Response to the Church's Role in America

Here is an email question I received. The answer is below:

Galyn, Here is a one response I received from a man that I have been debating with over the role of the church in this nation. I have heard this in the past from other Christians and feel that this may be a common attitude in the Evangelical church today. What would you say to this man?

"The Church is not about America. The Church is not about changing a nation or culture. Its about saving souls individually and standing as the pillar and support of the truth! It is delusional to think that God is going to change this country when SCRIPTURE clearly says the world, including America, is going to continue to get worse. The Church is simply following suit. We need to make sure we are thinking theocentrically instead of anthropocentrically. Otherwise we do get the majority of the church that has embraced a nonbiblical worldview and is biblically illiterate. Thus Christ asked if He would even find faith on the earth when He returns."

Here is my response:

I would agree with him, but you don't have to choose between being a godly American and being a godly Christian. He sounds like he wants to be Reformed as in Calvinist, but has too much Evangelicalism, or too little Scripture. Its like saying that because you have two sons you can't love them both. Can't a man have several children and love them all? Do you have to chose? How can he be truly theocentric for more than ten minutes without becoming anthropocentric? (as in "For God so loved the world . . .") The two greatest commandments: 1) Love God, 2) Love your neighbor. The prophets of the old testament were clearly focused on saving the nation of Israel and the nation of Judah, while at the same time advancing the revelation of the kingdom of God. (Of course, if a person is Reformed they don't consider natural Israel, but spiritualize it, so this point would make no sense to them.) In the Epistles there is talk of the spiritual kingdom and our position in Christ, but in the second half of most of the letters the writer begins to talk about how these spiritual truths will effect our walk, our families, our communities and our societies. I would agree that the world ends in darkness but when this man writes "it is delusional to think that God is going to change this country" the Calvinistic tone switches to sound like a rapture ready Tim LaHaye fan. The Bible teaches clearly that "Righteousness exalts a nation." (Proverbs 14:34) Indeed, I do agree that the church must be theocentric first (as in the Greatest Commandment of Jesus). Many churches today are unscriptural. Those who try to please man are unbiblical, ungodly, and are not helping preserve the United States. If churches were to embrace truth, seek their God and live righteous lives they would see a change in this county. To disagree with this statement is ludicrous and delusional. Are we going to see churches turn to truth and seek God in our culture? Probably not, but when I was coaching and losing by 20 points in the fourth quarter I still expected my players to execute the offense and play aggressive defense until the buzzer sounded, or in this case, the trumpet was blown. Jeremiah continued to proclaim his message and encourage social change until Nebuzaraden, commander of Nebuchadnezzar's imperial guard, lit the fire (Jeremiah 52:12-13). This man is apparently upset that his church isn't growing while churches with great programs have full parking lots. Many people like to nurse their failure to engage their community by taking this illusional "high road" of "loving God" and not "bowing to humanism" to explain their lack of productivity. It sounds good until they read the parable of the sower, and other examples from the Bible, that expect God's people to be productive and not blame all their failures on other people's sin nature. I agree with half of what he says, but think he is probably mad about something else.

One more point: What's up with this statement that he makes - "SCRIPTURE clearly says the world, including America, is going to continue to get worse." - America clearly got, not only better, but came into existence 1600 years after "SCRIPTURE" was written? So, the world, including America, did get better! Why? Because of the church and a nation embracing God's natural and special revelations. It is a principle attested to in the Scriptures from Genesis through Revelation. The church did make the world better and Jesus indicated it would. It could happen again. I do think we are at the end of the age, but, again, the Bible warns us not to give up until the game is over. I'll follow Scripture. Maybe he wants to follow "some prophecy, report or letter . . . saying that the day of the Lord has already come. Dont' let anyone deceive you in any way . . . the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed." We are close, but we aren't there yet. That is why there is still "Hope for America's Last Generation." (available in a bookstore near you, but only if you live in Des Moines, Iowa.)

Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com

Government Schools

The failure primarily is not in the schools but in the homes and in the churches. The schools can not undue the solid foundation if it has been set in place. The gov't schools provided my senior son a classic example of reinforcing my teaching when a teacher took him out in the hallway last year and chewed him out for writing on his psychology paper that he would not want his son to be gay. Hawkeye was threatened with being sent to the office for a hate crime!! After listening to me as a father and a pastor warn of this kind of perversion, propaganda and persecution he came home with first hand experience that strengthened his own personal resolve to fight the good fight of faith and continue to proclaim the truth to his generation. . . . Don't even ask me how completely worthless most youth groups are . . .

Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com

Christians Get Focused! Spare the Drama!!

As the northern kingdom of Israel stumbled through their 210 year history which ultimately ended in the Assyrian dispersion in 721 BC, their kings were continually recorded as never having repented of the sin of Jeroboam, the very first king of Israel in the north. This sin included Jeroboam's re-writing Israel's history, introducing new gods and establishing a new philosophy to live by. With out the road map of history Israel could never return to where they had derailed from God's plan. Thus, they could never really identify their sin and repent. History, that is correctly recorded and taught, is the truth that is necessary for a nation to judge itself by. Incorrect history is not truth. Re-written history is a lie and will lead to wrong conclusions.

Some modern errors in the church need to be identified with a little more precision. I am thinking about churches and Christians, including my church and myself, who are quick to point out the sin of homosexuality, the blaspheme of public schools as they forbid prayer while claiming to be non-religious and the failure of our government to honor the constitution while American citizen's race into social error, ignorant of American history and world history. But, these are not the heaviest pivotal points for our society!

How can churches blame homosexuality when adultery and divorce are what actually destroy marriage, families and children? How can churches accuse public schools of not praying when we do not hear prayers of repentance and intercession from the church itself? How can the church accuse politicians of forsaking the Constitution and bemoan the ignorance of public knowledge of our history when the vast majority of churches have forsaken the Scripture and the average Christian's knowledge of the Bible is so pathetic that they would fail an entrance exam into a fifth grade Sunday school class, let alone a college entrance exam.

We, the church, have "redefined" marriage and are destroying children, the next generation!
We, the church, are the one's who refuse to pray, even when we are allowed to pray!
We, the church, are forsaking the Bible and are ignorant of its contents.

Indeed, homosexuality is a sin against God, against man and against natural law. Public schools do oppress Christianity, our Constitution is forsaken and the public is ignorant. But, don't you think it is time for the church to take the beam out of its own eye before they attempt to surgically eradicate evil in human society?

Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com

Do Not Fear Truth

This is my response to a good blog by Shane Vander Hart.

I agree there is a problem with the evangelical mind of today that is somehow connected back to the revivalism of the 1800’s. This revivalism and the “disestablishment” that followed would be the obvious result of the Reformation. The Reformation was good. The Revivals of the 1800’s were good. Also, the Fundamental movement of the 1920’s was good. Heck, I even enjoyed the Jesus Movement and the Charismatic movement in the ’60’s and ’70’s. Who would complain about the Great Awakening that we saw in the 1700’s? The problem with the Revivalism was not the movement but man’s nature. Free enterprise is good even when dealing with the truth. I mean, start a church, preach the truth and those with ears to hear will come. But, man’s nature (as in preachers and church people) doesn’t want to deal with the failure of being rejected by those without ears to hear. Fear of failure leads to compromise and is followed by the establishment of some form of institutionalism to defend against further challenges and growth. Thus, as foreseen in your quote above, “pragmatic concerns would prevail over principle” (simply put, “fear stifles truth”). For me it is as simple as “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct , rebuke and encourage – with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine.” To be truly successful in ministry we must follow the principle of the cross before the crown even in the midst of potential church growth and revivals. In other words, you can not be afraid of failure and rejection which must occur when teaching the Word of God and the orthodox theology found in scripture. Jesus and Paul promised that if you teach truth you would be met with rejection and failure, but credited with being faithful. I believe when enough people reject institutionalized evangelicalism and once again seek the truth as found in the Scriptures they will themselves experience reformation, great awakening, revivalism, and what is more, they will find THE TRUTH DOES WORK. Put truth first, and functionality follows. (I enjoy your blogs.)

Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com