Spooky Speech

 “Profanity is wrong not simply because it shocks or disgusts, but at a much deeper level, profanity is wrong because it trashes that which God has declared to be holy and good and beautiful”  Ray Pritchard'

What are some of the worst smells? What smell, if you’re standing near someone and smell this odor coming from them, you move downwind? 

  Like a hammer and nails to a carpenter, books are the tools of pastors. Yet, books like quality tools can be very expensive. My mentor, Pastor   Dave Cummins, took me to my first used book sale when I was a freshman in college. He taught me to scour used bookstores and thrift stores for quality yet inexpensive books. Fortunately, Jane is very gracious because I’ve probably dragged her into more used bookstores than most of you could ever imagine. Because it became a fun hobby of looking for great finds, our family sold used books to fund our children’s college education.

  Amazon altered the used bookstore world and there are few left. In the past, besides books you’d often find that many used bookstores had a resident cat, and some bookstore owners weren’t meticulous about hygiene.

  Unbeknownst to a cat owner, cat urine stench will seep into their clothes. I’ve moved downwind a few times. My worst experience was being trapped on an elevator with a bookstore owner who reeked of it. It seemed like one of the longest elevator rides of my life and it was only one floor.

  The Bible teaches that Christ-followers are to be distinctly different. John Stott says we’re to be a Christian Counter-Culture. That means a Christ-follower should be the best employee or employer, neighbor, or citizen.

  Being a Christian should also radically change the way that we talk. While an unregenerate culture can gossip, complain, insult, etc. – Christ-followers are to be different. It’s noteworthy that in a culture that purports to value education, most people today would have difficulty having a conversation without coloring the air blue with four-letter words.

  As Christ-followers, our language is to be different. While most know that the third commandment of the Decalogue prohibits taking the Lord’s name in vain, we often fail to see how other “bad words” hurt our testimony. They’re so commonly used in our world that we hardly give it a thought.

  In a column in World magazine, Janie B. Cheaney, compares such talk to B.O. She writes: “Bad language divides into two general categories: profanity (misuses of divine things and divine names) and vulgarity (impolite words for anatomy and bodily functions).” Yet even a lost world knows better. Earlier this year in an interview with Vanity Fair, Selena Gomez shared that when she worked for Disney, they “explicitly told” her to not say the phrase “What the hell?” Even a pagan company realizes that commonly used profane/crude phrases hurt their image and corporate bottom line.

  Such words quickly become a habit. We don’t even notice how much of such communication has crept into our words or even social media posts.

  Did you know that one of the most-read series of the last few years, The Hunger Games trilogy, doesn’t have a single swearword in all of its pages, even though God is totally irrelevant to the story which ends without hope?  

  Possibly, some of you may be thinking that I’m drawing attention to this is because I’m a pastor and I automatically talk “heavenly,” so this is a non-issue for me. Believe it or not, I wasn’t raised on an Amish Compound. In high school, before the Lord got ahold of my heart, I ran with a rough crowd. Then, two of my early jobs were in commercial roofing and in water well drilling for the oil field. The language in both places was crude. And I’d be a liar if I said that at moments of frustration or anger (pastors get angry, too), that those words don’t cross my mind.

  The Bible teaches that as a born-again Christian, my tongue and words are not my own (1 Corinthians 6:20). Jesus bought us off the slave market of sin when He died for us. That means believers can’t just talk as they please. As Christ-followers, we are to be distinctly different in nearly every way. To quote Scripture, “we are not our own.” That means that it’s a sin if we talk like an unbeliever, whether it’s gossip or gutter language.

  While our sin debt is paid and we are now free, as Christians, we must be careful that our liberty doesn’t erode into license. Ephesians 4:29 prescribes how we are to talk: “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” It’s hard to see how crude language builds up others or gives grace. More often it’s used by a Christ-follower to somehow look “cool” to a lost world or rationalized as building gospel-bridges. It just doesn’t work. It’s like a senior citizen trying to dress like a teen. Everyone knows that it’s not appropriate…except the senior.  

  It’s heartbreaking that the place we’re most likely to use crude words is in our marriage or with our family. We feel it’s safe to let our guard down. Yet, from a biblical perspective, our kindest and most gracious words should be around those who are closest to us and who we love the most.

