"Thinking Eternally, Acting Locally." - Neal August
On Monday, Memorial Day, I posted the story about my visit to a small local church where I was surprised to see a Texas A&M flag in the sanctuary on one of the walls.
While admitting that I had reasons to believe that such a display was inappropriate, I requested that other individuals respond with their reasons why such a display is wrong. Here are the two responses that were given:
“I thought we were there to worship God, not Texas A&M.”
“I think such a display is a distraction from where one's focus and devotion should be directed within a house of worship.”
Both of these responses, I believe, are right on the money. However, I would now like to add to my own reasons to what these responses have said.
As both of these responses indicated, a church worship service is directed towards God and nothing else. A worship service is a body of believers communing together for the purpose of worshipping together in a corporate manner. What we worship is God and not a college or a particular team.
Now the church and its faith are not of this world and a worship service is where believers go to corporately commune with that other world. Teams and other factions ARE of this world. They are very much of this world and, while they may not be of any inherent evil in themselves, teams and factions are by their very nature divisive. Because they are worldly and divisive they need to be kept outside the church where division is not allowed. A person entering a church who favors a team other than Texas A&M or may have some ill will towards such a faction should not feel isolated from the body because of such a display or, even worse, begin to associate a college, a team, or a faction with the church. Again, the church and its believers are not of this world and should not associate themselves with such worldly institutions. The church cuts across such boundaries and transcends them.
Okay, does anyone have a problem with my reasons or the logic being applied?
If not, then let it now be said that, in fact, I did not see a Texas A&M flag at the local church that I visited; I saw an American flag.
Now, do not the reasons and logic applied above to the Texas A&M flag equally apply to the American flag?
Your response.
4 comments:
Hello all readers. I am of the other side of this debate. I feel for many reasons that there is not a thing wrong with an American flag in a church building. Here are a few of my rants and raves for this point of view:
We need to support this country and be thankful for it: (for example, I’m glad I live here and not china, Russia, India, Nepal etc. where I can worship where and how I choose. That I am not harassed by militia pulling their own agenda with military might)
Flying a flag in the church does not indicate WORSHIP of what that flag represents. (if there are college students attending A&M and the church is proud of their aggie’s, there is no reason to be upset because they show their pride in their students by putting up an A&M banner so that when those students come home, they are reminded that when they’re gone they’re thought of. IN the same way, and AMERICAN flag doesn’t mean we worship this country, it means we swear our allegiance to that country at MOST. (give to Caesar what is caesar’s _allegiance to our country, and to God what is God’s _all our worship). Also, there are soldiers of family members most likely fighting in the war. It shows the churches support for those soldiers doing their duty and when they come home and walk into that church, the flag is a welcome sight. They would die to protect the country that flag stands for.
You want a better example of flags in a church, go to new life church in Colorado Springs. They have a flag from every country in the world flying in the rafters of their church, and on a series of poles outside surrounding the church. A newcomer will not know why they are there, but the flags haven’t had one complaint since the church opened its doors years ago. In fact, it made the news that all those flags were there and people felt MORE acceptance to go there and hear God’s word just because a flag from their home country was there (Colo. Springs is home to the Olympic training facilities and military bases, there are many non US citizens or new US citizens there.)
Issue of Distractions. When we come into church, we don’t wear label-free clothing either. Our shoes, jackets, hats (that we carry inside the building) pants etc all have labels that distinguish an amount of cost. Nike costs more than walmart when it comes to shoes, etc. We don’t worry about turning people away or distracting them because of the clothes we wear. We don’t worry about a distraction being caused from a bright FUBU jacket being worn by a teenager, when more people know what FUBU stands for than the different colors and markings on the American Flag. If we don’t want distraction, I say have a stripping area in the foyer where everyone takes off their “worldly clothes” and puts on a non-distinguishing robe that looks the same as everyone else. We don’t keep folks with strange hairstyles from coming to worship, when a bright blue Mohawk is certainly more distracting than the very COMMON scene of the American flag being in a stand somewhere near the front of the church or near/on the platform.
No. You can’t make the same rules apply to the American flag that you can flying an Indianapolis Colts flag in the church. The American Flag has been a staple of homes, schools, missions, and yes, sadly to all of you out there that don’t like it, churches. It’s a very common thing, and a very DESIRED thing to have. Whether or not this country was founded on Christian principles or not, there are many in the nation who still want to thank God for the ability to live in the nation that is America and not some other country. They have ALWAYS been thankful for the freedoms they enjoy. All authorities are established by God (whether founded on his principles or not) and they recognize that the authority of this free country (with all it’s bad points) is still established by God, and that this country provides the opportunity for many blessings in their lives that they wouldn’t have in any other country. That being said, the flag has been in all institutions as a reminder to be thankful for what we have. It would be a sad day when the church stopped reminding people to thank God for their country. It’s not the same with a sports team. (No I’m not contradicting why an A&M flag isn’t a problem), I’m saying you can’t compare the American flag with any other just because of what they stand for. Flying a Colts flag would be pretty unusual in any place other than Indiana, but I’ve never known any sports team flag to be resented because of where it was flown. It’s just unusual.
