​Greetings and salutations dear friends!
 
It's the least wonderful time of the year - in my opinion, anyway.  Wait, that isn't the lyric!  O well, for those of you that enjoy spring, I am glad for you.  Really, I am!  I just don't want to hear about all the excitement.  For all of you that call me Scrooge around Christmas, I will give twice as many "ba humbug" replies in the days ahead.  I loathe involuntary sweating, so as the temperatures rise, I will be more and more uncomfortable.  Pastor Jim and I always joke around this time of year "we'll be comfortable again in November!"  The pollen is a wonderful thing; honey bees are some of the world's most fascinating creatures.  Every year, I am in awe when Loyd Cline teaches me about the bees, but I do not enjoy inhaling the pollen!  Don't even get me started on so-called "Daylight-Saving" time.  My father jokes every year that it's like 'cutting a six-inch strip off of the bottom of a blanket, sewing it across the top, and calling the blanket "longer".'  I am convinced that arbitrarily leaving standard time (for longer than six months) is the biggest sham in modern society.  I do not like eating supper in broad day light, the "we're saving energy" argument has been thoroughly debunked, and folks on the internet still say "Eastern Standard Time" furthering the confusion!  I have a beautiful map as the background image on my computer with all the time zones across the globe, so my wrist watches and Jeep are going to remain in ours where we belong!
 
Now that I have begun to articulate why I dislike this time of the year, let me attempt to pique your interest and have you join me in getting excited about its - perhaps sole - redeeming characteristic: EASTER!  Easter is my favorite day of the year.  Easter doesn't just make spring bearable; it makes bearable life itself.  Easter makes funerals bearable.  Easter makes watching news reports highlighting the horrors of this broken world bearable.  Easter makes strained, or even fractured, relationships bearable.  Easter - literally - makes even our own sin bearable!  Without Easter, our church is useless, our system of beliefs is pointless, and sin is just as powerful as the Creator Himself.  Easter is not just a redeeming quality for a season of the year; it entails the very essence of the redeeming of our immortal souls!  Are we getting excited yet!?!
 
Easter is the single day of the year that I want to wake up before the sun rises.  I am glad our church holds a service in our Cemetery, and I am especially glad our Cemetery is positioned up on a hill.  When we stand among graves, it gives us a greater appreciation of I Corinthians 15.  Just as God the Son left his grave on Resurrection Sunday, our loved ones' graves will be made empty one day too!!  On Thursday evening, the Christ instituted the symbol of His New Covenant.  On Friday, I was on His mind as He paid for my sin; the wages of sin are His death.  The second day was quiet, but the third was loud.  Jesus, the Messiah, breathed new life again!  He arose from death; He arose from the grave; He resurrected!  This is a foreshadow of a resurrection that we can all look forward to if we trust in Him as Savior and Lord!  God the Son condescended to become a human.  He lived a life free from sin, uniquely qualifying Him to pay for my sin and yours.  He bears our sin on the cross of Calvary, and gives us life eternal in its place!  Whether anyone else needed this redemption or not, I do.  Whether or not you needed salvation, He did it for me. My sin alone was more than enough to make Him lay down His own life.  He did it for me!!!  The God of the universe loves ME that much, and He loves you that much too!!!
 
I don't cry very often, but I nearly weep just typing these powerful truths.  I am not sad, which messes with my brain, but overwhelmed with joy and gratitude.  As the 'music guy', a particular portion of my job is devoted to corporate worship.  In my opinion, the best way to explain biblical worship as a corporate - or personal - lifestyle is this: response to who God is and what God does.  Given my last paragraph, let's respond to what the Messiah has done for us.  We as a church must do this week in and week out, but let me challenge you to personally do this day in and day out!  Worship is evangelism; worship is reading the bible; worship is prayer; worship is singing; worship is sitting quietly and contemplating these things and lifting our unworthy heart to the Lord and weeping in grateful joy.  God is certainly worthy of our worship whether or not Easter happened, but as a singular event, nothing should make us want to worship God more than Easter does.  Join me this spring by walking in the glorious hope of the resurrection, and living your life in response to these truths!
 
