Introduction
In a world where faith and theology can become divisive, it's helpful and important for us to come together as a community to explore topics that can be overlooked, confusing, or “noisy.” All three of our Teaching Pastors came together for a conversation about three topics: politics, what’s keeping each of them up at night, and culture. Use the questions below to help you reflect and continue the conversation with your group this week.
Discussion
1. We are currently six weeks out from Election Day. How are you holding up in this election season? Are you feeling excited, tired, grumpy, fearful, apathetic, or something else? Take some time sharing how you’re doing and why.
2. Revisit and read Mark 12:13-17. Pastor John shared that we can’t put our political platform or party in front of the cross. What do we risk, undermine, or miss out on when our political convictions come first? Do you tend to find yourself viewing politics through Jesus’ lens or Jesus through your political lens right now?
3. Revisit and read Galatians 5:22-23. Pastor Chip shared that political seasons are a great opportunity for the fruit of the Spirit to act as a witness of our faith and hope in Jesus (and for a lack of them to damage our witness as Christians.) Is there evidence of this fruit in your life right now? If so, share what might be contributing to that and a story of how you’ve seen it. If not, what might be the gap for you and how can you close it?
4. Revisit and read Acts 11:26. Pastor Jesse shared that the term “Christian” was originally a political term that was used as an insult for people who followed Jesus blindly – and believers in Jesus ended up wearing it like a badge. If we belong to the party of Jesus, then we should always feel politically homeless in some way. In what ways have you felt or experienced this as a Christian? How have you tried to navigate this tension and nuance? How has it gone?
5. Our approach to culture as Christians is more nuanced than we typically assume. How do you tend to define, view, and experience “culture?” Think about what in culture might be triggering for you right now. Then zoom ahead to life on the other side of that and imagine talking to your current self from the future. Who do you want to be right now so you can look back and say, “I approached that with hope, grace, trust, love”?
Application
- Identify one specific area from the Teaching Team’s conversation to continue processing and unpacking. Make space to invite God in and reveal how he wants you to move. Ask him for help, wisdom, and be willing to invite someone you trust into the conversation with you.
- Spend time exploring PLC’s resource page for politics and culture.
- Consider reading Christ & Culture by H. Richard Niebuhr.