On Sunday, September 9th, 2001, I told the church I was working with in Bellingham, Washington that I was resigning at the end of the year and probably getting out of professional ministry. I was going to get my real estate license and get busy buying, selling, and developing property.
I was disillusioned, depressed, and quite sure that the work I did during the week and the words I spoke on Sunday morning didn’t have much impact on anybody. I had lost my faith in the gospel and it was time to get out of the game.
Two days later, I woke up and turned on the t. v. and saw the same evil everyone else did. After the shock wore off, I found myself believing that maybe just maybe the work I was doing wasn’t so meaningless after all.
There has been lots of debate about how “we” should respond to terrorism. My response was and still is to keep preaching the gospel. Let the State retaliate. Let the government do what governments do. As a follower of Christ, I believe the Church’s best response to terrorism is to make more disciples of Jesus.
This moment of post-9/11 insight has had profound implications on my teaching and leadership. It’s caused me to emphasize aspects of the gospel that I’d neglected beforehand. I no longer see the gospel’s primary goal as being to make sure we go to heaven when we die. It’s also a way to restore God’s shalom (healing, peace and reconciliation) to His groaning creation. I really believe that the hope of the world is to have as many people as possible become followers of Jesus so that they can learn from him the art of love, forgiveness, mercy, and grace. In this regard, I believe that Jesus is “the way” to salvation, not just just the salvation of individual souls in the age to come, but also the salvation of this planet in the present age.
I believe the most important thing I can do with my life is to help those who have given up on Christianity take a 2nd look at the life and teachings of Jesus. I believe my/our efforts in putting on display for the world the full-orbed gospel will make a difference in every sphere of existence.
I came to believe these things on Sept. 12th in a way I didn’t on Sept. 10th.
I guess you could say that on Sept. 11th my faith in the gospel was restored.
Telling Stories, Asking Questions, Learning Lessons
great post Wade!
Good thoughts! I am sure there are many, many people that are grateful you stayed in the ministry.
Thanks for staying!
Good thoughts, Wade. 9/11 changed the way a lot of us see the world and spurred us on to share the hope that only the gospel of Jesus offers.
Peace.
Wade,
Wow! What a timely post for me today. When you spoke at the Workshop this year, just before the buckets were passed, you reminded us of the importance of the Worskshop–about how there have been preachers and elders in attendance through the years who were about to give up but because of the encouragement at Tulsa they did not. This year one of those preachers was me. I came home and started a blog where I now stay in contact with so many of my friends who encourage me at Workshop.
While I love preaching I’m still uncertain that I’ll stay in this vocation full time. I just signed on with a real estate firm and paid my dues to the association last week. If I’m successful in this endeavor, who knows what the future holds. I’ve done full time ministry for 15 years now but I seriously doubt that it will be the case long term. Anyway, I could really identify with your post.
Thank you for your work at the Workshop and for your ministry. I have your blog and sermons linked on my blog. You’re making a difference and I have no doubt that the gospel is where the real difference will be made.
Wade
Wade,
Thank God your faith in the gospel was restored. God is amazing in being able to work for the good of those who love Him. I think God’s kingdom is better off with you in leadership than without.
These comments might have been more appropriate on your last post, but I’m curious about this separatist/distinctivist approach concerning a believer and his or her government, specifically the disconnect and abandonment between the two. I’m sure this was part of the dialogue in the emerging cohort you led, but to me it doesn’t scan, especially in a government such as ours that is “of, by and for the people”. Why would we abandon people of such great influence and authority, people who Paul seems to say can have a role in leading us toward a life of peacefulness, quietness, godliness and holiness? In Scripture I see believers praying for, submitting to, and reaching out to those in governing roles. Why turn the “State” over to the evil one? We be the “State”. “Let the government do what governments do”? We be the government. Why would we advocate the kingdom of God breaking in everywhere but there?
Hey, thanks for the intriguing thoughts. Your words have caused me to rethink a lot of things. That’s a good thing!
