10 Observations by Adam Neder: #10. The Church was never intended to rule.

I was reading an article from the H.E.B. Foundation Magazine Echoes this morning, and I came across a description of a summer retreat led by Adam Neder. The retreat was titled “Faith in the Ruins.” A description of the retreat in the promotional material for it sums it up: “…as challenges multiply, as the church perfects the art of discrediting itself, as friends leave the faith, many Christians are feeling exhausted, disoriented, and discouraged. Some wonder how much longer they can stick with Christianity–or even if they want to.”

That’s where the 10 observations by Neder came in. I looked at them and thought I would do a series of prayer journals on the 10 observations the article mentioned Neder covered during the retreat.

#10. The Church was never intended to rule.

Dear God, this is an interesting one for me. I’m not sure to what extent I agree with it at first blush. I almost feel like I need to strip away my preconceived notions of government and political power and think about what you intended from the beginning.

I heard someone ask in the last year, “What is the form of government that the Bible endorses?” My first temptation is to say autocratic rule with a king because it is the most common. But when I think about 1 Samuel 8 and the Israelites angering you by asking for a king I have to reconsider. Before Abraham, there were just men and their families. Adam. Noah. Job. You didn’t have a nation. Even with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, they were just heads of families. Not much government there. It wasn’t until the Israelites came out of the Egyptian incubator in which you had them for several hundred years that they were a true nation in need of political structure to function. At the top of that structure you had Moses, but he wasn’t their king. There was nothing about him that was kingly. He was their judge. He was a leader, to be sure. But he was almost a high priest, judge, ruler combo. Then came Joshua who largely worked in the same manner. This pattern continued in a hit and miss, informal way up through Samuel. There was not a clear plan of succession from one judge to the next. Other than children working in the temple and as judges (I’m looking at you Eli and Samuel), I don’t really see a lineage passed down from generation to generation. It was a loose organization that didn’t seem too stable. But it pleased you a lot more than a kingdom of men did.

So where does that leave us now in the United States? It’s complicated. Belief in you was very predominant at the time so that, even though they wanted to have a non-religious government, you were so ubiquitous in people’s lives that belief in you couldn’t help but be woven into the fabric of the document. At the same time, there are those now who would say the document was divinely inspired–putting it, I suppose, on the same level as scripture. However, if it is divinely inspired then what do I do with the parts that are evil such as condoning slavery or the 3/5 Compromise? Why 17 amendments after the first 10 that were part of a compromise? No, it’s a good document and I believe you used it, flaws and all, to do your will through our country, but I don’t think I can consider it divinely inspired.

But going back to Neder’s observation, I think I’ll agree because the judge system was to lead others into worshipping you, but not mandate it. There’s a difference. I had a friend recently send me a news story about how self-professed Christians are shrinking as a percentage in American society. Down from 90% saying they believed in you in the 1990s to about 65% saying they believe in you now. The alarmist headline was that Christians will be the minority religion by 2045. I replied to the friend that if you count people who are actually discipling Christians, worshipping and building a regular relationship with you, and not just self-professed Christians then we are already the minority. I also asked how he thinks people reading it on Fox News will respond to the article. For those it will alarm, there are, I suppose two main responses: 1. The liberals are taking over and we need to get control of this and make people believe in God again or 2. We have been failing our society and we need to repent, pray about what we’ve done wrong and then move forward modeling ourselves after Jesus and his disciples. The first group would see the Church as being the intended ruler of society. The second sees the Church as needing to lead hurting people to you.

Father, I have to be better. I have to be better at leading people to you. Those close to me and those not. I am sorry. I am sorry I fail out of fear and apathy. I am sorry I fail because I simply don’t care sometimes. I don’t take the pain of others seriously enough. I don’t love like I should love. I don’t lead them to you like I should lead. I don’t worship you like I should worship. I don’t pray like I should pray. I am sorry. As I look at that news story, I definitely find myself in the second camp. Help me to live out what you are calling me to do and bless the work of my hands for the sake of your children and your glory.

