“For Christ’s sake!”

As a Christian, not to mention a pastor, I’m not supposed to say that. I was taught from an early age exclamations like that one—along with “Oh my God,” “Jesus Christ,” and “Good God,” and a few more explicit offerings—not only were disrespectful, but sinful.

The third commandment, I was told, said not to take the name of the Lord in vain. To this day, when I stub my toe or get cut off in traffic, you’re likely to hear, “Good grief,” or, “Oh my gosh.” I was trained well.

Nevertheless, even as a child, the third commandment always seemed like an odd one to include in God’s Top 10. To put it on the same list as “do not steal” and “do not murder”—indeed, higher up the list than both of those—always felt kind of strange to me. But I was a good Sunday school student; so, I went with it. No OMGs for me.

Misusing the Lord’s name without cussing

It wasn’t until my formal training to become a preacher, first with religion classes at Baylor and then at Truett Theological Seminary, that I acquired a better understanding of what it means to take God’s name in vain.

My Sunday school teachers had been right fundamentally; it means to misuse the holy name of the Lord. But in the adult world, it turned out, there were far more sinister ways to misuse the Lord’s name than with playground curses.

It turns out, the name of the Lord is an awfully powerful thing—which makes it something people are quick to weaponize. If you want to abuse or control people, there are few easier ways to rally support than by arguing you are acting in God’s name. Indeed, you can break just about any of the other nine commandments, so long as you invoke the Lord—and you’ll have backers.

For my entire life, there have been powerful people in the world of evangelical Christianity who have risen to their positions and maintained them by taking the Lord’s name in vain. Some were loud cranks, easily dismissed by almost everyone inside and outside the church.

Others were slick televangelists, mocked by the masses even as they shamelessly exploited the poor and the marginalized to build their kingdoms. Still others were megachurch pastors whose stars shined brightly until their socially acceptable sins—greed, pride—gave way to more distasteful vices—adultery, embezzlement.

The power of misusing the Lord’s name

But far more dangerous than these were the Christian pastors, professors, authors and business leaders who looked to the halls of earthly power and decided they wanted a piece of the action—and used the Lord’s name to get there.

Armed with select Bible verses and allied with select politicians, they spent decades convincing us God’s will and the American dream were one and the same, that the flag and the cross belonged together now and forever.

It worked. When rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, they did so wearing T-shirts that read: “God. Guns. Trump.” They carried red, white and blue flags announcing, “JESUS SAVES,” even as they destroyed property and intimidated Capitol police. Like modern-day Israelites tearing down a modern-day Jericho, they went into battle convinced God was on their side.

Reclaim honor due the Lord’s name

After not just months but years, not just years but decades, it’s long past time for all evangelicals to call this American Christian nationalism what it is—a dangerous, disgraceful violation of the third commandment. A cynical abuse of the divine. An abomination and a desecration of the holy.

When God’s name becomes a vehicle for your political ideology, you have taken it in vain. When God’s word becomes a sourcebook for your ambitions, you have committed hermeneutical malpractice. When God’s will is used to justify sin, you reveal yourself as a charlatan.

America is my home, the land I love, but it is not the Promised Land. Governmental leaders are worthy of my respect, but not my allegiance. The flag deserves my respect, but never my worship.

After so long hearing the lie that “real Christians” must think, feel and vote a certain way, it is time to reclaim the Baptist distinctive of a separation between church and state. It is time for our faith to inform our politics, instead of the other way around. It is time for us to bear God’s name, not in the pursuit of power, but in the pursuit of justice, mercy and love.

It’s time to stop taking the Lord’s name in vain—for Christ’s sake.

Daniel Camp is the pastor of South Garland Baptist Church. The views expressed are those solely of the author.

“Patriots enlist and defend their country. They work hard, do their best, raise good families. They help their neighbors. They perform civic duties. They grit their teeth and pay their taxes. Then they show up and vote. They compete, they win or lose, but they do both with grace. These are some of the things patriots do.

“Patriots do not storm their own Capitol over a lost election. They do not bum-rush members of Congress. They do not assault strangers. They do not push and shove police officers and trash federal buildings. These are things criminals do, and criminals of any political stripe deserve one thing: the rule of law.”

Neil Patel, author of this response to the Capitol riot and co-founder of the Daily Caller —a conservative news outlet—is exactly right.

Now substitute “disciples of Jesus” for “patriots,” and you’ll be right as well.

Is a “Million Martyr March” coming January 20?

A 15-year veteran of the U.S. Capitol Police and son of a former Senate sergeant-at-arms died by suicide Saturday. His is the sixth death related to the Capitol riot last Wednesday.

Here’s an announcement I never thought I would see: In response to the Jan. 6 attacks, the U.S. Secret Service has stated they are anticipating and prepared for “all possible contingencies” with regard to the presidential inauguration on January 20. We also are learning lawmakers may have been exposed to COVID-19 during the lockdown.

Following the riot, some sought to blame Antifa, but this claim has been clearly debunked. Here’s what I saw with my own eyes last Wednesday: rioters who breached Capitol Hill carrying Christian flags.

One said: “Jesus is my Savior. Trump is my president.” Others waved “Jesus Saves” banners. One of the first rioters to enter the Senate chamber was carrying a Christian flag. A flag reading “Proud American Christian” with an American flag inside an ichthus—an ancient Christian symbol—was seen as well.

Ashli Babbitt, the Air Force veteran who was shot and killed while storming the Capitol, is now being lauded as a martyr. Some say they are planning a “Million Martyr March” for Jan. 20 in Washington, D.C.

Faith leaders were “nearly unanimous in condemning” the assault, as NPR reported on Jan. 7. But evangelicals nonetheless are being widely blamed for the riot.

