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(1) On one hand, it's really easy right now to look at any number of ideas and attitudes that are widespread within the church, and scoff. For example:
I've been told by numerous commentators on my Youtube channel recently that the fact that I don't believe (for a second) that the Covid vaccination is the actual Mark of the Beast that I obviously work for Bill Gates and I am not even a Christian.
People watch a few videos and conflate all kinds of ideas. Some genuinely believe that Bill Gates has personally placed "luciferian nanobots" into the vaccines. They believe that taking the vaccine will "change your DNA" and transform us into "demonized nephilim chimeras."
Alternately, I've seen comments indicating that some Christians genuinely think men like Alex Jones are good representatives of Jesus and Christianity in general.
It would be easy to go on and on. Pastorally speaking, however, scoffing, mocking, and belittling help no one. As odd as it may sound, it's important that we recognize the tremendous perfect storm we are in the midst of at this moment.
The Bible has already preconditioned Christians not to trust the hostile world system. Numerous passages that speak of the last days specifically warn of deception and various governmental systems that will only increase in hostility and control.
Add to this, the unique history of the US and the fiercely independent, freedom championing nature of American conservatism.
Now throw in the outright scorn, censorship, and suppression not just of odd-ball conspiracy theories, but also of very legitimate conservative or Christian commentary by the left-wing media, most universities, the technocrats, social media, etc., etc.
All at a moment in time when, because of the drastic development of numerous technologies, we are rapidly losing control of our liberties, or privacy, and any semblance of control.
On top of this flaming mountain of insecurity and boiling frustration, the Lord dumped a heaping dump-truck load of 2020 no top of all of us: Covid, lock-downs, Antifa / BLM protests, the elections, lawsuits, vaccines...
Add to all of this insecurity, a never-ending flow of videos on Youtube and Facebook of medical, intelligence, or religious experts all reinforcing the fear, anger, and paranoia.
Again, I could go on and on. Honestly, it's hard to imagine the Church ever returning to a place of relative normalcy and health after this year. I think we have indeed turned a corner.
The pastoral mandate right now is to help shepherd people to a place of relative stability in the midst of the storm. That is not going to easy at all. Having a partisan, hostile, or mocking attitude will pull no one out of the rabbit holes they've found themselves in.
It's going to require the sensitivity of surgeons. God help us. God help me.
