The Disturbing Thing You Missed During Chris Rock's Monologue

So last night during the 88^th Academy Awards, comedian Chris Rock, in his opening monologue, decided to tackle the hot button issue of racism in Hollywood that has caused this year’s Academy Awards to be so controversial.  While making several good points—the need for movie studios to consider black actors and actresses for more prominent roles in movies—Chris spoke about racism in Hollywood in a very charming and funny way that filled the whole house with laughter.  Like the guy who jokes at a funeral luncheon to cheer everyone up, Chris did a good job of lightening the mood for the rest of the Oscars.

However, there was one thing in his monologue that Christ said that actually disturbed me.  It disturbed me because of the way the crowd reacted to what he said.  So what was said?  Well, he said this: “I’m sure there were no black nominees some of those years. Say ‘62 or ‘63, and black people did not protest.  Why? Because we had real things to protest at the time, you know? We had real things to protest; you know, we’re too busy being raped and lynched to care about who won best cinematographer. You know, when your grandmother’s swinging from a tree, it’s really hard to care about best documentary foreign short.”

 

The reason this part of Chris’ monologue disturbed me had nothing to do with what he said, but the fact that the crowd laughed it off as a joke.  Now, in their defense, Chris delivered these sentences in a very comedic way with the intention of getting laughter as a response.  However, how can we laugh at something that isn’t funny?  I’m sorry, but the lynching of black people and the raping of black people throughout the history of our country is not funny, and to laugh at it is to make light of the seriousness of those crimes against the black community.

This reaction also disturbed me because it also downplays the reality that racism and violence towards the black community is still prevalent today.  To laugh it off as a joke is to send a message that we, as a society, aren’t going to take this seriously and it is okay to act with racism and violence as long as we can have a good giggle about it afterwards!”  But since it comes from the mouth of a black man we can laugh, right?!  Wrong!

Yes, I know that comedians are supposed to say controversial things in order to get laughs out of people.  In many ways, comedians will say truthful things that need to be said, but because they say them in a funny way that makes us all laugh, we can make light of them like they don’t really matter.  I feel that comedians are really prophets in disguise.

What is probably most disturbing about this is the fact that, to me, this signifies that we as a country don’t want to face up to our problems.  We would rather face the truth through jokes and laughter so we can discredit it as something we need to address and deal with.  Now, don’t get me wrong, comedy has its place and I love going and listening to comedians rant about how life can be hilarious at times.  However, no one can deny that it is hard to take something seriously when we all laugh at it like a joke. 

It makes me wonder if we have so separated ourselves from the violence and the hatred in our country that all we do now is laugh when someone brings it up.  Maybe its all we think we can do?  Maybe its how we cope with it.  Maybe, if we can laugh at it, we can remove some of the shame and the guilt of our indifference.  Whatever the reason, we would much rather someone like Chris Rock give us a joke about our problems rather than sit down and have an honest discussion about them. 

 

See you in the conversation,

Pastor Zach

Expanding Valentine's Day Beyond Hugs and Kisses

Ahh, it’s Valentine’s Day.  A day of sweet romance.  A day to let the one you love know how much you appreciate them and how you just couldn’t possibly live without them.  It’s a day to give each other flowers, chocolates, and cheesy cards that say things like “I wuv you,” or “you’re as sweet as honey.”  Anyone sticking their tongue out yet?

Now, don’t get me wrong, I think it is always a good idea to appreciate those cherished ones in our lives that show us plenty of love and affection and who are there to support and comfort us when life becomes quite challenging.  And, I have nothing against doing something nice for your loved one either (although perhaps that “I wuv you” card isn’t the best thing we could do to show our appreciation).  However, When I see the commercialization of Valentine’s Day and when I hear people talk about it, it is clear to me that Valentine’s day (to a lot of people) has a narrow focus of romantic love.  The holiday, as portrayed, is all about attempts to court a romantic partner, or attempts to get your romantic partner in bed for some “loving,” if you get my drift.  Unfortunately, this is such a narrow view of love, and it is one that causes a lot of people to despise this holiday.

