“It is a great privilege, as well as our responsibility, 

to pray for our government leaders.” Billy Graham

  It’s embarrassing to admit this but at one time in my life and ministry, I was too far focused on politics. My first voting experience was voting for President Reagan and I cut my teeth on the Reagan Revolution. I nearly equated conservative political values with biblical ones. I was wrong. 

  When Bill Clinton was elected, like many other Christians, I felt very discouraged. Over the years, the Lord has taught me a lot. A vital lesson is that no matter who is in the White House, Jesus is still on His Throne. While I knew this, I almost acted like politics and government could change souls. They can’t. True change will never be brought about by an election. True change only comes from regeneration. Looking back I wasted too much energy on politics. My political “mission” became a distraction from the Great Commission. 

  While political activism on some level is a good thing, it is not the best thing. It’s not what God has called us to focus on. We have a much higher calling and a more important mission as those who belong to another Kingdom. Oswald Chambers was on point when he said that “the good is the enemy of the best.” Political activism by Christians or anyone else with a biblical worldview isn’t in and of itself wrong, it’s just not the best. 

  Heaven, eternity, God’s grace, and forgiveness are far too important to alienate anyone from being approached or listening to the gospel message for the sake of our personal political affiliation. Individual and collective cultural problems will never be altered through the political process. While I believe as Christians that we must be concerned about the moral decline in our country and must not compromise on biblical truth, the only way to transform our nation has nothing to do with politics and everything to do with offering our world the gospel. 

  As Christians, we cannot divide people into political positions. There are only two kinds of people – those who know Jesus and those who don’t. God sent His Son to the cross for everyone – Democrats, Republicans, Independents, Libertarians, Socialists, Communists and everyone else. 

  Because the real needs are spiritual needs, the greatest changes we will make in our country are not in the voting booth, but in the prayer closet. It’s why every week at Grace we pray for a government leader. It’s why we pray for those we don’t agree with. Scripture is clear that we’re to pray for ALL of our leaders (1 Timothy 2:1-4). Scripture never qualifies who we are to pray for. In fact, Paul commanded us to pray for government leaders when Nero, a “Hitler of his day,” was on the throne of Rome. 

  All of this is why I’m so excited to have Brad Harbaugh from the Capital Commission with us this week. I had the privilege of meeting Brad a number of years ago in D.C. He is truly a kindred spirit. 

  The Capitol Commission’s mission is to reach government leaders for Christ, one person at a time, to disciple them, and to prepare them for a lifetime of ministry, wherever God chooses to place them. They’re committed to sharing God’s love, especially amidst the elected leaders of our three governing branches; legislators, judges, governors, and their staff members. Their mission is not partisanship or influencing legislation. Instead, they’re committed to building moral lawmakers whom we can trust to make and guard moral laws that improve the lives of our fellow citizens. 

  God has commanded us to be salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16). We need government leaders who don’t just do “God talk” to get elected but have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. God has always used such leaders to make a difference for His glory. Read the biblical accounts for yourself about Joseph, Nehemiah, Esther and Daniel. They were godly individuals who used their position and influence to advance God’s cause in pagan governments. We need another generation of godly, committed Christians. 

  Let me share the account of one such individual, William Wilberforce. Like many political decisions, the horror of slavery was driven by economics. It was so entrenched in Western Civilization that only a handful of people thought anything could ever be done about it. That handful included Wilberforce. As a member of Parliament he wrote, “So enormous, so dreadful, so irremediable did the trade’s wickedness appear that my own mind was completely made up for abolition. Let the consequences be what they would: I from this time determined that I would never rest until I had effected its abolition.” 

  When it became clear Wilberforce wasn’t going to let the issue die, pro-slavery forces targeted him. He was vilified; opponents spoke of “the damnable doctrine of Wilberforce and his hypocritical allies.” The opposition became so fierce, one friend feared that one day he’d read about Wilberforce's being “carbonated [broiled] by Indian planters, barbecued by African merchants, and eaten by Guinea captains.” But his antislavery efforts finally bore fruit in 1807. Parliament abolished the slave trade in the British Empire. He then worked to ensure that slave trade laws were enforced and that slavery in the British Empire was abolished. His health prevented him from leading the last charge, though he heard three days before he died that the final passage of the emancipation bill was ensured in committee. Wilberforce was only one person who made a huge difference. 

  God is not asleep. Great moral changes don’t have to be part of the past or history. You and I can make a difference today. Yet, it won’t come through politics or partisanship, it will come on our knees. 

  I wonder what would happen if we spent half as much time talking to the Lord about our elected leaders, as we do complaining about them. Let’s try! I believe it will shock us. Brad Harbaugh is going to challenge us to pray and cry out to God’s throne where our efforts and energy truly make a difference.

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? 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. 

 

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What's the world coming to???

 

“Things fall apart; The center cannot hold;

Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world.” William Butler Yeats

 

  There’s a difference between being educated and inundated. There’s a difference between being informed and intimidated. Because much of the news today conflicts with a biblical worldview, personally, I think that we are wise to limit our news and media intake. 

  This may surprise you, but I even limit my intake of Christian media. Too many Christian television and radio shows, blogs, and podcasts perpetuate a gloom and doom, “What’s the world coming to?” attitude.

  Not only do they paint a bleak picture of our world, but they’re “Debbie Downers” or perhaps Christianized “Karens.” They stand on soapboxes to announce to all who will listen how bad it is and it’s getting worse.  Well, “Duh!” Isn’t that what Scripture prophesied? Isn’t that what we find in Matthew 24, 2 Timothy 3, and the book of Revelation? I’ve found that two things are typically true of these prophets of doom and gloom. 

