“God said, ‘Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness …’ So, God created the human in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:26-27).

In the beginning, God created humans—us—in God’s image.

We’ve been qualifying “human” ever since. As if God’s image is so small a thing it can’t be found in all of us.

To qualify who or what counts as “human” is to diminish God’s image, which ultimately is to dishonor God.

If we call ourselves “Christian,” we must strive to honor God. Part of honoring God is honoring God’s image. The greatest commandment and its close second tell us how to do that: Love God with our whole being, and love one another as we love ourselves.

As I explained in my previous editorial, this love is agape. It is sacrificial love. It is not easy love, which I would qualify with quotation marks as “love.” Easy “love” is usually not love at all.

Agape is how God loved and loves us before we love anything else. It is not a love that comes naturally to us. Qualifying, and thereby diminishing, God’s image is as natural to us as breathing.

How we diminish God’s image

We diminish God’s image when we assign worth based on wealth, place of birth, heritage, intelligence, race, nationality, religion, gender, education, attractiveness, health, athleticism, or any number of other qualifiers. God’s image in us precedes and supersedes any and all of them.

If a person looks like this, sounds like that, lives there, wears this, believes that, votes the other way, we have a propensity to deem that person less-than-human, or at least worth less than us.

We may not say it in those words. Instead, we may say it in code, with euphemisms. Or we may not speak it at all. Instead, we may display it with our facial expressions, our body language, our behaviors. Or we may encode it in policy.

Many of us do not intend to minimize God’s image in the people around us. We may be unaware of what we are communicating. Those who care about people and do not want to harm them want to know when they have done wrong so they can do and be better.

Others of us do intend to diminish other people. Those who care most about themselves knowingly dehumanize and hurt others as a means of feeling superior, gaining or retaining power, or out of sheer hatred or disgust. They know exactly what they are doing and have no intention of apologizing for it.

Any who call themselves “Christian” must not be among the latter group. Any who identify themselves with Christ must be among those who receive correction and seek to set right the wrong.

I wish I was perfect so I could write this editorial without any hint of hypocrisy. The truth is, I’ve been a Christian and have worked on this very issue in myself for decades, and I still have so far to go.

How not to diminish God’s image

Over many years and through many lessons—some hard and embarrassing, some gracious and joyful—I’ve come to see every person bears God’s image. I see God’s image in every shade of skin. I hear God’s image in the many languages spoken, written, sung, and signed.

When I pay attention to the person in front of me, when I really see the person, I often encounter God’s image in the histories, heritage, and culture of people from around the world.

I’ve learned to question and reject stereotypes and caricatures of people unlike me. And I’m still learning.

One thing I know for sure: There is more joy in finding, seeing, and celebrating God’s image in each other than in disparaging one another.

We honor God and God’s image when we value each person as God values them. Racist memes, caricatures, and so-called jokes don’t honor God or God’s image. Ethnic slurs and profiling don’t either. Christians are not above reproach here.

We can acknowledge none of us alone displays the whole of God’s image, and what portion of God’s image each of us conveys is marred by sin.

The color of our skin is not sin. The sound of our language is not sin. Our gender is not sin. Sin is when we violate God’s law. Sin is when we disobey what Scripture clearly commands.

We are constantly presented with the opportunity to see God’s image in the people around us. Too often, however, we allow God’s image to be obscured by our differences, disagreements, and disputes.

We’re not likely to be free of our differences, disagreements, or disputes any time soon. Even with them, we are free to set them aside to look for God’s image in each person and to honor it as the sacred thing it is.

Some suggestions

To honor God and God’s image in each other requires us to regard one another with agape, the love God demonstrates toward us.

To practice that love, to practice seeing and beholding God’s image in others, I’ve found the following helpful:

♦ Go to a restaurant featuring food from another culture or country and ask for a traditional dish made in the traditional way. And eat it. You can go a step further by asking about the significance of the dish. Often, it is a comfort food or a celebratory food. Comfort and celebration are gifts from God. What a gift to find new comfort and celebration.

♦  Attend worship at a church of another culture, language, ethnicity, or nationality. Don’t worry about understanding or liking everything. Watch and listen for how God is worshipped in that place.

♦ Read books and watch movies by people different from yourself. For this exercise, don’t be concerned with verifying the truth of every statement. Instead, look for what is important to those people and why. Jesus did this when he interacted with people.

♦  During Black History Month (February), determine to learn something new about the contributions of Black men and women. Focus on one person, one topic, or one period of history, and give your attention to it. You can do the same during Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15 to Oct. 15) and Native American Heritage Month (November).

In the beginning, God created humans—us—in God’s image.

We’ve been qualifying “human” ever since, as if God’s image is so small a thing it can’t be found in all of us. God is not so small.

When we start to see God’s image carried in each person we meet, we won’t be able to diminish it. We will only be able to magnify the God whose image we see everywhere.

*******

Eric Black is the executive director, publisher and editor of the Baptist Standard. He can be reached at eric.black@baptiststandard.com. The views expressed in this opinion article are those of the author.

“All is fair in love, war, and politics.”

That seems to be the mantra guiding American political discourse these days. But when an election conspiracy video was posted to President Donald Trump’s Truth Social account that presented former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama as nonhuman apes, that discourse sank to a new low.

The video was eventually taken down, and as so often happens when politicians mess up, the post was blamed on an unnamed staffer. But the damage was done. Millions of Americans saw their worst fears about President Trump confirmed, and they saw many of his allies running for cover or pretending this was no big deal.

Condemnation deserved

Let’s be very clear. This is a big deal, and it is deserving of every syllable of the condemnation it has received.

Put aside for a moment the respect President Obama and his family have rightly earned or the disagreements we may have with him. Set aside for a moment his own record of transgressing traditional norms for public discourse. Absolutely no one should ever be subjected to this kind of offensive, dehumanizing, and dishonest rhetoric.

“Wait a minute,” you might object. “Didn’t the prophets, John the Baptist, and especially Jesus use dehumanizing rhetoric? Did not Jesus call his opponents ‘snakes?’”

It is true both John the Baptist (Matthew 3:7-8) and Jesus (Matthew 23:33) condemned their opponents in the religious aristocracy as a “brood of vipers.” It is difficult to overstate how insulting these taunts were. That is why I am not always persuaded by condemnations of harsh political rhetoric. Sometimes, the unvarnished truth needs to be told.

But what President Trump did in posting such an obscene image is not at all the same as what Jesus and John did.

For one thing, President Trump speaks from a place of political power. Jesus and John did not.

For another, the rhetoric Jesus and John chose was intended to break through the resistance of their recalcitrant opponents, so they could see themselves for who they really were. The video posted on President Trump’s account, by contrast, was designed to inflame passions among those still aggrieved by President Obama’s rhetoric and policies.

More importantly, it was an expression of the current president’s own malice, a window into the soul of a man who has been upfront about his desire to exact vengeance against those who have opposed him.

In other words, the harsh rhetoric of Scripture is redemptive in its aims, whereas President Trump’s rhetoric is petulant and vengeful. Moreover, it was flagrantly and indefensibly racist. Rather than establishing grounds for a more empathetic dialogue on race, it made such dialogue all the more difficult.

