Houston, We Have A Problem!!!

According to this news report, the city of Houston has issued subpoenas demanding a number of pastors turn over copies of all of their sermons dealing with issues surrounding homosexuality, gender identity, and the city's lesbian mayor, Annise Parker.

Although all the details of this inquiry are not yet fully known, this has all the appearance of the government possibly violating the First Amendment rights of these Christian pastors, and for many, it feels like a mild form of persecution, and a foreboding omen of things to come.

Understandably, a lot of these pastors are upset about this demand, and many Christians across the country have expressed voices of outrage and are crying foul as well.

One pastor by the name of Dave Welch said:

"We are not afraid of this bully. We're not intimidated at all... We are not going to yield our First Amendment rights."

Another leader, Tony Perkins said:

"The state is breaching the wall of separation of church and state... Pastors need to step forward and challenge this across the country. I'd like to see literally thousands of pastors after they read this story begin to challenge government authorities- to dare them to come into their churches and demand their sermons."

According to the report, a number of pastors have said they will not comply with the subpoena request.

And as Americans, I believe they are taking the right position.

As a Christian, I believe their stance is completely wrong.

I am reminded of how Jesus taught us "If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also." (Matthew 5:40)

I am reminded of how Jesus said that when people falsely slander us and persecute us, of how we are to "rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great." (Matthew 5:12)

I am reminded of a verse in Hebrews 10:34, in which its author recalls how his church "accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one."

I am reminded of how the apostle James, the brother of Jesus, once said "Count it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials." (James 1:2)

I am reminded how in the book of Acts, the apostle Paul was wrongfully imprisoned on bogus charges, dragged to court, and instead of demanding his release (which was almost granted to him), he looked at it as an opportunity to share his testimony with the highest officials in the land, and demanded an audience with higher courts, and accepted more time in prison as a result.

And sadly in all of this, I am reminded again and again how many Christians in the Church of Jesus Christ in America simply are not prepared to suffer. We are much more American than we are Christian. Our attitude is far removed from anything we can identify as Biblical. We are much more interested in securing, protecting, and asserting our "rights" than we are at obtaining eternal and everlasting treasure and joys.

I hang my head in disbelief. If these pastors are acting this way when the slightest bit of opposition arises, how will we as a church respond when when real trouble eventually comes?

We simply are not prepared to suffer my brethren.

Our identity is bound up in our earthly citizenship instead of our heavenly citizenship. We would rather fight back than do something of greater worth.

These pastors should rejoice over the opportunity to share their sermons with the city of Houston. They shouldn't have to answer a subponea. They should gladly take their sermons down to city hall, and hand them to the mayor herself. They should even offer to read them back to her, if she so desires.

But it seems like their minds are otherwise occupied on other things. They aren't thinking eternally. They are thinking like mere men.

The Culture Wars: Why Duck Dynasty Matters

Love 'em or hate'em, Duck Dynasty matters. And here's why:

Phil Robertson's recent comments in GQ magazine regarding homosexuality are nothing novel.  His perspective is far from shocking, and is something that somebody who has never watched the show probably could have surmised.  The backlash against Robertson from GLADD was obviously feigned outrage designed to draw attention to the organization and its causes, and with it-- donations. A&E's initial response, to suspend Robertson from the show, while alarming to many, is something straight out of the recent media playbook. 

Robertson is one of many TV personalities whose off-the-cuff remarks has cost them a job.  Bill Maher, Juan Williams, Paula Deen, and Martin Bashir all know very well that in America, while we might have the freedom of speech, we are also free to suffer the repercussions of that speech.  None of us have the right to a TV show.  If we say something that our TV network (or employer) doesn't like, and it brings negative publicity to them so as to somehow harm the reputation and image of that network, which may ultimately harm the company financially, then it should be expected that the company will take actions needed to safeguard itself from such harm, including terminating their own superstars.

So is Phil Robertson just another person in a long line of TV personalities whose job gets eliminated as a matter of standard protocol due to politically incorrect speech, and companies looking to protect their own self-interest?  On the surface, it might appear that way.  But that's where you would be wrong.

According to the Christian perspective, we live in a fallen spiritual world dominated by wicked and dark spiritual forces that rule over the hearts and minds of men.  In contrast, most people regularly live their daily lives oblivious to such forces.  As once said, the Devil's greatest trick is convincing the world he doesn't exist.  As a result, people are blinded to these forces as they make their media playbooks on mitigating the fallout from receiving bad press.  This is no different than 2,000 years ago, when a certain Jewish carpenter named Jesus was nailed to a cross for his speech and actions.  Crucifixion was something Rome had become horrifyingly efficient at.  They had it down to a science, and did it as a matter of protocol. Jesus wasn't the first person to be crucified, and he certainly wasn't the last.  He hung in a long line of political enemies Rome crucified.  His death, in many ways to the natural observer, was simply "business as usual."  Yet, Biblically speaking, there was much more going on behind the scenes that meets the eye.

In the same manner, Phil Robertson's suspension appears on the surface to be simply business as usual. But I believe it is is only such to those who don't step back and see a bigger picture.  Behind the scenes there is a spiritual battle going on.  Phil Robertson's comments struck a certain spiritual chord, which triggered a response that caused the fallen spiritual powers that be to flex their muscles, and to lash out accordingly.  While the fallout against Robertson and his family is minimal in its ultimate impact, as they are all millionaires many times over, and stand to lose very little as a result of this mild persecution, I believe the response of many against Robertson is merely a foretaste of the greater wave of intolerance and hostility against Christianity that is growing in this country. And such hostility against Christians is spiritually motivated.

What we are really seeing in this controversy is a small glimpse into a not very distant future.  In a not too distant future, it will be very difficult thing to be a Christian in America.