Guilty, vile, and helpless we; spotless Lamb of God was He;
full atonement!  Can it be?  Hallelujah, what a Savior!
--A.J.

​Greetings friends!
 
Some of you know that I am a big fan of stand-up comedy.  Those of you that are comedy purists know that “stand-up comedy” might be a bit redundant, but hey! I want to remain approachable, even to those of you whose taste might not yet be as refined as mine, haha!  I have great respect for those that view nothing as sacred with a healthy dose of self-deprecation and a heavy sprinkle of cynicism.  I might be such a fan of comedy because a willingness to make jokes about any issue, and an equal-opportunity approach to pick fun at everyone, could very well be the last bastion of speech that is truly free.
 
I didn’t really listen to them before that time, but since March 14, 2020, I have become a consumer of pod casts.  I listen to [possibly too many] comedy programs, others on current events, history, Carolina, politics, sports, religions, and the Christian faith.  I prefer to use the Google Podcasts app; I know there are many others out there if you have any kind of device connected to the internet (my secret is to listen at 1.8 speed!).  In addition to an audio-only format, I have also begun to consume some new sources of information and entertainment through YouTube.  Allow me to make a dozen recommendations – in order – that might bless you and your family as they have blessed me in the past eleven-and-a-half months.
 
POD CASTS
-“Albert Mohler | The Briefing” by R. Albert Mohler, Jr. – Dr. Mohler is the head of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kentucky.  This comes five mornings per week (less than 30 minutes) and is an analysis of news and current events from a biblical worldview.  I don’t always agree completely with his analysis, but he is a help to me as I formulate my opinions.

-“The World and Everything In It” – This comes five mornings per week (about 35 minutes) and special episodes on random weekends.  This is largely a news report, but there is analysis from various Christian points of view.

-“Knowing Faith” by Training the Church – This comes thrice per month or so.  It is hosted by deep-thinking theologians and walks through passages of scripture, explains how they shape systematic theology, and apply them to our society.

-“Ask Me Anything Podcasts” by LifeWay Leadership Podcast Network – This comes out weekly and is an interview format with my former pastor, Dr. J.D. Greear.  The title is pretty self-explanatory, but it ranges greatly across a host of topics.

-“Christ and Culture” by Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary – Hosted by my theology professor, Kenneth Keathley, this comes out once every couple of weeks.  Dr. Keathley interviews experts on medicine, social issues, politics, etc. and discusses how the Church can speak truth into these things.

-“The Empowered Advocate” by The Pregnancy Network – This is an overtly pro-life program produced by a Triad non-profit care center on the front edge of offering alternatives to abortion.  Join us in praying through how we might partner with this great organization in the months ahead!

-“United? We Pray” – This comes out monthly and I listened casually until July.  Since the summer, I have greatly valued this insightful, biblical view on how the Church can work to improve race relations in our country.
 
YouTube CHANNELS
-“First Baptist Church of Walnut Cove” – If you aren’t already subscribed, what are you doing with yourself!?!  Get it together! and remain informed of what we are doing as a church.

-“KeithAndKristyn Getty” – This couple might be the best hymn writers in a century.  Be blessed by their music.

-“Dude Perfect” – Conner Rothrock is responsible for turning me onto this channel several years ago.  These gentlemen have a tremendous Christian witness, and have supplied me with light-hearted entertainment a lot recently.

-“Andrew Liggitt” – Andrew & Katherine continue to bless us as they share new music they are writing, and we get to look in on the boys playing instruments!
​
-“JStuStudios” & “MoreJStu” – I don’t know why there are two channels, but Justin Stuart and his best friend Andrew are young men that share their Christian witness very well.  I’m nearly too old to appreciate their humor; this recommendation is for our elementary/middle school students and their families!  It’s pretty mindless entertainment for adults, but the kids will enjoy it!
 
I’ll share my political, sports, and comedy favorites with you too, so ask me about them!  Please share with me what some of your favorite things are.  Are there any kinds of “infotainment” that have been a blessing to your heart since the CoViD-19 fog rolled in around us?  If they’re that good, I’ll use my blog page to share your recommendations too!
 
