The response

The real reason for writing this blog is to help me work out what it means to be a Christian in the "real world." (Though I think we could argue that we are really living in the Shadowlands of the real world, that is, life in concert with God in all things that His people will experience on the other side.) Be that as it may, we are living in world that is disconnected from God in more ways than we can count. The issue is how does being a follower of God translate in this life. Is there really a difference between believers and non-believers? What are the things that should differentiate us? How do we respond when faced with difficulties, such as loss or injustice? How is our "light," as Jesus called it, supposed to shine through?
You probably heard about the shooting of man by police outside a club in New York City and the accusations of racism and excessive violence against those officers who took part in that confrontation. The shooting took place very close to our church, New Hope Christian, and literally within blocks of our close friends' home. Naturally, this event has effected that small church in very real ways. I wanted to post the letter the pastor of that church, Tom Richter, sent to his people. I think the insight is astouding and speaks to the issue of how do we live in the world as believers in Jesus.

I believe we have seen only the beginning of a story that began in the
early morning hours of Saturday November 25th. Shock, outrage, pain,
grief, and anger will weigh upon many of our friends, neighbors, and
fellow believers. In such a time as this, New Hope has a chance to
provide (as her namesake suggests) hope in the wake of death.

Collectively as a church and individually as followers of Jesus, we
are often called upon in the highest and lowest points of human
experience. At birth babies are dedicated, at marriage two become one
before God and the congregation, and at death even halfhearted
believers seek a religious ceremony for their loved one. People turn
to the church in part because the church stands for something eternal,
or Someone rather. And that Someone is not far off, but here among
us, and will do a good work—using the church to accomplish reconciliation.

So what can we do?

1. Pray.
Pray for comfort for Sean Bell's family, pray for his fiancé, pray for
a full recovery of those injured. Pray specifically for justice, then
peace. Pray for our NYC officials to do justly, and ask God to give
them the wisdom to decide justice and courage to enact justice. Pray
for those who accuse the NYPD, pray they too would have wisdom and
courage to fight injustice. Pray that God would foil the misguided
plans of those who would do more violence in response.

2. Say less than you think.
One thing that shocked me that should not have is how quickly opinions
were formed. Immediately, "person on the street interviews," abounded
on news programs. In each interview, those who defended the police
and those who accused the police were both guilty of letting prejudice
replace evidence. With no evidence, no documented account of what
happened, and an investigation pending, what exactly is left to form
an opinion on? Past experience. Those who feel the police have been
oppressive, racist, and belligerent in the past are voicing one
opinion. Those who feel police have been good, capable, and fair in
the past are voicing another. The key phrase in both sides is "in the
past." The problem is that this case is in the present. The solution
is to say less than you think until your opinions begin with something
other than, "Well, in my own experience.. .." When they look back,
rarely do people regret saying less and praying more.

3. Promote life everywhere you can.
Life is precious. Our lives, every human life, is given meaning,
worth, purpose, and value by the creator, God. One under-reported
angle to this tragedy is that it happened just outside a strip club—a
strip club that before opening fought fierce neighborhood protest.
And the problem with a strip club is that it devalues life. At a
strip club a woman, created in the image of God, descends in the minds
of men from being a person to being an object. Lust turns a She into
an It. Life is devalued. I'm not saying going to a strip club is the
same as murder, but to me the connection is plain. When human life is
treated as worthless on a smoky stage, why such shock at a gun fight?
We reap only what we've sown. It doesn't matter what form this
culture of death, headed by her prince Satan, takes—we as believers
must fight it. From abortion to violent video games, from terrorism
to cursing the driver in front of you, from strip clubs to murder,
fight for a culture of life.

Several of our own New Hopers live blocks away from this story, and
their lives are a lighthouse to illuminate the community with the good
news of the gospel. Gather around them in prayer and support, and we
will reap life as it is sown by these saints.

With love,
Tom