Pastoral
Letters
Introducing Our New Teaching Position On Unity
We believe in the spiritual unity of all who believe in Jesus Christ, both locally and around the world. Therefore, we do our best to understand the gospel as revealed in Scripture, ever-growing in our capacity to root our identity in Christ (personally and corporately).
We believe that unity is a prime mark of a healthy local church when that unity is based on a shared faith in Jesus Christ. We cherish and preserve it with joy in our local church. Unity requires humility toward one another, expecting that our one family of faith will contain a multitude of differences. We do not believe that unity requires uniformity in behavior, practice, or personality. Rather, we see unity as most distinctively Christian when it reflects a breaking down of the walls of hostility that mark the world’s divisions.
In our local church, we seek to demonstrate the unity of Christ by the way we practice mutual accountability in areas of difficult cultural division, including in matters of ethnicity, gender, and economic status. We do not pretend that these differences are absent, but instead, seek to honor Christ in the way we pursue unity in the midst of them.
We expect that the same Spirit is at work in each of us in complementary ways, so we are quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry. There will be times that our opinions are challenged, the views of others will be different than ours, and our brothers and sisters will have insights we can learn from. Disagreement can be a means for the bonds of fellowship to be strengthened. Where we disagree, we are charitable with one another rather than suspicious or judgmental, looking forward to an eternity where we will be joining in worship with fellow Christians from every tongue, tribe, and nation.
(Approved at the January 2023 elder meeting)
WHAT ARE "TEACHING POSITIONS"?
Teaching positions are secondary explanations of our faith as a church. Our primary statement of faith is on core confessional topics (the Trinity, the deity of Christ, the resurrection, etc) and is agreed to by all incoming new members. Teaching positions represent our elders’ guidance on issues that are contested or culturally relevant. Church members agree to accept the spiritual guidance of the elders and not be contentious over teaching positions, but there is no expectation that every member agrees with every teaching position. Our hope is that this teaching position can bring clarity and direction to those inside and outside our church.
WHAT WAS THE PROCESS FOR CREATING THIS TEACHING POSITION?
In 2020, our elders decided to add three teaching positions in response to the racial discord in our country. The first, affirmed in 2021, was on the Image of God. This teaching position on Unity is the second. The third teaching position (upcoming) will be on Biblical Justice.
The elders spent a portion of our meetings in 2022 studying the topic of Christian unity in Scripture. This teaching position is the fruit of our study, discussion, and listening to other Christians.
HOW IS THIS TEACHING POSITION GROUNDED IN SCRIPTURE?
Here are some of the significant passages of Scripture that shaped our thinking. Many of the phrases in the teaching positions are allusions or quotations from these Scriptures.
John 17 - May we be one as the Father and Son are one
Acts 2:42-47 - Living in unity together
Acts 6:1-7 - Finding resolution in the midst of differences
Acts 10 - God does not show favoritism
Romans 14-15 - Unity in the midst of contested matters
Galatians 3:26-29 - One in Christ
1 Corinthians 12 - One Body, different gifts
Ephesians 4:1-6 - There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism
Ephesians 2:11-22 - Destroying the dividing wall of hostility
2 Peter 2 - Warning one another as fellow believers
Revelation 7 - Every tongue, tribe, and nation
See thesermon seriesfrom Fall 2022 on Unity in the Book of Acts for further biblical teaching on the topic.
WHY ADOPT A TEACHING POSITION ON UNITY?
On the surface, unity is not a contested or debated issue in Christianity. Who is against unity?
While there are few Christians in America that would openly say they are against unity, it would be disingenuous (at best) to claim that American Christians are known for our unity, either within local churches or across church lines. There is a deep history of schism within our broad Protestant tradition, as well as within our own specific denominational heritage.
We are concerned about the self-sorting consumerism that marks American Christianity currently, where it has become normal to only attend church with people like ourselves (however we might define that) and expect our extra-biblical preferences to be normal.
Similar to the teaching position on the Image of God last year, this teaching position was adopted to encourage reflection, emphasis, and to craft a theological vision for what is important more than putting a stake in the ground on a contested issue.
