“But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” - 1 Timothy 5:8.
Yes, we need more prayers, but we also need our pastors to address our civil discontent and resistance against the Philistines who threaten our faith, our values, and our very existence. Our nation hasn’t been this divided since our last Civil War. There are open calls to make the preaching of certain Biblical sermons, “hate crimes.” It’s time our pastors rose up in the pulpits and addressed this growing anti-Christian sentiment. To remain silent on the subject of Christian persecution is the antitheses of boldly preaching God’s word! “A righteous man who falters before the wicked is like a murky spring and a polluted well.” - Proverbs 25:26
Our pastors, however briefly, need to turn their attention from the wolves within the church to the barbarians at the gate because the wolves and barbarians are allies in the war against the truth! To effectively fight one, one must fight the other.
There have been times in the past when Christian men and women were called to step up and defend themselves against the barbarians who neither know nor recognize almighty God. In their proud audacity, these barbarians scoff at and crucify Jesus Christ, again and again, fearing no recompense. And the wolves within the church? They twist the holy word of God to meet their desires. They turn Christ into an ill-fated stooge, rather than the Lion of Judah! And our pastors remain silent. Our pastors need to step into the pulpit with as great a fire in their hearts as burns within the words of Holy Scripture! “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.” - 1 Corinthians 16:13.
We face unpredictable days ahead. The winds of change roar about us and it should come as no surprise that hatred for the faith rides in the gale. Our enemies surround us on all sides. Our God is both faithful and true. But there are times that even God calls us to place stones in our slings or to gird ourselves with swords. “Then He said to them, ‘But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.’” - Luke 22:36. So why are our pastors MIA?
As God-fearing Christians, we must always remember to let a simple insult pass and try to keep the peace. “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.”
- Romans 12:18. However, when the threat of violence becomes imminent, we must remember that God has always used human agents to affect His will, i.e. Noah, Moses, Joshua, David, Samson, etc. The pastoral response should be to prepare the flock, just in case. “Therefore I positioned men behind the lower parts of the wall, at the openings; and I set the people according to their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows. And I looked, and arose and said to the nobles, to the leaders, and to the rest of the people, ‘Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.’” - Nehemiah 4:13-14.
Please don’t misconstrue what I am saying. I am not calling for our pastors to take up arms or call for us to. What I’m saying is simply this: pastors need to address the growing concerns of their congregations in this perilous political atmosphere. They do so when there is another tragic mass shooting or a hurricane or an earthquake. Why is this any different? I’m saying they should come into church on Sundays after hearing a week’s worth of anti-Christian rhetoric in every media form available and address it! Show the congregation that they are not oblivious to the noxious anti-Christian sentiment pervading the culture and nearly every institution. To do or say less is a sin of omission.
Many of you may disagree with me, insisting that prayer is the only answer. Mind you, I called for more prayer in the opening sentence of this post. I firmly believe as our Holy Bible tells us, “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.” - Psalm 127:1. But that doesn’t relieve our pastors of their responsibility to zealously guard the flock! And that includes guarding our hearts, minds, souls, and bodies. And while I’m not calling on our pastors to jump on top of the grenade for us; I would expect that they would share in our trepidation and our desire for self-preservation. Yes, the Lord is my shepherd, and yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. Praise the Lord for being our rock and our fortress. But where are our pastors?
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