Brad–those are good questions. My short answer is that my personal position on all of this is more nuanced and fuzzy than the above post or the four categories in the previous post indicates. In a democracy, I think we should participate as much as our kingdom of God values will allow us to. Greg Boyd has a nice way of putting it. He says, “In a democracy, you get to give your opinion. When they ask for your opinion on a issue, give it.”
Paul says that God uses the state or government for His purposes. At the same time, the State I think can be categorized as one of the “powers that be” that while created by God are also fallen and in need of redemption. That redemption will not come from within the power itself, but rather from the gospel. Or something like that.
Of course there is a tension in the New Testament. Romans 13 has to be in conversation with Revelation.
Beyond this, I’d encourage you to read Lee Camp or John Howard Yoder or Walter Wink or Greg Boyd for a better elucidation of some of this stuff.
Will do. Thanks for the timely response.
Thank you, Wade, for these most excellent thoughts! In my estimation you made the right decision.
May we never forget those whose lives were senselessly taken from them on 9/11/2001.
May we also remember those who selflessly sacrificed their lives so that many would-be victims were spared.
May those whose hearts are bent on vilolent destruction of others experience a change of heart and direct these energies to helping others.
– – –
A Prayer for Humanity
May God lead us from death to life,
from falsehood to truth.
May God lead us from despair to hope,
from fear to trust.
May God lead us from hate to love,
from war to peace.
May God fill our hearts, our world,
and our universe with peace.
– bill Williams
Thank you, Wade, for telling how 9/11 redeemed you and the gospel in and through you again. It was also about that time that we first met via you writing a movie review for Wineskins.
What you said on Sunday in B’ham stuck with me. Your counseling of my wife and I before we got married is still with us. All wasn’t lost in B’ham. š
Wade,
I am glad you decided to stay in ministry. The difference and impact you are having on the church and the kindom is great. God is so good in how he makes his plans known to us. God bless you as you continue to make a difference with the Tulsa Workshop and other way of impacting the kingdom!
Wade H., though selling real estate is honorable and certainly has redemptive qualities like almost all vocations, I think it’s great that you’re focusing your energy on the proclamation of the gospel and the spread of the Kingdom.
You mentioned Yoder and Camp above. I’ve read their work and appreciate their voice. I don’t agree with some of their conclusions, but appreciate their reasoning and love for God. I struggled with the whole government/kingdom issue when preaching the gospel to infantry solders at Benning. I’ve concluded that the best of all governments are all mere parodies of the Kingdom of God. Governmental leaders, constitutions, dictators, kings, presidents, judicial branches, et. al., exist as something of a broken, temporary parallel universe to the eternal Kingdom of God. A climatic clash happened when the collective representatives where on the same stage–Pilot (Rome’s rep), the High Priest (Judaism’s rep), and Jesus (Israel’s real Messiah and the one True Human). Jesus subverted their power, and paraded them when He was raised and vindicated. And His mission is our mission–subvert the parodies and shine true light. Whether one works in the government or is just a citizen, part of our call is to critique the parodies with the newly formed humanity in Christ. The gospel declaration that Jesus is King over all will not be popular even in democracies that claim to be primarily Christian. And Iraq, Iran, Syria, N. Korea, or whoever, doesn’t need the gospel of democracy (and its parodies of liberty and freedom), but the gospel of Christ and the kingdom of God modeled by the church where true liberty and freedom are found forever. Unfortunately, too many of our churches look more like the parodies with fallen power, social, and economic structures (just to name a few).
Ben
Wade,
In my opinion, this post eloquently defines the answer to one of the most challenging questions from non-believers and Christians alike… “Why does God allow such tragedies to occur?” Yes, the wonderous gift of freewill can, unfortunately, result in tragedy, but the miracle is that from tragedy, new and strengthened faith and a deepened dependence in our creator can arise. As always, I appreciate your honesty. Keep on keepin’ on Brother.
Amen!
Wade,
A very, very good post. Good to hear how 9/11 impacted you and caused you to reflect even more deeply upon the message.
So glad you stayed in.