What's All the Fuss About?

Christ Church is talking about “rebuilding Emporia” because we want to find and encourage young Christian men.  What do I mean?  Follow my reasoning.

The previous post answered the question, in what way does Emporia need rebuilt?  In that answer, I argued that Emporia is shrinking economically and politically because Emporia is shrinking spiritually.  And I laid the responsibility for that shrinkage at the feet of Emporia’s churches. 

In doing so, I want to resonate with a certain demographic.  Tell me if you can relate.

I want to connect with young men and their families that feel that the leaders of the Church in Emporia have a responsibility to declare the Word of Jesus into our local politics and economics.  The Bible seems to have things to say about, say, drag shows and zoning laws, about the sentencing of drug offenders and mental health.  The Bible seems to have things to say about schools and about property taxes.

Maybe you’ve noticed that the leaders of the Church in Emporia have failed to declare those biblical truths in public, and that their failure in that calling contributes directly to that economic and political shrinkage that we’re talking about.

If that is something you’ve thought, then I want to encourage you.  You are not crazy.  You are not un-spiritual.  You are not neglecting the Gospel.  Quite the contrary, actually.

The Church and church officers are responsible to declare God’s Law to the public and to the civil magistrate, not just to their particular congregation.  That’s part of their job description.  However, because of the uniquely anti-Church ecclesiology of the American Church, there is no Bible-believing Church voice in our community on issues of morality and justice.

While the Church has remained silent, anti-Christian voices, including the mainline churches that affirm homosexuals and have women pastors, DO understand the importance of speaking to the community.  While the churches declare that this world is not our home,  the so-called “Progressives” are organized politically and economically to spread their gospel of socialism and homosexuality and government control. 

At this point, note two caveats.  First, I love my fellow Bible-believing evangelical churches.  I appreciate those pastors and their ministry.  But for various reasons, they’ve neglected this part of the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven.  Maybe eventually they’ll come around.

Second, I would also say that our priorities at Christ Church are firstly the right and reverent worship of the Triune God and secondly ministering to our people.  Outreach and speaking out would come third—but that’s an important third.

Notwithstanding those caveats, however, Christ Church is unique in Emporia.  We understand that we must work for the good of our city by building Emporia on the cornerstone of Christ in obedience to the Great Commission.  One of our mottos is, All of Christ for All of Life.  That includes bringing the Bible to bear on economic and political matters.

The difficulties in accomplishing this are enormous.  This is not a quick-fix project.  Rebuilding Emporia will be a generational task. 

But we think there may be like-minded men out there.  Is that you?  If so, send us a note.

God bless you!