Last Sunday to start the worship service with some gathering remarks, I stood before the congregation and said, "My name is Timothy Merrill and I approve the following message."
The congregation tittered nervously. I said, "Don't you just hate this time of the year--these two year cycles when we're subjected to 3-4 months of endless snarling and name-calling in political ads?"
I went on to mention the church in California that's attracted the interest of the IRS because of pulpit pounding about the Iraq war, et al. I mentioned Falwell's shameless promotion of Dubya in the 2004 election. And of course there's Dobson, and not to forget the religious publishing arm of the Democratic National Committee--The Christian Century.
I said, "Don't you think that I have a few political opinions of my own?" They laughed. "And how many of you would like to hear them?" They laughed again. The message was clear. They wouldn't.
This confirms a recent survey in which of two-thirds of respondents said that they'd prefer worship to be about worship.
That's what my congregation is going to get for the 90 minutes we worship on Sunday mornings. Because I believe most political discussions these days can certainly be handled in special interest discussion groups in the church lounge, or in Bible studies. I love The Wired Word because it gives my congregation an opportunity to explore how to approach ethical, social and political issues when they leave sacred space for secular space.
I looked out at my congregation Sunday morning, and in that specific time and place, I saw a mother with two daughters whose husband has cancer, she is jobless and they're about to lose their home. I saw a man who two week's earlier had collapsed on the sidewalk in front of a hospital. I saw a woman with two children who'd just left her husband. I saw an 88 year woman who was going to have knee replacement surgery in 10 days. I saw a daughter who'd brought her 90-year old mom to church in a wheel chair, I saw "Buster," a quadriplegic who lives two miles away in a mobile home park and drives his motorized scooter--crossing a busy 4-lane highway to worship, I saw a mom and dad with their three children, I saw a woman sitting alone whose husband was at home unsupportive.
Do you think these people give a hanging chad about what I think about the war, about immigration, about Bill Clinton's libido or his dislike of Chris Wallace's smirk, or about local political issues here in Denver?
I don't think so.
Now that's my congregation. Maybe yours is different. For them, worship is like lighting an aromatic candle or some lilac incense in your house; you hope it'll overcome a foul odor in the room, or it's like setting out some potpourri to keep the air fresh.
Right now, we've got another six weeks to listen to negative political commercials before the country can breathe a collective sigh of relief--it's like on Election Day, we can open the windows to let out the stench and start breathing some clean air again. I find people are coming to worship hoping to leave behind a foul odor. They're very excited to gather and worship in the fresh wind of the Spirit--to let those sacred breezes just waft soothingly over their souls.
It's very healing and empowering. And God knows that in our world we need to be whole and strong to make it through the week.
Just my two cents.
Tim:
A good post. I'm linking to it on both my blog and on RedBlueChristian, another blog for which I occasionally write.
I've written on this subject a time or two on my blog:
http://markdaniels.blogspot.com/2005/06/politics-endorsed-by-church-i-dont.html;
http://markdaniels.blogspot.com/2006/06/jesus-is-not-republican.html;
http://markdaniels.blogspot.com/2006/06/clarifying-again-what-i-was-trying-to.html;
http://markdaniels.blogspot.com/2005/04/why-separation-of-church-and-state-is.html.
Thank you for your thought-provoking and well-written posts.
Blessings in Christ,
Mark Daniels
Posted by: Mark Daniels | October 02, 2006 at 09:36 AM
That last URL I included in my previous comment is messed up by the period I put at the end--so much for trying to obey the rules of grammar. Here's the URL: http://markdaniels.blogspot.com/2005/04/why-separation-of-church-and-state-is.html
Posted by: Mark Daniels | October 02, 2006 at 10:11 AM
While I agree that folks come to worship to worship, I believe one of the responsibilities of the Christian and therefore of the Church, is to be politically aware. While some parties claim God is on their side, perhaps we should consider the poor, the widowed, the orphan, the sojourner in our midst.
In Ohio, for example, a ballot initiative seeks to expand gambling and its consequences in our state. This is both a moral and political issue which impacts most those who can least afford it.
I believe the text leads us to make application to many aspects of our society, one of which is the political process.
Posted by: John Germaine | October 02, 2006 at 12:07 PM
Great post Tim, I thoroughly enjoyed it. A definite breath of fresh air in the blogosphere.
Be encouraged.
GBYAY
Posted by: Rev John Telfer Brown | October 02, 2006 at 05:28 PM
Thank you for the post it was good teaching. I wonder though how that helps us retain our "saltiness"? I don't mean to replace worship with politics, but address those issues that intersect our worship of God. For example, I would never address or endorse candidtates, but there are some "issues", which should be a part of everyday discipleship training, such as faithfulness, chastity, biblical morality, etc.
Posted by: Rev. Matthew Mayes | October 03, 2006 at 03:06 PM
Greetings in Jesus,
I agree this posting is well written and expressed.
I also agree that Worship should be Worship! If a particular church in a particular community is facing a particular issue or cadre of candidates ... opening the church fellowship hall on an evening during the week for discussing the issues (with or without candidates) may prove more beneficial for all.
A candidate forum for the community sponsored by the church or the local Minister's Alliance would also be an excellent way to have all heard and keep Worship .. Worship! ok .. just my 2 cents
Because He Lives
Posted by: Terry Starks | October 03, 2006 at 07:39 PM