The Republic
The Restructuring of our Republic is happening before our eyes.
Education: the school system and all delivery channels of instruction are being overhauled.
Health care: reprioritized and overhauled (try visiting anyone in the hospital or getting elective surgery).
Stimulus: govt. assistance has reached levels of disincentive to return to work
Business: commerce officially favored over church in multiple Supreme Court rulings this summer; businesses failing in record numbers. Unemployment at historic highs.
Work Environment: many have been forced to work from home, compounding the family stress level, workforce reductions adds hours and responsibilities to those still keeping their jobs
Public Transportation: flying w/o a mask on Delta gets you barred from future flights---for life. States declaring residents of selected other states not welcome across their borders
International relations: alliances weakening and forming we would never have dreamed possible Banking: discouraged from going to a physical bank, encouraged to go online.
Wealth Mgt.: we are seeing the largest wealth transfer ever from Boomers to subsequent generations
Trust: the loss of absolute truth, and adoption of multiple “truths” allows anyone to manufacture whatever truth they want to espouse, causing us to doubt any and all figures of authority or expertise
Parenting: Grandparents raising grandchildren, no one knows how many days their kids will be home this fall, how many days to take off from work to become their child’s teacher
Economy: We throw future govt. revenues at our present crisis in record amounts; open discussions are held on the needs for new ways to function financially and politically on a global basis.
Church: Where to begin? Would we have ever dreamt this scenario six months ago? Where our right to assemble and worship is brought into question? Where the church is restricted by the govt. as to when, where, and how many can meet under threat of consequence? Our giant holding pattern is not sustainable; we have to find a way forward.
Add on top of all these racial tensions, fundamental constitutional rights, and a little thing called COVID. Most of us don’t recognize our present society and long for days when everything “gets back to normal.” Two things I learn from DePree’s Leadership is an Art I’ve mentioned before are: a leader’s first duty is to define reality (see above) and his/her most important one is to intercept entropy (see below). Things I learn from the Word of God are: leaders are to be servants (Mt. 20.28); community is the very nature of a Triune God (Jn. 1.1) and we are to reflect that (Heb. 10.24-25); His Word cannot be contained (2 Tim. 2.9); & my primary citizenship is the Kingdom of God (Phil. 3.20).
The proclamation of the gospel continues in our churches in expanded ways. Praise the Lord! My concern is long term erosion to our community and the resultant weakening of the covenant between brothers and sisters in Christ. Our church leaders must find new ways to communicate with, connect with, and commune with members to halt erosion/entropy. God’s economy, God’s government, and God’s Kingdom are not dependent on halting disease or drops in the market. Yet the price of operating in this earthly world as a believer is on the rise.
The early Christians fought abortion with adoption; plagues with taking sick into their homes knowing they would get sick as well; and advancing the Kingdom when told to be silent and retreat. Will we respond with a closed up drawbridge or with extended hearts and hands to a fearful world?