We all have heard news reports or stories of people diagnosed with post-traumatic stress, or what is commonly known as PTSD. In this condition, people experience their body being taken over by the good protection system God put in our bodies and brains. Their fight/flight/freeze system that prepares the body to deal with threats to life is stuck in overdrive.

Several years ago, during chaplaincy training, I participated in a weekly group meeting with inpatients on the psychiatric floor. One day, a patient came into the room and sat next to me. She was shaking visibly and couldn’t stop. Her fear and anxiety were palpable. It made me hurt for her and wonder if she would find relief and peace.

On another occasion, when I earned my living as a pilot, one of my colleagues lost his footing on the plane’s stairs and fell. Fortunately, he wasn’t injured physically, but shortly after, he began experiencing a racing heart rate, sweat and fear of a heart attack. He felt like he couldn’t breathe. He experienced a panic attack. He was under a lot of stress at the time.

As I dealt with depression over a long period of time, I also experienced frequent tension, even a continual undercurrent of tension. Fear—specific and unspecific—plagued my thinking, behavior and life. I often felt anxiety around people—and still do, especially if asked to get in front of a large group. Speaking and singing in front of a large group might send me to the restroom but always filled me with apprehension.

When is anxiety more than a nuisance?

Anxiety is experienced along a spectrum from everyday tension and worry to an all-encompassing and debilitating anxiety that requires hospitalization.

Everybody experiences worry, fear and tension, but what makes such anxiety a mental illness? When worry, fear, tension and anxiety last for days, weeks or even months and feel debilitating, intrusive or isolating, when it affects sleep, causes a person to feel like they’re going crazy or is excessive and non-stop worry and fear, then anxiety may be a mental illness.

Am I anxious because I don’t have enough faith?

When anxiety is making a mess of daily living, work and relationships and there is no sense of peace, is this a sign of “not enough faith” or sin in one’s life? Maybe, and maybe not.

I’m not an expert in theology or psychiatric issues. I am someone who has lived with depression and anxiety, who loves the Lord and has wanted to be someone who isn’t “anxious about anything” and who “casts every care upon the Lord.” I have learned and am learning.

Sometimes I haven’t exercised the faith God has given me, and an unconfessed sin may lead to feelings of depression and anxiety. But if I have kept the confession list short and acknowledged, “I believe, Lord; help my unbelief,” then a simplistic “turn it over to the Lord and stop worrying” doesn’t help or solve the problem. At that point, anxiety isn’t from a lack of faith.

What may be happening in all forms of anxiety is a “malfunction” of how God designed our bodies to work. Sometimes, the fight/flight/freeze response meant to prepare us for action and equip us with the energy to respond instead turns into a chronic and near-continuous preparedness for action that forces our body into working against itself. What God meant for good becomes harmful.

Five forms of anxiety and ways of addressing them

There are five specific “malfunctions” of the fight/flight/freeze system: generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), panic attacks, phobias and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

Confirmation of what may be happening requires the help of a family doctor, psychologist, psychiatrist or counselor. Medication(s) may be needed to manage the symptoms. Additional therapies may be needed, as well as good support from family and/or support groups.

Particularly important is continuing to grow in one’s spiritual life, which is needed for a return to health and a rich, purposeful life.

Paul instructs us to “renew our minds” and to “have the mind of Christ” through the Holy Spirit. One of the basic problems with any of the disorders listed above is what many call “stinking thinking.” Recognizing the negative thinking patterns and false beliefs we hold is vital. Then, we need to replace them with positive, scripturally-sound patterns and true beliefs.

A handful of suggestions for addressing anxiety

• Recognize that just because you may have had a life-threatening event or condition doesn’t mean you have a mental illness. It also doesn’t mean you don’t. If anxiety really is messing up your life, check it out.

• Don’t hide it or minimize it. Don’t isolate yourself or be tough. Seek out trusted help. A pastor, confidant, doctor or mental health counselor are good starting points. Follow through.

• If you know someone who is struggling, be there for him or her. Don’t have an agenda. Listen, reflect back what you hear, care about them, and when the person opens up, gently suggest he or she pursue seeing a doctor or counselor. Be “quick to listen, slow to speak.”

• There are many good resources, such as Overcoming Anxiety, Worry, and Fear by Gregory L. Jantz and Ann McMurray.

I am not an expert, but I am one who is living through some of these issues and seeks to encourage others. If you have questions or thoughts, feel free to contact me at johnphereford@gmail.com.

John Hereford is pastoral ministry associate at The Woodlands First Baptist Church in The Woodlands, Texas. The Woodlands First provides several mental health resources. If you are in a dark time and need immediate help, call 911 or the national suicide hotline at 1-800-273-8255.

RE: Editorial: What does a prophet look like?

I feel compelled to reply to your editorial. I first saw the article about Greta Thunberg on the Fox News webpage. First, the “requirement” of a true prophet of God is they are followers of God. Nowhere in the editorial or Fox does she confess being a Christian.

The Bible makes it plain how to tell a true prophet. She hasn’t met that as of yet. Jean Dixon was hailed as a great prophet, but she wasn’t 100 percent.

Lastly, what Jesus, John the Baptist, Amos and Isaiah had in common is their prophecies made sense. Personally, I believe Thunberg—a child—is being “used” by the left to make their case.

F.A. Taylor
Copperas Cove, Texas

What a confusing piece of writing. Do you believe that a prophet should be biblically, scripturally aligned? Are you considering Greta Thunberg as a believer and prophet from God or a young autistic girl who has been indoctrinated with scare tactics about our planet and environment?

I hope your point was just lost in your caring for the way she became a sound bite. I, too, am sensitive to the way she has been shoved into the media hurricane that used to be good journalism but now has become trash. I pray she will not be destroyed by this.

Helen Wallace
Longview, Texas

I found your editorial on Greta Thunberg interesting. There is one concept I think you did not address that is critical. The reason I accept Hosea, Isaiah or John the Baptist as prophets is because the Bible tells me they are prophets. Others in history that were called prophets, the oracle at Delphi for one, I never would consider actually to be a prophet.

It is the authority of God’s word that determines who is a prophet.

After looking into Greta, her parents and the general situation, I think Greta is much more a puppet than a prophet, but that deserves pity rather than persecution. The harsh words said about her need to be directed at her parents and others who appear to be using her for personal and political reasons.

Randy Bradley
Mullin First Baptist Church
Mullin, Texas

To answer the concern that Eric Black or the Baptist Standard are advocating that Greta Thunberg should be considered on par with Isaiah, Amos, John the Baptist, or Jesus, we are not.