  They’ve idealized the past. They tip their hand with phrases like, “when I was growing up” or “in the good old days.” But you can’t go back far enough to find those “good old days,” unless you go all the way back to the Garden of Eden. Though it may have been in a more infantile form, the same evil we face today was there then. Jews in Germany during the mid-1900s didn’t think that those were the “good days.” Ecclesiastes 7:10 warns us, “Say not, ‘Why were the former days better than these?’” 

  They’ve idolized politics. On September 30, 1938, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain returned from meeting with Hitler and declared to the world, “Peace for our time” and then the Nazis goose-stepped over Europe. History was repeating itself. Sixty years earlier another Prime Minister, Benjamin Disraeli, upon returning from the Congress of Berlin stated, “I have returned from Germany with peace for our time.” It was the beginning of the end for Russia, followed by World War I. 

  During my lifetime leaders have declared war on poverty, drugs, terrorism, etc., and we haven’t won a single one. It’s foolish to place our hope in politics or government. The Jews made that blunder prior to the exile before the Babylonian invasion. They looked to Egypt to rescue them. 

  As Christians, our hope is not in this world. We’re not to be handwringers or just survive. God has called us to thrive even in a morally decaying world. This isn’t thriving in temporal world values. It’s so much better and greater! God empowers us to thrive in the spiritual and eternal. All that this world considers thriving will be gone in 100 years, if not less. We thrive not because we have it so good but because our God is so awesome! 

  Jesus isn’t wringing His hands about what’s happening at the United Nations or D.C., or the debauchery of Hollywood. He will build His church and absolutely nothing can stop Him. We’re to live for something that matters, that has eternal significance. It begins with an attitude: Are we going to interpret and respond to our current circumstances through the lens of faith or are we going to interpret our God through the lens of our current reality?   What will it take for us to thrive? 

  Knowing and Obeying God’s Word. The Bible prepares us for this spiritual onslaught but you have to know the strategy. In the middle of a firefight, there’s no time for hesitation or discussion. The time for preparation is today so that we’re prepared for whatever comes tomorrow…and it will come. Obedience doesn’t come naturally though. It must be learned. It’s learned as we dig in deep into Scripture. We prepare for whatever may come tomorrow by being people of the Word today! 

  An Eternal Perspective. Without perspective, things are blown out of proportion. We catastrophize. Any encroachment on privilege becomes persecution. Opposition becomes hatred. Political setbacks become a cause for anguish and despair. In short, we evaluate and extrapolate without putting God into the equation. Seeing life from God’s perspective changes everything. Marines who retire and enter the workforce seldom complain about office politics, workplace inequities, or the things that send others for a loop. They’ve developed a bigger perspective. 

  Endurance. You will never thrive without it. You’ll miss out on God’s rewards if you lack staying power. Scripture continually admonishes us to stick to the stuff, to not throw in the towel when stressed or pushed to the limits (James 1:12). The ones who cross the finish line win, not the ones who bailed and quit halfway. 

  Confidence and Courage. “The righteous are as bold as a lion” (Proverbs 28:1). The dictionary defines courage as “the ability to face and deal with a dangerous or difficult situation.” One of my favorite quotes is that “Courage is fear that has said its prayers.” Or as, General George Patton defined it, “Courage is fear that holds on for one more minute.” 

  Confidence and courage that comes from God is what we need for the trials of this life. It’s the needed power for a family dealing with terminal cancer, or a single parent, struggling to raise their family. It’s the needed power for a widow or widower facing the last years of life without a beloved spouse. It’s the needed power for a child of divorce, struggling to win over doubt, anger and feelings of rejection. It’s the needed power for someone who moves into a high crime, urban area to be light in a dark place. It’s the needed power for an employee who sees evil, greed or corruption, and has the courage to blow the whistle. It’s the needed power for the student who’s unintimidated and asks questions from a biblical worldview when Scripture is being ridiculed in the classroom. 

  Confidence and courage are bravery in the face of danger. Steadfastness in the face of opposition. Action in the face of resistance and optimism in the face of despair. The first says I won’t be afraid. The second says I won’t give up. The third says I won’t be intimidated and the fourth says I won’t lose heart. God’s faithful ones throughout the ages weren’t handwringers. They’ve been Josephs and Daniels and Esthers. They chose by God’s grace to thrive not merely survive. They’re the contemporary Corrie ten Booms and the Richard Wurmbrands. They’re the many Christians sharing Jesus in Iran, China, and North Korea. They all know that it’s not look what the world is coming to. It’s look WHO  is coming to the world! “Even so come Lord Jesus!” (Rev. 22:20).

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? 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. 

 

Loving Your Neighbor...across the aisle

 “It is easier to love humanity than to love your neighbor.” Eric Hoffer

 Back in the 1970s, Pauline Kael was a theater critic for The New York Times and in 1972, she uttered one of the most interesting political statements of the 20^th century. When Richard Nixon was elected president, reelected by a landslide in 1972, Pauline Kael was said to have said that it could not have happened. Why could it not have happened? Because Pauline Kael said she didn’t know anyone who voted for Richard Nixon. That tells us that as far back as 1972, the theater critic for The New York Times didn't know anyone who voted for Richard Nixon. Remember Nixon didn’t squeak by in that election. He won by an overwhelming landslide.

