Fighting Over The Flag

“Our flag was still there” after the British assault on Ft. McHenry in 1814. Now there’s a different assault. Some protest the American flag in the worship place, decrying “Christian nationalism.”

We probably have some who equate the USA with the “new Jerusalem,” but I don’t know that I’ve ever met them. They’re certainly not in any church I’ve ever served. What I’ve seen in my pastoral experience is sincere Christians who love God and love their country. Many of them served their homeland in the armed forces. And we made lists in recent years of those in the desert conflicts and prayed for them every week.

Most of us know the flag is a symbol, not an object of worship. And the flag isn’t the only symbol we display. Many churches display crosses. We don’t worship the cross, but it reminds us of who died on a cross and is worthy of our worship.

I’ve been in many churches with beautiful stained-glass windows, some of which depict Jesus, though we don’t have photographic evidence of his physical appearance. And we certainly didn’t worship the strange-looking animals that appeared in our sanctuary the week of Vacation Bible School! They reminded us of our mission to teach boys and girls about faith.

I often read a denominational Facebook page. I’m grateful that young ministers post sincere questions, such as the pastor who invited our thoughts about his church having a yard sale. Good humor, too, when ministers share funny things they’ve done or seen. But the page is also a modern venue to write opinions about various matters.

In the midst of an American flag discussion, a pastor replied that he’d served a Baptist church in Turkey, and the congregation displayed the Turkish flag in the worship center.

So, is this “Turkish nationalism”?

“We didn’t worship the flag or the nation, but we showed respect to the nation where we served,” the pastor wrote.

Several years ago, a Nigerian Baptist leader spoke at a local church. He told of awful persecution in his land and urged us to lobby for “nation of particular concern” designation. The previous administration removed this designation, he explained, so U.S. aid flowed freely without pressure to ensure religious freedom.

Our neighboring church displayed a large Nigerian flag that evening. We didn’t worship that flag or that nation but were reminded of the plight of Nigerian believers, and how often we take for granted religious liberty in America.

The flag is also a call to prayer. We have a spiritual responsibility to pray for all who serve in government (1 Timothy 2), and while we’re doing so, for believers in other lands whose faith costs them dearly. -30-

“Reflections” is a weekly faith column written by Michael J. Brooks, pastor of the Siluria Baptist Church, Alabaster, Alabama. The church’s website is siluriabaptist.com.