When the Church Stops Being a Sanctuary

On January 18th, a group of protestors entered a church service in Minneapolis, after discovering one of the pastors there was also the field director for ICE. In response to this, politicians and pastors alike have offered their perspectives, but the majority of responses expose the structural issues of American Christianity, particularly in our understanding of the Church and its role in the community.

I can appreciate the shock that must have been on the pastor as the protestors entered; however, the response from the church was a failed opportunity for ministry. A group of angry and frustrated members of the community walked into the sanctuary and wanted answers from the church.

Why was this happening? Why was the church not responding to the injustices around them? And why was one of their pastors a leader of the agency causing the injustice?

But rather than welcome them in, address the concerns, and serve the community tangibly, the pastor stood on stage shouting “SHAME” and demanding members of his community leave the building that was supposed to be a refuge for them. The entire exchange showed a complete failure of the ministry on the part of this church. But rather than recognizing this, pastors of all different backgrounds are coming to support the actions of the church. Calling for churches to be ready to trespass people from their buildings, for the government to intervene, and to arm their congregations to kill protestors in the future. 

We are seeing in real time the results of Roman Model Evangelism’s failed ecclesiology and the Persecution Complex of American Christianity. A Church that believes it exists for its own survival and comfort, rather than for the community to experience the comfort that comes from the Kingdom of God. 

The local Church is supposed to exist for the community it plants in, not the other way around. 

Roman Model Evangelism tells us that the Church is a fort in the wilderness, offering protection for the right type of Roman from the barbarians around us. This is largely how the responses to the events on Sunday have been labeled. The protesters “invaded,” “interrupted,” “disrespected,” or “desecrated” the worship service. This is feeding the Persecution complex of many, and so because of this, they must be punished via the law, violence, or even crusade. Defending the fort has become the new cry from seemingly all corners of American Christianity. 

But this view is faulty and misses the reality of what could have happened Sunday. The moment they came in through that door, they should have stopped being seen as protestors and instead been welcomed as guests. This is something that seems to be missed by all sides in the analysis of the events on Sunday. Many are choosing to point ot Jesus example of cleansing the temple to defend either the removal of protestors or the removal of an ICE agent pastor. But there is a different example of Jesus that we need to actually be applying.

JESUS EXAMPLE

Throughout the Gospels, there are approximately 35 times when the writers record Jesus being interrupted while teaching or traveling. Jesus, in each of these instances, responds with patient, empathetic care for the person who interrupted him, and rebuke for those who wanted the interruptions stopped. Because these were not interruptions but opportunities. 

Much like our discussions on enemies, there is a perspective shift that needs to take place among us all as individuals when looking at these types of events. Do we see them as an inconvenience and a waste of time, or is it an opportunity for us to serve someone who bears the image of Jesus? Do we see worship as a 60-minute call and response sing-along and teaching, or is worship a lifestyle of bringing Glory to God and advancing the Kingdom of God? 

What a difference the results of Sunday could have been, if instead of seeing protestors interrupting worship, the church saw their hurting and angry community coming to them for the answers the Church claims to have when darkness is all around us. What if, instead of screaming shame and trespass at these visitors, they were met with welcome and allowed to speak? What if, instead of an interruption, they were seen as an opportunity? 

Perhaps nothing would be different in the responses I’ve seen in the past few days. But I would hope that if the Church had acted as Jesus did, then the calls for arming our churches and barring community members from entry would be, at the very least, fewer and quieter. Perhaps the responses from pastors defending the legality of the church’s response would have been replaced by a celebration of seeing a church that remembers the Church is a ministry, called to more than legal distinctions and technicalities. 

CHURCH AS SANCTUARY

This isn’t limited to protestors either. Many of the arguments I have heard over the past few days echo the same arguments I have heard from church members wanting to have the homeless man with tattoos, groups of teenagers, a mother with young screaming kids, or a man having a mental health crisis removed as well. The events of Sunday are nothing new, but they have escalated the discussion onto national, legal, and even violent levels.

If we want to actually be a church that centers on Christ, then we should begin to follow His example. This means that when a group of angered and hurting community members enters the sanctuary, we should actually provide them a sanctuary. A place of empathy, healing, and service. A place that hears the cries of the broken, instead of casting shame on them. A place that welcomes and protects, rather than threatening trespassing charges and brandishing weapons. Our churches should be places of protection and refuge, not the source of pain for the community. 

The events of Sunday and the responses this week have highlighted clearly the absolute theological rot that exists within American Christianity. The events also bring a warning. This may become irreversible without immense pruning and pain. We have the opportunity today to start the process of seeing our ecclesiology and missiology arrive at a Christocentric theology, which calls us to renew our minds and see the responsibility we have as an institution within the community to bring the Kingdom of God to the hurting around us. But only if we are willing to allow the Spirit to shift our point of view.

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This post was written by Andrew Fouts. The founder and main content creator for Ministry Misfits. He also serves as one of the directors and writers for KFM Broadcasting Network.