On the way to a meeting this morning, I heard the news. Greta Thunberg is Time Magazine’s Person of the Year for 2019.

Many consider her a modern-day prophet, but others just can’t see her that way.

I’ve seen the memes and the satire. A large number of people think Thunberg is crazy. Some think she is whiny. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro thinks she’s a “brat.” Maybe she is. I don’t really know since I haven’t hung out with her.

Some who despise the Swedish way of doing things wonder if anything good can come from Sweden. Others wonder why anyone would take a 16-year-old seriously.

From where I sit, the reactions to Greta Thunberg are revealing. I look at the situation from the perspective of someone who reads the Bible, has taught it and preached it, and who believes the Bible is true. The Bible portrays some unbelievable characters we know as prophets but who we wouldn’t believe if we could see them now.

Some crazy people we take seriously

Right off the bat, I think of Jesus. Jesus came from Nazareth, from where nothing good comes. When Jesus was 12 years old, he had the nerve to “school” those at the temple who had far more schooling than he had. And they were thoroughly impressed.

Jesus was far more than a prophet, and Thunberg is far less than Jesus—as we all are. Even so, I see the reactions of some Christians to Thunberg and marvel that any of us believe the stories about Jesus.

Then there’s John the Baptist. We hold up that John as a biblical hero for calling the religious leaders “vipers” and fulfilling prophecy by preparing the way for Jesus. However, if he stood in front of us today, we would call him nuts. We might even shred him with memes and satire.

John set himself apart from the establishment in his dress, speech and residence. He called out their sins and called them to account. To those who followed him, he was like Elijah. To those he chastised, he was a crazy man. A crazy man who baptized Jesus, who pointed his followers to follow Jesus instead, who ended up imprisoned and decapitated for his stance on sexual affairs.

John the Baptist wasn’t a Swedish teenager, and Thunberg isn’t calling out the religious establishment for their sins … or is she?

God told Isaiah to strip and go naked, which Isaiah did for three years. Imagine taking him seriously in that condition. Yet, Jesus frequently quoted Isaiah, as do we. It’s Isaiah who wrote of the one who would be “despised and rejected,” the one whose wounds would heal us. We take Isaiah very seriously, maybe because we don’t picture him naked.

Amos was a shepherd God sent to afflict the comfortable, the “cows of Bashan” he called them. A shepherd calling the elites “cows.” That’s funny. Not nice, but funny. But only because he wasn’t talking to us … or was he?

Serious people we think are crazy

If we step back and look at ourselves looking at the Greta Thunbergs of the world, we may see something ironic. We may see we have an exceedingly difficult time taking a prophetic person seriously. The irony is we are able to take prophetic people in the Bible seriously. Or are we?

This should give us pause.

When confronted with unpleasant information, when accused of wrongdoing, we feel compelled to decide quickly between legitimate counsel and hogwash.

In our current climate, if the messenger looks like us, votes like us and holds a respectable position (like us), we are more apt to take that person seriously. But if the messenger doesn’t look or sound like us, doesn’t vote like us, comes from somewhere we despise and speaks from a low position, it’s just too much to believe; it’s hogwash.

We shouldn’t necessarily take Greta Thunberg and others like her at face value. We do have to be discerning. However, while we can’t believe every supposed prophet, we do need to be careful how we respond to them.

If we are willing to take the likes of Amos, Isaiah, John the Baptist and Jesus seriously, then we should be able to give some consideration—prayerfully, thoughtfully and compassionately—to the person whose face we see now.

On the flip side, if we ridicule, mock and deride those like Thunberg as coming across like whiny brats, we need to re-examine the way we engage and understand Scripture. We may not believe the Bible after all.

If we reject every prophetic voice of our time whose message conflicts with our accepted truth, we will dull our senses to all truth. The Bible helps us learn to discern.

Should Greta Thunberg be the Time Magazine Person of the Year for 2019? Does she warrant such accolades? I don’t know enough to make that determination.

Is Greta Thunberg a prophet? I’m not ready to say she is.

What I can say is we’ve been given enough grace to be gracious to her and others like her. We can listen. We can appreciate their concerns. And most importantly, we can look for God’s voice and guidance in whomever God decides to send to us.

Eric Black is the executive director, publisher and editor of the Baptist Standard. He can be reached at eric.black@baptiststandard.com or on Twitter at @EricBlackBSP. The views expressed are those solely of the author.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:1-4).

The surprising Gospel

One of the interesting things about teaching New Testament Survey year in and year out is some things always surprise students. When we read the Gospel of John, for example, it’s always a surprise to them when John doesn’t have a Christmas story. No manger, no angels, no wintery eve in Bethlehem with shepherds and Charlie Brown Christmas tree. Just a crystal-clear pulling-back-the curtains kind of beginning that frames the whole arc of Christmas in the biggest possible setting imaginable.

John 1 intentionally mirrors Genesis 1—in which there is nothing, and then there is everything—with one major exception: The God who has brought everything into being is not brought into being, but always is. The God who has loved all things into existence was not brought into existence, but always was.

And so, at Christmas then, the God who has created all things becomes one with that creation. The One through whom all things were made is joined to it. The One who creates light becomes that light in the darkness.

The surprising God

This is the Christmas story, this is the gospel. This is the drama behind the drama, which peers through every nook of the nativity and illuminates the politics, hardship and terror of the Christmas story, for the light in the darkness gets no free pass from the darkness.

The child Jesus now is helpless in the manger, without language, without mobility, without sleep regulation or warmth or food. Taken by his hands to where he does not wish to go, he will be led into Egypt, defenseless against the Herods and the elements alike.

St. Athanasius, a fourth-century church father, describes the baby in this way: “While he moved in the body, the universe was not left void of his activity and providence. But what is most marvelous, being the Word, he was not contained by anyone, but rather himself contained everything … Being in the human body, and himself giving it life, he properly gives life to the universe also.”

What Athanasius means is this is truly the shape of God, the One who sustains all things, not in spite of being human, but in and through this way. The Word, dwelling among us, was, in taking on flesh, redeeming creation from the inside out.

As Gregory of Nazianzus, a later contemporary of Athanasius, put it, Jesus “bears the title ‘Son of Man,’ not just with a view to being accessible through his body to corporeal things … but with the aim of hallowing humanity through himself, by becoming a sort of yeast for the whole lump.”

The surprise of Christmas

The Christmas story—the drama of Mary, Joseph and Jesus—is playing out of what always has been the case. The light of the world sustains us, not by being over against us, but by being among us, with us, for us, suffering us.

What is so important that Gregory and Athanasius point out is this: This weak child is the one who is holding all creation together. This helpless child is God for us, the only God there is. To wish for a stronger God, one who would save us without also suffering us, is to wish for a salvation that is not patient with the stuff of being human.

This is the Christmas story and the gospel, that the light comes among us and in doing so overcomes the darkness.

And so, as the baby Jesus moves out into the world and continues to take up space and disciples, we are seeing an expanding of the light, radiating out through those disciples, such that the truth of John 1, “that the darkness has not overcome it” becomes a promise Jesus shares with all those who are his disciples.

The call to do likewise

Jesus’ disciples are called to follow in Jesus’ way. They too will share, not only in the hallowing of creation, but also in being abandoned by it; they too will share, not only in Christ’s glory, but also in his suffering. This call is extended to us, as well.

This is the Christmas story and the gospel, that the light of the world shines from within the world, suffering the darkness of the world in order to drive it out, to make holy that which always was destined to share in that holiness which is God. For this is God.

And so, in this Advent season, let us come and take up the cries of the baby. Let us hear his hunger, and let us take him up into our lives like a newborn, frail and irreplaceable. Let us be made alive by the One who is the light in the darkness, and let us be made new in clinging to this child.

For in letting in this weak, defenseless child, we are embracing God and with him who we are meant to be.

Let us, in the words of Gregory, “treat all as God does, so that you may ascend from below to become like God, because he came down from above for us.”

Myles Werntz is assistant professor of Christian ethics and practical theology and the T.B. Maston Chair of Christian Ethics at Hardin-Simmons University’s Logsdon Seminary in Abilene. Email him at Myles.Werntz@hsutx.edu. Views expressed are those solely of the author.

“And Jesus saw a great multitude, and he felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things” (Mark 6:34).

“The Pharisees answered them: ‘You have not also been led astray, have you? No one of the rulers or Pharisees has believed in him, has he? But this multitude which does not know the Law is accursed'” (John 7:47-49).

In both of the passages above, ‘the crowd’ gets in the way of someone’s plan.

Two interactions with ‘them’

In Mark 6, Jesus had just reunited with his disciples after sending them out to teach, heal and cast out demons. When they returned, Mark reported so many other people were coming and going that they did not have time to eat (Mark 6:3-32).

Jesus and disciples boarded a boat, seeking a place of privacy and rest. Instead, the crowd ran to the landing place, gathering more people as they went, and already were there when Jesus and the disciples disembarked. They were ready to hear Jesus teach, and none of them thought to bring any dinner.

In John 7, the Pharisees and the chief priests set aside their theological differences to accomplish a very practical result—arrest Jesus. Jesus was speaking about being sent by God, many in the crowd believed and wondered aloud whether he was the Messiah, though some doubted his origins.

The Pharisees and chief priests sent the temple police to arrest Jesus. Instead, the officers came back impressed by the things Jesus said and the way he said them. The Pharisees scoffed and insulted the officers by comparing them to the crowd.

How ‘they’ get in the way

In Jesus’ case, the crowd got in the way of rest. Anyone in a position of ministry, service, teaching or healing knows this feeling well. There always is more to do, and no one knows when the next break is going to come.

In the case of the Pharisees and chief priests, the crowd was a threat. If they followed a (presumably) false Messiah, everything would come crashing down, as this same group said in John 11:48: “If we let him go on like this, all men will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”

The crowd was a threat because they were gullible, they didn’t know the Law, and they were under the curse, besides. Their opinion on Jesus counted for nothing, because they were ignorant and going to hell.

Two responses to ‘them’

Here’s a curveball for you: The Pharisees probably were right technically. The crowd likely did not know the Law, but even if they did, they certainly were under its curse. For the Pharisees, this meant the crowd’s voice should be ignored. Important decisions such as ‘what shall we do with the one called Jesus?’ were better left to the experts.

Yet, Jesus saw the crowd in a different way, “like sheep without a shepherd.” “Lost,” we might say. Jesus, much more than the Pharisees, had the right to declare the crowd ignorant and hell-bound. If he wished to curse them, he could have done it by right and authority. Instead, “he felt compassion for them.”

Compassion is the major difference between Jesus and the Pharisees and chief priests. The next thing that happened was the miraculous feeding of the five thousand (and more), a miracle of provision and abundance sparked by a heart of compassion.

‘Us’ and ‘them’

Which brings us to “us.” How do we feel about “them?” “Them” is the crowd in your way. “They” are standing between you and a well-earned rest. “They” are ignorant of God’s law. “Their” political views are threatening to bring everything crashing down. “They” should shut up and just let you or whoever you think is an expert be in charge.

If this is the way we feel about “them,” then we can start tithing from our spice rack, blowing a trumpet when we give our offering, and praying, “Thank you, God, that I am not like other people.”

As we enter 2020, we enter another election year. In our homes and our churched, at work and on social media, we will have multiple opportunities to say how we feel about “them.”

What will our family, our coworkers, our congregation, our Facebook friends hear from us? Will they hear, “This ignorant crowd is accursed!” or some version of it?

Or will they hear another voice, a voice of compassion that gives thanks to God before breaking bread and sitting down to feast, a voice in which the crowd discovers that where Jesus is, there is more than enough to go around?

Patrick Adair is pastor of The Crossings Baptist Church in Mesquite, Texas.

It’s that time of year again, and all across Texas, the greeting of “Merry Christmas” rings out in all shapes and forms. Whether it’s a hearty “Feliz Navidad” or a transliterated “Shèngdàn jié kuàilè” in Chinese or even an “Eid milad saeid” from the local Arabic Christian congregation, Christmas, like the Christ child it celebrates, has the power to unite us all.

That’s a tall order in these troubling times.

In fiscal year 2019, 2,457 victims of war and persecution made a new home in Texas, according to the U.S. Department of State. Hundreds of thousands more attempted to immigrate through our southern border. Political passions on both sides of the issue have reached the boiling point in local churches.

From the earliest days of Christianity, when Cornelius the centurion chose to follow the same Christ as Simon the Zealot, a wide spectrum of political opinions colored the fabric of the church. Whether it’s Roman rule or a border wall, conflict in Christendom over the temporal issues of the times really is nothing new. However, the challenge for the follower of Christ is to look deeper, to see our world and its issues through the lens of faith and eternity, and to respond with the heart and wisdom of Jesus. In this way, we may not solve all the political problems, but we can find unity in how to minister in the midst of the fray.

Making disciples in times like ours

Christ gave us commands to love (John 13:34-35) and to make disciples (Matthew 28:19), yet we misunderstand both.

