awww, do i have to vote?

“Those who do not take an interest in public affairs are doomed to be ruled by evil men.” – Plato, 300 BC

I know. I know. Believe me, I know. It’s difficult to get excited about this year’s election.

The consistent theme I keep hearing is “I just don’t know what I’m going to do this year. I’m not all that eager about either side winning. I’m not even sure I’m going to vote this time around.”

I understand the absence of passion for this year’s crop of presidential hopefuls. But there is something lurking underneath this lack of enthusiasm for November 4th that concerns me.

Are Christ followers considering abandoning the political process altogether?

**God, I hope not (that was a prayer, not a use in vain. Promise.)**

Not that I don’t understand the temptation to throw up hands and say “forget about it.” I mean, seriously, how long are we going to have to put up with these men and women who seem to exist only to gain more power? Will there ever be a day when these people put the needs of people before their own desire for personal gain?

Does it even matter?

Why should I get involved?

Because you have to. Not you collective. You singular. You. The person on the other side of this blog entry.

You need to understand that every political decision ever made affects someone. And that trend will continue as long as this country is operated the way it is.

Politics affects people, families, communities, states, and countries. And on every level. And while it may be argued that the influence of the political process is completely out of control, the reality is what it is.

The men and women who govern the public affairs have a direct influence on you. And on me. And on us. They affect the ways we are taxed, are defended, are policed, are transported, and more. They make decisions every day that affect our roads, our homes, and our children’s education.

This is a big deal. And it isn’t just a big deal on the national level. This is a big deal on every level, down to your local zoning commission.

**An aside…shame on us if we know more about federal politics than we do about local and state. Local politics may not be as sexy, but they are certainly more important that the national stuff.**

Your involvement matters. Your voice matters.

You don’t have to be consumed. But you need to be aware.

You have the opportunity to place the stamp of your personal convictions on the matters of the day. Seize the opportunity!

come and go…

I’ve been wrestling with something for a few weeks now. So, I invite you to jump in the squared circle with me. Maybe we can tag-team, and pin this dilemma together.

For as long as I can remember, I have heard that the “come and see” way of doing church is bad. We have put so much emphasis on our services, programs, buildings, staff, songs, and sermons. We have allowed our people to embrace a picture of Christianity that is too inwardly focused.

For the record, I agree. I believe that “come and see” Christianity is a path to death for the church. If our highest (and perhaps only) priority is to get people in our doors, and we don’t see the importance of equipping them for life outside the doors, then we’ve already had the plug pulled.

So, what’s the answer? Again, for almost as long as I can remember, I have heard that “go and be” is the way to live. Encourage and equip our people to be the missionaries in their contexts. Help them understand that the world outside the doors is the focus, not us. Strip everything down to only bare essentials, so that no program stands in the way of Christ’s followers spending lots of time in their neighborhoods, schools, and communities.

For the record, I agree. I believe that it is imperative that each of us embrace the mission to share God’s love in our unique contexts. The world outside the doors is my mission field. They are my responsibility.

But, I wonder…do we run the risk of missing the beauty of the Gathering? In the rush of our desire to go and be, do we overlook the absolute necessity of the coming?

Instead of “come and see” versus “go and be,” is there something more?

Can we “come and go?”

Can we emphasize the importance of the coming together, to sing and pray and question and seek and hang out? All the while admonishing each other that the gathering doesn’t achieve it’s ultimate purpose until we leave with the same joy that compelled us to gather in the first place?

Is it necessary to gather to be a Christ follower? No.

But that’s not the point. The point is for us to be healthy, functioning Christ followers. So, is it necessary to gather to be a healthy, functioning Christ follower?

I wonder…