The First Secular Crisis in American History
Jim Ladd
The COVID pandemic has been the first secular crisis in American history. For the first time in our nation’s life, God has been left out of the discussion as a source of help, comfort, or guidance for Americans.
We have experienced a reverse exorcism - God has been cast out of our culture.
After 9/11, people flocked to the Church, publicly cried out to God in groups, and our President called for Americans to pray. In fact, past Presidents would routinely say, “God bless America” in their speeches during scary or trying times. Think about world wars and periods of national crisis. God was always included in the conversation, both by our leaders and by citizens who would turn to Him for help and comfort.
Those days are over, especially so in places like the Pacific Northwest.
The thing is, this actually excites me! We have ‘em right where we want ‘em. Let me ‘splain: I much prefer a world where God is rejected, questioned, or neglected over one where He is given token notice and cultural nods of acknowledgement. I prefer ice cold over lukewarm. Truly, I prefer white-hot passion for God, but lukewarm God-talk without real trust is a horrible starting point, culturally, for finding it. The climate is perfect for a true move of God!
And we can play a catalytic role in seeing it happen! Here are four of the ways we can be part of a spiritual renewal in our land:
Fan into a flame our own faith and love for God. Let us repent for our own lukewarm hearts, our lack of trust in God during the scary times in which we live, and our lack of devotion to abiding in Jesus as a lifestyle. One of our mantras at ECC is, “If you want to fix your (marriage, family, relationships, world), take out a sharpie, draw a circle around yourself, and fix everything in that circle.” The greatest thing you can do for your world is walk very closely with Jesus and give your heart fully to Him, rooted and established in His great love for you.
B.L.E.S.S. the people in your relational network (Oikos). Truly, this simple plan contains explosive power for your world. Believe for them in daily prayer, Listen to them with focus and real interest, Eat with them, Serve them, and Share your scars and stories with them. You are the only Bible they may read and you contain the Spirit of Jesus inside you. They need you to pray for them, love them, and share your stories with them. Love God with all you’ve got and love people the way you love you. This is the way God has always moved and changed the world: the movement and mission of His own people in their network of relationships. You can do this!
Be equipped by your Pastors for your ministry. Ephesians 4 says that this is why God has gifted them - to equip you for the work of your ministry. So, discover who God made you to be and what He made you to do. Then do it with all your heart. God wants to use you and we want to equip you for that amazing and thrilling adventure.
Believe in the supernatural God - who revealed Himself in supernatural ways and supernaturally delivered you from sin and will supernaturally take you into eternity - to move supernaturally in our homes, neighborhoods, cities, and world! Believe for more. Pray for more. Trust our powerful God to provide supernatural solutions to our modern problems.
I am persuaded that God wants to move in us, among us, and through us to disrupt our secular world with His Presence and Power. He always comes where He is wanted.
So, the question really is, “Do we want Him?”