A Horror I Never Had to Deal With

I did a very rough, guess-timate calculation and concluded that over 5,000 times I've been the guy-in-charge--as if any mere human is really in charge--of a service at a gathering of people who came together to worship the Lord of heaven and earth. For most of my career little if any attention was given to security. We didn't lock the doors while the congregation was meeting inside. I remember a period of a few months when we had volunteers keep watch over our parking lot. The motivation, though, was not to protect those inside the building, but to keep theives from stealing gas from the cars of the worshipers. It was a thing for a while.

Over the years, I've read with sadness and anger about horrible attacks on churches and other houses of worship. Some were motivated by racial prejudice, even hatred. Other incidents were perpetrated by individuals with "issues" that defy understanding. Comments often began with, "I don't know what . . .."

These attacks that destroyed property and in some cases took the lives of worshipers were something that happened in other places. Almost never did they happen here in small town USA. We mourned with the victims of persecution in other places. On those rare occasions when it happened near by we were shocked.

No one except fringe groups who were almost universally recognized as crazy if not purely evil, rejoiced when churches or synagogues, or mosques were burned or vandalized. On the few occasions when a worship service was interupted, the action was condemned. Even proponents of whatever cause motivated the demonstration condemned the tactic as going too far.

As I read the account of Pastor Jonathan Parnell, Lead Pastor of Cities Church in St. Paul Minnesota, I thought of all those times I had been where he was. What would I do if a group of well organized protestors interupted a service I was leading? I'm thankful I never had to find out. 

Perhaps it is because I--as the name of this blog implies--see the world through a keyhole, but I don't think so. It seems to me that the level of outrage concerning this invasion of a worship service has been outrageously low. Sure, the expected voices, Fox News, etc., have made a pretty big deal of this, but the voices of other culture watchers has been somewhat muted. In some cases you can barely hear the, "This shouldn't have happened" verdict, because the "Yeah, but" caveats are shouted so loudly. "Yeah, but, ICE operations in the Twin Cities have been horrible!" Or, "Yeah, but one of the pastors of this church works for ICE!" Or, you fill in the blank. 

Some commentators on the church invasion point out that Jesus cleansed the Temple in a highly disruptive manner. There are many differences between what happened in St. Paul and what happened in Jerusalem two millennia ago, cheif of which: Jesus is God incarnate, and none of those protesters, dispite their self-righteous claims, were invading a place of worship where they themselves were the leginimate object of worship. Other clear differences are obvious to those willing to look, but I'll leave it at that.

So, what is a small-town pastor supposed to do with this?

• It is obvious that a lot of people are very upset with the mass deportation operation going on in our country, right now. Is there reason to be upset?
  Without buying into the whole agenda that the protesters espouse, I'd say, Yes. In fact I recently wrote my Congressman about one aspect of the ICE crackdown that I think is wrong.
• I need to ask myself, as well, "Would I be upset if a group of Right-wingers had invaded a Mosque?" It's a hypothetical, but I think I would be. I know I should be. I encourage the reader to consider Romans 2:22. Notice the last question.
• Clearly there is a conflict of worldviews between those who gathered to worship at Cities Church and those who showed up for other reasons. What is the proper venue, tone, and limits for conversation between those who hold clashing worldviews.
• Surrounding this unfortunate incident is the question: "Knowing that all humans are creatures of God, bearing His image (James 3:9), how should I treat fellow human beings with whom I differ?"
• Finally, under the heading of "things I wish I didn't have to know," I, and other responsible Christian leaders, need to ask myself, "What should I do, if . . .?" I've already seen some helpful articles. 

Wasn't there someone who prayed, "Lord, deliver us from interesting times"? Knowing that these times have come to be under God's soveregnty, wouldn't it be better to pray, "Lord, may I be your voice in these tumutuous days"?

 https://wng.org/opinions/when-our-church-was-invaded-1771288602

Man Stealing

 "Man Stealing" is an old term for kidnapping. It's found in the King James Translation of the Bible. For instance Exodus 21:16 and Deuteronomy 24:7. It's a graphic term. I've thought about it a good bit over the last week.

The kidnapping of Nancy Guthrie seems to have captured the attention of America. 

• Police personnel and equipment, local, state, and national, have have been mobilized to a remarkable degree.
• This has dominated the news media.
• Billboards, requesting information have been erected all over the Southwest.
  
• Right now this eighty-four year old woman and her family are among the most famous people in the world.

This dispicable act has brought to light some basic realities that should not be ignorred. In a world where the value of human life is too often discouted, one can see from the near universal reaction to this kidnapping that there remains a resevoir of respect for human life that runs deeper than politics and culture. It is right that heroic effort is being undertaken to rescue Nancy and bring relief to her grieving family. It is what we should do. What if Nancy's daughter were the host of a local news station instead of a national celebrity? What if she did a podcast listened to by one-hundred family-members and friends? What if Nancy had no connection to fame at all, would her life be any less valuable?

I recoil at the questions. "Of course not!" rings in my head.

The evil that is resident in the heart(s) of the person, or persons, who did this, is not isolated to the crimanal(s) who stole this mother, grandmother, and friend. When we, one way or another, sin against one person, it almost always the case that that many are hurt. I pray that the pain does not get worse. The Bible is as honest about the wickedness in humanity as the news media has been about evil of the these, or this, man stealer(s). 
The difference is the Bible speaks of evil that is in all of us. I'm not saying we are all man stealers, or theives, or murders. Thank God we aren't. But the difference between me, in and of myself, the yet unnamed kidnapper of Ms. Guthrie is one of degree, not character. "All have sinned and come short of God's glory." Romans 3:23. “The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it? (Jeremiah 17:9)

I don't want to leave you with that downer. The Bible also makes known Good News through Jesus Christ. You can read about it here.

The dedicated service of the hundreds of law-enforcement personnel who are working to solve this case and rescue this lady should remind each of us to push back against the evil around us wherever and whenever we can. Be kind. Love others. Tell the truth. Do what good moms tell their children to do. Play nice, share. Those of us who have trusted Jesus as our Lord have a book full of instruction. We are to be salt and light in this decaying and dark world (Matthew 5:13-16). Nancy's friends are examples of this doing of good deeds. Nancy was supposed to meet with friends to listen to God's word preached the morning after this abduction. When her friends didn't see her, they missed her, and took action.

Our world is full of people who have been stolen, some by kidnapping and human-trafficking. Others are trapped in addiction. Children killed in their mother's wombs are robbed of ever seeing the light of day, and others are robbed of the blessing they would bring. Those who believe the lies that dominate our culture are trapped and robbed in multitudes of ways. We can make a difference. Nancy Guthrie and her family, friends, and those who are working long hours to solve this case remind us we should as well.

Lord, be merciful to Nancy and those who love her.