Time for The Church in America to Step Up Its Game
Dr. Mark Byers
Was the Election of Trump God’s Way of Calling the Church to Become a Queen Esther Change Agent in and for America?
March 2023, I penned an article for the American Landscape that looked at the condition of our civil society and the downward trajectory I believed we were on at the time. Today, as I sit here on another semi-warm Alabama Saturday afternoon, I look out the window of my office and ponder how fragile our civil society is without the basics of the input and overshadow guidance from He Who the framers of the Constitution looked to more than eighty times as well – the Creator of the Universe as the Ultimate Framer of our nation's historic route into the 21st century, and beyond.
I wrote the following points in 2023 concerning the Biblical account of Queen Esther, who rose from obscurity to become one of humanity's most significant examples of spiritual fortitude and courage in the face of tyranny, emphasizing her role in saving the Jewish people from a death sentence. With the encouragement and help of her cousin Mordecai, she lived out her belief in her Hebrew God – Jehovah. She knew when your "back is up against the wall," there only seems to be one path ahead: Jehovah's involvement was the only opposition needed to invalidate the death sentence inflicted upon all the Jewish people under the domain of Persian King Ahasuerus, or Xerxes as some historically understand, and his Machiavellian "Prime Minister" Haman.
1. Since she was born into a Hebrew home and then orphaned, she would have been taught the steadfast protection of God in times of trouble.
2. Her upbringing would have included considering the council of elders (her cousin) and learning from their wisdom since she didn’t have any living parents present. (Deuteronomy 5:16)
3. Every person has a unique role in the outcome when tyranny forces action. Learn and prepare for your unique role and stand in it when it comes. Esther impacted just as much as Mordecai. (Esther 3:21-23)
The point of the Queen Esther's account as the paragon of courage and faith was for God to demonstrate for us that at some point, we may all need to have a depth to draw from in times of crisis that will have to emanate from a deeper place in us than we have brought to bear in past times. I believe it is time to realize that time for many of us is coming closer than we wish to dwell on. The church in the USA is now at a point where we have to "fish or cut bait," so to speak, in the years to come, or the perceived success of common sense and return to a more civil society expounded in the 2024 election will be lost. Over the past two years, I repeatedly heard many ecumenical, charismatic, and orthodox voices saying the church has to pray like never before since the 2024 election is the most important in our history. While I agree with this in part, I also believe the spiritual history of the USA hinges on the edge of spiritual "bankruptcy" and looks to election victories and losses as medals of false honor rather than a force of societal reclamation.
I posit the church's role in America needs to become an "Esther Church" rather than a Queen Esther "central character" in saving God's children during a moral crisis. I suggest developing qualities such as intercessory prayer, critical thinking, and steadfastness to address the underlying civil injustice and prevent the weaponization of any government agency against those our framers envisioned the government to serve. Indeed, an Esther Church would rise to address injustice, not tyranny; an Esther Church would look more like the Roman Empire's legal, governmental body of the Greek term ekklesia. In the biblical account found in Acts 19:39, where ekklesia refers to a convening of citizens to discuss legal matters, as well as generally referencing "Believers" assembling in 1 Peter 1:16, Acts 2:42, and to be a light to the world Matthew 5:14, and 2 Corinthians 6:17. The church today must understand not only the definition of ekklesia but how the ekklesia cultivates justice and righteousness. However, the contextual understanding for today is that the ekklesia refers to the people who comprise the New Testament Church as a body of believers called to exercise spiritual justice in the age-long battle between light and dark. I suggest the church in America needs to see itself as being "called out" by God and not a civil assembly that meets once a week to hear watered-down three songs, a twenty-minute diatribe on meaningless virtues that allow us to go home feeling good and in time to watch the afternoon football game. The only hope for this post-election time is that we should not feel good about performing our weekly duty but endeavor to alter our daily duty in line with Esther's commitment to being the church in the world. If the church wants to make a difference in the world, there are "marching orders" it must adopt to be different from the world it is embedded in but not entangled with. I would also suggest the church in Germany in the 1930s ignored their marching orders and opted for the feel-good to-just-get-along – to their eventual end, as will ours if we don't act.
As I borrow from what I wrote, I believe the war continues. The 2024 election season, which is thankfully over for now, was only a skirmish. The war for our country is just beginning. Many will argue about the character and uprightness of Presidents Trump, Biden, Obama, the Bushes, and Clinton, and that is as it should be in a representative Republic, but in today's American society, what character-driven qualities should we, as the Esther Church develop to change us into vessels useful in addressing/changing the civil injustice that could lead to tyranny? I would submit this list as a starting point for reflection or discussion:
1. I would begin by listing how to impact the root of the problems with intercessory prayer and regular fasting for the leaders in our local, state, and national positions of power;
2. I would discuss the basis for our country's founding with our children—contrary to what the school curriculum will require as mandatory social indoctrination and faux history;
3. I would encourage or develop opportunities for critical thinking and discussion on the "state" of our local, state, and national political arenas;
4. I would actively look for ways to engage in a societal discourse aligned with our giftings, abilities, education, and availability. I would emphasize the importance of education, business, and local politics as arenas for involvement, such as attending local school board and city council meetings to uplift with intentional intercessory prayer; and
5. Lastly, suppose I realize a doublemindedness in my character regarding morality or integrity. In that case, I need to address the problem areas and seek help to overcome them—either from a trusted Pastor or counselor.
If we don't engage in a civil discourse beyond our arrogant pride and socially driven morals, the politicians or their masters could again declare, "Get vaccinated, or you won't have access to utilities, such as electricity or water!" or "Submit or die. " These may seem harsh, but let me remindyou, we did worry about them a few years ago. But just for a moment, ask yourself: if it came to that again, does the same spirit that lived in Queen Esther propel me to exercise the spiritual force needed to be a vibrant Queen Esther Church change agent or a lemming heading off a cliff?
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