With all of the shock and horror of the San Bernardino killers’ act of terrorism last week, the headlines have been filled with questions, blame-shifting, and the standard solution proposed by some in order to ensure protection from a future attack: more gun control. Some people have given themselves over to fear in the wake of this event and are scrambling for answers about why the attackers were allowed into the US, why they were able to acquire the weapons used, and why they were permitted to carry out such a wicked act without someone being alerted prior. It’s easy to point the finger at the government. In fact, this has been going on a lot these days, not only in the political scene (where it has come to be expected), but on the streets of our cities, as police officers are being deemed incompetent race mongers who can’t wait to brutalize the next minority who flinches.

What often gets drowned out by all the negativity is the heroism of everyday first-responders like Detective Jorge Lozano of the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Office, who courageously and calmly escorted people out of the building where the shootings were taking place, telling them “Try to relax everyone…I’ll take a bullet before you do…” Or Officer Nicholas Koahou, who was wounded during the shootout with the assailants and yet kept providing cover for his fellow officers until the situation was resolved. Beyond these acts of valor, we have heard little praise of the immediate response and coordination of federal, county, and city police forces to put together a massive manhunt which was successful in tracking down the two highly armed and dangerous suspects and rendering them incapacitated within only hours of the massacre. It is tragic beyond description that 14 people were slaughtered in the attack; it is absolutely commendable that officers were able to subdue such violent perpetrators so quickly with no further casualties, and only one non-lethal injury to an officer.

There is no doubt that our government has serious gaps, inconsistencies, agendas, and corruption, but before Christians jump on the bandwagon of fear and finger pointing, we must not only look at our world objectively, but we must come back to the Bible’s instruction about what government is, what it does, and what our responsibilities are in light of this instruction. The Bible is far from silent in regard to this issue, clearly commanding all men to “be in subjection to the governing authorities” (Rom. 13:1; Tit. 3:1; 1 Pet. 2:13). This command has no conditional statements attached to it, for we are told further that it is God Himself who establishes these governing authorities (Rom. 13:1; cf. Dan. 4:17). And just like any command, we are not to merely obey externally, we are to have the proper attitude of honor toward the governing authorities (1 Pet. 2:17). That’s right. Christians, of all people, ought to be known as those who honor and obey those in authority. In addition to these commands, we are told to pray for the salvation of all in authority (1 Tim. 2:1-4). When we do this, we are strengthened to lead the quiet and peaceful lives of godliness to which we have been called, without being carried away by the agendas of either the left or the right.

As noted, these biblical commands are given to us because government was given to humanity as part of God’s common grace. When we talk of God’s grace, we typically think in terms of the sending His Son to die for the sins of men, or of the special empowerment which He provides His children, but God’s grace extends even to the world that is lost in sin. As Jesus reminded us, God “makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust” (Matt. 5:45). As an instrument of God’s common grace, government helps to restrain evil in the world so that it does not become as bad as it could be and so that people have some level of order, justice, and protection upon which they can rely. While it is foolish to expect that all government officials will be Christians, Romans 13:1-7 nonetheless calls them “God’s servants.” As the God whose “sovereignty rules over all” (Ps. 103:19 NASB), He has chosen to maintain order in society through the means of government. We may cast our ballot on election day, but He is the One who ultimately appoints rulers over us. What we must recognize is that government is God’s servant “for our good” because government is “the avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer” (Rom. 13:4b). In fact, God has delegated the authority to government to use the sword – it has the right to take the life of the one who violates the law. On the other hand, government gives approval to those who honor and obey the law (Rom. 13:3b; 1 Pet. 2:14).

While we see politicians on TV and hear them on the radio, the average person is typically at a distance from the lawmakers. But what we do see nearly everyday, are the law enforcers. We must remember that these men and women are not a threat to us if we are committed to obeying the law. For us, police officers are “for our good,” and we should have the highest level of honor, appreciation, and thanksgiving to God for them – and we should pray for their salvation and safety regularly – for they are God’s instrument of restraining evil.

