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Are Christians Still Salty?
This morning, I went with my daughter’s church youth group to a local farm to harvest sweet potatoes. The farm’s name is Serenity Farms. The man who ran things, Bernie Fowler Jr., told us the the farm’s story after we’d finished taking our turn digging in the field. He’d been a developer who hit a very low spot in his life during the housing market crash. In addition to his business collapsing, he went through a long and bitter divorce, and his daughter ran off with a heroin addict, had a baby, and became an addict herself. He contemplated suicide, but instead turned to his faith and found solace in helping others.
On what he described as a prompting of the Holy Spirit, Bernie stopped by the farm to talk to the owner about an idea he had. The farm was on the verge of bankruptcy, and he and the farmer began working together. Bernie’s initiative is called Farming4Hunger. They grow crops, assisted by inmates from the local pre-release detention center. Volunteer groups harvest the vegetables, and it is immediately delivered to local food banks, soup kitchens, and — on occasion — directly to poor families in the area. Since 2012, they have grown and delivered millions of pounds of food.
The inmates receive mentoring while working at the farm. There is a 0% recidivism rate among the inmates who’ve worked there. Several of them spoke to the group about what work at the farm has meant to them. For most, it was the first time they had anyone take time to teach them anything of worth and show them a better way. They spoke of the acceptance and lack of judgment they received at the farm and what it meant to them, and how they, too, have found fulfillment in helping others.
As we left, I pondered why Christians could possibly be losing the culture war given success stories like this. Is it because we’ve largely sequestered ourselves away inside our Christian world and left the unsaved to themselves? I know there are many, many ministries doing great work like this one, but they are a small number compared to the number of Christians.
We feel like we’re doing the Lord’s work when we teach a Bible study or serve on a committee at church. We tell ourselves we’re being obedient by going to church and worshipping weekly. But these are things we do to grow our personal relationship with Christ. These things only equip us to do the Lord’s work. They’re a means to the end. We huddle together and complain about the lack of acceptance for our beliefs when the reality is that if we were out there living our beliefs, actually doing the Lord’s work — feeding the hungry, visiting the sick and those who are in prison, and clothing the naked — we would be making a difference in our communities.
The truth is, we’ve largely opted out of action, choosing instead to talk. Most unchurched peoples’ experience with Christians is listening to them complain about things they think are wrong with everyone else. Other Christians tend not to view things in this light because they understand the context and agree that the behavior being called out is sin. Unchurched people are left wondering why Christians are so angry and judgmental. We rail against our culture rejecting us, but I wonder if that is not a two-way street, with the culture at large watching us hunker down into our stained glass bunkers and wondering why we think they are something to be hated and feared.
I know that I am guilty of these things. I feel convicted. I have hidden behind my family and excuses about not having time for years. It remains to be seen whether I heed the call.
Thoughts? Am I on to something, or am I overly pessimistic?
Published in Culture, Religion & Philosophy
We are losing the culture war because our side doesn’t fight as though it is a war, but instead as though it’s some sort of unpleasant disagreement. Our opponents, commanding all the high terrain of culture, slaughter us before we even pull on our boots.
There is no hunger here save that due to mental illness, drug addiction or other choices. Instead, we have 47 million Americans on Food Stamps, creating legions of dependent, often obese but reliable voters vested in the Democrat plantation. That’s how the culture war is fought by those who despise us and our values. Our side often eschews politics or engages in such a desultory manner as to be child’s play for the Left’s committed warriors. Visit the sick all you want, it won’t help you in the war that’s actually being waged against you. Our prisoners live far better than non-criminals on most continents, with medical care the poor around the world can’t even imagine. Try explaining free sex change operations to the starving in Darfur. The only naked people are in Times Square charging tourists by the selfie.
Very good post. I struggle with that urge to remain secluded as well. And I complain too much.
Organized charity generally doesn’t interest me. When I used to help my dad deliver Meals on Wheels, I felt like the wrong person for it. These people often need a smile and conversation as much as food, and I’m no good at quick impromptu conversations with strangers.
Such activities aren’t supposed to be about making the giver feel good, so maybe I should just suck it up. Or maybe I’m not allowing myself to be joyful in those times. But I feel much more capable in less formal situations, in which God takes advantage of my being around someone in need to set up a longer, deeper conversation or help.