Love is not “enabling,” and making disciples has nothing to do with rounding up “converts.” Love is caring and coming alongside others while equipping and encouraging them to be everything they were created to be. In like manner, discipleship is compassionate teaching and training that helps someone awaken to who God is and grow in relationship with him through Christ.

In this critical time in history, churches have a unique opportunity to fulfill both commands, and many congregations have caught the vision.

Southcliff Baptist Church in Fort Worth has been serving the community through English-as-Second-Language and literacy classes since 2002. The church helps students like an immigrant from Iraq who is studying to get his GED because he wants to serve in the U.S. Army as one of his family members already does. Kia, an immigrant from Albania, has grown in her English skills and become a citizen. She also has come to faith in Christ.

Other churches like Harwood Terrace in Bedford and Central Bible in Fort Worth have followed suit, ministering to people from around the globe.

“Go into all the world” is no longer the domain of foreign missionaries. World politics have propelled right to our backdoor people from nations that historically have been “closed” to the gospel. How will we respond?

As we wish each other “Merry Christmas” or hear jolly “Feliz Navidad” this season, let’s look past the politics of the moment and heed these basic commands, remembering that he who we celebrate in a manager also became a refugee in Egypt before he died to save the world.

Harry Wilson has served as the executive director of HOPE Literacy for 20 years, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping local churches and community groups establish high-quality ESL and literacy programs that minister holistically, sharing the love of Christ.

Ron Lyles has been senior pastor of South Main Baptist Church in Pasadena, Texas, since August 1981. From deep in the heart of one Texan, he shares his background and thoughts on church and ministry. To suggest a Baptist General Convention of Texas-affiliated minister to be featured in this column, or to apply to be featured yourself, click here.

Background

South Main Baptist Church began in May 1954. I am the second pastor of this wonderful congregation, following Dr. B.J. Martin, who served here for 26 years. After an eight-month interim, I succeeded him.

Where else have you served in ministry, and what were your positions there?

I was the pastor of Brookston Baptist Church from 1971 to 1974, First Baptist Church in Rio Vista from 1974 to 1977, and First Baptist Church in Grandview from 1977 to 1981.

I also have served as an adjunct professor of Old Testament for Southwestern Seminary, Houston Baptist University, Ogbomoso Baptist Theological Seminary (in Nigeria), Logsdon Seminary, B.H. Carroll Theological Institute, Stark College and Seminary and Truett Seminary.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Texas—mostly in East and North Central Texas—and graduated from Decatur High School. My dad was the pastor of churches in Cookville, Naples, Paradise, Tyler and Decatur.

How did you come to faith in Christ?

I grew up in a Christian home. My father experienced a call to ministry at First Baptist Church in Snyder when he was 27. Due to the combination of church and home, I trusted Jesus when I was 6 years old, making my decision public during a revival service at the church where my dad was the pastor. He baptized me after that.

Where were you educated, and what degrees did you receive?

• Dallas Baptist University, Bachelor of Arts in Religion, 1972
• Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Master of Divinity, 1974, and Ph.D., 1980

About ministry life

Why do you feel called into ministry?

I experienced a call from God to ministry during a Royal Ambassador camp at Pineywoods Camp. I shared my decision with my parents, and my dad advised me. I preached my first sermon at 12 years of age at the Temple Baptist Church in Tyler, where Dad was pastor, on Sunday evening, Jan. 27, 1963.

What is your favorite aspect of ministry? Why?

Although I sought the degree that qualified me to teach theological education, I enjoy immensely the privilege of engaging persons of all ages in the local church setting. I love preschoolers, preteens, students, young adults, median adults and senior adults.

What one aspect of ministry gives you the greatest joy?

The proclamation aspect of ministry, in which I interpret a biblical text and seek to deliver its truth creatively for hearers to see the relevance and application to their lives.

What one aspect of ministry would you like to change?

I would like to change the concept some Jesus-followers have that vocational ministers are to perform the ministry of the congregation instead of facilitating and motivating the congregation to do the ministry as a shared commitment.

How has your ministry or your perspective on ministry changed?

I have become more and more convinced that nothing takes the place of personal presence. The presence of the minister in times of crisis is so critical. The balance between preparing to speak for God to the people and embodying the presence of God with the people is crucial to maintain.

How do you expect ministry to change in the next 10 to 20 years?

The adaptation of ministers to the rapidly changing technology and social media landscape and how to adapt the vehicle of proclaiming the good news while maintaining the constancy of the gospel’s truth.

If you could launch any new ministry—individually, through your congregation or through another organization—what would it be? Why?

Individually, a stronger role in advocacy with regard to gender equality in ministry and with regard to lending practices and other social and economic justice matters.

Name the three most significant challenges and/or influences facing your ministry.

• Competing for time with incredibly busy schedules of young families.
• Supervising without micromanaging other ministry leadership team members.
• Knowing when and how to end active ministry gracefully and continue to serve.

What do you wish more laypeople knew about ministry or, specifically, your ministry?

The amount of time required to exegete the Scriptures and to exegete the culture in order to apply the resources of the former to the issues of the latter.

About Baptists

What are the key issues facing Baptists—denominationally and/or congregationally?

The key issue for both is how to represent Christ to our culture in a unified way though we are so divided by hyper-political agendas from the right and the left. How to be the body of Christ rather than a political action committee for either political party.

About Ron

Who were/are your mentors, and how did/do they influence you?

My father, who guided me as a parent and mentor, and Dr. B.J. Martin, my predecessor at South Main, who became my good friend and supporter and provided the best example of collegiality in ministry.

What did you learn on the job you wish you learned in seminary?

Administrative responsibilities in working with a multi-staff congregation.

What is the impact of ministry on your family?

Very positive. Brenda, my wife, is the consummate partner in ministry and loved by South Mainers. All four of our children and their families are involved actively in leadership positions in Baptist churches, two of them here at South Main. One of them, Dr. Tim Lyles, serves as the minister of music and administration at the Southland Baptist Church in San Angelo.

Other than the Bible, name some of your favorite books or authors, and explain why.

• John Grisham, for his exhilarating mystery stories.
• Thomas Cahill, for his interpretation of the contributions of various ethnic groups, especially The Gifts of the Jews and Sailing the Wine-Dark Sea: Why the Greeks Matter.
• Jon Meacham, for his insightful works in American history, especially The Soul of America.

What is your favorite Bible verse or passage? Why?

Psalm 34:3, the verse that my wife and I have as our life and ministry verse. “Come, glorify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.”

Who is your favorite Bible character, other than Jesus? Why?