  But what do we do about unbelievers who use language that bothers us? Ignore it! God has called us to lead the lost to regeneration, not bring about external reformation. For years I worked in the business world. I never corrected anyone’s language because for someone who hasn’t committed their life to Christ, talking like hell is the least of their concerns. Speaking of hell, Christ-followers using that word casually bothers me more than most other crude words. That’s because Scripture teaches that hell is real, horrible, and everlasting. It’s not something that I believe we should joke about or allude to casually. Incidentally, check the New Testament out for yourself. Jesus talked more about hell than heaven. I don’t want anyone to go to that horrible place, not even my worst enemy.

  In America, certain words can’t be used on TV networks or in G-rated movies. Those words will be “bleeped” out by censors. G-rated is a good standard for Christ-followers but instead of “general,” let’s make that “G” stand for godly or gracious. Remember the popular book, “What would Jesus do?” or WWJD. As Christians, we should change that to “What would Jesus say?” WWJS. I think that guideline would glorify our Savior. 

Can we help you spiritually? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

Please don't date set!

“The apostolic church thought more about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ than about death and heaven. The early Christians were looking, not for a cleft in the ground called a grave but for a cleavage in the sky called Glory.” Alexander MacLaren

 Recently, California pastor and the head of the church, Harvest Christian Fellowship, Greg Laurie, claimed in a sermon that the Hamas’ attack on Israel was predicted in the scriptures 2,500 years ago. In his sermon on October 8^th, Laurie said, “that End Times events were foreshadowed to take place around Jerusalem…if you get up in the morning and read this headline, ‘Russia Attacks Israel,’ fasten your seatbelt because you’re seeing Bible prophecy fulfilled in your lifetime before your very eyes.”

  While I appreciate that Laurie went on to say that we don’t know when Jesus will return, I believe he overstepped what the Bible tells us. No one can connect a straight line from the attack on Israel by Hamas with Old Testament prophecies. Yet, because of what is happening in Israel many well-meaning Christians are asking, “Is what is happening in Israel today the fulfillment of biblical prophecy?”  The simple and I believe biblical answer is, “No one knows.” What is true is that we must be very careful about reading current events into the Bible.

  As believers, we grieve over the horrific events of October 7^th. Like any other nation, Israel has every right to defend itself. We must remember these militant Islamic groups don’t believe Israel has a right to exist and will not be satisfied with Israel being driven from the Middle East but will only be satisfied with the extermination of every Jew on the planet. It’s impossible to negotiate with someone who wants you annihilated.

  Modern day Israel was born on May 14, 1948. At the end of World War II sympathy for the Jews increased after the Holocaust. A year prior to that, the United Nations proposed a partition of Palestine for Jews. While Jews approved the plan, Arabs opposed it.

  Once Israel declared its independence as a nation five Arab nations declared war on the fledgling country. Unbelievably Israel won and many Palestinians fled. Another war erupted in 1967, the Six Day War. Israel was outnumbered 30-1 and again won. The Yom Kipper War erupted in 1973 and Israel defeated their enemies again. There has been bloodshed in the Middle East for centuries. While we long for a peaceful solution to the Israeli-Arab conflict, no lasting peace will be achieved until Christ returns.

  God is not done with His chosen people, Israel, though something like 50% of Jews claim to be atheists. Personally, I believe that the promises God made to Israel in the Old Testament will be literally fulfilled – in God’s time when Jesus Christ returns.

  This conflict is very complicated, and one cannot also justify the often brutal treatment by Israelis of Palestinians. Yet, nothing justifies the massacre of civilians or terrorism as Hamas did recently. To equate what Hamas has done in this recent attack to Israeli brutality isn’t a moral equivalent. Yet, our love for Israel must not negate our love for Arabs and Muslims, “For God so loved the world…” The gospel is global.

  When events like these take place, some begin to read today’s news into ancient prophecy. Others date set. The Bible warns us to be cautious with prophecy and to not date set. The date-setting predictions people make have always been wrong. Throughout history, self-proclaimed prophets, well-meaning preachers, and outright charlatans have declared that a specific date was the day that Jesus would return, and then He didn’t. Those prophets had just proven they were not true prophets (Deuteronomy 18:21-22). Here are some reasons that we must not date-set.