For the joy of ear and eye, for the heart and mind’s delight;
for the mystic harmony linking sense to sound and sight:
Lord of all, to Thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise!
--A.J.

​Hello again church,
 
Many of you know that one of my favorite television programs is “Jeopardy!”  It shouldn’t be a surprise that Trivial Pursuit is also my favorite board game.  In addition to enjoying about any quiz show, what makes “Jeopardy!” so special in my heart is its host, G. Alexander Trebek.  For more than three decades he had an open invitation into the Reynolds’ home five nights per week, for about thirty minutes at a time.  (We never watched on Wednesdays due to church activities, but my Dad and I were excited with the advent of the d.v.r. as it allowed us to record all episodes and “binge watch” them later!)  Alex passed back in December after publically carrying out a valiant fight against cancer.  His final episode aired January 8.  Folks have made many a comment about what a great guy he was, but all “Jeopardy!” fans know that he refused to be called ‘the star of the show’ instead always insisting that he be introduced as ‘the host of the show’.  I believe this is a symbol of his own humility, always wanting the spot light to be shined on others.  He worked hard through a number of charitable organizations to instill in school children a love of learning.  Though he was a sinner in need of a Savior – and some of his sins were rather public – I do believe that he was a man of faith.  From what I have read about him, I understand him to have placed his faith upon the God of the bible, and I very much hope that he is in heaven even now.
 
The afternoon of Wednesday, January 6, was really exciting for me!  While the rest of our country watched a great stain on the legacy of our own liberty, I had the special privilege of attending a virtual retirement ceremony for my uncle, an event that I would have never been able to attend on an Air Force base in Ohio.  He retired from civil service through the Department of Defense after working for 19 years as the commandant of a security cooperation institute.  He accomplished a great deal over the course of his civilian career (after accomplishing a pretty significant amount during his military career), but during his retirement ceremony, the presenters were quick to gloss over the multitude of things he had done.  Instead, they placed emphasis upon the number of people he has influenced, and the various personal ways he had made such an impact in them.  In addition to being so proud of the first Dr. Reynolds in our family, and in addition to the excitement Dad and I share that we’ll get to see much more of him in the years to come, it caused me to pause and consider what kind of impact I have.  I have thought much in recent days what it means to leave a legacy.
 
Whether as a military collaboration expert, or a game show host, or a President, or teacher, or plumber, or bean counter, or tobacco farmer, or mother, or grandfather, or friend, or even pastor, we all leave a legacy.  Some are good; others are quite checkered or even poor.  Only time will tell, but I have been challenged by these thoughts.  In a career field of events, and processes, and accomplishing feats, my uncle will hopefully be known more for his impact on people.  How much more should a pastor be remembered for impact on people?  I am instilling into whom a love of what?  Matthew 6 helps us ponder these questions in verse 20 and again in verse 33.  As disciples of Jesus, let’s think about our own legacy.  Let’s reflect upon the Great Commandment, and the Great Commission, and let’s passionately practice obedient faithfulness, working to advance the Kingdom of God!
 
I’d rather have Jesus than men’s applause; I’d rather be faithful to His dear cause;
I’d rather have Jesus than worldwide fame; I’d rather be true to His holy name!
--A.J.

​Dear friends,
 
I don’t know that I have ever loved patience.  In fact, for much of my younger life, I thought that patience was stupid.  I still – very much – do not like to learn lessons in patience.  I need not remind you that since March 13, 2020, we seem to have been in one big lesson in patience.  I don’t want to over-simplify a global public health crisis, but one of the largest lessons God seems to me teaching me in all of these things is to wait upon Him.  Though the past nine-and-a-half months have not been fun by any stretch of the imagination, the importance of waiting upon the Lord has been sweet to my soul.
 
