Find the Church

We are called to be agents, or ministers, of reconciliation, proclaiming the good news that God sent His son to earth so that in Him people may know peace. In Hebrews 12, we find these verses:
12 Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees,
13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.
14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:
15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled...

If we look around, we don't have to look too far to see anger, tension, conflict - bitterness. Stories of increased crime and destruction.  There is an antidote - it's the healing salve of the presence of Christ; it's the transformative power of the gospel.  Through Christ, through the changed heart, people can experience His hope and find the love they are seeking. Jesus brings people to Himself, unites us with the Father, and equips us to unite with one another.

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The Word instructs us about the way that we are to carry ourselves in this world, walking in the love and peace of the Spirit and being prayerful in how we walk. Psalm 34 states:
12 Who is the man who desires life, And loves many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil, And your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their cry.

Certainly, there is concern over what is occurring in the city of Portland, as apparent nightly gatherings have a violent edge to them.  The Federal government, until a few days ago, was dispatched to the city to protect government buildings - now the responsibility has fallen to state police, as the result of a negotiated agreement.

What we see on our television and computer screens originating from Portland and other cities that are beset by unrest can cause us to ask a very important question: where is the Church?  We don't commonly think of the Pacific Northwest as a bastion of church activity, but God does have His people, and it turns out that local churches are working in the midst of the civil unrest.

Aaron Bennett is a pastor of a church in downtown Portland called Garden Church.  In a Baptist Press article, he is quoted as saying:

"I really encourage people, 'Don't see the entire world through the political agenda,'" Bennett said. "I believe it's so important to be engaged in civic life, however, we have to believe in Portland and that there's a greater kingdom we are called to, that there is a greater sense of government under the Prince of Peace that we are called to reflect."

Bennett says, "Don't give up on Portland." He also states: "This city is visible and sometimes becomes the staging ground for political theater. Some of us suspect that a lot of the protests we see may not even be people who live in Portland." The article goes on to say:

Bennett, along with some other local pastors, has participated in prayer walks, both during the day and at night, as well as other community outreach endeavors. Bennett said his desire is to establish a calming presence in the midst of the unrest, because that reflects the presence of God.

The article also quotes Clay Holcomb, who is with the North American Mission Board as a Send City missionary.  He related that the biggest prayer need in the city is for a "dispelling" to the nightly violence.  He states:

"There needs to be peace on the surface, but the greater issue is peace in people's hearts," Holcomb said. "We're dealing with situations that everybody's dealing with, they're just at a heightened level here. The fear and anxiety in the minds of many northwesterners is at an incredible rate."

So, one might say that these visible expressions are indicators of invisible turmoil. Holcomb would seem to agree, saying, "My prayer is for peace...but then also for Gospel conversations. I think about God's concern for us, and the Gospel message, and that this area needs to hear it. That's a message of hope and that's what our planters are trying to maintain."  He says those conversations are taking place.

Chuck Holton of CBN News quoted pastor J.W. Matt Hennessee from Vancouver Avenue First Baptist Church Portland; Holton wrote: "Tensions eased somewhat over the weekend as federal agents were replaced by...police officers who must follow much more restrictive rules of crowd control measures. He added:

But that didn't stop protesters from burning American flags and even Bibles. How that relates to racial justice wasn't immediately clear. But Pastor Hennessee says there is a role for Christians to play. 

"We need to pray for the ability to listen, to learn and to find out how God wants us to engage and to do that in a very, very like, intentional way for us to be able to be used by God, as instruments in this space," Hennessee said.

Prayer is certainly a key to unlocking the remedy to the tension and unrest.  A local pastor, Keith Jenkins, led a prayer walk last Saturday  Pastor Jenkins' church has announced it will be prayer walking each Saturday through September 12.  Another group called, MorePrayer, has been staging events in the city, including one this coming Saturday.  Certainly, if you look, you can - and should - find the Church.

And, as the one pastor says, we can seek the Lord for direction on how to engage in difficult situations.  We carry the presence of God into a world who needs to see and know our Savior, and being people of peace is critical, as well.  Listening and learning are acts of love that can help us to understand others and to be able to communicate God's love and truth well.