What would it look like if St. Valentine’s Day was a day where we focused on broadening the world’s understanding of love?  What if today was a day to go out and spend time with a person who is a widow or widower and homebound; or a patient all alone at the hospital; or sharing a meal with a homeless person at a soup kitchen in addition to sharing love with our partners, friends, and families?  What if we used some of that money we spent on chocolates, flowers, and cards to support organizations that feed the hungry, provide homes for the poor, and advocate for the marginalized?  What would it look like if we spent some of our time together writing letters to congress, advocating for justice for the poor, or volunteered our time at an organization who lobbies for the end to unjust systems that promote racism?  How would people view this holiday different if we celebrated it by hosting anti-bullying workshops?

There are so many ways that we can expand our definition of love—love for neighbor, love for stranger, love even for enemies—by surpassing the commercialized way of celebrating Valentine’s day.  And, honestly, loving and caring for others outside of our sweethearts, friends, and families through acts of service is a way that we can expand the definition of love throughout the entire year! 

Of course, what is the best part about doing this is the fact that, as we love and serve others we build relationships with them.  As we build relationships with them we begin to see the goodness and sacredness in them.  Soon, we begin to see Christ in them.  As we recognize Christ in all people, there is now way we would allow any kind of oppression or injustice to continue, no matter who it is happening to.    

So, yes, celebrate Valentine’s Day and show that special someone how much you love and appreciate them; but then, go out and spread some love to others, so that this holiday becomes all about love for all the world!

See you in the conversation,

Pastor Zach

 

 

What a True Christian Candidate Is and Isn't

If you are planning on caucusing in Iowa tonight, or you are planning on attending a caucus or primary in your local state, wherever that may be, and you happen to be Christian and want to caucus/vote for a candidate who has Christian morals, please read what I have written below, especially if you want a candidate with true Christian morals (whew! Long sentence!). 

Now, there are several candidates that consider themselves to be Christian and to have “Christian morals.”  Mike Huckabee, Ted Cruz, Ben Carson, and the Donald come to mind; although, I’m sure there are others in either party who claim to be Christian.  And, while some of these candidates say they have “Christian morals,” they make statements against welcoming the neighbor and the stranger; they don’t value life (unless you’re a fetus) as they promote the death penalty and are against any kind of gun control; they would rather cut off the poor from food (yes, not every poor person is a lowlife who takes advantage of the system), but allow the very rich to get out of paying thousands of dollars in much needed tax dollars; When it comes to social justice issues, like racism, they sweep it under the rug as if we don’t have a problem; finally much of their campaigns are fear driven and are not faithful to God’s abundance, grace, and love.  Does this sound Christian to you?

Being a Christian means that we place our trust, our faith, and our allegiance in Christ Jesus.  No, not Moses, not Abraham, not St. Peter, nor St. Paul, but to Jesus (for Jesus is God!).  This means that to follow Christian morals and beliefs is to follow the teachings and actions of Jesus.  And, if you actually read the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), you will see that a lot of the candidates that say they have “Christian morals,” don’t actually have any (or very few) Christian morals!

How do I know this?  Well, when you read the gospels (and please, actually read them if you haven’t!) you will discover that Jesus welcomed the stranger, the neighbor, and the foreigner (Luke 10:25-37); that Jesus values all life (Luke 23:39-43); that Jesus calls for us to care for the poor (Matthew 25:31-46); that Jesus calls for justice of those oppressed (Mark 10:46-52); and that Jesus is about spreading love, not fear (John 13:34-35). 

So, when you go out and caucus/vote for a Christian candidate with Christian morals, make sure you are caucusing/voting for a candidate who wants to care for the poor and give freedom to the oppressed; who wants to welcome neighbor, stranger, and foreigner; who wants to place the lives of people above the right to kill or carry a weapon in public; who will fight against injustice whether it is racial, economic, social, etc…; and who will lead with love, compassion, and is intent upon peace.  These are true Christian morals.  Any candidate who talks about hate, discrimination, rejection, being unwelcome to outsiders, wanting to use lethal force in any way; and thinks we need to cut benefits to the poor are candidate who do not have Christian morals. 