“Hold on my child, joy comes in the morning.  Weeping only lasts for the night.  Hold on my child, joy comes in the morning.  The darkest hour means dawn is just in sight.”  These are more than just the words of Bill and Gloria Gaither; these are words from Psalm 30.  These words are part of a precious truth that runs throughout God’s written Word.  Since October, I have been meditating upon the various scripture passages that discuss waiting upon the Lord, and though there have been many silver linings in our circumstances since March, one of the most powerful lessons I have learned is the significance of biblical joy.  It is not a synonym of “happiness”.  To be happy is a fleeting emotion.  Joy, as we learn in scripture, is an inner soul-stabilizing force that comes with a personal relationship with our Creator.  He alone can give us a joy that remains true regardless of circumstance.  It is when we experience joy, even in the midst of acute grief and pain, that we really begin to appreciate the depth and source of a joy that comes from God alone.  I believe this also helps us comprehend Paul’s description of a peace “which surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7).
 
Forgive me for taking such a tangent on joy – and peace – when I am supposed to be writing about patience, but it’s easy to see how the second, third, and fourth precepts of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22) can be so tightly intertwined.  Another silver lining I experienced personally in December was a clearing of my calendar.  Without many of my normal events, I was able to spend a bit more time reading and praying.  A pod cast I listened to just a week before Christmas challenged me with this question ‘is Christmas more about nostalgia for you, or is it more about worship?’  After some careful reflection, I was less than pleased with my answer.  I was also challenged by Luke’s question in our bible study on December 16: ‘which was the greater miracle, the resurrection or the incarnation?’  In chewing through this question, we cannot help but to worship the Christ, because He was and is the Creator of the universe!
 
In these – and other meditations – this Christmas season, I have a new appreciation for the people waiting upon the Lord in the run up to Jesus’ birth.  Not only were the faithful waiting upon the Lord as David, and the Prophets, and Moses, and Joshua, and Israel, and Noah, and Abram had; there was a craving desire – a longing – for Him to be with them.  O that we might long for the Almighty to draw nearer to us.  May we thirst for His presence!  It seems to me that leading up to the coming of the Messiah, some rabbi, in some synagogue, in some small Judean town read from the scroll of the Prophet Isaiah.  As we eagerly, yet patiently, await the day when we can all gather safely again, I leave you with a song lyric inspired by Isaiah 35…
 
strengthen the feeble hands, and steady the knees that give way.
Say to those with fearful hearts “be strong and not afraid.”
For your God will come; your God will come with a vengeance.
With divine holy fire, your God will come to save you!
--A.J.

Dear brothers/sisters,

As we approach Christmas, I'd like to remind you of the articles I have written about all twelve days of Christmas.  I have also written an article or two about holy – or holi – days, and other special days.  I want to throw out a question for all of us to ponder: what makes special days special?

Leigh Taylor has the esteemed privilege of working closely with me!  As our Pianist, she is stuck working with the music minister, whether or not the fog of a pandemic is thick around us.  As we bump heads each week to plan and discuss music, we periodically have longer conversations about worship services more broadly.  I have a minimalist view of "special services", and my preference is to down play patriotic days.  Ms. Leigh represents many others in our church family that don't necessarily share my personal opinions on these third-tier and fourth-tier issues.  I'd like to think we strike a nice balance of recognizing the people and things that deserve recognition, while not allowing the "tail to wag the dog" and distract us from the essence of our worship to the one true God.

I mention this because I have said before "what we do in the Sanctuary isn't what makes Mothers' Day special to me."  Independence Day, Veterans’ Day, nor Memorial Day are made special by what we do on the nearest Sunday either, in my opinion.  However, the way I view, and celebrate, the two high holi days of the year are directly affected by the way we celebrate them as a church family.  Easter was a bitter-sweet one in 2020, because we didn't get to sing "Christ the Lord is risen today" together.  Christmas will be bitter-sweet for me too.

I am secretly excited that many of the stressors I experience annually are off the table this time around.  My Jeep will have music beyond the Choir's cantata for the first time in over a decade!  My biggest concern might be that Christmas might not come if Doug Duggins doesn't get a Mr. Goodbar!  Not only will I forego a Candle-light Service and Treat Night this year, I am also not looking forward to the prospect of a less-than-normal family gathering at Gramaw's house for breakfast on Christmas morning.  I want to give myself some advice that you can also read: regardless of what does or doesn't happen in our Sanctuary, make Christmas special while safe at home.

