OPINION:
A pastor in Kentucky, Brian Gibson, is calling on fellow faith leaders around the nation to show a little courage over the coronavirus crisis — as well as against over-the-top governors gone mad with power — and instead of standing quietly by and letting the government dictate religion, to open church doors once again.
May his message spread far and wide.
“I believe that very day a church is closed, a bit of liberty dies,” he said on “Fox & Friends.” “We need people to stand up and roar. There is a time to be quiet, a time to be the lamb, but today is the day to be the lion.”
Yes. As Ecclesiastes notes, to every thing there is indeed a season.
And in America, as enshrined in the Constitution, as established in our national DNA, as forged by framers at founding — religious freedom is always in season.
No government permission needed.
So what are churches waiting for? Or, more to point — why are churches waiting for government permission?
Show some gumption already.
If the concern is the coronavirus — well, perhaps that’s a failure of faith.
From Numbers: “And the Lord said unto Moses, make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.”
But if the concern is the government, to include police — well, perhaps that’s a failure to put God first.
That’s a failure of fear.
And America, as Gibson said, needs its churches to be places for refuge from the worldly fear — particularly in times of crisis. How many lost and frightened and wandering souls have been turned away from humanly manifestations of God’s grace at the closed church doors in recent COVID-19 times?
Gulp.
“We’re looking across the road at fast-food places handing out french fries,” Gibson said. “Liquor stores are serving patrons. But the church is the bad guy. It is time for us to stand up for our First Amendment rights.”
True.
More to truth, though: It’s time for the church to stand up for God.
That’s what pastors are supposed to do — lead the flock to God, not hide in the corner with the government. It’s a real-life, modern-day opportunity to be a David and beat the Goliath. And just think of the blessings that could come.
• Cheryl Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com or on Twitter, @ckchumley. Listen to her podcast “Bold and Blunt” by clicking HERE. And never miss her column; subscribe to her newsletter by clicking HERE.
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