  Date setting contradicts Jesus’ clear teaching. While the Bible does promise Christ’s return, Jesus Himself stated that no one could know the time: “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows” (Mark 13:32). It’s hard to imagine intentionally avoiding Jesus’ words (which are also recorded in Matthew and Luke), but I surmise that a desire to sell books or gain followers is more valuable to some than truth. Anyone who proposes a date for Christ’s return is directly opposing Christ Himself. We must honor all of our Lord’s teaching, whether it pertains to the past, present or future.

  Date setting claims more knowledge than Jesus had. Whether you interpret Jesus’ words in Mark 13:32 in relation to the Rapture or in relation to His return to earth to establish His kingdom, Christ did not claim to know the date. It is both wrong and arrogant to claim to have more knowledge than Jesus.

  Date setting eradicates the imminency of Christ’s return. Once a date for Christ’s return is set and announced, the implication is that Christ could not return before that date. That contradicts the New Testament’s teaching of imminency (that Jesus could return at any moment). Rather than living ready for Christ’s return, we look for signs or events preceding His return.

  Signs are not for the Church. The Apostle Paul’s instructions were to “wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, Jesus our deliverer from the coming wrath” (1Thessalonians 1:10). Let’s not lose our focus or the joy of our blessed hope (Titus 2:13) by embracing the fallacy of date-setting. Christ’s return could happen at any moment.

  As wars take place around the world, with pandemics and other global crises, the fear of end-time catastrophes grips many hearts. It won’t be long and yet another New York Times bestseller filled with dates and frightful predictions will hit the shelves, or some TV preacher will be on the airwaves with the latest prediction. Yet before that happens, the moment could arrive. Christ could come and He could come today. His return is imminent. We are wise to remember His words and be ready: “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows.” Let’s choose to be among those who are prepared and waiting for His return rather than trying to force God’s Word into today’s headlines.

Can we help you spiritually? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

Only a Man Named David

 

“A hero is someone who has given his or her life

to something bigger than oneself.” Joseph Campbell

 

Fame, power, and wealth can carry a steep price. Celebrities place great value on how they look and what they wear and how much they make. But they get bored with it all and forget about the important things of life like health, marriage, family and doing things for others. Even Bible characters, even those described as having a heart for God like David was (Acts 13:32), can easily forget God. That was King David. Even the greatest hero or heroine has a sin nature and feet of clay. 