Because of the curse of sin, there are certainly times when the lawmakers will pass laws that are contrary to God’s law or the law enforcers will do things that are immoral or unjust. It is at these times that we are to follow Peter’s example and “obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). We must take a stand and be willing to suffer the consequences for doing what is right. We must demand that justice is served for everyone – even those in authority who think they are above the law. Nevertheless, we must do so with the same attitude as Peter had when he said these words. Remember that this is the same Peter who commanded that we “honor the emperor” (1 Pet. 2:17), who at the time of Peter’s writing was Nero, the infamous persecutor of Christians.

When we align our thinking under the clear teaching and commands of Scripture concerning governing authorities, we will have the right perspective of government, and especially police officers. We will be more joyful, and more at peace as we think of the fact that every day our streets are patrolled by those who are committed “to protect and to serve” by God’s sovereign appointment.

I remember the day the nation stood still when shots were reported at a school in the sleepy little town of Columbine, CO. Since that fateful day in 1999, it seems that mass shootings have become almost expected in our country. It’s not a matter of whether or not one will happen again; it’s only a matter of time. This week’s shooting in Roseburg, OR is simply the latest in a string of violent shootings in less than two decades. Even President Obama relayed his frustration about this fact when he stated, “Somehow this has become routine…we’ve become numb to this” in his response to the Roseburg shooting.

Beyond the religious connections of the shooting, (it is reported that the shooter asked if the victims were Christians before shooting them), what can believers learn from yet another brutal display of violence? Are we willing to settle for this as “routine?” Have we too “become numb to this?” Some will jump on the bandwagon of banning firearms as a response. I’m not going to venture an opinion on that; perhaps something practical needs to be done at some level. But is that all we can learn: ‘people shoot others because they have access to guns, so let’s get rid of the guns,’ or can we learn something more from Roseburg and the list of other tragedies preceding it?

I believe that there is a lesson here, screaming out to all those who would have ears to hear, and it is this: the reason these mass killings are becoming commonplace in our culture is because the philosophical agenda which has been peddled and gobbled up by America at large is producing them. And what agenda is that? Romans 1:25 calls it “the lie.” It is the lie which has replaced the truth of God and seeks to worship and serve the creature rather than the Creator. When sinful man suppresses the truth of God which has been clearly revealed to Him in creation and conscience and throws off all restraint of morality in order to indulge his passionate lusts; when he believes the theory that man is nothing more than a higher order of animal who is expressing his primal instincts as he lives out an existence which has no real meaning or value; when the existence of an ultimate Lawgiver and Judge is denied so that there are no eternal consequences for one’s actions, what do we expect is going to result? 

Secular culture will once again believe the lie that mankind is basically good and still progressing toward greater heights of intellectual and moral virtue. It will once again cast the shooter as someone who simply suffered from some sort of mental illness. It will seek to ‘solve the problem’ with more legislation and regulations. But as Christians, we can learn from this tragedy the truth that we already know afresh: that “there is none righteous, not even one” (Rom 3:10), that mankind is not progressing toward utopia; he is the same as he has been since the Fall and the first murder shortly thereafter (Gen 4). We can once again be reminded of the truth that Satan is “a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him” (John 8:44). We can once again learn that the natural man is dead in his trespasses and sins (Eph 2:1) and that his mind is blinded by “the god of this world.” In short, we can learn again how much this world needs to see “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” People need truth and light; people need Christ! And we have that truth; we have that light; we know Jesus Christ and we have a message of hope that, by the power of God can shine through the darkness and bring hope and healing and a real solution to the real problem which is the fallen human condition! May this horrific event be a sober reminder to us, and may we learn this lesson anew. As we pray for healing and comfort for those who have lost loved ones in this senseless act, may we also be stirred up to speak the gospel to our friends and family and neighbors.

