Tag Archives: faith

A brief reflection on Christian Nationalism vs the Faith of Jesus.

Posted on January 17, 2026 | Leave a comment

TOPIC: Christian Nationalism, Power, and the God of Jesus

Based on THE GOD THEY PREACH AT THE PENTAGON BY Michael Woolf – SOJO.net

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Why This Conversation Matters: Christian language is increasingly used to bless national power, military strength, and political dominance. When God is described primarily as a God of war or a sponsor of a nation’s greatness, we must ask: Is this the God revealed in Jesus Christ?  This study invites us to let Scripture—not politics or patriotism—define our theology.

Key Idea from the Article: A recent sermon delivered at the Pentagon portrayed God as a warrior who sanctions military might and national dominance. The concern raised is not about faith in public life—but about a distorted theology that:

  • Treats a nation as chosen in a biblical sense
  • Blends Christian faith with nationalism
  • Uses God-language to justify violence and exclusion

The danger is subtle but serious: when God is made to serve power, the gospel is reshaped into something unrecognizable.

Scripture at the Center

Matthew 5:9: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”

Matthew 5:44–45: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…”

Romans 12:17–21: “Do not repay anyone evil for evil… if it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.”

John 18:36: “My kingdom is not from this world.”

A Crucial Distinction: Christian Nationalism is not simply loving one’s country.

It is a theological claim that:

  • God uniquely favors a nation
  • National interests equal God’s will
  • Power and violence can be divinely sanctioned

The Gospel of Jesus proclaims:

  • God’s love for all peoples
  • A kingdom not built on domination
  • Power revealed through humility, sacrifice, and love

Questions for Reflection

  • Where have you seen faith language used to justify power rather than peace?
  • Which image of God most shapes your faith: warrior, ruler, healer, servant?
  • What might it look like for the church to be faithful rather than influential?

A Guiding Truth: The church’s calling is not to make Christianity powerful, but to make Christ visible.

Closing Prayer God of peace, free us from false images that serve fear and power. Shape us by the life and teaching of Jesus, that we may be peacemakers in a divided world. Amen.

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Author Talk || Morgan Guyton

Posted on April 26, 2016 | Leave a comment

Friends –

I’m pleased to invite you to our next Author Talks with Rev. Morgan Guyton, author of the just released – How Jesus Saves the World from Us: 12 Antidotes to Toxic Christianity . Morgan will talk about the book and why he wrote it. Then there will be opportunity for conversation about the themes of the book.

JUST ADDED:
#1  Online – AuthorTalk via Vital Ministry Webinars

Tuesday, 5/3 @ 5pm CDT.
Follow the instructions here to join the conversation or just listen in.

NOTE: If you join online and you’ve never used Zoom.us, you’ll want to download the Zoom app a few minutes early and navigate to the meeting room.

Then you can return there to listen to the recording in about a week.

 

#2  In Person – Author Talk, Lunch & ConversationMGuytonHowJesusSavesTheWorldFromUs

Guest: Morgan Guyton
When: Wednesday, May 4, Noon
Where: The Mix Coworking –
9125 Diceman Drive, Dallas, TX 75218

 

Morgan blogs on Patheos here at Mercy Not Sacrifice.
You can find him on Facebook @RevMorganGuyton.
And on Twitter @MAGuyton.

Hope you can join us.

See the book on Amazon here.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Christianity has always been about being saved. But today what Christians need saving from most is the toxic understanding of salvation we’ve received through bad theology. The loudest voices in Christianity today sound exactly like the religious authorities who crucified Jesus.

This is a book for Christians who are troubled by what we’ve become and who want Jesus to save us from the toxic behaviors and attitudes we’ve embraced. Each of the 12 chapters proposes an antidote for the toxicity that has infiltrated Christian culture, such as “Worship not Performance, “Temple not Program,” and “Solidarity not Sanctimony.” Each chapter includes thought-provoking discussion questions, perfect for individual or group study.

There are many reasons to lose hope about the state of our world and our church, but Guyton offers one piece of good news: Jesus is saving the world from us, one Christian at a time.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Morgan Guyton is the co-director of the NOLA Wesley United Methodist Campus Center with his wife Cheryl. His first book How Jesus Saves the World From Us: 12 Antidotes for Toxic Christianity is being published by Westminster John Knox Press. He blogs at www.patheos.com/blogs/mercynotsacrifice and has contributed dozens of articles to Red Letter Christians, Huffington Post Religion, Think Christian, Ministry Matters, United Methodist Reporter, and Rethink Church.

