Law and The Black Community

In late 1980, just before Christmas break, my friend Marty and I decided to move to San Francisco.  The ostensible reason for the move was to attend San Francisco State University -- although in actuality we thought San Francisco would be a cool place to start a music career.  So, just after the new year we loaded up the car and headed north.  Never mind the fact that we had nowhere to live and had neither been enrolled nor even accepted at the University!

We were successful in getting into the school and, after a few days, even found a place to live.  (That's a long, and not particularly relevant, story for another day.)  That semester we ended up taking one class together which somehow caught Marty's attention called "Law and The Black Community."

When Marty and I showed up for the first day of class one thing immediately stood out.  Actually two things immediately stood out -- Marty and I!  The class consisted of about 15 to 20 people, and Me and Marty were the only "white" people in the class.  From time to time we would break into small group discussions, and Marty and I were never permitted to be in the same small group.  The Professor referred to this rule as "forced integration."

The Professor who taught the class could fairly be referred to as both "militant" and passionate about the subject matter.  I think that he was caught off guard a bit when Marty and I first showed up for his class, but he was welcoming and I think ultimately saw our presence as an opportunity.  The class covered a broad range of legal issues, but not surprisingly focused on the development of the law as it related to Civil Rights.

I remember one day in particular when the Professor was speaking about the interaction between African Americans and law enforcement.  I guess that's a polite way of putting it.  As the discussion moved forward the Professor spoke passionately about several personal experiences where he had been treated unfairly by law enforcement, and others in the class shared some of their experiences as well.  I guess at some point he wondered how Marty and I were reacting to what was being said, and he pointed out that young white guys with long hair and shaggy faces were vulnerable as well.  I guess he was just searching for a way of insuring that what we were hearing hit home.

One night that semester me and Marty were at the BART Station waiting for a train to take us to Berkeley when we heard some sort of scuffling.  We ran over to where the noise was coming from to find an African American man in a business suit apparently being accosted by a white man and a white woman.  Marty and I ran over to intervene (I guess it was more instinct than anything else).  When we got within a few feet though, the white man told us to back off and that they were police offices.

In short order a crowd began to form, and an announcement came on the loud speaker confirming that the man and woman were police officers and instructing the crowd to stand back.  The man had the "suspect" in some sort of wrist lock, and the woman was behind the suspect holding him by his hair.

It was apparent that the African American man was in some pain, and as we watched it appeared that he was likely intoxicated and to some extent resisting arrest.  Still, a number of people in the crowd were uneasy about what they were watching.  The question that was clearly on the minds of many, though unspoken, was whether the officers would have been as aggressive if the suspect had been a white man in a business suit.

Ultimately, a man in the crowd had enough and he hit the male officer on the back of the head with a brief case, and for a short time a brawl broke out.  But, just as quickly, more police officers arrived and the crowd dispersed.

As recent events vividly remind us, over thirty years later and, sadly, "race" remains a very real issue in America.  We all mourn the tragedy of a young life cut short and are sickened by (depending on our perspective) the possibility, probability or reality that the outcome would have been different but for the color of the young man's skin.

It would be nice to be able to say that even though "race" remains an issue in America, it is no longer an issue in the Church.  But, unfortunately, that is simply not the case either.  The Church, for its part, remains largely divided on racial lines.  By some estimates, nine out of ten churches in this Country are racially segregated.

I don't think that's the way its supposed to be.  God calls us to unity in the body -- not division.  And, I pray for that day of unity both in the body and of the Spirit.

¹ As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. ² Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. ³ Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. ⁴ There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— ⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism; ⁶ one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
      
Ephesians 4:1-6.

But today, I pray for justice, for peace and for healing.

Love 2

Those of you who know me well probably also know that I am somewhat fixated on the idea of Christian love.  My focus on this subject is not, however, the result of some idle curiosity or even a particular intellectual interest.  Nor is it born out of either a desire to carve out a niche ministry for myself or an attempt to become an expert in some particular facet of the Christian life.


The reason for my particular (and perhaps peculiar) interest in love is that Jesus made it plainly obvious that I must be interested in love -- and you, fellow believers, must be too.  After all, what did Jesus say are the two most important commandments?


