“The church has never needed freedom to be faithful. In every age, she has borne her truest witness not from positions of power but from the margins, through courage, suffering, and costly love.” Thanks, JR.
I appreciate how you named that saving democracy is not the focus, rather, how the Church ought to respond faithfully in the midst of the unravelling we find ourselves in the midst of.
Yes, that is right. I'm glad you picked up on that. While it is not my desire to move toward a dictatorship (because of the amount of suffering people will have to endure), I do hope that whenever we come out of all of this (and it is likely to get worse before it gets better), we will not simply return to a dysfunctional democracy. My hope is that we will have the courage and imagination to reckon with the forces that brought us here and to build something more just and humane in its place.
Interestingly, some of the Founding Fathers, like Thomas Jefferson, argued that each generation should have the opportunity to refound the nation and write its own constitution because they believed the living should not be bound by the decisions of the dead. Others, like James Madison, feared that this kind of instability would lead to chaos. In the end, they opted for a more rigid structure, though they included the amendment process as a kind of compromise.
However, the amendment process has proven inadequate in addressing the scale of systemic decay and political capture we now face. Which is why, for me, the primary question is not “How do we save democracy?” but “How do we, as the Church, live faithfully in a moment of unraveling?” How do we resist both despair and nostalgia and instead cultivate the kind of communal resilience, moral clarity, and public presence that can bear witness to a different way of being human? Not just as critics, but as midwives, demonstrating a new social structure shaped by the love of Christ, committed to truth in public, and sent to bless the world.
No. You are more stained by the world system than you realize. You are pulling out points that have been misconstrued by liberals to invoke this mystery panic in Trump. This country has rejected the Democrat party. Trump is president. The horrendous tides of trans in women’s sports, open borders and high level politicians not being held accountable for crimes is over. If all we get are a bunch of executive orders, we don’t have a win. There is a narrow path of keeping the kingdom of God first and politics lower on the food chain. The decision to resist as you are framing it is a waste of time and an association with rebels with no Lordship of Christ.
Or you know, we can be in missional communities, sharing jesus, making disciples who make disciples. I don't believe Jesus cares about saving the Republic, democracy, autocracy, socialist, communist, whatever-ist. He cares about saving people - about us making disciples who can make disciples. The funny thing is if we focused on that and it worked a lot of these problems could go away......
I really appreciate your heart for making disciples, it’s so important. I just think the kind of disciples Jesus calls us to make aren’t only about personal transformation but also public faithfulness. John the Baptist didn’t just prepare people privately, he called out injustice, even from leaders like Herod. In the same way, when authoritarianism threatens truth and dignity, it’s not just a political issue, it’s a spiritual one. Discipleship has to mean living and speaking the truth in love, even when it’s costly.
I don’t enter this space out of personal desire but from a deep place in my soul. May the Lord continue to bless your efforts.
Hey Jr I agree with you. It just comes down to which way is more effective. You and I have met in person on a couple of occasions - I was a member of the first v3 cohorts, at the first praxis gathering in DC and at the refresh in Malibu at the monastery (think it was a monastery). It seems like that work of training church leaders, starting churches and multiplying the kingdom through discipleship - personal and public transformation - would go further in your goals than the other activities that people typically take part in when protesting their government. When we talk about about John the Baptist, what is that he's remembered for? Protesting Herod or baptizing Jesus? I'm not trying to argue, far from it. I do agree. But when it comes down to the same 24 hours that we all have in a day and I want to make a difference for the kingdom along with leading a church, family, raising teenagers - it seems that making disciples who can make disciples goes further. My conviction has shaped into stop trying to do things Jesus didnt do or explicitly command us to do (and to be clear that's not what I see in your case) and just do what he did the way that he did it. There's a reason He did it that way. God Bless Brother.
Hey brother, I really appreciate you taking the time to share this. I do not remember all the details of our time together, but I do remember those gatherings with V3 and at Refresh in Malibu as powerful and formative. I am grateful for the ways you have pursued faithfulness in your life, family, and ministry.
