Just Do It

As a habit, I no longer comment on  or discuss anything on social media related to social issues or politics. I've found that it tends to create bad feelings between people who are otherwise friendly or it becomes a pointless endeavor and no one is enlightened or provoked to have thoughts other than they had before reading what I had posted.

I also am not in the habit of criticizing pastors or ministers on social media. That's not my job. We have different perspectives and different approaches. Sometimes a tactic that I'm not overly fond of is exactly what it takes to draw a person to Jesus. Regardless, these folks have to answer to church members, church boards, and ultimately, God Almighty.

So you can guess that I'm about to somewhat violate both habits. Why? Well sometimes things get stuck in my craw and I have to share.

In our state, from what I understand, there was a minister who destroyed Nike apparel in the pulpit.

Presumably, this is a reaction to the Nike ad campaign employing Colin Kaepernick. I am not here, or anywhere else, discuss the issues surrounding Mr. Kaepernick. I'm not talking about his demonstration. Neither will I discuss the boycott of the NFL that followed. I am strictly concerned with what this pastor did in the pulpit.

Now it is not the act itself that I'm at odds with. If someone wants to destroy items that they paid good money for, they can have at it. My question is: why are you doing this in the pulpit?

As ministers, we get precious little of each person's precious time. Each week, we, maybe,  get 2 hours to pour into lives. Why would I use my time to destroy sporting goods? How is cutting up an elastic sweat band going to change someone's heart? How is turning the swoosh into so many giblets going to educate someone about Christ?

I'm afraid the pastor was pandering to particular crowd. I haven't seen video, but I understand there was cheering from the congregation. When was the last time this congregation, or any congregation, cheered over the salvation of a lost soul? When was the last time they cheered that someone who was an outcast had been brought into the family of God?

The church has become increasingly political. And that's not just on the conservative side. It's become political across the spectrum. Or maybe it is that the church has allowed itself to become co-opted on every side by outside interests that only want to use the influence, reach, and voter roles of the church to further its agenda. It's as if we've picked up parasites. Parasites drain energy from the host and eventual kill it.

All of this political nonsense in the church does nothing but cause people to be divided. To choose up sides. We're not supposed to be opposed to people. We're supposed to be against sin, against the chains that bind. But we are supposed to be for people finding life in Jesus.  The church is for inspiring, instructing, and introducing people to Jesus.

Maybe it's time we stop embracing political agendas and ideology.

Maybe its time we start embracing and loving the least of these in our communities.

Just do it.