In light of the Charlie Kirk situation, I wanted to give some brief pastoral thoughts for The Vine. There is much being said, and there is much that will continue to be said, but I want to address a growing concern, and end with a simple encouragement.

A Concern

As I watch the Charlie Kirk Effect, especially in conjunction with the alarming surge of Gen Z into Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches, wisdom would dictate we be silent and observe before concluding these are the seeds of revival springing from the blood of a martyr. Only time will tell. Wokism is dead, and the pendulum is now swinging. Yet, I see a movement brewing that is perhaps more deceptive and dangerous to the church than the woke social justice gospel. Biblically and historically, true revival comes from biblical repentance— people broken over their sin and crying out for mercy. It is not the result of a cultural reaction to leftist ideology. A movement toward the traditional family, going to church, praying, and finding spiritual meaning isn’t necessarily a movement toward Christ. The devil is deceptive and unbelievably shrewd. He baits the hook of his lies with truth, then drags the snagged down into his pit. I am watching with concern for how many are now moving toward religion, political conservatism, and a new found ethic that generally resembles what Scripture teaches. Is that bad on the surface? By no means. It is far better than body mutilation, race-baiting, and telling boys they can be girls. But void of a repentant heart, it is just as much a damning religion as the social gospel.

While Charlie would often encourage his audiences to get into a Bible believing church, I have seen several videos where he would also encourage them to attend mass— a blasphemous idolatry. I am not here to judge whether Charlie was a regenerate Christian or not. That would be unbiblical, nor is it my point. Yet, “inviting Jesus into your life as Lord and Savior,” as Charlie would often call people to do, is the kind of language used of the moral majority that dominated cultural Christianity in the latter half of the previous century. Encouraging people to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior is a call that lacks explanatory power in terms of what is required for true salvation— not the least of which must include true repentance, flowing from sorrow for sin. Catholics and Eastern Orthodoxers both confess Jesus as Lord and Savior. They also fight for biblical ethics in the home and culture. However, among other things, they partake in the idolatry of the Roman Catholic Mass, climaxing in the blasphemous act of the Eucharist, and Eastern Orthodoxers engage in the demonic idolatry of Eastern iconoclasm. They are damning false religions, leading billions to Hell.

Having said that, I’ve seen clips, like many of you, where I think Charlie spoke the true Gospel. He also took exception, it seemed, with some of the critical tenants of Roman Catholic dogma. So again, let me repeat, my concern is not Charlie himself. Rather, I am concerned with what is now being called the “Charlie Kirk Effect,” and especially in conjunction with Gen Z’s growing infatuation with Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy. To be sure, I don’t blame them. A move toward historic religion is the natural response to decades of vapid, cotton-candy preaching, and the superficiality that has become Evangelicalism. But in view of such a move, there is a real muddying of the Gospel waters with biblical ethics and a conservative worldview. If the ethics and politics don’t flow from a converted heart, it is moralism, spiritualism, and religionism, but not biblical repentance. The failure to make that critical distinction is the difference between heaven and hell.

I saw a recent photo of Kirk’s memorial service, where roughly 100,000 people gathered. Laced over the photo was a popular Christian influencer, who wrote, “The devil made a huge mistake.” It gave me pause, and mostly because I am not so sure we give the devil enough credit. He is far craftier than any beast of the field, and ever lives to deceive people from the true Gospel. To be sure, he took some down with the social justice gospel. But now that the mask has come off, it seems necessary for him to be more covert. The hook of his lie may now be baited with everything that looks Christian, moral, and biblical—and all without even needing to redefine a biblical term—such as, “justice.”

People are charged up right now to call out the proverbial Herod of leftist dogma. They’ve been emboldened to stand firm, refuse to cower in fear, and call this nation to a biblical standard. That is certainly refreshing, and a welcomed change, especially for many reformed evangelicals who have had to endure the leftward drift of high-profile voices within its own tribe over the past ten years. The challenge, though, is that Jesus-rejecting Ben Shapiro, for example, will be shouting just as loud, if not louder, for the country to pursue a biblical ethic. Afterall, Catholic Matt Walsh helped us understand what a woman is. But this is what makes this new movement potentially more deceptive. The woke social justice gospel was clear. The externals gave it away. This current change is more difficult. For the externals look very good. But the path that leads to life is still narrow, and few will still be on it. Jesus' words have not changed.