³⁷ Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ⁴⁰ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Matthew 22:37-40 (NIV). 


The Christian walk involves a process sometimes called "sanctification."  It is the process by which the Holy Spirit both transforms us and sets us apart for the work of God.  It involves being conformed in character and in the way we live our lives to the image of Christ.


It is not my purpose in writing today to do an in-depth study on the meaning of "sanctification."  But, I do want to give you something very practical to think about.  If the two greatest commands are that we love God and that we love one another, doesn't it follow that learning to love God and learning to love one another are at the very least vital components of the sanctification process (if not its very essence)?       

As Jesus said, ^"All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."  This thought is echoed in Paul's letter to the Romans: "⁸Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law."  Romans 13:8


My point in raising all of this is to say that "love" is extremely important to God, and so must become extremely important to us.  And, to pursue love we must understand what love is -- and perhaps what love is not.


When I was reading through my "Application Study Bible" the other day I was struck by a footnote that said: "Real love is an action, not a feeling."  As I began to research what Bible scholars and pastors had to say on this subject, I found that some agreed with that statement, but that others did not.  In fact, while I found these same scholars and pastors struggling to dissect and understand the exact meaning of the two Greek words for love commonly used in the Bible -- "agape" and "phileo" -- I found little consensus on an exact definition for Christian love.


At the end of the day, I am content to simply let the Bible speak for itself on this subject.  And, what the Bible tells me is that true love is both a feeling and an action.  For that matter, true love is an attitude.


I am not at all suggesting that Christian love is like romantic love or the stuff of Hollywood.  And indeed there are times when we must love despite our feelings and emotions. 


What I am suggesting is that the Holy Spirit seeks to instill in us an emotional desire -- a desire at the heart level -- to serve others; to see others succeed and grow even when there is no benefit to ourselves.  How do I reach the conclusion that real Christian love is both feelings (or emotions) and actions?  Because the Bible tells me so.


I could point to various places in the Bible to support this point, but for now let's just look at Romans 12.  First, we are told that our love must be "sincere" or "genuine".  And, to me, actions are actions -- they are neither sincere nor insincere.  The same verses tell me that I am to rejoice with those who rejoice and to mourn with those who mourn.  And, I just don't see how you can either rejoice with someone or mourn with them without feelings!    


⁹ Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. ¹⁰ Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. ¹¹ Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. ¹² Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ¹³ Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.


¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. ¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. ¹⁶ Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.


Romans 12:9-16 (NIV)


Again, this is not to say that there are not times when we have to love despite our emotions or feelings, and not because of them.  Let's face it, there are certain people who are just not that lovable.  And, there are times and circumstances that make it hard to love people on a heart level.


But I do believe with all of my heart that God makes it possible for us to have a general love for people -- a heart level kind of love for others.  I think that idea scares some pastors and scholars because emotional love is fickle and inconsistent.  And that is certainly true.


I also think, though, that love is a lot like faith.  Love is like faith first because both are fickle and inconsistent.  For most of us, our faith is challenged on a regular basis.  We have days when we feel like our faith can move mountains, and we have days when our faith is really tested.  But, if we work at it, in time our faith gets stronger and stronger.  I think our ability to love our neighbors as ourselves works the same way.  


Second, you have heard it said that "faith without works is dead."  Again, I think that love works the same way.  Sometimes love starts with feelings or emotions.  We may feel a sting in our heart when we encounter someone who is hurting, broken or in great need.  The question is "what do we do from there?"  Like faith, love does not mean very much if there is no action to go along with the feeling.  Love without action is, indeed, dead.


There is so much more to be said about love.  We are really just scratching the surface.  But let me end with this.


I really think that love -- or more accurately the absence of love -- is at the heart of the decline in church attendance in the United States.  I just don't think that buildings full of people who are just trying to do the right things, as noble as that might be, are very compelling.  But sincere love -- real caring, a genuine desire to share both your joys and your heartaches ... well, I think that kind of love can move mountains.        

How Are We Doing?

