On the surface, the narrative seems simple and clear. A
church that has faithfully proclaimed the Gospel for many decades is taken to
task by a hostile media and political correctness. A star professional
athlete who makes no secret about his love for Jesus is invited to the grand
opening of a new facility to house this church, subsequently pressured by the
public to renounce an association with them due to their "message of
hatred," and quickly decides to back away from his initial commitment.
Another example of the growing "persecution" of Christians in
North America who dare to believe and preach—among other things--that salvation
comes only through Jesus, and marriage is only between a man and a woman.
First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas and her Senior Pastor, Dr.
Robert Jeffress, have "taken one for the team," and done so "for
the sake of the Gospel." Tim Tebow, the New York Jets Quarterback
who backed away from his earlier commitment to speak at FBC's grand opening of
its new $130 million facility, has "wimped out," and left his fellow
Christians wounded on the battlefield of the current culture war. Its a
moving story, and readily accepted by most evangelicals.
Unfortunately, its just not that simple.
At the outset of this post, I should clarify my overall opinion of
Dr. Jeffress. I believe he is a brother in Christ, and a genuine preacher
of God's Word. During the last Presidential campaign, I was particularly
grateful for Dr. Jeffress' voice of Gospel clarity in the midst of so many
others (including the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association) who seemed willing
to slay the Gospel on the altar of Republicanism just so the Mormon candidate
could beat the so-called "socialist." Additionally, I remain eternally
grateful for the legacy of FBC Dallas. It was the influence of churches
like this one that paved the way for me to be able to study at a world-class
seminary under professors who actually believe the Bible to be the Word of
God. When it comes to what we believe, I am "one of them," and
proud to say so.
At the same time, I'm as disturbed by the way followers of
Jesus are framing this issue as I am by those in the secular world who would
presume to attack a church simply because they hold to 2000-year old
convictions. In particular:
1. I'm disturbed by our current "culture-war" posture.
The huge assumption
behind all the other assumptions regarding the Tebow debacle is that the way to
"defend the Gospel" is to always--ALWAYS engage the fight publicly,
and in a way that portrays culture as the adversary. Problem
is, following through with this assumption means that we actually capitulate to
secular culture by, in every instance, fighting on a battleground of THEIR
choosing. I simply don't accept the silent premise that public
culture-warring is tantamount to preaching the Gospel. Certainly there are times when the church
must speak publicly. But in most cases
where public heat is turned up on a particular issue, the clarity of those
issues is lost in the screaming, and people Jesus died to save are turned off
to the banter. Ever roll your eyes while watching Chris Matthews on a political rant?
Too many times, I fear that people don’t hear what we are saying because
we assume a similar posture.
For example, why exactly did Tim Tebow back out of this
opportunity? Unfortunately, too many of his brothers and sisters in
Christ are willing to fill his public silence with their own assumptions.
And they feel justified in doing so because, in their minds, he has
obviously "compromised." He refused to engage in a public
battle on an issue that has recently seen way too much heat, and way too little
light on BOTH sides. I understand, and
share, many of Dr. Jeffress’ concerns about where our culture is headed. But in the end, the call of the Great
Commission is not about “saving America.” (another post for another day, perhaps)
Evangelicals, and Southern Baptists in particular, have been
abundantly clear regarding our views of sexual ethics. I really don’t think the public is unaware of
where we stand, and continuing to “mix it up” using the same methods as the
secular media just hasn’t worked out so well.
In some cases, its just made us look like jerks, and my guess is this
was Tebow’s concern.
Even Dr. Jeffress himself took an insinuative stab at Tebow while
praising James Dobson, David Jeremiah and others who are keeping their speaking
commitments to FBC. They are, in Jeffress' words, "willing to stand
up and act like men rather than wimping out when it gets a little
controversial." Bottom line: Do it my way, or be labeled an
agent of compromise!
But the word "compromise" has an actual definition.
If Tim Tebow has changed his mind about the clear teaching of Scripture,
then certainly the label applies to him. Yet there is absolutely no
indication that this is the case, and too few Christ-followers are unwilling to
"assume the best" as commanded by Paul in 1 Corinthians 13. And
they seem unwilling to do so, not because Tebow has clearly denied Scripture, but
because he chose a different approach that didn't involve engaging in a public
fight that has proven to be the wrong venue for Christians seeking to have this
conversation.
2. I'm disturbed by our caricature of others. I've never been to a "save
traditional marriage" rally, but ask my gay friends what I think about the
issue, and you will get a clear answer. Similarly, my Muslim friends know
what I believe. When we have hosted them in our churches, we have done so
with Q & A guides for our own people that my Muslim friends have read, and
those guides say clearly "we believe Christianity and Islam hold to
beliefs that are mutually exclusive and irreconcilable, and that Islam's views
of God and salvation are not sufficient to save." But I've never
tried to caricature my Muslim friends as "the enemy." Our
differences are over the person and work of Jesus. I don't have to make
up differences.
Robert Jeffress is certainly not the only evangelical leader who
has caricatured these two groups, but since the recent issues do surround his
ministry I will simply say this. Its one thing to call homosexual
behavior a sin (and I do!). But Robert Jeffress has used questionable
research to suggest a correlation between homosexuality and all other sorts of
sexual perversion. Its one thing to claim that Muslims need to put their
trust in Jesus as Lord and God (I do that too!). Robert Jeffress has stated
that Islam commends incest and pedophilia. In his own words, “Muslim men all over the
world are having sex with 4-year old girls!”
These statements hit close to where I walk every day. I have many Muslim friends in this area with
whom I would trust my wife and children.
