“How can I not have faith?”
The trombonist of my favorite high school band inspired me at one of their recent shows. Here’s the story.
I had the great pleasure of hearing two of my favorite bands from high school while in Denver last week. Those bands are: MxPx and Five Iron Frenzy. The latter was essential to my spiritual growth as a teen, and I credit them with helping me keep my faith.
After the show, I got to talk to FIF’s trombonist, Dennis Culp. I told him I wished I could go see them the following day for their full set in Fort Collins, but I had a flight to catch and I had to preach the next morning. When I mentioned being a Mennonite pastor, Dennis said that he, too, had dabbled in Anabaptism. I then asked him if he kept the faith, and he said yes. I looked at him and remarked that it can be hard to do so, these days.
Dennis looked back at me and said, “How can I not have faith?” He said his faith helped him from succumbing to the despair he saw all around. I talked about how my despair was so often caused by other Christians that it can make faith difficult.
It was almost a déjà vu moment. Several decades have passed. I’m no longer a high school student, but a pastor and a father of two children–yet here was the group called Five Iron Frenzy helping me hold on to my faith. Sharing experiences like this about belief is of great value for all of us.
I was glad to talk to Dennis Culp, and I am glad to be surrounded by people who hold onto their faith despite what is still being done in the name of Jesus. Christian Nationalists, for example, continue to malign minorities they don’t understand, including Christians of color and queer Christians. I’m glad we can still proclaim the Gospel, despite being surrounded by its worst interpreters.
I know many people aren’t as lucky as Dennis and me. They’ve been burned too often to keep holding on to Christianity and the church. I lament that I, myself, have contributed to the loss of faith for some. Remember that Jesus says it is better for a millstone to be hung around the necks of those who cause the weak to lose their faith than to know the judgment that awaits them.
But I also want to say that it also takes courage to let go. Too often, Christians haven’t given people the option to walk away, lest they suffer judgment and eternal torment. It’s essential to be able to walk away if one’s faith violates conscience. I’m grateful to still be a believer, but I also am ready to walk with people who need to let go. There isn’t only one noble path.
In the meantime, those of us who remain committed to Jesus need to keep resisting, keep talking back, keep fighting against hatred and bigotry. Let’s not let the loudest Christians speak for all of us. We can stand firmly against their abuse of the gospel.
Let’s do it together.