And all of this is beside the fact both President Trump and President Obama claim to be Christians. It is offensive beyond words to see one believer treat another in such a manner. Such public conduct cries out for the church’s united rebuke.

Opportunity for positive public witness

As a person, my first concern is for how this event has brought emotional distress to the Obama family, and my second is for the millions of Black Americans for whom this kind of rhetoric is all too familiar. They deserve nothing less than our unequivocal support and unwavering love.

As a pastor, my heart and mind cannot help but turn to how this incident affects the church. It isn’t just or even primarily that white evangelicals voted for President Trump in overwhelming numbers. Sometimes, we have to vote for candidates we do not like.

It is that we, the white evangelical church, are now associated with this kind of racist, heartless, and cruel rhetoric. And it burdens my heart how this incident has the power to divide God’s family even further.

But I would like to propose a more hopeful outcome. What if the American church—which has been hopelessly divided on any number of issues over the last century—finally spoke with one voice?

What if Christianity Today and the Christian Century published a joint editorial condemning Trump’s video? What if the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and the Baptist Joint Committee got together and published a joint statement condemning racist and destructive political rhetoric?

Look, I’m a political and ecclesiological realist. Some of my oldest friends would even describe me as a pessimist. I understand the divides in American Christianity are unlikely to ever be healed. We all carry around with us a long list of grievances against those we believe have corrupted our institutions and distorted our society.

But unity will certainly not come if we don’t take advantage of the opportunities we are given to speak with a single voice. Moreover, institutional integrity will not come if we do not police our own side in “the culture wars.” Doing so does not mean we have compromised with the Enemy. It means we have side-stepped his trap and have walked faithfully with our Lord.

Our choice

The question for all of us now is, “What will we do?”

As individuals, congregations, and larger institutions, will we look away one more time as norms of decency are flouted and intellectual hospitality—the practice of treating those who disagree with us fairly and engaging their disagreements honestly—is demeaned? Will we choose to forget, opting for the easier and less costly way of citizenship?

Alternatively, will we gird up our loins, speak up against the darkness, and affirm by our actions our true citizenship is in heaven?

Will we stand shoulder to shoulder with every brother and sister of color who has suffered under the lingering injustice of race-based hatred, thereby bearing witness to the radical, reconciling work of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:11-21; Galatians 3:26-4:7; Ephesians 2:11-18)?

The choice we make may not change the course of history. It will, however, say much about who we are, and it may impact our ability to bear a credible witness for Christ in the future.

Wade Berry is pastor of Second Baptist Church in Ranger and has been resident fellow in New Testament and Greek at B.H. Carroll Theological Seminary. The views expressed in this opinion article are those of the author.

In the middle of the Super Bowl, one of the most watched moments in American culture, Benito—Bad Bunny to most of the world—turned a football field into a love letter.

It might have been the most energetic, cinematic halftime show in history. Every shot felt intentional. Every transition felt orchestrated. It wasn’t just a performance. It felt like a story being told with light and movement and bodies and rhythm. It was spectacle, yes, but it was also testimony.

I celebrate Puerto Rico. Their culture is beautiful. I love the island, and at the same time, I’m ashamed of how little we understand its history. I’m grieved by the abuses of power, the neglect, the ways we have benefited from people while failing to fully honor them.

My brothers and sisters from that beautiful island play an important role in our story, whether we’ve taken the time to learn that story or not.

Some people said they felt left out because they couldn’t understand the words.

Let me promise you: even those of us with mediocre Spanish couldn’t understand most of the words unless we’ve been singing these songs for years.

But you didn’t have to understand the words to hear the story. In fact, he put the message on a billboard for us, loud and clear: Love is the only thing stronger than hate.

You don’t have to agree with everything Benito has ever said to agree on that.

Desiring diversity

What struck me most was how winsome the invitation felt. This wasn’t scolding. This wasn’t shaming. It was joy. It was beauty. It was a wide-open welcome to embrace people of all cultures and all nations.

That invitation stirred a memory in me I didn’t expect.

When I was growing up in the church, we weren’t very diverse. It was a Baptist church: good people, faithful people, sincere people. But the truth is, we were mostly white with a little Latino and African American culture sprinkled on top. Even as a kid, I think we knew something was missing. Not wrong in a hateful way. Just … incomplete.

We knew—instinctively, scripturally—the kingdom of God was bigger than our sanctuary. Bigger than our zip code. Bigger than our music styles and potlucks and fellowship halls.

So we sang:

“Jesus loves the little children,
all the little children of the world—
red and yellow, black and white,
they are precious in His sight.”

It may not be the most politically correct language now, but the longing underneath it was holy. We wanted the world God loved to look like the world God made. We just didn’t know how to get there.

So, we did what a lot of churches did back then. We flew flags.

Expressing diversity

We hung them in the sanctuary, the gathering place of God’s people. If someone in the church had roots in another country, we flew that flag. If we went on a mission trip, we flew that flag. If someone had a cousin who once visited from another country, sometimes we flew that flag. If the janitor had migrated from Vietnam, we flew the Vietnamese flag.

It was imperfect. It was symbolic. It didn’t actually create diversity. But it revealed our hunger for it.

We were trying to say in the only language we had at the time, “All of God’s children belong here.” Even when most of them weren’t actually in the room.

Watching Bad Bunny fill the Super Bowl halftime stage with language, culture, bodies, flags, and stories that have so often been marginalized or muted in America, it felt like those flags finally came down off the walls and walked onto the field, not as decoration, not as aspiration, but as presence.

Celebrating diversity

I’m a pastor in the most ethnically diverse city in the United States. That means we have more culture and better food than almost anywhere else. It means we’re a beautiful, complicated, vibrant place to live. Our diversity isn’t our weakness. It’s our strength.

Somehow, by the grace of God, I now get to pastor a church as diverse as the city we’re in and as diverse as the world we are called to love. It’s beautiful. It’s compelling. People want to be a part of it. Not because we’ve figured everything out, but because embodied diversity—real community across lines of difference—feels like good news in a fractured world.

Somewhere along the way, the conversation in our country got reframed as if diversity itself was a threat. As if the presence of different languages and cultures somehow diminished us instead of deepening us. My hope—and my prayer—is moments like this help the pendulum begin to swing back.

Even beyond the halftime show, it felt like the whole broadcast was quietly whispering the same longing. Despite a mediocre-to-boring game, every entertainer, every commercial break, even the national anthem—sung so beautifully by Charlie Puth—and artists like Brandi Carlile, carried echoes of something deeper.

Two of the commercials even featured songs by my hero, Fred Rogers. It was as if the culture itself was saying: “We’re tired. We want a better example. We’re hungry for an invitation to love and unity, not hatred, bigotry, and division.”

Thanksgiving

The church I grew up in didn’t have it figured out. But we knew the difference between right and wrong. We knew, deep down, love was better than fear. My hope is we don’t forget that now.

For those who tuned out and watched a different halftime show: You might have missed something beautiful, a reminder the world is longing for an invitation to love and unity, not division.

Bad Bunny seemed to know all of this, and he filled his brilliant show with small, holy Easter eggs for those willing to pay attention:

• An actual wedding, officiated by a Latino Christian pastor.
• The gift of his Grammy to a young Puerto Rican version of himself, a reminder any kid is capable of changing the world.
• Tiny, defiant signs of dignity placed inside one of the largest platforms in the world.

