Responding To The Oregon Tragedy

“The Holy Spirit will teach you on that very hour what you ought to say” (Luke 12:12). 

At Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon, an armed man wearing body armor shot the professor and demanded that any of the cowering students who were Christians stand up.

Anastasia Boylan was among those who did so, and the gunman shot her. She fell, wounded, and then pretended to be dead. Then she heard the shooter say to another student, “Good, because you’re a Christian, you’re going to see God in just about one second.” Anastasia is in the hospital now, recovering.

In a time when followers of Christ in other parts of the world are beheaded or crucified for their faith, or driven out of their homelands as refugees, some Christians in the West have been far too quick to use the word “persecuted” to describe the decreasing tolerance for Christianity and Christian conviction in the public square.  Although many of our principles that we hold dearly to are not widely accepted and some are taken away, this does not constitute physical persecution.  It is one thing to have some of your principle beliefs removed, it is another thing to die for your faith.  We as Christians have it relatively easy in America and we will do well not to forget this.

How should Christians respond to the Oregon crisis? What is the heart of our Father?  

First, we need to be prepared to always give an answer to the hope that has been put within us (cf. 1 Peter 3:15).  When tragedies like this occur, pastor, you know what you ought to be preaching about on Sunday.  I am amazed to find out how many pastors struggle on what to preach on.  God gives us the topics and subjects on a regular basis – are we listening?

Christians, you know when you go to work or school, such topics you’ll be talking about that’s all over news will be the same topics on people’s minds. People without faith in Christ will be searching for answers. Jump right on in and share about the hope that has been placed within you.  God has wet the appetites of the people, water it with the Word and a thoughtful and gentle response.

Second, preach forgiveness.   I know this is not natural, and you’re right, to forgive such extreme evil is supernatural – it comes from God. This is how people know that Christians got something more than man-made psychology. 

  

Third, this is our time in the Spirit to wax eloquent on the nature of God. People are going to be asking, “How can God allow this to happen?” Their view of God is distorted.  You are given the task to help clarify and add much needed light to their view of God. Of course, don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t know.”  This is nothing to be ashamed of. The topic of God is well beyond our mental grasp. But the Bible does give to us many crucial and clarifying informative doctrines about the nature of God.    Pass it on!

When it comes to witnessing about Christ, I hear Christians often say, “I don’t know what to say?”  Start paying attention to what is going on in the world around the people you are with, and God will show you the needs and how to respond.