Samuel because he responded to the call as a boy. The account of his call by God at night in 1 Samuel 3 was the text for my first sermon in 1963. My dad was my Eli who facilitated my call.

Name something about you that would surprise people who know you.

I am confident publicly but fairly insecure at my core.

If you could get one “do over” in ministry, what would it be, and why?

Supervise fewer persons. Delegate authority and responsibility more to fellow ministers.

A once-beloved comedian told about making a cake for his child. He was agitated and grabbed a carton of eggs out of the refrigerator with a bit too much aggression. Coming to his senses, he addressed the audience, saying, “You have to be careful with eggs.”

The same is true of metaphors. You have to be careful with metaphors.

I used a metaphor a couple of weeks ago that had unintended consequences, and I am sorry for what I communicated unintentionally.

The metaphor that went wrong

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about the quietness of the BGCT annual meeting. I referred to a garden and pulling weeds. I intended one thing, but some of my readers understood another thing, one of whom wrote a letter to the editor, which I published along with my response.

The letter writer didn’t put me up to an additional response. The reason I’m coming back to this discussion is because I’ve editorialized about the importance of word choice. The words we use matter. The letter writer helped me take another look at my own words.

A metaphor is built on relationships

A metaphor relies on context. Adding to that challenge, contexts differ, taking the received meaning of metaphors along for the ride.

Some of my readers took “pulling weeds” as a direct reference to them. They have felt, with respect to denominational disputes, as though they were treated like unwanted weeds. Others have argued that point, not with garden metaphors, but by saying—right or wrong—those now out of the BGCT chose a path that ultimately led to their being out of fellowship.

Some of my readers may have taken “weeds” as an accurate description of people and churches who no longer are part of the BGCT. These readers may have appreciated the metaphor. They may have agreed, thinking it accurate.

Given the difference between these two groups of readers, my metaphor was not a helpful one, regardless how I intended it.

Responding to readers

To the second group of readers: I was not trying to reduce people and churches from their status as beloved by God to something more like a despised weed to be pulled and thrown away.

To the first group of readers, those who may have thought I called them weeds: I have friends and family among those no longer in the BGCT. It is a source of grief for them and for me. I should have been more careful in the words I chose. I meant you no harm, and I am sorry. I did not intend to reduce you to anything less than who you are—fearfully and wonderfully made in God’s image.

The same goes for both groups of readers. You both are beloved by God.

Be careful. Metaphors are loaded

When we find ourselves holding diametrically opposed views from one another, we tend to draw up sides and reject the opposition. To take the sting out of rejecting people we historically considered part of us, we resort to dehumanization—subtle or blatant.

It’s easier for us to attack, cut off or hurt those we see as less human than ourselves. Sin has so affected us that we don’t seem to mind dehumanizing one another, and once done, we don’t seem to mind hurting one another.

Here’s a test: For Republicans, what do you think about Democrats, or vice versa? For those opposed to same-sex marriage, what do you feel about those who accept it, or vice versa?

And do our thoughts and feelings about one another make our positions any more correct or Christlike?

We will know by our descriptions of one another.

We must guard against dehumanizing others, which is accomplished with dehumanizing words and, yes, metaphors. We must maintain one another’s humanity, even when—especially when—we disagree so strongly with one another.

What’s behind the weed metaphor

It may be too little consolation to know what undergirds my metaphor and much of my thought about the Christian life, but here goes.

Much of my thought about discipleship—a person’s relationship with Jesus and how that person follows Jesus—is informed by the 19th century Danish Christian, writer, philosopher and provocateur Søren Kierkegaard.

Kierkegaard took God, Jesus, the Bible and the church very seriously. Some think he took them too seriously; others think he didn’t take them seriously enough. It’s so easy to disagree, isn’t it?

I’ve spent years reading and studying Kierkegaard’s Christian writings, five of those years for my Ph.D. dissertation. To distill his thought about discipleship into a couple of sentences is difficult, but here goes.

Kierkegaard’s concern was that people submit themselves to Jesus no matter the cost and that each person relate to Jesus with his or her own faith, not with someone else’s faith. For a person to have such a direct relationship with Jesus, that person must allow Jesus to work on him or her inwardly, living in the tension of never being totally certain but always trusting.

Kierkegaard never thought he exemplified his ideas about the Christian life.

Pulling weeds as a metaphor for spiritual formation

I used to be a landscaper. I’ve pulled a lot of weeds, maybe as many as the sand on the shore. I don’t know; I lost count. While I was a pastor, I spent many afternoons meditating as I pulled weeds around our church building.

I tried to pull every weed up by the roots. I didn’t want to break the weed off at the ground because it would just grow back with even stronger roots. Dry clay worked against me, holding fast to the roots as I broke the weed loose. Every time that happened, I knew I would be dealing with that weed again.

If I thought of a specific person while pulling weeds, I asked for God’s help working through a situation with that person or for God to help that person in his or her situation. I didn’t seek for any person to be removed from the church, the community or from life. Mostly, I asked God to rid me of my own sin, to remove it completely from my life so I wouldn’t keep dealing with it.

To my readers, wherever you are in relation to the BGCT, Baptist life in Texas, Baptist life in general or otherwise, every single one of us has the weed of sin growing in us. That weed needs to be pulled out by the roots. We can’t afford to be impatient, imprecise or careless about it, leaving the root to grow stronger while, by all appearances, we look like a well-tended garden.

One weed we need pulled, one that seems to be gaining ground daily, is the weed of dehumanization. It’s sneaky. It’s prolific. It’s deadly. Pull it, roots and all.

Eric Black is the executive director, publisher and editor of the Baptist Standard. He can be reached at eric.black@baptiststandard.com or on Twitter at @EricBlackBSP. The views expressed are those solely of the author.

“If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”

Simon the Pharisee couldn’t resist.

A woman beyond forgiveness?

As Pharisees tended to, Simon thought he knew better, even better than Jesus Christ himself. When Simon saw the woman who “lived a sinful life” was down on the ground weeping at Jesus’ feet, wiping her tears away with her hair while Christ casually reclined at the table, Simon the Pharisee took it upon himself to make sure Jesus knew he needed to stay away from that woman. Simon the Pharisee thought this woman was too sinful, too dirty, too controversial to be anywhere near Christ.

But then, as Christ does with all sinners, he reversed the status of the woman: “Do you see this woman? … her many sins have been forgiven.”

Yet, even after this declaration of forgiveness, the other guests whispered among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” The guests gathered thought this woman was too sinful to be forgiven, so sinful that they began to question the authority of Jesus himself.