Happy caucusing/voting!

Pastor Zach

The War on Christmas...It's Not About Coffee Cups!

Whelp, we’ve all probably heard about and seen the new red Starbucks coffee cups.   We’ve also heard certain extremist Christian groups claiming to the world that this is another “war on Christmas.”  However, as a Christian, I can tell you that there isn’t really a war on Christmas (well there is, but it is not because of the lack of holiday symbols on coffee cups, or the fact that it is politically correct to say “Happy Holidays” over “Merry Christmas,” or even the fact that public places like a county courthouse front lawn can no longer have a nativity scene, but more on this later; keep reading!).  All this “war on Christmas” business has more to do with power and supremacy than an attack on a certain religion.

When these Christian extremists cry out in outrage over Starbuck’s attack on Christmas by not placing holiday symbols on their cups this year (yes, that’s what is pissing them off; and, by the way, the symbols are of stockings and candy canes of things of that nature, not religious symbols like the nativity or the cross), what they are really saying is, “We think the only religion that anybody should believe is Christianity!  Our religion is superior to all others.  All other religions are worthless and wrong!”  I can tell you that I don’t agree with this, nor do I think it is true. 

Firstly, to declare that Christianity is the only “true religion” is to place God in a box.  Now don’t get me wrong, as a Christian I strongly believe that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior and is the means that leads me to God, as well as the means that leads me to salvation.  However, to say that this is the only way that God can bring people salvation or lead people to God would be very short sided on my part.  God is far beyond my understanding or any human understanding.  God can’t be placed in a box.  We cannot put human limitations on God.  This is really part of having faith.  The mysteries of God are so beyond us that it leads us to continue to seek out God so that we can more fully understand this God who loves us beyond measure, and (from a Christian point of view) became human in order to reconcile humanity back to God.  But to say that God can only save through Christ is to place a limitation on God.  For me it’s a both/and understanding.  God indeed saves through Christ, but perhaps God saves in other ways (and through other religions) too.  

Secondly, and more politically, no one religion can hinder another religion in this country.  To make everything about Christmas is to infringe on this right of all people in the United States.  And I don’t buy the argument that not having a Christmas tree in your store or having a lack of holiday symbols on a coffee cup infringes upon Christianity; just as working with a LGTBQ person isn’t an infringement upon Christianity.  Why do I believe this?  Well, because in the Old and New Testaments there are passages that talk about loving and respecting neighbors and enemies (Leviticus 19:34; Luke 10:25-37 for example).  To force Christianity on someone or to declare that you cannot work because of a LGTBQ person is not loving or respecting neighbor and downright not Christian!  JESUS IS ALWAYS ABOUT LOVE AND RESPECT!!!

Thirdly, there is a war on Christmas, but it has more to do with the fact that Christmas has become way too commercialized!  Santa Claus has become the idol for Christmas.  Black Friday has become the new worship.  Presents have become the new hope we long for this time of year.  And the worse part about this is that, for most Christians, we buy into commercialized Christmas!  We convince ourselves that you cannot have a “perfect” Christmas without a tree and lots of decorations, presents under that tree that stack up to the ceiling, a huge amount of Christmas cookies and other goodies, and Santa Claus (which, by the way, the Santa we have come to know in our modern age was actually an invention of Coca-Cola.  Notice his suit looks an awful lot like a coke can/bottle.). 

All of this war on Christmas that has to do with pointless symbols and idols is, in fact, causing a war on Christmas because it is taking away from what Christmas is all about.  Christmas is about the amazing gift of God’s grace that penetrates humanity.  It is about the incarnation; God taking on human flesh.  It is about our invulnerable God taking on vulnerability in order to forever and intimately connect us with God.  It is about understanding the magnitude of that gift and how it transforms us, through its love for us, to give of ourselves to each other.  As I have seen on Facebook memes, “If you want to put the ‘Christ’ back in Christmas, feed the hungry, cloth the naked, care for the sick, and visit the prisoner.”  In other words, LOVE EACH OTHER!!!

