Monthly Archives: October 2014

Recent events – the brouhaha in Houston as attorneys for the city subpoena written communications from prominent pastors; the city of Coeur D’Alene challenging a wedding chapel run by an evangelical couple to require them to perform same-sex weddings – illustrate the conflict that may become more common as our society slides further into secularization.
Of course as a pastor I immediately get riled up when I read these kind of news stories. I respond from the gut and speak before I truly think through the issues involved. I often suffer from the common malady of foot-in-mouth disease.
But on further reflection what I see in these events is a new level of spiritual warfare. Or perhaps I am more aware of the spiritual dimensions of the conflict. Recent reading of 1 and 2 Kings and the struggle of a few lonely prophets (Elijah; Elisha; the school of prophets gathered around Elisha) against the kings of both Israel (the northern kingdom) and Judah (the southern kingdom) causes me to look a little more deeply into the events recorded in these Old Testament texts.
Doing some additional reading I came across this perspective:
First Kings 18 illustrates our point that during times of apostasy God aided his prophets over against the king. Second Kings 6:8–23 specifically shows Yahweh as divine warrior protecting his prophets against danger. As the episode opens, the Arameans have declared war against Israel. God, though, enlightened Elijah concerning the enemy’s strategy, and the prophet kept the king informed of Aramean movements. The king of Aram suspected a spy, but one of his officers knew the real source of the trouble–Elisha, the man of God. Thus, the Aramean king moved against the unarmed prophet by attacking his home in Dothan, situated in the plain just below the imposing Mount Carmel. One morning the prophet and his band woke up to discover a huge army around the city. Elisha’s servant panicked on seeing the army, realizing that they were not equipped to defend themselves. Elisha remained calm, apparently because he understood the spiritual reality of the situation. He asked God to open his servant’s eyes, and when he did, the servant saw “the hills full of horses and chariots of fire” (v. 17). This army was obviously the celestial army of God, ready to fight on behalf of the prophet. (Longman III, Tremper; Reid, Daniel G. (2010-06-29). God Is a Warrior (Studies in Old Testament Biblical Theology) (Kindle Locations 697-705). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. Special thanks for Dr. Chuck Lawless for pointing me to this resource).
So, what does this have to do with public policy in the 21st century? Several things come to mind. First, without much debate and without much public awareness the government (state and federal levels) has shifted towards a very activist position furthering very liberal social policies (i.e. abortion rights; same-sex marriage; and government created jobs vs. privately owned business generated job growth).
Second, evangelical churches have been marginalized by the existing power structures. Yes, there is a White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, but the voice of historic, evangelical Christianity has lost its primacy in what is often called the post-Christian era. Yes, believers still have a voice on editorial pages, but the local paper where I live refuses to print editorials that they regard as inflammatory (i.e. abortion, same-sex marriage are off-limits). Other local media outlets are also very guarded in what kind of material they will air.
Third, in my rural part of the world church attendance is declining overall. Certainly there are a few churches with growing attendance but they tend to be the exception. This decline creates a discouragement among local pastors and church leaders about the effectiveness of their ministry.
So, what does spiritual warfare have to do with public policy? Several answers come to mind. First, the culture in which we live has certainly been impacted by the Fall. Sinful people – well meaning and well intentioned – create systems that are sinful. All systems are subject to decay and the longer a system operates the more decay occurs. In our state the governor and legislature have enacted new laws creating (or re-creating) health care systems, the systems providing support and services to at-risk children and their families, and so on. Even these new systems – as innovative and encouraging as they might seem – are already beginning to show signs of decay.
Second, the only cure for sin is a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ and that is where the spiritual warfare is most prominent. Prayer is our greatest tool. John Piper describes prayer as “war-time walkie-talkie so that we can call headquarters for everything we need as the kingdom of Christ advances in the world.” (Let The Nations Be Glad: The Supremacy of God in Missions, 2nd Ed., Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 45). We need to pray for opportunities to share the gospel in person and we need prayer warriors who will support those who work in legislative affairs that those who are believers might have wisdom to apply biblical principles to legislation and regulations applying the legislation.
Finally, there is a need for more warriors. My generation by and large and refused to participate in the structures of government and social policy. My prayer is that a new generation of believers will engage more effectively with the social systems that exist and that these younger believers will engage with thoughtfulness and energy knowing that the battle is never in vain.