Those words, that “it could not have happened,” actually say much more about the person who said it than about the people of whom it was said. Yet, Pauline Kael wasn’t speaking from say Wichita, Kansas. She was speaking from Manhattan. It’s safe to say that Manhattan in 1972 was overwhelmingly Democratic and thus voted Democratic.

Philip Bump writing for The Washington Post (09-18-20) said that “Three-quarters of Americans know only a few people who support the candidate they themselves oppose.” According to new research by the Pew Research Center, 75% confessed that they knew at most a few people who supported the candidate that they didn’t and about 40% knew no one at all who supported the other candidate.

Over the past few decades, Americans have increasingly self-segregated politically, to the point that today most Americans live in “landslide counties,” where the people in their area vote overwhelmingly in favor of one candidate or the other. As a result, many get the impression that their preferred candidate is not only winning but dominating.

As David Wasserman, one of the nation’s top election forecasters wrote in reference to the 2016 election: “If you feel like you hardly know anyone who disagrees with you about Trump, you’re not alone. Chances are the election was a landslide in your backyard.”

How does all of this relate to us? While those with political loyalty and worldviews can be isolationists, you and I are disobeying Scripture and the words of the Lord Jesus if we are. In Luke 10:27, Jesus commanded us: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself” It’s not optional. To fail to love our neighbor is a sin. But you can’t love your neighbor if you don’t even know your neighbor.

It’s tempting to think that Jesus doesn’t know what we’re experiencing in contemporary America. But He illustrated what He meant with a story, the parable that we know as The Good Samaritan. Jesus didn’t make the ones that His audience thought would obviously be the hero – a priest or a Levite. Instead, this hero was from one of the most despised groups of His day, a Samaritan. He used shock value to make sure they didn’t miss His point, loving your neighbor isn’t optional or when it’s convenient. In our culture, the Samaritan might be a Gay Muslim. It would have the same shock value.

It boils down to this. If you’re a Christian, love your Republican neighbor. If you’re a Christian, love your Democrat neighbor. If you’re a Christian, love your pro-choice neighbor. If you’re a Christian, love your illegal immigrant neighbor. If you’re a Christian, love your atheist neighbor. If you’re a Christian, love your addicted neighbor. If you’re a Christian, love your gangbanger neighbor. If you’re a Christian, love your skateboarding teen neighbor. If you’re a Christian, love your neighbor who calls you horrible names. That also includes loving them and demonstrating Christ’s love on social media.

Yet, we can’t love people we don’t know. It begins then by being their friend, no questions asked. Aren’t you thankful that Jesus chose to love you and me, even though He knew what a mess we were? If I’d been Jesus, I wouldn’t have loved me and I certainly wouldn’t have died for, as Amazing Grace author, John Newton so aptly described me, “a wretch.”

Those who know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior must be more likely than other Americans to come into contact with people with different worldviews and beliefs. Jesus was “the friend of sinners” (Luke 7:34). His followers are to imitate Him. It should be normal for us to have those who consider us a close friend yet dramatically differ from us in our worldview.

You and I have a wonderful opportunity to show a watching world what love and grace looks like. We have a wonderful opportunity to show what a community of believers looks like where allegiance to Christ transcends political differences in the current moment. We must push back against the trend of making nearly everything in life political or of reducing people to their political views. The commission we have from our Lord doesn’t distinguish between party affiliation. We are called to make disciples—and not only of Republicans or Democrats or Independents. It’s sin for us to only love and befriend those who are like us.

Jerry Bridges in his book, The Gospel for Real Life writes that loving our neighbor means…You cherish your neighbors with the very same love that you have toward yourself. In your dealings with them you never show selfishness, irritability, peevishness, or indifference. You take a genuine interest in their welfare and seek to promote their interests, honor, and well-being. You never regard them with a feeling of prideful superiority, nor do you ever talk about their failings. You never resent any wrongs they do to you, but instead are always ready to forgive. You always treat them as you would have them treat you.

The bottom line is this: What is my relationship with Christ doing for my “neighbor”? What is my Christianity doing for the people that God has placed in my path? In my neighborhood? At work? In my family? Do I even know my neighbor? Can I truly say that I love them?

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? 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. 

Worshiping Politics?

“For those looking for security, be forewarned that there’s nothing more insecure than a political promise.” Harry Browne

 

Did you get your chicken? In 1928 then presidential candidate Herbert Hoover promised, “a chicken in every pot.”

If you haven’t already voted, I hope you vote this Tuesday. We have a privilege in America that many others around the world don’t have – free elections and the right to vote. Yet, we must realize the extreme limitations of government to resolve core problems. That doesn’t prevent political candidates from promising that they will solve all of our major problems if elected…but have they?

We still haven’t won the War on Poverty. In 1964, President Lyndon Johnson declared an “unconditional war” on poverty. Visit any urban area in America and you’ll quickly see that in spite of Johnson’s good intentions, we’re losing the “war on poverty.” Some 40 million live below the poverty line. That works out to 12.3% of the population or one in eight Americans. In 2020, the poverty threshold for a single person under 65 was an annual income of  $12,760; the threshold for a family of four, including two children, was $26,200. Though the numbers have bounced up and down since 1964, government has been able to do little to make inroads against poverty. 2,000 years ago the Lord Jesus said, “The poor you will always have with you” (Mt. 26:11 NIV). Sadly, we do.

