WINSTON COMMUNITY BAPTIST CHURCH

Word War I is often called ‘the War to End All Wars.’ From our vantage point one hundred years later, we now recognize that WW I was really the beginning of a century of conflict that continues even now. At the beginning of the 20th century many intellectuals thought that the inevitable progress of human beings would cause religion to fade as humans lived up to their full potential. However, WW I cruelly crushed those dreams as all sorts of horrors were unleashed by human beings against other human beings.
‘Holy War’ evokes all sorts of responses. Philip Jenkins, an eminent historian, claims that World War One (the ‘war to end all wars’) is just that: a ‘Holy War’ . This battle often called The War to End All Wars pitted Christian nation against Christian nation. Even notionally secular states (France, Italy, and the United States) used specifically Christian imagery to rally their constituencies to support the war effort. Jenkins demonstrates using accounts drawn from soldier’s diaries, contemporary newspaper articles, and other material that WW I impacted religious thought and practice for Christian, Jew, and Muslim. States/empires such as the German Empire, the Russian Empire, long associated with particular strands of Christianity were changed in significant ways by the brutality and scope of the conflict. Though WW I started as a regional conflict European nations used the opportunity provided to strengthen their colonial holdings in Africa, Asia, and South America.
Though citizens in Great Britain, Germany, Russia (pre-1917) and the United States all claimed to believe in the same God to an unbeliever the images and language used must have been extremely confusing. All sides claimed that the same God was indeed on ‘their’ side and that this God encouraged brutality and even in extreme cases, genocide.
Jenkins uses a compelling narrative to illustrate and highlight the religious nature of the conflict and to impress upon the reader how believers were forced to re-think their previous understandings of God. Victor and defeated alike were forced to evaluate their convictions and their theological understandings during and after the war. The protracted stalemate in France created an inherent tension as all sides sought to generate support and enthusiasm for continuing the war by using common religious symbols. Jesus was pictured as ministering to the dying by all sides. The eschatological concept of Armageddon was also used by Germany, Britain, and the United States as a tool to prop up support particularly during the stalemate of trench warfare in 1916-1917.
Particularly enlightening are Jenkins’ chapter on the religious impact of the war in African nations and the growth of Pentecostal-type movements during and after the war. The Muslim world was impacted as well. As the Ottoman-Turk Empire crumbled and the caliphate was abolished, Muslims were forced to look elsewhere for sources of authority and political/religious leadership. An interesting side-note in that chapter points out the impact of the shift in Muslim theology upon a young man who would later come to Iran as the Ayatollah Khomeini who authorized the captivity and imprisonment of a number of American diplomats in the late 1970’s.
Indeed, as Jenkins concludes, “Not only did the First World War show how calamity can transform the world, but it also suggested just how long it takes for the results to be apparent…Only now, after a century, are we beginning to understand just how utterly that war destroyed one religious world and created another” (377).

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.

How many times have I said, the status quo is not sufficient for the challenges of today? Over 30 years of pastoral ministry I have likely made that statement monthly (360 times?). And yet, I live in the status quo. The patterns of my life are deeply ingrained. The habits and patterns of our church are deeply rooted. I’m not sure there is enough dynamite in existence to blast me out of the status quo!

There is a certain comfort to the status quo. Patterns are helpful for guarding what is precious and valuable. And yet…

As I prepare for another Sunday (let’s see, almost 31 years as a pastor = 1600+ Sundays) there is a comfort in knowing that some things remain the same. The songs we sing celebrate the God who is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. The message I will share is still demonstrably true after decades of proclamation. The fellowship our church family will enjoy is as important as the fellowship experienced by those believers in the days immediately after Jesus’ death and resurrection.

So, while the status quo may not be compatible with the innovative thinking so desperately needed in order to start new churches and penetrate the lostness that is so pervasive, I will thank God for some things that never change. I will thank God for the status quo.

But, make no mistake, I do not worship the status quo. Rather, it is in the sameness and ordinariness of life that God makes Himself most real. Think about Zechariah – serving “according to the custom of the priesthood…chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense (Luke 1:9); John – “in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day (Rev. 1:10) and countless others who in the course of the status quo experienced God’s presence in ways that are still shaping our lives!

