PRIVATE RELIGION?

Today the Grand Forks Herald reported on a survey published in the Fargo Forum on October 17, 2008. One of questions reported on was the role of religion in public life. According to the survey 50% of the people in our region regarded religion as a private matter.

I find that very interesting. It fits very much into our regional culture. We pride ourselves as being highly independent and of course private. I suppose if we are merely talking about religion in the sense of a set of precepts or doctrines one could keep that generally to oneself. Unless one of the precepts of said religion was to make the message of the faith known to others; as does Christianity. Then notion of one’s faith being private, if one is a follower of Jesus Christ, is immediately repudiated by the message of Jesus' life.

Jesus was clear that his followers would be those who lived their faith in Him with a lovingly public persona. He said things like: “Go and make disciples. You are the light of the world. You are the salt of the earth.” Jesus said, “I have come to seek and to save the lost.” To be a follower of Jesus then, would take part in doing the work of Christ.

Maybe we could better understand the sentiment in the survey if we recognized that being a follower of Christ is certainly “personal” but it can never be “private.”

I like the words of G.K. Chesterton: “A man can no more possess a private religion that he can possess a private sun and moon.”

In regard to your life in Christ, seek to be as public as a light in a dark place!

Your partner in the gospel,
Pastor Paul

A Big Day for Grand Forks, North Dakota

The radio announcer got it right this morning; "This is a big news day for Grand Forks." It is and I find it really exciting.


This evening we will be hosting two huge events. The opening ceremonies for the Men's World Curling Championships and the North Dakota Democratic Convention with keynote speakers Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton all in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Who would have thought it? These are big events, international and national, for our community and we get the opportunity to showcase our city and the character of the people who live here.


I know that some who read this will have mixed emotions about both of these events. There are some of us who are unaware that there is a sport other than hockey that can be played on ice. We are after all the home of the finest hockey arena in the United States. And, we will know after next week for sure, the finest college hockey team in the United States. But there are many in the world who enjoy an ice sport called curling. And many of them will be in our city for the next week or so. What a great opportunity for us to learn more about the sport and to offer a friendly welcome to those who are visiting here.

The other big event is the North Dakota Democratic Convention with two presidential candidates speaking here tonight. You don't have to agree with these candidates to appreciate this event. Agree or not, the convention highlights one of the beauties of our political system. We have a system that allows for varying opinions to be voiced in the freedom of public forum. With all of its flaws, I believe that we have the best political system in the world. It should not be overlooked that we will be hosting these two candidates on the anniversary of the death of Martin Luther King, Jr. You can bet that the nation will be observing tonight. But this is not my main point in writing.

I would like to encourage us in the Greater Grand Forks area to raise the bar of our courtesy and friendliness to all those who will be visiting our great region. We are a wonderful city and many of us are followers of Jesus Christ. This evening there will be many lights on, spotlights shining all over. I pray that the brightest lights will not be at the Ralph Engelstad Arena nor at the Alerus Center but that the brightest light will be the Church of the Greater Grand Forks area -- shining with the love of Jesus Christ.

Your partner in the gospel,

Pastor Paul