, and we need brothers and sisters in Christ around us to lovingly correct us and show us a better way.  Thankfully, there are many resources available, written by people skilled in these matters, and the more we know about these materials, the healthier we are likely to be when it comes to conflict.  Of course, the most immediate resources for us are often God-prompted moments when we approach a person in our lives and ask, “Can we talk?”