This was the halftime show our country needed. Well, I can’t speak for the country.

I can only say this: It’s the halftime show I needed.

Thank you, Benito.

Chris Seay is the lead pastor of Ecclesia Houston. The views expressed in this opinion article are those of the author.

Fellow Christians are afraid to go to church. The Christians I’m referring to aren’t in Nigeria, India, Iran, Burma/Myanmar, China, parts of southern Mexico, or any number of other places around the world. They’re here in the United States.

And they’re not only in Minnesota, Ohio, Oregon, Chicago, or other places where federal immigration enforcement is in the news. They’re here in Texas. They’re among our fellow Texas Baptists.

Our fellow Texas Baptists are afraid to go to church. Do we care? The Scripture we call authoritative and the “supreme standard” for all human activity commands us to care, and to do so in the same way Scripture’s God cares for us.

Love—agape love—is a synonym for the kind of care I’m talking about. This love is much more than a feeling. This love acts, sacrificially. This love casts out fear.

Our family is afraid to go to church, Texas Baptists. In agape love, we need to stand by them and stand up for them. To do that, we need to face the fear—theirs and ours.

What’s happening in Texas

Jesse Rincones—executive director of Convención Bautista Hispana de Texas, a Lubbock-area pastor, and a member of the Baptist Standard board—reported the following to me:

“A church in the Dallas-Fort Worth area has had three families deported.”

The pastor of a Texas Hill Country church “took a family to their legal check-in, and the family was deported. That was the second time it happened to a family in his congregation.”

Pastors tell Rincones church attendance is affected, because people “won’t leave their homes. … Even with legal status they are afraid.”

Christians from all over the world have come to Texas, the vast majority of them legally. They are well represented among Texas Baptists. From conversations with some of their ministry leaders, I have heard concerns about such things as:

• knowing the difference between local police officers and ICE agents and how to appropriately interact with them,
• being unsure what official documents need to be carried and what good it will do to carry them, and
• whether their children, homes, and money will be taken from them.

What’s happening in one church

In an opinion article we published Feb. 4, Pastor Pablo Juárez reported attendance at his church is also affected.

In the last year, “fear of detention has led … families [to] avoid public spaces. Several members have been detained during routine traffic stops when local law enforcement contacted Immigration and Customs Enforcement instead of following due process.”

“Some [congregants] were deported within days,” Juárez wrote, “while others remain detained for months despite expressing a willingness to return voluntarily to their home countries. Detained individuals have reported administrative failures, missed flights, and prolonged uncertainty.”

“In some cases, older adult congregants with medical needs remain confined without clear timelines for release or deportation. The emotional, spiritual, and financial toll on families has been significant,” Juárez continued.

It bears repeating: Love casts out fear. In agape love, we need to stand by them and stand up for them.

Acknowledge the fear

Whatever an immigrant’s status—citizen, or legal or illegal noncitizen—fear is a common denominator for many at present.

Regarding those in the United States illegally: People enter the United States illegally for various reasons. Many times, it’s to escape greater fear in the places they left. Far too often, some are brought here on false pretenses or against their will. Some aren’t here illegally by choice.

Whether these individuals should continue to be afraid while in the United States is a discussion broader than this editorial. So, I will focus on those immigrants in the United States legally.

Legal U.S. residents—citizens by birth or naturalization, or legal visa holders, refugees, asylees, or others with legal status—who have not committed any crime should have no reason to fear federal immigration enforcement. Yet, many of them do right now. And many of them are our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Their fear is not unwarranted. What is reported above is just a summary of why many legal U.S. residents are afraid—because of their direct experience with federal immigration enforcement during the last year.

I’ll state it again: Love casts out fear. In agape love, we need to stand by them and stand up for them. As Christians, we are obligated to do no less.

Address the fear

Texas Baptists, before we are Texas Baptists, we are Christians. Christian is not a label, a social identity, or a political affiliation. To be a Christian is to follow Jesus, to lay down our lives for others as Jesus laid down his life for us. To be a Christian is to be obligated to Jesus and to live in obedience to him.

In obedience to Jesus, we strive to live righteously before all people. Part of living righteously is acknowledging the law and the consequences of breaking the law. Yes, there is legal and illegal immigration, and immigrating illegally carries consequences. How those consequences should be carried out should square with God’s justice.

In obedience to Jesus, we seek justice for all people. Part of seeking justice is holding injustice to account through appropriate action. Appropriate action in our context includes pressing lawmakers to address injustices in immigration law and enforcement. Texas Baptists, we have the right resources among us for just such action.

Also in obedience to Jesus, we live righteously and seek justice when we see our brothers’ and sisters’ struggle as our own. Instead of discounting the reports, turning a blind eye, washing our hands of it, instead of demonizing “them,” we need to come alongside our brothers and sisters in Christ and share their burden—including their fear of going to church.

Our family is afraid to go to church, Texas Baptists. Love casts out fear. In agape love, we need to stand by them, stand up for them, and let love cast out fear.

*******

Data and resources

Data

Consider the following data points:

• Pew Research finds Christians make up about 47 percent of all international migrants globally as of 2020, and the United States is their most common destination.
• A report by Catholic bishops and evangelical leaders found “more than 10 million Christians are vulnerable to deportation accounting for roughly 80 percent of all of those at risk of deportation.” Put another way: “One out of every 12 Christians in the U.S.—including one out of 18 evangelical Christians” could be deported or have a family member deported.
• A report estimates “about 80 percent of all of those at risk of deportation are Christians.”
• Children are also affected. According to a report by the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, a subcommittee of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, “federal immigration officials have detained U.S. citizen children and treated children with reckless disregard for their safety and wellbeing.”

Resources

The following resources provide guidance on federal immigration law and enforcement, as well as how to appropriately interact with federal immigration officials. The links below contain information current as of this writing (Feb. 5, 2026).

Immigration enforcement in Texas is complex, varying by county. Texas Baptists’ Christian Life Commission has prepared a brief explaining the complexity and how to navigate it. The brief includes links to further resources.

In short, 287(g) is a section of the Immigration and Nationality Act authorizing the Department of Homeland Security to enter into agreements with state and local law enforcement to conduct federal immigration enforcement activities.

The CLC is also maintaining a county-by-county chart of 287(g) agreements.

Other resources include:

• Texas Immigration Law Center provides a guide to Texas’ 287(g) agreements.
• Immigrant Legal Resource Center provides several resources, including a Know Your Rights FAQ.
• To locate a detainee, you can search on the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement website.

Eric Black is the executive director, publisher and editor of the Baptist Standard. He can be reached at eric.black@baptiststandard.com. The views expressed in this opinion article are those of the author.

El clima migratorio actual en los Estados Unidos ha creado un profundo temor e inestabilidad dentro de las comunidades inmigrantes, particularmente entre inmigrantes indocumentados que no tienen antecedentes penales y que durante mucho tiempo han contribuido a sus iglesias y comunidades.

Esta situación actual ha herido profundamente a muchas congregaciones, incluyendo mi iglesia. Esto no es una declaración política. Es un clamor pastoral por ayuda.

