#7 America Is NOT a "Christian Nation"

I'd like to make a proposal. I think we should all agree to remove the phrase "Christian nation" from our vocabulary. First of all, not everyone in the United States identifies as a Christian. It's insulting to them to call the U.S. a Christian nation. I'd certainly like everyone everywhere to belong to Jesus Christ, but I don't think using somewhat insulting terms like "Christian nation" is going to help that cause.

Second, the whole idea that the U.S. was founded on Christian principles is, to put it charitably, much less historically supported than we might like to believe. We spent a whole day of church history in seminary poking holes in this claim. For one thing, the constitution mentions religion exactly once, and there it says that religion cannot be used to stop someone from running for office. (We had about nine other points, but this isn't my main topic in this post. If you'd like to hear more, let me know in the comments, and I'll dig out my church history notes.)

Third--and I'd like to think most importantly--I think our whole concept of a "Christian nation" just doesn't really make sense. If you want to say Christianity equals the church, well, the church, the people of God, isn't national or even international; the church is transnational. If you want to change terms slightly and say Christianity equals the kingdom of God, well, Jesus says that His kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36); sure, the kingdom exists here and now, but it's about more than just the earth. Paul says that God's purpose is "to bring to unity all things in heaven and on earth under Christ" (Ephesians 1:9-10). God's people extend far beyond the U.S. American laws aren't the same as God's laws. And besides, nations are rightly designed to act for their own self-interests. But our Lord Christ emptied Himself to serve others, and He calls His people to do the same. Christianity doesn't put up borders, but nations really must have some kind of border, even if it's really easy to cross. Christian and nation don't fully go together.

In fact, I'd say that the new and shocking inclusiveness of the people of God in the new age of Christ is one of the more prominent themes of the New Testament. Jesus teaches Samaritans (John 4) and praises the faith of a Canaanite woman (Matthew 15) and a Roman centurion (Luke 7). Christ says that He has sheep from outside of the sheep pen of Israel (John 10), tells His church to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28), and prophesies that His church will be His witnesses to the ends of the earth (Acts 1). The book of Acts makes a big deal of how God's Spirit shows that Samaritans (Acts 8) and Gentiles (Acts 10, 11, 15) are now part of God's chosen people. Paul's writings are clear that salvation is for all people (Romans 1:16), that Jews and non-Jews are part of the one body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13), and that the distinctions between nations are unimportant in Christ (Galatians 3:28, Colossians 3:11). In fact, Paul says that creating one new humanity of both Jews and Gentiles was central to God's purposes in Christ (Ephesians 2). Finally, John envisions the people of God as "a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language" (Revelation 7:9). I'm afraid that if we focus too much on the U.S. as a "Christian nation" we might start to think that Christians in other nations, especially those without a Christian majority, don't really count or aren't really the same as us. We might become blinded by our own U.S.-centric biases and start believing an "American gospel" instead of the gospel.

Additionally, I don't want us to get too worried about the current state or apparent future of the U.S. For one thing, the Bible is clear that, no matter what, Jesus Christ is King of all (for example, Colossians 1, Ephesians 1, Philippians 2, 1 Corinthians 15). No matter what our government looks like or how secure we feel, Jesus is in control. And even if the U.S. should become 0% Christian or sink into the sea, God's mission would continue. The people of God is the church, not any nation. God's mission and the mission of His people doesn't stand or fall based on how Christian the U.S. is. For another thing, the U.S. (or any other nation) isn't our true home. Paul says our citizenship is heaven (Philippians 3:20). Both Peter and the author of Hebrews say that we are foreigners here on earth (1 Peter 1:17, 2:12; Hebrews 11:13). Now, until Christ comes again, we live here on earth, and we might even have the privileges of citizenship in some earthly nation. We should use our rights wisely and carry out our responsibilities dutifully. We should submit to our governments (Romans 13, 1 Peter 2), pray for those in authority over us (1 Timothy 2), and pay taxes as required (Matthew 22). But when we give our governments their due, we must remember that God deserves everything we have, including our votes. Let's think about how we can honor God with our votes. And no matter the outcome, let's remember that Christ still reigns.

