Doing Justice and Loving Mercy: Compassion Ministries, Student Workbook, SW16

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D O I N G J U S T I C E A N D L O V I N G M E R C Y : C O M P A S S I O N M I N I S T R I E S

Others, disagreeing with that view, feel strongly that we ought to care for our own, no matter what? Which of these views seems to resonate most with your understanding of Scripture? Are there other alternatives that might offer a better solution?

Appropriately Patriotic or Confused Loyalty?

Some in an urban church are concerned about the pastor’s constant mention of supporting the troops of the nation in every service. While some of the members have served in the armed forces, most of the members hold a view that the Church is within a country but truly is not a part of it. For them patriotism is a confused loyalty, giving to the state what only God and the Kingdom demand and deserve. Others are convinced that giving the king and country their due is distinctly Christian, and appropriate from all the NT texts which suggest that we honor the king, give to the government our due obedience, and we give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s. In a world so torn by nationalistic strife and violence, what ought to be our stand in regards to explicit showing of patriotism and “love of country” in the life and worship of the Church? Dealing with the change of the community that has taken place around it, an urban church is seeking to become more culturally relevant. Recently, the pastor decided that one of the two weekly services they host each week at the church would be handled by the young people, who have dubbed the new service “Hip Hop Hurray!” The idea is to design a service which in every way is tailored to speak to the lives and customs of the young, poor, and aggressive hip-hop teen culture which makes up the vast majority of the people on the street in the community where the church is located. The youth pastor, one who is utterly familiar with and at home with the hip-hop culture, intends on “contextualizing” every phase of the H 3 service, as it is called. From the music, to the dress, to the “rap” to the dance, all of the service will be in the language, style, and custom of hip hop culture. While many in the church are deeply excited about it and the cultural freedom it will display, others are deeply concerned that this is compromising our deepest values to vainly imitate the world’s cultures. If you were asked to give a sermon on this to clarify the issues involved, what would you suggest about the service and the issues surrounding it? Cultural Freedom or Worldly Compromise?

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