COVID-19: Provide Feedback to your School Board

Parents: now is the time to provide feedback to your school board members regarding your district's plans for this coming school year.

Schools provide an essential service in our communities that go beyond teaching kids to read and write. For many families, schools provide essential childcare for working parents. Schools are a safe place for children who live in abusive environments. Schools provide meals for students who do not get enough food at home. We go on, but the bottom line is schools are important to the overall wellbeing of many thousands of kids.

School districts are balancing the need to keep their faculty and staff safe from COVID along with their responsibility to fulfill their mandate within our communities. I fear many districts are erring on the side of "what's best for the district" rather than what is best for families.

Our schools are like a cruise ship with many thousands of people involved--students, faculty, staff, volunteers. When the school district opts to forego a regular school schedule, it is as if they are putting the students on a lifeboat and setting them adrift, hoping they find safe passage to another place. The reality is, many students will not.

The district is better serving its families by owning their responsibility as an essential service and working with partners in healthcare, social services, and churches to best meet the needs of their community.

Now is the time to act on behalf of the well-being of our school-age children within our communities. Contact your school board members and let them know you value their essential service and ask them to accept the high level of trust and responsibility families have given to them. They are essential and they cannot default on this responsibility at a time so critical to our families.

Hijacking the Narrative: George Floyd

Marxist and their allies in the media are masters at hijacking a cause and using it to progress their own ideology and agenda. The recent death of George Floyd serves as a clear illustration of this process. Follow the narrative:

• A video is released of George Floyd, a black man, dying while being restrained by Derek Chauvin, a white Minneapolis police officer.
• Public Response: universal outrage and calls for justice and the recognition for police reform and racial injustice in America.
• Therefore, the narrative shifts to condemnation of the Minneapolis Police Department.
• Public Response: widespread agreement and public demonstrations and support for black Americans.
• Therefore, the narrative shifts to condemnation of ALL police officers, black and white, in ALL parts of the country.
• Public Response: the first signs of division appear. The murder of George Floyd is a tragedy and we need to mourn his loss and seek justice, but not ALL police officers, black and white, are guilty. Those who disagree are called racist.
• Therefore, the peaceful protests are turned into violent mobs (many led by young, white anarchists), and spread from Minneapolis to cities across America. Many of the businesses and properties destroyed are in black communities and owned by black Americans.
• Public Response: growing division and condemnation of the protests and the riots. Those who disagree are called racists and, in some cases, physically attached. There is now open and increasingly bitter disagreement in America.
• Therefore, the narrative shifts to condemnation of aspects of American history considered racist. Statues of Confederate soldiers and cultural references to the Confederacy are removed and in many cases torn down by violent mobs. The division continues to grow and is now becoming widespread. It is no longer just about race.
• Public Response: many Americans disagree with the riots and mob violence, but open disagreement is met with open public shaming and more violence.
• Therefore, the narrative shifts to condemnation of America and American history. Mobs target statues of any and all Americans and symbols of history. Marxists and their allies in the media condemn America as a "deeply flawed" nation riddled with "systemic racism." ALL white Americans are racist and ALL of American history is racist.
• Public Response: if you disagree, that is proof of your racism; if you stay silent, that is proof of your racism.

Question: what happened to George Floyd? What happened to "the need to listen" to our black neighbors and fellow Americans?

Answer: George Floyd was only a convenient flashpoint for Marxists. They do not care about George Floyd or conversations on racial inequality or meaningful police reform. This is only a wedge issue to divide Americans on race and push the revolution.

So, if that conclusion is true, then what is the outcome Marxists seek? Three words: power, control, and money through division.

Cultural Marxism 101

This is not a new phenomenon. This is Marxism 101. Marxists study the theory of revolution and how to amplify cultural fault lines to foment deep division between groups of people--the oppressed and the oppressors. In historic Marxism, this fault line was between classes, the poor workers (the oppressed) and the ruling elite class (the oppressors).

In America, class warfare did not work. The poor did not feel "oppressed" and the American dream provided a strong sense of hope and motivation to all Americans that they, too, could live a good life.

Marxists needed to find a different fault line in America, and they found it in race. In America, race was the fault line they could weaponize to spark their revolution. They did it in the late 1960s and they are doing it today.

Marxists are globalists and they hate the nation-state. They believe in the collective, not the individual. They hate America. They hate American Exceptionalism. They hate the American Dream. The goal of the the Marxists is to destroy the American story and our memories of our history and rewrite that history in their own image and according to their own ideology.