Como cristiano y pastor, creo que es necesario reflexionar cuidadosamente sobre cómo el pueblo de Dios sirve y trata a las familias inmigrantes con fidelidad, compasión y cuidado práctico, mientras permanecemos arraigados en el evangelio de Jesucristo.

Creo que, como embajadores de Cristo, es más importante estar espiritualmente correctos que políticamente correctos. Hay momentos en la vida cuando tenemos que decir: “Esto no está bien. Esto no es de Dios”.

En este caso, a veces tenemos que decirlo con tristeza. A veces tenemos que decirlo con claridad y de manera directa. Pero como seguidores de Cristo, no siempre podemos andar con rodeos respecto a la verdad.

Un espejo moral

Comunidades ordinarias moldeadas por la fe pueden normalizar (ignorar) el sufrimiento cuando ocurre “cerca”, pero no directamente a ellas.

Con respecto a la comunidad inmigrante en los Estados Unidos, las iglesias evangélicas pueden ignorar el dolor humano a través de la política, el legalismo o el problema de alguien más.

Las detenciones, las separaciones familiares, el temor a la deportación y el efecto silenciador de la incertidumbre pueden convertirse en ruido de fondo: se oyen, pero rápidamente quedan ahogados por el miedo, la avaricia, la religión o las ideologías políticas.

A menudo conocemos el momento y el sonido del sufrimiento, y aun así elige mirar en otra dirección en lugar de cumplir con su compromiso. Así que desafío a las personas de conciencia, especialmente a las comunidades de fe, a preguntarse si están usando su voz para silenciar los clamores de ayuda o para abogar por la dignidad de los desprotegidos.

La historia sugiere que lo que perseguirá a las futuras generaciones no es solo lo que se hizo, sino lo que se ignoró. La pregunta, entonces, es si la respuesta a las injusticias de hoy será recordada como una compasión valiente o silencio e inacción.

Un espejo bíblico

A lo largo de la Escritura, Dios revela una preocupación particular por el extranjero, el forastero y el desplazado. Al pueblo de Dios se le recuerda repetidamente que su identidad está moldeada por la gracia y la liberación, no por el poder o el privilegio.

Deuteronomio 10:18–19 ordena al pueblo de Dios amar al extranjero, fundamentando este amor en la propia historia de vulnerabilidad de Israel. Levítico 19:34 instruye además que el extranjero debe ser tratado como un residente nacido en la tierra, enfatizando la dignidad más que una aceptación condicionada.

En el Nuevo Testamento, Jesús encarna esta ética. Comienza su vida terrenal como refugiado (Mateo 2:13–15), ministra entre los marginados y enseña que dar la bienvenida al extranjero es un acto de fidelidad hacia Él mismo (Mateo 25:35–40).

Estos textos no permiten que la iglesia permanezca neutral cuando las personas vulnerables son maltratadas. Más bien, obligan a la iglesia a actuar de maneras que reflejen la compasión y la justicia de Dios.

Cuando la aplicación de la ley migratoria resulta en detención prolongada, separación familiar o deshumanización de personas que no han cometido ningún delito, la iglesia debe responder primero como iglesia.

Hechos 5:29 nos recuerda que obedecer a Dios tiene prioridad cuando están en juego las convicciones morales. Esta postura no se basa en política, sino en un discipulado fiel moldeado por el carácter de Cristo.

Esto afecta a la iglesia

A través del panorama evangélico, líderes fieles al Reino de Dios han respondido a la crisis migratoria de distintas maneras. Muchos han optado por hablar públicamente, utilizando plataformas sociales para llamar la atención sobre la injusticia y abogar por las comunidades vulnerables. Creemos que este testimonio público, cuando se hace con responsabilidad, es valioso y necesario.

Como pastor, he hablado públicamente con cuidado. Mi énfasis principal ha sido la defensa práctica. Nos hemos preguntado no solo cómo hablar fielmente, sino cómo actuar fielmente—cómo pasar de las palabras a expresiones encarnadas del evangelio. Como nos recuerda Santiago 2:17, la fe que permanece solo en el discurso, sin acción, es incompleta.

En el último año, la crisis migratoria ha afectado directamente a familias dentro de nuestra iglesia. El temor a la detención ha llevado a una disminución en la asistencia, pues las familias evitan espacios públicos.

Varios miembros han sido detenidos durante paradas de tráfico rutinarias cuando la policía local contactó a Inmigración y Control de Aduanas (ICE), en lugar de seguir el debido proceso que dicta la ley.

Algunas personas en mi congregación fueron deportadas en cuestión de días, mientras que otras permanecen detenidas por meses a pesar de haber expresado su disposición a regresar voluntariamente a sus países de origen. Las personas detenidas han reportado fallas administrativas, vuelos perdidos y una incertidumbre prolongada.

En algunos casos, adultos mayores de la congregación con necesidades médicas permanecen detenidos sin plazos claros para su liberación o deportación. El costo emocional, espiritual y financiero para las familias ha sido significativo.

No considero la crisis migratoria como una oportunidad ministerial, sino como una obligación del evangelio. Compartir el evangelio incluye tanto la proclamación como la presencia—hablar la verdad bíblica y, a la vez, atender necesidades reales en momentos de crisis.

La crisis migratoria presenta a la iglesia un momento decisivo de testimonio. Creo que la iglesia debe responder, no con temor ni silencio, sino con una presencia fiel, amor sacrificial y claridad teológica.

Continúe leyendo para ver cómo está respondiendo mi iglesia.

*******

Cómo está respondiendo mi iglesia

Apoyo de emergencia para familias

Cuando quienes sostienen económicamente a la familia son removidos sin previo aviso, las familias quedan sin ingresos, sin seguridad alimentaria y sin tiempo para prepararse. Establecimos un fondo de emergencia dedicado a ayudar a familias que enfrentan separaciones repentinas por detención o deportación. Este fondo permite que la iglesia responda de inmediato con compasión y estabilidad durante crisis inesperadas.

Alianza con el Consulado de México

Durante los últimos 12 meses, hemos recibido al Consulado de México en nuestro campus cuatro veces y hemos apoyado a más de 2.500 personas documentadas e indocumentadas que necesitaban prepararse para lo peor, porque lo peor está ocurriendo.

Estos eventos brindan a las familias orientación profesional sobre su estatus migratorio y les ayudan a renovar pasaportes y otros documentos esenciales.

Las familias viajan desde toda el área metropolitana de Dallas–Fort Worth y el este de Texas para asistir a estos eventos, lo cual refleja la confianza depositada en la iglesia como un espacio seguro y accesible.

Apoyo de consejería informado por trauma

En alianza con Re-Therapy Counseling Services, estamos ofreciendo dos sesiones gratuitas de consejería a familias impactadas por la crisis migratoria. Esta iniciativa brinda atención profesional a niños, cónyuges e individuos que experimentan trauma, ansiedad y depresión, afirmando el compromiso de la iglesia con una sanidad integral.

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Animamos a los seguidores de Cristo con una visión centrada en el Reino a enfrentar este momento con valentía y compasión, recordando que nuestro llamado no está definido por la lealtad política, sino por la vida y las enseñanzas de Jesucristo, quien llama a su iglesia a amar, no con una mentalidad política, sino con un amor sacrificial hacia el extranjero y con cuidado por los vulnerables.