  Oliver Cromwell was a political and military leader in 17^th century England who held the official title “Lord Protector of England.” He once commissioned an artist to paint an official portrait that would enshrine his appearance so that future generations would know what he looked like. It was typical in such portraits for the artist to paint the person’s appearance in a way that made the person more attractive. (It was an early version of photoshop.) According to one famous anecdote, Cromwell told the artist who was painting him to paint him “warts and all.” God’s Word certainly paints its characters warts and all. That’s one way that we know that God is the author. Human authors would have edited out those parts that reveal their evil, failures and foibles.
  That’s certainly the case with David. 2 Samuel continues the account of David, one of the Bible’s greatest heroes – but paints him “warts and all.” While 1 Samuel shares the account of a godly David struggling and on the run for his life because of the sins of others yet still trusting God with a deep faith, 2 Samuel tells the story of that same faith but now it’s needed because David suffers from the consequences of his own sins. The responding mercy and grace of God for a faltering David amplifies the truth of Romans 5:20: “where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.” David desperately needed God’s grace and so do we.
  We need to hear that message again. Ours is the day of Celebrity Christianity. The Church can’t seem to divorce herself from this People magazine approach to spiritual leaders of today or heroes in the biblical narrative. We hang our hopes on some seemingly great man or woman of God, perhaps a leader of a ministry or church. And when there is a  surrender to the same sin nature that each of us has, other Christians are disillusioned and even abandon Christianity. They had their eyes on a man or woman of faith when Christianity is about Christ.
  The message of 2 Samuel is about walking through with life as a fallen sinner. It means dealing with danger, enemies, jealous friends, marriage, broken relationships, bitter adult children, pride, politics, betrayal, humiliation, rejection, siblings, sickness, sexuality, justice, fear, peace and death. Yet always at the forefront and in the background of circumstances, events and people is God. It’s always God who is there and with whom we deal. God can never be dealt with in some antiseptic, sterile theological laboratory as a specialty of heaven, but in the muck and mud of this earth.
  2 Samuel is simultaneously heavenly and earthly. David’s life doesn’t present us with some sanitized ideal but with a roughed up, scarred life in which we see humanity at its best and its worst. We see God’s hand in the mess of the human situation. Perhaps no other biblical account has the extreme ups and downs than the life of David. It’s a life that hides from God, yet turns to God, comes alive before God, more aware of God and continually responsive to God with a tender, trusting heart.
  David never forgot who really placed him on the throne. Even after experiencing remarkable success in battle, David remained humble. Later in his life, in 2 Samuel, after David was crowned king and had conquered his enemies, the prophet Nathan told him of God’s promise to extend his dynasty forever. David responded in humble prayer: “Who am I, Lord God, and who are the members of my household, that You have brought me this far?” (2 Samuel 7:18). While David knew immense success at everything he went after, he never took the credit or considered himself worthy of greatness. He continually gave all the glory to God. He’s an example to us.
  One of the greatest examples that David gives us is his integrity. He doesn’t blame Saul or that he was the youngest or was mistreated as a young man. Instead, he takes personal responsibility for his sin and failures. He openly admitted when he was wrong and took the blame for his choices. That’s a sign of deep integrity. Even in the church when we’ve been infected with the Adamic blame game, David models for us how to be cured and healed and freed.
  We can never be fully human without God. Contemporary humanity has attempted to jettison God as our Designer and His manual, The Bible, of what it means to have a fulfilled humanity. The results are monstrous. Each human life is a great gift with every part designed by God. It means that every person, every part has a purpose and is blessed by God and life God’s way is meant to be enjoyed and fulfilling.
  We can run from God, but we can’t hide, as David learned. We can’t ever escape God. He’s always there, whether we like it or not. We can act like He doesn’t exist just as one can say that the sun doesn’t exist, but the sun keeps on shining, and God is always there. But what we lose is our humanity and we suffer. Our lives are diminished and impoverished.
  Ultimately, 2 Samuel points us to the future coming “Son of David,” the one true King. Jesus is the pivotal point in all of God’s revelation. He gathers 2 Samuel and all of Scripture into His orbit. He’s the center and provides coherence. Between the lines of 2 Samuel and David is the coming King, King Jesus. 2 Samuel is just another page in His great story!
  As we work through 2 Samuel, we’ll see David with his successes and failures. We’ll see hope and grace. Yet, best of all, we’ll see King Jesus Who is our one true King! Is He your King? 

Can we help you spiritually? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

Marital Teamwork

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.”

                                                      Robert Frost

Poetry has fallen into disuse in the last few decades. Many are not familiar with the powerful poetic words of poets like Alfred Lord Tennyson or Henry Wordsworth Longfellow. Probably the last popular American poet was Robert Frost. It’s amazing though the influence that our spouse has on us. That was certainly the case with Robert Frost.
  While Frost presented himself publicly as a crusty farmer-poet, there was a reason his friends privately called him “Yahweh.” It seems that Frost was “a jealous god who brooked no rivals.”
  His friends were very worried when Frost agreed to attend a famous writer’s conference. Yet if anyone could control his prima donna attitude, it was his wife, Elinor, but five months before the conference she had died unexpectedly. Without his wife of forty-three years there to restrain him, Frost could be mean and vicious. At the conference he was so mean as Archibald MacLeish read his poetry, that Frost’s friend, Bernard Devoto rebuked him with, “You’re a good poet, Robert, but you’re a bad man.”
  So, is your spouse a better Christian because of you, or are holding them back spiritually? Over the years I’ve met some godly couples who as a team encouraged each other spiritually and served the Lord together. Every church has them. They’re such a joy to be around. It’s obvious that they are on the same page spiritually. They love and motivate each other toward Christlikeness, and they inspire others.
  The Apostle Paul commends a couple like that who helped his ministry: Priscilla and Aquila. He called them “my helpers” in Romans 16:3. What a marvelous title to be given! There was only a select group of people in the New Testament whom Paul referred to as his helpers or fellow workers. They included individuals like Timothy, Titus, Ephaphroditus, Clement, Tychicus, Onesimus, and many others. This group was a special help and encouragement to Paul during his ministry. That gives us a good idea how committed Aquila and Priscilla were in God’s service. They model for us a couple totally dedicated to God and the advancement of His kingdom.
  Yet, it’s never recorded that Aquila ever preached a sermon. There’s no evidence that he was ordained or in some kind of vocational ministry or even that either of them had any official church position. But they were a wonderful blessing to the churches of God because they gave themselves fully to God to be used for His glory in the churches, they served in.
  Jesus commanded us to share the gospel and make disciples. Priscilla and Aquila took that seriously. They mentored a young believer who God later greatly used, Apollos. Apparently, Apollos had been saved under the Old Testament system, but was lacking in his understanding of the full work of Christ on the Cross and the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers.
  This godly couple realized that Apollo needed more grounding and further discipleship. They didn’t leave discipleship to the professionals. They took it upon themselves, as a couple, to take Apollos under their wing to teach and train and disciple him in the things of God. God has called every believer to do what they did. Just as someone probably took the time to mentor you spiritually, God has commanded you to commit yourself to helping others, particularly young believers, to grow in Christ.
  1 Peter 4:9 commands believers “Show hospitality to one another.” It’s very important to understand that this is not entertaining or having to impress others with your possessions. Instead, it’s simply opening your door and sharing what God has given you.
  We see Aquila and Priscilla’s love for the Lord in having others in their home, simple as it may have been. This willingness to use their possessions to serve the Lord advanced the cause of Christ. A couple letting others into their personal space has a great influence, not because the house is the stuff of Martha Stewart or white glove clean or even because their marriage or children are perfect. It’s seeing God work through us in the midst of life that makes a difference for the Kingdom.
  What if your spouse is an unbeliever or apathetic spiritually? Frequently, that’s the case. Even in the church it’s rare to find a Christian couple serving the Lord together. An unsaved or more often, a spiritually disinterested spouse, is an encumbrance on a spouse who is on fire for the Lord and wants to generously serve Him. It’s why some believers hesitate to serve in a ministry. To them, it’s not worth the grief they might receive from their mate.
  One of the greatest heroes in the Church in America was John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Church. But he married unhappily to a wealthy widow when he was 48. His wife would come to hear him preach and mock him. She falsely accused him of adultery and even physically abused him when he returned home on one occasion, dragging him across the room by a handful of his hair.
  Wesley was known to keep up frequently with his journal entries. He only made one entry in regard to his marriage reporting after she finally left him, “I did not forsake her, I did not dismiss her, I will not recall her.” None of that stopped John Wesley from faithfully serving the Lord.
  We can’t control our spouse, yet we can’t use our mate as an excuse for not faithfully serving the Lord. We never want to be an obstacle in them either coming to Christ or growing in their own spiritual walk.  That means that we don’t complain to others about the burden we carry to others but faithfully pray for them, and we might need another believer who will keep confidence who will pray with and for us and encourage us. Yet, we must seek to do what we can. Often this may mean a kind conversation about your desire to serve the Lord more without pressuring your spouse. Most people are reasonable when given the opportunity to be.
  Our churches desperately need more Priscillas and Aquilas. Will you and your spouse be one? Are you encouraging your spouse to love and serve Jesus more? Are they closer to Jesus because of your influence?

Can we help you spiritually? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

Disney: Come Over to the Dark Side

 

“In a dark place we find ourselves…” Yoda 

  Okay, I’ll confess, I’m an avid Star Wars fan. If you’re a Star Wars fan, you probably know that a new series has been released in the Star Wars saga. Ahsoka Tano first appeared in the 2008 TV series, The Clone Wars and has since appeared in several other shows. She now is the protagonist of the new show on Disney Plus, Ahsoka. Disney is hoping for a hit to rival its last big fan favorite—The Mandalorian after Disney canceled the star of the show Gina Carano for having “politically incorrect” views.   
  Please understand, I’m not suggesting that you not watch Ahsoka. Yet, what I find hypocritical is that the heroes in Star Wars are those who resist governmental edicts, stand up for freedom and personal rights. They refuse to be cloned into the thinking of the Dark Side and Empire. 

