by Stan Mitchell

I ran across a survey recently that polled American leaders in business, politics, and the media. They were asked what groups constituted the "greatest danger to democracy" today. Fourteen percent fretted about the dangers posed by racist groups such as the Ku Klux Klan and neo-Nazis. Interesting, you might say. But here's the shocker.

Twenty-four percent said that they viewed Evangelical Christianity as a threat to democracy!

Allow that to filter through your thinking for a moment. Greater than power-hungry politicians, greater than the attempts of the Politically Correct to dictate, greater than a one-sided, eager to "educate" media, greater than those pathetic, hate-filled skinheads. Bible believing, conservative churches are a greater threat to democracy than these! Don't be afraid of media moguls who brainwash us with PC thinking; be afraid of a Gospel Preacher in a church Sunday morning, be afraid of churches that stand up for scripture. (The Williamsburg Charter Survey on Religion and Public Life, Washington DC, 1988).

What are they saying? What does this tell us?

To begin with, this sort of thing is as silly as Letterman after his bedtime. Conservative church groups are simply not a threat to democracy and free thinking. Curbing their right to enter public discussion, robbing their ability to express themselves, tearing the Ten Commandments off court walls, removing the very name God from our pledges and commitments –- now that would be a threat to democracy!

What it tells us is that the world is still, and relentlessly, the implacable foe of what is right and godly. Why are we surprised? Did we forget?

"Dear friends do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you" (1 Peter 4:12).

The threat they feel is not to their democracy, but to their deviance from God's will. The world has always hated that!

by Stan Mitchell

The Lord described one church this way: "You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked'" (Revelation 3:17, NIV).

Now any time a Christian says of his spiritual status that he does "not need a thing," alarm bells should go off. There is no such thing as a Christian who doesn't need God's guidance, care, mercy, or love! If a Christian tells you he doesn't need help, don't believe him. And if you happen to be the speaker, don't believe yourself! When it comes to the lies we tell ourselves, we are all far too willing dupes!

One of Winston Churchill's main political opponents was former prime minister Clement Attlee. Once, following a heated debate in parliament, a newspaperman asked Churchill for an evaluation of Attlee. Churchill said this: "He is a modest man with much to be modest about."

Churches do not prosper because of great preachers, talent-laden members, or magnificent programs. They prosper according to their faithfulness to God, and because of God's blessing.

Christians have much to be modest about. A Christian who doesn't need God is about as common as a rapper who sings wholesome songs, or a well-adjusted member of the Jackson family.

The term "self sufficient Christian" is an oxymoron. We need each other. We need the word of God. We need forgiveness. We need strength. We need God. We need not only to be modest, but to truly understand how much we have to be modest about!

"For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgement, in accordance to the measure of faith God has given you" (Romans 12:3, NIV).

by Stan Mitchell

Bob and Earl, two buddies, were great baseball fans. They watched about sixty games a year. One day, while discussing their favorite subject, they wondered if there was baseball in heaven. "I'll tell you what," Bob declared, "If I die first, I'll find out, and let you know."

The sad day came when Bob died and went to heaven. A few nights later, his buddy awoke to the sound of Bob's voice from beyond the grave.

"Bob, is that you?" Earl cried.

"Of course it's me!" Bob answered.

"That's unbelievable!" Earl exclaimed, "So tell me, is there baseball in heaven?"

"Well," Bob answered, "I've got good news and bad news."

"Tell me the good news first," Earl requested.

"OK. The good news is that, yes, there is indeed baseball in heaven."

"That's wonderful! So what could the bad news possibly be?"

"Oh, that," Bob replied. "You're pitching tomorrow night!"

Theologians have been unable to confirm the existence of baseball in heaven, but one thing in this story can be verified. Life is uncertain. We have a finite amount of it left, and we do not know when it will be we who are, well, pitching in heaven. Before we know it, we will be over there, trying to find out who's on first...

It's a good idea to work on our game while we have the time. We've got to keep our reflexes sharp, and our game in tune. There will come a day then The Manager will look over the roster. We all want to "make the cut," right?

"A time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out -- those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil to be condemned" (John 5:28,29, NIV).

Play ball!

by Stan Mitchell

"To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his steps" (1 Peter 2:21, NIV).

Bruce Shelly tells of a Peanuts cartoon that has Charlie Brown's little sister Sally writing a school theme entitled "Church History." Charlie reads her introduction: "When writing about Church history," she begins, "we have to go back to the very beginning. Our preacher was born in 1930."

"Many Christians," Shelly remarks, "suffer from historical amnesia" ("Church History in Plain Language", page xv). You have probably heard the old saying that "those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it" (George Santayana).

But some history we want to repeat. If we follow in the footsteps of Jesus, then we are attempting to repeat history, to that extent. And if we preach the Gospel the Apostles preached, then again we are repeating, to the best of our ability, the history about which we read (Galatians 1:6-8). And if we search the pages of scripture to find God's will for our lives and our church, then we are seeking to go back to the beginning. This is a beginning that predates the many admirable deeds of Campbell and Stone, and predates the courage of Luther and Calvin. It is an attempt to sweep away the dust and grime of history and reveal the church as it was in the mind of God.

Sally would be surprised to discover that the beginning predated her preacher; but we should not. Invariably when God creates something, it is very good. What we want to do is to go back to the beginning, when the church was born!

by Stan Mitchell

In her recent book Useful Idiots, Mona Charen speaks of the impulse some people have to "blame America first." In her view, there are those who will, as a reflex, blame America every time something goes wrong in the world. She speaks of an attitude where they will take anybody's side against that of their own country.

It must be a sign of the times, because I often sense the same attitude towards the church of Christ. Brethren will speak admiringly of the qualities of various denominations (and there are good qualities in many of them), but when it comes to their own fellowship, they seem to "blame the church of Christ first."

Please understand. I am not saying that we cannot speak to our leaders about our concerns and our deep desire to honor God better as a fellowship. I am not saying that we can do no wrong. The church is comprised of imperfect people. Of course we can make mistakes!

But it hurts me to hear "us" speaking mockingly of our great fellowship. I'm heartbroken when people flippantly refer to the "CoC" rather than lovingly repeat the name by which we are called.

American democracy is big, rambunctious and often flawed; its call to liberties and human rights is still, politically, the best hope of the world. The Church of Christ's call to go back to the Bible has been dented and misdirected at times by our flaws, divisions, and personal ambitions, but its call to follow Christ alone, and scripture alone, is more than the best hope of the world.

It is its only hope.

"Do not grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The judge is standing at the door!" (James 5:9, NIV).