The Most Important Lesson of the Charleston Shootings

9 Christians are dead. They welcomed a young stranger into their midst, treated him with kindness and grace, and he killed them. Ruthlessly and without remorse he shot them all because of the color of their skin. The killer has been appropriately described as a monster, a beast and a psychopath, but the family members of the slain called him something else and with their words taught us all what it means to be a Christian.

When the gunman was brought for a preliminary hearing the family members were allowed to address him in the court room. One by one they went to the podium and addressed the video screen on which the murderer’s image could be seen. Here are some of the things they said-

“I forgive you, my family forgives you. … We would like you to take this opportunity to repent. Do that and you'll be better off than you are right now.”

“You hurt me. You hurt a lot of people. But God forgive you. I forgive you.”

“For me, I'm a work in progress, and I acknowledge that I'm very angry. We have to forgive. I pray God on your soul”

“You took something very precious away from me. I will never talk to her ever again. I will never be able to hold her again. But I forgive you. And have mercy on your soul.”

Their lack of vitriol, malice and a desire for vengeance was astonishing. Their loved ones had been brutally murdered, at church. Families were shattered, parents and children were gone. Instead of calling him a monster they called him forgiven. How could these suffering people forgive such a man?

The answer can be found on the official website for the AME Church. A part of their statement of faith is the Apostle’s Creed, which says-

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ his only son our Lord who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead; and buried. The third day he arose from the dead’ he ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from there he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Church Universal, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting.

They forgave, because they are forgiven.

They do not despair, because they believe that death is not the end.

They rest in the assurance that they will someday be reunited with those they have lost, that no evil deed done by a man on earth can alter their eternal destiny. Their loved ones that are gone are not gone forever, they are in the presence of God. They understand that as terrible a man as the shooter is, he is still loved by God and that God could save him and change him, and that would be a good and glorious thing.

In a letter written by the Apostle Peter to the church at large he spoke of the power of faith through trials such as these-

“Though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials, these have come so that your faith… may be proved genuine and may result in praise glory and honor.” 1 Peter 1:6-7

I thank God for the encouragement and testimony of the AME Church of Charleston. Their faith has been proved genuine indeed.

- Bart

Facing Death at Forty

She is in her early forties. She is thin and appears fit and healthy. She isn’t. She can’t walk much more than 100 feet before crippling chest pain sets in. She can’t work and she can't exercise. She recently tried to walk to the corner store on her own but passed out on the way. Her cardiologist has told her she is never to walk alone again. It is too dangerous.

She has lived this way for a few years now, cursed with coronary arteries that spasm for no reason, constricting so severely that she has the crushing pain of angina, the sensation that she is having a heart attack. She lives in constant fear that her heart might stop at any time, that one day a heart attack will actually happen.

There are many medications for coronary spasm but she has not been able to tolerate any of them. They all work by dilating blood vessels which means they lower blood pressure. Her blood pressure is low without medications and even the lowest dose of the standard medications results in dangerously low blood pressure. She has seen multiple cardiologists who have discussed her case with multiple other cardiologists but no solution has been found. She continues to suffer. 

I did some online research on coronary spasm and came across an article on the subject written by a cardiologist an hour north of us. I reached out via email and asked the doctor if she would be willing to see my patient in consultation. My patient scheduled a visit as soon as she could. She came to see me a few days before the consult to go over her records. As I reviewed her history I was once again moved by the challenges she faces.

We talked about how hard it was and she shared with me how important her faith is in helping her get through each day, that she reminds herself continually to trust in God. We talked about the reality that God does not heal everyone and that we may not find an answer or a cure. He does not always grant our requests.

With this in mind I reminded her of one of the central truths of our faith- this life is not all there is. Eternity awaits. We tend to focus on our present circumstances but it is our eternal destiny that matters and how our eternity is not dependent on our current condition. We talked about how God’s eternal plan for her has not been altered by any of her current sufferings. His promises are based on His goodness, not our condition. She told me that she clings to this truth everyday.

We closed the visit with a prayer and she went on her way. As she left I reflected on her faith and example. I was reminded of one of the purposes of Christian suffering as described in 1 Peter 1- “These trials will show that your faith is genuine.” Her steadfastness through tough times has shown her faith to be real. I pray that when illness and suffering come to my life I will be equally strong.

- Bart

If you know someone in need of encouragement through suffering, feel free to share this post with them. You can have all posts delivered to your inbox by clicking on the subscribe link or follow me on twitter @bartbarrettmd.

"Too Christian" to be a Doctor

I have gathered a collection of insults over the course of my 25 years as a physician. I have been called stupid, old, racist, arrogant, ignorant, too young (okay, this was a long time ago), unkind and once I was even called "a threat to children." This week I became the recipient of a new label. I heard that a specialist colleague told a potential patient that I was “too Christian” to be his primary care doctor.