I pray this through the power of everything Jesus is,

Amen

 

10 Observations by Adam Neder: #9. Being a savvy consumer makes it harder to find a Church.

I was reading an article from the H.E.B. Foundation Magazine Echoes, and I came across a description of a summer retreat led by Adam Neder. The retreat was titled “Faith in the Ruins.” A description of the retreat in the promotional material for it sums it up: “…as challenges multiply, as the church perfects the art of discrediting itself, as friends leave the faith, many Christians are feeling exhausted, disoriented, and discouraged. Some wonder how much longer they can stick with Christianity–or even if they want to.”

That’s where the 10 observations by Neder came in. I looked at them and thought I would do a series of prayer journals on the 10 observations the article mentioned Neder covered during the retreat.

#9. Being a savvy consumer makes it harder to find a Church.

Dear God, I cannot tell if Neder is saying this is a good thing or a bad thing. Is he a proponent of being picky about your church or is he being critical? I’m not sure. So instead of basing what I say on what I think his opinion is, I want to just react to this statement on its own.

I’m going to take the position that this is a negative and we should not try to be a “savvy consumer” when it comes to church. In fact, I think one of the problems with the current church is that we see ourselves as the “consumer” or the “customer.” We think the pastor and staff are there to serve what we expect of them. In other words, I expect them to deliver the sermons, children’s programs, adult Sunday school, etc. that I like. But what if??? What if you intend for the church, in my life, to make me holy more than to make me happy? What if you designed it to be a place for me to offer myself as your living sacrifice? What if you have made it my job to love the pastor as I love myself? And the staff? What if my job on Sunday is to be concerned more with the people for whom you have me there than the people I think are there for me? Yes, there are times when I need to receive, but those times are far fewer than the times I need to give.

I heard a pastor yesterday tell a story about a disenchanted group of people in his church who sent their spokesperson to his office to confront him. There was a lot of judgment in their words to him. They had talked and gotten themselves into a frenzy and now they had taken it upon themselves to do what they perceived to be your bidding. The thing it seems they were missing was love. Compassion. Concern.

I was in a church about 12 years ago that went through a terrible split over a vocal minority who were not exhibiting your love. Well, it wasn’t as much of a split as the pastor, a gentle soul, got reassigned, sweet and good families found another place to worship because of the strife and fallout from the conflicts, and that group eventually ended up moving on anyway.

So back to selecting a church. What if I totally changed how I selected a church? What if I walked into a building and asked myself, “Does this place have needs that I can uniquely fill with what I bring to the body?” Instead of, “How do I like her or his preaching?” “Is the Sunday school good?” “Do they have a good enough youth group and/or children’s program?” “Are they serving the community enough?” What if I simply asked, “Can this place use me?” And not in a spirit of me coming in and “fixing” the church, but me coming alongside and loving others through my service. Maybe a church isn’t that hard to find when I have a different attitude towards my selection criteria.

Father, Holy Spirit, help me to be an encouragement to my friends who are pastors. Help me to be a servant at the church where you have planted me. Help me to be a source of love. Help me to be a channel of your grace. Use me. And help me to do it by exuding you–by exuding your Holy Spirit. By exuding love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, faithfulness, goodness, kindness, and self control (I might have missed one or two there, but you know what I mean). In short, love the world through my life, and let the flame of your love spread to others, starting with me.

I pray this through the gift of Jesus being my Lord,

Amen

 

10 Observations by Adam Neder: #8. The Church’s credibility can only be harmed by the Church.

I was reading an article from the H.E.B. Foundation Magazine Echoes, and I came across a description of a summer retreat led by Adam Neder. The retreat was titled “Faith in the Ruins.” A description of the retreat in the promotional material for it sums it up: “…as challenges multiply, as the church perfects the art of discrediting itself, as friends leave the faith, many Christians are feeling exhausted, disoriented, and discouraged. Some wonder how much longer they can stick with Christianity–or even if they want to.”

That’s where the 10 observations by Neder came in. I looked at them and thought I would do a series of prayer journals on the 10 observations the article mentioned Neder covered during the retreat.

#8. The Church’s credibility can only be harmed by the Church.

Dear God, what does a credible Church (capital C) or church (small c) look like? It’s probably easier to start with the small-c church and go from there.

