Difficult Issues in Community

We live in an age when the idea of mutual responsibility is at times freely accepted; the generous outpouring of aid to Haiti is an example. At other times it is suspect, or rejected outright. The national mood is schizoid. We are guided one moment by overwhelming sympathy and the next by fear or overpowering self-interest. Vivid pictures of collapsed homes and orphaned children maximize compassion. We are much less empathetic when we think the “undeserving poor” are taking advantage of us financially.

And so. And so we find ourselves on highly emotional ground when it comes to issues like the war in Afghanistan, taxes, gay and lesbian relationships, health care, and immigration. Discussion becomes difficult and solutions seem hard to come by. And when difficult issues arise, we have all the more reason to talk about them from a faith perspective.

A recent letter from Dr. Roy Medley, General Secretary, ABC-USA, notes that numerous Protestant church leaders, both mainline and evangelical, are deeply concerned about immigration and immigration reform and have talked together at length. He extends an invitation to American Baptists to continue the dialogue.1

Dr. Medley reminds us that in American Baptist congregations, let alone the broader Christian community, there are different perspectives on this subject. None of us can claim superior understanding of the issue or what the Gospel demands of us.

“We aren’t all of one mind on every aspect of immigration reform. We know it must consider such widespread concerns as national security, appropriate means of border control, and the impact on our economic and social welfare systems. At the same time there is broad agreement among Protestant leaders (including those represented in the National Association of Evangelicals, the National Council of Churches, Sojourners and Church World Service) that immigration reform in our country must reflect mercy and justice rooted in God’s love.” To engage in this conversation, we’re encouraged to frame the discussion intentionally and structure it carefully.

A faith framework is critical. It should be based on the scriptures in light of God’s revelation in Christ Jesus. As Dr. Medley’s letter points out, the Old Testament is replete with concern for the alien and the stranger: “The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God” (Leviticus 19:34).

Then there is the prophetic voice. Micah 6:8 says, “He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8)

Medley writes, “In the New Testament, the greeting of Christ, “Fear not,” (Matt 10:31, Luke 12:32, John 14:27b) is a powerful antidote to the fear that so often marks conversations such as this. Likewise the story of the Good Samaritan and Jesus’ description of the final judgment are critical to our perspective:

“And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee? And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?' And the King will answer them, `Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.' (Matt 25:38-40)

Structure is also important. A discussion guide from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America points out,

“In a conversation of this kind, listening is as important as talking. Genuine listening is not a passive activity, but an active, demanding one. Listen not only for the content of what is said, but for the way it is said – such as the language used, the tone of voice, the kind and level of feeling expressed, the body language and facial expression of the person speaking … and so on. Also be attentive for what is not said. Being more conscious about this kind of deep listening will help us to hear and understand better what other people are saying.” 2

It would surprise me if each of us weren’t encouraged, in one way or another, to talk about a difficult issue – perhaps even immigration reform – during the coming weeks. I invite you to take part in such a discussion as a believer in Christ, knowing that you bring a unique, caring, Biblical perspective to the conversation, whether it be in the church or in the world.

Pastor Mike
1 Medley, Roy A. Letter Addressing Immigration and Immigration Reform. American Baptist Churches USA, May 14, 2010
2 Bloomquist, Karen L. Talking Together as Christians. Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, 1999.

What About the Girl?

Luke tells a fast-paced story in Acts 16. It involves Paul, Silas, and the narrator, Luke himself. It takes place in Philippi, inland from the northwest shore of the Aegean Sea, where the Apostle and his companions were followed “for many days” by a slave girl who kept crying out, “These men are slaves of the Most High God, who proclaim to you a way of salvation."

Paul finally became exasperated, cast out the “spirit of divination,” got mobbed by the city merchants, and along with Silas was tossed in jail for disrupting the peace and the local economy. The story goes on to tell about the earthquake that broke their chains, the conversion of the Philippian jailer, and the resumption of Paul’s missionary journey.

A question that lingers is, “What about the girl?” She was cured of her enslavement to a spirit of some kind, and since she no longer had the gift of divination she was probably dumped by her owners. No more profit possible. Paul seemed consumed with his larger mission. Did the girl get left in the dust?

One of the drawbacks of ministry is that some of the most marginalized people can be bypassed as we seek to do God’s greater work. Put together an impressive worship service. Accomplish a mission project.

Karen Huey, in a meditation on this passage, says that although Paul might have acted out of compassion for the girl, the text plainly says that he was "very much annoyed"; this exorcism is almost impulsive. Paul was tired of being heckled by the girl and the spirit that possessed her. He was focused on doing what he came to do, and healing slave-girls doesn't appear to have been on his agenda. [1] Did he choose the greater good at the expense of a few?

Philippi isn’t the only place this has happened. Public programs instituted for the “greater good” have often intruded on the lives of individuals. The military is infamous for its euphemisms; “collateral damage” is one that describes the supposedly unavoidable killing of civilians in the course of winning a battle. And it happens in church. We can get pretty task oriented about our mission and risk leaving some in our church family behind.

If we ask, “What about the girl?” it leads us to more questions. One is, “What about me? What am I still enslaved to in my daily life?” Ronald Cole-Turner reflects on this and asks, in the words of the repentant jailer: "What must I do to be saved from what destroys me? What must I do to be saved from my particular bondage, my oppressive addiction, emptiness, or boredom? There are countless ways to lose our way in this world or to be in bondage, just as there are many different threats from which we need to be saved." [2]

The answer begins with our willingness to pose the question in the first place. Are you willing to keep asking what it takes to be saved? Unless we ask, it’s unlikely that the freeing work of God will become available to us.

Another question is, “What do we do with our slave girls?” Or more to the point, what do we in the church do with the people who feel they are good, faithful Christians, who attend worship, serve in some capacity, but feel like something is missing.? Or with those outside the church who feel enslaved, but won’t come in?

Reggie McNeal, author of the book The Present Future, describes the first group: “The faithful, maybe silently or not so silently, wonder when their ticket is going to be punched, when they are going to experience the changed life they’ve been promised and expected to experience at church. In North America, people have been led to believe that (the) Christian life is all about church.” He says that when the church fails them, this “not only creates doubt about the church, it also leads them to all kinds of doubt about God.”

There are people like this in every congregation, ours included—who aren’t experiencing the spiritual transformation for which they hoped. As one Christian writer said, “They came to us seeking God, and we gave them church instead.” [3]

So what do we do with those who don’t see church as the answer? We reach out. Waiting for people to come in the door doesn’t work. As a friend recently reminded me, “What makes you think anybody on the outside wants to come in your church? They don’t. Get over it.”
Besides, the end goal isn’t the survival of the church building. It takes an extra step to look at our community and identify the needs that exist – for redemption, forgiveness, physical needs and spiritual wholeness. In the face of those needs we don’t offer church. We offer the good news of salvation in Christ Jesus. We don’t offer church. We offer God. One on one.

Pastor Mike

1 Huey, Karen, Weekly Seeds, May 7, 2010
2 Ibid
3 Watson, Suzanne, Sixth Sunday of Easter