El Dr. Pablo Juárez es pastor de First Baptist Church of Kaufman en español. Las opiniones expresadas en este artículo de opinión son del autor.

NOTA DEL EDITOR: La segunda sección del artículo original fue revisada el 11 de febrero de 2026.

The current immigration climate in the United States has created deep fear and instability within immigrant communities, particularly among undocumented immigrants who have no criminal record and who have long contributed to their churches and neighborhoods.

This current situation has deeply hurt many congregations, including my church. This is not a political statement. It is a pastoral cry for help.

As a Christian and a pastor, I believe it is necessary to reflect carefully on how the people of God serve and treat immigrant families with faithfulness, compassion, and practical care, while remaining grounded in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I believe, as a Christ-ambassador, it is more important to be spiritually correct than politically correct. There are times in life when we have to say: “This is not right. This is not of God.” In this case, sometimes we have to say it sadly. Sometimes we have to say it clearly and directly. But as followers of Christ, we can’t always beat around the bush about the truth.

A moral mirror

A biblical mirror

Throughout Scripture, God reveals a particular concern for the foreigner, the sojourner, and the displaced. The people of God are repeatedly reminded their own identity is shaped by grace and deliverance, not by power or privilege.

Deuteronomy 10:18–19 commands God’s people to love the stranger, grounding this love in Israel’s own history of vulnerability. Leviticus 19:34 further instructs the foreigner is to be treated as a native-born resident, emphasizing dignity rather than conditional acceptance.

In the New Testament, Jesus embodies this ethic. He begins his earthly life as a refugee (Matthew 2:13–15), ministers among the marginalized, and teaches welcoming the stranger is an act of faithfulness to himself (Matthew 25:35–40).

These texts do not permit the church to remain neutral when vulnerable people are mistreated. Rather, they compel the church to act in ways that reflect the compassion and justice of God.

When immigration enforcement results in prolonged detention, family separation, or the dehumanization of people who have committed no criminal offense, the church must respond first as the church.

Acts 5:29 reminds us obedience to God takes precedence when moral convictions are at stake. This posture is not rooted in political defiance but in faithful discipleship shaped by the character of Christ.

This affects the church

Across the evangelical landscape, faithful leaders have responded to the immigration crisis in different ways. Many have chosen to speak publicly, using social platforms to call attention to injustice and to advocate for vulnerable communities. We believe such public witness, when done responsibly, is valuable and necessary.

As a pastor, I have spoken publicly with care. My primary emphasis has been on practical advocacy. We have asked not only how to speak faithfully, but how to act faithfully—how to move from words to embodied expressions of the gospel. As James 2:17 reminds us, faith that remains only in speech, without action, is incomplete.

Over the past year, the immigration crisis has directly affected families within our church. Fear of detention has led to decreased attendance as families avoid public spaces. Several members have been detained during routine traffic stops when local law enforcement contacted Immigration and Customs Enforcement instead of following due process.

Some individuals in my congregation were deported within days, while others remain detained for months despite expressing a willingness to return voluntarily to their home countries. Detained individuals have reported administrative failures, missed flights, and prolonged uncertainty.

In some cases, older adult congregants with medical needs remain confined without clear timelines for release or deportation. The emotional, spiritual, and financial toll on families has been significant.

I do not view the immigration crisis as a ministry opportunity, but as a gospel obligation. Sharing the gospel includes both proclamation and presence—speaking biblical truth while also meeting real needs in moments of crisis.

The immigration crisis presents the church with a defining moment of witness. I believe the church must respond, not with fear or silence, but with faithful presence, sacrificial love, and theological clarity.

Keep reading to see how my church is responding.

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How my church is responding

Emergency support for families

When primary wage earners are removed without warning, families are left without income, food security, or time to prepare. We established a dedicated emergency fund to assist families facing sudden separation due to detention or deportation. This fund allows the church to respond immediately with compassion and stability during unexpected crises.

Partnership with the Mexican Consulate

Over the last 12 months, we have hosted the Mexican Consulate on our church campus four times and supported more than 2,500 documented and undocumented people who needed to be prepared for the worst, because the worst is happening.

These events provide families with professional guidance on their immigration status and help them renew passports and other essential documents.

Families travel from across the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex and East Texas to these events, reflecting the trust placed in the church as a safe and accessible space.

Trauma-informed counseling support

In partnership with Re-Therapy Counseling Services, we are offering two free counseling sessions to families impacted by the immigration crisis. This initiative provides professional care for children, spouses, and individuals experiencing trauma, anxiety, and depression, affirming the church’s commitment to holistic healing.

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We encourage kingdom-minded followers of Christ to engage this moment with courage and compassion, remembering our calling is shaped not by political allegiance, but by the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, who calls his church to love, not with a political mindset, but with a sacrificial love for the stranger and care for the vulnerable.

Dr. Pablo Juárez is the pastor of First Baptist Church of Kaufman en Español. The views expressed in this opinion article are those of the author.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The second section of the original article was revised, Feb. 11, 2026.

As an immigrant and a follower of Jesus, I have lived with a quiet tension for most of my life—the feeling of not fully belonging here or there.

Many immigrants know this space well. We straddle cultures, languages, and expectations. Yet in Christ, we find a deeper citizenship, a truer belonging no nation can grant and no policy can take away.

It is from that place of belonging in Christ I write today—with grief, with conviction, and with mustard-seed hope.

Our country is in a moment of deep moral confusion, especially around immigration, human dignity, and the treatment of vulnerable families. We are seeing policies that result in prolonged detention, family separation, the erosion of due process, and the loss of life in plain daylight, in American streets, under government custody.

These are not merely political issues. They are deeply spiritual ones. They force us to ask not only what kind of nation we are becoming, but what kind of church we have been.

The truth is uncomfortable: This administration has had strong support from the evangelical community. Many believers cast their votes believing they were defending faith, family, or freedom.

Yet policies are the fruit of leadership, and leadership is influenced by those who place leaders in power. Whether we like it or not, what is done in our name reflects, in part, our witness.

This is not about partisan loyalty. It is about spiritual integrity.

Scripture calls to remember

Scripture calls God’s people to be people of truth. When truth is distorted, when suffering is minimized, when entire groups of people are described in ways that strip them of dignity, the church cannot afford silence.

Our words matter. Our sermons matter. Our budgets matter. And yes, our votes matter. Discipleship does not end at the church doors or the ballot box.

Throughout Scripture, God commands his people to remember: “You shall not oppress a sojourner … for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt” (Exodus 23:9).

Israel’s story begins with Abraham leaving his homeland, trusting God in a foreign land. Isaac and Jacob followed that same path of dependence and displacement. The defining act of God’s deliverance—the Exodus—freed a people who had been enslaved for 400 years, longer than the United States has existed.

Remembering was meant to shape how God’s people treated the foreigner, the poor, and the vulnerable. Memory was a guardrail against cruelty.

The prophets carried this message forward with boldness. They confronted kings. They saw through religious performance. They reminded God’s people that worship divorced from justice is an offense to God.

“Let justice roll down like waters,” Amos declared. Isaiah rebuked a nation that fasted and prayed while neglecting the oppressed. Micah summarized God’s desire simply: “to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.”

