Jon Harris and I do not see eye to eye on everything. He’s very Baptist. I’m very Anglican. And he is one of the few that can make me look moderate at times. Nonetheless I think he hit it out of the park with his analysis of “These Evangelical Women Are Abandoning Trump and the Church.”
I am not going to rehash either his video nor the article. But several thoughts came to mind as I watched and then read:
1. If someone would leave a church over members voting for Trump, that says more about that one’s priorities and commitment to the church than about those who vote for Trump. People voting in self-defense for Trump against the Democrats and Hillary was not wrong. And even if you disagree, it is not grounds for leaving a church.
And yes, I am also talking about Jemar Tisby and other whining Woke Churchers who have oh-so lamented evangelicals voting for Trump. They need to grow up. Better yet, they need to repent of smearing millions of Christians who voted to stop or at least slow this country’s descent into totalitarian evil.
2. Evangelical churches are not blameless for young evangelicals leaving. And the article actually does have some valid criticisms. I’ve railed against The Evangelical Church of What’s Happening Now, skinny jeans and all. Many evangelical pastors probably think catechesis is a disease. There has been too much seeker sensitive pablum and not enough making disciples. And, yes, some churches are among the many institutions that have enabled abuse.
But the women mentioned in the article need to look in the mirror more and blame their past churches less. I will get to that. Hey, I’ve had bad experiences in evangelical churches, too. I let God use that to strengthen me in the faith instead of the opposite.
3. Bad generations happen even when leadership is excellent. Joshua was one of the best leaders in the Bible, yet after he died, “there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel. And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord.” (Judges 2: 10,11)
Parents and churches are a vitally important influence on children. But man is evil, and evil generations can and do arise even when led well.
And, yes, I think this generation that is leaving the church and attacking America is an evil generation. They are not to be coddled or accommodated. The church is to call them repentance. The church should not change to appease them.
4. Finally, and most importantly, there is 1 John 2:19:
They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. (ESV)
This verse kept coming to mind again and again as I watched Harris’ video and read the article. If someone goes to work for a pro-abortion organization or for the likes of Elizabeth Warren, she is evil. She was not a faithful Christian in the first place. The church is better off without her. Yes, I said it. (* But do see below.)
Yes, the church should mourn that any, especially those once among the church, so choose to run after evil. And the church should always look to see if it is doing anything amiss. But at the same time a church should repel such evil. A faith that doesn’t offend anyone is not The Faith. Furthermore . . .
…You are to deliver [such people] to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that [their] spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.
In no way should they be told that their apostasy is acceptable or justified. They should also be told they are welcome to return if they repent.
But they left their churches and descended into such evil because they are evil. Not because church people voted for Trump.
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* Please note that, like the article and video, I am talking about people who once were active in somewhat orthodox churches and once claimed to be Christians. We should not expect those never or rarely in the church to exercise Christian discernment and should be much more gentle and patient with them. I once was pro-abortion, but I repented of that and of much more thanks to God and to patient Christians who gently taught me the truth.
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