Apathy: the absence of passion, emotion, or excitement; lack of interest in or concern. The church is filled with apathy. Communities are filled with apathy. I am here to call Christians out for being lukewarm and apathetic.
The word apathy comes from a combination of two words. The first is the greek word apatheia which means insensibility to suffer and the word apathe which means unfeeling. People who are apathetic are indifferent and unconcerned who live passionless lives. This is not an age to be apathetic. The stakes are high all around us.
Christians fail to grasp this concept. We are in a spiritual war every second of every day. Our adversary is stealthily moving taking more and more ground every moment. He takes no days off and he has millions of trusted foot soldiers to do his bidding. He is after the very soul of this nation and the entire world. Little by little the fabric of a nation has been stolen and turned away from God and His values from Hollywood to the backwoods, from the White House to the CEO's house as well as the blue collar worker's house.
What is sad is how little resistance is given. We resist through the avenues of prayer, proclaiming the gospel, and taking stands to oppose the enemy. We are in a fight not heading to a church picnic. A fight against powers, world forces, against spiritual forces of wickedness. [Eph 6:10-12]
While the church of the living God sleeps the enemy stands at the gates of our homes and communities to advance the kingdom of darkness. It has happened over and over again and rarely do God's people ever wake up and take a stand until it is too late. While Christians gather in their holy huddles on Sundays the enemy steals, kills, and destroys. He pillages and rapes society with his wicked minions and Christ followers sit on the sidelines indifferently watching it all unfold behold our eyes.
The church of the living God seldom gathers to pray on a large scale. I have lived in this community off and on for six years. Not one time have I even seen 100 Christians gather for a community prayer meeting. Even more rarely do Christians make their voices heard on the national or local level unless it griping and complaining at the beauty shops, cafes, or along the fence line at the stadium. Uninterested, unconcerned, and unfeeling characterize many. Satan has poured an all out assault on the soul of this nation and this community.
Immorality pervades the land from our schools to the board rooms. People no longer possess their bodies in honor. Men behind the pulpit, choir members, church secretaries, student pastors, and deacons all across the land have brought shame and scandal to the church through immoral activities. Still apathy continues. Politicians lead scandalous lives and few stand up for truth. They even get voted back into office often.
Apathy rules the land as the enemy continues to advance his wicked agenda by putting his people in place at every level of leadership in society. From politicians, CEO's, college professors, actors, actresses, screen play writers, film producers, managers, business owners, school employees, school board members, lawyers, and doctors. Evil men and women scheme, plan, and manipulate their way to top leadership positions with an agenda. These pawns of the devil live to serve wicked and evil schemes at every level of society. We all feel the effects.
Paradise has largely been different. I have known administrators and known personally of their commitment to Christ. I have had spiritual conversations with many people in places of high leadership in this community. I have applauded the character of many of our teachers who not only teach our children academically but also teach them about life. We have been blessed. Because we have been blessed for so long with good people in places of influence in this community it is easy to fall asleep and to remain apathetic. It is easy to think it will always be that way because this is Paradise. You had better wake up and heed this warning. Satan wants the soul of this community from students, parents, teachers, coaches, and administrators. He is just waiting for an open door to get people with little character into these positions. Once that happens the ball will get rolling down hill. Others could be brought into this community with a whole other set of values. This is a slippery slope we do not want to start down. The end result will be a train wreck.
That is why I have said there are more important things than wins and losses. I make my voice known that we have great men and women in place as coaches. I want them to stay.
Just because we have top notch men and women in places of leadership in this community now does not mean it will always be that way. The hiring of one wrong person could impact this community in many ways. This is why I am taking such a passionate and public stand for many of our coaches. I know their character. I know the influence they have on students including my sons. I know their wives and how the positively influence students in and outside the classroom.
The enemy (Satan) would like nothing better than to begin picking off our school and community leaders one at a time and replacing them with ungodly leaders. This is the crux of my stand. I will sacrifice wins and losses for the sake of coaches (who want and strive to win) but who have and seek to instill character in student athletes. I am not alone in this thinking. Many have voiced their concerns to me.
I have fought for this community in prayer for several years and plan to continue to do so. I will not live in apathy. Too much is at stake. I have voiced my concerns to several people in key places of leadership in determining who will be our next Athletic Director. I have challenged this community to pray and to make your voice heard. For the most part I have been met with apathy.
Once the decision is made people will voice their opinion one way or the other. If you remain apathetic do not dare open your mouth on a Friday or Tuesday night griping about coaching leadership. If a man is chosen for the job who does not hold Christ dear or Christian values you sow what you reap Paradise. I will not sow apathy. My voice is only one but I will let it be heard. I will stand up for coaches who have given their lives to this community, some for many years, and a few for decades. I will stand with those who give and give and who have been maligned and maned in the court of public opinion in return.
I stand with men and women who have sailed in the good times when the athletic talent excelled, the victories came easily, and the play off runs excited the community. These coaches have also weathered the storms when the talent pool was not as deep, when the victories came few and far between, when the rumors swirled, the icy glares abounded, and when the playoff drought extended. Still these men and women have gotten off buses late at night and fallen into bed exhausted only to be jolted awake by the need to get up for another early morning practice. They coach, teach, love, challenge, and stand for our students. They have invested themselves, their families, and their futures in this community. I will not be apathetic toward them. I will not take them for granted.
One wrong decision at the level of leadership for our coaches could affect the futures of men and women I love from; football, volleyball, track, basketball, softball, baseball, track, tennis, and powerlifting at every level. I will not be apathetic even after the final decision is made. I will not sit back in silence like so many others do when it really counts, but then stand to shout their opinions from the stands at game time. I am calling Christians and concerned citizens to stand up and speak up.
I get it. Not everybody can stand up and speak in front of crowds. You can email administrators and school board members. You can refuse the path of apathy and least resistance and contact those who will make this decision to let your voice be heard. You can make your voice known refusing apathy. You can attend the next school board meeting to make your voice known. I am calling this community to get up off your apathy and to action.
You may not side with me and you have every right to your opinion. You have every right to make your voice heard as well. If Christians do not voice your concerns in mass to the Superintendent all the way down to school board members then you have no right to be critical when the final decision is made. I will state this publicly in writing. I am standing in support of our coaching staff and calling for Godly leadership at the Athletic Director position as well as in other coaches. It is time to stand up and to speak up. This is not a time for apathy or cowardice.
I am passionate about the right kind of men and women leading my children and yours. This community boasts of hundreds if not thousands of Christians. I urge you to make your voice heard. It is my hope that you will keep praying privately and corporately. I hope you will keep calling and emailing those making this decision. Faith Community Church will hold community prayer meetings outside the administration office every Sunday night between now and the March 18th School Board Meeting at 5:00 p.m. I am challenging hundreds to be in attendance at that prayer meetings and the next School Board Meeting. I will be soliciting several athletes to speak at that meeting on behalf of our existing coaches. The School Board meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m.
Being apathetic in my book is a lot like being lukewarm. Jesus despises lukewarm followers. [Rev 3:15-16] Christ followers, you cannot ride the fence. If we hope for God to bless this community we had better pray and stand for Christ followers to be placed in leadership positions. If we fall asleep now we will one day wake up to a community governed by people who do not hold our values. It has happened in the past all across this land. We need courage over apathy and passion over indifference. Stand and be counted.
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