The Audacity of Hope

How do we know this is not about George Floyd or racism in America? Listen to this famous line from a little-known State senator from Illinois:

... there is not a liberal America and a conservative America — there is the United States of America. There is not a black America and a white America and Latino America and Asian America — there's the United States of America. The pundits like to slice-and-dice our country into Red States and Blue States; Red States for Republicans, Blue States for Democrats. But I've got news for them, too: We worship an awesome God in the Blue States, and we don't like federal agents poking around in our libraries in the Red States. We coach Little League in the Blue States, and, yes, we've got some gay friends in the Red States. There are patriots who opposed the war in Iraq and there are patriots who supported the war in Iraq.

It's the hope of slaves sitting around a fire singing freedom songs. The hope of immigrants setting out for distant shores. The hope of a young naval lieutenant bravely patrolling the Mekong Delta. The hope of a mill worker's son who dares to defy the odds. The hope of a skinny kid with a funny name who believes that America has a place for him too. Hope! Hope in the face of difficulty! Hope in the face of uncertainty! The audacity of hope! In the end, that is God's greatest gift to us, the bedrock of this nation. A belief in things not seen. A belief that there are better days ahead.

This "audacity of hope" expressed by Barack Obama in 2004 sounds racist today! The Marxists and their allies in the media want us to believe America is a nation to despise, not lift up. They hate the United States of America and they will stop at nothing to make this the Divided States of America.

Don't fall prey to their revolutionary tactics. Don't let the Marxists steal your love for America and your desire to see this country continue to be a beacon of hope and freedom to enslaved people all around he world.

Are we a perfect nation? No, of course not. There is work to do, but it is work we must do together. Don't be ashamed to say, "I'm proud to be an American." There are evil forces at work seeking to take America from us, but we must say no, and the time may come when we must say no with force.

Martin Luther King's Dream

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. famously said,

I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of “interposition” and “nullification," one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers. I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

If you read that carefully, you will acknowledge that much of Dr. King's Dream has become reality. There has been much progress on issues of race in the last 50 years. We have not arrived, but we continue to move forward.

This is why I reject the concept of "systemic racism." If you accept the premise of systemic racism, then there is only one cure: kill the host. There is no hope. You must destroy the host and then create a new entity. This is the dream of the Marxists. Destroy America and replace it with a communist/socialist country. This is not Dr. King's Dream.

Don't let the dream of Martin Luther King, Jr. die at the hands of a Marxist mob screaming death to America. We owe it to our forefathers who fought and died to free the slaves, to those who marched for civil rights, and for the many who stood in solemn condemnation of the kind of violence that led to the death of George Floyd. We are all George Floyd, we are all Americans, and we shall overcome.

If you believe in the unifying hope of this message, share it far and wide.

The American Christian’s Armageddon

Last week, Senate Democrats tried to force a vote on the Equality Act on the Senate floor. In the words of the Alliance Defending Freedom, for Christians, the "Equality Act" is legal Armaggedon. If this bill ever becomes law, it will destroy religious freedom in America. You need to pay close attention to this issue and oppose it at every level and at every opportunity.

What is the “Equality Act”?

The “Equality Act”—in its simplest form—adds “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” as protected classes to already existing federal nondiscrimination laws. This would prohibit employers, individuals who rent out apartments in their homes, preschools, and even religious schools and organizations from making choices based on basic biology, bodily privacy, and their beliefs about the nature of marriage. It would apply to every single recipient of federal financial assistance (including every public school and almost all colleges and universities.) And though “nondiscrimination” sounds good in the abstract, in practice this law poses a serious threat to women’s rights and religious freedom.

Learn More: What You Need to Know About the Equality Act

Sign of the Times: Face Masks Become Partisan

Recently, I read an article by Eric Geiger on “2 Reasons Re-Opening the Church Will Be More Challenging than Closing the Church.” In the article, Geiger states,

Other than a few crazy voicemails to our church telling us that we no longer loved God for closing the church, people were on the same page that it was right and good for churches to close in the midst of the pandemic. What people, even church leaders, are not on the same page about is when churches should re-open. While there was unity in closing church gatherings, there will be disagreement in when and how to re-open church gatherings.

This is an interesting read that touches on one of the more difficult problems to emerge from the COVID-19 shutdown. The nation was divided before the shutdown, but this experience has brought these deep divisions to the surface and exposed them.

Ministering in the midst of this divide is a challenge for pastors. Both sides of the Left-Right divide are dug in and a state of continual confrontation exists throughout our culture. The church needs to be an agent of reason and dialog in the midst of this division (what some are referring to as a Cold Civil War), but it is becoming more and more difficult as the lines of division begin to creep into the church.

