From a Pastor's Heart

"A Pint of Sweat will save a Gallon of Blood."

                                                                                ~ General George S. Patton

One of the things that bothered me as a pastor and continues to bother me as I continue in the chaplaincy is the sheer lack of courage many Christians display today.

I once believed the lack of courage was simply a by-product of the age; but I now realize it is nothing more than wicked complacency to the core.

Whether it is a lack of courage concerning our Christian brothers, concerning the truth of the Gospel, concerning Biblical standards within the Body of Christ; in each, there is a sheer lack of courage among Christians.

This hour, there is a current genocide of Christians in the world.

The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria made worldwide news for the public beheading of 21 Coptic Christians in Libya. 

Crucified Christian in Syria

The Coptics are an ancient group of Christians in Egypt who trace their heritage to the earliest days of the apostles. With nearly as long of a heritage are the Ethiopian Christians, who recently count 30 martyrs at the hands of ISISas well.


In Africa, Boko Haram reeks havoc on believers, with nearly 2,000 Christian women having been abducted and 'used' by Muslim captors. 
In Pakistan, Christians are sometimes set on fire; while in Iran, a United States pastor continues to sit in jail because of his faith.
And in each of the war-torn regions where Islamic fighters conquer, men are killed, children are killed or enslaved and women are repeatedly raped and used for sexual pleasure.
So much for being a religion of peace.

As for the West, Christians here seem not to care until we are directly affected.
For example, Hitler was devouring Europe and dismantling the Jewish people as he rode a wave of power to the Riechstag. 
The United States did very little about the German problem until an Asian nation attacked the

ISIS Rape of Christian Woman

Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor. 

This is the disease of pride and self-importance.
For the life of me, I cannot answer the question as to why so few Christians care about their brothers/sisters on the other side of the globe.

I do understand the side of the Christian faith which holds to 'no war at no time.'
I understand the view point but I disagree with it strongly.
But even I must admit, there is a tradition within the Body of Christ and it is based in the teaching of our Lord that we are NOT to live by the sword except it be the sword of the Lord.
And this has been taught be various Christians throughout Church history.

Even after nearly two-thirds of the "Christian World" was conquered by Muslim armies, Francis of Assisi tried to stop the Crusades.
When he failed, missionaries were sent to the Holy Lands to serve the suffering and hurting due to the warfare.

Yet, the world has indeed changed.
No longer is Europe the center of Christianity; in fact, along with North America, together both regions only boast about one-third of all Christians.
The center, it can be found in Africa and Asia - the very places where Islamic Terrorists are threatening the faith the hardest.

Do you see a pattern?
Wherever the faith is the strongest is the same place where the enemy attacks.

Since American Christians haven't been attacked lately, maybe that's more of an indictment about our faith than it is an encouragement bolstering our confidence in our righteousness. 

Why aren't we as courageous as those martyrs in third-world countries?
I'm not sure.
But I do know that one of the answers to a more courageous faith is to stop thinking of how others respond to situations and the world around us and YOU and ME, as individual followers of Christ, we begin to look at our behavior and our motives in the present - and then act according to how Jesus would have us act.

To do so, it will take Godly courage; strength spurred by the Holy Spirit within us.

The truth is that we allow the non-repentant to continue in church as if there were no sin; some of which may even be chosen in a church office.
We allow Godly pastors to be wrongly fired or at least unfairly criticized because of power struggles and jealousy.
And why?

Because we don't want to offend anybody.
Because we don't want to lose attendance numbers.
Friend, we risk gaining the world and losing our soul.

In America, we are blessed to have so much freedom; even today, although there are some who act as if we are not free at all.
But I ask you, who in the world has more freedom than an American Christian?
Nobody.

Yet, that same freedom we love; it has also become our worst enemy.

Our Capitalistic society demands constant growth to support itself.
That means the citizens of the society must have ever-expanding needs and wants.
When the market place slows, the citizens' must be retaught as to what their needs and wants are so that prosperity may abound.
Why else would their be advertisements for new toys the day after Christmas on television?

And this attitude of ever-expanding 'needs' has bled over into the Church.
For example, most church members are more concerned right now with church growth than they

are church health or what use to be called 'sanctification.'

But I ask you, which is more important, every pew being filled OR seeing true believers grow in holiness and in an attitude which honors and glorifies the Lord?

The answer is clear Biblically; yet, we often lack the courage to state the obvious.

It has amazed me for years that many churches desire bigger and better 'youth groups,' hiring ministers specializing in such things.
Yet, those same 'youths' do not have parents who teach and model the Sermon on the Mount or even live The Golden Rule.

Friend, if your faith is not important enough for you to live; it is not important enough for the younger generation to learn.
And if it is not important enough to learn, it certainly isn't important enough for your faith to be defended. If it is not defended, taught, learned and truly believed - then it isn't worthy enough for a person to lay down their life for the faith or for another believer.

Yet, this is only seen in Western Christianity; those in Africa and Asia realize its importance and are willing and courageous enough to lay down their life for the One who laid down His life for them.

Mahatma Gandhi was effective in his moral teachings and protests; he gained worldwide attention without ever having a hand-crank telephone.
Modern Christians have the technology past generations would have called witchcraft; instead of being able to use it to glorify Christ, it is rotting our lives.
We have an improved means but an unimproved end - self-glorification.

We reward religious leaders today with applause, speaking engagements, contracts for books and money.
It has gotten to the point where pastors can no longer Pastor; they are expected to be psychologists on level with any professional, orators on the gauge of Cicero, priests ascending their prayers to God and CEO's of the 'Church Corporation.'
It is no wonder so many ministers get out of the ministry; the expectations are unfair, nearly unattainable, and the very people they love are the same people who criticize and hurt them the most.

The threats against pastors are greater today as well; especially if one shows the true courage of his heart and the direction the Holy Spirit has given him.
Many are threatened with being fired if they don't conform to the status quo; as such, time for personal reflection and growth is gone, being replaced with survival mode to protect himself and his family.
And anything that happens, the pastor will rarely receive an apology.

The truth is that the world has grow tired of Christ's people who set in the pews and horribly misrepresent His name.

While Jesus was on Earth, He battled the elite; the same spirit of elitism is within the Church today. Maybe it is time for the courage of Christ to gain momentum within us and stand with our pastors and Godly leaders.
Maybe it's time to stifle those who gossip, criticize and hurt other Christians.
Maybe it's time for all of us to start acting like Jesus again.
And maybe that's why our brethren are being killed by ISIS. They seek to emulate a Lord we in the West have long ago set aside, but still claim.

Jesus released a river of moral authority that still frees the captives, liberates the oppressed and undermines the power-hungry and violent.
That river flows whether the church jumps in the water or stands on the bank; for, that river does not come from us but originates from God Himself in the form of the Gospel.

The Gospel has its own life; it liberates every marginalized group in the world.
The Gospel works; it simply works.
At times, it may be slow; it may be deliberate; but the Gospel always prevails.

I don't know why our brethren in Asia and Africa are suffering martyrdom and we in the West seem to lack courage.
Maybe God has called them to martyrdom because we've been derelict. 
Maybe we've been too busy presenting Christianity instead of presenting Christ.

No longer should we cower; but may we rise up in the courage of the Gospel and teach the eternal truths of God from His eternal Word.

Until next time, win one for the good guys.