The Washington Post headlined: “Trump’s evangelicals were complicit in the desecration of our democracy.” The Atlantic called the riots “a Christian insurrection” and added, “Many of those who mobbed the Capitol on Wednesday claimed to be enacting God’s will.” Religion News Service stated, “Evangelicals must denounce the Christian nationalism in Capitol riots.”

“Put your sword back into its place”

This article is one such denunciation.

The Capitol riots had nothing to do with Jesus. No one who assaulted the Capitol was following the teachings of Jesus. To the contrary, these attacks deeply grieved him and are bringing shame on his true followers.

When soldiers came to arrest Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, “Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear” (John 18:10). Jesus healed the man’s ear (Luke 22:51) and then said to Peter: “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword” (Matthew 26:52).

Jesus taught us: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9). We are told to “be subject to the governing authorities” (Romans 13:1) and to pray for “all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way” (1 Timothy 2:2).

This does not mean we agree with everything our leaders say and do. When we do not, we work through our democratic system for the change we seek. We engage with members of Congress; we do not attack them.

Jesus would not assault the Capitol

I believe certain faith issues underlie much of the Christian nationalism of our day.

Here’s one paradoxical fact: Many evangelicals do not trust enough in Jesus.

We are known for our emphasis on the need to ask Jesus to forgive our sins and give us eternal life. But this emphasis on personal salvation often minimizes the urgency of personal sanctification.

God wants us to be “conformed to the image of his Son” in every dimension of our lives (Romans 8:29). John taught, “Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked” (1 John 2:6). We are to “be imitators of God, as beloved children, and walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us” (Ephesians 5:1–2).

If Jesus would not slander those who opposed him (Matthew 27:11–14), we must not slander people who oppose us. If he would not assault the Capitol, we must not assault the Capitol.

A historic opportunity

By contrast, the Capitol riot, political turmoil, horrific pandemic and other combined crises of our day constitute a historic opportunity to show our broken culture the difference Jesus makes in those who love and follow him fully. The darker the room, the more powerful the light.

If we truly love our Lord, we will love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:37–39). We will love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44). We will help those in need as if they were Jesus (Matthew 25:40). We will “pray earnestly” for God to “send out laborers into his harvest” (Matthew 9:38), then serve in answer to our prayers (Matthew 10:1).

The more we love Jesus, the more we will live by the truth of his word (John 17:17) and share his word with the world (Ephesians 4:15).

Daniel Berrigan once said of Dorothy Day, “She lived as though the truth were true.”

Let’s do the same, to the glory of God.

Jim Denison is the co-founder and chief vision officer of Denison Forum. He pastored churches in Texas and Georgia and now speaks and writes to empower believers to navigate cultural issues from a biblical perspective.

Was the Capitol riot a “Christian insurrection?” Why we must “live as though the truth was true” was first published in The Daily Article by the Denison Forum. Daily Articles are republished in the Baptist Standard under agreement with Denison Forum and are not intended to represent the Standard’s views.

RE: Voices: Resist Christian nationalism displayed during assault on U.S. Capitol

I disagree with the editor about a recent headline: “Resist Christian nationalism displayed during assault on U.S. Capitol.”

There is no evidence of “Christianity” on display. There was a display of religious nationalism, same as one might find in a Muslim country like Iran or Saudi Arabia.

This group of terrorists didn’t just hatch overnight. They have been nurtured for years by false prophets and other anti-American figures.

We have known what Donald Trump is for much longer than the four years he has been in office. We know he has complete contempt for the teachings of Jesus and other parts of the Bible, including telling thousands of lies. But some of the most prominent religious figures have bowed down to him and have ignored the Johnson Amendment, as well as the Bible.

We have reaped what was sown.

Carl Hess
Ozark, Ala.

The acts of domestic terror at the U.S. Capitol during the certification of the Electoral College vote on Jan. 6 is a tragic, dark stain on our nation’s history and an attack on our democracy.

Former President George W. Bush expressed his “dismay” and “disbelief” at the insurrectionists invading the Capitol, writing: “It is a sickening and heartbreaking sight. … I am appalled by the reckless behavior of some political leaders since the election and by the lack of respect shown today for our institutions, our traditions, and our law enforcement. The violent assault on the Capitol—and disruption of a Constitutionally-mandated meeting of Congress—was undertaken by people whose passions have been inflamed by falsehoods and false hopes.”

A break from past election disputes

Obviously, we have faced rebellion and unrest before as a nation. And we’ve certainly lacked effective leadership during trying times. See President Franklin Pierce (1853-1857) and President James Buchanan (1857-1861) who were completely ineffective prior to the Civil War. As dreadful as they were, they did not advocate for civil unrest.

However, today’s witnessed insurrection was primed by the sitting president and certain prominent congressional leaders who relentlessly shared false narratives concerning the 2020 election.

For weeks, the legitimacy of the presidential election has been attacked by the president, numerous congressional leaders, conservative cable networks and talk radio. As these allegations passed through social media, Trump supporters believed the election was stolen, even though all 50 states, numerous courts—including the Supreme Court—and even former Attorney General Barr debunked the allegations, defended the accuracy of the election, and even performed numerous recounts as further verification to the election’s accuracy.

But for those who believed the falsehoods, the narrative became set in stone. According to a recent NPR poll, only 24 percent of Republicans believe the election is accurate, compared to 95 percent of Democrats and 67 percent of Independents.

On Jan. 6, these beliefs spilled over into chaotic madness as a mob descended upon the Capitol, smashing windows, tearing through offices, disrupting sessions of Congress and leading to four reported deaths. Numerous flags were paraded through the Capitol, including the Confederate flag, Trump flags of various sorts and even a flag declaring, “Jesus Saves,” which indicates the close intertwining of politics and faith.

