When the Church Meets the Political and Cultural Issues of Its Day by James Copple

Ican easily get scared, even for irrational reasons. When I was a teen, I would often babysit late on Saturday nights. When I arrived home, everyone would be asleep. As I got ready for bed, I avoided looking in the mirror because I could scare myself with a look. Even a sideways glance got my heart thumping!

When I married my husband, I made him promise to never purposefully scare me. He has been faithful to this promise—but I still get startled when he appears unexpectedly. He asks,

“After 25 years of marriage, are you still not used to me being around?”

Almost every book in the Bible has a “Fear not” in it. This should tell us something about our assumptions regarding the Christian life. Many of us have grown up with the idea that following

Jesus automatically guarantees safety and security.

This can create great inner turmoil when times of suffering occur.

The fear that rises during great social upheaval inside and outside the church leaves many of us feeling helpless. At such times, the book of

Revelation offers comfort.

In the first chapter of Revelation, we are given an image: “And when I turned I saw . . . someone ‘like a son of man,’ dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: ‘Do not be afraid. I am the

First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive forever and ever!’” (vv. 12–18, emphasis added).

I laugh when I read the phrase, “Do not be afraid.” How could anyone not be afraid of this image of Christ? Yet I also realize, given this image of the Son of God, that my overwhelming fear of passing governments, investment losses, and changing cultural tides must be corrected. In each of the letters found in the first three chapters of Revelation, John’s vision trains us to re-see Christ in whatever terms are necessary to affirm His centrality in this time and place, among these people. The question for the church is what does the centrality of the resurrected Christ mean among a fearful people?

The directive to a church that knows great suffering or great economic loss is to “hold on” (Rev. 3:11). The reason to hold on is because of what Christ has done, is doing, and will do—not some sort of assurance that life will become easy once again. A good question for God’s people who have known ease is, “If everything is lost, if we are moved to the fringe of society and have all rights taken from us, will we be among those who hold on to our faith?”

The church of Philadelphia had few rights, resources, or expectations, yet they were called to a larger hope. They were to keep their eyes open and ears listening to participate in what God was going to do in that place and time.

When the early Christians were shut out of the synagogues, they lost some protection they never regained. Some of those early followers of Christ ultimately would become martyrs. However, they went into the streets giving a witness to the living Christ as they spoke of God’s peace in a place of fear.

There seems to be a lot of fear in the church these days. We seem surprised that we are experiencing a slow movement to the fringes of society. Changes within and without the church are disconcerting to many. Nevertheless, we cannot fall prey to fear.

Fear produces actions that do not honor God. It can tempt us to make too many accommodations to protect ourselves and act in ways that are not true to Christ’s character. We can be incited to violence expressed verbally and physically. We may even turn on each other within the church as we attempt to control what little we can. As Christians, we must never abide to language that demeans or attacks another. Even in the most fearful of times, we must be people of love.

One thing we can hold on to: When Christians are pushed to the fringes of society, when their rights are taken away and the commitment to be people of

There seems to be a lot of fear in the church these days. We seem surprised that we are experiencing a slow movement to the fringes of society.

faith comes at a great cost—at these times especially, remarkably, the church grows. That is what we pray will always happen in our communities.

I do not want to face the oppression that our brothers and sisters in Christ have encountered in other countries. No matter how often I may pray to go deeper with God, I would not choose the difficult life experiences that will take me there. All the same, those times of sorrow and struggle come to all of us. There is no way to fully prepare for these times. However, I find that it helps to practice an abandoned commitment to hold on like the church of Philadelphia.

I begin every year by going through the Wesleyan Covenant service. The renewal of covenant demands deep words of commitment. They are, in fact, my promise that in all times, good or bad, I will hold on. It is vital to remember that we do not say the words because we think we are ready; we say them with a prayer that acknowledges we can never fulfill these words of faithfulness without God’s help:

I give myself completely to you, God. Assign me to my place in your creation. Let me suffer for you. Give me the work you would have me do. Give me many tasks or have me step aside while you call others. Put me forward or humble me. Give me riches or let me live in poverty. I freely give all that I am and all that I have to you. And now, holy God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, you are mine and I am yours. So be it. May this covenant made on earth continue for all eternity. Amen. 1

A friend of mine participates in the Wesleyan Covenant service each year. Like many of us, she knew the realities of living out this commitment in relatively small ways. However, one day, sickness stripped everything away from her. When she lost her previous competence, income guarantees, and vocation possibilities, the words of this covenant came back to her and gave her strength to hold on during the worst of days.

To the church that seems to fear much, we hear no platitudes, no false promises, no assurance of income guarantee from our God. Instead, we have the hand of our mighty Savior, who was, who is, and who is to come, resting on our shoulders, saying: “My child, fear not. Hold on.”

MARY PAUL serves as vice president for Spiritual Formation at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego

1. Don Saliers, From Hope to Joy (Nashville, Abingdon

Press, 1984). John Wesley encouraged his followers to intentionally renew their covenant with God once a year. Find out more about the Wesley Covenant

Service at the Wesley Center Online, http://wesley. nnu.edu/john_wesley/covenant/index.htm.

Tears for Your ZIP Code

Thinking that my wife, Carol, could help me with a quandary, I asked her when she had seen me cry. She hesitated and explained that she had not seen me cry much.

So I said, “Surely I cried when our son and daughter were born.”

She said, “No.”

So I asked, “Haven’t I been moved to tears at a few funerals?”

She said, “No, Bob. You’re just like your father— even-tempered, never uproariously happy, and hardly ever near tears. But I, on the other hand, can cry at a commercial.”

The subject was on my mind because I had just read these words from Leonard Sweet. “Does your church love its zip code enough to cry over it? Jesus cried over a person (Lazarus, John 11:1-44) and a place (Jerusalem, Luke 19:41). Does your church know its zip code enough to cry over it? How can you help your people to become topophiliacs (lovers of a place)?” 1

I don’t recall ever crying over Montrose, Denver, Hutchinson, or Tampa—the four cities where I pastored churches. But Jesus was so moved by the hurt and waywardness of the people of Jerusalem that He couldn’t contain His grief, and He wept. If I ever have the chance to pastor again, my plan would be to discover the boundaries of my zip code and become a student of the need within. Where is the hurt greatest in that area? Who are the people who are most neglected, broken, hungry, and addicted? How can our church minister in that context? How can I lead an effort that would enable others to seek out and care for those in their zip code?

Carol reminded me of something else during our conversation. “Bob, about the only time I see you tearful is when you’re preaching.” And that is true. On occasion, tears will come while I’m preaching. Those tears are answered prayer because, about 30 years ago, I distinctly remember asking God to give me tears when I preach. I was tired of preaching truth without passion.

Could it be time for us to go back to Jesus with another prayer? “Jesus, we are exhausted with trying to reach our cities with frenetic activity, fancy branding, and the latest websites. Please give us eyes to see the need in our zip codes and tears to water our efforts.” I believe that’s another prayer He will quickly answer!

BOB BROADBOOKS

USA/Canada Regional Director

1. Leonard Sweet’s comments about loving your zip code can be found on Jeff K. Clarke’s blog: http:// www.jeffkclarke.com/a-conversation-with-leonardsweet-on-the-future-of-the-church/#more-8684