We were all saddened to hear this past week about the Cam High student killed outside his home by a hit-and-run driver, and yet another young man who was stabbed to death outside a Taco Bell on Flynn road. Two tragic deaths of two teenage boys within days in the same community is heartbreaking, not only for the families of these boys, but for the friends, teammates, teachers, faculties, and countless others whom these young lives touched. Whenever we hear of tragic events like this, it causes us to ask the ultimate questions of life.

As sad and paralyzing as these events may be, those of us who know Christ must remember that we have answers. We may not have all the answers; we may not be able to explain specifically why a particular tragic event occurred, but we have ultimate answers nonetheless. We know that tragedy and death are a result of the Fall and the general curse of sin upon mankind and upon the world (Gen 3). We know that God is always good, and even when life does not make sense, He is still in control of all things and permits things to happen for His sovereign purposes, and that He has promised that He “causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Rom 8:28). But beyond these ultimate truths, we know the good news that, despite the curse of sin, God has made a way for sinners to be reconciled to Himself and to one day enjoy a new heaven and new earth in which there will be no more death, no more mourning, no more crying, and where we can enjoy unbroken fellowship with God forevermore (Rev 21:1-7).

Despite all they know, oftentimes Christians feel like they are not equipped to help in times of tragedy. “That’s for the experts – pastors and counselors, but not me – what do I have to offer!” they say. But if you know Christ, you are more than equipped to be a source of help and comfort when those around you face tragedy – and sometimes you are the only person who is in a position that can really make a difference. Sometimes God puts those who feel the least adequate to help in a position which forces them to step out on faith and be bold for the sake of the kingdom (see Esther 4:13-14; Proverbs 17:17). Whether you’re in that position now or not,  at some point in your life you more than likely will be. So let me encourage you with a few points on how to help others who are grieving.

1. Be quiet! Oftentimes we start speaking because we don’t know what else to do, and even though the things we’re saying may be true and may be helpful at a later time, people who are dealing with the initial shock of tragedy don’t need someone to ram the sovereignty of God down their throats! What they need is a shoulder to lean on. You may remember that Job’s friends did a good job of this initially. Having heard of Job’s troubling circumstances, his three friends came “to sympathize with him and comfort him” (Job 2:11). They wept with him and then “they sat down on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights with no one speaking a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great” (v. 13). We can take a lesson from these guys at this point. They simply were there for their friend for a time, sharing in his pain (cf. Rom 15). The primary way to do this is to try to put yourself in the person’s shoes. You may realize that in a particular circumstance, that will not be hard for you to do because you’ve experienced something very similar. We must be careful to remember that no matter how identical our experiences, we can never completely understand the experience and feelings of another person, but God in His wisdom will oftentimes orchestrate circumstances to give His people the opportunity “to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (2 Cor 1:4)

2. Listen. There came a point after a week of quiet grief that Job began to speak, and what he said was pretty depressing. Even as a strong believer, out of the midst of his despair his words were not gleaming with the theological realities he knew to be true at the core of his being (although some of these came out later). Job was venting his frustration and agony, and that is common for people who are facing tragedy. Job’s friends did well listening for a short time, but it was not too long before they opened their mouths. They probably would have done well to listen for a while longer before jumping in. We need to learn how to be good listeners, giving people time to get their feelings out and trying to identify how we can specifically encourage them and perhaps even gently correct their thinking when the time is right.

3. Pray. After you’ve been quiet and wept and listened for a while, you’ll earn the right to be heard by the one who is
grieving. And at this point, it is right for you to speak (see Proverbs 25:11). However, the first words out of your mouth ought not to be directed to the person, but to God. Prayer is not only an act of dependence upon God, it is an act of love when it is offered on behalf of someone else. Prayer will draw the other person’s attention to God and your words of faith and dependence upon Him will be the most comforting sort you could initially speak.