Finally, we need to realize, as the early Christians and their contemporaries in the Roman empire did, that saying "Jesus is Lord" means there can be no other. Caesar isn't lord. The president isn't lord. America isn't lord. Those of us who live in the heart of America, the modern-day empire of Babylon or Rome, need to be especially careful that we don't compromise for the sake of comfort. We need to watch out so that America doesn't become an idol for us, that we don't equate worshiping God with serving America or even hold up the U.S. as an alternative to God. Jesus Christ is Lord. He calls us to deny ourselves and our self-interests and follow Him, joining His body, the church, which transcends all national borders. Let's remember that our ultimate allegiance is to God: if ever there is conflict, we must obey God rather than human beings (Acts 5:29). So let's drop the whole "Christian nation" thing and get our priorities straight. We belong to God first and thus also to His people. Our true kingdom will one day put an end to all others (Daniel 2, Revelation 19-20), and then, when God is all in all, we will have our true and never-ending Christian nation, our Christian empire, our Christian world (Revelation 21).

Grace and peace,
BMH

#6 The End Is Not the End

Yesterday afternoon I was ordained as a minister of the Word in the Christian Reformed Church in North America, which means I have now officially become the pastor of Kanawha Christian Reformed Church. The day was a lot of fun. I preached in the morning; then the congregation celebrated with a potluck. During the afternoon service I pledged, with the Spirit's help, to serve Jesus Christ and His church. Pastor Frank, my classis-appointed mentor, led a time of prayer, and elders and pastors laid their hands on me. Tess and I greeted visitors and family and friends after church, and we continued celebrating over dessert. The whole experience was pretty surreal. I've finally reached the goal of my formal education. We even took celebratory pictures.

Tess and me in front of the church

My sister Molly, my parents, and my grandma came for the celebration.

Our friends Kathryn, Eric, and Lindsay also came out for the ordination.

But as fun as yesterday was, it was really more of a beginning than an ending. What I've been looking forward to all this time isn't so much the end of my time of preparation but the beginning of my career of ministry. In some ways I'm just continuing the work that I've already been doing here, but things have changed. Now when I bring a message from God's Word, my speaking is technically preaching and no longer exhorting. Now I am authorized to administer the sacraments of baptism and communion. Now I have been entrusted with the privilege of raising my hands and giving God's blessing to God's people.

As I enter the pastorate, I think that this is quite the calling. To be honest, I feel terribly unworthy. But it really doesn't matter what I think. This is where I have felt God leading me, and though His church He has told me that I am ready to take up this work. The time is now. When I made profession of faith, my pastor wrote me a note that included a few verses from 2 Timothy 1. Verse 6 always stood out to me: "For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands." That charge has never felt more real and weighty to me than right now. Thankfully, I don't decide if I am qualified, nor am I alone in this ministry. The very next verse of 2 Timothy says, "For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline." Like Timothy, I am a young man at the beginning of the adventurous journey of ministry, and like Timothy, I have the Spirit with me to lead me, comfort me, challenge me, and defend me. Praise God for that!

Grace and peace,
BMH

#5 Judgment Day

Today was my examination before Classis North Central Iowa. This was the last step in my journey to becoming ordained as a minister of the Word in the Christian Reformed Church in North America. The exam had three stages. First, I was asked practical questions about my life, my sense of calling, and how I would respond to different situations in ministry. Second, two pastors reviewed an assigned Old Testament sermon that I preached a few weeks ago, as well as manuscripts for a New Testament sermon and a Heidelberg Catechism sermon that I chose to submit. Third, I was asked questions about my biblical and theological knowledge. After a number of general questions about some of the basics of our faith, I was asked some more specific questions about topics such as a Christian response to persons who identify as LGBTQ+, different views of creation, and how to handle this year's election as a pastor. Overall, the exam went really well, and I am really pleased to report that I sustained my examination.

