DEREK ALLEN

We may never navigate these waters of politics and Christianity perfectly. We will disagree about when to speak, what to say, or whom to support. But we must not lose sight of the bigger picture. The gospel is going forward. The Kingdom of God is advancing. That is the hope we cling to. That is the tribe we belong to. And that is the privilege we cannot surrender.

Tragedies bring feelings. Feelings bring questions. Questions bring answers. Answers bring hope. Why does it feel so heavy? As I have reflected on this question, I have identified five shared feelings that this tragedy revealed. Each feeling points to a truth that reveals a hidden hope.

The Credentials Committee had everything they needed to recommend the removal of NewSpring. Why should we move one item from our statement of faith, as pressing as this item is, into our constitution? Why not keep it in our statement of faith and improve the processes by which the Credentials Committee operates? Or why not add a mechanism for messengers to go around the Credentials Committee if necessary?

I had an alarming conversation in the park one day that showed me just how dispensable a child can be in the eyes of some.