Patriotism will have a place in some services during this Fourth of July weekend, several local religious leaders said. But others note they will focus on God, not country.

“Obviously, our loyalty lies with Christ and the kingdom of God, but I think good citizenship goes hand-in-hand with Christianity,” said Amos Humphries, pastor of Park Lake Drive Baptist Church.

Park Lake Drive Baptist Church pastor Amos Humphries said the congregration will recite the Pledge of Allegiance to both the United States and Christian flags during Sunday services.
Jerry Larson / Waco Tribune-Herald

At some houses of worship, church leaders will include “God Bless America” and “The Star-Spangled Banner” in their song service. Others will say the Pledge of Allegiance and invite youngsters to carry flags.

But some churches said they will carry the patriotic theme only so far, if at all.

“The way I see it, my allegiance is to the lamb of God, not to any particular political entity or country or nation,” said Jimmy Abbott, assistant rector of St. Alban’s Episcopal Church. “I love the U.S.A., but when it comes down to it, my leader is Jesus Christ. The message that needs to be heard is his message.”

Celebrating our independence at a picnic is fine, said Abbott, “but in church, you celebrate Jesus.”

Recognizing freedom

John Dirk, pastor of the First Methodist Church of Woodway, said the church will sing a couple of patriotic songs and recognize God’s blessings on the nation and the freedom Americans enjoy.

Regretfully, Dirk said, he believes we are living in a “post-Christian era.”

“At one point, everything centered around a deity, primarily a Christian deity. That was the background of our founders,” he said. “But over the past 100 years or so, Christians have become cowed and made to feel guilty over their non-inclusiveness. We don’t adhere to Scripture, where Jesus said only through him do we get to the father.

“You either adhere to the Christian faith or you don’t.”

Stephen Rynearson, pastor of Peace Lutheran Church, said Christians have obligations to both their God and their government.

He will quote passages from the gospel on Sunday to prove his point, specifically the verse in which Jesus said, “Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s.”

Jesus Christ was responding to questioners who asked if Jews should pay taxes to Roman authorities. Jesus replied by asking them to produce a Roman coin, which contained an inscription and the name Caesar.

Rabbi Gordon Fuller at Congregation Agudath Jacob said a service today will include prayers for the country, patriotic songs and a discussion of American freedom and challenges facing the country.

“We certainly don’t believe this is a Jewish nation or a Christian nation. We believe in separation of church and state,” said Fuller, who directed another service at the synagogue Friday evening.

Patrick McCary, pastor of Columbus Avenue Church of Christ, said he will continue a series on heroes and how they sometimes come in small packages.

David and Goliath

He will use David’s slaying of Goliath as an example.

“He was a young boy, a huge underdog and no one expected him to accept that challenge,” McCary said. “The theme is similar to that of our fight against England to win our independence.”

McCary said he will not go overboard in his observance of July Fourth.

“You need to be grounded and faithful to your country, the Bible teaches us that, but I’m not saying by any stretch that you must fly a flag if you’re a Christian,” McCary said. “Sometimes we over-commercialize patriotism.”

Church of the Open Door will mark the holiday with a car show today.

“Christians ought to be patriots in the truest sense of the world,” pastor Ronnie Holmes said. “If the government gets off-base on biblical principles, we as Christians should call it back into order.”

Humphries said Christians should not forget the 13th chapter of Romans, where the apostle Paul writes:

“Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.”

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