I think a church with credibility starts with love. Loving others. While I think the Mormon church has a lot of theological problems that prevent me from worshipping you with them, I think they are excellent in their credibility. They do the work. They love. They visit. They follow up. They worship you. They serve. As a Church, they also seem to have a decent attitude towards political issues. For example, I was talking about the negotiable and non-negotiable things a few days ago and how most of the Church has made the negotiable things non-negotiable (healthcare, environment, etc.) and the non-negotiable things negotiable (personal discipleship, fruits of the Spirit, etc.). I think the Mormon church does this right. When I was in Utah a year ago, I noticed the Mormon church and the overall Utah society (which is predominantly Mormon) involved in things like easy and free COVID testing and touting environmental programs. They were also taking a stand on the issue of transgender men competing with biological women in athletic events and working against it. But they were doing it with credibility behind them.

Of course, small-c church is made up of individuals who need to have personal credibility. I cannot overlook that. I mentioned a couple of days ago the man who was great on Sunday but completely worldly Monday through Saturday. His lack of credibility reflected not only on his small-c church, but the capital-C Church as well.

So when people see churched individuals failing to meet your standards it impacts the church and the Church. If I talk to my coworkers about you but have no credibility, they will not only be turned off and offended by me, but they will likely think less of the local church and the global Church as well.

Father, Holy Spirit, I suppose that Neder’s observation is correct, but it’s also correct in most areas. People out there can try to tear me down, and it might be easier to do that effectively to an individual, but if there is credibility among a large swath of people who are part of a group, whether it is a religion, a political party, a nation, or even a service organization like Rotary, then it is harder to disparage it. But all of it starts with us as individuals. So help me. Help me to be exactly who you need me to be today so that your will might be done and your kingdom might come into the earth.

I pray this through the power of Jesus,

Amen

 

10 Observations by Adam Neder: #7. Theological credibility is inseparable from credibility in other areas.

I was reading an article from the H.E.B. Foundation Magazine Echoes, and I came across a description of a summer retreat led by Adam Neder. The retreat was titled “Faith in the Ruins.” A description of the retreat in the promotional material for it sums it up: “…as challenges multiply, as the church perfects the art of discrediting itself, as friends leave the faith, many Christians are feeling exhausted, disoriented, and discouraged. Some wonder how much longer they can stick with Christianity–or even if they want to.”

That’s where the 10 observations by Neder came in. I looked at them and thought I would do a series of prayer journals on the 10 observations the article mentioned Neder covered during the retreat.

#7. Theological credibility is inseparable from credibility in other areas.

Dear God, theological credibility is an interesting thing because, frankly, I question my own theology a lot. I don’t trust it. I trust you more than I trust what I think about you or think I know about you. I’ve been listening to a podcast by a Catholic priest who is going through the Bible over the course of the year, reading it cover to cover, including the apocrypha. I agree with most of what he says, but there are times when I don’t. Does that mean he doesn’t have theological credibility with me? Or that I don’t have theological credibility with him? My point is, I think we need to be careful with out much dogma we attach to our own theology because, to a great extent, you and your ways are unknowable to us.

With that said, what gives me credibility with people? Honestly, I think it’s humility. I think it’s being willing to admit mistakes and/or failures. I knew a man who ended up in federal prison in his 20s and then state prison in his 40s. I remember talking to my son about him when my son was young and telling him that this man’s problem was that, when the chips were down, instead of just admitting failure, cutting bait and taking his lumps, he looked for shortcuts that could help him save face and survive. The irony is that the shortcuts ended up being crimes against others that landed him in a worse place than if he had just told the truth.

Credibility starts, I think, with just being genuine. No hidden agendas. No malice. No threats of withholding love, friendship or respect if you don’t agree with me. Come to think of it, I guess it starts with loving others as I love myself–maybe even more.

Father, Holy Spirit, I guess I’ll end with this–and maybe this is where Neder was coming from with his observation. Any credibility I have in sharing my faith in you ends as soon as hypocrisy enters the equation. I see news people do it all of the time–on both sides. I knew a man who was amazing at church, but when people from church would work for him in his business they were floored by how awful he was from Monday through Saturday. His personal conduct killed any theological credibility he might have had. So help me to guard against hypocrisy. Help me to not be a pit of vipers. Help me to love. Help me to offer empathy and patience. That doesn’t mean I should accept any behavior, but, well, help me to see with your eyes and then be your words and actions in this world. Help me to live what I actually believe and let my words reflect what I actually believe. And where my theology is wrong, please correct me.

