Advancing Christian Faith and Values,
Defending Religious Liberty for All,
Supporting Civility and the Common Good
through Preaching, Teaching, Writing, Activism and Reasoned Conversations

www.donaldshoemakerministries.com

Winter of 1968
in Indiana

My wife, Mary, is standing by our car and almost hidden by a tree. We are leaving for church on a Sunday morning. Two years later we were on our way to warm Southern California! Read on…

Bible Insight—Youth in Leadership?

“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.”
– 1 Timothy 4:12 (New International Version)

In January 1970, shortly after my 25th birthday, my wife and I boarded a plane in South Bend, Indiana to fly via Chicago to Los Angeles. The runway in South Bend required the use of a snowplow before the plane could land to get us. We found the Los Angeles area to be one fine place in January!

I was candidating to become the pastor of Los Altos Brethren Church in Long Beach. When the church extended a call to me a couple of weeks later, I accepted. We followed the plan to move in the summer, and I became the pastor of that church in August of 1970.

To a few who didn’t want me as pastor, I was “that kid.” I was having breakfast at Bob’s Big Boy one morning when another pastor phoned the restaurant to reach me. I saw the waitress come down the row of booths and ask at each table, “Are you a reverend?” But when she came to my table, she looked at me and walked right on to the next table!

I was pretty GREEN and I made my share of mistakes. But one thing I did rightly was to show respect to the older believers in the church and listen to them. (By “older” I mean those who were as I now am, 50 years later!)

The Apostle Paul’s words to young Timothy (1 Timothy 4:12 above) were relevant to me. Of course, Timothy was likely well into his 30’s and it’s a valid question to ask how far Paul’s words can be stretched to fit church leaders in their 20’s. Yes, I had my master’s degree from seminary and was trained in pastoral and theological matters, but was I seasoned enough to lead a congregation?

What should a young church leader do and not do?

First, the young leader must repudiate today’s “Cult of Youth.”
* This was strong in 1970, with the campus unrest and protests. Remember “You can’t trust anyone over thirty”? Of course, no one from that era still believes that!
The church should be a counter-culture to the “Cult of Youth.” Instead, in church life the “cult of youth” is as bad today as it was in 1970. Biblically speaking, the leader must be someone with knowledge and wisdom, who learns from the past and is seasoned by years of testing (Hebrews 5:18). Today the Apostle Paul could rightly insist, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are OLD, but set an example for the YOUNGER believers…”

Second, the young leader must avoid shooting his toes off by making foolish mistakes in words or actions, and especially in attitude. “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” – Proverbs 16:18.

“You are to follow me because God put me over you!” (Pastor, where did you get the idea you alone are Spirit-filled and above accountability?)

“I’ve got the education to know what the issues are and what’s best for the church!” (But maybe you are answering questions no one is asking!)

“I just preach The Truth and let the chips fall where they may.” (You may find yourself in the “chipper”!)

“I unfold the Bible’s meaning in great depth.” (But you don’t need 50 minutes to do it. A 25-30 minute sermon will be a better sermon.
In seminary we thought ourselves to be clones of John MacArthur.)

What other presumptuous words, attitudes and actions can you think of?

Third, the young leader must follow the FULL meaning of 1 Tim. 4:12. The verse has a “do” phrase as well as a “don’t” phrase. If the young pastor wants to avoid being looked down on, this pastor must earn the people’s trust as a leader. And it is done by being “an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.”

My mentor in my early pastoral career (1968-70) was Pastor Gordon Bracker, under whom I served as associate pastor in Elkhart, Indiana. At my installation service in Long Beach in 1970 he gave me three words of advice in front of all, “Love the people, love the people, love the people.”

* TIME Magazine featured the “cult of youth” twice recently (Dec. 23-30, 2019 and Feb 3, 2020). Greta Thunberg, 16, is TIME’s “Person of the Year” showing “The Power of Youth.”
But the real “Persons of the Year” were the protestors in Hong Kong and Venezuela.

Message of the Month –
Settling ADA Issues Jesus’ Way

As I drove down a major 6-lane road in Long Beach I noticed a man in a wheelchair trying to navigate around a bus stop bench. He had to go into the street—into the right lane of traffic—to get around it.

When I got home I contacted City Hall to report the sidewalk blockage. Within a couple of days the bench was moved. ¡Problema completado! Issue over!

But that’s not how our litigious system for resolving ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) issues seems to work.

In the Belmont Shore area of Long Beach, full of small restaurants and stores, a law firm has joined with a disabled person to sue businesses that are not ADA-compliant in one way or another. In fact, this gentleman and his attorney’s firm have filed 650 lawsuits over ADA compliance. California leads the nation in such lawsuits (2444 in the first six months of 2019). Why shouldn’t it, when state law guarantees a prevailing plaintiff $4000 or more for each incident, plus legal fees?