My prayer for this Sunday…
Lord, in the status quo may I and those I lead be sensitive to Your presence that we might allow the reality of Your presence, power, and purpose penetrate our hearts and minds that our lives might never be the same!

This week I observed my 23rd anniversary at the same church. We just finished the most intense month of our summer- Vacation Bible School followed by World Changers (a joint project of LifeWay Christian Resources and our church…bringing 230 students and adults to Winston for 19 work projects to be the hands and feet of Jesus). Heavy lay involvement is necessary for those kind of experiences. The people of our church and community make these kind of events succeed.
But, (and you knew this was coming…) after 23 years and numerous projects and ministries we seem stalled in terms of actual numerical growth. Our impact in the community is significant, but spiritually we seem to be stagnant. We have seen several people come to faith in Jesus Christ this year – mostly adults. We have seen some important spiritual growth among our leadership with some new folks stepping into leadership responsibilities.
Demographics have changed in these last 23 years. What used to be a bedroom community for mill workers and other wood product processes has morphed into a community of retired folks and struggling young families who are dependent on all sorts of state and federal aid. Minimum wage jobs are plentiful but many go unfilled because raising a family on 29 hours a week even at over $9.00 an hour is difficult. Many of the young families who remain in our community are or have struggled with addiction issues. Some of these younger families are struggling with the results of broken relationships and many young adults have no real model for building strong and stable families.
Of course this suggests multiple opportunities for ministry. Our church has had some success with AWANA’s, VBS, and World Changers in impacting the larger community.
There are really two issues at work here. First, how we define success is so often tied simply to numbers that I often fall prey to the comparison virus…wondering how many are attending the church up the street, across the street, a few blocks over and so on. Comparison is a virus because it only produces unhealthy results. Church is not a competition to see how many more people we can have in our building than other churches. Comparison also leads to leaders assuming that what works in one congregation is applicable to their own group.
The second issue is learning to measure Kingdom impact. As Southern Baptists we are rightly concerned about the declining number of baptisms but we also need to be evaluating impact as well. An increase in baptisms without a corresponding increase in responsible Christian living would be meaningless. Seeing multitudes come to faith in Christ might draw the attention so many people crave but with no strategy to disciple and congregationalize there will be minimal impact for the Kingdom of God.
So, are we an average church? According to the statistics, Yes. According to impact, however, I would submit that we are truly above average and we are making an impact in our community as the Gospel is not only presented but lived in faithful and authentic ways.

A few Saturday’s ago I conducted a memorial service for a person I never met. I had just a casual relationship with several of the children of the deceased. As far as I know the immediate family has no connection with any church in our community – except that at various times memorial services have been held for various family members at some of our local church buildings.

The family and friends gathered to celebrate the life of the one who had died. It was shared that this person had professed Christ a number of years ago, though there was no evidence of discipleship and growth in Christ. Earlier this week I spoke with someone I have been sharing my faith with for 15 years. They too claimed to have made a profession of faith – yet there is no external evidence of such a comes a mitment.

So, what is a church do with these kind of folks? Or better, what is a pastor supposed to make of such circumstances?

These kind of events and responses have me wondering: what exactly is the role of a church in a community? Today we acted as a community gathering place where family and friends could share memories. Can’t a community center or VFW hall or Elks Lodge do the same thing? Obviously there is the ‘God’ card…that is, in a community center, VFW hall or Elks lodge there is no specific spiritual point of reference (the family member who planned the memorial insisted we leave the cross at the center of our platform in a very visible place).

But are churches merely present for a ‘spiritual’ point of reference? What about the move in our denomination to plant churches in urban areas that may never own their own physical building? How does a church function in that context? Even in a politically conservative, morally upstanding kind of community in Southern Oregon, is a church merely a reminder of spiritual truth? Are we merely window dressing for people who otherwise have no understanding of who God is and His purposes?

Recently a federal judge ruled that Oregon’s constitutional definition of marriage – defined and described by the people of Oregon as a constitutional amendment some 10 years ago – is unconstitutional. Hmm. So, who wrote the constitution?? Was it not people like us? One of the unintended consequences of these types of rulings will be that no longer are people – i.e. citizens – able to write the rules and laws that govern our behavior.