The church in America must hear those prophetic voices again, not as ancient history, but as present truth.

Allegiance to Christ

At the center of our faith stands Jesus Christ—the ultimate Deliverer.

Shortly after his birth, he became a refugee, carried by his parents into Egypt to escape state violence. The Son of God entered the world not through privilege, but through displacement.

Throughout his ministry, he consistently moved toward the vulnerable: the poor, the outcast, the sick, the foreigner, and the sinner. He warned against religious leaders who burdened others while protecting their own comfort, and he confronted systems that crushed those without power.

Our allegiance, then, must be to his Lordship above all else. Not to party, platform, or personality, but to the crucified and risen Christ, whose kingdom is marked by truth, mercy, and justice.

If we claim his name, we cannot ignore those he draws near to. And we cannot allow political identity to divide the body he gave his life to redeem. Dear church, we belong to Christ before we belong to any tribe. Let us not be divided where he has made us one.

Calling the church to remember

It is time for the church to be the church, to hold leaders accountable not with anger, but with moral clarity, to speak not as an arm of any political movement, but as the body of Christ.

This does not mean demonizing those who voted differently or assuming bad motives. It does mean looking honestly in the mirror and lamenting where we have lacked courage, clarity, or compassion.

Lament is not weakness. It is a deeply biblical act. It is how God’s people return to alignment with his heart.

We can be both pastoral and prophetic. We can tell the truth about harm while still extending grace. We can acknowledge fear and complexity without excusing injustice. We can call our congregations to deeper discipleship that includes how we think about immigrants, refugees, and those at the margins.

For immigrants in our pews, these issues are not theoretical. They are personal. They shape whether parents sleep peacefully at night, whether children fear coming home from school, and whether families trust the systems around them. The church should be the one place where they do not feel invisible, disposable, or suspect.

Calling our nation to remember

And to our nation, we offer this gentle but urgent reminder: You, too, were once sojourners. The American story is one of migration, refuge, and new beginnings. Forgetting that history makes it easier to close our hearts. Remembering it can open them again.

Our ultimate hope is not in any administration, platform, or election cycle. Our hope is in Christ, whose kingdom is marked by truth, justice, mercy, and love. But that hope does not lead to withdrawal. It leads to faithful presence in our communities and in the ballot box.

May the church in this moment choose courage over comfort, truth over tribe, and Christ over every lesser allegiance.

It is time to remember.
It is time to repent where needed.
And it is time to be the church.

Diego Silva is the director of economic strengthening at Buckner International. A native of Brazil, he lives in Georgetown with his wife and two boys. He writes about faith, community development and global mission. The views expressed in this opinion article are those of the author.

I am about to make millions of dollars with the weight loss program I have discovered.

Move over, Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound. Stand down, Weightwatchers, Jenny Craig, and Noom. Throw out the Mediterranean diet, the cabbage diet, and the DASH diet.

What I am about to share with you will put my name on the Walk of Fame.

My boyhood weight

I have always struggled with my weight. When I was in elementary school in the old Alamo building in Glen Rose, I acquired a nickname: Tiggy Piggy.

I was the heaviest kid in class. I ate four sandwiches per sitting for snacks. I ate several helpings at every meal. I bought powdered donuts in between. I drank soda after soda. I was always famished. I wore husky jeans from Montgomery Wards department store.

It wasn’t until I hit the summer before my ninth-grade year that I began to shed the pounds. I started running three miles every morning and three miles every night.

To motivate me and make me look good while I ran, my parents bought me a red jogging suit with white pin stripes. I looked like the red flash on Farm Road 200 in our farming community called Rainbow.

I wore that warm-up suit every morning and every evening. I assume we washed it in between, but I don’t remember.

So, is this the weight loss program you’re talking about, Johnny? Nope. Just giving you some history.

My adult weight

I worked out every day, so I could play quarterback on our football team. I continued through college, then to semi-professional football. I had every reason to stay trim and fit. Then, my football days ran out.

Tiggy Piggy began to reemerge. When I saw the double chin return, I started jogging again. The weight dropped accordingly, but I still loved to eat.

The weight fluctuated over time. Every time it got up, I hit the streets, but one day, I noticed my hips began to hurt.

I went to the doctor. He said, “Johnny, if you don’t stop jogging, we are going to have to replace your hips in a few years.”

Well, that stopped my jogging. My weight ballooned. So, I began to ride my bike. Even as I type this, I ride 20 miles per day.

So, is this the weight loss program you’re talking about, Johnny? Nope. Just bringing you up to date.

The secret to weight

“Quit wasting my time, Johnny. Tell me, what is this great weight loss program for $35?”

Are you ready for it? This is magical, what I am about to share with you. You won’t believe it. The thing is so very easy. I even recommend it to my friends, and they have seen the results.

Now, mind you, you won’t lose all the weight in a matter of weeks. But for the one-time cost of about $35, you can be on your way to health and the weight you desire.

“OK, man, give it to me!”

Buy a bathroom scale at Walmart for about $35. You can get one for more, but I have never found a need for a more expensive one.

With that scale, weigh every morning when you get up. Then, weigh each night before you go to bed. Do this every day. That’s it. That’s all it takes.

“Are you serious?”

Yep.

When you weigh every day, morning and night, you are mindful of your weight. You want to see it go down. So, you eat less. You measure what you eat. You work out, or you walk more, and you say “no” to the snacks during the day.

I know this sounds silly, but try it. I promise it works.

A biblical lesson

There’s a biblical lesson here.

If we read God’s word each morning, if we take an inventory of how good God is and what he desires in us, we will find our behavior changes each day.

The weight of sin will be reduced. The health of holiness will start to appear.

Imagine with me your car without a speedometer. There are speed limits, but without knowing your speed, you will soon lose your license because of all the traffic citations.

You can’t drive by how fast you feel you are driving. You need to know what you are doing and measure that against what is required.

Read the Bible and pray daily. You will see how you are doing, and you will see what is required. Before you know it, you will even start to see God working with you to reach goals for your life. I promise.

Johnny Teague is the senior pastor of Church at the Cross in West Houston and the author of several books, including his newest The Lost Diary of Mary Magdalene. His website is johnnyteague.com. The views expressed in this opinion article are those of the author.

Whatever followers of Jesus may think about the most pressing issues of our day, we ought to be able to lament our current state of affairs.

I know that’s a vague statement, but I want to start where we ought to be able to agree. I’ll be more specific soon enough.

I do believe our current state of affairs is lamentable. That may be where some of us start to disagree, at least in so far as which specific state or states I find lamentable. You and I may not find the same thing(s) lamentable. So, let me go back to where I think we can agree.

The world is broken. Christians agree on that. A broken world is lamentable. Again, we can agree. Brokenness is a result of sin. Sin and its resulting brokenness hurt and harm all of creation. It complicates life in compounding ways. It even kills—body, mind, and spirit. I believe we’re still in agreement.

Brokenness requires a response. Jesus responded by giving himself for us. Jesus broke sin’s power and set restoration in motion, so brokenness will be no more. I lament that it took that, and I rejoice that he did it.

…

Sorry, I had to stop for a moment to be still with what I just wrote, to hold lament in one hand and rejoicing in the other. To sit in awe of Jesus.