Talking through the practical section of the exam

Receiving the results with Tess

So this is it. I've been actively working to become a minister for the past three years, and now I've fulfilled all of my requirements. It's all over except for the upcoming celebration of my ordination on Sunday. For the most part, I have really enjoyed this journey, but I am also pretty relieved that it's over. I've felt called to be a minister for eight or nine years, so it is very reassuring to have that sense of calling affirmed by both the local congregation and the broader church. Since I began seminary in 2013, I have learned a lot about God and about myself, about what we believe and about caring for others. God has been incredibly good to me throughout this journey, and I'm excited to see how He will use me as I begin a career of professional ministry. To God alone be the glory!

To close, I'll leave you with the text of the Classical Diploma I was given after the exam:

This certifies that Brian Hofman, having been examined by Classis North Central Iowa in the presence of the deputies representing synod, is sound in faith and qualified for the work of Christian ministry.

After a favorable decision by this classis and with the concurrence of the synodical deputies, the candidate is hereby declared qualified for and is admitted to the sacred ministry of the Word in the Christian Reformed Church in North America. In witness whereof we have caused this diploma to be signed by the president and clerk of this session of classis and have affixed the seal of this classis hereto on this 13th day of September in the year of our Lord 2016.

May the King of the church cause His servant to be a blessing--that the church may be edified, sinners may be led to conversion, and the glory of the triune God may be promoted.

Grace and peace,

BMH

#4 Janie and the 100K

Friday was a historic day for me. As of September 2, 2016, I have put over 100,000 miles on my 1999 Honda Civic. (Yes, those of you who haven't seen me in a while, I'm still driving that same car.) I understand that this isn't normal. With the help of a loan from my parents, I picked up a used car in April 2007, two months after getting my drivers' license, and that car is still going strong. When I think of my Civic, I must confess that God has been good to me.

Janie, my Civic, is old enough to be a high school senior. She's been a part of my life for nearly ten years, which is longer than I've known Tess. Clearly I'm much closer to Tess, but still, 2007 was a while ago. Janie and I have a lot of memories. Some of the best conversations I've had with a lot of my closest friends have taken place in my car. Janie was there the night of the great 2008 Waupun flood when I was worried she was going to be washed off the flooded road. I remember packing up my Civic to head off to college and have a heart-to-heart with Molly as we drove down to Trin. Tess and I had our first kiss in my car late in the fall of 2009. I was driving Janie when I got pulled over for having too many passengers--six girls!--in my car as a college freshman, and I dug Janie out after the Snowpocalypse of early 2011. My Civic was my companion when I fought sleep on the way back from visiting Tess in the summers during college, and I remember chatting with my dad as I drove the Civic over to Sheboygan Falls on my wedding day. Janie came with me to seminary in Michigan, trekked out to Washington and back with me last summer, and now is settling into her Iowa plates, the third set she's had since I got her. There have been times where Janie felt like my girlfriend or my child, and it looks like I'll still be driving her when I bring my first child back from the hospital. Janie might only be an inanimate object, but I think at this point owning a green Civic has become part of my self-identity. I can't begin to count the number of jam sessions Janie and I have had. At this point Janie is rolling towards old age. I'm not sure how much longer we'll be together, but I'm pretty confident at this point that she'll never have another owner, and I bet I'll bawl like a baby when Janie finally does call it quits. But for now, this post is for you, Janie. You're the best car a guy could ever have.

Janie in Waupun back in high school

Janie with window paint late in 2008

Janie with window paint early in 2009

Janie ready for the trip to Washington

100,000 miles together! (Tess took this picture while I drove.)