4. Speak. After prayer, it is appropriate to speak directly to the person. However, what you say is very critical. You want to make sure that your words are gracious, compassionate, encouraging, and truthful. This is where Job’s friends went all wrong. Rather than offering words of comfort, they increased Job’s sorrow by hurling accusations at him. Not only did this reveal their real lack of compassion, but their wrong theology. They, like most people of that time, believed that God brought tragedy upon individuals as punishment for their own personal sin, and so they set out on a quest to get Job to come clean about some hidden sin that must have been the cause of his calamity. Job’s friends were not only wrong about Job (see Job 1), but their theology was wrong in general. When we speak, we must be careful about how we say things, and we must make sure that what we say is true. It is right to gently correct a person’s understanding of their circumstances in order to lead them to the truth that will provide hope, but it is never right to beat broken people over the head with sharp words, especially words that carry flawed theology! The driving content of what you say needs to be hope, because hope is what a person facing tragedy needs. Certainly the gospel is the ultimate news of hope, and in a tactful way, it is always wise to share the good news of Jesus Christ to a person who is has been stricken by tragedy.

4. Ask questions. Just as we struggle to keep our mouths shut initially when we arrive on the scene of tragedy, we have trouble containing ourselves when we begin to speak at the appropriate time. Typically broken people are not very responsive, even to the most profound truths, and so we may have the tendency to rattle on in an extended monologue, looking for a response. A better tactic that will help draw out the person’s feelings is to ask good, open-ended questions and then give him time to answer (Proverbs 20:5). Again, be a good listener and follow up on their answers with more specific questions. This dialogue is healthy for them, and it will keep you from becoming a further source of pain rather than a source of comfort!

5. Commit for the long haul. Sometimes people feel like they’ve listened all they can and said all they know and thus they have nothing left to do or say or offer. If you’ve reached this point, you’ve probably overstayed your welcome. You need to be sensitive to how much a person afflicted by tragedy can handle at the moment. You want to be helpful, not overbearing. But even if you feel like you’ve given all you’ve got already, you must realize that much of what you’ve said will not be remembered. It takes time for a person to begin to process the initial shock brought on by tragedy, and it will be a long road of ups and downs on the way to healing. You must recognize this and be willing to be there for the person as much as is appropriate for the long haul. You will have much more weeping, listening, praying, speaking, and questions to ask along the way. In fact, you will likely find yourself asking many of the same questions and saying many of the same things many times over again. But throughout the process of healing, God may be pleased to use you and your many interactions along the way to bring the person to salvation and/or to draw him closer to Himself…and you can rest assured that He will be at work in you for His good purposes as well.

We will continue to pray for those touched by the recent tragedies here in Camarillo, and that God will providentially be at work in these circumstances for His good purposes, using His own people to accomplish His will in the hearts and lives of men and women, boys and girls for His glory and for our good. If you find yourself in a position to be used by the Lord, may you find comfort in the fact that not one of us is adequate in and of himself, but through God and His word, we are “adequate, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim 3:17).

Camp gets students away from their normal, everyday environment and surrounds them with God’s creation and saturated Bible teaching. Campers experience the outdoors for an extended period of time and are exposed to the Scriptures more in one week than in a whole month, or in some cases, an entire year! Campers hear the gospel many times and are consistently challenged concerning their walk with the Lord, with godly counselors standing by to speak with them. Relationships among students as well as those among students and staff are formed and strengthened. There truly is no other youth activity that compares with camp!

The highlight of the year in Student Ministries is always summer camp, and 2015 is no different! On June 25-28, we will be heading to Cedar Lake Camp near Big Bear Lake. We are blessed to have Faith Community Church join us again, and look forward to their students and staff teaming up with ours. Our own pastor, Paul Phillipps, will be leading us through a study of the life of Joseph. We are praying that the Lord does a unique work in our students this year.

Our summer camp is open to any student in 6th-12th Grade. For more details, please call our church office at (805) 987-5051, or stop by anytime between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm M-F. We are located at 1101 Ponderosa Dr. Camarillo, CA 93010 (corner of Ponderosa and Lantana).