That requires getting out where God can make use of me. That’s my point. Christians should be out in the world more, and not sitting at home. Simply by being on the move, God can make use of us. He’s always setting things up we don’t expect.
They also serve who only stand and paint the narthex ceiling.
… and cut the grass. And reseal the church parking lot. And replace the thermostat in the pastor’s office. And fix the church printer….
I applaud the story and I am quite surprised based on my small business experience that there has not been some harassment from state and county agencies.
There is much to do. I know many small business owners use their hiring flexibility to help people with prison time, or addictions get a shot at decent jobs if they can keep on the straight and narrow. There is a lot of this going on at the local level, person by person that is unreported.
When our Guard units went off to war on foreign shores for the first time since 1945, the community came together to help the families affected.
We need more private creativity to help solve some of our cultural problems. We know relying on the state to fix things often makes them worse.
Sheila:
You’re on to something, but I wouldn’t expect much since, like everything else, this will surely devolve into a political squabble.
Thanks for writing this–one can only hope such stories multiply. I think the conclusion is, there is reason to hope. There’s no way you can walk away from this less confident in America!
I don’t remember Jesus telling me I am only to minister to those whose troubles aren’t their own doing. Perhaps you have a different version of the Bible than I. Mental illness is not someone’s fault. A child who goes hungry because his parents are drug addicts is not at fault.
You seem to be advocating the “guy who yells loudest and longest wins” method of fighting the culture war. My point is that’s what we’ve been doing and it’s not working. Those aren’t the tools Christ gave us to fight.
Yes, I linger in my comfort zone because I feel uncomfortable in “manufactured” settings. But when I am brutally honest with myself I can admit that those manufactured settins are necessary, because I am not likely to trip over many opportunies in my daily life. But I like being comfortable.
Yes indeed, but people who can cut the grass for the church can cut the grass for the elderly or disabled in our communities. The same for repair work like painting or replacing a thermostat. If you can teach a Bible study at church, you can probably teach one at the library, or even just tutor people. Help someone learn to read.
My point on that end being that it’s easy to serve the church. Our church is our family and it’s a place we feel comfortable. Christ constantly challenged His followers to make themselves uncomfortable for His sake.
Interesting post. I think, however, that serving one another within congregations is vitally important, as is Christian community. My goodness, I’ve had ample opportunities to serve the truly needy within my congregation. And we try very hard to find opportunities to reach out as well. I think all of that is there, but we could do a better job of coordinating service opportunities. This farm sounds like a wonderful project. We need more like it run by Christians. I think honorable work combined with the Christian message of hope and redemption is the best way to prevent recidivism.
Bernie told us that the first year he got a few inmates with no problem. The second year he was told he could only have one, and only for thirty days. The next year someone from the state Dept. of Corrections called and requested he take inmates from the pre-release facility and that’s what he’s done ever since.
One-program-fits-all approaches don’t work. Unless we have many more people like Bernie stepping forward, the problem will continue to get worse and not better.
Yes, I agree with you here. Which, of course, is the problem.
Thanks. Yes, it does make one feel hopeful, doesn’t it? Then again, I also left feeling very convicted in my own inaction. Unless that conviction leads to action, it’s all for naught, isn’t it?
Serving one another within congregations is vitally important, but I think we’re usually pretty good at taking care of each other. We just seem to need a large push to take care of those not inside our congregations.
Oh my, the intractable problems in my congregation! We need way more service than congregants can provide. Come to think of it, maybe we need to make our congregation the project of some other congregation of eager-to-serve Christians!
Only a minute to comment but I wanted to share this: Opportunity Lives seeks to highlight these kinds of stories. Here’s their youtube channel.
Peace!
I’m content to let each person sort out for himself or herself what message Jesus conveys, for the simple reason that I have enough trouble sorting that out for myself.
This isn’t an argument about mental health needs, let alone ‘responsibility’ for such needs. You weren’t trying to address mental health needs in the volunteer work you described, as far as I can tell.