At Grace Seal Beach, we have enjoyed terrific unity, especially in recent years. This teaching position is not an attempt to correct a problem but rather to build on and reinforce a strength, and to exhort our church to extend that strength to building unity with Christians beyond our own local church, both inside and outside of our denominational tribe.
HOW DOES THIS FIT WITH OUR CHURCH'S PREVIOUS TEACHING ON UNITY?
In our Statement of Belief, we affirm:
7/THE ONE TRUE CHURCH: We believe in the spiritual unity of all who have faith in Jesus Christ. We also believe in organizing believers into local churches for worship, edification, and witness.
This Teaching Position is an elaboration and extension of that same teaching.
HOW WILL THIS TEACHING POSITION HELP US MOVE FORWARD AS A CHURCH?
In the coming year, you will hear about opportunities to improve on our strength of unity as a local church through being involved with ministries like Grace Conversations, the Caring Fund, Stephen Ministry, and Life Groups. Additionally, we will continue to partner with other Christians in the region to support our Compassion partnerships. Behind the scenes, our pastors and ministry leaders will be engaging with other ministers in our denomination and/or region.
This teaching position gives a portion of the theological reasoning for why we invest time in these areas and a corrective for us in the future if we recede from such initiatives.
Pastoral Letter On Politics And The Upcoming Election
Four years ago, recently confirmed as the next senior pastor at Grace, the presidential election divided the country. Our church wasn’t immune. At least 10 people left the church over the election. Half progressives, half conservatives - it seemed the only thing they had in common was anger at how we weren’t “standing for what was right.”
Because of that experience, I was less than eager to pastor through another presidential election. And as you know, the situation this year has only become more divisive as a pandemic, economic uncertainty, and an overdue national conversation about race have only escalated the weight of what is said and not said during this season. While I think it is healthy for a pastor to be tentative to offer any political opinions, it is not fair to you to have a pastor who is silent on what Scripture says on any topic.
I am deeply grateful for how the vast majority of people in this church are thoughtful, measured, and humble with each other. You’ve taught me much about what it means to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry. You’ve sought to live at peace with one another and eager to maintain the bonds of Christian fellowship. Thank you. My experience with the vast majority of the church is that you want to bring your faith to bear on your voting in a way that is healthy and encouraging.
As we’ve been preaching through the Lord’s Prayer during this season, it is worth considering how the Lord’s Prayer can guide our theology during this election season.
"OUR FATHER, WHO ART IN HEAVEN, HALLOWED BE THY NAME."
May God’s holiness be shown in how you vote, advocate, and grieve over the next few weeks.
In political polling, the only thing that seems to matter is, “Who are you voting for?” But, honestly, I am much more concerned with what your voting (or not voting) says about your heart. Are you voting out of love for God and your neighbor? Or is your voting a demonstration of selfishness and wrath? Is your voting a mark of faith or worldliness? Would you vote any differently if you weren’t a Christian?
I know that some of you would like me to endorse or condemn President Trump, or endorse or condemn Vice President Biden, but I’m not going to do that. There are a number of reasons for that, but mostly it is because it would not be helpful to you. You must personally wrestle with your conscience in this election. It is not enough to vote for the “right” candidate (if there is one). You must do so with a clear conscience before God on your own. And if you vote differently than I do but do so with peace before God, I don’t want to put a stumbling block in front of you by voicing a different opinion.
"THY KINGDOM COME, THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN."
Remember that your citizenship is in Heaven, and it is that kingdom that lasts, not this one.
As I mentioned on Sunday, a few years ago Becca and I went to Paris for a once-in-a-lifetime vacation. We were there for a little over a week and happened to be there for their presidential election. We were able to connect with one of my childhood friends who moved to Paris after college, married, and was involved with a church there (the American Church in Paris - a beautiful cathedral on the Seine River with English services, if you’re ever there). We attended worship that Sunday with her and her husband (a native Frenchman), then went to lunch together afterward and heard about the election. While our faith was the same, our earthly citizenship was different. Because I wasn’t French, the election that day was a curiosity, something I had little personally invested in. For my friends, though, the results of that day were deeply important. Because I was a citizen of a different nation, the results of that day would not shape my identity, hope, or fate.
