The Fourth of July

   For those of you who know me well, you know that I struggle with celebrating patriotic holidays. As a pastor who is trying to lead people along the path of discipleship and allegiance to God, it is difficult for me to justify saying the Pledge of Allegiance to a country and government that do not model Christian ideals. As someone committed to the diversity of the body of Christ, it is hard to sing songs about being the best nation and how God blesses America. And as a pacifist it is difficult for me to support songs that speak of God's wrath and vengeance. Hence the irony of being appointed to a church that not only is uber patriotic, but actually has complete worship services with patriotic themes. I'm finding more and more that I have to separate who I am in some areas of my life from what I say in the pulpit or live out through my public persona, and that makes me feel uncomfortable.
   I wrote the following in an email to a friend recently, "Today I was struck by the thought of how hard it is to be yourself as a minister. Ideally this shouldn't be true. But when your views differ drastically from your congregations you often (or at least I often) end up keeping my mouth shut instead of living into who I am and what I'm passionate about...How do you honor your congregation and yourself at the same time? Is it possible?"