I recently read an article describing a survey conducted by the Barna Group on what people experience at church.  Naturally, the survey results made me wonder how people perceive their experience at Heartland Church.

So, here are a few questions I would like you to think about.  If you have a minute, I would love to hear from you on this.  You can leave a comment on this blog, send me a note on Facebook, or send me an e-mail at john.crews@theheartlandchurch.com.  

Here are the questions.  And, don't confine your answers to what happens on Sundays.  Instead, think about the totality of your experience (e.g., Connect Groups, Classes, etc.)

1.  Do you feel connected to God at HC?
2.  Have you experienced "transformation" while at HC?
3.  Do you often gain any new insights or understandings about your faith while at HC?
4.  Do you feel cared for at HC?
5.  Do you believe that HC puts an emphasis on helping people in financial need?

And now for a summary of some of the survey results:

Connecting with God
About two-thirds of the people surveyed reported having had “a real and personal connection” with God while at church. That doesn't seem all that bad -- although it does mean that one-third of the people surveyed had never felt God's presence at church. 

Experiencing Transformation
According to the survey, only about one-third of the respondents who had been to a church reported that their lives had been changed "greatly" by attending.  Another 25% said that their lives had been changed "somewhat" by attending church and, sadly, the other 25% said that attending church hadn't changed their lives at all.

Gaining New Insights
When asked about their last church visit, three out of five church attenders (61%) could not identify any significant new insight or understanding related to their faith. Hmmm?!  Are pastors not teaching or are people not listening?

Feeling Cared For
According tot he survey, nearly seven out of 10 respondents said that at church they feel like “part of a group of people who are united in their beliefs and who take care of each other in practical ways.”  Another 23% said that they did not feel connected in any real way with others in their churches.

Helping the Poor

Forty percent of those surveyed said that caring for the poor was emphasized "a lot", while 33% that caring for the poor was emphasized somewhat.

Whispers

Ten years or so ago I was asked to fill in the blank to a question along this line:  "If you weren't a lawyer, what would you be?"  At the time, I filled in the blank with the word "pastor" -- although I never thought for a second that one day I actually would be a pastor!  In fact, my friend Jon remarked at the time that my answer to that question was one of the most ridiculous things he had ever heard. 

Ten years later and, well, I am a pastor.  And Jon?  Jon and his son rarely miss a Sunday at Heartland Church!  I guess God showed us!  Both of those things might be considered at least minor miracles.

During those ten years there were several times when God's direction for my life was unmistakable.  After praying about my purpose for literally months -- and getting no answer -- I just decided to take the plunge and see what happened.  One day I told Pastor Dan I was ready to get more involved in the church, and when I did a funny grin appeared on his face.  As it happened, Dan was already thinking about asking me to serve as an Elder.  I guess God had been speaking to both of us!

The decision to serve as a Pastor came just as easily.  Despite my answer to that question years earlier, the first time I really thought becoming a pastor was a possibility was the day I was asked to serve.  It was a shock to say the least.

Pastor Dan needed an Executive Pastor to serve along side him, and mentioned his need at a gathering of pastors from various churches -- I guess to see if anyone knew of a qualified candidate.  During a time of prayer, one of the other pastors told Dan that the person he needed to serve in that capacity was already at this church!  That person, of course, turned out to be me.  And, I really didn't have to give the offer much thought -- my wife Pam decided for me!

It probably comes as no surprise that I like it when God's direction is clear.  Who wouldn't?  But, unfortunately it is not always that easy.  In fact, rarely is discerning God's direction for my life all that clear. 

If you are at all like me, you probably find that God usually speaks to you in whispers -- and NOT through a loudspeaker.  It is what is sometimes called the "still small voice" or "gentle whisper."  Elijah heard it. 

The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.”

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.  After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.  When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

1 Kings 19:11-13

In the end, discerning God's will for your life is an extremely personal thing.  Other people can certainly speak into your life from time to time, and wise counsel can be extremely important.  See Proverbs 15:22.  But really understanding where God is taking you requires prayer and meditation on God's Word.  It takes a certain discipline and a certain confidence. 

