Opinion: Faith/Politics
By Pastor Zach Terry, September, 2024
I have always enjoyed the political process. My dad managed the campaign for a state congressman back in Alabama; he also helped my grandmother get elected to four consecutive terms as mayor of our hometown. I saw how those in office could change things for the good of the community. Amid a campaign, things could, at times, get dirty, but everyone made up and went back to a pretty chill life when the vote count was over.
As my wife and I raised our kids, we stayed out of the political sphere, speaking in favor of or in opposition to only the most substantive matters. I deeply enjoyed leading a quiet and peaceful life. Like most people, I have always hated conflict. We would vote anonymously, winning some and losing some, but life didn’t seem to change all that much. At least, it seemed that way when I was a younger man.
Around ten years ago, I began to notice that the predictable pattern of life was beginning to change. The stakes were higher than they used to be, and I began to care more deeply about the country’s direction. I became convinced that the path we were taking was going to lead to disaster, and if something didn’t change, the America I loved would soon be no more.
As a family that firmly believes every word of Holy Scripture, we soon discovered that people with our perspective were basically handcuffed in the backseat of a vehicle careening toward a cliff. The folks in the front seat are arguing about how fast we should be going when we drive off the cliff, but the destination is the same. Our only hope is to stall things long enough for a few of us to get these handcuffs off and figure out how to turn things around.
Many of you have told me that you have felt the same way. There is hope! You see, liberty is won or lost locally, and here – we have a fighting chance. FBFirst Family, we are all a part of one of (if not the) largest congregations in Nassau County, Florida. Like it or not, we are leaders-and leaders must go first. We must set an example for our brothers and sisters in other congregations of how to practically change the world.
Here are a few things I would like to suggest as we consider how to turn things around:
- Start with the Heart – We have no more powerful tool than the Gospel of Jesus Christ to change hearts and minds. Faithfully engage in Gospel conversations with people in your circle of influence. Invest in relationships and invite them to visit FBFirst with you.
- Look for Strategic Opportunities to Take a Stand – Christian Heritage Sunday and the Christian Heritage Parade are the sorts of things I am talking about. These are tactical initiatives that are meant to take full advantage of the liberty our country affords us for the sake of the Kingdom.
- Be willing to Suffer for the Sake of the Kingdom – In a battle, the unit that goes in first will always draw the most fire. We have certainly seen that in recent days, and I am okay with that. As long as we know we are standing for truth, and as long as we are standing for truth together, we can bear a lot.
If we are faithful and work together, just maybe, we can start something locally that will spread across our Nation, and with God’s help, perhaps we can avoid a cliff.
Zach Terry is Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church of Fernandina Beach
The views expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of Citizens Journal Florida.