“What a different attitude than when the American election happens,” I thought. When it was France, I could be calm and rational. Could I do the same if it was my country? Or would I show that I was overly concerned about this kingdom instead of the one to come?
It’s not that presidential elections (French or American) are wholly unimportant. What happens in them can shape a country for a time. And there are probably some Christians who need to care more, not less, about politics. But my experience is that there is probably more need for correction on the other side. We are too invested in the kingdoms of this world. As Christians we always need to remember that we are foreigners in this election. There is no happy ending to kingdoms of this world. But there is for the Kingdom of God. Our primary citizenship is in another King, and it is from Him that we draw our hope and identity.
"GIVE US TODAY OUR DAILY BREAD."
Today’s bread is enough.
One of the values of praying for today’s bread is that it focuses us on the present, rather than worrying about the future. Today has enough trouble of its own. It is easy to worry about how this election could impact the future. And while it is wise to consider the long-term impact of any policy, it is unhelpful to worry about things outside our control. Those worries and fears are preyed upon by both sides of the political aisle. We need to remember that even if the worst fear-mongering is true from either side of the aisle, God is in control of providing.
We do not depend on the government to give us bread, but God. While the government can do either good or harm for its people, it is not the ultimate source of anything on its own.
"FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS, AS WE FORGIVE OUR DEBTORS."
We must never forget that we are forgiven people.
As Christians, we are not people who have received what we deserved. Quite the opposite. We have received what Christ deserved but freely shared and gave us.
Christians can disagree on how grace should shape political policy, which is understandable. But it cannot be forgotten. We cannot become self-righteous or mean-spirited people who forget the joy and humility of our salvation.
"LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL."
The election brings temptations; God’s Spirit can sustain us through them as we resist temptation and deliver us from evil.
We are naive if we think that elections are not temptations. They can tempt us in different ways: some are tempted to grab power in unjust ways; some to speak unlovingly to others; some to despair; some to divisive speech; and probably a dozen other ways. But we are all going to experience temptations tied to the next three weeks. Pray for yourself, pray for one another, and please pray for me. We all need God’s sustaining strength through this time. And be gracious with those who are walking through different temptations than you are right now.
I will be praying for you in the next few weeks. It is a hard season for your heart, but it is also a time that God can use to grow you in your longing for Him. Whatever happens on November 3rd, I pray that you will love Christ more on November 4th than you do now.
In Christ,
Pastor Bob
PS. I’ve put together a list of resources for those who want to reflect more on how their faith intersects with the political realities of the day. While there is no shortage of those purporting to offer Christian voter guides, think pieces, and take-down articles, these are the ones that I’ve found most helpful, personally.
Resources on Theology + Politics
BOOKS ON POLITICAL THEOLOGY AND POLITICAL THEORY
- Jonathan Leeman - How the Nations Rage: Rethinking Faith and Politics in a Divided Age (if you’d like a shorter version of Leeman’s writing, here’s an article he wrote recently on the ethics of voting and here’s an offer for a free audiobook, “How Can I Love Church Members with Different Politics”)
"HOW COULD CHRISTIANS SUPPORT THE OTHER SIDE?"
If you’re an ardent Republican or Democrat, it might seem impossible to you that Christians could see it differently. If that’s you, I’d encourage you to read what other Christians have written, if for no other reason than to better understand and love your brothers and sisters:
More conservative - Decision Magazine
More progressive - The AND Campaign
“How to Navigate the Generational Divide in Politics” by Brett McCracken
Why do black Christians and white Christians vote differently? (YouTube video)
ARTICLES ON POLITICS AND THEOLOGY
Pastor Don’s article in GraceConnect this fall on trying to discern what Jesus would do in today’s political climate
Mark Dever on politics and the church
John Piper, “Policies, Persons, and Paths to Ruin”
Bobby Scott, “Should pastors endorse a candidate for president?”
HELPFUL SOURCES OF CHRISTIAN NEWS AND EDITORIALS
Christianity Today
The Gospel Coalition
WORLD Magazine
The Briefing Podcast