We still haven’t won the War on Drugs. The War on Drugs begun under President Richard Nixon continues to utilize policies of prohibition to achieve a variety of objectives. The popular “Just Say No” campaign aimed at discouraging children from engaging in illegal recreational drug use by offering various ways of saying No. The program was championed by First Lady, Nancy Reagan, during her husband’s presidency. Yet, while in 1980, 580,900 people were arrested on drug‐​related charges, forty years later that number has increased to well over a million. Nearly half a million are currently incarcerated for drug-related offenses with another 1.15 million on probation or parole on drug‐​related charges. 50,000 Americans die annually from opioid overdose.

We still haven’t won the War against Racism. How far have we come since Dr. Martin Luther King’s “Letter from a Birmingham jail” or his historic, “I have a dream” speech? Tragically, not very far. The events of this past year clearly reveal that in “the land of the free,” racism is still a terrible blight on the American horizon. That’s because laws, social programs, and education can never change hearts. In one of the most liberal cities in America (NYC), Jews were recently attacked because they dared to support the “wrong” political candidate. It was a page straight out of Nazi Germany. According to Pew Research, 63% of Americans say that being Muslim hurts someone’s chances for advancement in our society. What social activist, Dorothy Day called “a revolution of the heart” is more like a regurgitation of the same terrible maladies.

We still haven’t won the War against Abortion. In 1980 I voted in my first presidential election. At one time I naively believed that with a pro-life President, we could end this atrocity. 12 years of Reagan and Bush were a wake-up call for me. Even if Roe v. Wade is overturned (I don’t believe it will be), it won’t end abortion. Estimates of the number of illegal abortions in the 1950s and 1960s ranged from 200,000 to 1.2 million per year. Currently, there are almost a million annual abortions in America.

While few want to acknowledge it, abortion is one of the greatest acts of racism with 40% of them performed on African-Americans. It’s no wonder that Bernice King, MLK’s daughter is opposed to abortion and believes that life begins and should be protected by law at conception.

Many other social evils could be added to this list. While as Christians, we must do what we can to combat poverty, drug addiction, racism , and abortion – the solution isn’t and never will be found in government.

One of God’s constant rebukes of His chosen people, Israel, was they're trusting in foreign governments to rescue them. Rather than trusting God to intervene for them, they reached out to evil foreign kings. God used the Old Testament prophets to continually warn them. Yet, because Israel would not repent, God finally brought judgment on them for their idolatry.

It was wrong because our ultimate hope is not in government or elected leaders, but in the Lord Jesus Christ Himself alone. Only He has the power to  meet our greatest needs of forgiveness and salvation. Only He can truly change us and our world, true heart change from the inside out.

Many in the Church and many Christians are guilty of the same sin of idolatry. We’ve deified government and worship at the altar of politics. For many politics has never been more important and has turned into the opium of the masses. As former Nixon “hatchet man” who later came to Christ, Chuck Colson wrote, “Modern history is replete with lessons about the futility of putting ultimate trust in much vaunted political systems.”

How do you know if you’ve made politics your idol? Some signs are: Your hope in life is inextricably tied to a politician or your political party winning. You look to a politician or party as a perfect savior who can’t do or say anything wrong. You side with your party on every issue by reflex without thinking through a biblical worldview. Your speech and tone in political discourse tends to be harsh and angry, rather than kind and honorable. You forget that political opponents have eternal souls, that Jesus loves them and died for them just as He did for you. You let politics steal your joy. You don’t seek to understand how a political opponent thinks. You fail to acknowledge the false idols of your own political party.

Yes, we should vote, so please vote for the candidate that best reflects a biblical worldview. Remember though that none wholeheartedly do. Most of all, remember that our ultimate hope is in our sovereign God.

I am so thankful that politics have not divided our church. Our focus must be on His eternal Kingdom, not temporal earthly politics. None of us know what will happen after this election. One thing we are certain of though is that  King Jesus will still be on His throne! His promises will remain true, His church will move forward, and His gospel will prevail. Our hope is not in who wins this election, it’s in King Jesus. Regardless of what happens this election, God is in charge and His coming kingdom is forever! 

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? 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. 

Is politics too dirty for a Christian?

“Hey, Hey, LBJ!

How Many Kids Did You Kill Today?”

  Those words, part of a chant repeated over and over in protests during the 1960s has essentially been forgotten. Fifty years ago those words rang out across college campuses, fueled antiwar rallies and filled the air outside the White House piercing the soul of the man who lived there.

  The Vietnam War became “Lyndon Johnson’s war,” though it was Eisenhower, nearly a decade earlier who first involved the U.S. in Vietnam. Vietnam eventually wrecked Johnson’s presidency, ending his dream of founding a “Great Society,” free of everything war and violence birthed. Within five years of leaving office, he died a broken and disillusioned man.

  How would you feel? How would you feel if nearly every decision was second-guessed? How would you feel if you were constantly misquoted or your words taken out of context? How would you feel if you were called a “hack, extremist, idiot, thug, radical, shill” or worse? How would you feel if every time there was a traffic jam, a downturn in the economy, or even a pothole, you were blamed and it was somehow YOUR fault? How would you feel if you or your family were threatened with bodily harm or worse because of your position? How would you feel if you weren’t quite sure if your friends were really friends, or because you had some influence that benefited them?   

  If none of that would bother you, maybe you’re ready to run for public office…because that’s the price. While it’s true that some individuals seek public office to gain position or acquire power or money, it’s a small minority. Most seek public office, especially local ones, to work for their community or for a cause. They want to make a difference. Most begin pure in their ideology and motives. They truly, according to their worldview, desire to make their community and this world a better place.

