Don’t Make Enemies Out of Your Mission Field

Imagine that you have been given the task of sharing the gospel with a large group of people who will be gathered in an auditorium.  Actually, you’re not going to be speaking to them all at once, but you will do the best you can to share the gospel with them one at a time, just working your way through the crowd.  You have been properly trained.  You feel a little scared, but you’re as ready as you’ll ever be.  You show up outside the auditorium and you can hear the chatter of a few hundred people who are inside.  You walk up to the door and as you open it, you are confronted with a sea of crimson red football jerseys!  Your task is to share the gospel at a pep rally for the University of Alabama football team!  But guess what?  You’re wearing a Tennessee orange football jersey!  The crowd then begins to “boo” you before you even say a word.

What has just happened?  Without even saying a word about Christ, sin, eternity, or anything religious at all, your gospel opportunity has been crushed by something which has nothing to do with the gospel.

Is this a silly example?  Yes, probably.  But this is what many Christians do inadvertently with our opinions and conversations, especially as it relates to politics on social media.  We unintentionally elevate our views on politics above the level of the gospel, and we don’t even recognize it.  Then, when we do try to have that all-important conversation about Christ with a friend or loved one, they refuse to listen, because they see us as an opponent or even the enemy, based on things which have nothing to do with the gospel.

I am not suggesting that we should not have political opinions.  I am not suggesting that those topics are unimportant or should be off limits for conversations.  What I am saying is that if you are more passionate about who you voted for than the redeeming work of Christ, then you have your priorities confused.  I recently saw the Twitter feed of a pastor of a Baptist church which claims to have over 4000 members.  This pastor is very active on Twitter, vigorously promoting and defending his chosen political party, and denigrating those who may hold to differing political opinions.  As I scrolled through his recent activity, I noticed that he also promoted events at the church where he pastors, inviting visitors to attend.  He has made it clear (although unintentional) that if you disagree with his political positions, you are not welcome in his congregational family.  And that’s a problem.  There is nothing of greater importance above the importance than the gospel.

“Remind them of these things and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers.  Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.  But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene.”                                              2 Timothy 2:14-17                  

Blessings,

Pastor Bruce   

bruce.cullom@gmail.com