The point germane to your post is that with 47 million people getting food aid, if there’s a child going hungry it’s not because free, Christian-gathered sweet potatoes weren’t available. Your solution isn’t addressing the problem and, therefore, your time and energy would be better spent elsewhere. Perhaps your Bible has a passage saying “Labor in vain and unproductively; don’t consider whether you’re doing any good toward your stated goal or whether you could have a better impact (on the culture war, for instance) by doing something else.” Mine lacks that passage.
Actually, I’m advocating fighting smarter not necessarily louder. We haven’t been doing that, so you don’t know if it will work. BTW – what “yelling” are you referring to that Christians are doing? In any event, Christ gave us examples of every tool imaginable, consistent with Mosaic law / Old Testament strictures. Yes, even yelling loud . . . the overturned tables at the Temple did not result from an excess of calm politeness.
It was you that connected your volunteer work to the culture war, suggesting that it would aid victory if only done with greater diligence and depth. I disagree with your analysis of the war and how to fight it. We are losing that war because we’re being outclassed on the battlefield. Our strategy is pathetic and our tactics even worse. With respect, you exemplify this: picking potatoes, visiting those in hospitals, helping the incarcerated assimilate back into society, clothing the less-well clothed . . . whatever else those fine and noble acts of compassion might accomplish, they will not improve our chances of winning the culture war by even one smidgen.
If your goal is winning the culture war, I would encourage you to reconsider your volunteer commitments. If you have other goals, far be it from me to suggest how you go about them.
Agree and your goals become infinitely more achievable absent an unrestrained central government.
Okay, perhaps “fighting the culture war” is the wrong phrase for what I am talking about. I am talking about influencing our communities by being salt and light. And I see obeying Christ in the manner I referenced in my original post as a primary means of influence. There are always going to continue to be people hostile to Christianity, the Bible makes this abundantly clear, and so a certain number that will remain unreachable.
If there are, to use an arbitrary number, 10,000 Christians in my community and 9,900 of them are not engaged in any kind of active ministry, that’s a lot of Christians who have opted out of influencing their community at all.
Yes, I think it’s appropriate to speak out in the public square in defense of our beliefs, but my position is that we need to back our words up with action in our communities. We’re supposed to be smaller government advocates, but we’ve left the charity work to the government and allowed them to muck it up royally while expanding it to ridiculous proportions.
Actually, the point of my post was about obedience to the Scriptures as I understand them. It was that I know I am not acting in obedience to them (digging sweet potatoes is not a regular activity for me), and that from my observation I am not alone in this, and further, that if more of us were acting in obedience to them, we would be having a much greater influence on our culture.
I don’t remember implying that children would go hungry without “free, Christian-gathered sweet potatoes” being available. The pointt of the post was absolutely not that people are starving because we’re not all out digging up sweet potatoes.
I did not imply that Christians should ignore serving their church, or that Christians should not help the needy among their congregations, or even that Christians should abdicate speaking out in defense of ourselves. Obviously I was unclear in my original post.
Shelia:
I don’t think you were unclear and I’m not here to dicker over your interpretation of Christian charity/obligation/modes of expressing saltiness. I’m largely an ignoramus on that topic . . . can offer opinions, uninspired by deep scriptural analysis.
I feel on safer ground discussing warfighting. Most Christians, in my view, think “culture war” is a rhetorical phrase with no meaningful connection to “real” warfighting. I disagree. It’s a real war fought—for the most part—on a political battlefield. It has and will continue to have winners and losers. In fact, it threatens the nation that—arguably—invented “freedom of religion” as a societal organizing principle. The consequences of such a threat are hard to predict.
In my view Judeo-Christian culture in its broadest sense can and must win this culture war. We won’t unless those 9,900 people in your example become politically active. They can do all those wonderful other things you refer to but unless they get active politically and ensure victory in the culture war, none of that effort will ultimately matter.
My point to you and all those others is this: with limited time and energy to commit, pick your war and then your battles wisely. Don’t fool yourself by thinking anything less than winning the culture war makes any significant difference towards the fate of our faith-based culture. That’s merely arranging the Titanic’s deckchairs and arguing over songs the string quartet should play.
It’s important to be clear here . . . we “left the charity work to the government” in that we failed to recognize and politically counter the culture war strategy of our opponents, which was to make charity a state function. That strategy has played out over the past 100 years. It’s now far, far too late to be talking about the “need to back up our words with action in our communities.” The only option available to us now is defeating our opponents politically—destroying their unconstitutional, rule-bending and rule-breaking tactics at its source.