  But ever since George Lucas sold the rights to Star Wars to Disney, they have acted more like the Empire than the Resistance. For example, one is not allowed to be a star and have an opinion in your private life that doesn’t goosestep with the “Empire.” Gina Carrano discovered that and was cancelled by Disney. She shared an Instagram story that compared “hating someone for their political views” to the treatment of the Jews during the Holocaust. While I’m not defending Carrano, I find it ironic that other celebrities can refer to opponents with similar slurs of “Hitlers” or “Nazis” and no one blinks.

  Even innocuous fairy tales are targets of the cancel crowd. Disney has been criticized for the kiss the prince gives Snow White without her consent while under the witch’s spell. The reasoning is that it can’t possibly be true love if only one person knows it’s happening. While Disney has not “cancelled” some popular movies, many are currently appended with an advisory notice warning of “negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures…These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now.” What movies are objectionable? Dumbo, Aladdin, The Aristocats and Peter Pan, and even Swiss Family Robinson.

   A vital part of a healthy culture is an open dialogue of ideas and differing worldviews. As Christians, we believe that “truth does not fear scrutiny.” Cancel culture though is the deadly byproduct of both political correctness and postmodernism. Political correctness is the attempt to minimize social and institutional offense through policing speech (and thought), forcing the use of certain words and banning other words. Postmodernism asserts that all truth claims are subjective (“what is true for you is not necessarily true for me”). Truth becomes a matter of preference. “Tolerance” is promoted as a supreme value. Ironically, the more “tolerant” a culture becomes, the more intolerant it is of anyone it perceives as intolerant. People deemed “intolerant” or potentially giving offense must be silenced. Cancel culture is the outcome of such distorted reasoning. Unless intellectual and moral sanity returns to our culture, Christ-followers with a biblical worldview will potentially find themselves cancelled.

  So how do we who love Jesus respond to those who cancel us? Do we fight fire with fire? Personally, I believe our model is found in the example of our Savior who experienced cancelling and was crucified because He was on “the wrong side of history.” His followers have followed His example throughout the ages, and we must do the same.

  We respond with grace. Cancel culture shames an individual for something they’ve said or a belief they hold and claims that they no longer have a part in a social context. Instead of fighting back, we offer grace. Grace is undeserved favor that’s not earned. As we’ve received unmerited favor from God, we must extend His grace to others. We were once God’s enemies but through the blood of Jesus, we’re now His friends. Understanding the grace, we’ve received (Ephesians 2:8-9) gives us the ability to offer it to others. Jesus said, “Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” We must extend God’s grace so those who mistreat us, so they see Jesus in us.

  We act with humility. In a cancel culture there’s someone “right” and someone “wrong.” Those seen as “right” do the condemning. Those seen as wrong are condemned and shamed. Yet Jesus was known for His humility, and we must be known for that same trait. We must examine ourselves, our actions, and beliefs and align them with God’s Word before judging someone else. It takes humility to do that. A heart of humility allows us to listen first and avoid arguments. If we’re being judged without an opportunity to explain our beliefs, we have the opportunity to act humbly and avoid an argument.

  We strive for unity. Cancel culture promotes division, an “us vs. them” mentality. Christ-followers are to seek to live in unity with unbelievers “as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” (Romans 12:18). We are for work and ethical businesses prospering. We are for personal safety, care for the poor, disabled and disenfranchised. We are for a basic education to be available to everyone. We are for justice. While we may disagree on some moral issues, there are many things that we can join with even those who disagree with us on our faith.

  We offer forgiveness. Cancel culture teaches holding grudges and excluding someone for what they’ve done or said. The gospel calls us to offer forgiveness. As we’ve been forgiven, we must offer forgiveness to even those who hate us and offer the opportunity to be redeemed from their sins. The gospel implies that we were undeserving, yet we received another chance, and we must offer the same forgiveness to others.

  While we must resist being cloned or silenced by this world’s system, Jesus’ mission for us is to share God’s plan of redemption. His ways will seem more and more otherworldly. As His followers, we must offer grace, practice humility, remain united, and extend forgiveness even to those who treat us horribly. It’s what Jesus did. It’s what He has called us to do!

Can we help you spiritually? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address.