Can we learn from Charlie’s willingness to speak out for what he believed was true? Yes. But just as we can learn from Jewish Ben Shapiro, Catholic Candice Owens, and confused Jordan Peterson, who are all doing the same, as they currently walk down the broad path leading to destruction. Fighting for similar temporary outcomes in the culture does not mean we fight with the same motive or reason. This is an important distinction, and an eternal one. There is an ecumenism in the air right now, and it is concerning. It is important for pastors to remember the message you win people with, is the message you win them to. So, if the message is not Christ alone in this current cultural moment, we ought not be surprised if people start to flow out of churches when the cultural moment passes. Why? Because the current inflow may not actually be the result of converted hearts, but weariness from leftist bullies. This is not to say pastors shouldn’t take advantage of the opportunity. They should. And they should preach the Gospel loudly to their captive audiences. But despite the outcry on the internet against the pastors who said little about Charlie—I hope those pastors will stand firm in their divine charge from the Lord to preach Christ, not Charlie.

I am not advocating for a Gospel-onlyism, where pastors ought not equip their people to approach morality and politics from a biblical perspective. They should and must. For the church is also called to be the salt of the earth. All I am saying is that if you demand the God-hating culture to conform to those morals, and their conformity doesn’t flow from a converted heart, you get it backwards. The Great Commission is clear—we are first to baptize (read: heart conversion), then call people to observe all that Christ commanded. If you want to take to the culture and demand that Herod stop sleeping with his brother’s wife, that is your freedom. However, realize it may get your head cut off, and Herod will keep sleeping with his brother’s wife. Many in the culture are rising up to do this, and that is not bad, but many doing this still need to be saved. If I might draw an imperfect analogy, they are like John the Baptist, who after calling out Herod, sat in prison wondering if Jesus was really the Christ. The church may see them as cultural allies, but that does not mean they are brothers and sisters in Christ. They are just as much a mission field as the card-carrying leftist.

An Encouragement

Having said all this, we are in a unique moment, unquestionably. The time is ripe to preach the true Gospel. Christians would be fools not to take full advantage of the unprecedented opportunity to have Gospel conversations and call people to repentance. If some kind of revival is happening, time will tell. As of right now, I largely see moralism, religionism, and spiritualism being incubated in a broad ecumenism of religions that profess some stripe of Christianity. But very little of it is the Gospel. I am not moved that several politicians stood up at a memorial in front of their constituency and spoke a gospel message. They’re politicians. It is what they must do. They will not waste an opportunity. Paint me a skeptic, but I’ve read Ecclesiastes. There’s nothing new under the sun, and politicians know how to make their gains.

So, my caution is for true Christians to be highly discerning, but my encouragement is to take every opportunity. Your greatest impact will always be with those closest to you. Talk to friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers. Buy them coffee, take them out for meals, invite them for dinner. Do all you can to speak to the true need of the hour— which is the unjustified state of their soul before their Maker and Lord. You must talk about sin, and you must help them see it in their own hearts. You must, then, point them to the only solution— the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ credited to their eternal account by faith alone. Until that has taken root in their heart, any apparent biblical ethic in their life will be superficial, misleading, and blinding. A life that looks like Jesus must flow from a converted heart. This is the order, and to get this backwards is to damn the soul. So pray, get out there, and win for yourself more than a cultural friend—win an eternal one. (Luke 16:9).

Soli Dei gloria.

Pastor Matt

A Proviso

I am being asked more and more to give my thoughts on education and schooling. I have been slow to do this, as few things can be more contentious. Parents love their children deeply and want the best for them. As a result, conversations get hot, fast. Parents are passionate over what they’ve chosen for their children and will defend it until the dying day. I get it. Indeed, an alternative opinion can be received as an attack on the love you have for your child. You have chosen what you think is most loving, and when someone disagrees, or offers something different, it feels like an assault on your labor and sacrifice. But it doesn’t need to be that way, nor should it. Every family, child, and circumstance is different, and there’s no formula for this. While there’s perhaps a wrong or unwise decision, there’s not necessarily a right one. The old worship wars are now education wars in broader Christendom, and, in time, this too, will pass. I'm genuinely grateful this doesn't seem to be the case at the Vine, and unity of the Spirit must be maintained at all times (Eph. 4:3), but nevertheless, I offer the following with hesitation and prayer.

Several books could be written on each point, and they’re out there. Additionally, I realize exceptions, qualifications, and clarifications could be given for nearly every statement—so I ask that you read with charity and not hesitate to come and talk with me. This is the quick and dirty, written in no particular order, for the flock entrusted to me. I do not write as a subject matter expert, but as a pastor, husband, father, and fellow Christian. The goal is to offer my perspective, and it is merely my perspective. So, take it, leave, praise it, critique it. In the end, it’s just a perspective. Hopefully, you’ll find it’s a perspective not divorced from biblical principles. Nor is it a perspective void of experience, both in doing it, and watching others do it—but it’s still my perspective. I hope it will help, or at least get you thinking, as many of you are on the cusp of decision time.

