Dogma and policy

My fellow Christians (in America):

I invite you to join me in confessing that dogma (the agreed-upon and widely-held doctrine of the church) and policy (actions and principles of those in charge of the government) are convenient excuses for you and I to do nothing.

I invite you to to join me in confessing that in talking about dogma and policy, we fall for the illusion that we are actually doing something.

It sounds good and noble to say we “spoke out” or “stood up” for what is right. But what do we really mean when we say we “spoke out” or “stood up”? That we argued with someone on Facebook? That we sat around with some like-minded friends to cheer for “us” and slander “them”?

Our Christ reminds us that we cannot outsource our Christianity. Holding the “right” opinion on dogma and policy amounts to nothing. Voting for the “right” candidate is the very least we can do. Talking and voting do not feed the hungry, heal the sick, set the oppressed free, or visit the lonely. And these are the things that our Christ told us to go do (Luke 4.18-19 and Matthew 25).

Is it important to form an opinion and use our privileges as citizens to influence dogma and policy on an issue like immigration? Yes.

But that is the very least we can and should do as apprentices of Jesus Christ. In fact, doing those things is more American than Christian.

What our Christ asks us, however, is this: “What are you doing for the alien in your community and neighborhood? If you’ve read my Bible, you know that immigrants–all immigrants–are of the utmost concern to me. You may choose to support any government policy with your vote, but I expect you to support my policy with your hands. Whose law is supreme in your life? So, Christian, what are you doing for the alien in your community and neighborhood?”

You can admit that you don’t like this. You can admit that you’re busy or that you don’t know how to even begin following the example and teaching of our Christ. You can admit that you’re afraid of what your friends will say or think about you. I admit it. I think admitting it is the first essential step of the journey we need to take from being talkers to doers.

As Christians in this country, we have work to do. You have work to do.

Let’s not waste too much of our energy and time talking about dogma and policy. These things are distractions and excuses from doing what our Christ put us here to do.

Good news: You don’t have to go to Washington, D.C. You don’t have to start a nonprofit. You don’t even have to change political parties.

All you have to do is ask this one question: Who are the people on my block, in my school or workplace, or in my town that I feel the Spirit of Christ nudging me to befriend and love as neighbors? I’ve found that one of the best ways to find an answer to this question is to ask who I fear getting to know the most.

Then, resolve to do something about it. Avoid grand visions or anything that would end up in the newspapers as a human interest story. Just start by praying each day–for 30 seconds at a time–for the people or person your Lord put on your heart and mind. In due time, some small step will become apparent to you and you will get to choose whether or not you take it. Pray for courage for when that time comes.

And that’s it. Can you do that?

If all of us (280 million Christians in the United States) took this small step today, how would things change in our country?

Forget the other 279,999,999. Your Lord is asking you to not worry about what they do. The question today is: What will you do?