I want to see them come to know Jesus, and I know more than most that
making inaccurate, stereotypical statements about their faith simply isn't the
way to do it. There is a marked difference between calling people to repentance and faith in Jesus, and merely insulting those Jesus died to save.
Its one thing to preach the
Christian Gospel with clarity; quite another to break the ninth commandment
about precious people created in God's own image and likeness in order to show
yourself superior. Could it be that, after having his attention called to
the controversial methods of Robert Jeffress, Tim Tebow decided he didn't want
to be associated with said methods?
Even Al Mohler has admitted that Jeffress' approach often reflects
that of a lightning rod. Writing for Christianity Today, Mohler states
that "Robert Jeffress is no stranger to public controversy. His
sound bites are often incendiary....." Mohler goes on to rightly state
that Jeffress' beliefs--in particular about the exclusivity of Jesus and the
sinfulness of homosexual behavior "are clearly within the mainstream of
American Evangelicalism." (I would also add that they are even more in the
mainstream of the wider, global body of Christ), and warns believers that a day
is soon coming (and may already be here) when "those celebrating the moral
normalization of homosexuality will demand an answer from us all."
In short, it isn't just how we
say something. It's that
we say it at all that will eventually become the point of contention.
I believe he is right. (In fact, I've said so here) But I also believe that how we say something is
every bit as important as what we say. Followers of Jesus
should never retreat from telling the truth,. But if that "truth"
isn't accompanied by the "gentleness and respect” that 1 Peter 3:15
demands, we are just as derelict in our duty to Jesus. In this case, “we
know some of what he says is incendiary, but……” simply misses the mark. Some of what Jeffress has said about Muslims
and the gay community isn't merely controversial. Some of his statements are simply not true.
Admittedly, my observations here are influenced heavily by my own
experiences and training. My field is missiology, and in this field we
speak often of "receptor-oriented communication." In a
cross-cultural environment, using language or concepts that are foreign to the
"receptor" with whom you hope to communicate can result in sending a
message you don't intend to send! Similarly, if we want to be clear about
what we believe, we can't only be concerned about accuracy. We must also
concern ourselves with clarity. I have no doubt that the Christian Gospel
is often rejected on its face. Jesus told us it would be, and I have experienced such rejection.
But let's make sure that what people are rejecting is actually the
Gospel, and not our own personalities and prejudices.
So why does it seem that everyone is criticizing a Quarterback for
simply bowing out of a speaking engagement, but saying nothing about a pastor
whose choice of words at times clouds the very truth that I'm convinced he
wants to share? One is just as important as the other.
3. I’m disturbed by the
opulence. It deserves mention I think, that this
entire episode erupted over an invitation to speak at the grand opening of a
$130 million church facility.
$130 million. Let that
figure sink in, because its enough to put more than 500 missionaries on foreign
fields for the rest of their careers.
Its enough to fully fund the launch of more than 1000 new churches in
North America. Its more than enough to
fund the adoption of more than 3000 orphans.
Now, that comparative argument by itself doesn't prove bad stewardship. Perhaps the expenditure was necessary. I've never been to the campus of FBC Dallas,
so I don’t know, and that isn't even my point.
My point is this: we become what
we celebrate. And for a good portion of
our recent history, Southern Baptists have made great fanfare of opulent
buildings. FBC Dallas has made no secret
of the cost of this project. “Look what
we've done” is a statement that accurately describes their disposition toward
this, and they plan to spend an entire month celebrating it. Why do we hear so few question why there is
such celebration over that which, at least on the surface, seems to excessive.
Perhaps we should instead focus on the Dallas-Fort Worth area; an
area that Christianity Today just a few years ago called “the center of the
Evangelical world,” where the population of those indicating no religious
preference or affiliation has more than doubled. Perhaps if we celebrated churching an area as opposed to merely having the biggest church in the area, we could make a more effective difference. I’m deeply troubled at the fact that we seem
to be celebrating the wrong things.
3. I'm disturbed by our hero-worship. Evangelicals have long had our own
"celebrity culture," and for the most part, its never had long-term
success. A NASCAR driver who gives his testimony at a Billy Graham
Crusade is discovered to be cheating on his wife less than 6 months after the
fact. An Oscar-winning actor who makes a riveting film about the death of
Jesus is soon pulled over by police in a drunken, anti-Semitic rant. And
in all-such instances, we act deeply disappointed because we've been
disappointed!
I'm thankful for what God has done in Tim Tebow's life, and I'm
grateful that he wants to use his fame and talent to point people to Jesus.
But at the end of the day, Tim Tebow is human, and will thus inevitably
do something or say something (or in this case, refrain from saying something)
that will disappoint someone. It is unfortunate that so many
Christ-followers depend on the same "celebrity culture" as Hollywood
to see our message promoted.
We don't need yet another human hero, because our ultimate Hero has already come, died, and
risen from the dead.
Jesus put it this way to the Pharisees. "You strain out
a gnat but swallow a camel." (Matthew 23:24) Cultural
Christians who condemn someone for simply not wanting to be a jerk while
simultaneously ignoring their own wrong-headed assumptions may be guilty of
precisely what Jesus was describing.
At the end of the day, all who follow Jesus are after the same
goal; the spread of the Gospel as described by Robert Jeffress himself:
"The good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is it doesn't
matter who you are or what you've done. It doesn't matter whether you are
a Jew, a Baptist, a Catholic, a Muslim, a Hindu, a homosexual, an adulterer, a
thief or a cheat. It doesn't matter what you've done. You can be
forgiven of your sins if you trust in Jesus Christ as your Savior. That's
not a message of hate. Its a message of hope."
Indeed it is a message of hope! Maybe we should do more to
ensure that if its rejected, its because those who turned away found the cross
offensive, and not us.