Knoxville, TN - Church shooting over progressive agenda

The recent church shooting that occurred on a Sunday morning in Knoxville, Tennessee should cause all who bear and confess the name of Jesus Christ to immediate alarm and duty. It is hard to imagine, but it happened. While children were performing before church members, attendees, and visitors, in walks a confessing Christian who opens gunfire upon them, because he was not pleased with the churches recent progressive steps and what he considered to be a liberal agenda.
Now I’m confident that there are enough opinions about this event to fill the newspapers of Southern Kentucky and East Tennessee for the remaining days of this year. There are elements of this event and this mans actions that should cause Christians everywhere to desire to step up and make a difference, if we believe Jesus Christ intended on us doing such. There should be no doubt, this column is written to Christians, not church leaders, although church leaders should be Christians. This is written to all of us who sit in a pew, claim membership on a church roll, act or lead folks to believe we are Christians. I am bothered, disturbed, and often wonder what our churches are doing for the cause of Christ. Sure we have services on Sunday, offer some activities during the week such as a Bible study, prayer meeting, or maybe even a regular preaching-singing service, and these are all good and have their place, but what are we doing beyond this?
In Knoxville, TN., this upset former church member walked into the church took aim upon those there, hurt, killed and has impacted even those not attending that service or members of that congregation. If this is what a conservative is, I know I don’t want to be called one. Actually when Jesus Christ came into my heart he liberated me, by removing my sins from me, He set me free. If this is a conservative, I am not one. I am not tied to my sins anymore since Jesus paid the price for my personal sins on the cross! I am free, the scripture say not only am I free, but He has given me an abundant life because of that freedom and removal of that debt, which I owed, because of His actions, not mine. All any one needs to give me credit for is having enough understanding to know that Jesus Christ loved me so, that He gave His only Son, to take my place.
This event in Knoxville happened for many reasons. It happened because there was not a clear teaching about who and what Jesus was about. Some will now say Amen, thanks, but hold on. It’s not because of the churches teaching and actions of welcoming all people, this happened because this individual missed what the love of God and His purpose in sending His Son to us is about. Jesus Christ is not about condemnation, but about getting out of mud and on a solid rock. Jesus Christ is not about folks finding no answers or solutions, after all He came to seek and save that which was lost. I would write one of the issues happening in our churches is that we are not accepting of people who don’t act like us, talk like us, live like us, or we perceive are simply no one of us. If you believe this is Christ like actions in this line of thinking, think again, because Jesus ran to those that were down and out. Jesus looked up into trees for those that were hurting, he provided us story after story in His word about restoring those that had gone from home and discovered themselves in pits with hogs. Many of our churches today continue to miss what the church is suppose to be about. It is suppose to be a hospital for the sick. The church should be a shelter from the storms of life, and a resting haven for the weary souls traveling. The truth is most churches are clubs who have events for themselves, dinners for themselves, and cater to one another’s needs repeatedly, without ever offering assistance to those on the outside of her doors.
Why is it we not involved in our communities? Why is it we think social issues are the governments problems? Why do we always blame the problems on someone else and attempt to think up some organization we could create to address such needs? The best organization for making a difference already exist, it’s the church. The church is suppose to be filled with people that remember when judging others that they too could be just as guilty and or find themselves in such a position if caught unaware by the devil and his tactics. What about a church that remembers LOVE is the greatest thing? The scripture says love is greater then hope and faith, in case you have not read that in awhile. I don’t have all the answers, but I do know the example to follow!