I agree that making disciples is central. That is core to how I understand my own work as well. And I really appreciate your reference to John the Baptist. You are right that he is remembered for baptizing Jesus, and that moment is sacred. But I also believe his boldness in calling out injustice was part of what prepared the way for Jesus. His whole ministry, from calling people to repentance to confronting Herod and baptizing Jesus, was one integrated witness to the coming kingdom. In that sense, Jesus’ baptism was not separate from John’s prophetic challenge to empire. It was a continuation of it, revealing a Messiah who would confront the powers through truth, humility, and love.
I believe this particular moment demands more than private faithfulness. It calls the people of God to live publicly, prophetically, and courageously in the face of rising authoritarianism. For some, that may mean protest. For others, it may look different. I believe each of us needs to ask God what faithfulness looks like in this time, especially when so many are being harmed by the current regime.
What Jesus did was deeply political, not in a partisan sense, but in how he publicly challenged injustice, confronted the powers, and embodied an alternative kingdom. He did not just avoid Caesar. He unmasked the false peace of empire through how he lived, what he taught, and who he stood with.
We all have our part to play, and we all need to be attentive to the Spirit’s call in our lives. That is what I am seeking to do based on how God has made me and prepared me. My hope is that our discipleship, both personal and public, will shape a people who witness to Jesus not only in word, but in how we respond to the suffering of our time.
Grateful for your heart, and thankful for your friendship in the work.
I am reading this as my faith in God is so shaken. I don't understand how he could allow something so horrible and why he's allowed it for so many nations.
Melanie, thank you for sharing your heart. That kind of honesty is sacred. You're not alone. Many faithful people have cried out to God in the face of suffering and injustice. Even Jesus did.
Authoritarianism, violence, and abuse of power grieve God deeply. These aren’t his will; they result from people misusing freedom. But God doesn’t abandon us to it. In Jesus, we see a God who suffers with us, resists evil, and invites us into a way of love and justice.
If your faith feels shaken, you’re in good company, and God is still with you, even in the questions.
You are a liar - Trump NEVER SAID he would be a Dictator from Day 1.
When he was asked IF he would be a Dictator - he said "No - except on Day 1" - Go back and watch the video. He went on to explain that what he meant by Day 1 - he wanted to seal the border and open up the country for producing more gas.
If you are going to lie = and make things up about this President and his Administration and all the good things that he is doing - please don't do it in the name of Christ.
And as far as those protests you mentioned - you know a lot of those people are getting paid to be there = don't you? It's so obvious when they are asking 'what' they are protesting about - they don't have an answer.
I will not be reading anymore of your lies - you've shown who you are - I just wonder 'why' you are doing this.
Jesus must be seriously disappointed in False Prophets - like yourself.
I understand where you're coming from. There is not just one video where he has stated this. It was stated consistently in the campaign trail, sometimes with, sometimes without explanation. For me, though, the concern goes far beyond a single comment—whether meant seriously or as a joke. I’m less focused on what he says in any one moment, because over time, his words have been so inconsistent and often demonstrably false.
What I’m paying attention to is the fruit, the pattern. When someone repeatedly praises authoritarian leaders, imitates their tactics, and even posts things like “Trump 2024: The Revenge Tour” or “Long live the king,” it reflects a deeper orientation toward power and control. That’s what this piece was written to name, not just a man, but the spirit at work in this political moment.
I do pray for him. I pray that God would change his heart because so many people are being hurt. My hope is that we, as followers of Jesus, would be able to discern the difference between worldly power and the way of the cross. Even when we disagree, I want to stay rooted in truth and love.
Trump is hurting people? Funny how you just say that - but you do not give any details/specifics. Actually - Trump is helping/saving people - not hurting them. I'll tell you how he's helping Americans: 1 - sealing the border to prevent illegal aliens from coming into this country 2 - deporting illegal aliens that have murdered/raped/sex trafficked/push drugs in this country (and the countries of their origins) 3 - unleashing American energy to bring down fuel prices 4 - breaking up a huge child sex trafficking ring that had international origins 6 - introducing tariffs which will eventually allow Americans to sell more goods overseas to countries we cannot get our products into 6 - stopping men from 'saying they are women' and playing in women's sports - which has hurt/injured a number of woman 7 - stopping the sexual mutilation of children who truly need mental health counseling - not surgeries to attempt to change to a different sex 8 - returning Americans help overseas as prisoners 9 - finding billions of fraud/waste and abuse in the Government - I could go on and on.