For example, the latest point of the conflict raging through our culture concerns face masks. Should we wear masks or should we not? It is no longer a question of what is practical or not; it is now a political statement if you choose to wear a mask or choose not to wear a mask.

Those who believe the government is reopening the economy too fast and will cost lives are adamant that if you go out of your house, you should wear a mask. It should be required.

Those who believe this whole COVID-19 thing is a hoax and handout copies of "Plandemic" to everyone they meet refuse to wear a mask even when businesses post signs indicating they will not serve you without a mask.

Unfortunately, this division will likely come into the church when we begin to regather. There will be people in your congregation who will be outraged that folks are attending church without a mask. As a pastor, you will hear about it.

At the same time, there will be folks coming to your church who scoff at the "mask rules" and will let you know that if the church ever requires them to wear a mask, they will stay home and might even look for another church.

As a pastor, you need to be ready for these confrontations and prepare your volunteer leaders to graciously handle the comments that may come their way.

For example, have you considered if you will require masks for certain positions? Should your greeters and ushers be required to wear masks and gloves? If you follow the lead of other businesses, you will require masks. Many businesses that are reopening require their employees to wear masks and gloves.

Immediately, this will trigger those on the "this is a hoax" side of the divide. "They can't believe their church has bought into this lie! Where's the pastor?"

If you choose not to have your greeters wearing masks, then you might be described as “reckless” and “putting the lives of people at risk!"

You can't win.

So, how do you navigate this great divide?

1. Know what your community guidelines are on the mask and gloves issue. Are you required by community guidelines to wear masks and gloves? Be sure you are well informed on this issue.
2. Make sure (really, don't assume, but make sure) your leadership team is all on the same page concerning this issue. Don't get sideswiped by some of your leaders publicly stating they do not support your stand on this issue.
3. Communicate your plans clearly ahead of time. Don't wait until you reopen your doors to let people figure out whether they can expect to see masks or not.
4. Prepare your volunteers for how the church is responding to this issue. Don't let your greeters get caught by surprise. They are your first point of contact and will likely be the first point of conflict.
5. Give members of your church the opportunity to provide feedback to church leadership via email. Don't let it blow up on your Facebook page.
6. Remind your church to be kind and tenderhearted towards one another (Ephesians 4:32).
   

Pastors can seize this opportunity to clarify and restate their chief priorities and to model the kind of grace and love for one another our communities desperately need to see modeled. Here are some examples:

• First Baptist has always been a place where all types of people can hear the gospel. Whether someone is wearing a mask or not on Sunday, let's do all we can to let every person know that they are welcome.
• Community Church is not a church for liberals or conservatives or any other label. We are a church for this community. Regardless of your opinion on the government's response to the pandemic, we want to help you find your place in God's kingdom—the only one that will last for eternity.
• At Greek Word Church, we want to love our neighbors well. We want to seek their good in every possible way under heaven. In the least, that means we want to take measures to ensure the health and safety of those who are most vulnerable... even if it poses an inconvenience for us. So if you are able and willing to join our services in person on Sunday, please wear a mask and follow the guidelines below....

We live in a divided country, and the COVID-19 crisis has brought those divisions to the surface. The church is capable of navigating in rough seas, but it will take discernment, grace, and wisdom. We need to be in constant prayer asking our Lord to give us these gifts in abundance.

What Am I Thinking: Random Thoughts for April 18, 2020

Here are some random thoughts flying across my mind today:

It’s the economy stupid.

I can’t help but fear the long-term negative impact of this experience will be economical. Does this mean I’m more concerned about money than lives? That is a false dichotomy. The truth is poverty can cost as many lives as any virus, and if there are severe economic consequences from this shutdown, many lose their lives due to the effects of poverty.

Small businesses will struggle.

Small businesses will struggle to come back from the shutdown, and the reality is many will never come back. Large corporations, however, have more capital and can survive economic downturns. Look for a Great Consolidation of business as more giant corporations take advantage of the shutdown to buy up innovative small businesses that could not survive.

Uncertainty is the greatest cause of anxiety right now.

No one knows the future, but history gives us a glimpse of the future. I believe history is cyclical in nature because history is rooted in human nature, and human nature is essentially the same regardless of the time or place. When we enter into unprecedented times like this, there is no history or prior events to use as a gauge for how things will turn out. No one is an expert because no one has ever experienced this right now. Consequently, the future seems more unpredictable now than at any other time in my life. I feel like we are staring at a brick wall and no one knows what is on the other side of the brick wall. We have lost all sense of space and time. We don’t know if this coronavirus pandemic will be a blip on the horizon two years from now or if we will look back at March and April of 2020 and think, “those were the good days.” No one knows.

