A Wise Man's Thoughts on the 4th of July

Dear Pastors and Church Musicians:

I want to comment on Memorial Day and July 4th and how they overlap with the life of church music and Christian worship.

I am a very patriotic American. I cry when the planes fly over the football stadium and when we sing “America the Beautiful.” I pay my taxes with enthusiasm and, to my knowledge, have never missed an opportunity to vote in state and national elections. I would guess that the vast majority of the U. S. citizens in our congregations are also extremely patriotic. HOWEVER, as a local congregation, we choose NOT to use these national celebrations as an emphasis in our worship services. Here are our reasons:

1. It is just too easy to confuse what it means to follow Christ with what it means to be a loyal U.S. citizen. Especially when hard-hitting emotional presentations are made with flags and uniforms and pledges, it is too easy to get mixed up about where our allegiance should be. However, we ARE quick to pray for our country and for our leaders and we are quick to thank God for the freedom of worship that we enjoy. We are also faithful to pray for believers in other countries who do not enjoy the freedom to worship Christ openly.

2. We have many internationals in our congregations, many of whom are considering the Christian faith for the first time. We do not want to have the bold gospel of the Cross somehow confused in their minds with Uncle Sam and a particular form of government or foreign policy.

3. When a mood of patriotic celebration is present, it seems to be about two clicks away from partisan politics. While we strongly encourage citizens to vote, we are amazingly silent concerning how Christians should vote. If anything, we want believers who are committed to different views on social programs and public policies to be ONE IN CHRIST. There are some fine Scriptures that support this position.

FINAL COMMENT:
I am not saying this in any way as a judgment on other churches that pull out all the stops (and flags) for civil celebrations. I am just wanting to share with colleagues what makes me tick. May God’s richest blessings be on you and your congregations—and on our country.

Respectfully submitted,
Carl Stam
Director, Institute for Christian Worship
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
(Louisville, Kentucky)