I pray all of this through the power of you son, Jesus, through whom I am able to be here,

Amen

 

10 Observations by Adam Neder: #6. The Church exists for the sake of the world.

I was reading an article from the H.E.B. Foundation Magazine Echoes, and I came across a description of a summer retreat led by Adam Neder. The retreat was titled “Faith in the Ruins.” A description of the retreat in the promotional material for it sums it up: “…as challenges multiply, as the church perfects the art of discrediting itself, as friends leave the faith, many Christians are feeling exhausted, disoriented, and discouraged. Some wonder how much longer they can stick with Christianity–or even if they want to.”

That’s where the 10 observations by Neder came in. I looked at them and thought I would do a series of prayer journals on the 10 observations the article mentioned Neder covered during the retreat.

#6. The Church exists for the sake of the world.

Dear God, I think before I address the observation above, I need to step back and ask a different question: Why do I exist? Really quick, however, I want to point out something I just noticed. Numbers 5 and 6 are actually a bit redundant and, I suppose, #6 builds on #5 so it cannot exist without #5 being first. As a refresher, #5 is, “The point of the Church is to receive and reflect the love of God in Christ.” What caught my eye this morning is that #5 starts with “The point of the Church…” while #6 starts with “The Church exists for…” Two different ways of saying the same thing, but he starts with receiving and reflecting your love and then moves to doing #5 so we can be here for the sake of the world.

Now that I have that out of the way, I want to go back and look at my first question: Why do I exist? I think the answer for that question is probably pretty easy. I am here to worship you. I am part of your creation and if all of us remain silent in our worship then the rocks will cry out (Luke 19:40–although I might be taking that verse slightly out of context for my purposes here). At the most basic level, that is why I am here. Everything I experience, while it might have other purposes in your plan, contains the ingredient that you expect my worship. You expect my submission. You expect my repentance for my sins. You expect my attention. You expect my dependence. You are a jealous God (Exodus 34:14). You don’t want me to put my faith in myself, my country and its economy, government or military, my wife, my children, my parents, etc. I am here to worship you and you alone. So that’s the core of why I am here.

Frankly, all of why we are here can be found in the prayer Jesus taught us to pray. that goes for us as individuals and as your Church:

• Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name: Worship
• Your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven: Wishing for your will to be done in the world at large, but also through my life.
• Give me this day my daily bread: Dependence.
• Forgive me of my sins: Repentance.
• As I forgive those who sin against me: Personal growth for me and spreading your love to others.
• Lead me not into temptation: Help me to stay pure.
• Deliver me from evil: Back to dependence, but this time with a twist of committing to live righteously.
• For yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever: This one isn’t always in there, but we are back to worship and submission.

So that’s a crude summary of why I exist. Now, why does the collection of individuals doing these things and calling itself the Church exist? I think the first thing is that I will be better at doing the list above if I am doing it as part of a collective as opposed to being on my own. It’s like the piece of charcoal burning off by itself as opposed to being on a pile with other pieces of burning charcoal. We burn hotter and brighter together. We accomplish things like providing warmth and cooking food more effectively in a group. So I suppose we exist as a collective Church to help us and then help others. Helping others can simply include serving, but ultimately it’s to bring others to you as well so that they might experience the fullness of life in you.

Father, help me to know how to effectively be part of your Church. It starts with my own discipline of worshipping you, submitting to you, and repenting to you. Then it moves to making myself available to others in your Church for both accountability for myself and then service to them. When my kids were little and didn’t want to go to church because they weren’t “getting anything out of it,” I would remind them that maybe their reason to be there was to help someone else to get something out of going. So help me to remember that and be that as well. Finally, help me to know how to work corporately with your Church and individually to bring others into your family and be worshippers of you. Help me to do all of this through the humility and love you would have me present because you and I both know I have nothing about which I can boast on my own. I’ve done nothing apart from you.