“This is not a shutdown, but a tactical retreat.”

I listened to an episode of The Joe Rogan Podcast with Dan Crenshaw as the guest. When Rogan asked Crenshaw for his take on this current time, he said it reminds him of a tactical retreat. To put it in military terms, it’s what happens when a patrol runs into a barrage of gunfire. No one knows where it is coming from or what is going on, the only instinct is to retreat to a safer place where you can assess the situation and what the enemy is doing and then develop a plan to go back on the offensive against the enemy. That is what we are doing right now. The coronavirus hit us like a barrage of gunfire that pushed us into a tactical retreat. We had to assess what the danger was and the severity of the problem and then begin developing a plan of attack. The first stage was to build up our medical resources then prepare to go on the offensive. When we reopen the country, that is going on offense. Yes, there will be casualties, but wars are not one sitting on defense. It’s time for America to go on the offense against the coronavirus.

What will the church look like after coronavirus?

This is a topic of some debate among the consultant class within the church. Almost in unison, they are warning that the coronavirus shutdown will prove to be a paradigm-changing experience for the church. They are predicting a great increase in the number of bi-vocational and co-vocational pastors as churches struggle financially. They argue that large churches with expansive facilities could find the new paradigm does not depend on facilities, and they will need to repurpose their buildings. They predict newer churches looking to build facilities will struggle to find financing, and the need for facilities will diminish. What do I think? Not sure yet. There is part of me that is skeptical (see thoughts on uncertain future above). I don’t doubt this will have a long-term impact on the church, but I think it is too early to tell if it is genuinely a paradigm-changing impact. I do believe for churches looking to make large-scale changes, this is an opportunity, but that is a topic for more discussion.

The news media in America truly is “the enemy of the people.”

One of the uglier aspects of America this pandemic has revealed is just how arrogant and agenda-driven the activist media is in America. Here is my conclusion, like it or not: the activist media hate America, and they hate you and me. They have moved well beyond bias to serving as the propaganda ministry for those who hate America. If the activist media was a casualty of the pandemic, that would be one of the bright spots to emerge from this challenging time.

Like it or not, the Democrat Party has become the Democrat Socialist Party of America.

Back to the interview with Dan Crenshaw on The Joe Rogan Podcast, I think he nailed it in his description of the Democrat Party in 2020. The Democrats no longer represent the working people of America. They have become a party governed by progressive elites who are driven more by ideology than what is best for working men and women. How did the Democrat Party become a socialist party? It is the result of young people who have been indoctrinated with the values and morals of Marxism and who express their opinions with a lot of emotion and anger. I thought it was interesting what Crenshaw said about Nancy Pelosi. He said 10 years ago, Republicans viewed Pelosi as an extremist in her political positions; today, they view her as a moderate, center-left politician. She is trying to navigate between what many older Democrats see as “common sense liberalism” and the new socialist wing of their party. Again, what has changed? Older Democrats talked a lot about their socialist ideas to woo the younger voters, but they governed from the center. As the Millennials grew into their 30s and started achieving positions of power, the older Democrats realized too late that unlike their generation that could talk the talk but walk a different direction, the Millennials are true believers.

And then there’s China.

For the life of me, I do not understand why the left is so enamored with China. I get that they are a yuuuuge market (use your Bernie Sanders voice), and everyone from Apple to the NBA wants a piece of it, but why are so many willing to unashamedly carry water for China? Again, one of the long-term positive impacts from this shutdown could be a wholesale re-evaluation of our relationship with China. Some have suggested this is the start of a new, much more intense Cold War with China. As one commentator put it, we have discovered that we are at war with China, but China manufactures all of our ammunition. Hopefully, we will see a foundational re-evaluation of every aspect of our China relationship, but Americans need to be ready for what that means to their lifestyle. We all enjoy relatively cheap consumer goods, from 65-inch televisions that cost less than $1000 to everyday household items. It’s all made in China. That same television that’s made in China and sold for less than $1000 would cost three times that amount if it was made in America. It has taken us 20-plus years to entangle ourselves in this mess, and it won’t be easy to detangle the mess, but we need to start the process. If we have learned nothing else from this experience, China is not a good neighbor in the global community.

Tags: China, Coronavirus, Economy, News Media, Socialism, The Church, The Democrat Party