Thoughts on Patriotism and Corporate Worship

patriotism
Photo by Tim Mossholder (via Unsplash)

Share

Reflect on Worship Services

Followers of Jesus: This should cause us to reflect carefully whenever worship services don’t explicitly focus on the Lord. Any time our worship deviates from the focus on the only One for whom that worship is intended, we should tread very lightly (we shouldn’t forget God has said he won’t share his glory—Isa. 42:8). We should protect the focus and purpose of Christian worship—and Christian worship is to worship Christ.

I’ve been an interim pastor at many churches. I’ve participated in patriotic celebrations in these churches and appreciated the intent. At those churches I serve as a pastor, it has not been our practice to emphasize patriotic holidays during worship services. We acknowledge them, pray for our nation and leaders, and are thankful. However, we are also cautious because, as I see it, some churches have overemphasized patriotic celebrations. This has led to confusion about where “God Bless America” stops and “All Hail King Jesus” begins. If you pay careful attention the next time you’re having a conversation about Christianity and culture, you can hear the fruit of this confusion. People often conflate their national identity with their faith identity. To be American is, to some extent, to be Christian. And for some, part of being a faithful Christian is being a patriotic American.

As evangelicals, we sometimes overlook something our friends in the liturgical traditions have known for centuries—the worship service is a formative time. Our worship forms us, and our worship is an expression of our formation. This is why the Anglicans have the phrase lex orandi, lex credendi, lex vivendi, which means, roughly, “what we pray is what we believe, [which is] what we live.”

This is important because when we gather for worship, we enter into a profoundly formative space where our hearts and spirits are open to receive from the Lord. When we mix elements of patriotism in a moment designated for formation from the Spirit, we can end up instilling confusion within people, discipling them into a cocktail of a Christian-branded American sort of civil religion.

The relationship between our worship services and our patriotism can be tricky. It’s interesting to see what pastors think about the topic. Based on the data from Lifeway Research, you’ll likely get a mixture of patriotism and worship this weekend.

A third of pastors (34%) say they plan to include other special ceremonies to honor America, from special music to recognizing in some way those who serve or served in the armed forces.

The American Flag

A consistent mark of patriotism throughout the year in churches is displaying the American flag. Two-thirds (67%) say displaying the American flag throughout the year in worship services is appropriate. However, this has declined from 74% in 2016.

“Some denominations offer specific guidance regarding displaying the American flag, but most congregations decide on their own whether it’s present,” Lifeway Research executive director Scott McConnell said. “Because a national flag is a symbol, it often means many different things to different people. So, discussions around the reason for its presence in many churches can be just as diverse.”

“In the last six years, many pastors’ concerns about patriotic idolatry in their congregations have faded,” said McConnell. “Like any idol, the temptation to prioritize, worship or depend on our nation over God can resurface at any time.”

Our Primary Citizenship

First-century Philippi in northern Macedonia had a significant Roman military presence. Citizens there knew the Roman army’s presence was to protect them from danger. Yet, as Paul wrote the Christians in Philippi, he reminded them: “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3:20). There should never be a mistaken identity as to where our loyalties lie.

If God today sent me and my family anywhere from Albania to Zimbabwe and led us to become citizens rather than resident workers, I hope we would do it. I hope you would, too. Geo-political boundaries don’t define the Kingdom. Every nation, tribe, people, and language represent its citizens. We serve a global God on a global mission to reconcile the entire world unto himself through Jesus Christ, our king. And he invites us to join him on that mission.

If you follow Jesus, never forget we are not citizens of this world. We are missionaries living with a green card in the country of God’s choosing. But our land is heaven. Our king is Jesus. Our allegiance is to the Kingdom of God. That’s not simply a metaphor for Christian niceties we like to say. It is a present reality that we walk out daily in loving tension with the land to which God has called us—as we await the return of our king.

So this Independence Day, be sure to worship God. It’s good to love your country… but take care not to confuse the two.

This article originally ran at The Focused Pastor and is republished here with permission.

Continue Reading...

Ed Stetzerhttps://edstetzer.com/
Ed Stetzer, Ph.D., is the Dean of Talbot School of Theology at Biola University and Scholar in Residence & Teaching Pastor at Mariners Church. He has planted, revitalized, and pastored churches; trained pastors and church planters on six continents; earned two master’s degrees and two doctorates; and has written hundreds of articles and a dozen books. He is Regional Director for Lausanne North America, is the Editor-in-Chief of Outreach Magazine, and regularly writes for news outlets such as USA Today and CNN. Dr. Stetzer is the host of "The Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast," and his national radio show, "Ed Stetzer Live," airs Saturdays on Moody Radio and affiliates.

Read more

Latest Articles