Oh no, I’ve said too much…
As a teenager and young adult, I was an avid fan of the post-punk/alternative rock genre, and I discovered REM in the mid eighties. I used to blast them in my car on my morning drive to High School, and then again on my drive home. Radio Free Europe. The One I Love. It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine). All great songs.
Tell me you aren’t singing along right now!
Then in 1991 the band released the album Automatic For The People, which included the song Losing My Religion. As a committed believer (and by that time, a youth pastor) I wasn’t quite sure what to think about that one.
The lyrics included: “That’s me in the corner. That’s me in the spotlight, losing my religion. Trying to keep up with you, and I don’t know if I can do it. Oh no I’ve said too much; I haven’t said enough”
I may not be losing my religion, but I resonate with that last line. This week when I read Russell Moore’s book Losing Our Religion: An Altar Call for Evangelical America, I kept thinking that sometimes I say too much about how US Evangelicals should respond to political and cultural issues…and that other times I haven’t said nearly enough.
In his book Moore says much. He considers and challenges the state of Evangelical Christianity in America. As an American, an Evangelical, and a leader of Evangelicals, this book was talking to me. Repeatedly Moore challenged his evangelical readers to re-examine what living an authentic faith in the midst of our culture looks like, and to put that faith above any potential for personal or political power.
I want to say up front that I agreed with much of his thesis. It’s the tension I’ve been living in for the last few years: In my estimation, too many American Evangelical Christians have become far too enmeshed with politics and culture wars. They (we) have become so aligned with political and cultural power, it’s watered down our commitment to, and witness of, the values, mission and aim of the gospel.
And besides, according to Moore (and I agree), the culture wars are over. And “we” didn’t come out on top. But I think we might find that’s a good thing. Because maybe it will make space for believers to live and act out a countercultural narrative of surrendered-to-Jesus and changed lives, as we largely give up the fight to codify laws that unredeemed hearts are unlikely to follow.
The book struck what I felt was a healthy moderate middle ground that is Kingdom focused and not filtered so much through right or left. In that respect if seemed like a good companion to Michael Bird and N.T. Wright’s book, Jesus and the Powers that we read recently. And, I thought it provided a nice contrast to both Matthew Petrusek’s Evangelization and Ideology on the right and Jim Wallis’ God’s Politics on the left (though to be clear, I’m happy we read all of those books that I believe are written from godly and sincere, though different, perspectives.)
In the end, I do believe that having an opinion about good political policy is good—even when voicing strong opinions about what you think is best and what invites the most justice for both the US government and our culture. However we need to remember that the church has thrived in good and bad times, with and without power, and in great freedom and under significant persecution.
So maybe, if we are primarily concerned with the Gospel and God’s Kingdom, we would do well to not make political opinion, even our most strongly held opinions, the most important thing about our lives.
I think this is what Moore was getting at. People don’t get saved because Evangelicals gain political or cultural power, or because they “own the liberals” in the polls; they are changed by the transformative power of Jesus.
Our testimony isn’t found in our electoral victories over the opposite side, it is found in the victory over sin and death on the cross.
Moore understands that if we’re going to provide a genuine witness to the world that we must put the gospel first, before any political or cultural associations we might hold.
I preach this message to my church. Tying to provide Christian formation in ways that help people grasp their primary citizenship is heavenly, and that their US passport is only temporary.
Some folks in my church think I say too much. I fear that often, I haven’t said enough.
About the Author
Tim Clark
I'm on a lifelong journey of discovering the person God has created me to be and aligning that with the purpose God has created me for. I've been pressing hard after Jesus for 40 years, and I currently serve Him as the lead pastor of vision and voice at The Church On The Way in Los Angeles. I live with my wife and 3 kids in Burbank California.9 responses to “Oh no, I’ve said too much…”
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I am singing it right now. Ha, ha!!! It was (is) one of my favorite REM songs.
A loud AMEN from MI. . . Did you hear it? We are aliens here (not an excuse to withdraw but live from the hope that we have. . . kingdom living). In what ways do you think we have forgotten the transformative power of Jesus Christ?