I was taken aback by the news, surprised that a colleague would view my faith as a negative for my practice. In response to his words I stopped and considered the ways in which my faith has entered into my interactions with patients. I wondered if there were times I had crossed that an invisible line and gone too far, if I had gone from encouragement to offense. I discussed the topic with my staff, not all of whom share my faith and perspective. I realized that there are many ways in which I allow my faith to influence patient care but that these ways have for the most part made me a better person and doctor.  I have described many of them previous posts but decided to take the opportunity to share some the things I do differently because I am a doctor who is a devout Christian.

1-      I pray for my patients, and when appropriate, I pray with my patients. When I do pray in the office, I intentionally avoid denominational or theological lingo. Unless I am certain that the person has a Christian faith, I do not use the name of Jesus (He knows who I am talking to anyway!) I try to carefully assess the patient’s openness and then always ask for permission. Since studies have shown that half of patients actually want this, it seems reasonable. My experience is that patients are grateful for the additional expression of concern.

2-      I try to be more forgiving. My staff says I do this too often, but because of my faith, I intentionally extend more grace when patients are late, non-complaint, or unhappy. The Golden Rule requires it of me. I find my patients are more forgiving of me as a result.

3-      I give more hugs. I continually pray that God will help me love my patients more and serve them better. Overtime this has led me to listen better and care more, which leads to hugs, which seem to be appreciated!

4-      I stand up for my patients more. Since my faith is more concerned with doing right than being accepted, I find myself defending my patients and standing up for their rights. This means going the extra mile in fighting to get medications or therapy approved.

5-      I am more available. My office hours have become more of a suggestion that a rigid rule. When it is truly needed I come in early, stay late or work through my lunch hour. Just this last Saturday I met a patient at the office to suture a hand laceration. I did it because I could.

6-      I am more respectful of my patients time. My faith teaches me that I am no better than anyone else, that my medical degree does nothing to change my standing before God. I am a wretched sinner just like anyone else. This has led me to be more respectful of the time and needs of my patients, and is in large part why I give away Starbucks gift cards when I fall behind schedule!

7-      I often refer to Biblical passages when I talk. Some might call this risky but I have seen it have a powerful impact in my counseling with patients. Truth is truth and wisdom is wisdom and I see no reason to avoid either just because they originate from Scripture. The passages I refer to the most have common applications. I use Adam and Eve to illustrate the truth that people in trouble tend to hide their problems and run from help. I quote the wisdom of Romans 12 to people dealing with depression or addiction as a reminder that we are all broken in our thinking and that trusting in our own thoughts can lead to trouble. Passages such as these are often a source of encouragement to patients.

I am not boasting in this post. None of the behaviors I describe come naturally to me, and for the most part were not a part of my early practice. These things came about through a lot of prayer and a lot of work. I am not by nature a very nice or kind person. I am a Christian who asks God to change me every day, to allow me to be His hands to touch and heal others.

After thinking about it, I have decided that being “too Christian” is a criticism I can willingly accept. It is far better than someone saying I am not Christian enough!

-          Bart

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Why Pastors Fail

If you attend enough churches you will eventually come across a pastor who makes you ask, “How did this guy end up in the ministry?” I have attended enough churches and I have asked the question many times. I have listened to awful sermons, terrible in both content and delivery, some bordering on unintentional heresy. Some pastors do not appear to know what they are talking about while others struggle to say what they want to say. I have seen dysfunctional pastors who could not lead or communicate effectively with staff and volunteers. A trait shared by all of these struggling men was a  belief they were called to the ministry.

It is this sense of calling that underlies many pastoral struggles. There is a huge difference between the call to service and ministry and the call to “the ministry” or vocational ministry. All believers are called to ministry and service, all are called to serve with their whole heart and all of their being.  For young believers excited about their faith and desiring to serve God it is easy to mistake this universal call to service for the much rarer call to full-time vocational ministry.

This misunderstood calling may be because young people who grow up in youth groups are often exposed to very few layperson role models who are fulfilling the universal call. What should be common in the church, lay people serving wholeheartedly and actively participating in Kingdom work, is seldom seen by young people planning a career. We live in a culture where ministry is what pastors do, not what lay people do. 

The end result is that when a young person shows a passion for God he is told that he should “go into the ministry.” Instead of pursuing a vocation within their skill set and calling, instead of impacting the world as a faithful servant of Christ in the world, they enter full-time ministry, and they struggle. They have a heart for God, a heart for people and a desire to serve, but they do not have the gifts, the calling or the skill set, so they fail.

I nearly fell into this trap. I have been blessed with a public speaking gift and have a heart for God, so I was encouraged as a young man of 19 to “go into the ministry.” Fortunately my first foray into ministry was as a volunteer working with junior high students. I was terrible at it. It took only a few weeks to discover that I definitely was NOT called to full-time vocational ministry! I sought a different path while maintaining a desire to make a difference.

I never went to seminary and have never been on a church's payroll but I am still in ministry. I serve the patients God brings my way and regularly share my faith, often to people who would never interact with a pastor. I have used my speaking, teaching and writing gifts regularly over the years. In fact, there have been a number of years where I have preached more than many pastors I know! I have done this while avoiding the disaster that would have come if I had been a full-time pastor. For most of my adult life I have lacked the compassion, understanding and patience required to successfully lead a congregation. If I had listened to those who had encouraged me to be a pastor I would have hurt many and failed miserably. I would also have missed my true calling.

