Sunday, July 3, 2016

A 4th of July Jesus


Since tomorrow is our actual National birthday churches all across America this morning will celebrate the fourth in worship services especially designed to reinforce the idea that America is first and foremost a Christian Nation.

Some churches will go all out by hanging bunting and placing several American flags throughout the sanctuary. The choir will sing “God Bless America” or “Faith of Our Fathers” while the congregation sings patriotic hymns chosen especially for the occasion and listen to prayers laced with patriotic allusions.

The pastor will more than likely preach a very patriotic themed sermon that espouses the Divine virtues of Democracy and Freedom, proof texting several Biblical texts to make his or her point.

“Amens” will abound! Folks will be comforted in knowing that America is God’s special nation on earth.

Now let’s be clear about something: There is absolutely nothing wrong with Christians offering tribute to the Nation they love. I posted an article earlier this week stating the five reasons America deserves a great big hellacious birthday party.

Yet I wrote that piece strictly as a citizen of this  country and not as a Christian pastor. 

 I did not intend for it to be a statement of faith.

As a pastor in the latter years of my professional career I became increasingly uncomfortable with the celebration of national holidays being integrated into Sunday morning (or evening) worship services. In fact, as much I as loved to celebrate the 4th by participating in neighborhood picnics or by going to the beach with my family; I became very uncomfortable with all this nationalistic fanfare incorporated into Christian worship.

Unfortunately many Christians today will not have a second thought over their worship service looking more like an American Legion celebration of America’s birthday than a service commemorating the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

Something totally incredible is taking place with Christianity in America today. In the forty plus years that I have been actively engaged in Christian ministry I have never seen anything quite like it. Yet there will remain many Christians who will not notice what is happening. 

But sooner or later there will be a critical mass achieved and I believe there is going to be a new Christian Reformation in America and throughout the West that is going to redefine the meaning of Christianity.

Thousands of pastors, and I count myself among them, are discovering a more authentic and robust message of Jesus grounded in his teachings and example in the Gospels. 

I must warn you that this is not a Liberal thing or a Conservative thing. In fact those old worn out dichotomies (Liberal versus Conservative) are inadequate containers describing what the former Marcus Borg called the “Heart of Christianity.”

For those who insist on hunkering down in either one of these camps they are going to find themselves on the wrong side of Christian history and perhaps out of step with this emerging rediscovery of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Christianity in America is slowly being transformed. There is coming a time when Presidents saying “God Bless America” will seem inappropriately out of step with what will become the new mainstream Christianity in America. 

Change is never easy for any of us. But this is one change that I so passionately welcome. It has needed to happen for so long now. 

Church sanctuaries across America are now becoming places of worship rather than annexes of a secular Americanized form of Christianity. The Cross of Jesus has once again taken center stage as the one and only enduring symbol of our faith. 

All other national symbols are quietly disappearing from church sanctuaries. It's happening. Pastors and worship leaders are rediscovering a liturgy that focuses on the birth-life-death-and resurrection of Jesus as the underlying themes of the worship calendar.

Christians are rediscovering that the confession, “Jesus is Lord” means more than some formulaic mantra that will get them into heaven after they die. “Jesus is Lord” means “Cesar isn’t Lord.” “America isn’t our Lord.” 

"Jesus is Lord."

So if you are beginning to feel a wee bit uncomfortable with all the patriotic bluster of your church’s worship services on Sundays such as today then welcome to the club my friend. 

You just may be ready to join the new Reformation taking place right in front of your nose.

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