So, if you’re going to fight the war on Christmas, do what Starbucks did.  Starbucks, in response to the red cups, donated $350,000 to Lutheran World Relief.  In other words, if you really want to fight the war on Christmas, give of yourself, out of love, in some way this holiday season.  For in doing that, you are proclaiming the hope and love that we find in Christ’s birth.

See you in the conversation,

Pastor Zach

Jesus Politics...It's Not What You Think!

So, this past Tuesday was Election Day, and it got me thinking about the church and politics.  Now, I know several people who believe that the church and politics should stay separate entities.  These people commonly use the phrase, “after all, Jesus wasn’t a politician.”  However, there are also several people who think that the church’s “morals” and beliefs should guide any politician’s agenda.  So, which one should the church follow?  Should the church stay out of politics or guide political agendas?

Well, before I answer these questions, I want to make one thing clear.  Following Jesus is a political statement!  To be a follower of Jesus is to live a certain way and act a certain way towards others.  This is why we consider Christianity to be a lifestyle.  But, by claiming Jesus as Lord, you are also saying that Jesus is the one you’re loyal to and who you are willing to follow.  Jesus is your ruler!  When claiming to be a follower of Jesus, you are claiming that, above all else, you will follow Jesus and not any other government.

Now, I realize that my last sentence is a loaded one.  I also realize that people could misinterpret that statement to mean that Christianity trumps government, which could open up a whole can of nasty worms.  For example, it is this kind of thinking that has caused the whole Kim Davis controversy.  It is this kind of thinking that has caused some politicians to try and use Christianity as a means to oppress others.  They state that they are “following Jesus,” but, really, they are just oppressing others and casting fear to gain power.

To be a true political follower of Jesus is to act exactly like Jesus acted when he roamed the earth.  To be a true political follower of Jesus is to sit and eat with those society has cast aside—prison inmates, the poor, the mentally ill, the LGTBQ community, black people, the woman who had an abortion, people who have gone through divorce, and all those who are oppressed or stripped of power.  It is to love every single person (including our enemies!).  The be a political follower of Jesus is to speak out against oppressive systems that take advantage of other people; to work for peace instead of violence; to value all life above everything else. 

There are conservative politicians out there that talk about making America a Christian nation once again, founded on Christian morals.  Firstly, America was never a Christian nation.  Yes, it was founded by Christian puritans who felt the Church of England had become too Catholic; but, it was made clear in the development of our constitution that our forefathers wanted a land where anyone was free to practice their religion without consequences or punishment.  Secondly, when these politicians talk about Christian morals, they aren’t actually talking about following Jesus.  If they were, then they would have political platforms that dealt more with destroying financial systems that make the rich richer and everyone else poorer; they would be for finding alternatives to mass incarceration; they would be for equal rights for LGTBQ families; they would fight of systems of racism; and they would do everything to promote life for all of creation. 

 Most conservative politicians out there who claim to be Christian and that their faith guides their political agenda are actually using Christianity in a wrongful and hurtful way.  They aren’t living by true Christian politics, but by their own agendas and then using them under the guise of Christianity in order to gain votes and power.  I believe, back in Jesus’ time, he referred to these people as “vipers.” 

 So, as you continue to decide on which candidates to vote for in 2016, just remember, unless candidates are trying to fight systems of oppression; doing what they can to help the poor; supporting the rights of all people; working for peace; and promoting life for all of creation (including all of the earth!); they are not being followers of Jesus, and therefore are not truly using Christianity to guide their political agendas.

*THIS MESSAGE WAS BROUGHT YOU BY THE TRUE FOLLOWERS OF JESUS POLITICAL CAMPAIGN!*

See you in the conversation,

Pastor Zach

 

Halloween is a Christian Holiday!!

So tomorrow evening is All Hallow’s Eve, or, as we know it today, Halloween.  I have always had mixed feelings about this holiday.  On the one hand, it is a fun holiday where kids can go trick-or-treating, where fun parties occur, and where people can dress up and make-believe.  I, of course, am a big fan of Halloween candy!  On the other hand, what I don’t like about Halloween are those who use the holiday as an excuse to cause mischief and chaos; those that use it for purposes of frightening others for a laugh. 