I caught a member of our church red handed a few weeks ago.  This is one of our many members that hasn't yet felt comfortable gathering in our Sanctuary.  This dear saint was out dropping off cake for a [pre-CoViD-19] shut-in.  I think I want to follow in this example; I intend to do a few small things for and with others to make Christmas special.  I thoroughly enjoy creating new traditions, and I cannot afford to neglect Who we celebrate on Christmas.  God loved us so much, that His only begotten Son became one of us, lived a sinless life, took our sin upon Himself, giving us eternal live in its place.  He is what makes this holi day special.  He is the one we gather to worship corporately.  He is the one we worship privately.  He is the one we honor when we celebrate this season in Spirit and Truth!

Now ye hear of endless bliss: Jesus Christ was born for this;
He has opened heaven’s door, and man is blessed forevermore!
--A.J.

Hello brothers/sisters,
       This month, I am responsible to put together this newsletter.  For this reason [ask Pastor Jim about the General Sickles mind-set], I am taking the cheap way out of writing a real article.  Below, you’ll find an article that has resonated with me for several years now.  In an increasingly divided world, let’s treat our neighbor with grace.  Passed along to me by Dr. Robert D. Jones, my biblical counseling professor in seminary, it was written in 2012.  Written by Tim Sellers, President of PeacePoint <www.peacepoint.com>, this article nicely calls attention to the outcome of the “hope and change” election.  May God use us as agents of grace whether “our” candidates win or lose.  Let’s always view socio-political issues by maintaining a proper gospel-centered perspective.
 
He’s got the whole world in His hands,
--A.J.

​

Hope and Change that Last!                                             (Tuesday, November 6, 2012)

Today, we elect those who will lead us.  It is a very big deal.  The opportunity to choose our leaders is one of the most precious freedoms we enjoy in America.  Men and women have put their lives on the line to protect and preserve it.  It is a gift from God, and we have a responsibility to exercise the privilege carefully and prayerfully.

Also today, many people woke up anxious.  They are worried about whether "their" person will win because they believe all hope for the future hangs in the balance.  Tomorrow, many will wake up angry and discouraged because their person lost.  They believe with that defeat went any chance for prosperity or peace.

That should not be so for those of us who belong to God through the Lord Jesus.  Our hope should never be based on the outcome of an election but on God alone.  What King Nebuchadnezzar had to be taught, we should know: that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes (Daniel 4:25, N.I.V.).  God is sovereign over this election as He is over all of the affairs of men.  Regardless of the outcome, we have the promise that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purposes (Romans 8:28, E.S.V.).  Because our God is in total control, we have no reason to share in the anxiety, anger, or disappointment that may be around us.

Others will be watching how we Christians react to the vote.  Today, tomorrow, and in the days ahead, we have an opportunity to show them, by our words and our actions, that our trust is in God, not in laws or leaders. Because He is who He says He is, our future is secure.  With our country so divided, it is critical for Christians to unite, no matter who we may have supported for office.  That will get attention and provide us with openings to share the really Good News...that Jesus is alive and offers hope and change that lasts!

Let's all vote.  Then, let's live like the outcome doesn't matter.  For believers, it doesn't.  Regardless of the final tally, we win!  Praise God!