Twelve Thoughts

First, it is essential you teach your children in a manner that goes beyond facts, equations, and grammar, and construct for them a biblical worldview. Show how facts are connected to truth, and truth is connected to God. It’s important to realize that facts are not the same as truth. Facts demonstrate the “what,” but truth declares the “why”—and that is where a worldview comes into play. This is a critical step, and often the difference between life and death. Then, it is essential you take every opportunity to teach your child how to interpret the world and act upon it from a biblical perspective. This is the idea of wisdom, and it’s a skill that must be cultivated. The majority of this will happen outside the time of formal instruction. Deut. 6:6-9 is a helpful principle. For a fuller treatment on the passage, and how it applies to the everyday discipleship of your child, listen to my thoughts here. The point, though, is that education is always discipleship, and if it is not distinctly Christian, it is distinctly anti-Christian. There is no neutrality. This, of course, eliminates public school as an option, but whatever your method of Christian education, don't be quick to assume it's wholistically Christian merely because of the label.

Second, there are plenty of fantastic curricula to help you. Curricula keep getting better and better. Ask around. Find out what’s helpful and why. Make a decision and just go for it. We’ve learned that curriculum is an excellent servant, but a poor master. As you teach your child, the curriculum is a suggestion to keep the education and discipleship of your child moving forward. Use it, but don’t serve it. This will relieve you from a lot of undue pressure to move mechanically through box-checking, lists, tasks, and benchmarks. Some of that is necessary, but not nearly as much as the uninitiated believe.

Third, must it be classical? Christians have always been good at baptizing secular, God-hating ideologies and practices. Classical Christian education is no different. It’s baptized paganism that can be helpful. Like everything, there’s strengths and weakness. Classical is not for everyone. It’s the newest watering hole from which many are drinking at the moment, but all movements come and go, ebb and flow. I say this as one who has chosen the classical route for my own... for now. We’re always analyzing and never afraid to change, should we deem something more helpful. Education is not a formula. Merley plugging in a certain method or curriculum won’t guarantee a product. There are several helpful methods, of which classical is merely one. What many forget is pre-modernity (i.e., classical education) birthed the failed enterprise of modernity. Modernity, then, birthed the chaos of postmodernity, and postmodernity has birthed the hopeless narratives of metamodernity. We’ve now put “Christian” in front of the “classical,” but often the “classical” gets marketed more than the “Christian.” If the “Christian” is the important part, then it stands to reason that other methods are perfectly acceptable—so long as they’re distinctly Christian.

Fourth, don’t overthink it. It’s just education. Education doesn’t save souls. It doesn’t cause the heart to honor and fear the Lord. It doesn’t change what a soul naturally loves. In the end, education plays a significant role in discipleship and the constructing of a biblical worldview, but it is not synonymous with it, nor is it the sin qua non of heart conversion. There is much more to discipleship than education, and parents can forget this.

Fifth, whatever your chosen method, make a decision based on the premise of what will maximize your voice and influence in your child’s life. Pros and cons can be argued for any approach, but don’t be ruled by a method or philosophy. Methods and practices should serve voice and influence, not the other way around. So, choose wisely, constantly analyze, and don’t be afraid to change. Resist the temptation to outsource your child to the shifting standards of "the experts," or be overly impressed by the word, "accreditation." Refuse to yield to other voices simply because you feel inadequate. If you sense you're beginning to lose your child's ear, especially as they grow older, consider making a change. It's never too late. Simply trust Christ and never act from fear.

Sixth, if you choose to homeschool, resist the temptation to think your child is missing out if they’re not part of a formal school. All things being equal, no one loves them more than you. No one will invest, disciple, instruct, discipline, and pray for them more than you. This is not an apologetic against formal schooling per se, but I want to encourage you to resist the thought that you’re robbing your children of excellence by letting them learn their math in pajamas. You’re not. Having said that, if you do choose to homeschool, resist believing it will guarantee their safety, protection, and salvation. Sin and unseen idols can abound in the home. Unless the inside of the cup is clean, the outside won't matter.

Seventh, try to avoid pragmatism. Multiple issues could be addressed, here, but to mention one; the “socialization” of your child should be a minor factor in your decision. To say what others have said, a school may equip in a social skill, but it’s a mostly useless one. I’ll be brief, here, as much has been written on this, but the specific social skills learned in a school environment rarely translate to anything significant in the real world. If you disagree, fine. I’ll let you do the research. My only encouragement is to say, it should be relatively minor in your considerations. For me, it wouldn't even break a tie. Much could be said here about extra-curriculars as well. Many opportunities are afforded outside formal schooling for which parents can be amply involved. Also, I would be remiss if I didn't say—it is also the value of being faithfully involved in a local church beyond simple Sunday attendance.