You are my God. Holy Spirit, counsel me today. Jesus, help me to learn from you today. I worship you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as my one true God,

Amen

 

10 Observations by Adam Neder: #5. The point of the Church is to receive and reflect the love of God in Christ.

I was reading an article from the H.E.B. Foundation Magazine Echoes, and I came across a description of a summer retreat led by Adam Neder. The retreat was titled “Faith in the Ruins.” A description of the retreat in the promotional material for it sums it up: “…as challenges multiply, as the church perfects the art of discrediting itself, as friends leave the faith, many Christians are feeling exhausted, disoriented, and discouraged. Some wonder how much longer they can stick with Christianity–or even if they want to.”

That’s where the 10 observations by Neder came in. I looked at them and thought I would do a series of prayer journals on the 10 observations the article mentioned Neder covered during the retreat.

#5. The point of the Church is to receive and reflect the love of God in Christ.

Dear God, my first thought when I read this observation was to question it. Is that the point of the (capital C) Church? I want to think through that a little this morning. Pray through it like this. Ask the Holy Spirit to speak to me as I process it. What is the point of the Church?

I guess I should start with the body of Christ to which Paul refers (1 Corinthians 12:12-31). We are all one body. So how should that body act and what should it do?

First, it should worship. Well, I guess the first thing all of us should do is repent before you and submit to you. Then we should worship you as individuals and corporately.

Second, we should commit to pursuing you and discipling as individuals and corporately. This is where I think 90% of Christians miss the mark, but it is foundational. There has to be time spent consistently communing with you in one way or another. If that is not happening then it gives Satan too much freedom to influence us.

Third, we should live out our faith in the world and let you use us to draw others to yourself. This is where I am both good and bad. I think my life is pretty representative of a life submitted to you, but I am terrible about actually bringing people to you and offering you to them.

Fourth, we should collectively help each other in our discipleship and life decisions. This happens through relationship and a willingness to be confronted and to lovingly confront.

Fifth, we should collectively reach out and help those in need. Of course, that includes evangelizing, but it also includes simply loving others and meeting their needs in a appropriate way.

Sixth, we should collectively be an example of your love to the world. It should generate naturally as a fruit of the Spirit in our individual lives brought together as one body.

I might have missed some things in there, but there is nothing about influencing the world through political power, top-down ruling, or force. It’s grassroots. It’s love. It’s healing. You don’t force us. Why would we force others?

Father, if I were to boil the six things I’ve said here down into a 16-word sentence, I am comfortable with what Neder has here. “Receive.” “Reflect.” Those two words summarize what I’ve listed here. Help me to do that today. Help me to receive your nature into my life. Use me as the sun uses the moon to reflect your light into the world.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 

10 Observations by Adam Neder: #4. Politically moderate Christianity is disappearing.

I was reading an article from the H.E.B. Foundation Magazine Echoes, and I came across a description of a summer retreat led by Adam Neder. The retreat was titled “Faith in the Ruins.” A description of the retreat in the promotional material for it sums it up: “…as challenges multiply, as the church perfects the art of discrediting itself, as friends leave the faith, many Christians are feeling exhausted, disoriented, and discouraged. Some wonder how much longer they can stick with Christianity–or even if they want to.”

That’s where the 10 observations by Neder came in. I looked at them and thought I would do a series of prayer journals on the 10 observations the article mentioned Neder covered during the retreat.

#4. Politically moderate Christianity is disappearing.

Dear God, I guess I have to ask the question: What kind of political activity and perspective do you want me to have as a Christian? I would have been curious to hear more about what Mr. Neder had to say about this topic.

For me, it feels like everyone on both sides is fighting for more political power. It’s interesting to me that Jesus never did. He never seemed to care what Caesar was doing. He helped the centurion and complimented his faith (Matthew 8:5-13). He said to pay your taxes to Caesar (Mark 12:13-17). I never heard him say, “Make Israel great again!” or, “Israel first!” When he was offended by the Samaritans and John and James wanted to cast fire down on them, Jesus rebuked John and James and went the other way (Luke 9:51-56). So what does he, what do you, Father and Holy Spirit, want me to do? I’m sure you don’t want me to be a political zealot. It’s interesting that Jesus spent more time fussing at the church than he did at the government.