 

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Where are all the Millenials?

Posted on February 26, 2014 | Leave a comment

Look around the sanctuary. What do you see? A few handfuls of children with their parents, a dozen youth and their sponsors, and scores of empty-nesters and retirees. Mostly gray, white or bald heads everywhere you turn.  Now of course there is nothing wrong with having lots of older folks in church. And depending on the community, this might be a sign of real vitality. Clearly, a church adjacent to several active senior living and retirement communities will want to have a vibrant ministry to these neighbors. Unfortunately, many congregations look this way even though they are surrounded by families with children and youth in the adjoining districts. What then?

Where are all the young adults, single or married with children? Who is reaching them, and how? What are these congregations doing (or what are they not doing) that is making a connection. One church consultant has been known to ask congregations, “Are your grandchildren in church?” and when the answer comes back a strong and pain-filled, “No.” He follows by asking, “What would you be willing to do to provide a place for them, where they wanted to be?” “Anything!”

Institute for Vital Ministry exists to connect congregations and leaders facing such challenges with those who are also on the journey, and are having success. We will help you know where to turn, and even facilitate the learning process for you through conferences, on-sites and immersion trips. Practitioners who work with us are excited to share what they know, recognizing that there is always more to learn, and that we are better together.

The ministry you have to offer is inside you. You may just need some help drawing it out and believing that it is worth offering.

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I can’t hear my call

Posted on February 18, 2014 | Leave a comment

The pastor has celebrated fifteen years of ordained ministry, having served in three congregations, including a student internship during graduate school. Coming out of seminary she was filled with passion and vision for ministry and a love for congregation and community. That was then.

Now, after nearly two decades, she’s not sure where to turn. Somewhere along the way her sense of vocation started to fade away. The things she loved no longer bring her joy. The relationship interactions, sadly, leave her empty and deflated. She desperately wants to love these people and this place, but she’s forgotten how.

Interestingly enough, many of the folks in the congregation seem to feel the same way, not just about the pastor, but about each others. The congregation has a general sense of surface affection that masks a deeper anxiety. They are warm and welcoming to newcomers, but have little energy or inclination for going deeper in relationship or providing lasting hospitality.

Over time, both the pastor and the congregation have lost a sense of hearing God’s voice calling and leading. They want to hear. They remember what it was like to hear. They even remember what they heard. But now, it seems that God has fallen silent. Their theology tells them otherwise; it says that God is now and will continue to speak, to call, to redeem and lead.

So the question comes: How do I/we learn to hear again?

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The Institute for Vital Ministry exists to partner with this pastor AND the participants of this congregation – those who are asking these questions, but don’t know where to turn, and may even be afraid of the answers they might find.

We bring together agencies, institutes, organizations and practitioners to form collaborative partnerships that facilitate contextual learning in a trusted community of companion travelers on the journey of discovery and transformation.

iVM will help you engage, equip, and extend your ever deepening faith out into the community and world around you. Get in touch and let’s learn together.

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Who is my neighbor?

Posted on February 18, 2014 | Leave a comment

A congregation of generous, warm, and loving folks sits in a neighborhood that has changed around it. In decades past many of the congregation’s active participants lived within walking distance, but over time the community transitioned, and now most of the folks in the pews come in from other parts of town. The congregation is also aging, and the members and staff are trying to figure out how to connect with their new neighbors. They say to themselves:

“We don’t know where we fit in the world anymore.”

(To tell the truth, many also don’t make meaningful faith connections with the people in the communities where they now live either. Is that the same problem, or a different but related one?)This congregation has read books and some of the folks have even attended conferences and workshops. They hear lots of great ideas, and get inspired to do amazing things for God. But somehow, when they get back home, they struggle to connect the ideas with where and how they really live. And all that energy and enthusiasm they felt with the hundreds of others who gathered for training – somehow they can’t manage to keep up that level of passion. They feel that they are letting down each other, their neighbors, and God.  The questions come:

  • How do we connect with our community?
  • How do we get to know them?
  • Who do they need us to be here?
  • What is God calling us to do here?
  • What should we do next?

The Institute for Vital Ministry exists to partner with the staff AND participants of this congregation – those who are asking these questions, but don’t know where to turn, and may even be afraid of the answers they might find.

We bring together agencies, institutes, organizations and practitioners to form collaborative partnerships that facilitate contextual learning in a trusted community of companion travelers on the journey of discovery and transformation.

iVM will help you engage, equip, and extend your ever deepening faith out into the community and world around you. Get in touch and let’s learn together.

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