Marriage of church and state

Traditionally, Baptists favored separation of church and state in order to protect the church, state and individual. Randall Balmer, in Blessed Assurance: A History of Evangelicalism in America, wrote the following: “[Separation of church and state] has lent political stability by diverting social discontent into the religious sphere, and it has ensured religious vitality by guaranteeing untrammeled expression in the free marketplace of American religion.”

However, as Christianity gained influence in the latter half of the 20th century, American Christians fell hard for the temptation of temporal political power, leading James E. Wood Jr., a prominent church-state scholar, to write: “The rising tide of American nationalism, which seeks to express itself in terms of religious faith, would make religion in America a culture religion or tribal faith. To be a good American and to be a good Christian are not one and the same and can never be. … To put it another way, God cannot be made an adjunct to American nationalism.”

Due to Christian nationalism, a stronger union of church and state has led to increased political instability. Politics and religion have increasingly aligned for Christians in America, leading to the belief that to be a good Christian one must vote for a certain party. Or that certain politicians are God’s chosen instruments. However, this conflating of religion and politics comes with a heavy price.

One of the dangers of a society determining a leader is divinely chosen—whether viewed as King David or King Cyrus—is that the standard of righteousness morphs to become whatever that “chosen” leader determines it to be.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer faced this in Germany prior to World War II as he lamented the church’s coziness with the state. Bonhoeffer biographer Charles Marsh quotes him: “We are about to witness a great reorganization of the churches. … The most intelligent people have totally lost both their heads and their Bible.”

The same could be argued concerning Christian nationalism in America and the increased tribalism and partisanship within American politics and culture.

Resisting Christian nationalism

While some have embraced Christian nationalism, other religious leaders are sounding the alarm. Jemar Tisby, concerning the events at the Capitol, tweeted, “Don’t miss the religious elements of what’s happening at the Capitol. … What they’re showing us is that Christian Nationalism is and has been the biggest threat not only to Christianity in the US but to democracy as well.”

James Wood warned similarly 50 years ago: “The very mixing of allegiance to God with patriotism, so characteristic of many of the militant organized movements today crusading under the banner of Americanism, is a dangerous threat to both freedom of the state and the freedom of the church—the free society and the Christian Church.”

What are we to do? We as Christians must reflect, repent and lead in a new direction away from Christian nationalism, which leads to further injustice and instability. We can and must remain involved in politics as salt and light, but we must not find our identities in a political tribe. We must not swear allegiance to a politician.

May the tragic events that unfolded this week in Washington, D.C., be a wake-up call for us as Christians to loosen our grip on the temptation of temporal power and tribal belonging and to recommit ourselves to serving God by doing justly, loving mercy and walking humbly with our God.

Jack Goodyear is the dean of the Cook School of Leadership and professor of political science at Dallas Baptist University. The views expressed are those of the author and not intended to represent any institution.

The storming of the U.S. Capitol is appalling. As a nation, it is beneath us. As Christians, it is beyond the pale. It cannot be justified in any way, though it can be explained as an abuse of the presidency and a stain on our national character—among other things.

The storming of the Capitol made a mockery of our longstanding efforts to ensure the peaceful transfer of power around the world. The protests of racial injustices last summer did not bring a halt to the democratic process in the way the storming of the Capitol literally—though temporarily—halted the wheels of democracy today.

That lawmakers would have to stop the time-honored and, in the civil religion of America, sacred ceremony of certifying the electoral college vote, that they would have to shelter in place within the Capitol, that a sitting president would turn on his vice president—who himself was presiding over the certification and had to be whisked away—and that that very same president would say nothing, nothing for hours to quell his supporters … I am incensed. You should be, too, no matter who you voted for or what you think about this election.

This affront to democracy makes our talk of “United” States ring hollow, spotlighting a divided people. If only the divide were singular. Today showed it for the multiform division it is.

I cannot separate the images I watched this afternoon from the images I watched on June 1. The response to those protesting the killing of George Floyd, a president walking across the street, the photo-op in front of the church—it all stands in stark contrast to the mob assaulting the Capitol today.

There’s not a chance the protestors in May and June would have made it to the top of the Capitol steps, much less be allowed to break out windows, crash through doors, storm the Rotunda, enter the Senate Chamber. They certainly would not have made it into a legislator’s office to put their feet up on the desk. And the protestors in June weren’t headed to the Capitol. The mob today? They were headed to the Capitol days, weeks, maybe months ago.

God’s law—upon which the law of our nation purportedly is founded—commands us not to pervert justice, not to show partiality to one or favoritism to the other. Today held up against last summer shows what looks like clear favoritism. Some Americans have no right to protest in the street, yet other Americans are free to vandalize—with apparent impunity—one of the most honored places in the nation. I knew the Capitol was “the People’s House,” but I didn’t know I was allowed to trash it.

I saw the large “Jesus Saves” sign and a “Proud American Christian” flag, and like so many others, I must distance myself from a Christianity that cannot separate itself from a political ideology. I don’t bow to that “lord.” Dear reader, you should not either. That “lord” is an idol; that “lord” is dead.

Jesus Christ alone is Lord and bows to no political ideology or politician. That’s a flag I’ll wave.

Eric Black is the executive director, publisher and editor of the Baptist Standard. He can be reached at eric.black@baptiststandard.com or on Twitter at @EricBlackBSP. The views expressed are those solely of the author.

As tempting as it is to give in to pandemic fatigue—whether that be despair in one direction or throwing caution to the wind in the other—we must resist and keep our heads in the game. As COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations continue to surge, it doesn’t matter what we think about the pandemic or news about it. We must take up courage, creativity and compassion.