  Yes, it’s easy to become jaundiced and forget you’re a public servant. Very few start that way and most still want to make a difference. They’re committed to the “greater good,” even though we may not agree with their definition of what that “greater good” is or their worldview.

  It’s common for Christians to quip, “I’m just not interested in politics.” Such a dismissive remark is frequently delivered with a veneer of piety implying that political engagement is somehow inherently defiled, occupying an arena unfit for anyone serious about the gospel. Yet, such an attitude denies the gospel and that Christ died for everyone including politicians, even those that we disagree with. The message of the gospel is that by grace through faith every sinner can be reconciled with God (Eph. 2:7-8). It’s only the gospel, not political power, that transforms individuals, nations and cultures.  

  Politics are unavoidable. Ask a pastor of an underground church or a missionary attempting to access a closed country if politics matter. Religious liberty, passports and visas are vital. In America and a post-Christian world, it’s politics that protect the blessing that God has given us, our 1^st amendment rights: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”

  Politics then have real-world implications on our God-given mission of evangelism, missions and discipleship. God has given us a responsibility to care for those around us. It’s vital that we engage in the political process advocating for laws and policies that contribute to the good and flourishing of our fellow image-bearers of God. We are our “neighbor’s keeper.”

  God established and uses human government for His glory (Gen. 9:5-6; Rom. 13:1-5). Some of the greatest heroes in Scripture served the Lord by serving in anti-God governments (Joseph, Nehemiah, Esther and Daniel).

  One of the most evil kings of all time was gloriously saved Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4). It’s why we’re commanded to pray for our governmental leaders (1 Tim. 2:1-4). At Grace, we take that command seriously. It’s why we pray for an elected official each week. We want them to govern in a God-honoring way. More importantly, we want them to come to a personal knowledge of Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

  Think what would happen if those in elected office came to Christ. Most of us are skeptical of that. Yet, that only shows our lack of faith and naïveté of God’s power. I’ve just finished reading, Born Again by Chuck Colson. Known as Nixon’s “hatchet man,” Chuck Colson was the last person many thought would ever come to Christ, but he did. Literally, millions in the corridors of power and in cells in some of the world’s worst prisons have been touched by the gospel because God gloriously saved Chuck Colson. I know that God has used him and his writings in my life.

  This weekend Jane and I are attending the Wilberforce Conference hosted by the organization Chuck Colson started, Prison Fellowship. Tomorrow we’ll be visiting the offices of our national representatives. Why? We have a biblical mandate – Matthew 28:19-20. Jesus was the friend of sinners and you and I are to be Jesus in our world.

  Throughout time God has placed believers in the corridors of power. As Christians, we have a common bond with brothers and sisters in Christ that is eternal, even if they’re from other political persuasions. Our common spiritual inheritance must have precedence over all political differences.   

  Jeremiah 29:7 says: “But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.” Referring to the debauched city of Babylon, Jeremiah recognized even a pagan government serves a purpose in God’s plan. That’s still true. Our witness in the public square contributes transcendent moral values, yet our withdrawal opens the door to a moral vacuum. We are commanded to be salt and light…and that includes the political arena.

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? 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. 

When the church fails like the NFL

“Starve your distractions. Feed your focus.”

  Just when you thought that the Super Bowl couldn’t get worse or the NFL more foolish, even if you aren’t into football, there were always the commercials. Sometimes, particularly in a lopsided game, the commercials were the only redeeming feature. Yet, now one traditional commercial has been canned. Budweiser’s Clydesdales have been put out to pasture.

  The NFL has successfully alienated the military and veterans as players kneeled during The Star-Spangled Banner. Flag waving Americans have been disgusted much of the season. More recently, the NFL turned down a pro-national anthem commercial by a veterans group for the Super Bowl.

  The interest in the game is way down since it’s an east coast Super Bowl with one generally despised team, the Patriots (though Eagle fans do little to endear themselves). And now the non-offensive Clydesdales have been given a pink slip, irritating animal lovers. Sunday’s winner may be The Puppy Bowl XIII, that’s been dubbed the “alternative Super Bowl.”

  Remember when football was about football? It wasn’t about commercials, halftime shows or political statements. It was about 22 men pouring their guts out to move a piece of pigskin down the field. Those days are gone. With increased anxiety of brain injuries, football may be headed to the dustbin of sport’s history. Yet, much of the demise is because professional football lost its focus. Football is no longer about football.

  A church can do the same thing. They become distracted on nearly anything and everything beside their God-given purpose, being the church.

  Some churches are little more than political action committees. Though evangelicals have recently been accused of this, it’s long been true of African-American churches. God never called us to be a voting bloc, to be consumed with political issues or endorse candidates. While the church must make a stand on biblical issues, like life ones, that is not political.

  Some churches are consumed with social issues. While hunger, homelessness and poverty are serious, they’re not to be our primary focus. If all those issues were resolved, (which would be wonderful), the greatest hunger of our world wouldn’t be. Our great need is “soul hunger” and only the gospel can satisfy our world’s greatest need.

  Some churches are consumed with non-biblical rules. God is holy and the Scripture commands believers to be holy. Yet, some churches teach that holiness is externalism and become obsessed with mundane non-biblical rules about dress, music, even whether someone attends a movie. Scripture’s emphasis is heart holiness. While the principles never change, culture does. It’s why God is more concerned with attitudes than actions. When a Christ-follower has a righteous attitude, right actions are the fruit of that attitude.