…

We want to skip lament, or better yet, ignore it. We want to go straight to rejoicing. But we must not skip lament. You see, our lament is our agreement with God that this world is not as God created it to be. Our lament witnesses to our hope in the reality of wholeness. No, we must not skip lament.

Lament is a proper response to brokenness, but only a first response. There is more we as Christians are to do in response.

A specific example

Yes, brokenness requires a response. We, not just Jesus, must respond to brokenness, and we who follow Jesus must respond as he commanded and in his character.

Too often, our responses either come out of brokenness or generate more brokenness. We’ve seen and experienced this to be true. I lament our contribution(s) to brokenness by how we respond to brokenness.

I will give a specific example. Here is where we are likely to disagree, perhaps mightily, on some, many, or all points.

U.S. immigration policy is broken. Why and how is it broken? Since decades of debate, opinion, and ink have been poured out in failed attempts to answer those two questions, I’m not going to try here. I’ll just say the system is broken.

U.S. immigration enforcement is broken. It has been and is spotty, overwhelmed, and confused all at the same time. This is a natural outgrowth of broken policy. Sadly, U.S. immigration enforcement is broken to the point of violence. This is lamentable, and I don’t say that flippantly.

Lament, don’t condemn

We have good reason, too many reasons, to lament. Here is one.

I see yet another video of federal immigration officers shooting and killing a U.S. citizen, and I lament. Why? Because it didn’t have to come to that. We can argue about how exactly it came to that, but none of our arguments, none of our facts, none of our being right (or wrong) makes it OK that a human being was shot to death.

God didn’t create people to be shot to death. Every time, it’s to be lamented. Every time.

Millions, and maybe billions, of people saw the same video, and if our social media feeds are any indication, most skipped lament and jumped straight to condemnation. We are primed for condemnation. This is lamentable.

Whether out of lament or condemnation—often both—countless people have called for U.S. immigration enforcement to be brought to heel. Since the shooting of Alex Pretti by federal immigration officers, the call has grown to include a host of Republican officials voicing their criticisms, however qualified.

Right here, we can break into that mighty disagreement with each other. We can call each other names, impugn each other’s motives, question each other’s understanding of Scripture, and even doubt each other’s salvation. We’ve seen and experienced all of this, this perfect example of brokenness, this lamentable condition between fellow Christians.

But we must not give in to brokenness, to the sin that so easily entangles us. Instead, we must see past the surface and all its details. We must see into where things are broken, including in us, and we must grieve that so much in us and in our world is not as God intended. We must lament the pervasiveness of sin and sin’s effects.

And we must not stop there.

And then …

For lament to be legitimate, for its hope to be realized, we must move to redemption, restoration, reconciliation. Christians are duty-bound to do so.

I’m certain many will want me to spell out how followers of Jesus are to move into redeeming, restoring, reconciling. I won’t. The list is too long. The details are too many. And we will be tempted to argue over whatever is said or not said.

I can hear some asking, “What does redemption, restoration, reconciliation look like?”

In the short term, it looks like a lot of work from a lot of people for a long time. It looks like missteps and great leaps, failures and successes, going backward and forward, giving and receiving. It looks like wondering if things can or will get better and being glad when it does get better.

In the long term, it looks like so many ways of wholeness. Vague? Yes. But no less true.

The most concrete suggestion I can make, the best place I know to start on redeeming, restoring, reconciling is to submit ourselves to Jesus, to his teaching, and to the Holy Spirit’s guidance. They will lead us to what to do and where.

They will also show us, when Jesus took in the state of the world, he lamented.

Eric Black is the executive director, publisher and editor of the Baptist Standard. He can be reached at eric.black@baptiststandard.com. The views expressed in this opinion article are those of the author.

Racism still a serious problem in America

From 1619 to 2026, white racism has been one of America’s worst transgressions.

President Donald Trump should tell our nation how he worked out the issue of race in his life. How did he come to the conclusion the white race is inherently superior to the races of color?

Why do Trump and his Republican Party want America to be white again? A loving Creator God (Jesus) would neither create one particular race superior nor inferior to the other races.

President Trump should be a president for all our people, not just wealthy white people. His words and actions (policies) show Trump’s anti-Afro-American mindset.

He puts down the many outstanding contributions Blacks made over the years in building a better America. He sees no value in teaching Black history in our schools.

If we are going to be a great nation, we the people, must never elect a racist president again.

Paul L. Whiteley Sr.
Louisville, Ky.

Many people today think church is about loud music, the lights, or the atmosphere. Some churches use strobe lights, fog machines, big productions, and even drones to draw people in. But the church was never meant to be a show. It is not entertainment. It is not a performance.

Church is a place where people learn to follow Jesus. It is a place where we grow into more of Christ’s likeness. It is a place for discipleship.

And discipleship—learning, growing, and being shaped by God—is needed for every person, at every age, in every season of life once they have accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior.

Discipleship is a long journey (Colossians 1:3-6)

According to Barna Group: “The most preferred term [for discipleship is] ‘becoming more Christ-like.’”

“A disciple is one who responds in faith and obedience to the gracious call to follow Jesus Christ. Being a disciple is a lifelong process of dying to self while allowing Jesus to come alive in us,” the Barna report adds.

These definitions beautifully support the heart of discipleship. It is not optional, seasonal, or limited to certain personalities or ages. It is every Christian’s lifelong journey of becoming more like Jesus.

Discipleship is for every age and stage (Hebrews 5:14)

Discipleship is not just for pastors or teachers. It is not only for new believers or for people who seem “super spiritual.” Discipleship is for all of us. We all need training, transformation, and a life that honors Jesus in everyday living.

Children need simple truths, stories, and conversations that help them understand who God is.

Teenagers need guidance, honesty, and safe adults who will walk with them through questions and pressures.

Adults need teaching that challenges them, encourages them, and helps them apply God’s word to everyday life.

Older believers need continued growth and opportunities to share their wisdom and faithfulness.

We may experience discipleship in unusual ways and at various levels, but we all need it. No one ever “arrives.” As long as we are alive, God is still shaping us.

Discipleship begins with a willing heart (Matthew 16:24)

Jesus said, “Anyone who wants to serve me must follow me” (John 12:26).

Following Jesus is not a one-time decision. It is a daily choice. It is daily choosing to listen, to learn, and to obey.

For some people, this desire begins early. Children often have soft, open hearts. They ask questions. They believe easily. They are eager to learn.

Teenagers face pressures, temptations, and big emotions. They need honest and relational discipleship rooted in truth.

Adults often get busy. Responsibilities grow. Faith can become routine if we are not careful. Discipleship helps us stay grounded and spiritually awake.

Older believers still have room to grow. They also have much to give. Their stories and steady faith can strengthen the entire church.

Discipleship is not a program, but a lifestyle (Ephesians 5:15-16)

Many churches focus on programs, events, and activities. These things can be helpful, but they are not the heart of discipleship. True discipleship is not a class you take once. It is not a workbook you finish. It is not a six-week program.

Discipleship is a lifestyle. It is a way of living that keeps Jesus at the center. It touches every part of our spiritual life and helps us grow in many different areas.