I guess I always come back to the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23)–the fruit that is born through you living through me. Discernment is not a fruit that Paul listed. In fact, it might be more of a discipline, but it could probably make the list. But the fruits Paul described are more outward expressions of love as opposed to actions of decision making. I just don’t think there is a way to be a politically fringe zealot and exhibit any of the fruits. There are times when I see people who are resolute to speak in absolutes–I must be right about this, that, or the other thing and there is not room for compromise–and wonder if they don’t feel that way because they are terrified they are wrong and therefore cannot allow themselves to consider they are wrong.

Father, Holy Spirit, I need to wrap this up and go to work, but I want to know how you would have me use my own political influence today. In terms of national politics, there isn’t much I can do but vote and, if I see an injustice that I feel you would have me address, partner with others to see if there is a constructive way to a follow-up. On a local level, you have given me relationships and standing in the community to the point where I can work with others to move the needle for the good of others. Help me to know how to do that and how to do it in love. Help me to do it in a way that you are using me to have your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give me the courage to do it even if it might cost me something.

I pray all of this through Jesus, my savior and Lord,

Amen

 

10 Observations by Adam Neder: #3. Cable news and social media accelerate partisanship.

I was reading an article from the H.E.B. Foundation Magazine Echoes, and I came across a description of a summer retreat led by Adam Neder. The retreat was titled “Faith in the Ruins.” A description of the retreat in the promotional material for it sums it up: “…as challenges multiply, as the church perfects the art of discrediting itself, as friends leave the faith, many Christians are feeling exhausted, disoriented, and discouraged. Some wonder how much longer they can stick with Christianity–or even if they want to.”

That’s where the 10 observations by Neder came in. I looked at them and thought I would do a series of prayer journals on the 10 observations the article mentioned Neder covered during the retreat.

#3. Cable news and social media accelerate partisanship.

Dear God, what is it in our nature that gravitates towards confirmation bias? I mean, I guess it’s as simple as the concept of if I like something then I’ll take more of it. It can go as far as an addiction to food, sex, alcohol, drugs, etc. It can be as simple as steering towards foods that I like but aren’t good for me. But this thing about the algorithms used by the Internet is insidious to its core.

I was listening to David French speak yesterday, and he was quoting a survey that said often people who spend the most time listening to political news often know less about their opponents viewpoints than those who do not spend as much time. That’s probably because they don’t want to know everything about the person. They just want to know the parts they don’t like about the person.

I also heard French say that, in the church today, as we approach politics, we’ve made the things that should be negotiable non-negotiable, and we’ve made negotiable the things that should be, for us as your followers, non-negotiable. For example, healthcare and the extent to which it should be made available to everyone in an affordable way should be negotiable, but we have drawn hard lines in our ideologies and taken non-negotiable stances–and we’ve asked our political representatives to do the same. On the other hand, we’ve taken the fruits of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, kindness, and self control) and made those characteristics negotiable in our politicians. In fact, many seem to like it if that person doesn’t have some of those qualities. They will “fight” for us.

Father, Holy Spirit, I will admit that it is hard for me to see how to get the toothpaste of social media and Internet/cable news back in the tube. However, it needs to be killed. Your Spirit of love…well, we as your people need to carry it into the world. We need to stop allowing news and social media to scratch our self-righteous itch and repent before you. We need to struggle through the things that are negotiable and reject the things that are non-negotiable. We need to stop reaching for political power and seek your power in our individual lives. Show me my sin in this area (that’s a scary thing to ask of you) and help me to be your ambassador into the world.

I pray this through the power of Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection,

Amen

 

10 Observations by Adam Neder: #2. American churches are becoming less politically diverse and more partisan.

I was reading an article from the H.E.B. Foundation Magazine Echoes this morning, and I came across a description of a summer retreat led by Adam Neder. The retreat was titled “Faith in the Ruins.” A description of the retreat in the promotional material for it sums it up: “…as challenges multiply, as the church perfects the art of discrediting itself, as friends leave the faith, many Christians are feeling exhausted, disoriented, and discouraged. Some wonder how much longer they can stick with Christianity–or even if they want to.”

That’s where the 10 observations by Neder came in. I looked at them and thought I would do a series of prayer journals on the 10 observations the article mentioned Neder covered during the retreat.

#2. American churches are becoming less politically diverse and more partisan.