Many things in the church are also divisive. How many church splits have occurred over idiotic things such as carpet color, pews or theater chairs, what version of the bible is to be used, what hymnal is to be used, praise and worship or all hymns for worship style, drums and guitars allowed or just piano and organ….leave those “worldly instruments” to the world. I’m sure you’ve heard all those things and many more. They all have one things in common: THEY ARE STUPID ARGUMENTS. So is the argument that the American flag is too divisive for church, or that the A&M flag for that matter is too divisive to be put up on the wall. Folks, the most it would generate is a question to visitors as to why it was there. And I’ve never had ANYONE question an American flag being in church. Everyone’s aware of why Christians fly a flag: because like it or lump it, they know that this country is a blessing from God. (again, not trying to open the door on “is it based on Christian principles”, just expressing that compared to the other nations of this world, we’ve got it good people, even with all our problems.) As long as I can stand freely in a church and praise my God without the police coming after me for going against state religion or lack thereof, I’ll believe this country is a blessing from God, no matter how much we’ve messed it up.
Bottom line: the American flag in and of itself is not a distraction, nor is it out of place, nor is it an object of worship because it’s in the big room where we worship God. If it bothers you, examine your own heart and prejudices. God never said to make your church building sterile (the early churches were in people homes….I doubt they redecorated before people came over to worship.
Hello all readers. I am the guy who wrote the article and, when I did so, I also wrote the following prediction about the possible responses my post would bring:
"Now there will be two general responses to this article. First, part of the response will be positive and will agree with the purpose and thrust of the piece. Secondly, part of the response will be negative and will be somewhat outraged both of my methods and the general thrust of the piece. It is this response that I would like to anticipate. I think there will be three possible responses:
1) The most obvious response will be one of moral equivalency. The reply will be that things in a church other than a flag can cause division.
2) The second response will be one of differentiation. Some will reply that college team flags and national flags such as that of America's are two entirely different entities and can be accurately compared in the analogy.
3) Lastly, and this is a response I do not necessarily expect, the response will be given, albeit belatedly, that not only is their nothing wrong with displaying an American flag, there is nothing at all wrong with displaying college team flags. Again, I do not necessarily expect this reply but it is always a possibility."
All and all I think I did a fairly good job in my prediction.
Yes, we need to support our country ... when we as individuals or a body we believe that our country is doing the right thing. When, on the other hand, our country does the wrong thing we should not support our country. For example, do we support our country's support of abortion or our country's past support of slavery, segregation, and other unbiblical laws? Of course not.
Yes, I am thankful for this country; which is why I thank God in a worship service and not America. There is a time and place to show national pride but a worship service is neither the time nor the place. I am thankful for the music of Beck but I do not request that we play "Where It's At" or "Pay No Mind" for the offertory hymn.
Furthermore, we can show love, respect and support for college students and soilders without draping our services with flags and associating the gospel with such emblems. Would we honor our seniors by putting up AARP advertisements on the pews and a tube of denture grip on the communion table? Of course not.
It is said, "give to Caesar what is caesar’s _allegiance to our country, and to God what is God’s _all our worship."
Yes, exactly. Which is why we do not allow Caesar into our worship services.
Also, and this is only my own personal preference, I swear allegiance to no one but God.
With regards to "new life church in Colorado Springs", that church probably did it correctly (if you are going to bring the government into the church). They put all the flags of EVERY country and not just Americas. This eliminates much of the division that is of concern.
With regards to the "Issue of Distractions." It wasn't my argument though I thought it was a good one. Regardless, I feel no need to defend it.
Yes, the American flag has been a staple of many churches. Very sad. We've become so nationalistic in our church lives that we (i.e., SBC) want to separate from bodies of believers (i.e., BWA) because members of that body denounce American foreign policy. That we denounce American practices all the time in terms of its sexual immorality is of little concern.
We can thank God for our country and all that is good about it and we should. But must we do so with an American flag in our worship services? I am thankful for the new car I bought at Carmax but that doesn't mean I put us a Carmax advertisement in the vestibule. Heck, many people are thankful for the South but how many of them put the rebel flag up in church? Yes, that would be unusual. Do you think it would have a positive or negative impact on a African American visitor? Would it be divisive?
Bottom line: the American flag is a piece of decorative cloth and has in itself no worth. But what it stands for is a nation and its government with all its good and all its bad. We do not want that government in our church. We do not want that nation in our church. We want the people of that nation and all other nations in our church. We certainly do not want all that is bad in that nation in our church. But what about the good? What is good in that nation is a reflection (we hope) of the church and, therefore, of no need to the church because it already exists within.
Now I would never pick a fight with a church over this issue. I never have. In fact, I would never go out of my way to voice my opinion on the subject. But neither would I withhold it. As Athosxc correctly stated, this practice has been going on for years and, doubtless, will continue to go on whether I like it or not.
I really do not think this is an issue to go to the cross for. There are far more pressing problems in the church to be concerned about. Maybe if we can stop our pastors from endorsing political parties first we could then move on to nationalism in the body.
Until then ... God bless America.
I am a second generation American. My uncle gave up his life for this country. I would gladly go to war for the United States when duty called. I also love my ancestral country.
I love God whole heartedly and know Him intimately. Athosxc's argument goes right to the heart of the issue in the US today...we've forgotten what worship truly is. You simply need to ask what God would want in this issue. When you know Him, you'll know what to do.
The "church" no longer is a group of people called Israelites living together in one place. It changed into a world full of people from different ethnicities who have accepted Jesus as their Savior. God's kingdom (or country) is not a land mass on this planet. (I think some people about 2000 years ago made that same mistake.) If you want to sing songs about God blessing America, hold a pep rally not a worship service.
Amen. I agree with you completely.
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