Depending on our age, season, or spiritual maturity, discipleship may include learning about: God the Father’s character, love, holiness, and plan; Jesus Christ’s life, teachings, sacrifice, resurrection, and example; and the Holy Spirit’s guidance, comfort, conviction, and power.

We also learn about: prayer, talking with God honestly and regularly; Bible study, understanding Scripture and applying it to daily life; obedience, learning to trust and follow God; stewardship, or using our time, talents, and resources for God’s glory; witnessing, sharing our faith with gentleness and courage; and abundant life, or discovering the joy, peace, and purpose Jesus offers.

Discipleship is not narrow or rigid. It is rich and full of opportunities to gain experience.

A child may learn through stories and simple truths.

A teenager may learn through questions and honest conversations.

Adults may learn through Bible study, mentoring, or serving.

Older believers may learn through reflection, wisdom, and continued obedience.

God meets each of us where we are and teaches us in ways that fit our season of life.

Some of the most powerful discipleship moments happen quietly, over coffee, in a living room, during a walk, or in a simple conversation after church.

Discipleship grows in relationships, not in performances.

The church’s role in discipleship (Psalm 92:13)

The church has a responsibility to help people grow. But this does not mean the church must entertain people or keep up with trends. The church’s calling is much deeper.

A healthy church teaches God’s word clearly, creates space for questions and growth, encourages believers to use their gifts, provides opportunities to serve, and values spiritual maturity over performance.

A church focused on discipleship may not have concert-style music or excessive technology, though these may have their proper place. But a discipleship-focused church will have something far more powerful—the presence of God and the steady work of the Holy Spirit.

People grow in churches where truth abides, where love resides, and spiritual maturity is valued.

Aaron Earls with Lifeway Research believes church leaders should take a careful look into the state of discipleship in their congregation and make discipleship a priority.

God works with our personality (Psalm 139:13-14)

One of the beautiful things about discipleship is God does not erase our personality. He does not make us all the same. Instead, he works with who we are as we refine our character.

He takes our strengths, gifts, and even weaknesses and shapes them for his glory. He smooths the rough edges. He deepens our love, patience, humility, and faith. He uses our story to help others.

Discipleship is not about becoming perfect. It is about becoming more like Jesus, step by step, day by day.

A final invitation

Church is not about strobe lights, fog machines, big productions, or even drones. It is about Jesus. It is about learning to follow him and becoming more like him.

Discipleship is the path that helps us get there. Every believer, young or old, has a place on this journey. And every believer has something to offer along the way.

Let’s keep learning, training, growing, and living a Christ-centered life.

Patti Greene is a graduate of Baylor University and Dallas Baptist University, a member of a Texas Baptist church in Houston, and the author of several books. The views expressed in this opinion article are those of the author.

Are you prepared for protesters to come to your church? Am I? I don’t want it to happen, but “want” is a different question.

There are different ways to be prepared and one that matters most. Amid the tension of our time and the prevalence of protest, we would do well to prepare in various ways for protesters to come to church. And we should do it before they arrive.

But whatever we do, we should prepare to communicate the gospel through both our words and actions. The gospel is the good news we are all looking for. It’s the good news we need.

Opinions about Sunday

Anti-ICE protesters interrupted a Sunday morning worship service in Minneapolis, Minn., Jan. 18. I doubt this is news to you. Social and traditional media have been flooded with the story, its repercussions, and people’s opinions.

You’ve probably already formed your opinion about the situation and those involved. You may have formed your opinion weeks before Jan. 18. Whether you support ICE or the protesters, or some mixture of the two, I’m not likely to change your opinion here, nor will I try.

I also am not making any judgement about Cities Church, the worshippers, the protesters, or the protest itself. Nor am I seeking to excuse or justify any of them, nor assess the truth of anything they said.

Rather, my aim is to challenge us to keep one thing primary—communicating the gospel through our words andactions should we find or put ourselves amid protest.

The gospel above opinions

Before going further, I know I am expected to say something about the rightness or wrongness of what happened inside Cities Church Sunday morning. Those who know me know I don’t have a simple one-or-the-other response to this.

To get into the weeds of who or what was right or wrong is to be distracted from the most important thing Christians need to focus on in a situation like this.

The most important thing Christians need to do amid protest is communicate the good news about Jesus through our words and actions.

From a purely legal standpoint, three great freedoms collided inside the sanctuary of Cities Church on Jan. 18. The First Amendment guarantees (1) the free exercise of religion, (2) the freedom of speech, and (3) the freedom to peaceably assemble. From a legal standpoint, this is a fascinating case, and the law is already responding.

But Sunday’s incident wasn’t a purely legal event. It was a moral and religious event with moral and religious implications. Again, I won’t get into the weeds of those implications. My focus here is on our need to be ready to communicate the gospel through our words and actions in whatever situation arises.

Prepare by practicing the gospel

As wonderful as the gospel is, it is an uncomfortable thing. The gospel is both the comfort of salvation in Jesus Christ and the discomfort of turning the other cheek. It is both the comfort of grace and the discomfort of denying ourselves. These are just two among many uncomfortable truths of the gospel.

The uncomfortable parts of the gospel don’t come easy to us. They require practice. Yes, the Holy Spirit lives in us and empowers us to speak and live out the gospel. And we still have to train the vocabulary and behavior of the gospel into ourselves.

What comes easy is clenching our jaw, pointing our finger, judging each other. It’s easier to belittle and berate one another, to question the other person’s commitment to the gospel. We don’t have to practice that. We do have to practice Christlikeness.

To prepare for protest, we must engage in the Christian life. The Christian life isn’t just gathering to sing hymns and spiritual songs, read Scripture, and hear a sermon. It is also engaging in active spiritual formation—discipleship—together, helping each other become more and more Christlike.

To learn the gospel, we need to study the Gospels. We need to study Jesus’ teachings and commands, meditate on them, and practice them. We need to study and practice how he interacted with all the different people he encountered. Some were protesters. Some were protested. Jesus offered good news to them all. He still does. It’s our duty to communicate it.

Practical considerations

The gospel’s primacy does not mean there’s nothing else churches need to do. There are practical ways churches should prepare themselves for protest. These ways should be consistent with the gospel.

Churches need to figure out how they will respond to protests on, around, or inside their facilities before those protests ever happen.

Protests can easily escalate. What begins as a peaceful, though disruptive, protest can take a violent turn quickly and without warning. For this reason and others, churches need a safety and security plan, and they need to develop it and practice it before it’s needed.

Some things have changed since 2018 when we published guidance for church safety and security teams. One thing hasn’t. Churches need to make sure their safety and security measures are on the right side of the law before those measures are implemented.

Should a situation arise calling for the deployment of these measures, churches also need to be prepared to respond to questions about how their measures square with the church’s proclamation of the gospel. Don’t wait until something happens to try to figure that out.

Likewise, churches should assume something will happen at some point involving their ministry or facilities that will draw media attention. Churches need to prepare for that also before it happens.

All the while, churches need to engage their participants in actively becoming more and more like Christ.

For all situations, the most important thing churches need to do is be ready to communicate the gospel of Jesus Christ through our words and our actions. To be ready, we need to practice now.

Eric Black is the executive director, publisher and editor of the Baptist Standard. He can be reached at eric.black@baptiststandard.com. The views expressed in this opinion article are those of the author.