Politics and the Christian Heart

Things NOT to do this political season:

1. Don’t be surprised that we basically have two less-than-stellar candidates for president (basing this off of their historically high disapproval ratings). It’s easy to sometimes project onto those who aren’t Christians the expectations of a Spirit-filled life, and to relatedly have a degree of worldly optimism that banks more on people being essentially good in heart and motive versus being, as Jesus says, “evil” to the core (Matthew 7:11).

2. Don’t fear. Someone has said before, “It isn’t befitting for the people of God to fear.” We are people of the empty tomb. The perfect love of Jesus Christ has driven out our fear (1 John 4:18), and so we are really the only people who can say, and truly mean, “Everything’s going to be ok.”

3. Don’t berate other believers for their political opinions, nor the candidates themselves. Berating is basically the same thing as arguing strongly (and unhealthily) for another candidate of a differing viewpoint, and in that, caring too much. It’s a type of misplaced anger that confuses our witness. What exactly is the essence of Christian hope again? What should we be doing with our time? What does it mean to be saved? Political angst gives no good answers to these questions.

4. Don’t put your hope in people. Our hope is not in a healthy USA. But our hope is in the next country, a “better country” (Hebrews 11:16). Until then, if we believe in God’s sovereignty, then whoever becomes our next president is exactly who God wants to be our next president. If he has ordained pagan kings for certain things in the past, then he can do it again while remaining completely in control and good at the same time, not responsible for or endorsing the evils they commit. So, let me say it again: Whatever happens in November is exactly what our good God intends to happen. Sleep well at night knowing that’s true. Put your hope in him and his plan for your life and for our country and world. And his plan is that more people come to know him — to believe in him for the forgiveness of their sins. He will do this, through the Church, no matter the state of our government.

5. Don’t care that much. Be informed. Read up on the issues. Pray for our country and our leaders as the Bible instructs. Then vote — or don’t vote — to the glory of God. You are free in the gospel to do either. But then, don’t care that much. This doesn’t excuse apathy, but it does encourage us to focus on where our true citizenship lies: with Christ, in heaven, with the hope of a new earth some day soon. Romans 14:17 says, “The Kingdom of God is not a matter of food and drink, but of righteousness, joy, and peace in the Holy Spirit.” The Apostle Paul writes this to a church that was making food too central of an issue in the Christian life. But he wasn’t saying, “Don’t have any thoughts about food whatsoever.” Nor was he saying, “Don’t eat that much.” Nor, “Eat a lot!” But rather, “Don’t judge people either way; instead make it all about Jesus.” It’s the same with politics. Jesus’ kingdom subverts worldly kingdoms. It doesn’t christianize them or offer us hope though them. So the amount of care we put into politics (which can freely vary from Christian to Christian) should be greatly quelled in favor of our care for the gospel and our love for Jesus’s Church, even those in the church who we might consider political “enemies”. Because, in Christ, enemies become friends. But in politics, enemies stay enemies.

CHRIS WACHTER / LEAD PASTOR

Sex Trafficking and Our Hope in the Gospel

This past Sunday I preached on a short passage in the book of Genesis. It was a passage that a number of people told me they didn’t even know was in the Bible while others said they’ve read a number of times without quite realizing what was happening. The passage was Genesis 12:10-20. Here the new protagonist of the book, Abram, does the unthinkable. He pimps out his wife. He cowardly and selfishly sells his wife to a foreign, idol-worshiping king (Pharaoh in fact) in order to save his own skin. 

This inevitably led to a portion of the sermon being about sex-trafficking (Abram’s sin), it’s victims, and the reality of it in our city. This is not just something that only happened in ancient times or today in developing countries. 

•    In 2003, Minneapolis, Minnesota was identified by the FBI as one of 13 cities with a large concentration of child prostitution enterprises.
•    By very conservative measures, a November 2010 study found that each month in Minnesota at least 213 underage girls are sold for sex an average of five times per day through the Internet and escort services. This number does not include hotel, street or gang activity.

This issue is a reality here in our city. 

And like Sarai (Abram’s trafficked wife), many of these women and children are victims. Victims who’ve been abused and used by others. Victims who feel as though they have no other options, resources, or hope. Victims who would get out if they could. 

Many of them come from abusive homes/relationships and are homeless, runaways, or in foster care. The common age for victims entering trafficking is 14-16. They’re often kidnapped or lured with promises of protection, love, home, opportunity, and adventure. And once in, threats of violence, abuse, or being turned into the cops keeps escape from being an option. Also substance addictions, a need to provide for their kids, and a lack of resources and opportunities makes them feel like they have no other option but to stay in the sex industry. 

Sex trafficking (as well as things like prostitution, porn, one night stands, etc.) dehumanizes people, turns them into objects and a means to an end, rather than someone made in the image of God and so loved by him that he’d die for them! 

Sex trafficking is the antithesis of the gospel. It says I can use and abuse someone at their expense and see them as less than human, because I am better, more important, or more powerful than my victim. 

Whereas the gospel says Jesus chose to empty himself, to give up his power and importance, to be used in our place, in order to give us life and full humanity. Jesus was abused and taken advantage of (like Sarai) and all for our sake. 
 