For those who follow Jesus, these three—courage, creativity and compassion—are not something we manufacture or pull out of thin air. They are modeled for us in his life and breathed into us by his Spirit. We just need to take them up.

Where we are now

One year ago, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. We wouldn’t be talking about how much longer we will have to wear masks—if we’re even wearing masks. We wouldn’t be wondering how much longer we’re going to be expected to stay six feet away from each other—if we’re even keeping our distance.

But we’re having this conversation now.

We’ve already lived through a proverbial 40 days—closer to 300, but who’s counting—and we’ve just about had it. Which makes me wonder how the Israelites lasted 40 years in the wilderness. Could we handle even two?

If we’re going to weather our version of the wilderness well, we will need more fortitude. By more fortitude, I mean we will need to put our common need in front of our preferences and politics. People in need, as we are, don’t have the luxury of dividing, sniping, undermining—the self-sabotage that all too much of our deliberations have devolved into.

We still have a ways to go. COVID-19 and all that follow in its wake aren’t gone. We need to take up courage, creativity and compassion.

Things that make us weary

Maybe the best some of us can do is “fake it ’til we make it” and just play along. Toward the end of last year, we might have played along for a while—though many weren’t about to do that much—because vaccines were coming. Now, vaccines are here. Many have been vaccinated, yet distribution of the vaccine has not been as smooth or as quick as hoped.

Meanwhile, a new variant of the coronavirus with a name that looks more like a software update—B.1.1.7—has emerged that is between 40-70 percent more infectious than the plain ol’ COVID-19.

My pastor recently lost his uncle to COVID-19. We just published news about a former Texas Baptist pastor dying of complications from COVID-19. As of this writing, two people loved by Texas Baptists have been taken to the hospital with COVID-19, one with COVID-19 pneumonia.

Just reading the last three paragraphs is enough to give a person pandemic fatigue. But we’re not just reading paragraphs; we’re living them. For these days, we need to take up courage, creativity and compassion.

What we need for where we are

Pandemic fatigue has led some to the depths of depression, to despair. Those among us in the belly of the whale need others of us not to sink, but to take up the courage to meet them in the depths. We can’t meet them there without looking reality square in the face, accepting it for what it is and following in the footsteps of Jesus, refusing to be overcome.

Others of us have become fed up with mask wearing, physical distancing and other measures to slow the spread of COVID-19. For many, this new way of living has simply overwhelmed and driven them to “return to normal”—the ways things were a year ago. But if “normal” got us where we are now, we definitely need to discover a better way. Surely, the Word who was in the beginning and “through whom all things were made” is our source for such creativity.

And then there are the hundreds of thousands among us who simply need our compassion. They have lost loved ones. They are watching, waiting, praying, agonizing as loved ones suffer. They are enduring the lingering effects of the virus. They don’t need us to argue, divide, undermine or attack. They need our compassion, and because we also are stretched thin, we’re going to need to go to Jesus’ well.

After 40 years in the wilderness, when the Israelites were on the doorstep of the long-awaited land of promise, a difficult reality still lay ahead. There was a lot of work on the other side of the river.

We may be at the river, or we may be at a river before the river. We may have just one barrier to cross to be in the place of promise, or we may be out in the wilderness still, standing in front a of rock with a staff in our hand. Wherever we are, we need to listen to the voice of the Lord and obey. Yes, that takes faith, and some courage, creativity and compassion.

Eric Black is the executive director, publisher and editor of the Baptist Standard. He can be reached at eric.black@baptiststandard.com or on Twitter at @EricBlackBSP. The views expressed are those solely of the author.

Last year saw more federal executions in the United States than any other year in our country’s history. In fact, there were more federal executions in 2020 alone than there have been in any other decade since the 1930s.

This recent spate of federal executions has led to increased controversy surrounding the death penalty. Some staunchly support the death penalty and see 2020’s executions as a return to greater emphasis on “law and order.” Others see the death penalty as a grave injustice we must abolish.

What is a Christian to make of capital punishment? What does the Bible have to say? This is a complex issue, so I do not presume to deliver the final word. In trying to come to some conclusion, I contend Genesis 9 and Romans 13 must be considered alongside the difference between the Roman empire and American democracy.

The Noahic covenant

The Bible is full of “covenants” between God and different people. These covenants are sacred, binding agreements similar to legal contracts we practice today. There is one covenant in Scripture, however, especially relevant to the question of the death penalty—the Noahic covenant.

Following the flood of Genesis 6-8, God makes a covenant with Noah. But Noah alone is not the recipient of God’s promise. God says to Noah that the covenant is “between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations” (9:12 NRSV). God restates this idea multiple times, even calling this covenant an “everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth” (9:16).

The full contents of this covenant are found in Genesis 8:20-9:17, but the key portion for our purposes is 9:5-6. God says: “Whoever sheds the blood of a human, by a human shall that person’s blood be shed; for in his own image God made humankind.”

Because humanity is made in the image of God, murdering another human is an especially wicked offense for which death is a just punishment. And we must recall this Noahic covenant is “everlasting” and “for all generations.” Nowhere in Scripture is this covenant abrogated or explicitly reinterpreted.

Romans 13

The other key biblical text relevant to capital punishment is Romans 13, specifically 13:1-7. After Paul exhorts the Roman Christians to leave vengeance to God and instead “repay evil with good” (12:19-21), he explains God has established civic authorities and granted them the “power of the sword” to serve as instruments of God’s vengeance (13:1-7).

God has granted human rulers the power to “bear the sword” (13:4), which refers to the authority to kill. This can take the form of waging war, executing criminals, etc. Paul commands believers to “be subject” to the authorities (13:5-7).

This is not carte blanche, however, for the civic authorities to kill whomever they wish with impunity. God will hold all people—rulers included—accountable on the last day (2 Corinthians 5:10). Paul also does not mean to say believers must obey the authorities no matter what (Acts 5:29).