Eighth, no method of Christian education will matter if the home is not joyfully and genuinely Christ-centered. It must be biblically saturated in every possible way. This begins with the parents, led by dad. “Christ is Lord” is more than a profession; it is a dominating way of life in which Christ is actually Lord—over everything. The sacred/secular divide often exists right within the home. There is no quicker way to exasperate your children than by modeling hypocrisy. They will much prefer to find identity in a worldview that faithfully practices what it preaches—even if it means joining the cultural revolution.

Ninth, in God’s wonderful design and providence, not all children are equal. You know your children, and God entrusted them to you. One method may work well for one, but not the other. So, don’t be afraid to customize for each of them.

Additionally—and this is a subpoint—but women are not men, so girls ought to be raised differently than boys. If education is part of discipleship, consider the value in bringing your sons and daughters through the curriculum differently. At this point, it is important to realize curriculum is far more than what is laid out in a teacher’s manual. It involves every activity of the day— from wake to sleep. In the early years, much of it may look the same between your sons and daughters, but as they grow, look for ways to customize. For example, between their math and reading, my sons and daughter can be found cutting carrots in the kitchen. Other days, they might be sent to the backyard to cut a fallen tree. But as they’ve gotten older, my daughter wields the knife more than the loppers, and vice-versa. Reject the egalitarian cookie-cutter approach of feminism, which proffers that both can be approached the same. They shouldn’t, and ought not. Increasingly, my daughter, who’s being trained to be a worker at home (Tim. 5:14; Tit. 2:5) will stay in the home, while my sons, who are being trained to leave the home, go out to cultivate the earth. All of them still put on their aprons to cut carrots—and all of them still go out to exercise dominion over a tree—but not in equal measure. They’re different, and it’s been wonderful to see them joyfully embrace their differences in gender to the glory of God.

Moreover, the culture of your home is part of the curriculum. Your children will see how you think and respond to every detail throughout the day. This is fraught with opportunities and pitfalls. They will pick up on how you talk, laugh, grieve, and rejoice. Children take cues, constantly. They will discern what you love, value, and worship as they watch your face respond to a statement made by the local librarian, or a statement you yourself make when cut off in traffic. So, keeping them close is critical, but always remember they critically analyze that which is close. Everything you say or don’t say, do or don’t do, will shape them more than you know. The intangibles are often what cultivate the heart.

Tenth, don’t underestimate the sanctifying mechanism of educating your own children— both for them and you. Frankly, this is a huge issue. The family is God’s design, and one of the greatest instruments by which He brings maturation into our lives. Don’t be quick to remove that. God is at work. Trust Him and see what He might do. You will discover the ugliness of sin, impatience, and ungodliness in both you and your children no quicker than when you set your hand to the task of educating them. But you’ll also be presented with the opportunity to mortify that sin, and grow in wonderful ways—both you and your children. So don’t be quick to eliminate the opportunity. This is especially important for husbands, who often think their job is to remove trouble for their wives. Trouble is good—and often, God is the One Who gives it. So, don’t be quick to get in His way.

Eleventh, you can do it! I have seen moms, who didn’t think they could educate their children, wonderfully rise to the occasion. They’re regularly thankful, rehearsing the opportunities for growth they may have missed, had they chosen not to educate their own. Don’t worry about failure, or make a decision from fear. God is faithful and honors the heart. Get around others who are doing it, and be encouraged. Likely, you will find they had all the same fears. Draw on their wisdom and learn from those who’ve gone before you. It can be scary, but growth happens through pressure.

Twelfth, and most important, trust Christ and pray. Make the best decision you can with the information you have. Keep analyzing, never grow apathetic, and never settle for what’s easy. Educational fads come and go, especially in Christendom, but the soul remains forever. Your home is unique and you’re the only one who will give an account to the Lord for your stewardship of it. So, do what you believe is best for your family, and trust Him. In the end, never forget you always reserve the right to change. Your initial decision doesn’t need to be your final one. So, pray, seek counsel, pray some more, then decide. The character of God toward His own is one of grace. He will show you much as you faithfully love the little ones entrusted to you. God never demands perfection, but simple faith and a pure heart. Ultimately, your children belong to Him. He loves them more than you do. He'll abundantly supply you with the grace, wisdom, and patience needed—so take courage, entrust your ways to Him, and be faithful—whatever you decide.

Praying for you always.