Happy New Year friends!
            As we begin a new fiscal year, we ought to be voting upon new nominated officers, new Deacons, and a new budget.  Alas, in the era of the “socially distant” Church, we’ll have to await safer days when we can hold a church-wide meeting.  We will, however, as citizens of this temporal, lesser kingdom – well, constitutional republic – vote in the days ahead.  As a public policy analyst [class of 2009; go Tar Heels!], I am always fairly closely tuned to the political goings on during seasons like this.  As someone with an ideological bent more closely aligned with libertarianism than anything, I laugh at, and sharply critique, the ridiculous actions and words of many partisans.  As a follower of Jesus, it breaks my heart to see folks treat their neighbors so poorly.  It also breaks my heart to see millions of fellow countrymen genuinely place their hope in a political party – or even an individual – as a source of salvation.
            I love to analyze fiscal and monetary policies, foreign policies, immigration issues, domestic social policies, legislation, and court rulings.  After all, our systems are extremely complex, our elections are multi-faceted, and our opinions should be thoughtful and nuanced.  I would, humbly, ask you to consider two issues as more important than others in our political decision-making.  First, always consider the issue of religious liberty.  We live in an increasingly anti-Christian culture, where the freedom to practice our faith continues to be targeted for attack.  Second, and much more importantly, I ask you to consider the issue of abortion.  I have said from our pulpit, and will continue to declare that whether or not abortion is made illegal “our goal should be to make abortion obsolete.”  That being said, I will always advocate for laws and policies aimed to hem-in this scourge.  How anyone can genuinely advocate for these heinous procedures at any time, through any method, and claim to be a follower of Jesus is beyond me.  I would rather support a pro-life communist than someone who thinks partial-birth abortion could ever be excused as “ethical”.
            Let me also say that the “God-is-a-Republican” crowd is alive and well in our denomination and beyond, and let me caution you against this alignment.  Folks that used to be evangelical leaders have ceded their role in advancing the Kingdom of God, making charlatans of themselves, and instead taken up a role in advancing a political party’s agenda.  As a pastor, I am infuriated by men who stand in the Lord’s pulpits and throw away their credibility by devolving themselves into partisan mouth-pieces.  True children of the Most High ought never be defenders of foul speech and apologists for ungodly leadership, making excuses for wicked behavior.  May God have mercy on me if I ever go on television and so poorly tarnish my witness.
            As citizens of God’s Kingdom, we ought to be the best citizens this kingdom – constitutional republic – has.  Let me remind you that in North Carolina, the dead line to register to vote is October 9.  We ought to educate ourselves.  I have a very helpful non-partisan, Christian voter guide; this is particularly helpful for “down ballet” races.  Please contact me, and I’ll be happy to get it to you.  I am convinced that only about 20% of Americans are voting FOR anyone, and though I would like nothing more than to forego voting altogether in several of these races, I would regret even more to discard this precious right.  In addition to being responsible and informed, let me encourage you with this: our hope it not in an individual – or even a party – in this world.  Our hope rests in an eternal King of kings, who is uniquely capable of saving souls, transforming individuals, societies, cultures, and nations.  I have taken great pride in the fact that Democrats and Republicans can sit on the same pew and worship together in our church every Sunday.  May we all remember that God honors our witness, when we keep second-, third-, and fourth-level issues in their proper perspective and remain unified around the main thing.  My hope is that our witness will be even stronger across our community in the days ahead, showing a divided society that our focus is on things above!
 
Our fathers’ God, to Thee, Author of liberty, to Thee we sing;
long may our land be bright with freedom’s holy light,
​protect us by Thy might, great God our King!
--A.J.