We must keep in mind Paul would have been quite familiar with the wicked abuses of the Roman authorities, especially the brutally violent Roman army. Paul was not naïve; he knew Rome and other rulers abused the power of the sword. But in Paul’s eyes, this fact does not invalidate the God-given right of governments to bear the sword.

Christian objections to the death penalty

However, many Christians would object to the line of argument I outline above.

Some Christians object to the death penalty by invoking general Christian principles of mercy, forgiveness, etc. These principles are all right and good, but it is bad biblical interpretation to invoke general principles derived from Scripture to override or bypass specific and explicit biblical texts.

Another popular objection is the invocation of Jesus’ example. Jesus might be the most infamous victim of capital punishment in all human history. He was an innocent man murdered by the state. Yes, but “innocent” is the key word here. The New Testament claims Jesus was innocent of any capital crime even under Roman law (e.g., Luke 23:13-15, 22, 41, 47).

There is another objection I must admit gives me pause: If a person is executed, that permanently ends any chance he or she may have to repent and believe in Christ. And what should we do if a death row prisoner repents of his or her crimes? Should we Christians not advocate for mercy?

This is a serious and valid question. I have yet to come up with an answer that fully resolves the tension in my mind. But I do not believe this question, legitimate though it may be, fundamentally overrides what we see in Genesis 9 or Romans 13.

Two vital distinctions

There remains one more objection to the death penalty that is far stronger than any other I have mentioned yet. In the United States, the death penalty is administered unjustly. The death penalty is used extremely disproportionately against the poor and people of color. Moreover, there is high risk of innocent people being executed.

But, wait. Didn’t I say abuse of the death penalty does not invalidate its proper implementation? Here, I must introduce two vital distinctions. First, one can believe capital punishment is theoretically legitimate while objecting to the way it is practiced in specific cases. Second, Paul did not live in a democracy—American Christians do.

Allow me to elaborate on this second distinction. Paul was familiar with Rome’s abuse of the power of the sword, but neither he nor any other Christian had the power to stop it. The church in the New Testament era had no direct earthly power over public policy. Christians in the modern United States do have such power. Therefore, I believe God can and will hold us accountable for every unjust execution, at least to the extent we have or had control over it.

Unless we can guarantee we are not executing innocent people, and unless we can avoid unjust discrimination in implementing capital punishment, I believe Christians should strive to stop the death penalty in the United States.

Joshua Sharp is a writer and Bible teacher living in Waco. He holds a Master of Divinity degree from Truett Theological Seminary. The views expressed are those solely of the author.

R.E. “Mickey” Moriarty was the pastor of Community Baptist Church in Ferris for 17 years before retiring in September 2020. From deep in the heart of one Texan, he shares his background and thoughts on church and ministry. To suggest a Baptist General Convention of Texas-affiliated minister to be featured in this column, or to apply to be featured yourself, click here.

Background

Where else have you served in ministry, and what were your positions there?

• Forest Park Baptist Church, Fort Worth—youth director
• Eastover Baptist Church, Fort Worth—minister of music and youth
• Connell Baptist Church, Fort Worth—youth associate
• Western Park Baptist Church—minister of music and youth
• Lakewood Baptist Church, Dallas—associate pastor
• Hampton Road Baptist Church, DeSoto—pastor
• Bear Creek Baptist Church, Glenn Heights—pastor
• Grace Temple Baptist Church, Dallas—pastor
• First Baptist Church, Lancaster—pastor

Where did you grow up?

Dallas

How did you come to faith in Christ?

During Vacation Bible School when I was 8 years old.

Where were you educated, and what degrees did you receive?

• East Texas State University and Texas Wesleyan University, Bachelor of Religion
• Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Master of Religious Education
• The University of America, Ph.D.

About ministry life

Why do you feel called into ministry?

I heard the voice of God.

What is your favorite aspect of ministry? Why?

Leading people to Christ, interaction with staff and people, developing disciples.

What one aspect of ministry gives you the greatest joy?

Seeing people become involved in bringing the lost to Christ, church growth and discipleship.

What one aspect of ministry would you like to change?

Probably to see more discipleship training for new Christians.

How has your ministry or your perspective on ministry changed?

In my more than 45 years of ministry, I have seen change in worship styles, music, youth work and Sunday school—all of which were positive changes when mixed with the established worship styles. I like the new music, but it’s OK to mix in some of the old hymns.

My ministry changed with the coming of the video projector and the ability to put visuals into my messages. Video presentations drastically changed worship, because we now have the ability to put people on the screen—with pictures of mission trips, camps, outings of various kinds, etc.—who otherwise would just be a spectator, and everybody likes to see themselves on TV.

How do you expect ministry to change in the next 10 to 20 years?

I believe organized worship will continue to evolve over the next several years to new levels with the continuing progression of the digital age and new and exciting electronic devices to enhance the worship experience.

Name the three most significant challenges and/or influences facing your ministry.

1. Apathy and internal focus. I have been in ministry more than 40 years, and I’ve never seen church members more apathetic and focused internally.

2. Generational challenges. In many churches, it seems the older generation is determined to nix any new ideas or excitement from the younger generation.

3. Leadership development. We miss many opportunities in ministry, because we fail to have enough leaders trained and ready.

What do you wish more laypeople knew about ministry or, specifically, your ministry?

I wish they knew how hard and challenging it is and how much time it takes to run a vibrant church.

About Baptists

Why are you Baptist?

I am a Baptist because my parents raised me in a Southern Baptist church. In my later years, I discovered through study that the Baptist doctrine best fit what I believed based on God’s word.

