WHAT WOULD BONHOEFFER SAY TO US
For those of you who may not be familiar with Dietrich Bonhoeffer, he was a Christian martyr who stood against Hitler and his National Socialist Party. He came from a wealthy German family who had their roots in the Lutheran church and were known for their boldness to stand against what they considered wrong. Bonhoeffer decided very early in his life that he would study theology and at the age of 17 would begin his pursuit in several colleges. At 24 he began lecturing in Systematic Theology in Berlin University. He was considered by his peers as “a brilliant and theologically sophisticated young man.” |
Bonhoeffer saw, even before Hitler came to power, that “National Socialism was an attempt to make history without God and to found it on the strength of man alone.” He abandoned his academic career and began to speak to the church regarding their complacency toward Hitler’s regime and political system that was corrupted and misled, making the “Fuhrer” its idol and god. Dietrich became the prophet to the German Church, warning them of where they stood and what needed to be done. The German Church did not take him seriously and paid the price. |
The German Church was silent in the face of evil. They wanted to wait and see. They were too comfortable with the way things were. Many were considered Lutheran Christians only because they were Germans and thus their faith had become meaningless. They forgot that when Martin Luther brought about Protestantism, he did so under the real threat of being burned alive for his heresy. |
In 1933 the battle lines in the German Lutheran Church resulted in two branches of the Church, the pro-Nazi German Church and the Confessing Church. By 1935 there were 3,000 pastors who stood with Hitler, 3,000 pastors who stood for the Confessing Church and 12,000 pastors who remained “neutral.” If another 3 to 6 thousand pastors had stood with the Confessing Church, the Nazis would never have been able to succeed. Bonhoeffer believed that the blood of those who died in WWII and the blood of those killed in the Holocaust was on the hands of those twelve thousand. Bonhoeffer continued to protest and stand against Hitler, and exhort Christians to unite together and resist the Nazis. He was arrested several times and spent much time in Nazi prisons. He preached and encouraged those who were also in prison until he was hanged in April 1945. |
How do we relate to this account of Bonhoeffer? How about Wilberforce? He fought to make slavery illegal in England until 1807 when Parliament abolished the slave trade there. Wilberforce also wanted a “reformation of manners," that is, morals. He helped establish the Society for Suppression of Vice "for the encouragement of piety and virtue; and for the preventing of vice, profaneness, and immorality." Both of these individuals sacrificed a great deal to see that God’s Kingdom would come on earth. Both believed that we should live out our faith with every atom of our being, in every second we have on this earth, and with every breath God gives us to breathe.
Have our churches become compromised like the German church? Have they given into today’s culture and morality instead of proclaiming the Word of Truth? Do Christians believe that we are not to be involved in politics? Do we as a body of believers spend more time criticizing other Christians than we spend standing up against the immorality of our society? Are we ready to stand against the evil of our time and give it no quarter? Do we have faith to believe that by the grace of God who died for us, we will triumph for His glory? At what point does our silence encourage someone along in their sin and in their path away from God? KLN
Have our churches become compromised like the German church? Have they given into today’s culture and morality instead of proclaiming the Word of Truth? Do Christians believe that we are not to be involved in politics? Do we as a body of believers spend more time criticizing other Christians than we spend standing up against the immorality of our society? Are we ready to stand against the evil of our time and give it no quarter? Do we have faith to believe that by the grace of God who died for us, we will triumph for His glory? At what point does our silence encourage someone along in their sin and in their path away from God? KLN
“Silence in the face of evil is itself evil.
Not to speak is to speak.
Not to act is to act.
God will not hold us guiltless”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Not to speak is to speak.
Not to act is to act.
God will not hold us guiltless”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Visiting the Body of Christ
We have been visiting churches in the area in the hope of networking with fellow Christians as we search to bring unity, and build the Kingdom of God. It is amazing to see the work that these bodies are doing for their communities. We hope to visit your church in the weeks to come!
First Baptist Church of Deer Trail - Pastor Sam Courts Journey Church Strasburg - Pastor Dusty Morris Calvary Baptist Bennett- Pastor Bob McCurley Mountain View Christian Strasburg - Pastor Donn Headley Strasburg Community Church - Pastor Steve Musser Living Springs Cowboy Church Byers- Pastor Zac Sanger Save the Cowboy Kiowa - Kevin Weatherby Cornerstone Fellowship - Pastor Keith Sauder |
Galatians 6:2 encourages fellow believers to "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. As a community, we are bound together with the love of Christ. We exhibit that love through prayer for one another. Someone in our midst may be hurting, believing for a new job, seeking direction from God. When we come together in agreement for each other, we see God begin to work! We want to agree with you. We encourage our readers to let us know what we can all agree on for you. If you have a specific need that you would like us to pray for, let us know. The Word of God compels us to pray for one another in the community where we live. So agree with us as we pray for each other!
Simply fill out the form below and we will post the need here in real time. We will utilize initials for privacy sake.
Simply fill out the form below and we will post the need here in real time. We will utilize initials for privacy sake.
Community Prayer List
Calling all Prayer Warriors:
-Pray for BM for healing in his back.
-Pray for JR for healing in his neck so that he can get back to work and provide for his family.
-Pray for RG as he continues to heal from his back surgery and rehab.
-Pray for MS as he heals from his accident, as well as for his daughter and her healing.
-Pray for JC as they sow into Joshua Nations missions.
-Pray for rain, the soil to come alive and crops to be plentiful.
-Pray that elections go well without controversy and fraud.