Speaking Out

Dear Pastors

Speaking Out

I wrote this on my personal Facebook page on Tuesday.

“I feel quite vexed. On the one hand I believe it is really important that as Christians we speak out on issues that we feel strongly about. The events in Auckland over the weekend to do with the Pride Parade and 'story time' at the Te Atatu Library are objectionable to most all Christians. We should speak out. Further, in the ideal world it would be good if we would speak out with ONE voice.
However, I for one disagree with the way Brian Tamaki and Destiny Church members chose to speak out.
Going forward how might we do better in the public discourse on issues that we feel strongly about?
How do we hold 'Truth and Grace' in balance?”

Not surprisingly it attracted a fair few comments. A couple of other leaders reached out to have a chat.

Many pastors are saying that speaking out is hugely problematic because the good Christian people in our pews hold such different views on contemporary issues and often those views are different if not polar opposites. Covid-19 is still a vivid memory for most all pastors. I get that and to be honest I am reluctant for the very same reasons. Other pastors are saying that this is not our calling. “PREACH the Gospel” they say. I get that too. Yet a few others are saying that this is an essential part of the Gospel and what it means to be Kingdom people and we should speak out.

That’s why I am vexed.

Let me say this. I see nowhere in scripture that we as individual Christians or the local church or the national church are called to be the ‘moral police’ in what is now a very secular NZ society. That’s why I disagree so strongly with my brother-in-Christ, Brian Tamaki. As a church leader he is making judgement calls on many things and demanding that the Government listen to him and he is doing that far to aggressively. There is no way I can condone or in any way support what he did on last Saturday. But then I don’t agree with drag queen’s reading stories to kids either as I said in my post.

If you are interested in Brian’s point of view and you have 9 mins, here is the interview he did with Duncan Garner on The Platform. Brian Tamaki On Destiny Church’s Pride Parade Protest

“So when all is said and done, I am left with this question. What did Jesus mean when he said that we are to be ‘salt and light’?

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven”. Matthew 5:13-16 (NKJV)

Surely we can agree that it means some kind of influencing, persuading and witness? HOW we do that in 2025 is much more challenging and somewhat controversial.

On a different note. At my home church we have started a new practise. A couple of minutes before the service is due to start we play a song on our main screen. We have asked when this starts that conversations and chatter to finish as soon as possible. We do it for three reasons:-

1. There is so much fabulous Christian music on YouTube and we are keen our people see and hear some of this. We often make a comment about the song choice in our opening remarks.
2. We think it is a better way to help people get ready for the worship service than a clock countdown or a notices reel.
3. It’s a great way to introduce a new song when we want to do that. That said most of the songs we play are not suitable for singing together. They are performance pieces.

Here is the song I have chosen for this week. Reba McEntire- Back to God (ft. Lauren Daigle)

Blessings
Alan