Republican Party ≠ Christianity

Ok... so we had elections in this country not too long ago. All the rhetoric, debates, scandals, and bad TV ads are all over now. President Bush won the election, and not with the nuisance of hanging chads or Supreme Court Decisions. This was a solid victory. With the victory came word across the world that the one factor that made the difference was the importance of moral values. Strangely enough, that was never brought up by the news before the election (at least as I can recall, and I watched a LOT of election news). It would seem that the country's press thought that "moral values" had gone the way of the 1950s.

So, suddenly, all attention was drawn worldwide to the voting power of the conservative Christian. I heard report after report that gave the win for Bush from the hands of this demographic in America. Like clockwork, within hours of the election, the Democratic Party was trying to stake it's claim in the hill of moral values... perhaps a little too late? Ugh... politics (of any form) makes me sick to my stomach.

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And here I am with a HUGE concern for our nation... While many Christians in America rejoice that their man won the election, I am afraid that their success will be one more nail in the coffin for Christianity in America. Why?
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Now, two generations removed from church attendance being the norm in America (X and Y being the first two post-Christian generations here in the US), anyone that is not a Christian and is perhaps more liberal in their thinking of how government should work is now equating Christianity with the Republican Party. :( What a sad day for Christianity, even in the wake of a victory in the eyes of many.

Historically speaking, when the church has harbored itself with any organization or aligned itself with a government entity (throughout the ages) for a gain of power, it has paid for that with blood. Religion and politics are a bad mix; it is a deadly elixir. For that reason, I am proud of my baptist heritage that fought for the freedom that our founding fathers did not have in England: the freedom of government control of religion or the control of religion on government.

But the mixing of religion with politics is not only bad for that reason, though that's a good one. The mixing is bad because the lines can be confusing... what does it really mean to be a Christian in America? Now, the whole world (due to massive ignorance and perpetuated stereotypes of Christians from religious leaders like Falwell, Dobson, and Robertson), believes the USA is a Christian nation because we elected a Christian president. Nothing could be further from the truth. According to the North American Mission Board in 1999, North America is the ONLY continent in the world where Christianity is not growing. Gaining a Christian president will not make this nation a Christian one.

So, are political lines and checks on litmus tests what makes one a Christian? Absolutely not! But, that's the perception. Anyone else see this HUGE disconnect?

True power in this world comes by loving your neighbor as yourself and loving God with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength. And it takes the later to do the former. Political power is nothing. True power comes in love and humility. The power of change takes place when we start doing what we were told to do already: walk as Christ walked... live as Christ lived. How many Christians do you know that do this? Show of hands?... ok... now, when the number of hands begin to increase in this nation and the world around... then, and only then, will we be even CLOSE to being a Christian nation/world.

Yet, now, as it stands we are the scourge of the earth... and not because we "stand up for Jesus." We are the scourge because we do not live as our Lord did, and that is simply unacceptable.

Capernaum Project

I just got back from a wonderful night learning about the Capernaum Project. This is an incredible ministry that links mentors with disabled youth. The mentors representing Young Life in the Baltimore region spend countless hours every week with kids whether it be taking them to the mall, a baseball game or the beach. Simply awesome. My good man, Sean Napfel was there, representing Horizon... along with Ben and Carissa and my main man Dan Gerding. I am so pumped about this ministry! My hope is that we as a church can take advantage of this awesome opportunity to serve.

BE

Be the Generation X Church *Scratch*

Be the Post Modern Church *Scratch*

Be the Emergent Church *Scratch*

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Be the Church *NOW THAT'S WORTH SAYING!*