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Sidetracked
Christians want good to triumph! Yet at times it feels we are doing very little to fight the growing darkness here in America. Should Christians vote, sign petitions, or boycott ungodly corporations?
252 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2023
4 people are currently reading
17 people want to read
About the author
Gary Miller
18 books22 followersGary Miller was raised in California and today lives with his wife Patty and family in the Pacific Northwest. Gary works with the poor in developing countries and directs the SALT program for Christian Aid Ministries. This program offers business and spiritual teaching to those living in chronic poverty, provides small loans, sets up local village savings groups, and assists them in learning how to use their God-given resources to become sustainable.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 15, 2024
There are many books out there that warn people that it's dumb to let yourself be defined by political ideology and it's reasonable to ask if we really need another one. However, it is good to see one specifically for an anabaptist audience.
January 26, 2024
I don't know if I have much to say other than this was a very good read!!
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We desire that all of them would become part of the kingdom of God. We don't condone cruelty or the tyranny of their earthly leader. But how could we support dropping bombs on North Korea when it has citizens of our own nation? How could we condone policies or sanctions that force economic hardship on fellow citizens of the kingdom of God? The expansion of the Jesus Empire does not rest on the physical destruction of another.
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We may like the country we were born in. We probably prefer the food culture, and language of our country. But when we assume God has favorite countries, we become distracted by the politics and nationalistic aspirations of the country where we reside. The result is con- fusion, not only in our own minds but also in how seekers perceive God through His followers.
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The local church is similar to a platoon, and by itself appears small and insignificant. Yet just as it would be foolish for a soldier to claim he is part of the military without finding a platoon that fits him, so is it equally ludicrous to insist we are part of the kingdom of God but don't need to submit to a local church
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It is one thing to be thankful to live in a country built on solid moral truths; it is quite another to see America as a Christian nation. The first provides an environment where Christianity, as well as other religions, can exist in freedom. The second seeks to force Christian principles on others, some- thing Jesus refused to do. When we fail to understand the difference, it is easy to become sidetracked.
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But Jesus was clear. The weeds and the wheat are both going to grow until the end. Our job is to stay focused on growing wheat, rather than removing weeds. Understanding this can help us maintain a proper posture toward political involvement.
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We desire that all of them would become part of the kingdom of God. We don't condone cruelty or the tyranny of their earthly leader. But how could we support dropping bombs on North Korea when it has citizens of our own nation? How could we condone policies or sanctions that force economic hardship on fellow citizens of the kingdom of God? The expansion of the Jesus Empire does not rest on the physical destruction of another.
.
.
.
.
.
We may like the country we were born in. We probably prefer the food culture, and language of our country. But when we assume God has favorite countries, we become distracted by the politics and nationalistic aspirations of the country where we reside. The result is con- fusion, not only in our own minds but also in how seekers perceive God through His followers.
.
.
.
.
.
The local church is similar to a platoon, and by itself appears small and insignificant. Yet just as it would be foolish for a soldier to claim he is part of the military without finding a platoon that fits him, so is it equally ludicrous to insist we are part of the kingdom of God but don't need to submit to a local church
.
.
.
.
.
It is one thing to be thankful to live in a country built on solid moral truths; it is quite another to see America as a Christian nation. The first provides an environment where Christianity, as well as other religions, can exist in freedom. The second seeks to force Christian principles on others, some- thing Jesus refused to do. When we fail to understand the difference, it is easy to become sidetracked.
.
.
.
.
.
But Jesus was clear. The weeds and the wheat are both going to grow until the end. Our job is to stay focused on growing wheat, rather than removing weeds. Understanding this can help us maintain a proper posture toward political involvement.
June 16, 2024
There's a rash of books being written on why Christians shouldn't buddy up with empires, mostly in response to the right and alt-right movements gaining momentum in the U.S. and other parts of the world. There are definitely books out there that are better then this one, but this is the best I've read from a conservative Anabaptist. Which is why I give it four stars. He bashes Billy Graham, compares U.S. evangelicals to the Taliban, and quotes Preston Sprinkle, Brian Zahnd, Kristin Kobes Du Mez, and Gregory Boyd. Good job, Gary Miller.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews