5 things to remember after seeing terrorism in Chattanooga
By / Jul 17

I confess. I was speeding just a little bit. When it comes to speeding, the saying I’ve heard is, “Eight you’re great, but nine you’re mine.” I saw the lights and heard the sirens, so I pulled over right after I exited onto Lee Highway.

The policeman wasn’t going after me, though. He circumnavigated my minivan and pulled into the parking lot of the slightly-run-down strip mall. Usually, that lot is where people go to illegally park their cars to avoid airport parking fees, but something different happened on this day.

A terrorist attacked two military recruitment offices. Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez opened fire and murdered four Marines. This act of domestic terrorism has rocked our city. It has rocked our country.

One of the recruiters at the next recruitment office on Abdulazeez’ hit list is a member of the church where I am the pastor. He and his wife called me shortly after the shootings and asked, “What should we do?” I felt led of the Holy Spirit to host a prayer vigil for our city. So, our church family and many others from our community gathered as we lit candles and prayed at length. I addressed five things to remember and for which to pray after seeing terrorism in our town. I hope they’ll help you learn how to address terrorism with a Christian ethic.

1. Avoid nationalism and racism, and ask God to give you concern for your city and country (Jonah 4:10–11)

“Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez” sounds a bit different than “John Doe.” It is obviously a Muslim name. You can tell he is of Middle Eastern descent just by looking at his picture. Most of us recognize that racism is a problem in our country. But a sin that is less discussed is nationalism—the belief that you and your country are better than someone when you compare your country to theirs.  But the danger with comparing yourself with someone else is that it leads to you feel either inferior or superior to someone instead of finding your sufficiency in Christ.

The prophet Jonah saw a revival come to Ninevah, and instead of celebrating of what God did through his ministry, he threw a pity party because people who didn’t look or sound like him received salvation. His bigotry superseded his theology. God concludes the book of Jonah by explaining His merciful heart for the Assyrian people. Let’s learn from Jonah’s mistake, and instead of falling into the temptations of nationalism and racism, ask God to give us concern for the people of our city and our country who come from every tribe, tongue and nation.

2. Ask God to give peace and prosperity to your city and country (Jeremiah 29:7)

Tourism has an $893.3 million economic impact on Chattanooga (Travel Industry Association of America). Needless to say, the idea of loading up the kids and driving to visit the Chattanooga Choo Choo may be a bit hard to swallow considering a terrorist just opened fire here.

Following terroristic activity, it is important to pray for peace and prosperity. I’m theologically conservative, and sometimes my fellow conservative friends get the heebeegeebees at the mention of the word “prosperity.” They automatically associate it with the name-it-and-claim-it vein of theology. That’s not what I’m talking about here. I’m talking about asking God to provide economic health to an otherwise vulnerable situation that could threaten the welfare of our neighbors.

3. Pray for your city to become a place of refuge and rest instead of a place of terror (Psalm 5:11)

I want my city to be a place of refuge and no longer a place of terror. Yesterday, Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam addressed the sadness of the scenic city when he said, “Chattanooga is a great city with a broken heart.” Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke said, “This is a tragic day for our city.” Yes, we have been terrorized. I will not leave my house today with the same carefree attitude as I did the day before. However, it doesn’t have to stay that way. I will pray for this place to become a city of refuge where people can come to find a message of Hope and the rest they long for.

4. Pray for God to use this tragedy to stir up conversations about Jesus (1 Thessalonians 1:9)

The Apostle Paul spoke of the Thessalonians’ proclamation of Jesus to the Macedonians and Achaians, but then it went everywhere, and they received a “warm reception” when talking about Jesus. My prayer is that God would help us in the midst of this tragedy to have a warm reception as we seek to talk about Jesus. After all, this is the kind of time when people start thinking about their own life and death. May God give evangelistic opportunities in the midst of hurting hearts and trembling souls.

5. Pray for revival (Jonah 3:6-10)

Lastly, this tragedy should be a reminder of the need for the Holy Spirit to cause revival to sweep across America and the world. Yes, we need to think through the policy implications that might have prevented an attack like this. Yes, we need to beware of those with associations and fascinations with extreme violence. However, more than anything, we need Jesus. Come, Lord Jesus. Come.

Who are you remembering this Memorial Day?
By / May 25

In 1915, Canadian medical officer John McCrae published what has become one of the most popular poems from the First World War, “In Flanders Fields” : 

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

After reading this poem Moina Michael , a college teacher and YMCA War Worker, was so moved that she was inspired to write a response. Hastily written on the back of an envelope, she penned the lines to We Shall Keep the Faith :

Oh! you who sleep in Flanders Fields,
Sleep sweet – to rise anew!
We caught the torch you threw
And holding high, we keep the Faith
With All who died.

We cherish, too, the poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led;
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies,
But lends a lustre to the red
Of the flower that blooms above the dead
In Flanders Fields.
And now the Torch and Poppy Red
We wear in honor of our dead.
Fear not that ye have died for naught;
We’ll teach the lesson that ye wrought
In Flanders Fields.

From that day on, Michael vowed to wear a red poppy of Flanders Fields as a sign of remembrance. Others, inspired by the personal memorial, joined in the practice. The Poppy emblem was eventually adopted in the United States as a national memorial symbol, a reminder of those who had not returned home from war.

As Michael wrote, the blood of heroes truly never dies. Their sacrifices truly do live on, enriching the fertile soil of our memories, bringing forth red poppies that grow in honor of those who’ve passed on the torch.

Who are you remembering this Memorial Day? Tell us your story in the comments section on our Facebook page, or simply leave the name of the loved one and which war they died in protecting our freedoms.