Yes, thank you for this post! And thank you for using your voice to remind your congregation that our ultimate allegiance is to Jesus and the gospel message! I’m curious if you have found additional platforms, aside from the church’s pulpit, to share this impactful message?
Hi Tim,
A punker huh?, I should have seen the signs.
Too much, too little? I too have this tension in my life. Just came back from LA for my mom’s 90th Birthday. Surrounded by unbelievers I was given the tip of the hat, when they asked me to say grace.
That is all I got. Sigh…the coming months waiting for her to pass is filled with dread for those in my family who have no faith. Double sigh….
While visiting in Texas, I was surrounded by those who believe in the “orange Jesus = Donald Trump.” There were t-shirts saying “I am voting for the felon.”
Wow. Little critical thinking going on here!
But then, my hearkened back to the political tensions I have with my GoodSports Hungary staff. Most have bought in on Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s stand on Christian morals/values PLUS his pro Putin and Anti Ukrainian stance. I gather republicans LOVE Orban and his autocratic approach to government.
Sigh…in both countries the Christian platform has been hijacked by charismatic politicians. Propaganda abounds and so many that I love (both in Hungary, Slovakia and Texas) have fallen for it hook, line and sinker.
Satan must be giggling somewhere. Christianity equals crazy talk.
Sigh.
Time for a change YUP, and it must come from INSIDE the church.
Shalom…
Great post — and I also loved much of REM’s music, though I was a later adopter. Living in Atlanta, I wish the city that REM came out of — Athens, GA — along with producing other bands of their era like the B-52’s, would produce the kind of creative endeavors that seemed more prominent in the 1980s. Or, perhaps Athens is doing so and I’m just old and not paying attention. But I digress.
You said that you are “trying to provide Christian formation in ways that help people grasp their primary citizenship is heavenly, and that their US passport is only temporary.” That sort of equipping is SO crucial, especially now (and it probably has been but the American Church has mixed reviews on how well it’s leaders have “equipped the saints for the work of the ministry”). Your statement made me think of something I read years ago in a church planting manual by Tim Keller and Alan Thompson: “Saint Augustine believed that citizenship in the City of God made us the very best citizens of the human city.”
Great post, Tim.
Tim,
Your post made me think of a comment I hear often, “Everything is political.” And then, it’s usually followed up with something like, “Jesus was political. His message was political. What he did on the cross was political. Even his resurrection was political.” And I think I understand and even appreciate what they are saying. It certainly makes me think.
You write, “So maybe, if we are primarily concerned with the Gospel and God’s Kingdom, we would do well to not make political opinion, even our most strongly held opinions, the most important thing about our lives.” And I agree. I think. (Honestly, I am trying to process all of this so I’m not exactly sure what I think yet.) But your statement begs the question, aren’t the Gospel and God’s Kingdom political? I don’t mean they are Democratic or Republican. But if the Kingdom of God is a just kingdom (even the very word, “Kingdom” is a political word), then politics have to be just.
In a blog post that I found the author writes, “Politics is all around us. It’s a tool we use to understand and address problems, it’s how we measure right and wrong, what we deem to be moral and immoral, how we think about issues and challenges facing us individually and collectively. You cannot argue that politics is separate to humanity and human experience, when it is a system made by humanity, for humanity.
And here’s the greatest irony – the people who don’t realise how political everything is, those are the most political amongst us. Because to be blessed with the privilege to move through the world without having to think about politics means that it’s working perfectly for you.” I think the author is correct – though again, I don’t think it is a bipartisan sort of thing as both political parties are flawed.
I don’t know and certainly don’t have any answers but your blog post was definitely thought provoking! Thank you!
Link to blog post quoted in my comment: https://www.theblackproject.net/opinion-resources/like-it-or-not-everything-is-political
Also, when thinking this all through I typed into google, “Is everything political” and this blog post was the first thing that popped up.
And one more question: Do my two replies to my own comment count as two of my eight weekly replies? If so, I am done for the week!
Something in my heart of hearts told me to NOT write this blog around the REM song, and that I was to leave it to YOU, David Timothy Clark.
You are the true post-punk/alternative kid. I was the Petra/Carman wanna-be that snuck it in when my parents weren’t around.
Great post!