In spite of all the murmuring, in spite of what seems to be the guests blatantly ignoring the teaching Jesus just offered in their presence, Jesus went further still, turned to the woman directly and proclaimed, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

A man beyond forgiveness?

Kanye West and his Jesus is King album have revealed too many of us are still like Simon the Pharisee, despite all Christ has done personally for us. Too many of us grumble under our breaths about who this man is rather than shouting out in jubilation about what Christ can do.

Like Simon the Pharisee, we think we are being clever when we proudly say, “It’s just a publicity stunt.”

Like those gathered at the party, we see Kanye West say something we disagree with or think is too far afield and say to ourselves and each other: “See? I told you.”

What have you told us? Have you told us of the miraculous work of Jesus Christ? Of the saving grace only he can offer? Did you celebrate this repentance? Have you forgotten “there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent?” In this case, it is Kanye West who is the one sinner.

Who is beyond forgiveness?

Perhaps, for you, it is not Kanye West whose repentance and newfound faith you meet with cynicism rather than warmth. Maybe it’s your alcoholic uncle who has declared himself for Christ, yet you still struggle to shake his past behavior from your view of him.

For others, it could be a once-distant mother who only now wants to be in your life because Christ is in hers.

Is it the wild friend from college you’re only friends with now on Facebook, whose apparent newfound faith you consider with surprise and maybe a little suspicion?

Are you beyond forgiveness?

There are so many people with so many stories of Christ turning to them and speaking the words he spoke to this woman: “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

The next time you read about Kanye West or Justin Bieber, hear from your high school friend, read about an inmate on death row, or hear some story of some random sinner turning to Christ, remember: Not that long ago, that someone was you.

“Who is this who even forgives sins?”

Well, Simon, it’s Jesus Christ. And he’s forgiven me, just as he has forgiven Kanye West, who now joins us amongst the chorus of the repentant. Maybe one day soon, it will be the friend or family member sitting across from you at the table.

Praise be to God for this indescribable gift!

Smith Getterman is a graduate of Baylor University and Dallas Baptist University. His work has appeared in the Dallas Morning News, Austin American Statesman, Faithfully Magazine, and the Baptist Standard. You can find him on Twitter @getterman or by email at sgetterman@gmail.com. The views expressed are those solely of the author.

Christians sometimes have misinterpreted and misapplied certain texts from the Bible. This can be out of innocent ignorance, or it can be for more ignoble reasons.

For example, Christians often take Jeremiah 29:11 as a promise of individual prosperity and comfort, when in reality this passage is part of God’s promise to his covenant people as a whole while they prepare to enter 70 years of exile in Babylon.

Another passage I believe gets severely misinterpreted, especially by preachers, is Luke 21:1-4, the story of “the widow’s mite.”

Popular interpretations

“And he looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury. And he saw a poor widow putting in two small copper coins. And he said, ‘Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all of them; for they all out of their surplus put into the offering; but she out of her poverty put in all that she had to live on’” (Luke 21:1-4 NASB).

Most interpreters take this passage as a paradigm of “sacrificial giving.” Jesus is lifting up this impoverished widow as an example of how to give financially to the church. “It’s not about how much you give; it’s about how sacrificially you give.” “It’s not about the amount in the plate; it’s about the attitude in your heart.” And so it goes.

However, I believe this fundamentally misunderstands the point of this passage. I think it is mistaken and unwise to preach the text in this way.

The context

Context is everything when interpreting the Bible, and this passage’s context is usually ignored. When this story takes place, Jesus is in the process of fiercely denouncing the temple and its leadership.

In the verses immediately prior to our passage, Jesus says: “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love respectful greetings in the market places, and chief seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets, who devour widows’ houses, and for appearance’s sake offer long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation” (20:46-47).

And immediately after our passage, this exchange takes place: “And while some were talking about the temple, that it was adorned with beautiful stones and votive gifts, he said, ‘As for these things which you are looking at, the days will come in which there will not be left one stone upon another which will not be torn down’” (21:5-6). Jesus then launches into the Olivet Discourse, in which he foretells the way God will judge and destroy the temple.

The historical and cultural context is vital, too. The temple treasury served two purposes. First, it provided the economic means to keep the temple running and support its workers. Second—and this is key—it was meant to provide economic support for the poor, for widows, etc.

The real meaning

Is Jesus commending this widow for her sacrificial giving and piety? He might be; he might not be. That’s not really the point. It is impossible to understand this passage rightly without recognizing its place within Jesus’ condemnation of the temple and its leadership.

This widow has been bankrupted and driven near the point of death by a system that is supposed to care for her and protect her (verse 4). This woman has been economically exploited by the temple and its leaders. This story provides a graphic example of the scribes “devouring widows’ houses.” When Jesus sees this, it’s the last straw.

Jesus pronounced God’s judgment on the temple and its leadership for a number of sins, including the exploitation of the poor and widows. Even if Jesus intended to praise the widow for her behavior, that is not the whole meaning of this passage. If the widow’s piety is in view, it serves as a contrast with the scribes’, further highlighting the temple’s failure.

This passage is not a simple commendation of sacrificial giving; it is part of God’s condemnation of religion that neglects and exploits the poor. And lest you think this is a “liberal, Marxist” interpretation of the passage, consider that preachers no less conservative than John MacArthur have argued this is the correct reading of the text.

Preaching “the widow’s mite”

Popular American preaching of this passage almost always interprets it solely as a paradigm of financial giving. This passage usually is trotted out during giving campaigns. Sometimes, this is well-intentioned, such as for giving to missions. Other times, it is openly exploitative, such as prosperity preachers promising fictional “blessings” in exchange for money.

As I said above, I believe it is mistaken and unwise to ignore the wider context when preaching Luke 21:1-4. Preachers and teachers always should place this text in the context of Jesus’ condemnation of the temple and its leaders. To mention only the contested meaning that Jesus is praising the widow does not do justice to the passage.

Moreover, consider the poorest members of your church. Imagine you’re preaching this text in the popular fashion, and impoverished people in your congregation hear you telling them they need to give all they have left to live on. You may cause them to feel shame for not giving enough when they barely have enough to get by, while also ignoring the church’s responsibility to care for them.

Should we give sacrificially? Absolutely. This widow’s example can serve to confront and convict those of us who are wealthier yet who give only a minute fraction of our income, if anything at all. But we should never forget the condemnation and judgment Jesus pronounces on religious systems and leaders who squeeze cash out of those in poverty.

Joshua Sharp is a Master of Divinity student and graduate assistant in the Office of Ministry Connections at Truett Seminary in Waco, Texas. The views expressed are those solely of the author.