The interesting thing about Halloween is that its origins come out of the Celtic druid tradition over 3,000 years ago.  The Celtic culture would celebrate a day called Souan.  This was a day when the Celtics believed nature was changing from summer to winter; the last day of the harvest.  It was believed that, on this day, the spirits of those who died in the past year would roam the earth.  They believed some spirits to be mischievous and so they would offer the spirits treats and gifts to appease them so they wouldn’t stay and “haunt” you.

As the Romans conquered northern Europe, the Souan festival along with the Roman celebration of the Harvest began to merge.  Because it was a Pagan festival, the Catholic Church tried to convert Pagans by turning the holiday into a religious event.  Thus the Church created All Saints day.  The night before All Saints was known as All Hallow’s Eve, because, to be hallowed was considered to be holy. Later, the Church also added All Souls day to commemorate all those who had died, since pagan tradition was big on celebrating all the dead, not just the “holy” dead.

Today, obviously, Halloween is more about dressing up and having fun.  However, there are still people out there that want to use Halloween as a way to “worship” evil and create Chaos.  Unfortunately, there are Christian churches out there who also do this.  There are a lot of conservative Christian churches who will host a “Hell House,” on Halloween.  The hope is that that they will scare you into becoming a follower of Jesus.  Hell houses will often show you scenes of punishment for people who behaved badly in their lives (ex: a murder in an electric chair; a woman in hell for having an abortion; a nonbeliever’s eternal torment). 

It is my opinion that these “Christian” hell houses are probably one of the most evil things that comes out of Halloween.  Jesus never tried to scare people into following him.  Yes, Jesus did mention that there could be consequences for placing other idols above God, but Jesus never condemned anyone to hell.  Instead, Christ acted out of love.  Yes, he got mad, but it was because people were placing the Law above love. 

Now, don’t get me wrong, I think Halloween is worth celebrating, but not because we need to scare people into following Christ, or we need to scare people in general.  I think Halloween needs to be celebrated because it gives children a chance to play and make-believe.  But, more importantly, I also think Halloween should be celebrated because its origins are in connecting our world with the spirit world; the dead.  We do this not because we believe in spirits roaming the earth (not anymore for a lot of us), but because we believe in life.  We believe in life after death.  Halloween can be a celebration of life!  It can be a reminder to us that there is life after death and that life is found in Christ Jesus. 

So, put on your costume, take the kids trick-or-treating, go to that Halloween party, and remember that this holiday is a celebration of the dead; a celebration of life after death! 

See you in the conversation,

Pastor Zach

Have We Turned the Church into a Business?

So I have to come clean and admit that I have been struggling with my ecclesiology (my understanding of the function of the church) lately.  Article 7 of the Augsburg Confession, which is part of our Lutheran confessions/doctrine (see Book of Concord), states: “The Church is the congregation of saints, in which the gospel is rightly taught and the sacraments are rightly administered.”  Now, while I believe this statement to be the true identity of the Christian Church, I feel like a lot of churches in the United States are not operating with this understanding.  In fact, I feel that a lot of churches in this country are operating under a business model instead of a gospel model.

Business model?  I’m really beginning to question of what is the true goal of churches in the United States.  Now, I realize I’m generalizing here and hopefully not all churches function this way (I’m certainly trying to keep the church I serve at from functioning as a business), but I also know that I have heard many a pastor and congregation talk about growth from a business standpoint instead of a gospel standpoint.

 So what do I mean by a business model?  Well, a lot of churches have to measure their success by tangible numbers of members.  One of the questions I frequently get asked from other pastors and church goers is: “So, how big is your church?”  That’s it.  We are asked to measure success by the amount of active members we have at our churches.  The more active members you have, the more successful you are considered to be as a church.  And, obviously, the more active members you have, the more money your church can use for various programs in order to draw more people into the church.  So, lots of members = successful ministry!

