09 Nov 6 Ways For Christians to Move Forward, Post-Election

Like a lot of people around the world, and like many of you, I watched the nail-biting election results trickle in, and was surprised (to say the least) when Donald Trump was elected the 45th president of the United States.

But unlike many people around the world, we, as part of Mosaic Church, a made-by-God-to-be multiethnic and multigenerational church, watched and processed it all differently, and here’s what I mean:

I mean, if you watched and processed the election not in terms of how it was just going to affect you, but in terms of how it was going to affect your friends who are different than you, and in terms of how this election would affect your local church—that was, and is, a good thing.

It shows that you do not just live in your ethnic or political silo, and are content to be ok if your candidate wins, or the other loses. It shows that you have grown in your ability to think beyond yourself and needs, are growing in your concern and love for people who are different, and concerned first for the Kingdom of God. And again, that’s a good thing. That represents a small bit of hope for us all, because it shows we are broader and deeper than we once were.

That being said, I think we would all recognize and agree we have a long way to go as a nation, and as Christian people. Here are a few ways to move down that “long way to go”. I know plenty of both Christians and non-Christians are watching us to see how we handle difficult moments.

1. Choose to not allow this to tear Jesus’ church apart, period.

Do you know part of the reason why more than 85% of churches in the United States are monoethnic, and why only around 5% are as diverse as we are? It’s not necessarily because the people and leadership don’t have the skills to do it, it’s because they have not begun with a fundamental choice apart from their emotion and even logic, which is this:

I’m not going to allow anything to move me away from my conviction that no matter what happens, I’m a part of healing this nation just by being a part of this church.

From that choice, from that principle, we work our way down to some specific skills, which brings me to:

2. Recognize that, in our nation, with our history, both past and recent, people are going to be having a hard time with this new president-elect.

And specifically, we ought to recognize that our president-elect has not shied away from using language that is clearly threatening towards women and minorities. Donald Trump did not run on a platform of unity or making people of color feel safer in our nation, when many currently do not. It is easier to overlook vaguely threatening language when it is not aimed at you, but when you compile a list of President-elect Trump’s comments over the course of the election, you can hardly be blamed for feeling insecure or threatened by his rhetoric or some of his campaign promises. You could also hardly be blamed for wondering if his election would embolden those whose hearts are dark and receive some of his rhetoric as something to be acted on, instead of dismissed and condemned.

Let’s all recognize that language that disparages anyone or insults our opponents is destabilizing for a nation, and has no place in our national discourse—and that goes for anyone in the White House to all the people in your house and my house. Because of all of this, let’s reach out and affirm one another’s worth, dignity and value and let people who we know are struggling to come to terms with the results of the election that we see them.

It is the skill of empathy that is most needed and prized in difficult times, and for many of us, this is a new muscle to flex in a multiethnic context.

3. Don’t assume you know who anyone voted for.

It would be easy, and even somewhat natural, to come to church and ask, “I wonder if that person voted for ______________, and if they did, do they really see and love me?”

Two weeks ago, in the space of 24 hours, I had one person tell me that, from their opinion, they believed that “most people they sit next to in church are conservative”, and then another told me, “From what I gather, most people in this church would vote Democrat.”

I about fell out of my chair when I heard that! The truth is, we are diverse, and you don’t know who that person voted for, unless they told you!

And do you know what? I don’t care who you voted for—but I do care if you love and follow Jesus first, and our church is going to be a place where people of every party can come and feel welcomed—and that takes guts from all of us and risk on all our parts. If we don’t do this, we go back to being political and ethnic echo chambers, where we are never pressed to grow where we need it, and where we can never help another to grow where they need it.

Here’s what I believe about this church: I really do believe people in this church love you and our dream together far more than who you voted for. And when you are here this weekend, you can come give me a hug and I’ll prove it to you!

4. Don’t make inflammatory comments.

A short list would be:

          I could never be friends with someone who voted for_________________.

That’s pretty much the opposite of everything Jesus taught in that “loving your enemies” bit.

          How could you be a Christian and vote for _______________?

If you can’t recognize this election was really tough and that both candidates had major faults, and that many people felt forced to choose between two candidates they really didn’t like, I don’t quite know what to say.

          You just need to get over it and move on!

Let’s recognize, again, this election was really complicated and divided and emotional, and getting over stuff that’s painful takes time—and saying something like this to someone in a tough spot is usually not the best way to go, if ever. Jesus wept at the tomb of his friend, Lazarus, even though he was about to raise him from the dead. Aren’t you glad no one said to him, “Jesus, just get over it!”?

          This country is going down!

Again, not helpful. You don’t know that, and I certainly hope not, for all our sakes. I deeply respect President Obama and Hillary Clinton for their gracious tones of reconciliation in a difficult moment. I can’t imagine how hard that was for them. Let’s model their Christ-like character at this point.

5. It’s time to pray.

I mean, really. This country and its leaders and its future are in dire need of our prayers. The time is coming soon when a large group of decision makers are going to be appointed, and they will have a direct effect on our lives. The results of this election press me to cry out for help to my God, and I hope the same goes for you.

Please consider coming to prayer this Friday morning from 7 am – 8 am in Elevate, or to a special prayer gathering this Sunday morning before first service from 7:30 am – 9 am in the Family Room, where we will be praying for and holding one another and our nation up in prayer.

6. It’s time to dream.

Dreaming means we don’t pull away when stuff gets tough.

Dreaming means we don’t stop listening to the cries and heart needs of others.

Dreaming means we, like family, pull closer when times are challenging and we don’t understand and when the future is unclear.

Dreaming means we keep holding up hope and the vision of a church full of people whose hearts are full of love to Jesus first, and because of that, to one another.

Dreaming means we say to one another, “I see you. I love how God made you. Your skin color is perfect, and you are beautiful to me” (well, maybe not to a big, manly dude. Something else would probably mean more…Just saying. I know you feel me here.).

Dreaming also means we continue going to work in the tough areas of society where things are not as they ought to be, we continue to go to work in government and in law enforcement to make sure all peoples are treated justly, and it means we continue to go to work to win hearts and minds through service and sacrifice—like we did last Sunday with our Live Big offering. All I can say about that is, Mosaic Church, you are amazing, and I can’t wait to share the results with you.

I’m glad to dream with you.

Yes, you.

You.

“We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 1:2-3).”

Morgan