Larry Danks has been minister of worship at Trinity Baptist Church in Kerrville since 2006 and leads the Singing Men of South Texas. From deep in the heart of one Texan, he shares his background and thoughts on music, church and ministry. To suggest a Baptist General Convention of Texas-affiliated minister to be featured in this column, or to apply to be featured yourself, click here.

Background

Where else have you served in ministry, and what were your positions there?

• Hillside Baptist Church, Camden, Ark., minister of music and youth
• First Baptist Church, Trenton, Mo., minister of music and youth
• Noland Road Baptist Church, Independence, Mo., minister of music, education and administration

Where did you grow up?

I was born and raised in northern Missouri. My parents were farmers, and my childhood was spent on a cattle and hog farm just outside of Galt, Mo.

How did you come to faith in Christ?

My family was always at church. As a child, I attended Sunday school, Sunbeams, Royal Ambassadors and such.

At the age of 7, I went down to the front of the church at the urging of both my parents and my pastor. I knew the answers, and everybody was happy, though I knew I hadn’t done any “God business” at that time.

A tragedy struck our little church when the very next day our pastor was killed in an electrical accident. I distinctly recall lying in my bed and being confronted with the realization if that had happened to me, I wouldn’t have the assurance I would go to heaven. I asked Jesus into my heart immediately and haven’t had a doubt since that time.

Where were you educated, and what degrees did you receive?

• Southwest Baptist College in Bolivar, Mo., Bachelor of Arts degree in church music
• Midwestern Baptist Seminary, Master of Religious Education, Master of Church Music

About ministry life

Why do you feel called into ministry?

It seems I’ve always known God wanted me to serve him. I responded to that call as a 14-year-old at an associational youth rally. At that point in time, my pastor and director of missions encouraged me to preach. I did so from time to time, but I found I was doing that in my own power and didn’t feel like God really was guiding me in that direction.

Through the encouragement and example of the first minister of music and youth I encountered in Trenton, Mo., I found God had given me an excitement about using my musical gifts for him. That has been the case since that time, and God always has been faithful to give me opportunities to serve him.

What is your favorite aspect of ministry? Why?

The relational part of ministry is the most fulfilling. I don’t direct choirs; I direct people. Ministers serve, encourage and reach out to people. Music is the tool God has given me to do just that.

What one aspect of ministry gives you the greatest joy?

I absolutely love helping choirs achieve things they thought were impossible. There is a synergy in choral life, and while I will never have a choir that is “perfect”—if that exists—I hope to bring choirs from where they are to a greater musical and spiritual achievement through their music.

What one aspect of ministry would you like to change?

I long for the ability to simplify both my life and the lives of those I serve. Life is complicated and so very busy. Being creative and being involved with people takes time. It seems time is in such short supply.

How has your ministry or your perspective on ministry changed?

Times certainly have changed for worship ministry in the past 40 years. Technology now is a part of our everyday lives where we used to meet it only occasionally. Our ministries also have changed to meet needs in a world that is fast-paced and where information is available to so many instantly. If a person sees these changes as tools with which to spread the gospel, then we can be encouraged that these changes are for the better.

We also live in a world that is far more skeptical, in general, and is much less tied to denominations than decades ago. We have seen volatility played out in front of us in both religion and in the news, in general. We must approach ministry to individuals cautiously in order to guard our integrity for the future.

How do you expect ministry to change in the next 10 to 20 years?

I expect technical tools available for churches and for ministries will continue to improve, and the ways in which we can reach new people for Christ will be enhanced. Social media and the possibilities that exist there are just now being utilized by the church. That, too, will be a greater and greater tool for Christ.

If you could launch any new ministry—individually, through your congregation or through another organization—what would it be? Why?

We do some of this through our local association, but I would begin a more frequent opportunity for our people to sing hymns and to help multiple generations come to love the theology and the musicality of the hymns, both old and new. We really lose much when our people don’t know the hymns and the way in which hymns can enhance our lives.

Name the three most significant challenges and/or influences facing your ministry.

Aging congregations. How can a congregation age gracefully and at the same time think “outside the box” in order to impact our community for Christ?

The way in which the church has fallen from the center of a community’s social and moral eye. The church has to face the fact that most of our communities carry on their activities without much consideration of what the church needs or wants.

Every generation is now facing a tremendous amount of stress over the time demands and financial demands of everyday living. It seems like many people would love to find some way to live a simpler life, but that’s just not possible in most cases.

What do you wish more laypeople knew about ministry or, specifically, your ministry?

I wish our laypeople knew we are very conscious of their time and finances, and we work very hard to only ask them to be at rehearsals and meetings when it is necessary. We have families, too. It would be nice to spend some time with them, but instead, we must work with the time our people can attend in order to maximize the impact of our organizations. It is discouraging when we do everything we can to provide a quality, efficient meeting structure, and people still choose other activities over what we believe to be essential.

About Baptists

I would hope our laypeople would realize that we, as Baptists, treasure the word of God and seek to see it impact our own lives and the lives of all we influence. I can’t think of any substantial decision we ever make in the church that isn’t held up to the standards set in Scripture. That is our guide and our hope.

What are the key issues facing Baptists—denominationally and/or congregationally?

I was raised a Baptist. I was in the “cradle roll” before I was born, and it was our local Baptist church that shaped me in my formative years. My education primarily has been in Baptist institutions, and for that I’m grateful. That cut of Baptist, however, does not exist anymore.

Those of us who serve in Baptist churches find a rather uncertain landscape in many ways. I have found my greatest fulfillment comes from ministry in my local congregation. I interface with our local association and state convention where I feel like my time, efforts and skills can make a difference for the kingdom.

What would you change about the Baptist denomination—state, nation or local?

In 1985, I authored a resolution that was passed at the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Dallas, which called for a return to the priorities of evangelism and missions in the local church. I believe we need to spend more time being missional in our churches and less time trying to be attractional. It’s all about our focus and the priorities for our calendars and budgets. God honors those congregations that keep their eyes on him.

About Larry

Who were/are your mentors, and how did/do they influence you?

During my college years, George and Susan Baker, formerly ministers at Tallowood Baptist Church in Houston, were my major teachers at Southwest Baptist College. Pete and Joann Butler followed as I attended Midwestern Baptist Seminary. Both of these couples helped me to understand there is much to be done in the local church and the practical tools needed to help get that accomplished.

I’ve been blessed to work with several excellent Baptist state music directors. Bob Wooley and Bobby Jones in Missouri, Ervin Keithley in Arkansas, and now Tom Tillman in Texas have had a great influence in my life and ministry.