Janie with me in her new Iowa home

Grace and peace,

BMH

#3 Of Comfort and Calling

I said it was my goal to blog about once a week. I managed to keep that up for two weeks. Whoops! I'll try to be more consistent in the future, and maybe I'll even pump out an extra post in the next week or so to make up for missing last week. We'll see. I do have a few ideas developing in the back of my head.

So this week I'm back in Wisconsin, taking some extra time to do some reading and prep for my upcoming examination by my classis. (A classis is a regional group of churches. I need to be examined before I can officially be ordained as a minister of the Word.) The trip and study time have been pretty great so far, though on Monday my mom did finally get me to go through all my stuff in my old room. I found a lot of things that brought back cherished memories or reminded me of things that I haven't thought about in years. However, there was one item in particular that stood out.

In 2006, coming out of my freshman year of high school, I participated in a SERVE project in Benton Harbor, MI. At the end of the week, my work crew wrote notes to each other on paper plates. While I was cleaning my room this week, I found my paper plate. One of the girls I met on the trip had written "I think you should be a pastor" to me. I remember thinking that that comment was really weird when I first read it and had never had any thoughts about going into ministry. Now, on the brink of proving that girl right, I'd love to go back in time and ask her just what it was she saw in fifteen-year-old me that made her think I should be a pastor. (Sorry about the generic references! I saw the name of my SERVE friend when I read the plate, but I can't remember it again. I'm now in Sheboygan Falls visiting my in-laws, while the plate is in a box back in Waupun, waiting to make the journey to Iowa.)

As amazing as it is that someone else could see that I should be a pastor about two years before I even entertained the idea, I don't find it all that surprising. These prophetic words remind me of one of the Bible verses that is most dear to me, Jeremiah 1:5: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." (Quick interpretive detour: clearly this verse refers specifically to the prophet Jeremiah. However, I believe it finds its greatest fulfillment in Jesus Christ, our chief prophet and teacher, and, following the Heidelberg Catechism, I believe that I share in Jesus' anointing as prophet, priest, and king. So I think I can safely apply this to me as well as to all the rest of God's people. We aren't all called to be pastors, but God does have a calling for each of us.) It is unbelievably comforting and wonderful that God would have a plan for me even before my birth. It's taken me a while to get to the end of my journey of becoming a pastor, and I am definitely intimidated by the call at times, so it's incredibly encouraging to think that God has been working out His purposes for me for years and that I'm not the only one who can see it in me. Right now I'm really excited about being a pastor and don't need much affirmation, but more difficult days will come. Hopefully on those days, God will remind me that I didn't just decide to be a pastor. He chose and called me and used others to confirm that sense of call.

Grace and peace,
BMH

#2 Judgment Calls

Let's talk about opinions. I know I'm not the only one writing about opinions because I've read a couple articles on this theme. (Here's an example from Screen Rant.) So I'm not breaking new ground here, but this topic has been on my mind for a few months now. I'm writing this post to help me express something that I've been thinking about for a while but also to see if anyone else has any insights to further the conversation. Here goes.

Back in March, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was released in theaters. Film reviewers, for the most part, were critical of the film, and the majority of reviews were negative. As you'd expect, a lot of people who went to see the movie liked it, and a lot of others didn't. (Full disclosure: I really, really enjoyed BvS. I would say there's only one superhero movie that's been released in my lifetime that I enjoyed more. In fact, Tess bought me the "Ultimate Edition" of this movie as an anniversary present.) Because I was so interested in the film, I read a lot of articles about it after its release. I found a lot of discussion about whether the critics were right or wrong. Was the film good or bad? And, at a more individual level, were your feelings about the film correct or incorrect?

As I've reflected on this, I'm left with this question: what kind of questions are those? To put it another way, where did we get the idea that opinions are right or wrong? When did we forget how opinions work? Speaking in gross generalizations here, Americans are an individualistic bunch. So how come we're so concerned about what others think about movies? (or TV shows? or music? or some other art form?) Why do we think that people who enjoy different things than we do or people who--gasp!--don't enjoy the things we do are somehow wrong?