But that’s a topic for another thread. [:-)
I’ve been searching around for a while for an article that I think Mollie Hemingway wrote in response to some NYT column on the subject of your post–but I came up dry. So I will have to paraphrase.
Basically, the response pointed out that it is slander to imply that the church has focused mostly on the culture wars, and then it reviewed the data on the overwhelming amount of money, time, and resources spent by Christians on charity, in contrast to the relatively paltry amount of time and resources devoted to the culture wars. Anyway, I’m sure that there is always more we can do to be “salty,” because the world is fallen and we will never meet all its needs. However, I think it’s telling that you found a place where Christ moved someone to do something loving and gracious for others. It wasn’t publicized, it was just there. I think it’s all around you all the time.
I agree with this Brent, just not to the extent libertarians do. What libertarians want is first of all very vague, as Barkha’s recent thread shows, and secondly, not even possible. That became very clear as that thread progressed. But yes, far less government would be a good thing.
I imagine what I am about to say will earn me some derision, but I will say it nonetheless. And because I am a lowly Coolidge, it will take me two posts to say it. But in the context of how I interpret the original post, I’m going to Matthew 5:13-16:
Too many conflate the call to live a Christlike life with engagement in the politics of the so-called culture wars. I cannot disagree more with the idea that greater political engagement is paramount over all else. In fact, I assert such an approach will result in yet more tasteless salt. You might possibly win “the war”, but you will have lost the very essence that makes the Christian “in the world, not of it”.
I do not argue for political inactivity. Far from it. What I do argue is that there are greater things, more important things, the mystery of which is there to be discovered through acts of kindness, mercy, and service. Such can meet the need for a day, and the same can change the face of eternity.
(con’t)
Victory, if there is to be such a thing in this temporary venue, will come in the small daily battles – there is more power in these than massing an army at the front of the culture wars. Remember, in Scripture, the Father always gave victory to the smaller vs. the larger, the weaker against the stronger.
Finally, if we want to change the culture, the example we set in the small things matters a great deal:
We do it right, and people will notice. And if we really do it right, the credit will go where it is due – to the Father. And then, just maybe, those people who see our saltiness, and see that light we are trying to shine, just maybe they will start asking the right questions.
Thank you. You expressed very well what I have been clumsily trying to articulate. And each of us must be accountable for our own personal holiness.
I see it as a similar problem to the “I hate Congress and all their pork barrel spending, but I love my senator who brings back $1.20 for every dollar we send to Washington.” People always say they hate politicians, but the House has a 99% incumbency rate.
Go to the average unchurched person, and they might say, “Yeah, Christians are a bunch of mean, judgmental Church-Lady types.” But ask them what they think of Mary who always says hi, and Susan who sends them get-well cards, and Pastor Bob who helps mow their front lawn, and you’ll get a different answer.
“If it bleeds, it leads.” That’s the newsies motto, and that’s why Christians only get on the news when they’re molesting kids or being hateful bigots. Combine this with the entertainment media who generally detest Christians, and so they only get a part in the movies as a hypocrite or judgmental scold. It’s a tradition that goes back to H.L. Mencken.
I appreciate your conundrum and I feel it as well routinely, but I am going to go with overly pessimistic.
Your example of a teaching prisoners to be farmers is compelling, and think that is partly because of the very basic nature of the task. However, the real world is pretty complicated. Our society gets great benefits from specialization of labor. Those with the most comparative advantage carry out the tasks of farming and other things so others like myself don’t have to. Everyone benefits from that specialization (even though I like the concept of growing some of my own food from time to time).
I would never argue that people should not do more to help out those who have taken the wrong road, but don’t sell your Sunday school ad-vocations short. It takes much less effort to start someone out right than it does to fix them once they are broken. You may have much more comparative advantage in teaching catechism than you do in prison ministry (not that I am knocking that). So, it may be better for society if I put more energy into what I am best at so that someone else can focus on retail outreach.
That being said, we should all look to do what we can but also we should be aware that we have just obligations other than charity. The man who gives away his whole paycheck and then cannot pay his light bill is not behaving justly.