Today’s guest post comes from Caleb Campbell, a pastor at Desert Springs Bible Church in Phoenix, Arizona since 2006 and lead pastor since 2015. He is a doctoral student at Fuller Theological Seminary and serves as the regional director for the Surge Network. This post is based on his recent book on Christian nationalism.
There is increasing concern about Christian nationalism in the American church. While many books have delved into the historical, sociological, political, psychological, and theological aspects of this movement, few have addressed the practical question of what the church can do about it.
I believe we should consider American Christian nationalists as a group to reach out to. It can be tempting to see those who embrace Christian Nationalism as adversaries to overcome or heretics to conquer, but taking these stances will only lead to more division in the church.
When individuals are consumed by sin, the primary aim for followers of Jesus is not to separate themselves or pass judgment, but to actively pursue reconciliation and restoration.
Galatians 6:1-2 says
Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
In this article, I will demonstrate how this text can be used as a guide to engage with friends and family who have embraced American Christian Nationalism.
Caught In a Sin
American Christian Nationalists are caught up in evil, trapped by the seductive yet false promises of purveyors of Christian Nationalists. Like an animal caught in a barbed wire fence, they are likely experiencing powerful emotions of fear, anxiety, and rage.
If we hope to connect with them in healthy ways, we must approach them with wisdom and caution, doing our best to communicate that we are not their enemy. We can do this by showing honor, connecting on shared values, and avoiding ‘red flag’ words that might trigger a negative response.
Restore Them, Gently
The aim of our engagement is restoration. In John 17, Jesus prayed that his people would be one. We honor that prayer when we seek to restore a brother or sister who has given themselves to toxic tribalism, political polarization, or any movement seeking to divide the church.
While it is tempting to adopt the culture warrior posture, seeking to win arguments by outsmarting and outmaneuvering our counterparts in debate, the way of Jesus invites us to pursue healing, restoration, and loving communion.
Watch Out for Your Own self
I have found that 98% of the work is not in them but in me.
It is my fear, shame, angst, and judgmental spirit that need to be taken to the Lord. If I meet my counterparts’ rage with rage, if I meet their anxiety with anxiety, I’m only adding fuel to the destructive fire. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told us to prioritize introspection, examining the log in our own eye before we seek to critique the sawdust in the eye of our neighbor.
We can put this into practice by praying before we meet with our Christian Nationalist loved ones, asking that the Lord convict us of sin and reveal any judgment, derision, shame, etc., that we may be carrying into the conversation.
One practical way to do this is to pray, “Lord, what do you want to change in me through them?” This prayer serves as a reminder that all ground is equal at the foot of the cross and that we are merely broken people inviting other broken people where to find healing.
Carry Each Other’s Burdens
Maintaining a gentle spirit in the presence of a loved one who is shouting hateful obscenities, violent rhetoric, or conspiratorial statements is a heavy burden. Cultivating healthy relationships with people with whom we fundamentally disagree requires spiritual maturity and the muscle to carry the distance between us.
When we carry the burden of relationships with people trapped in evil, we mirror the one who carried the cross on our behalf.
Later in Galatians, Paul says that the whole Law can be summed up as “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Seeking restoration and not destruction, watching out for our own hearts, and carrying the burden of relationship are ways that we can love our American Christian Nationalist neighbors.
American Christian Nationalism is a rage-fueled, anxiety-laden movement that seeks to garner political and economic power by propagating hatred and divisiveness in the name of God. We can best serve those who have given themselves over to this movement by practicing the way of Jesus with them, working towards their reconciliation.
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