Weekend Rant

I suppose that today's rant in going to offend some people.

By now, most of you know that I lean left of center where politics is concerned and yet have a pretty conservative core where religion and Christianity are in play. You also know that I have little tolerance for politics in churches and I certainly don't look to politicians to be religious leaders.
I have no problems with individuals (Christians or non-Christians) banding together to take a social stance, but I do not care for those that do so "in the name of God" when it is really just their pet prejudice or pet project.

I am particularly distressed when churches feel the need to take on the cultural war as if it is their mission to safeguard the church community from the evils of  ---- (feel free to insert whatever social evil you hate most).

When we choose to stand against the LGBTQ+ community (I know we really love them, but just not their way of life, right? Where's the sarcasm font when you need it?) as a church, we are engaging in a battle that we are not called to fight.
As citizens, we have the right to fight to change laws that make abortion a legal option for women. When we take on that battle as a mission of the church, we disengage from the spiritual battle that we are called to fight and engage the enemy (that's the devil for those that don't speak christianese) on his turf and in a battle of his making.
You can choose whatever social evil you want to go to war against, but when you do so as the church or as an agent of God, you are missing the point.

In the Book of Ephesians, Paul writes that we are not warring against the things of this world, but that our fight is in the spiritual realm. We are to contend for souls. We are to share the Gospel, make disciples and let God worry about the part of changing hearts and lives.
Making abortion illegal doesn't win souls to the kingdom.
Keeping LGBTQ+ peoples out of our churches doesn't win souls to the kingdom.
Guarding our heritage, nationalism, property, ideals, personal beliefs, etc., doesn't win souls to the kingdom.
Building bigger buildings, buying bigger buses, inviting famous politicians, have laser lights and loud bands; none of that stuff adds souls to the kingdom.

For the most part, the kingdom still grows one soul at a time -- when one believer shares the love of God with one non-believer in such a way that the non-believer comes to know the grace of God and follows God's teachings and ways.

Psalm 34:18 says,
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Lately, I've seen too many of "his people" that are all about crushing the spirits of the brokenhearted rather than lifting them up and loving them.

Although I am an evangelical Christian, I am so ready to shed the label and just be about the business of sharing the simple message that God loves you and Jesus died for you.
Why do we choose to make following Jesus so difficult?
(sigh)

John <><