Immigrant business owners easily find themselves victims of such lawsuits. Many of these hard-working people are not culturally accustomed to detailed regulations. So they might get sued, for example, for having a bathroom mirror a couple of inches too high.

Jesus’ teaching is contrary to a litigious spirit. Jesus taught people to attempt resolution of issues without first resorting to litigation. Jesus taught those offended by another’s wrongdoing to try to handle the matter privately between them before getting others involved.

“Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge…” – Matthew 5:25 (NIV)

“If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church…” – Matthew 18:15-16

The Apostle Paul explicitly forbade Christians being litigious with one another.

If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord’s people? …Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? But instead, one brother takes another to court—and this in front of unbelievers! – 1 Corinthians 6:1,5,6

The answer to ADA non-compliance is neither to ignore violations nor to litigate them without giving the business a reasonable amount of time to comply.The Federal Government has a resolution process:

The ADA Mediation Program is an important part of ADA compliance. Using professional ADA-trained mediators throughout the United States, mediation is a confidential, voluntary way to resolve ADA complaints fairly and quickly. Types of complaints most appropriate for this program include barrier removal, program accessibility, effective communication, and modification of policies, practices, and procedures. [Source: ADA.gov]

This “grace period” provision, however, is resisted by those who want to milk the “system” and who don’t care who they hurt.

What more is to be said?
• We need more practice of “The Golden Rule.”
• Churches should lead the way and even do more than is required.
• Legislators must think more about the long-range likely consequences of laws they pass, and also unintentional consequences and the likely litigation a law may generate.
• State laws should be changed if necessary to allow reasonable time for compliance before citing a business for a violation.

Back to the man in the wheelchair whose path was blocked by a bench—maybe I should have referred him to a law firm specializing in ADA lawsuits and received a finder’s fee. The bench, then, might take months to be moved.

Back the Badge – Psalm 106:3
“Blessed are those who maintain justice.”

Chaplains are there to
“Back the Badge”

Chaplains play a very important role in the law enforcement community.

Most chaplains are ordained ministers. Sometimes chaplains have professional training in psychology. All chaplains are trained for their work and continue to be trained as they serve. Chaplaincy is a non-sectarian service, and all chaplains must take care to view it as such (for example, no proselytizing during a time of service as a chaplain).

I’ve been privileged to serve as a chaplain for the Seal Beach Police Department since 2001. I know it has been enriching for me and valuable for my pastoral work in my church. I’ve also been able to serve the community and department in meaningful ways.

Chaplains perform ceremonial roles and these can sometimes be significant (certainly more than just “blessing the cookies” at the end of a swearing-in ceremony). Conducting a funeral for someone in the law enforcement family is very important. In my own service, fulfilling ceremonial functions connected to a mass murder in Seal Beach in 2011 has been one of the most important roles I have ever undertaken.
Chaplains get to know the individual officers—their work and challenges especially—through “ride-alongs.”

Chaplains are called to respond to very difficult incidents—suicides, sudden or unexpected deaths, accidents, counseling situations, and more. Again, the mass murder (of 8) in Seal Beach was a defining moment in my life and my service and responding to it has been the most significant ministry I’ve had in fifty years of service as a minister. I still meet and pray with some family members of victims on the anniversary day of the killings (October 12).

Chaplains assist officers in many ways. One of the most important is assisting in a death notification, which can be about as horrible as one can imagine for the family or spouse or parent being notified.

Does your local law enforcement agency have the services of a chaplain? Information to get started is easy to find. You may contact me for any advice or assistance I can provide.

The best organization for chaplains is the International Conference of Police Chaplains (ICPC): www.icpc4cops.org

Religious Liberty Vigilance –
Threats to the Religious Liberty of Parochial Schools

“I consider the government of the United States as interdicted by the Constitution from intermeddling with religious institutions, their doctrines, discipline, or exercises.”
– Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Miller, 1808

Parents spend over $5000 a year to send their children to St. James Catholic School in Torrance, California. Perhaps some do this from the secular desire to give their children a very good education. But many more do so in order that their children might learn in a distinctively Catholic environment.

To maintain a religious environment such as that at St. James, it is essential that religious schools be able to hire teachers devoted to their tenets of doctrine and worship and moral values. Religious education, after all, is more than having a cross or crucifix on the wall or saying some formalized prayers. If the education is genuine, it will strive to inculcate religious beliefs and worship and values deep into the hearts of the students. It will seek to relate faith to ALL subject matter, rather than make religion a superficial part of children’s education. That’s why such schools must be able to require “adherence of the heart” from its teachers.

In its “Statement of Philosophy” St. James School says, “We guide spiritual formation of the student in partnership with the parents. We strive to influence the moral values of the child and hope to help each strengthen his/her personal relationship with God.”