Throughout the Bible, God calls his people to protect the vulnerable, to show mercy and kindness, and to fight against evil and injustice because he has first done that for them. We were once imprisoned to death, powerless to gain our freedom, and oppressed by our sin but God rescued us, saved us, and restored us. And that is why his people are called to reflect him and his gospel. 

So there is hope. Hope for victims and perpetrators alike. Through the gospel both the Sarais and Abrams of the world are offered (both physical and spiritual) rescue, redemption, forgiveness, and new life. Not only that but through the gospel they are offered a place where they are wanted, have security, receive a new identity, and belong to a spiritual family (the church). 

On a large scale, there are great local and international organizations (many faith-based) that are helping rescue victims in a holistic way. If you want to learn more, hear victims’ stories, or begin to help, here are some resources (note that some of the content will be mature due to the nature of sex trafficking). 

INTERNATIONAL

• Shared Hope International 
• Nightlight International

LOCAL

• Tapestry Pregnancy and Family Resource Center We as a church often partner with Tapestry. They're are a fantastic faith-based organization that holistically serves women and children here in our city who feel they have no help, no resources, and no hope. 
• Breaking Free 
• Source Minnesota

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• How Porn Leads to Sex-Trafficking and How the Gospel is the Solution (video) If you just check out one resource, this would be the one I'd recommend. 
• Hope Community Church's Recent Seminar on Sex Trafficking in our City (youtube videos)
• Rape for Profit (film)  Documentary that focuses on sex trafficking of underage youth in Seattle.
• 9 Things You Should Know About Pimps and Sex Traffickers (article)
• 9 Things You Need to Know About Backpage.com and Sex Trafficking (article) 
• Why Legalized Prostitution Increases Sex Trafficking (article)
• ‪Porn: Human Trafficking at Your Finger Tips (video) Shows the link between pornography and sex trafficking. 
• The White Umbrella: Walking with Survivors of Sex Trafficking. (book by Mary Frances Bowley)
• http://justinholcomb.com/category/culture/human-trafficking/ (website)
• http://www.refugeforwomen.org (website) Organization that provides aftercare for the trafficked and sexually exploited 

SPENCER PETERSON / COMMUNITY LIFE PASTOR

Why we preach at Hiawatha Church

Even if you're new to Hiawatha Church, you've probably already learned that we highly value preaching. Every Sunday you'll hear a 45 minute sermon (many even longer). We're passionate about preaching because we believe in a God who speaks, and the Bible teaches that it is through hearing the gospel that people come to faith and repentance. Romans 10 says, How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

We believe that everyone needs to hear the gospel, whether it is for the first time or the millionth. So preaching the Gospel in a corporate setting on a Sunday morning is both for the believer and the unbeliever alike.

As we preach to those who already believe, we are reminding them of who they are in Christ and who they are called to be, reorienting them to the gospel that continues to save them daily. The preacher heralds the good news (that is what gospel means) of Jesus Christ’s substitutionary death for the forgiveness of sins and reconciliation to God. The true effect of gospel preaching is the same for both believers and nonbelievers in many ways. Both can and will be convicted of sin by the Holy Spirit, both are able to hear, learn, and believe the truth of scripture and the gospel, and both are called to repentance. Nonbelievers are called to respond to Jesus for the first time every week and are told of what spiritual riches can be theirs if they repent and believe in Jesus.

Although preaching in general can be quite missional by its very nature (meaning a way in which people can hear about Jesus), at Hiawatha we choose to be very intentional in making it even more accessible to who might be more biblically illiterate. We want there to be no stumbling blocks aside from Jesus and his grace. As Tim Keller says, we preach and speak positively about our city and neighborhood, we speak in a language that is accessible to nonbelievers and isn’t filled with pious talk, unnecessarily technical terms, or Christian jargon (and when we do use theological and biblical words, we take time to define them carefully), and we connect with the culture of South Minneapolis to build bridges and show how Christ is the ultimate solution to their desires and problems.

We also aim to be very welcoming and hospitable in our preaching. We welcome visitors, tell them we’re very glad they decided to show up, and tell them that it is okay to just be checking out Hiawatha Church, Jesus, and Christianity as a whole. We recap and review where we’ve been in our sermon series and describe in detail what the gospel is, how to respond after the sermon, and that there will be people available for questions and prayer after the service. 

We make a point to make Jesus the hero each week and not ourselves. We are transparent and vulnerable in our own depravity, weakness, sin and need for a savior rather than put up a façade of self-righteousness, superiority, and perfection. We preach as though nonbelievers and skeptics are among us because they always are. This also tells our regulars that Hiawatha is a place where they can bring their unbelieving friends, that it is a safe place for those with questions and doubts, and that their questions will begin to be answered by a community of people who care about them. 

Finally we work with all of our might to show how Jesus' work on the cross is the goal and finish line of all scripture - to take our text and make a bee-line to the cross (Charles Spurgeon). We not only want people to hear about grace and be saved, but to also get a glimpse of the right way to read their Bibles for themselves when they're doing that throughout the week.

SPENCER PETERSON / COMMUNITY LIFE PASTOR

Write here...