Dear God, I would love to go back to the 1960s and see what the political makeup of American churches was back then. In retrospect, it seems like, from my limited perspective, that Satan used the abortion issue in the 70s to start to divide the church on political lines. When I think about the political divide now and how it has come into the church, it seems, frankly, hopeless. I don’t pray about it like I should, that’s for sure. A couple of weeks ago, I was praying through the verses about us all being part of one body and I asked you if it is possible for American Democrats and Republicans to be part of the same body. The answer is obviously yes because neither side is holier or has the monopoly on you. All political platforms are flawed and full of sin. All of us need to repent. All of us need to extend your grace to others and, even if we think we are absolutely right, allow someone else to be “wrong” as much as we expect them to allow us to be “wrong.” And when it’s important, we can discuss it and keep our minds open to see if there might be error in the way we are thinking or see an issue.

If I were a pastor, I honestly don’t know what I would do except go back to what I said for Neder’s first observation, and go back to emphasizing discipleship. I find that the deeper I get into you the less I need to be right because I realize step by step that I’m wrong so often. And then the more I look for your grace and mercy to be wrong the more I end up giving people space to either be, what I consider to be, wrong or allow for the idea that they might be right and I am wrong. Or, in the end, maybe neither of us are wrong, but simply have different opinions.

Father, Holy Spirit, please be with your church. As Jesus said in John 17:20-21: ²⁰ “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. ²¹ I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. This is my prayer for your church. Help us to repent from spending more time reading or watching news than with you. Help us to be in the world but not of the world. Use us as your vessels to love others, take your will and kingdom into the world, and be your ambassadors to a world that needs you. Speak to us. Comfort us. Counsel us. Guide us. Teach us. Motivate us.

I pray this through your son, Jesus,

Amen

 

10 Observations by Adam Neder: #1. The American religious landscape is changing quickly.

I was reading an article from the H.E.B. Foundation Magazine Echoes this morning, and I came across a description of a summer retreat led by Adam Neder. The retreat was titled “Faith in the Ruins.” A description of the retreat in the promotional material for it sums it up: “…as challenges multiply, as the church perfects the art of discrediting itself, as friends leave the faith, many Christians are feeling exhausted, disoriented, and discouraged. Some wonder how much longer they can stick with Christianity–or even if they want to.”

That’s where the 10 observations by Neder came in. I looked at them and thought I would do a series of prayer journals on the 10 observations the article mentioned Neder covered during the retreat.

#1. The American religious landscape is changing quickly.

Dear God, I know there is nothing new under the sun, and you’ve seen it all. But this shift in electronic media feels different. Number 3 is media so I don’t want to spend too much time on that thought today, but it’s the first thing that came to mind when I thought about the religious landscape changing quickly.

It’s funny. As I think of things that are changing in the “religious landscape,” I keep coming upon thoughts that are covered in the other points such as increased partisanship in the church. But what’s deeper? What is Satan doing at the foundation of the church to divide us? I think it comes down to a simple thing: discipleship and a pursued relationship with you is lacking for many, if not most self-professed Christians in America. We are simply treating religion like a philosophical position whose moral compass is rooted in our ideas of what we think you think about something instead of meditative prayer time spent repenting of our sins, seeking the wisdom of your Word (and I mean both scripture and the Holy Spirit’s still, small voice), and asking for your love to fill us and flow through us.

It in interesting that there are more self-professed Evangelicals in America (at least among White people) over the last six years, but fewer of them are in church. Their community is no longer found on Sunday morning, but at political rallies and on cable news. Pastors are either quitting or wanting to quit (or being discouraged to become pastors) at a higher rate given all of the division. Their congregations spend more time with cable news and on social media during the week than they spend in personal prayer and scripture. Again, I’m sliding into some of the other observations, but for me the foundation upon which they are all built is true discipleship.

Father, let it start with me. Help me to continue to sit here and hear your voice. Help me to share my love for you with others. Love them richly through me. Bring glory to your name through me. Help me to decrease so you can increase. Help us to know what it truly means to know you, repent before you, and extend the love we’ve received from you to others. Help us–help me–to be humble. Help me to extend grace and mercy.

I pray this through Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection as part of the Triune God,

Amen