Before we go on, it's confession time. I'm just as guilty of this as others. I would love to tell what the best Star Wars movie is. I will probably tell you that you're wrong if you tell me that you don't like Lord of the Rings. And I am prepared to go on thirty-minute tirades about why Superman is the better than other superheroes or about why DC movies are better than Marvel movies. (Just ask Tess. She's heard some of my frustrated ramblings.) But that kind of talk is foolish. I don't want to do that anymore. I'm trying to reform, to move on to saying things like "My favorite book in The Chronicles of Narnia is The Silver Chair" and "I prefer The End Is Not the End to other House of Heroes albums." I tried to be very careful about how I talked about BvS above, and I hope that others will hold me accountable if I slip into right/wrong talk about opinions in the future.

Now that my confession is complete, I have one more thing that I'm wondering about. We live in a day and age that likes to say that there are no absolute truths, especially when it comes to things like morality and religion. And yet, it seems to be absolute truth that, for example, Captain America: Civil War is a good movie, while Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is a bad movie. But not even all film critics agree on these movies. Neither has 100% positive or negative reviews. As a Christian, I believe that there are absolute truths in the areas of religion and ethics. I believe that there is a God who is the Creator of heaven and earth and who has univeral standards for how humans should live. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He is the only way for humans to come to God. I believe there is one God in three persons. But I don't think there are absolutes in the area of art. Since I believe that one God created flamingos and tigers and puffer fish and everything else and that He also created humans as men and women and--to quote the Sunday school song--"red and yellow, black and white," I believe that God rejoices in diversity and multiplicity. I think it only makes sense that we should have different tastes in movies and music and stories and art. I think God delights in our creativity and uniqueness. I believe God reveals Himself and His beauty in all kinds of things and in ways we wouldn't necessarlily expect. In the end, I think we've got our absolutes mixed up. We look for absolutes where we shouldn't and don't look for absolutes where we should.

So if you also liked Batman v Superman, let's talk about that. And if you didn't like BvS but liked some other movie instead, please tell me about what you like about that other movie. I hope we have the courage to make up our own opinions when it comes to art, instead of worrying about what others think. Let's stop trying to be the same. Let's stop trying to have the "right" opinions. I don't think that makes sense, anyway.

Grace and peace,

BMH

#1 The Adventures Begin (Again)!

Yesterday I accepted a call to become minister of the Word at Kanawha Christian Reformed Church. This seems like as a good a point as any to start a new blog, so here goes:

It has been a little more than two months since I graduated from seminary. In that time the most remarkable thing has happened. I've started to feel more like myself than I have in years. While I was in seminary, I turned much less frequently to some of the habits and hobbies that had defined me throughout high school and college. Part of that was busyness. Part of that was spending more of my free time with my wife. Tess and I got married about a month before I started seminary, so naturally I had to set aside some of my individual pursuits to make sure I was paying enough attention to Tess. Finally, to be fair, I did pick up a few different habits. Wanting a quick and easy read that would be a huge change-of-pace from seminary reading, I started reading comic collections more often in seminary than before.

But in the past couple months I've had more free time. Especially during my seven-and-a-half weeks in Iowa I've started doing some of the things I love more regularly. I've been running consistently--if not all that intensely. I've been playing guitar at least a couple of times each week. And, in addition to some comics, I've been reading some non-illustrated books at my own pace. I've read How God Became King and all of The Chronicles of Narnia. I just started rereading Once a Runner, and I've been slowly working through some Ante-Nicene Fathers. (I do like theology pretty well, I just like to read it in small doses.)

Overall it's been wonderful. I didn't feel like I wasn't myself during seminary, but now that I've graduated, I do think that I had part of myself somewhat buried during those three years. It's nice to feel like I have all of myself again. It's good to restart some old adventures while embarking on some new ones. Up, up, and away!

Grace and peace,
BMH