2025 May news-letter article

Hello fellow disciples of Jesus!

Let’s talk about tariffs!  No, I kid; you ought to know well by now, how strongly I loathe political issues diluting the Good News we proclaim to one another and our neighbors.  Given the current monetary and fiscal climates in our country, I have been reminded in recent days of some of the principles I learned in one of my macro-economics classes (at the greatest university in the history of the world!), and sheer heft of American consumerism.  I remember my professor comparing our country to a vacuum cleaner, able to suck up anything and everything from across the globe.  Apparently (in his opinion) the buying power of American markets was so strong, other countries would suffer economic hardship more quickly and more intensely than we ever will, because of our willingness and desire to purchase stuff, lots and lots of stuff.

American consumerism can be a beautiful thing.  If you create a “thing” that meets a need (or want), market your “thing” to the right people, and make enough of your “thing” to sell to the people who want it, you can build a business, feed your family, and even retire comfortably.  Very few countries can provide the opportunities of such economic liberty, like we can.  Our consumerism can be a powerful thing, as I have already articulated.  Our consumerism can also be a dangerous thing, extremely dangerous…

-Why are you a member of First Baptist Church?
-What do you get out of it?
-Why do you come on Sunday mornings?
-Why should you bring your children, or invite your friends and neighbors?

These questions are not good or bad, they are morally neutral.  They are just questions.  It’s not wrong to have answers to these questions; depending upon the answers I get, I may be inclined to ask a different series of questions, however.  Only a fool would argue that we receive no personal benefit from being a part of a church family – we better!!  Given the nature of high-quality relationships, we may even stand to gain in social circles or business ventures.  There is nothing wrong with those things being a happy side-effect of being part of a church family.  If what we get OUT OF church drives our answers though, we have missed an important thing about being part of a church family.

Not only is it not wrong to answer these questions, neither is it wrong to ask these questions as a church hoping to gain more guests and members over time.  We should consider what we have to offer, and offer it well.  For crying out loud, our major emphasis this year is FirstImpressions (everyone should thank Karen Hicks for her leadership in this ministry)!  Identifying our strengths and gifts, leaning into these, and working to leverage these as we build relationships is a good exercise for any church.  Knowing our weaknesses is helpful too.  Are there glaring things, needing our attention to strengthen, or do we need to get healthier in some area?  Another good question for our consideration.

These questions have a place in assessing things across our church, or any church.  These questions, however, if we are not careful, can become mis-placed into an incredibly unhealthy priority.  If sheer attractionism drives our decision-making, that is not good.  If our good desire to have guests, becomes a false god of church growth, it is not good.  If, in attempts to become more attractive to non-believers (and for sure, we should become more attractive to non-Christians), we water-down the truths we declare in song, or weaken our preaching to an ear-tickling endeavor, or waffle upon what sin is, or capitulate to secular culture, this is very, very bad indeed.
 
Are Americans consumers?  Yes.  Are lost sinners around Walnut Cove suffering from a consumeristic mind-set?  Yes.  Are these the same people we are actively striving to reach with the love of Jesus?  Yes.  Should we think strategically about how to better attract those consumers?  Yes.  Are we willing to make some changes in an effort to better accommodate our guests?  Yes.  Are we willing to compromise on the truths of our faith to get there?  Emphatically NO!

Are you an American consumer?  Yes (on behalf of Food Lion, I thank you).  Are you here because our Sanctuary is the prettiest (we all know it is)?  Are you here because our music is the best (no one can out-sing our Choir)?  Are you here because we have the best children’s ministry (SONquest is)?  Are you here because of my preaching (you have better options, believe me)?  Are you here because you are building your Rolodex (does anyone have a Rolodex anymore)?

Are you here because your heart has been absolutely wrecked by the grace of Jesus, and you can’t not gather to lift high His name?  Are you here because you hunger and thirst for His righteousness, and have a visceral need to ingest the Word of God, studying and ruminating and applying it?  Are you here because you are attempting to obey Jesus new mandate (the evening before He was crucified) to love one another?  Are you here to love others and be loved by one another?  Are you here to take, or are you here to give?  Are you here to give of your time, talents, and treasures, knowing that you have received more from God that you can ever hope to give?  Are you here to join us on mission?  Are you here to love and serve our neighbors?  Are you here to join us in making disciples, as we go, as we baptize, and as we teach (Matthew 28:19-20)?  In the months ahead, I will unpack some of these thoughts further, but I want this to be a shot across the bow, forcing you to think through and pray about why we’re here.  I hope you agree with me: let’s repent for having been here at various points in the past, for selfish reasons; let’s push our personal agendas and preferences to the back burner; let’s commit ourselves to being here to serve (knowing that we too will be served along the way).  Why are you here?  I am glad you’re here!

Thou, my everlasting portion, more than friend or life to me,
all along my pilgrim’s journey, Savior, let me walk with Thee.
Not for ease or worldly pleasure, nor for fame my prayer shall be;
gladly will I toil and suffer, only let me walk with Thee!
--A.J.