There are many more complex reasons for my decision, such as the priesthood of the believer, water baptism by immersion, and the assurance of “once saved, always saved.” I like the fact all Baptist churches are autonomous in nature.

What are the key issues facing Baptists—denominationally and/or congregationally?

Apathy and pride of self in the congregation. Disagreement within the body. Lack of discipleship training. Secularism and widespread differences over the separation of church and state. The lack of evangelism in some local church bodies. Differences in tithing, which some now call stewardship.

What would you change about the Baptist denomination—state, nation or local?

I desire that we could be of one Spirit, as 1 Corinthians 12:13 says.

About R.E.

Who were/are your mentors, and how did/do they influence you?

There have been many mentors in my ministry, the first of which was Ira Bently, pastor at Connell Baptist Church in Fort Worth. He was my first pastor. I was saved under his ministry. Bently was very helpful during my seminary days and recommended me to my first church.

Then there was R.C. Campbell, pastor at Calvary Baptist Church in Dallas, and the long-time president of Buckner Baptist Benevolences. He was my pastor when I felt the call to ministry.

Buel Crouch, pastor for 37 years at Grace Temple Baptist Church in Dallas was a great pastor. It was under his leadership that I learned what it really was to be a good pastor.

What did you learn on the job you wish you learned in seminary?

I learned how to handle people, and I’m not really sure that could be taught in a seminary class even if they wanted to.

What is the impact of ministry on your family?

For the most part, ministry has had a very positive effect on my family, but there have been times it kept me away from important family events as my girls were growing up. I missed one of my oldest daughter’s events when she was in high school, because I was on my way to Germany to take part in an evangelical crusade and then a mission trip to Liberia, Africa.

Other than the Bible, name some of your favorite books or authors, and explain why.

I like biographies: General Patton, General Eisenhower, President John Kennedy, President Nixon, President Ronald Regan, President Bush—both 41 and 43. Also, I enjoy fiction authors like John Grisham and Michael Crichton. I like biblical and inspirational writers like Charles Stanley, Robert Jeffress and Max Lucado.

What is your favorite Bible verse or passage? Why?

Romans 8:28-39 speaks of the eternal security and assurance of the believer.

Who is your favorite person in the Bible, other than Jesus? Why?

That’s a hard question. Maybe Peter. Possibly Andrew, because he brought Peter to Jesus. Could be Moses, Abraham or Joseph. Might be John, since he stayed while all the others ran and hid.

Name something about you that would surprise people who know you.

I am a huge Broadway musical fan. I love the lights of Broadway, Times Square and the Stage Deli, which is gone now.

If you could get one “do over” in ministry, what would it be, and why?

I would accept the call to the foreign mission field, and I would use my time more wisely.

2020 was rough. We lost loved ones. Bosses were forced to facilitate layoffs or were laid off themselves. Some entrepreneurs failed to close on essential business deals. Some were evicted from their apartments. And even the most distinguished of influencers, at times, felt like utter failures in the home if their children were unable to adapt to online education, wearing a mask, ad nauseam.

2020 was a tough teacher. 2020 also was a good teacher. Here are four unforgettable discoveries I gathered firsthand in 2020 that have affected my character and leadership.

Polarizing vs. harmonizing

2020 taught me polarizing is easier than harmonizing. Division and polarization are nothing new, but even newly minted leaders instinctively knew 2020 offered something different, something more intense.

In 2020, people were divided over almost everything. Some leaders were cut off from their constituency, venders and even friends for what was posted on their personal social media accounts, or for what was not posted on social media.

I heard a story of someone who accidently shared his political leaning over a casual cup of coffee with a co-worker, only to discover later he had been removed deliberately from a long-standing group text and was no longer included in the traditional company gift exchange.

Republican or Democrat, mask or no mask, Disney+ or Netflix. I’m not sure if 2020 largely created the rift between Americans or simply exposed the rift. Working apart replaced working together. Ideological separatism replaced collaborative teamwork.

Leaders should take the harder road of harmonizing.

Vision and anticipation

One’s vision is only as good as one’s anticipation. Many leaders just prior to 2020 were drunk with vision, and the subsequent 12 months sobered them up. They confidently cast their “2020 vision” before their organizations, only to have their lack of foresight publicly exposed.

For years, notable conference speakers have been warning leaders persistently of the burgeoning gig economy, the inevitability of commercial automation, and the benefits of giving select employees the option to work remotely in order to reduce overhead expenses. The year 2020 came, and these predicted societal shifts made their presence fully known to everyone during the COVID-19 shutdown. But, who was listening?

Sadly, a rare few leaders were positioned to serve their people in these ways, because so many “vision-casting leaders” were not properly anticipating their next steps in light of the greater cultural shifts. Their envisioned steps weren’t intuitive enough, quick enough or desirable enough for the newly repositioned consumer.

It’s important leaders understand 2021 isn’t just the start of a new year; it’s the start of a new decade. Things will change over the next 10 years. Some changes will coincide with one’s leadership preferences; some will not.

Leaders who succeed in the new era will be the ones who humbly and accurately anticipate where culture is headed and then envision a future that better serves a society yet to be served.

Optimism about the future

Over the 12 long months of 2020, I repeatedly observed this poignant truth: Optimism innovates while pessimism stagnates.

Leaders with the “can do attitude” stuck their necks out and did something in 2020. Leaders who couldn’t stomach making a move, did not move.

Leaders who humbly moved forward into the unknown are today—by and large—still moving, and those frozen with the “paralysis of analysis” aren’t just behind the curve, they are buried.

Leadership never has been more obvious. Leaders lead. True leaders invite others to follow—especially when times are tough. How can anyone follow a person who is standing still? While it is true many leaders stepped out too soon, risked too much, and made significant mistakes, leadership is risky.