  Some churches are focused on increasing numbers not disciples. Many churches buy into the American success myth: bodies, bucks & buildings. It’s not a biblical model of success. Ultimately, Jesus ended with eleven disciples, a failure from our world’s perspective. One of the fastest growing “churches” is the Mormon Church, yet it denies the Deity of Christ.

  Some churches are self-absorbed. Jesus did not command us to come in, but to “go out.” A church must focus on those still outside of it. While Body Life is important, our passion must be on seeing the lost come to Christ. It can’t be just about our own children and families. Many churches focus the greater percentage of their resources internally. Fear of a corrupt culture can result in isolation, but we’re not to be isolated from the world. God’s power is greater! We’re to be an assault team on the gates of Hell.

  Some churches are seeker driven. They’re focused only on evangelism. Our purpose is not to make converts, but disciples. The Christian life is not just having your ticket punched for Heaven. It’s wholistic. It must revolutionize your whole life. We’ve not fulfilled the Great Commission until every believer has come to the place of maturity where they too are sharing the gospel and discipling others. Our purpose is to reproduce ourselves. We’re to equip believers so they’re able to reach their world.   

  Some churches are just a big show. God did not call us to entertain or make people feel good. Scripture is compared to a sword for heart surgery (Hebrews 4:12). Sin lies deep, usually undetected in each of our hearts. God has called the church to be like a team preparing for the Super Bowl. We will not fulfill our purpose unless we do exhausting spiritual work and sweat “holy sweat.” We don’t gather to have our ears tickled, but to be challenged, have our souls dissected, go through pain until we rip down every idol in our hearts so that we become more and more like Jesus. God’s goal is our sanctification. That means pruning, the refiner’s fire. It’s not comfortable, yet it’s the only way to have God’s best.   

  Should the NFL players care about the needs of African-Americans? Absolutely! But that’s not its purpose. The purpose of the NFL is to play football. Most of the things that distract a church from its primary focus are good things. They’re not bad or sinful. It’s why they’re so attractive.
  Satan doesn’t usually do a frontal assault. Instead he loves to just distract us. I’ve never heard of a church being tempted to become a strip club. Our Enemy knows that if he gets us to focus on good things, we’ll forget the best things. King Jesus gave us our marching orders. The mission has not changed: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” 

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? 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. 

Have you hugged a politician today?

“The Gospel cannot and must not be identified with partisan political posturing.”  Carl Trueman

  This weekend Jane and I are at The Wilberforce Weekend, a Christian worldview conference hosted by the Colson Center. We have had the privilege of listening to speakers like Ravi Zacharias and Os Guinness.

  Please pray for us tomorrow as we visit our Wisconsin Senators’ offices and Congressman’s office. We’re bringing invites for them to local events; Burlington Chocolate Fest and the Waterford Balloon Fest. We’re also inviting them to our future building dedication.

  Hopefully, you know this already, at Grace we’re committed to being non-partisan or a-political. The Gospel reaches across all political barriers. It’s why we won’t endorse candidates or political parties.

  Though I personally support the repealing of the Johnson Amendment, it’s not so that our church can endorse political candidates. It’s that I’m concerned that as our culture continues to morally devolve, the day may come when, because of their tax exempt status, churches will be told that they can’t teach what the Bible says about certain subjects because they’re considered “hate speech.”

  Our country was founded on religious freedom, i.e., the 1^st amendment. Our nation’s Founding Fathers would be appalled that RICO laws were re-interpreted to punish pro-life groups. The more fences to keep the camel’s nose out of the church, the better. Students of history know the term “Separation of Church & State” is not part of our Constitution. Thomas Jefferson’s intent, (he coined the term) was not to keep the church out of the government, but rather to keep the government out of the church.

  At Grace Church our mission is the Gospel! We are to seek to reach every person, whether they are a citizen or a governmental leader, with the good news that there is true hope and another Kingdom. God’s love, grace and forgiveness is available for everyone because of the Cross of Jesus Christ.

  For some time, as have many other Christian leaders, I’ve been concerned that the Church in America is needlessly alienating major portions of the population because of our political persuasions. Until recent times, many Christians thought their values were still held by a majority of Americans. Thus, Christians merely needed to mobilize the moral majority and encourage them to speak out, especially by voting. We could then turn things around, we were assured, if only we could mobilize the masses.

  For the most part, this view is recognized as unrealistic. Biblical values are increasingly becoming an unpopular minority view. Consequently, government will continue to regulate and oppose a biblical worldview.  

  Yet, for many Millennials and ethnic groups, there is at least a perceived too tight of a connection between conservative party politics and Christians. The prime example is abortion. Abortion is used as a wedge issue to establish a dividing line between Republicans and Democrats. The argument is that the Christian way of voting must be for the political party that has a pro-life statement in their platform. Too many Christians fail to recognize that politics and pragmatism are nearly synonymous. Abortion is a “red meat” issue to ramp up party support. Political rhetoric and action are not the same thing. Abortion is a campaign slogan embraced during an election cycle and often abandoned the day after the election. Because abortion is a “red herring,” it preempts discussion about other biblical subjects; genocide, persecution, poverty, marriage…to name just a few.   