The discipline includes the ability to separate out what you want from what God wants.  Many men and women who have been lead astray have also used "God's will" to justify their personal ambitions.  God and your flesh rarely desire the same thing.

Confidence rises from the quality of our faith and our knowledge of the teachings of the Bible.  It reveals itself in the strength to carry out what we know to be God's will.  The Bible doesn't always tell us what God's will is for us personally, but it does tell us what God's will is not.  God just isn't going to lead you to do something that is inconsistent with the Holy Scripture -- and particularly with Christ's teachings in the New Testament.

I guess that God speaks to us in whispers in part to force us to work on our spiritual growth.  People are funny -- they just don't tend to learn when things come too easily.

What is God whispering to you?

The Radical Leader

I don't normally post more than one blog a week, so forgive me if it seems like I am inundating you a bit. I am taking a little time "off" this week but, as often happens, God seems to reveal Himself and to find me in the idle moments.

Some time ago I wrote a post about the radical life to which we are all called. I firmly believe that God calls us to a radical faith and to a radical life lived for Christ. In fact, I don't see how you can spend any meaningful time in the Bible and not come to that same conclusion.

In my original post, I commented on the observation of John Wesley -- a founder of the Methodist Church -- that from the beginning there have been two types of Christians. Paraphrasing, the first are people who attend church regularly and generally try to do the right thing, but who in the end are mostly indistinguishable from their neighbors. The second group of Christians constantly hunger for the Word. They approach their faith with great zeal. They try their best to put God first in all things. You get then point.

In his great sermon "The More Excellent Way" Wesley took great pains to make it clear that he was in no way condemning Christians who are not as serious about their faith as others -- they too have their salvation. Rather, he was attempting to convict those people -- to urge them to let the Spirit guide them into a deeper relationship with Jesus -- to pursue the "more excellent way."

This week as I was thinking about "the Church" with it's various forms and denominations, it occurred to me that just as there are two types of Christians, there are also (at least) two types of Christian leaders. There are leaders who are probably content to get a certain number of people in the door every Sunday and who earnestly desire to leave those people in a slightly better place than where they started. There are leaders who have no real expectation that their congregations will be markedly distinct from their neighbors. Their are leaders who probably are afraid that if they don't give their congregations what they want their ministries will fail. And then, there is a more excellent way of leadership.

There are, without a doubt, leaders in the Church today who are far more concerned about what their congregations need than what their congregations want. There are leaders in the Church today who have a desperate desire to get closer and closer to God themselves, and who desperately want the same thing for the people they serve. There are leaders in the Church today who want the saints in their congregations to shine like the lamp on the hill -- to truly be salt and light to the world. Their are leaders in the Church today who are less concerned about the "personal happiness" of the people in their congregations than they are about challenging their flocks to roll up their sleeves and work together to spread the Gospel throughout the world and to disciple believers.

There are leaders in the church today who truly love the people they serve. Leaders who share in the joy of the people in their congregations and mourn when they mourn. There are leaders who, no matter how "successful" they may be, approach their responsibilities with great humility -- secure in the knowledge that God has called them despite their limitations, their imperfections and their own struggles (indeed, because of their limitations, their imperfections and their own struggles!). The fact that God has called you to leadership should, above all things, be incredibly humbling!

There are many in the Church today who believe that the end times are close at hand. Personally, I have no idea if that is right. And, on some level I don't have any desire to know. I guess I believe that if I just keep my eyes on Jesus I will be ready for anything.

Whether it's because the end times are near or for some other reason, I do believe that we are in a very special time. I believe that God is doing a lot of sifting. I think that churches and church leaders are being challenged. In a culture that is increasingly self-centered, and that increasingly rejects the idea that there is ultimately something called "truth", I believe that God is giving churches and church leaders the opportunity either to cave in to the culture or to stand firm on the veracity of the Gospel.

I urge you, my friends, to be in constant prayer for the Church in America (and around the world) today. Pray for strong leaders who are servants first, who approach their responsibilities both with confidence and humility, and who are singularly focused on God's will for themselves and for those they serve.

For yourselves, love God first and learn to love one another as Jesus calls us to do. You are the Church!