Pessimistic leadership doesn’t have the power to inspire, and it certainly doesn’t have the power to innovate solutions. Optimistic leaders were busy pinpointing opportunities, prioritizing operations and purifying their organizations during quarantine. Pessimistic leaders slowly withered away while criticizing those “impertinent optimists” who dared to try something that may or may not work.

Again, optimism innovates while pessimism stagnates.

The good alongside the bad

I saw in 2020 that the good shamelessly soldiers on right alongside the bad. I became an uncle again for the 12th time. I was invited to celebrate love-struck couples at wedding ceremonies. My friends still were friendly. Jokes still were funny. And, tacos still were tasty.

When I was younger, my dad told me it takes no skill to complain or point out the bad. This comes naturally. Determining to see the glimmers of hope during a raging storm, now, that’s hard work, he said.

Acknowledging the good during a season of testing isn’t inherently discourteous, as some might think. Rather, finding the good in the midst of the bad is what is most desperately needed to see us through times of adversity.

Perspective isn’t everything, but it is a big thing. And, if you can find the good in 2020, you likely will find the good in about any season waiting for you in the days ahead.

Joshua Gilmore serves as the director of Baptist Collegiate Ministries at North Greenville University in Tigerville, S.C. Prior to serving at NGU, Gilmore was a youth pastor in the Chicago area, a professor and administrator at a small college of missions, and a music minister in New Jersey. The views expressed are those solely of the author.

EDITOR’S NOTE: “Justice looks like …” is a special series in the Voices column. Readers will have the opportunity to consider justice from numerous viewpoints. The series is based on each writer’s understanding of Scripture and relationship with Jesus Christ. Writers present their own views independent of any institution, unless otherwise noted in their bios.

You are encouraged to listen to each writer without prejudgment. Then, engage in conversation with others around you about what justice looks like to you.

Click here for more information about the series. Click here to read the full “Justice looks like…” series.

What does justice look like? The first step of justice is sharpening our ability to see.

Jesus’ own miracles so often involved healing the blind. In these acts, Jesus repeatedly reminds all of us we have a blind spot, and God’s justice requires two kinds of seeing—eyes of conviction and eyes of compassion.

God gave me eyes of conviction when I heard the plaintive cry of a 6-year-old Black child, screaming over and over: “Nothing’s wrong! Nothing’s wrong!”

He saw an X on a paper, and in total frustration, he looked up at the teacher and screamed, “Nothing’s wrong!”

He was right. The X was the letter in the word “fox,” but he thought the X on his paper meant his work was all wrong.

“Nothing’s wrong,” he screamed with tears about to fall.

He woke me up to the experience of children who have been told they are wrong so often by age 6 that they know the letter X means, “You are bad,” even if they don’t know it is a benign letter in the word “fox.”

Seeing in a moment

Eyes of conviction turn inward at a moment of insight, that moment when you realize something was there all along, but you didn’t see it. Your expectations, your assumptions, your privilege, your need, your sin—it all kept you from seeing … until one moment of revelation.

Some people say, “Now, I’m woke.” Others say: “I never knew that before. So, that is what it feels like to be told you are bad over and over. That’s what it feels like to be on the receiving end of prejudice.”

Justice is a place where understanding meets action. Justice looks like waking up. Justice looks like seeing. Justice looks like admitting you were behind the curve and need to catch up. Justice means marshaling my personal power—whatever that is—and putting that power shoulder-to-the-wheel for the sake of a common and bigger good.

Seeing with compassionate wholeness

Justice looks like compassion, not the greeting card version, but the place where I will relinquish the passionate concern I carry around for myself and my self-preservation and trade it in for sheer joy in someone else’s delight.

I think of Jesus stopping mid-step in a bustling crowd and saying, “Someone touched me,” and then turning amid the business of the day to the outstretched hand of a bleeding woman, crawling along in shame.

“You are healed,” he said.

“You are healed” was his compassion. It was her delight, and it was an example of God’s justice.

Jesus restored God-given health, putting her body in order. Justice is making people whole, making lives whole, restoring human qualities of dignity, opportunity, flourishing, joy.

Seeing the many forms of justice

Justice is the keys to a Habitat house in a strong hand. Justice is decent legal representation or a competent court appointed special advocate.

Justice is a second chance. Justice is time spent with someone else’s problems and someone else’s pain. Justice is sometimes eked out over a thorny path of details.

One hot night, I felt justice after 18 hours of wrangling with the payday lender to free a night nurse of predatory debt. Her words were, “Thank you.” Her experience and mine were rescuing justice from the jaws of a predator.

Justice and righteousness, conviction, compassion—justice looks like something from God, because when you are done, you are depleted, and you also are restored.

Suzii Paynter March is CEO of Prosper Waco, a nonprofit addressing education, health and financial security from a perspective of addressing equity issues. March is a former director of the Texas Baptist Christian Life Commission and executive coordinator of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.

Click here to read the full “Justice looks like…” series.

RE: Greenway defends seminary presidents’ statement

I agree with the six seminary presidents’ statement, namely, that critical race theory is not compatible with the Baptist Faith and Message. Critical race theory is no different from liberation theology. It must be rejected by the SBC.

The church’s mission to engage society should always be on the basis of sola scriptura, sola Christo, sola fidei, sola gratia—nothing more, nothing else, nothing less. Nothing is more destructive to the church’s message than she becoming a channel of radicalism because of so-called systemic injustice.

Coming from a third-world country, I know what systemic oppression looks and feels like. Before I left my country of origin, some Protestant churches already had been seduced by liberation theology’s analysis of laws and institutions. Consequently, their leaders have become part of the communist politburo. They exchanged the gospel for Marxist theory and practice. They even arrived at the conclusion the gospel is an instrument of American imperialism to solidify its colonial grip.