Randall Bradley has been a treasured teacher, mentor and friend since seminary days. His friendship and thoughtful tutelage always are welcome in my life.

I have been honored to be counted as one of the Centurymen for the past 11 years. The love for the ministry of excellent music and the devotion to sharing that music across the world has been a life-changing experience.

What did you learn on the job you wish you learned in seminary?

It’s all about people. I’m convinced people skills are the most important skills we need for ministry. We must be devoted to becoming more excellent musicians and leaders, but the minister who faces difficulty in a ministry position most often does so because of a lack of people skills, not a lack of musical ability.

What is the impact of ministry on your family?

To be honest, vocational ministry can be very hard on families. The time demands of a minister’s calendar and personal budget coupled with the uncanny ability of God’s people to have needs at just the “wrong” time make family life a challenge. In our most recent church assignment, however, my wife and I both work at the church, and the partnering we feel in that arrangement is wonderful.

Other than the Bible, name some of your favorite books or authors, and explain why.

A hymnal. The devotional impact of our hymns cannot be underestimated. It should not replace the Bible, but it is a great companion to it.

God’s Singers by Dave Williamson explores and emphasizes the “why” of our singing and our choir’s ministry.

My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers provides short but deep devotional thoughts for each day.

What is your favorite Bible verse or passage? Why?

Wow, just one? I guess my favorite comes from Daniel 3:17-18—“If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and He will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if He does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

May I have the boldness to stand for Christ when confronted!

Who is your favorite Bible character, other than Jesus? Why?

I guess I would have to say Joshua. He served in the “second chair” for many years yet, when needed, stepped up. Following God’s command to “be strong and courageous,” he led the children of Israel into the Promised Land.

Many of us are called to serve in the “second chair,” yet there are times when we must lead our people into God’s presence. That only comes by being patient, prepared and ready to serve.

Name something about you that would surprise people who know you.

Two things:

I am a father to three great children and grandfather to 10 amazing grandchildren.

After almost 50 years, I still hold a high school basketball scoring record.

If you could get one “do over” in ministry, what would it be, and why?

I have regrets over strained relationships I had at one time or another with church members. Most of those strains came out of some very careless or inadvertent actions or inactions, but they were strains nonetheless. I’d love to be able to go back and speak into those people’s lives and ask forgiveness.

Thanksgiving Day. It brings cheer, laughter, love and, if you are a true Baptist, a lot of good food.

As Christians, we easily slide into the spiritual focus on gratefulness and acknowledging what God is doing in our lives. It is a day of joy for the majority, but for many, just beneath the smiles and laughter, is trauma from past experiences or, in my case, historical racial trauma.

Range of emotions about Thanksgiving

As a citizen of the Mvskoke (Creek) Nation and as an American and a Christian, Thanksgiving brings a myriad of emotions.

Do I observe Thanksgiving as a Native American? Yes, I do. I recognize the significance of the opportunity to show gratitude, and I too look forward to the moments around the table with family and friends. Yet, I am acutely aware of the ever-present tension that swirls just below the surface.

Historical trauma can play a continual game of hide and seek. I never know when it will show its oppressive head and pull me down into the oxygen-deprived reality.

Though our visibility as Native Americans is high during this season, we continue to remain invisible as a people. Schools dress children up like “Indians” to “honor” Thanksgiving, and our beautiful culture is quickly emulated with a value pack of construction paper, crayons and glue sticks.

History books hold tight to the story of the coming together of two groups of people in order to share a meal. We see the imagery of the pilgrim and the indigenous finding common ground through their differences with peace as the outcome.

So, what happened to that image of peace and unity? What has caused historical trauma for Native Americans?

An example is the “Indian Boarding School.” This is a forgotten part of United States history.

History influences Thanksgiving

With the motto of “Kill the Indian in him, and save the man”—attributed to U.S. Cavalry Capt. Richard Henry Pratt, founder of Carlisle—the Christian-based boarding school may have the most traumatic impact on the living generations of Native Americans.

Most of us are only a couple of generations removed. Think about that for a moment. We are the children and grandchildren of the little faces you see in photos. We have witnessed the effect of boarding schools on our loved one’s lives.

Carlisle is one of the most recognized of the boarding schools. Created to assimilate Native children into Euro-American Christian culture, more than 10,000 Native American children were brought to Carlisle from 1879 to 1918. Carlisle went on to be the model for 26 industrial schools and was an influence on hundreds of boarding schools focused on the slow cultural genocide of the Native American child.

To fulfill “Kill the Indian in him, and save the man,” children’s hair was cut short, and their native clothing was exchanged for uniforms. They faced emotional, physical and sexual abuse. They were made to do hard labor, forced to be alone in order to reduce the speaking of their native tongue and, oftentimes, their names were changed to be more fitting to the majority culture.

Many never returned home because of disease, work accidents or violence, only to be buried in unmarked graves. Boarding school graves, individual and mass, still are being discovered today.

The history of the boarding school is horrific, but during the era of the boarding school, boys across America were dressing up and acting like “Indians” for entertainment while actual Native American boys and girls were being removed from their homes and completely transformed from the outside inward.

Our society, in general, has accepted the idea to pretend—for entertainment purposes—to be another culture, race or ethnicity. At the same time, our majority society reacts negatively to cultures, races and ethnicities living out fully who they are.

Know us, and not just at Thanksgiving

Christianity has played a significant role in our American history. We have the opportunity to heal the historical trauma of our brothers and sisters in Christ. What can the church do to reconcile with Native American Christians?

• See us. We are still here, and we are breathing the same air. We are in your congregations and in your workplace.

• Learn about our culture, and ask us how Nativeness plays a role in the church.

• Recognize us as equal in our Creator’s eyes. Value our input and how we view God revealed in our world.

• Love us as Christ loves us and commands us to love one another.

It is a beautiful time for racial reconciliation to happen within our churches. We have the perfect tool—the words and actions of Christ.

We are Imago Dei. As a Native American and follower of Christ, I know who created me and whom I reflect.

When I look at my reflection, I rest in knowing I am perfectly made. I rest in knowing the historical trauma is not unseen by the One who took great care in molding me. I rest in knowing my pain, my ancestors’ pain and our restoration is near, even if just out of sight.

Until that day, I will continue to speak on racial education in order to reach reconciliation within the American Church.

Mariah Humphries is a Mvskoke Native American and lives in Waco with her family. Her husband is senior pastor at Park Lake Drive Baptist Church. She currently is pursuing a master’s degree at Truett Seminary where she focuses on racial reconciliation and Christianity. The views expressed are those solely of the author.