Okay - your turn - please give me all the ways that you say Trump is hurting people. Just because YOU say it - doesn't make it true.
When I look at Donald Trump, I do not see anything in him that I would want my children to imitate. So, why defend the words and actions of someone with a clear pattern of abuse, deception, falsehood, and narcissistic behavior? Part of the problem I'm this country is the enable of this mis-leader. Is it possible to point to something he's signed that has benefited someone besides those like him and the 'me and mine' group who support him? Perhaps. But that doesn't mean his speech and actions and the enabling of his authoritarian behavior should be defended. If we find ourselves defending the narcissistic, abusive, exploitative pattern of a billionaire white man, perhaps it is an opportunity to reflect on why that is.
Really? Donald Trump is an amazing father - his kids adore him - so that's not worthy of imitation?
I defend Trump because I believe God is using him - God uses imperfect vessels - (us humans = that's all he has to work with) and Trump is certainly that - we all are imperfect. Jesus used David - and David had a man killed so he could marry his wife.
I truly believe God protected this man from an assassins bullet in order to use him to turn this country around - to bring this country closer to God. Trump is doing all he can to help the forgotten, overlooked Americans of middle and lower class with his policies.
You focus on his 'personality' but I focus on his policies.
He could end the war in Ukraine and get a Nobel Peace Prize and I suspect you'd still despise him.
I don't despise Donald Trump. I believe in a voting democracy we are expected to hold our leaders to a higher standard---and *especially* if that leader and his supporters claim an endorsement in Christ. If he gets a Nobel Peace Prize...well, that would be a sign of something in our world, I suppose.
“The church has never needed freedom to be faithful. In every age, she has borne her truest witness not from positions of power but from the margins, through courage, suffering, and costly love.” Thanks, JR.
You're most welcome. Something we must remember. Thanks for highlighting it.
Grateful for the clarity and courage reflected here. Thank you, JR!
If it helped bring more clarity, that was certainly my hope. Thanks for your encouragement.
I appreciate how you named that saving democracy is not the focus, rather, how the Church ought to respond faithfully in the midst of the unravelling we find ourselves in the midst of.
Yes, that is right. I'm glad you picked up on that. While it is not my desire to move toward a dictatorship (because of the amount of suffering people will have to endure), I do hope that whenever we come out of all of this (and it is likely to get worse before it gets better), we will not simply return to a dysfunctional democracy. My hope is that we will have the courage and imagination to reckon with the forces that brought us here and to build something more just and humane in its place.
Interestingly, some of the Founding Fathers, like Thomas Jefferson, argued that each generation should have the opportunity to refound the nation and write its own constitution because they believed the living should not be bound by the decisions of the dead. Others, like James Madison, feared that this kind of instability would lead to chaos. In the end, they opted for a more rigid structure, though they included the amendment process as a kind of compromise.
However, the amendment process has proven inadequate in addressing the scale of systemic decay and political capture we now face. Which is why, for me, the primary question is not “How do we save democracy?” but “How do we, as the Church, live faithfully in a moment of unraveling?” How do we resist both despair and nostalgia and instead cultivate the kind of communal resilience, moral clarity, and public presence that can bear witness to a different way of being human? Not just as critics, but as midwives, demonstrating a new social structure shaped by the love of Christ, committed to truth in public, and sent to bless the world.
Hey, Michelle, aren't you a part of the ECC?
Yes I am. I currently serve in St. Paul, MN and am getting ordained in Orlando in June.
That is terrific. I am with the Cov and I pastor in Spokane, WA. Been with the ECC for about 8 years now.
JR, bro, sorry for hijacking the thread. Back to regular programming.
No. You are more stained by the world system than you realize. You are pulling out points that have been misconstrued by liberals to invoke this mystery panic in Trump. This country has rejected the Democrat party. Trump is president. The horrendous tides of trans in women’s sports, open borders and high level politicians not being held accountable for crimes is over. If all we get are a bunch of executive orders, we don’t have a win. There is a narrow path of keeping the kingdom of God first and politics lower on the food chain. The decision to resist as you are framing it is a waste of time and an association with rebels with no Lordship of Christ.