My personal experience at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary was no different from the white students.

When the subject of race and racism is being discussed, Southern Baptists are like some people on the dance floor. They are too awkward, too anxious and too inhibited. For the most part, they are out of sync, out of rhythm, because they are too self-conscious. They bought into the idea they can’t dance and can’t jump. But they are the most helpful, honest and sincere people I’ve met. If there’s any progress in race relations, I would bet on the SBC to do it right.

Danilo Reyes
California City, Calif.

Samuel Quarcoo is a waiter at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, Md., where he has worked since 1975. He is also a part-time teacher in the area. A native of Ghana, where he walked barefoot to school, he immigrated to the United States through the generosity of an aunt and earned a master’s degree in teaching.

In 1999, after telling some of his students about the plight of students in Ghana, they decided to donate money to buy school supplies for them. Quarcoo then chose to continue sending supplies to three schools in his native land. For years, as the Washington Post reports, “he quietly bought backpacks, paper and crayons on his own and shipped them to school administrators.”

Then his friends and neighbors found out. Though Quarcoo has been furloughed from waiting tables since March due to the pandemic, club members still donated $19,000 to his efforts this year. The funds were used to buy supplies for nearly 2,000 students.

“The generosity is incredible—the club has been like a second home to me,” Quarcoo said. “The members all have such big hearts. The difference they’ve made for the school children in Ghana is inspiring.”

According to one donor, however, the difference is Quarcoo: “His heart is right in front of you—you can see his soul when you meet him.”

A Sunday morning shooting at a Texas church

We heard repeatedly in 2020, it was a year unlike any in living memory. It seems 2021 is beginning in unprecedented ways as well.

A man hiding from police in a church bathroom shot and killed the pastor Sunday morning before being taken into custody. Two others were injured. The homes of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell were vandalized with graffiti over the New Year’s holiday after a $2,000 stimulus check bill failed to pass in Congress last Friday.

A key COVID-19 model predicts 150,000 more deaths in the United States over the next month, nearly doubling the December record of 77,500. Marking yesterday’s anniversary of the death of Iran’s Gen. Qasem Soleimani, an Iranian official warned those linked to the killing “will not be safe on Earth.”

In response to these difficult and divisive days, Harvard professor Arthur C. Brooks has a terrific article in The Atlantic titled “New Year’s Resolutions That Will Actually Lead to Happiness.” After surveying literature regarding our typical difficulties in keeping resolutions for the new year, he determines “the key to success is positive motivation.” Then he identifies the two motivations that most lead to happiness—forgiveness and gratitude.

Brooks advises us to make a list of five people to forgive in the new year, then use the REACH technique: Recall the hurt, empathize with the offender, choose the altruistic gift of forgiveness, commit, and hold on to forgiveness.

Then he encourages us to be more grateful, pointing to research showing those who keep a list of things for which they are grateful enjoy significantly greater life satisfaction. His advice is to take 15 minutes to write down five things for which you are grateful. Each evening before retiring, review your list for five minutes. Each week, update it by adding two items.

The path to a life of meaning and joy

While Brooks is an evangelical Christian, he is writing in a secular publication for a secular audience. I am certain he would agree, therefore, with the following addition to his excellent advice.

Over the New Year holiday, I spent a good deal of time in reflection upon the previous year. One simple theme repeatedly echoed in my spirit: The key to the Christian life is Christ. The path to a life of meaning and joy is Jesus. Not just his teachings or his church. Not just our service to his kingdom. Jesus himself. The living, interceding, acting Lord Jesus.

He is our hope of eternal life in a pandemic that threatens humanity. He is our hope of peace in a nation and world filled with divisions. He is our hope of joy in a culture bereft of happiness. He is the key to forgiving those who hurt us and being grateful for all he has given us.

It’s all about Jesus.

The lives of thousands of school children in Ghana are being changed because of Samuel Quarcoo. Without him, few would know about their needs or donate to meet them. This one person is changing their world.

Here’s how Jesus changes the lives of those who experience him personally: “Your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake” (1 John 2:12), “you know him who is from the beginning” (v. 13a), “you have overcome the evil one” (v. 13b), “you know the Father” (v. 13c), and “the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one” (v. 14).

Jesus called himself “the bread of life” and promised, “Whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst” (John 6:35, my emphasis). Not the church or religious activities or good works, but Jesus.

A worship song that speaks to our souls

How can the church change the culture more powerfully? The truth is, we cannot. Only Jesus can.

Our culture will continue its downward slide into secularity and immorality unless we offer it something better. That something is a personal relationship with the One for whom all hearts are truly restless until they rest in him.

Such a transforming experience with Christ begins with Christians, of course. Let’s close by deciding we want to know Jesus this year more intimately and personally than ever before.

The worship video in yesterday’s First15 spoke directly to this hunger in our souls. Audrey Assad sings:

All my devotion is like sinking sand / I’ve nothing to cling to but your sweet hand / I’ve no clear emotions keeping me safe at night / Only your presence, like a candlelight.

Then, in words that seem especially appropriate following such a tragic and difficult year, she sings:

After everything I’ve had / After everything I’ve lost / Lord, I know this much is true / I’m still drawn to you.

Will you pray her prayer today?

Jim Denison is the co-founder and chief vision officer of Denison Forum. He pastored churches in Texas and Georgia and now speaks and writes to empower believers to navigate cultural issues from a biblical perspective.

Country club waiter impacts thousands of children in Ghana: “New Year’s resolutions that will actually lead to happiness” was first published in The Daily Article by the Denison Forum. Daily Articles are republished in the Baptist Standardunder agreement with Denison Forum and are not intended to represent the Standard’s views.