Baby Steps

The events at Virginia Tech are chilling. If you are not struggling, at least a little bit, with God’s role in all of this, you are probably in denial. However, it is impossible to function in today’s world without coming to grips with the existence of evil and its relationship to the sovereignty of God. To understand this issue you must understand that we cannot truly enjoy freewill in a world without sin. In order to be truly free, you must be free to do wrong, and when others choose sin, the innocent may suffer. The only alternative is a world without choice, a prison of obedience. This struggle is played out in concrete terms as Virginia Tech law enforcement personnel look to the future. Is it possible to protect 26,000 students from every homicidal maniac without turning the campus into a prison of obedience? Probably not.

Just days ago, I heard that Peoria racked up its sixth homicide for 2007. Peoria residents were fed up and much hand-wringing ensued. “More gun control,” some said. “More money for schools,” said others. Then they turned off the cameras and everyone went home. Those of us watching from our couches most likely retreated to the relative safety of our beds and, after a few moments of anxiety for inner-city Peoria and perhaps a quick prayer, got a good night’s sleep. However, hundreds of inner-city youth were lying awake wondering if they were next. How many of them started considering whether it might be safer to join a gang than try to avoid them? How many will carry a weapon to school tomorrow just to avoid feeling like a victim?

These events are also chilling and they are right in our backyard. But what can we do? What is our responsibility? Do we wait until we can elect politicians who pay better lip-service to better crime prevention? Do we lobby for bigger prisons and more police officers? Do we curse the rich? Do we blame the poor? Do we grumble? Do we scream? Do we pray? Do we weep? We can do these things, or we could do something real.

Big talk, I know. We talk about this a lot. “We need to be Jesus to the world.” “We need to get out of our comfort zone.” “We need to step out on faith.” “We need to put our money where our mouth is.” More talk is not an option. After painting a pretty clear picture of the church’s mission, Jesus suggests that all we have built will meet with destruction if all we do is talk. “Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6).

Fortunately, Washington Christian Church is already doing something. Through our BTG (Bridge The Gap) initiative, we took a big step in the right direction at our Easter evening service. We, a suburban, white, independent Christian church, invited an inner-city, black, non-instrumental Church of Christ to worship with us Easter evening. Our worship teams joined forces and we played with a full band. Their minister preached a rousing sermon and ours offered a time of reconciliation around the Lord's table. It was a HUGE blessing and God was there. We bridged several gaps that night – cultural, racial, and fellowship gaps – with unprecedented success.

Also, many of our men have been regularly helping a young Peoria pastor with his vision to create new, healthy opportunities for young men in inner-city Peoria through the Cornerstone Vocational Center (CVC). At present, we are just helping get the facilities up to snuff, but by summer's end, CVC should be offering several hard-skill training opportunities, some tutoring, and assistance in earning a GED.

Jesus told the rich young ruler first to sell everything he had and give it to the poor. Only then could he truly follow Christ. (Luke 18:22). Are we clinging to our safety and comfort so tightly that it is preventing us from truly following Jesus? We need to find a way to bridge these artificial gaps we've created - to step across the divide we've set between cultures, races, doctrinal beliefs, denominations - and embrace our commonality in Christ. Sure, it might be dangerous; we might have to tread some unfamiliar territory, do some things we've never done before, and maybe even make ourselves uncomfortable. But, like the rich young ruler, only then can we truly follow Christ.

Will joint worship services mend hundred-year-old church divisions or end age-old racial prejudices? Probably not. Will a skills-training center on the south side stop all the senseless killing? Probably not. But it's worth a try.