Or you know, we can be in missional communities, sharing jesus, making disciples who make disciples. I don't believe Jesus cares about saving the Republic, democracy, autocracy, socialist, communist, whatever-ist. He cares about saving people - about us making disciples who can make disciples. The funny thing is if we focused on that and it worked a lot of these problems could go away......
Mike thanks for you response.
I really appreciate your heart for making disciples, it’s so important. I just think the kind of disciples Jesus calls us to make aren’t only about personal transformation but also public faithfulness. John the Baptist didn’t just prepare people privately, he called out injustice, even from leaders like Herod. In the same way, when authoritarianism threatens truth and dignity, it’s not just a political issue, it’s a spiritual one. Discipleship has to mean living and speaking the truth in love, even when it’s costly.
I don’t enter this space out of personal desire but from a deep place in my soul. May the Lord continue to bless your efforts.
Hey Jr I agree with you. It just comes down to which way is more effective. You and I have met in person on a couple of occasions - I was a member of the first v3 cohorts, at the first praxis gathering in DC and at the refresh in Malibu at the monastery (think it was a monastery). It seems like that work of training church leaders, starting churches and multiplying the kingdom through discipleship - personal and public transformation - would go further in your goals than the other activities that people typically take part in when protesting their government. When we talk about about John the Baptist, what is that he's remembered for? Protesting Herod or baptizing Jesus? I'm not trying to argue, far from it. I do agree. But when it comes down to the same 24 hours that we all have in a day and I want to make a difference for the kingdom along with leading a church, family, raising teenagers - it seems that making disciples who can make disciples goes further. My conviction has shaped into stop trying to do things Jesus didnt do or explicitly command us to do (and to be clear that's not what I see in your case) and just do what he did the way that he did it. There's a reason He did it that way. God Bless Brother.
Hey brother, I really appreciate you taking the time to share this. I do not remember all the details of our time together, but I do remember those gatherings with V3 and at Refresh in Malibu as powerful and formative. I am grateful for the ways you have pursued faithfulness in your life, family, and ministry.
I agree that making disciples is central. That is core to how I understand my own work as well. And I really appreciate your reference to John the Baptist. You are right that he is remembered for baptizing Jesus, and that moment is sacred. But I also believe his boldness in calling out injustice was part of what prepared the way for Jesus. His whole ministry, from calling people to repentance to confronting Herod and baptizing Jesus, was one integrated witness to the coming kingdom. In that sense, Jesus’ baptism was not separate from John’s prophetic challenge to empire. It was a continuation of it, revealing a Messiah who would confront the powers through truth, humility, and love.
I believe this particular moment demands more than private faithfulness. It calls the people of God to live publicly, prophetically, and courageously in the face of rising authoritarianism. For some, that may mean protest. For others, it may look different. I believe each of us needs to ask God what faithfulness looks like in this time, especially when so many are being harmed by the current regime.
What Jesus did was deeply political, not in a partisan sense, but in how he publicly challenged injustice, confronted the powers, and embodied an alternative kingdom. He did not just avoid Caesar. He unmasked the false peace of empire through how he lived, what he taught, and who he stood with.
We all have our part to play, and we all need to be attentive to the Spirit’s call in our lives. That is what I am seeking to do based on how God has made me and prepared me. My hope is that our discipleship, both personal and public, will shape a people who witness to Jesus not only in word, but in how we respond to the suffering of our time.
Grateful for your heart, and thankful for your friendship in the work.
I am reading this as my faith in God is so shaken. I don't understand how he could allow something so horrible and why he's allowed it for so many nations.
Melanie, thank you for sharing your heart. That kind of honesty is sacred. You're not alone. Many faithful people have cried out to God in the face of suffering and injustice. Even Jesus did.
Authoritarianism, violence, and abuse of power grieve God deeply. These aren’t his will; they result from people misusing freedom. But God doesn’t abandon us to it. In Jesus, we see a God who suffers with us, resists evil, and invites us into a way of love and justice.
