Community Influence

Perhaps the teaching of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount is familiar to you. In the 5th chapter of Matthew, he relates these words:
13 "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
14 You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.
15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

We recognize that in some circles, it is not looked upon favorably to speak in accordance with the truth of Scripture.  But, we have a responsibility to be salt and light.  It's been said that salt is a preservative, which can speak to our cultural role; it's also been related that salt produces thirst, and certainly we should make people thirsty for the gospel through the way we live.  We have been entrusted with the light of Christ and we should open up our hearts - and our mouths - in order that the indwelling Christ might shine through us.

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We have the light of Christ that lives within our hearts, and we are called to shine that light, in contrast to the ways of this world. Ephesians 5 states:
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light
9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth),
10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.
11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.

We don't have to look too far to see that ideas that are unbiblical and harmful to hearts and minds have infringed upon our communities and our churches.  And, there are spiritual forces that are aligned against the Church to weaken its influence. 

One would think that a website called, Religion News Service, would actually perform a service by offering coverage of religion that is devoted to presenting facts in a responsible manner.  Recently, there was an article that caught my attention - it was actually published a few days after my wife and I had spent some time in the city that was the subject - the beautiful Nashville suburb of Franklin, Tennessee. 

At the end of the article, there was this notation: "(This story was reported with support from the Stiefel Freethought Foundation.)"  Typically, those of the "freethought" persuasion are related to atheism. So, I don't know what type of so-called "support" is being offered, but it was certainly a hit piece on evangelical Christianity in a region that is known for its evangelical influence.

Following an extensive setup about a recent mayoral race, in which a professing Christian candidate had overwhelming lost her race, due in part, it seems, to some questionable ties to certain groups - I find those claims to be legitimate and concerning.  But, it doesn't give a "journalist" the right to mischaracterize an entire group of people, and trotting out well-known critics of evangelical Christianity to do so - David French, an attorney who has published Sunday screeds against Christians who desire to live out their faith in the public square, Phil Vischer, co-creator of Veggie Tales, who has made it an aim to question and challenge policy positions of evangelical Christians, and, of course, the #1 critic of evangelicals these days, it seems, the Calvin University professor Kristin Kobes Du Mez.   

The article describes Franklin, and Williamson County, where it is located, stating:

Williamson County has some of the state’s largest and most influential churches, including the Church of the City; Brentwood Baptist; Grace Chapel, whose members include Gov. Bill Lee; and Christ Presbyterian Church, where U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn is a member.

It also lists some of the ministry organizations that are headquartered in that area.  Not a single representative of any of these churches and organizations were directly interviewed for the article.  But, instead, this "atheist"-supported article decided to paint with a broad brush in negative terms the vibrant Christianity and Christian influence that is present in the area.

But, one pastor, Kevin Riggs, was interviewed. He says: “We as a county are the unofficial headquarters of Christian nationalism in the United States,” adding, “Mainly because of the power and money and the influence that comes out of here. Everything in the evangelical Christian world at some point comes through Williamson County.” Riggs "said he holds evangelical theology and more progressive social views, said criticizing Christian nationalism cost him a lot of friends."

The article writer, Bob Smietana, stated...

...while much of their God and country rhetoric sounds like what is sometimes called “Cracker Barrel Christianity,” what sets Christian nationalism apart from more aspirational forms of religious patriotism is its focus on outside enemies.

Those who are not Christian or not sufficiently Christian are accused of undermining the true nature of America. Such thinking also promotes what scholars call “participatory anti-democracy” — mobilizing people to make sure their views win no matter what. This paints fellow citizens who disagree with them as the enemy.

French said, "I don’t think people who follow politics at the national level appreciate sufficiently how pervasive the bullying and name-calling is at the local level..."

But, wait, isn't that the aim of the progressive movement to "make sure their views win no matter what?"  They claim to have tolerance, but in many cases are actively hostile toward Biblical Christianity and the teachings of Scripture.  I think that those who claim to be tolerant and inclusive need to look in the mirror and identify their own biases toward a Christian point of view. 

How about those First Amendment rights that were violated when the Franklin Pride festival in June was allowed in a public park, yet members of the public who were there to pray were told that there was another place to exercise their First Amendment rights "across the street," according to WZTV?

One man, Joseph Cocchini was actually arrested for criminal trespassing, according to TheNewsTN.com.  The charges were dropped, but Cocchini is now suing Franklin for $2 million, " alleging infringement of his rights of free speech and assembly, as well as infringements on the exercising of his religious beliefs, citing an alleged violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment."  Yet, Christians are the ones who are accused of "participatory non-democracy." Those with progressive views, unfortunately, attempt to set up their own rules and dare law-abiding Christians who want to be obedient to the Lord to share their point of view to violate them, reducing them to second-class status.

And, apparently, there is a sense that "outsider" Christians have corrupted the quiet, sanitary way of life that Franklin enjoyed before the Christians arrived.  The article says:

A similar movement of outsiders helped turn Colorado Springs into a stronghold of the religious right in the heyday of groups like Focus on the Family, said Will Schultz, a religious historian at the University of Chicago Divinity School.

In the 1980s and 1990s, Focus and other evangelical nonprofits moved to Colorado Springs, creating a “Mecca for Evangelical Christians,” as NPR put it, and turning Colorado into a battleground over gay rights and other social issues. Those newcomers, often from more liberal places such as California or the East Coast, teamed up with conservative activists already in the region to oppose LGBT rights.

Oh, those troublemaking Christians, like Christian mothers whom Du Mez seems to resent, stating: “Conservative Christian women have long mobilized to protect their children and to protect their families,” she said. “This goes back generations.”  The article then goes on to say:

They are also often heavy consumers of Christian radio and publishing — which have become more political. When the same trusted sources that provide the Christian music they love and the Bible studies they read also tell evangelical women their families and their faith are under attack, they will take action, said Du Mez.

Phil Vischer, according to the article, addresses what I see as a vibrant, influential, and certainly Biblical Christianity:  he "calls it 'Christian Nashville-ism' — a Southern and distinctly evangelical version of Christian nationalism."  

There is no doubt that we are in a battle of ideas, and there are spiritual forces at work.  But, it seems to me that the majority of these Christians who are being demonized here are not the disrupters - they are attempting to be salt and light, following Jesus to be people of influence who live out their faith.  These large, influential, evangelical churches are indicative of the Christian population, not outliers; but funny, not a single pastor of any of those churches was interviewed for the article. 

But, we have to be careful that we are not distracted from our mission.  We can become discouraged when we see the inroads that unbiblical ideas and expressions are making.  In some circles, Christians are viewed as "the enemy."  What is apparent is that you have individuals and groups who do not want to honor God in their personal behavior, and the presence of Christ in His people becomes a reminder of the presence of God.  Now, we certainly should not be unruly or rude to people in our expressions of faith.  But, we should continue to be steadfast in our principles and to engage with others based on the truth of Scripture - always in love, but never being intimidated.