Season of Giving, Gift Wish Cards Available This Sunday
Every year, at Christmas time, we have the chance to bless the people of our sister church, Neighborhood Fellowship (NF). How it works is that each member (adults and children) of NF fills out a card with a need/want they have. In turn, we make those cards available to the ZF body to pick up and then purchase the desired gift. The gifts are then brought back to ZF where they are checked in and delivered downtown to the people of Neighborhood Fellowship. We will have the cards available during our services this Sunday, November 6. The gifts are due back by December 4. This is a wonderful opportunity for our body to spread some Christmas cheer to our fellow believers in the inner city. For questions, please contact Traci Taylor at 317-408-6830 or email her at taylor.traci@comcast.net.
How and Why We Engage In Politics as Christians Drew Hunter
As Christians in America engage in another election season, we may tend to feel the urgency of the question, “how should I vote?” That’s an important question. But we really can’t answer it unless we step back and think about a larger framework for how and why we engage in politics as Christians. The first and broader question we should ask is this: How do we live as faithful witnesses of Christ? Here are four answers.
1. Rightly Order Your Citizenships
Christians always navigate life with two citizenships. We are citizens of heaven and citizens on earth. We belong to Christ and his Kingdom, and we also belong to a nation on earth. We have these two citizenships, but only one is primary and eternal. Our primary citizenship is with Christ in heaven and the new creation to come. As Paul said, “our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3:20). This means our primary loyalty is to Jesus over any other ruler. Our primary home is with Christ rather than America. Our primary group identity is with Christians, regardless of background, socio-economic status, ethnicity, or even nation. Our primary task is to make disciples of all nations.
2. Be Motivated by Wisdom and Love
As Christians who are faithful to Jesus, we carry out our citizenship on earth with love. Jesus called us to, above all things, be lovers of God and lovers of others. This has implications for political engagement. As we seek to serve or support people, platforms, and policies, we look through the lens of love. We seek to do good to our neighbors with our political engagement. As we think about supporting or voting, we ask: will this person, platform, or set of policies promote the common good? Which will allow us to “lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way"? (1 Tim. 2:2). We need both wisdom and love to answer these questions. Learn about the people, the platforms, and the policies. Seek to weigh biblical and Christian concerns like the dignity of life, the family, true justice, care for the vulnerable, etc. Seek to love your neighbor with your political actions.
3. Engage With Knowledge
The American political structure is wise in many ways, but it’s also complex. If we don’t understand how our government is structured, we may not understand how to contribute. Voting is important, and therefore it’s important to know what we’re doing when we vote. Do you know what it means to participate in a Constitutional Federal Republic, and do you know what role your vote plays? Consider reading these two brief articles: Trent Hunter, Understanding What You Are Doing as an American, and Kevin DeYoung, What Am I Doing When I Vote.
4. Guard Your Attitude
How do we faithfully engage in earthly politics while showing the world that our citizenship is in heaven? One very clear way: We submit our attitudes and tone to Christ. If Jesus is our King, we show that we are submitting to him in the way we talk with others. Even in the midst of sharp disagreement, we are nevertheless called to speak with gentleness and respond: “the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness” (2 Tim. 2:24).
The first few years after high school can be challenging, lonely, and disorienting. Whether away at school, starting a career, serving in the military, or studying locally, young adults need to know that their home church is still thinking about them. One way we seek to do this is through sending care packages.
If you’re interested in encouraging a young adult in this way, now is your chance. For the next few Sundays, there will be address labels and flat rate postal boxes in the lobby. Simply grab a label and box, fill it with goodies and a note of encouragement, and then ship it through the Post Office. Thank you for showing Christ’s love in this tangible way.