If your faith feels shaken, you’re in good company, and God is still with you, even in the questions.
You are a liar - Trump NEVER SAID he would be a Dictator from Day 1.
When he was asked IF he would be a Dictator - he said "No - except on Day 1" - Go back and watch the video. He went on to explain that what he meant by Day 1 - he wanted to seal the border and open up the country for producing more gas.
If you are going to lie = and make things up about this President and his Administration and all the good things that he is doing - please don't do it in the name of Christ.
And as far as those protests you mentioned - you know a lot of those people are getting paid to be there = don't you? It's so obvious when they are asking 'what' they are protesting about - they don't have an answer.
I will not be reading anymore of your lies - you've shown who you are - I just wonder 'why' you are doing this.
Jesus must be seriously disappointed in False Prophets - like yourself.
I understand where you're coming from. There is not just one video where he has stated this. It was stated consistently in the campaign trail, sometimes with, sometimes without explanation. For me, though, the concern goes far beyond a single comment—whether meant seriously or as a joke. I’m less focused on what he says in any one moment, because over time, his words have been so inconsistent and often demonstrably false.
What I’m paying attention to is the fruit, the pattern. When someone repeatedly praises authoritarian leaders, imitates their tactics, and even posts things like “Trump 2024: The Revenge Tour” or “Long live the king,” it reflects a deeper orientation toward power and control. That’s what this piece was written to name, not just a man, but the spirit at work in this political moment.
I do pray for him. I pray that God would change his heart because so many people are being hurt. My hope is that we, as followers of Jesus, would be able to discern the difference between worldly power and the way of the cross. Even when we disagree, I want to stay rooted in truth and love.
Trump is hurting people? Funny how you just say that - but you do not give any details/specifics. Actually - Trump is helping/saving people - not hurting them. I'll tell you how he's helping Americans: 1 - sealing the border to prevent illegal aliens from coming into this country 2 - deporting illegal aliens that have murdered/raped/sex trafficked/push drugs in this country (and the countries of their origins) 3 - unleashing American energy to bring down fuel prices 4 - breaking up a huge child sex trafficking ring that had international origins 6 - introducing tariffs which will eventually allow Americans to sell more goods overseas to countries we cannot get our products into 6 - stopping men from 'saying they are women' and playing in women's sports - which has hurt/injured a number of woman 7 - stopping the sexual mutilation of children who truly need mental health counseling - not surgeries to attempt to change to a different sex 8 - returning Americans help overseas as prisoners 9 - finding billions of fraud/waste and abuse in the Government - I could go on and on.
Okay - your turn - please give me all the ways that you say Trump is hurting people. Just because YOU say it - doesn't make it true.
When I look at Donald Trump, I do not see anything in him that I would want my children to imitate. So, why defend the words and actions of someone with a clear pattern of abuse, deception, falsehood, and narcissistic behavior? Part of the problem I'm this country is the enable of this mis-leader. Is it possible to point to something he's signed that has benefited someone besides those like him and the 'me and mine' group who support him? Perhaps. But that doesn't mean his speech and actions and the enabling of his authoritarian behavior should be defended. If we find ourselves defending the narcissistic, abusive, exploitative pattern of a billionaire white man, perhaps it is an opportunity to reflect on why that is.
Really? Donald Trump is an amazing father - his kids adore him - so that's not worthy of imitation?
I defend Trump because I believe God is using him - God uses imperfect vessels - (us humans = that's all he has to work with) and Trump is certainly that - we all are imperfect. Jesus used David - and David had a man killed so he could marry his wife.
I truly believe God protected this man from an assassins bullet in order to use him to turn this country around - to bring this country closer to God. Trump is doing all he can to help the forgotten, overlooked Americans of middle and lower class with his policies.
You focus on his 'personality' but I focus on his policies.
He could end the war in Ukraine and get a Nobel Peace Prize and I suspect you'd still despise him.
I don't despise Donald Trump. I believe in a voting democracy we are expected to hold our leaders to a higher standard---and *especially* if that leader and his supporters claim an endorsement in Christ. If he gets a Nobel Peace Prize...well, that would be a sign of something in our world, I suppose.