I share this post in the hope that it may encourage others to reconsider their calling without guilt or shame. Young people considering a career in ministry need to take a step back and be sure of their calling, to be very careful before heading down the path to becoming a pastor. Remember the admonition of James, "Let not many be teachers!" I am a living example that it is possible to fulfill one's calling without being a pastor. I am convinced that the majority of God’s work is accomplished outside of the church walls by God-loving people in the course of their daily lives. Ministry happens everywhere, and no one needs to be a pastor or have a seminary degree to participate!

I write to remind pastors who are struggling in ministry that it is okay to think of a life outside of the pastorate and to reassess their gifts and calling. It is possible to leave a paid staff position and still contribute vitally to the ministry of the body of Christ. There is an incredible amount of ministry that needs to be done out in the world by committed lay people. For some currently in the pastorate this is where they need to be.

Pastors who are currently comfortable in their calling need to take the time to evaluate the message they are sending to young people. When teaching and preaching are only done by pastors, lay people are being taught that this is the only way to utilize these gifts. When all leadership is in the hands of pastors, when ministry oversight and creation is limited to paid staff, talented leaders can conclude that there is no place for their gifts in the church. We unintentionally present them with the false choice of work or ministry.

To counteract this message pastors need to seek out lay people living missionally in their vocations, to raise up, empower and equip gifted such people to use the gifts that God has given (maybe even in the pulpit and in ministry oversight!.) We need to highlight the roles of these lay people so they can be an example to young people of what the universal call to ministry looks like. Young people need to see that they do not need to choose between ministry and vocation so they can avoid the future failure that awaits those who are mistaken in their sense of calling. 

- Bart

Church members and leaders, if you are interested in a lay person coming and speaking to your congregation or group I can be reached through the contact page on this website. I can be followed on Twitter @bartbarrettmd .  You can have each post delivered to your inbox by clicking on the subscribe button.

A Pastor's Shocking Behavior

In my 21 years of medical practice and 40 years of church attendance I have seen a lot of unexpected behavior from men in ministry. From adultery and arrests to dishonesty and gossip, I have seen almost all there is to see, or so I thought. In the last week I encountered a pastor who treated me in a way that caught me totally off guard.

Two weeks ago I visited a local church for the very first time. The people seemed friendly and the sermon was excellent so I thought I might return for a prayer service later in the week. The next day I discovered that the prayer meeting conflicted with a medical staff meeting I was required to attend.  I sent the pastor an email asking how long the prayer meeting would last as I was wondering if I would  be able to make it for the latter half. Although we had never met he answered me within a few hours, saying he hoped I could make it to the meeting and that he would love to meet me, perhaps over lunch.

I was impressed by his timely and courteous response. Two days later my medical meeting was cancelled so I was able to make it to the prayer meeting on time. That is when things took an unexpected turn. Before the meeting of about 80 people began he walked up to me and shook my hand saying, “So glad you could make it!” My email to him had included my website in my signature line. I realized he had taken the time to look at the site and thus recognized me from my photo. He had gone out of his way to identify me and make me feel welcome!

Things got weirder after the meeting concluded. I went up to him and thanked him for replying to my message and he repeated his lunch invitation! His initial invite was not the shallow and empty courtesy invite that so many others make in our society. He actually meant it! He even suggested a day to meet. We exchanged emails again the next day and agreed to meet this last Tuesday.

He surprised me again the morning of the meeting with an email confirmation, then continued his ridiculous behavior by showing up on time for lunch. His unanticipated niceness continued for the next 75 minutes as he openly and graciously shared about the church and his heart for the community. I asked direct questions about doctrine, church government and his philosophy for ministry and he answered all of them without a trace of defensiveness. I am a man who is hard to impress but I walked away truly impressed with his kindness and professionalism.

As I reflect back on our interactions and conversations I am reminded how important simple things can be. Kindness, promptness, courtesy and respect are all too often lacking in our culture. These attributes are seemingly small and insignificant but their presence or absence reveal much about a person’s heart and character. When we are kind, prompt, courteous and respectful, we tell others that we value them in a powerful way, a way that may be shocking!

When I consider the manner in which Jesus dealt with others I am reminded that He was the perfect role model for interpersonal interaction. The gospel writers describe His encounters with shamed prostitutes, tax collectors, social outcasts, soldiers, religious zealots, rich nobles, blind beggars, grieving mourners, adulterous women and little children. In every circumstance He loved and served. If we are to truly bear His name we can do no less.

-          Bart

I purposely did not name the church or the pastor. Based on our brief interaction I do not believe he would want to be identified or praised. If you live in the Huntington Beach area and are looking for a church, send me a private message through the site and I will tell you more about the church he pastors. Remember I can be followed on twitter @bartbarrettmd and that you can subscribe to the blog to have posts delivered directly to your inbox.