For whatever reason I seem to have found myself in a season of significant spiritual warfare. The battle revolves – for me – around the issue of intimacy. Though I desire true intimacy with God I am inept at finding it much of the time. I don’t doubt my salvation experience or my growth in sanctification, but I am often fighting to recognize the presence of God in the moment by moment and day by day challenges of life.
So, learning to do battle involves several issues:
a). deeper dependence on His Word.
Paul described the Bible (for him it was the OT) as the “sword of the Spirit.” A sword is both an offensive and defensive weapon. The Word has been granted to us to use as our primary weapon against the false teaching that threatens to overwhelm us and it is the tool we use to shield ourselves from the false teaching. For me this means a regular and systematic plan of Bible reading and a daily foray into the Psalms.
b). rekindling a vision of the kingdom of God.
Spiritual warfare is not primarily about how an individual feels on given day but about how our lives fit into the thrust of God’s kingdom into the world. My guess is that if you had asked the average US soldier, airman, Marine or seaman how they felt every day during WW II they could have given a long list of reasons why they weren’t well prepared for battle. However, putting their personal feelings aside they gave themselves fully and completely for their buddy in the next foxhole, in the next plane, their shipmate knowing that their unit was part of something much larger than they could envision. I think we have lost sight – as pastor’s and churches – of our role in kingdom building. Satan has defeated us by changing our focus to individual wins and losses instead of kingdom advances.
c). learning to lean on others.
God did not intend us to do battle as lone warriors. Here in the western US we have adopted a lone warrior approach to life in general. Our heroes tend to be men/women who battled overwhelming odds and thrived as self-made people. This may help explain the rise of the non-denominational church movement in the western US. Self-made churches, self-made church-planters celebrating their independence from ‘systems’ that they interpret as stifling and counterproductive.
But warfare is not simply pushing buttons from a well-built fortress. My struggle for intimacy with God leads me to seek Him not just in the comfort of my study but in the systems and challenges of our community – among those who are believers and among non-believers as well.
d).looking for time to pray.
Finding time to pray does not come naturally to me. Creating blocks of time for prayer and reflection are not part of my typical strategy. I’d rather schedule meetings and develop strategies for tackling problems head on. I’d rather invest in capacity building movements, leveraging social capital for collective impact. But spiritual battle requires spiritual tools and prayer – constant and consistent communication with God is crucial.
Finally, I am convinced that far too often I completely miss the significance of the daily warfare going around me. In reading (slowly) Charles Taylor’s A Secular Age I am becoming aware of just how the world in which I live has been disenfranchised from the rich and varied world God has created. So I continue to rely on the words of the Apostle Paul:
Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us. We are pressured in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed. We always carry the death of Jesus in our body, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who live are always given over to death because of Jesus, so that Jesus’ life may also be revealed in our mortal flesh.
2 Corinthians 4:7-11

I have seen countless articles encouraging young adults to consider serving urban poor populations. That is wonderful. But what I haven’t seen are many articles or encouragements for young adults to consider serving rural poor. Serving in a rural, poor community certainly is not glamorous and it is certainly not economically advantageous. However, there are several reasons I believe we need to encourage young college and seminary students to consider serving in rural communities.
First, opportunities abound. In the small Southern Baptist association that my church participates in there are fewer than a dozen churches. Currently only three of the churches have full-time pastors. The other churches are limping along with weekend warrior pastors (those who live in another community but spend the weekend in the community of the church they are serving), or closing their doors, or drifting without any true sense of leadership and purpose. Pastors are needed!
Second, serving churches in smaller communities immediately enriches cross-denominational fellowship. Some of my closest friends are pastors serving in different denominations. A group of us meet every week for support, discussion, prayer and the best $3.50 breakfast in town! These friendships have challenged me theologically and spiritually enriched me.
Third, rural communities are ripe with leadership opportunities. One of the factors impacting my particular community is the rapidly increasing number of young adults moving away. While many urban centers are experiencing economic growth, southern Oregon is lagging behind in economic growth. The absence of these younger families has created a vacuum of leadership that is begging to be filled. There are some younger families stepping up, but many opportunities are still available. (Even an older pastor such as I has more opportunities than I can manage possibly fill).
Fourth, there are people dying without having heard the gospel. 30 years ago when I started pastoring most families owned at least one Bible. Today, in my community, I find fewer families that own Bibles and fewer individuals that have ever read one! While our church is not ‘setting the world on fire’ by baptizing hundreds, we do see meaningful adult conversions every year that result in transformed lives and we see children impacted by the gospel!
May God raise up a generation of pastors and leaders who see the need not just in the city but in the country as well!

I was reading a detailed list of the dimensions of the temple Solomon built (2 Kings 6). Kind of boring. But then this phrase caught my eye: “And he overlaid the whole house with gold” (2 Kings 6:22).
Gold. Still one of the most valuable assets anyone can own (just checked: $1195.00 an ounce). And Solomon overlaid the temple with gold. Must have cost him a personal fortune.
And then I remembered 1 Corinthians 3:11-13,
“For no one can lay any other foundation than what has been laid down. That foundation is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on that foundation with gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw, each one’s work will become obvious, for the day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire; the fire will test the quality of each one’s work.“
Hmm. Am I truly giving what is most valuable to the Lord? I just finished an early morning meeting – something like the 4th or 5th meeting this week. Am I giving my best time and energy to the Lord? Or am I giving my best to community needs and letting God have the left over time? Am I willing to risk giving God what is most valuable – my mind, heart, soul, life?
Lord, I want to be willing to generously give You what is most valuable…my time, my attention, and my heart.