  There is no Christian form of government. Christ’s Church has survived and even thrived under the most diabolical of governmental systems. A biblical worldview sees government as an institution established by God (Gen. 9:6; Rom. 13) for the purpose of promoting justice for its citizens—protecting the innocent from the aggressor and the lawless. Without personal security, every other function of government (protecting life, liberty, property, reputation, etc.) is meaningless. As Christians, we recognize government as a sacred institution whose rulers are ministers of God for good. God ordained the State to practice godly justice and commands us to submit to it. As long as government serves the purpose for which God created it, we must show our allegiance to God by submitting to human government, understanding though that civil government is secular in nature while Christianity is spiritual. As believers, we’re aliens and strangers, passing through a temporal world (1 Peter 1:1). Our citizenship is in heaven (Phil. 3:20). Our highest authority is God. At times, Christians must choose to “obey God, rather than men” (Acts 5:29).

  Too many Christians become caught up in an angry world’s spirit of winning political battles and forget that elected officials and government bureaucrats are also part of “For God so loved the world…” It is a sin to hate anyone, even a Nero or a Hitler. Politicians are not the enemy, Satan is. When we treat those whose ideology is different from ours as the enemy, we create an evil barrier to the Gospel.

  A pagan world is incensed when things don’t go its way, screaming for its rights. We’re to be different, a Christian-counterculture. Only the Gospel, will bring true change to society, since it transforms sinners from the inside out. There are no Christian nations, only Christian people. Our commission is to proclaim the Gospel faithfully in whatever context God puts us.

  Imagine what would happen if every believer wrote their elected officials, thanked him/her for serving, letting them know they were praying for them. It would be a beginning and hopefully open doors for the Gospel. 

  Which Kingdom are you focused on? This temporal world’s or King Jesus’ eternal one? 

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? 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.

God-Talk in God's Family

“Good communication is as stimulating as black coffee and just as hard to sleep after.”  Anne Morrow Lindbergh

  Does your family have a story? Nearly every family does. Our family loves to spend time together just talking. Sometimes it’s serious. Many times we’re giggling or laughing. Lots of times we reflect on funny stories from the past. There are stories and “key” words only we understand. For example, all five of us know what “pudding” means and it’s not a dessert.

  These family stories make us who we are and draw us closer to each other. Someday we’ll pass on many of these wonderful stories to our grandchildren. They’re the heartfelt conversations which make us unique and who we are. Your family probably has them too.

  God’s plan is for each local church to be a family. Sadly, we’ve veered from that, particularly in America. Often the local church is more like a business, a religious franchise. It’s not what God designed us for.

  Anyone studying the New Testament quickly realizes God planned for the local church to be a family. It’s one reason why we believe joining a local church is biblical. It’s very hard to be a “family” when you’re uncertain of who’s really in the family or who’s committed to it.

  It struck me recently we’re missing out on something when we’re together we can’t have out there – family conversations. Jesus designed us to be a Christian counterculture. Our conversations with each other when we gather to worship and fellowship should be different than nearly any other place. Have you ever noticed though, when we’re with our brothers and sisters in Christ, we talk about nearly everything else but family matters? Shouldn’t spiritual family conversations dominate our dialogue, rather than be the exception? Our times together are opportunities for us to fulfill those powerful “one another” commands in the New Testament?

  Some conversations shouldn’t take place though in a church family. They’re story and “one another” killers. Let me touch on a few.

  Whining/complaining. Whining kills communication and God hates whining. It cost the Children of Israel 40 years of wandering. Most churches have far too much of it. It’s usually over miniscule things: room temperature, music, seating, refreshments, minor annoyances, volume, etc.

  Sarcasm. Our culture is verbally cruel. Sometimes at church the pagan language of digs, put-downs or cuts is used. It’s wrong and it’s sin.

  Politics. When it comes to biblical values, there’s very little difference between the political parties. It’s primarily a philosophy of government. The only biblical form of government is a Theocracy, which was for Israel and won’t happen again until King Jesus returns. To cause Kingdom division over human government is a violation of Galatians 3:28.

  Business. Jesus cast the moneychangers out of the Temple. Yet, Americans are so “business” focused, it dominates our conversations, even in church. In a day of cell phones and e-mail, let’s work to keep the main thing the main thing – Jesus and His family.

  Just a side note here, as plans for our new facility continue to develop, it’s tempting to focus on style, costs, etc…and talk about it a lot. This new facility is not the church, WE are. It’s merely a tool to help us serve King Jesus. Most conversations about it should go something like this, “Isn’t it exciting what God is doing? How can we pray more wisely?”

  What are some family conversations we should be having lots of? There are many, let me just touch on a few. All of these find their heart with first loving each other, as Jesus commanded us to do, John 13:34-35.

  We must encourage each other. If you and I do not encourage one another, where else is encouragement going to take place? Each week many come in battered and bruised for a myriad of reasons. For some in our church family, this is their safe place. Look for ways to encourage others, particularly spiritually encouragement, 1 Thessalonians 5:11.

  We must pray for and with each other. Nothing so thrills my heart than to see folk gathered together praying for each other. Perhaps someone shared a special burden or need. Brothers and sisters stopped right there and prayed with them. Where else can we do that? If you do that at Walmart or the Packer’s game, people will think you’re a wacko.

  We must be kind to each other. Do you look for kind things to say to others? Do you ask how things are going so you can pray for them more intelligently? Do they know you care? Do you? Do you know what burdens or blessings they have? We’re to be kind to each other, Ephesians 4:32.

