Good Monday morning...

… and I am remembering a story from high school when I was playing quarterback for our JV football team on a Thursday afternoon game.  I was rolling out to throw a pass and there were no receivers open, but the sideline was open, and I ran for about 60 yards and scored a touchdown.  It was such a rare occurrence for me (and frankly for our team that year) but I was really happy about scoring.  After the play, one of the refs, who was also one of my math teachers, pulled me aside and asked me if I had run out of bounds… and said that it would be good for me to call myself out of bounds if I had stepped out.  I honestly didn’t think I had, but since there was no actual paint for a sideline, it was hard to tell.  I didn’t call myself out of bounds, but the seeds of doubt have lingered for these 47 years.

The problem was there were no clear boundaries.  I’m still a little miffed at the referee who essentially asked me to do his job, but the truth is that the field had not been mowed and the sidelines were difficult to see.  It occurs to me that fuzzy boundaries become a problem when you get too close to the edge, but how do you really know?  As someone who has not always appreciated the concept of “boundaries” I am writing to you with a different perspective on them now.

With any election season, people at church will often want to share information that will encourage people to vote one way or another.  I have also known, for the 20 plus years of pastoring Oak Springs, that I have not allowed any kind of political propaganda to be shared from the pulpit or on our information table.  I think I was much less clear on this boundary in the early days of my ministry, but I am very clear on this boundary today.  It is my deep conviction that the church is to be free from political persuasion and that everyone is welcome in the family of God.  (I am not opposed to the church being involved in forums to learn about and to discuss political issues or candidates).

So, as the election day draws near, my only public encouragement is for everyone to exercise their freedom to vote, and to participate in our democracy as responsibly as you know how.  The gathering for worship will remain an apolitical zone… and the divisive schemes of the enemy of our souls will not be tolerated.  We are united in Christ, there is neither Jew nor Greek, male nor female, slave nor free, and I would add… neither democrat nor republican, for we are all one in Christ Jesus.  Ours is a judgment free place for people to come and worship the Lord Jesus Christ!

For His glory,

Pastor Mike