An Incomplete Reflection for the Church’s Consideration

Changes have taken place in the Presbyterian Church (USA). Many have nodded with approval, while others have been horrified and have leapt overboard. In the following I shall speak as an evangelical who holds the biblical text to be an authoritative text for the church. And I am speaking primarily to evangelicals in this denomination. This is unequivocally an incomplete reflection, for there are many sides to the goings on in the Presbyterian Church on which I shall not touch.

Christians are often hypocrites in many areas. We evangelicals, in particular, have an abysmal track record with tithing, among other things. That needs to change. Before an evangelical opens his or her mouth with any sort of rebuke towards anyone, the evangelical tithing trend needs to change. Currently, it’s embarrassing and shameful. Spirituality is a wisp of air without generosity and self-giving, and yet we evangelicals continue the scandal of wispy spirituality and self-indulgence. In this regard, we evangelicals need to stop mincing doctrinal words and need to add some oomph to our game.

The Christian life is one of perpetual confession and repentance – marriage is teaching me this. Messy situations do not call for escape. They call for grace, mercy, patience, repentance, reconciliation, and cleanup, among other things. We Americans prefer escapism to repentance and reconciliation. In this regard, we evangelicals should try being a little less American.

How many stones were cast in John 8? I suggest, instead of picking up stones, we pick up our crosses. Instead of taking the dust out of the other’s eye, we practice self-examination. Instead of condemnation, we live in faithful obedience striving for righteousness.

Over the years, I have admired most those who continue to do what they believe is right, though everyone around them seems to be adding to the moral cacophony. These sorts of people are analogous to lighthouses. A lighthouse is not needed in the daytime, but at night when the seas rage and threaten life itself, a lighthouse needs to shine as bright as it possibly can. This means not avoiding the darkness and the storms but shining through them and in spite of them.