  We must admonish each other. Isn’t this odd? It’s not strange at church to ask someone how work is going or how their kids are doing, even if they’ve lost weight. Yet, somehow it’s weird to ask: What is God teaching you these days? What are you learning from His Word? We need to admonish each other, Colossians 3:16.

  We must forgive each other. You’re not a Christian unless you’ve been forgiven. Each of us has been forgiven horrible crimes against God. Yet, many of the “forgiven” carry smoldering cinders of bitterness, often for years, toward other believers. We must forgive each other, Ephesians 4:32.

  How can we grow in this area? How do we start making spiritual church family conversations “normal”? It’s simple – just start. Perhaps begin sharing one on one something the Lord is teaching you or something you need prayer for, or some special blessing the Lord has given you.

  This is new, so baby steps are best. Here are some questions to consider: What’s your most important spiritual goal right now? What’s something you believe from the Bible without any doubts? What book of the Bible has had a great influence on you? If God granted you any one request, what would it be? What would you most like people to remember you for after you die? What are the biggest questions you have about your relationship with God? What’s something you’re thankful for in your life right now?

  If there is one place for God-talk, it’s when you’re with God’s family!


Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? 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 mine in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

If you can read this, thank your doctor, nurse, X-ray technician, Pharmacist...

“Wherever the art of Medicine is loved, there is also a love of Humanity.”  Hippocrates

Can you imagine what our lives would be like without doctors and nurses, and all of the other blessings of modern medicine? I can’t and I honestly have no desire to. They are so much a part of our lives in Western culture, that we just take them for granted. We forget that they haven’t always been there and that much of the world still does not have access to modern medicine.

  It is truly a privilege today to welcome medical professionals as our honored guests to Grace Church today! We know that in our fast paced world, too often, we simply fail to stop and say, Thank You! We hope that our Biscuit Brunch and worship service this morning communicates in a small way how thankful we are for each one of you and the blessing that you are in our lives! You often see us at our weakest points and we appreciate you!

  While there are exceptions, nearly all of us had a doctor and nurse present when we were born. It’s very probable that we will have a doctor and nurse present when we die. Nearly all of us have made more trips than we want to count to the Emergency Room, particularly if you’re the parent of an highly active child J. Many of us have had to dial 911 at one time or another for some medical emergency. Some of us have had to be taken to a medical facility in an ambulance. Perhaps you’re here today because a doctor, or surgeon or nurse performed some lifesaving procedure that spared your life…perhaps, they saved the life of a loved one.

  When we’re sick, we don’t give it a second thought when we call up a doctor and ask for a prescription or make an appointment, though they usually prefer that you come in so that they can make sure that the prognosis of you or your child’s condition is accurate. If there’s a chronic medical situation that seems to be hidden, there are technicians who do EKGs, EEGs and MRIs to check your body out more thoroughly to learn what the problem is. You don’t have to guess when you have a broken bone or even how serious the break might be. We have X-rays that reveal  exactly what is broken. Just by looking at the images on an X-ray, a doctor is able to locate the problem and determine the best remedy.

  Just consider all of the medicines we have available today that can completely eliminate the symptoms of many maladies and conditions. Physicians routinely prescribe drugs for reducing fever, alleviating an upset stomach or pain so as to increase the patient’s comfort level. Through the elimination of those uncomfortable symptoms, a patient can resume a normal life almost immediately after treatment. Just think of all of the over the counter medicines and other medical supplies you can find even at a gas station: Tylenol, Rolaids, and Band-aids in all shapes and sizes. 

  Just a hundred years ago, many of the diseases that are little more than a cold today were frequently a death sentence. Even today much of the world still lacks access to basic medical care. More than 200 million children worldwide under age 5 do not get basic health care which results in nearly 10 million deaths annually from treatable ailments like diarrhea and pneumonia. Antibiotics that we take for granted, that cost less than $0.30, just aren’t available for so many in the world. Often those needing medical care in developing countries have to walk six hours or more for any type of medical care. Maybe we should think about that the next time that we have to wait in a doctor’s office or Emergency Room and are tempted to complain about having to wait.  

  With all of the heated political debate, finger pointing and partisan saber rattling in recent years in America, our medical professionals are often “collateral damage.” Some have even been hurt by “friendly fire.” Because of the frustration with the system, our human tendency is to vent our frustration and even anger at the caregiver who is on the frontlines, trying to take care of us. Add to that, they’re often stretched very thin, as is nearly every other industry in America, with attempting to serve the same amount of patients with less staff and resources. And tragically, what has been lost in all of the debate and rhetoric is a deep, heartfelt gratitude for those countless committed medical professionals who are so committed to making our lives safer, easier and healthier.

  Because of them, illnesses like the flu are usually little more than a hassle.  They have often spent years and thousands of dollars to study medicine and then are continually educating themselves on the latest procedures and medicines, treatments and maladies so that they can care for us in the best way possible. I know that I’m personally so thankful for the many doctors, nurses, and support staff who go far beyond the call, for whom it’s not just a job, they truly care and want to make a difference in people’s lives.

  Today at Grace Church, we want to stop and say, “Thank You!” for your commitment to others! We know you don’t hear it enough. We know that you are often seeing individuals at the lowest points of their lives and they often forget that you are not just doing a job or earning a pay check. So thank you, thank you, from the bottom of our hearts!

  May today echo in your heart during the coming days, weeks, and even months. May it encourage you to know that your commitment is being noticed, that you are truly making a difference, and we greatly appreciate you and all that you do! Thank you!!