Because this is how many churches view success, we have turned the Church’s mission into a business model where the main goal is to “convert” more people to become loyal to the Church; more specifically, “my church.”  Like a successful ad campaign, the more we can entice people to the programs of our church, the more likely they will “buy into” our church.  And, of course, the more people we have, the more elaborate our advertising (a.k.a. our programs) can be.  The more money we can spend on awesome and fun programs, the more people we will get to buy into our church.  There’s a pretty big (in terms of membership) nondenominational church in my community that offers a summer Bible school program where children can learn horseback riding while learning about God.  How cool is that?!  Who wouldn’t want to bring their child to that program?  Only here’s the question, would they still come if you took away the horseback riding?

So, what’s the problem, don’t we want to “convert” more people to Christ?  Our calling as a church has always been to proclaim the gospel to all whom we meet through conversation and action.  The purpose of doing this is to make others aware of the good news that we all have been freed from the punishment of sin and death through Christ’s death and resurrection.  The Holy Spirit uses us (which we are the church) in order to bring others to God through the proclamation of the gospel.  This should be the sole focus of the church.

The problem with putting so much emphasis on programs in order to get people to “buy into” our church (and I mean our individual churches, not the Christian Church in general) is that the focus of the church becomes all about growing the membership, “putting butts in seats” as the saying goes.  We turn the church into a business organism where the mission becomes about fueling the church’s membership, so that “my church” can last the test of time.

A lot of churches who are struggling to maintain membership numbers in order to keep their budgets in the black aren’t afraid of not being able to proclaim the gospel anymore (although, again, I’m generalizing from experience and I’m sure there are those out there who don’t want to close because they still feel called to proclaim the gospel), but they are afraid that they will lose their church building and their faith community.  They are afraid that their business-church will close.  So, they do all they can to encourage more people to join and give money to the church so that it can survive!  Like the stock market, the more investors you can get to buy into your business the more capital you will have to help your business grow.

But here’s the thing, Jesus never asked us to grow our churches.  Instead, Jesus has always asked us to go out and proclaim the good news to people; to proclaim the gospel!  This is the sole purpose of church—to share with the world the freedom we have in the gospel proclamation!  Because of this, the church’s mission has never been about creating more members; it has always been about sharing the gospel (a.k.a. God’s love) with all people. 

This means that, as a church, we need to move away from the business model and once again embrace the mission of going out a sharing the gospel with people, as well as gathering together to share in the sacraments, God’s physical means of grace, each week through the liturgy.  Success shouldn’t be measured by how many seats you fill at worship or how many people are in your Christian Education programs, but by how well we are proclaiming the gospel to others and how well we are building Christ-centered relationships with each other.

But what if my church closes?  I recognize that it can be hard to think about the fact that a church might have to close someday, especially if it was the church you grew up in.  Part of the gift of a faith community is the relationships we build with our church family members.  It can be hard to think that there could come a day where the church family we cherish will no longer exist.  However, I have two thoughts on this matter.  Firstly, we must remember that it isn’t “our” church, but it is God’s church.  Just because the church we grew up in might close does not mean that God’s church has died.  God has great plans instore for the whole Christian church.  This is why, in the ELCA at least, when a church closes we call it the completion of the church’s mission.  Their mission is complete, but other church’s still have a mission to carry on.  Because of this, when a church closes, it should be viewed as a thing to celebrate (even though it is at the same time a powerful loss that causes much grief).  This also gives people, who were at the congregation that closed, the opportunity to bring their gifts and talents to another faith community so that the mission of the whole Christian Church can continue.

Secondly, if we are so afraid of our church closing that we spend a lot of time and money getting people to buy into our church through programs, then do we really trust that God has a purpose for the church?  Focusing on just proclaiming the gospel and building Christ-centered relationships is a huge act of faith.  It causes us to put the growth into God’s hands and let God take lead.  This can be really scary (especially if you’re a control freak!).  Yet, it is also freeing to know that God is in charge and that any growth we experience is really up to God.  All we have to do is go out and proclaim the gospel and build Christ-centered relationships, we then trust that God will do God’s thing and transform the hearts of others (yes, through us!).  After all, who are we loyal to; the gospel or “my church?”  I would like to think it is the gospel.

 

See you in the conversation,
Pastor Zach