​Dear brethren,
            Many of you know that my father is a Crime Scene Investigator for the Greensboro Police Department.  He no longer goes to the scenes of burglaries, assaults, drug raids, property crimes, or even armed robberies.  He – and five others – almost exclusively investigate the scenes of homicides.  He was “on call” from June 8 to June 22, during which he was called to four scenes.  Of the four dead, three were black people.  In his line of work, over half of the scenes have black persons as both the victim(s) and suspected perpetrator(s).  Time and time again he tells me what he can about the current case, and time and time again I can muster little beyond “it’s so sad.”
            I am not 100% sure why the Lord laid on my heart to write that, but it may be to further emphasize my next illustration.  If a cluster of houses were in a particular locale, and one of them were ablaze, does anyone really believe that fire fighters would argue among themselves whether or not “all houses matter”?  Certainly not!  They would all agree that the house on fire matters very much...and they would rush – willing to sacrifice their own life and limb – to improve the condition of that house.  Perhaps the image of fire is a bit “on the nose,” but anyone that has watched the news in June would acknowledge that these United States are in turmoil.  It would be difficult for anyone to claim that any neighborhood is in turmoil more so than those in which black people live.
            I don't believe that any disciple of the Lord Jesus would argue against the sentiment: black lives matter.  In fact, I believe that all of you would join me in rebuking anyone that would argue the contrary!  Before we distract ourselves, dismiss the sentiment, and assume black lives matter just as much to the next person as they matter to us Christians, let's also acknowledge that people exist [however few] who genuinely believe that black lives matter less than other lives.  Furthermore, let’s acknowledge that we have black neighbors – including brothers and sisters in Christ – who genuinely believe that their lives have mattered less than others’ to some people.  This should grieve us, because it grieves God.  It is not only reasonable, but good, for us to full-throatedly agree with the sentiments of this phrase.  We can do so comfortably while not endorsing the Black Lives Matter organization.  Some of the proposals within this socio-political movement undermine the fabric of our country and stand in direct opposition to the principles of the Word of God (to learn more, a great resource is the Thursday, June 18 episode of The Briefing podcast, hosted by Dr. Albert Mohler of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary).
            It should be obvious that we soundly condemn riots, the destruction of public or private property, and other criminal behavior.  Unfortunately lost in the noise of the mob, I heard an excellent point on the news last week.  It was made by a fellow pastor and nearly made me weep.  He said ‘much of this country values material things more than the black life.’  The fact that he, or anyone else, feel that way breaks my heart.  The more I thought about it, the more I found it a difficult statement with which to argue.  I know that you agree with me: I hope he’s wrong; I really do.  The more I think about it though, the more I agree with him.  I think we live in a world where “stuff” matters just as much or more than people – people made in the image of our God!  May God have mercy upon us – individuals, as a country, the Church – for not rightly valuing human life: disabled, black, elderly, unborn!
            Two months ago, I had a great conversation with a non-Christian about the Church’s role in public discourse.  In it, I said “as citizens of the Kingdom of God, we should be the best citizens this republic has.”  Many of you have probably heard me say something similar in the past.  This biblical truth does not necessarily equate with us being the most compliant citizens.  I believe strongly that we can speak clearly and passionately on issues where religious liberty and biblical morality are infringed or jeopardized.  I also believe that when it comes to improving the condition of our neighbor, we can affect change.  In rare circumstances, I believe that civil disobedience is a reasonable recourse.
            What, then, shall we do?  Is this one of those circumstances?  Honestly, I do not know, but it very well may be.  As a public policy analyst [class of 2009; go Tar Heels!], I am not sure that the most effective and efficient tactics are currently being used to affect systemic changes in our society.  I’m not even sure what changes need to be made.  Five things I do know for sure.  First, substance is more important to me than symbolism.  If I am ever in the street locking arms [after this corona virus goes away] with a black brother, it would only come after hours of prayer on our knees and private dialogue over coffee.  I am committed to doing just this in the months ahead, because I believe personal relationships to be more important than the attention of others.  Second, James 1:19 is a guide.  May the Lord forgive me for the many times I fail to first listen, empathize, love a neighbor, and think before opening my fat mouth.
            Third, the Christian should reject injustice, rebuke the unjust, and cry out for justice.  As I said in my five-minute video on June 5, we would all do well to clarify a scriptural definition of justice, and re-align ourselves with God as the source of justice.  As we join Him in His hatred of sin and disobedience, it will also make us first cry out for mercy.  Fourth, woe to the believer that does harm to the Kingdom.  In public discourse, what we say can endanger our Christian witness.  How we say it can endanger our witness even more.  Let us take much care to appreciate nuance and specificity, apply biblical principles faithfully, police our own “team”, season our speech with respect, and saturate others with love when we engage in political debate and type things on social media.  Convenient or not, we are the Christ’s ambassadors, and this pagan world will not be so gracious as to distinguish our biblically rooted convictions from our political opinions or our musings on cultural matters.  Fifth, I know who can fix this.  Jesus of Nazareth shed sinless blood to redeem our sorry souls from the pit of hell to which we condemned ourselves.  This precious Messiah alone can restore our broken world and all its subsequent parts.  By the grace of God we heard this good message of salvation.  He gave us the gift of faith, invited us into His Kingdom, and sent us out as messengers of this same truth.  As heralds of this message, if we cry out “no justice, no peace”, we know what it really means, and we should be clear about that.  We must all cry out “repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.”  May we be faithful stewards of this good news of salvation.  May we never dillute it, may we never keep it to ourselves, and may we rest in the assurance that God alone can fix, fix all of it.
 
red and yellow, black and white,
they are precious in His sight;
Jesus loves the little children of the world!
--A.J.