Soli Deo gloria.

Pastor Matt

Some Pastoral Thoughts on the Upcoming Election

As November approaches, I am being asked more and more about politics; the value of voting, how to think about the issues, or if the weary can simply retreat and avoid it all. It is my conviction that the day of not speaking into politics is over for pastors. The pastor must. Politics are no longer an aspect of American life, they dominate it. Political identity is tribal, and the church is not exempt. The following is written for my church. It is broad, generally unqualified, endorses no particular candidate, but done to let you know you can keep asking me questions for how to think through the issues in a biblical way.

I Am Weary, So Can I Just Do Nothing?

In a two-party system, passive neutrality is not only a myth, but an active, political position. Not to vote is to plant your political flag, and your passivity will have consequences. Further, the worn mantra that Christians ought not to settle for the lesser of two evils is indefensible. In a broken, fallen world, you will always be voting for the lesser of two evils, even if the Apostle Paul were the front-runner. When Charles Spurgeon made the statement, “Of two evils, choose neither,” I highly doubt the Englishman had a two-party, American political system in mind.

They Are All Terrible, So Now What?

Frankly, that is before you and the Lord. I would never tell anyone for whom they ought to vote, nor am I interested in binding a person's conscience on the matter. As for me, it will be Republican down the ballot. I am not happy with many of the formal and informal positions of the Republican platform, nor am I hopeful for the party’s trajectory. It used to be easy. As a Christian, I was a one-issue voter. I voted for the party that did not want to legislate the murderous slaughter of innocent babies. Simple. This is where I planted my flag, and refused to enter debates about being “all-the-way pro-life” regarding immigration, government benefits, etc. Those are different issues, and the effort by many to label them as “pro-life” to get me to vote Democrat were not compelling. In light of the GOP’s ever-softening stance on the actual pro-life issue, and Trump’s recent support of IVF, it creates some challenges. Nevertheless, the choice is still clear for 2024, especially since Republican Congress just blocked the latest IVF bill.

What About Voting Democrat?

As a biblical Christian, I cannot fathom it—not because to be Christian is to be Republican, but because of the stated policies and rhetoric of the 2024 Democratic platform. To vote Democrat is to support the slaughter of babies, defend the mutilation of children, praise the cultural rebellion against God’s design for sexuality, and defend an unabated hatred for the God of the Bible. True – the GOP’s own stances on these issues are laxing, and the slide will continue. The natural drift of the human heart is always to the moral left. Yet, in many respects, the GOP is much closer to a biblical morality than anything coming from the other side.

In the end, politics is the art of rearranging chairs on a sinking Titanic. Having said that, to vote Republican, in my view, is to try and mitigate the number of chairs people trip over as we point them to a lifeboat. In that sense, you might view your vote as salt which seeks to preserve a semblance of God’s revealed will for a nation. The ship is still sinking, but the more time we have to fill up the lifeboats, the better.

What About Voting Independent?

In principle, I want less government—a hallmark of the Independent platform. The less control that sinful, power-hungry men have over the populace, the freer you will be— largely. However, on most social issues, they generally hold hands with the Democrats. Small government is an attractive philosophy, and in my view, it should be pursued as far as possible. However, pushed too far, it renders itself impotent in God’s decree for government to restrain evil (c.f., Rom. 13). I want less government control, but I also want the government to do what God designed it to do—to stop the murder of unborn babies and protect indoctrinated 16-year-olds from mutilating their bodies.

So, What Are You Saying?

For me, the choice is clear. It is not difficult to know what to do in this election cycle. Go with your conscience, but let it be biblically informed. Let me again emphasize that not to cast a ballot is folly. There is nothing noble, or Christ-like about watching a country slide into greater immorality, while pretending passivity will not have consequences for you and your children. It also does not honor God, Who mandates Christians be the salt of the earth (Matt. 5:13). The church is to be a practical blessing to this God-hating culture, and your vote is a simple way to do that, whether the culture sees your opposing vote as a blessing or not. Additionally, the church is the pillar and support of the truth (1Tim. 3:15), yet, it will only matter if the truth is acted upon in a practical way. In a Democratic Republic, this means we vote. Frankly, many gave their lives so we could have a voice, so honor their sacrifice and vote.

Finally, let me repeat, neutrality is a myth, especially in a zero-sum-game like our two-party system. To not vote for one guy, is to vote for the other. You are not electing a pastor, but a politician. Do not pretend to know their true character, for they are proficient in projecting a practiced image. What is most important are their stated policies. It is the only objective criteria upon which you can, and should, base a vote. So, pray, vote, honor God, then pray again.

Soli Deo gloria.

Pastor Matt