If parents don’t really want that, or if teachers don’t deeply believe that, they are free to move on to a school that fits their own philosophies of life. Parents are also free to use the public school system and save over $5000 a year.

It is therefore both sad and dangerous that the U. S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has sided with two teachers (one from St. James School and another from Our Lady of Guadalupe School in Hermosa Beach, CA) rather than with their schools on the issue of dismissal from their teaching positions.

The two cases have been combined by the U.S. Supreme Court and the court will hear and decide them sometime in 2020-21.

I agree with the position of The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty:
Religious institutions should be fully empowered to select their priests, rabbis, ministers and other religious teachers. The Supreme Court has acknowledged that right and all courts should respect that decision. Both church and state benefit when the state is not evaluating the internal decisions of a religious ministry.

Growing Restrictions on Religion in China
Last month I reported on the new (as of February 1) restrictions on religion in China. Here is a report on how funeral practices are being restricted. Imagine in America, if clergy were not allowed to officiate at funeral practices occurring outside the walls of a church, or even banning religious funerals altogether.

Christian funerals have been banned in some areas of China as the communist government begins to enforce a set of repressive regulations on religious practices.

In the eastern province of Zhejiang, the government has put in force a set of Regulations on Centralized Funeral Arrangement, which bans priests from attending funeral prayers outside a religious place.

The government claims the new rules aim to “get rid of bad funeral customs and establish a scientific, civilized and economical way of funerals.” [What in the world is a “scientific” way of doing funerals?]

“Clerical personnel are not allowed to participate in funerals” at homes and “no more than 10 family members of the deceased are allowed to read scriptures or sing hymns in a low voice,” the rules state.

– From Union of Catholic Asian News, February 3, 2020

On Feb. 11, Cardinal Joseph Zen, emeritus bishop of Hong Kong, discussed the situation of the Church in China with the Catholic News Agency.

“More and more, the Church is under persecution [in China]—both the official Church and the underground…

“Even in the official church, the faithful are more and more controlled. On the top of the church they tell you to destroy the crosses, inside the church, they put the image of Xi Jinping—maybe not in the center, but in some place. Now they have to have the flag in the church, they have to sing the national anthem.

“People under 18 years of age are not allowed into churches, not allowed in any religious activity. Christmas is forbidden, in the whole country. Even the Bible should be re-translated, according to the Communist orthodoxy. So now we see more and more control on the Church, and there is a really a universal lamentation in the whole Church.”

[Note: One of my ministry foci is “Religious Freedom for All.” I support freedom of religion for Catholics as well as Protestants and non-Christian religions as well as Christianity. I also support those who hold no particular religious expression—their right not to be coerced by the state toward a particular faith—and the right of all not to be coerced toward any secular ideology.]

The Great Wrong of Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942
Highway 395 runs north/south on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada mountains in California. I have driven it many times on my way to backpacking or hiking in the Sierra or to visit Mammoth Lakes.

Along one bleak, arid segment of the highway you come to Manzanar, where 11,000 Japanese Americans were placed during World War II (120,000 were interned in ten relocation centers). I remember the first time I stopped there when the only thing to see was the old guard house at the entrance along with a couple of plaques. Even then, it was a very moving experience.

Now the location has a fine museum and you can drive around and see signs telling you what buildings were at various locations. Manzanar was not a “concentration camp” by any means, but it was not a retreat either. Winters were cold; summers very hot. The centers were essentially prisons for those who had done nothing wrong—they were simply Americans of Japanese descent.

In post-Pearl Harbor America there was much fear of what might happen on our West Coast. Would an attack come? Would people of Japanese descent support Japan? There was no evidence that they would and there were no acts by them against the U.S. Still, President Roosevelt, encouraged by California Governor Earl Warren, signed Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942 that led to the internment camps.

Beside the forced and quick internments, these prisoners in most cases lost their livelihoods, possessions and properties.

As a descendent of German immigrants, how would I feel had the government rounded up German Americans and put them in such places?

Let the memory of this great wrong keep us from doing anything like it again.

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Available: My Sermons at Grace Community Church of Seal Beach
To hear sermons I’ve delivered at Grace Community Church go to www.gracesealbeach.org and click “Sermons” under “Resources.”
You will see my name under “Sermons by speaker.”

Sample Sermon Titles:

• “The Holy City – Final Home” (Revelation 21-22)
• “Jeremiah: Right Man for the Right Hour (Jeremiah 1-20)
• “The Triumphs and Failures of Israel’s Greatest King (1 Kings 1-11)
• “Christian Freedom” (Romans 14:1-8) RECOMMENDED!
A sermon for the 500th Anniversary of the Protestant Reformation
• “Come, Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:1-42)

Available: Past Issues of this Newsletter

Website: www.donaldshoemakerministries.com

Contact me at: donaldshoemakerministries@verizon.net