Sometimes having a strong conviction can be uncomfortable and inconvenient when challenging leaders in authority. In my example today - it’s my pastor. For me, my conviction to challenge him by supporting the nation of Israel falls in that category. I’ll explain that in a second.
First, some background.
As a leader in my community, in the arena of public policy and faith, I’ve had the conviction for over 30 years to initiate tours of the Holy Land. These trips have shored up my own understanding of Israel, and I’ve been able to compare the geography and culture of Israel with the things I’ve read in the Bible / seen on TV.
My family (and many of my friends) join me in this conviction. So, since 1995 many of us have traveled to Israel together. Overall, I’ve led or co-led seven tours. At different times and on different occasions my family has joined me on these trips too– some trips even included Egypt.
My conviction was to introduce many American friends and family to the Middle East – and over these many years, approximately 160+ people have joined us. Personally, I wanted to use my gifts to help Israel, too. After I ran for US Congress in 2000, I worked with The International Christian Embassy, Jerusalem. In 2006 I had the honor of serving as the first Idaho director for Christians United for Israel.
Each trip to Israel has had its own flavor.
Susan has joined me on 4 trips. On one special trip in 1997 we renewed our wedding vows in the Garden of Gethsemane with our tour group in attendance. It was our 20th wedding anniversary.
On another tour, in 1999, people from all over Idaho joined the group. KTSY, a local radio station, helped advertise and we brought together an amazing group of people - one of which was an 80 year old retired pastor, Orvil Stiles. Meg, our (at the time) teen-age daughter, came too. She and I took that group of folks and traveled the length and breadth of the country.
In Jerusalem, Meg challenged a very tired Orvil Stiles to shake off his tiredness, get up from the bench, and enter into the very tomb where Jesus rose from the dead. Pastor Orvil said he was “just too tired.” Meg wouldn’t let him off the hook. She insisted that he walk into that empty tomb. Seeing what he was up against in Meg, the pastor DID rise up and obeyed the 15-year-old young lady. It was beautiful to see him alone in that empty tomb singing songs and hymns with such joy and strength. He was young again and completely happy. Meg’s convictions convinced Pastor Stiles.
As a young boy and then as a teenager, Colin traveled with me to Israel three times, all during times of Middle East conflict. Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and the Sea of Galilee were all a part of the adventure. On one of the trips, we went to Egypt and climbed onto (and inside) the Pyramid at Cheops.
In 2010 for his high school Senior Class Trip, we led Colin’s small home school co-op group to Israel – even inviting some pastors to attend. No pastors joined the group; but all the high school kids did go. One group had convictions, one group did not.
I love Israel, not just because I’ve visited it so many times, but because Israel is where God redeemed mankind – first the Jew and then the Gentile. It is where God so loved the world that he sent his only son, Jesus, to die for us, pay for our sins and then prove his position by being resurrected. As my heart-connected, tour co-leader, Tim Cowles, says: “Jerusalem is the umbilical cord from God to mankind, whom He created.”
Convictions guide us back to what we ALL believe in, again and again – and they demand the following:
- A conviction is an idea that is central to your life. It could be business, theology, science, history or politics. It is your anchor that holds firm in the gale force winds.
- Action must spring from your beliefs. This is best found in the old adage that a breakfast of bacon and eggs explains it all – chickens are interested, but pigs are committed.
- Consequences will always follow convictions. A belief moves your actions to results – which have consequences.
Ideas central to your life are called convictions.
What would you literally live your whole life for? What ideas animate your day-to-day living? I mentioned business, theology, science, history and politics – as a conservative, all four of those areas of thought have held sway in my life since I was a young man.
My love of business started at age 12 with a newspaper route and then with a job as an usher at a movie theater. My choice of university was based on my love of American history. My dabbling in faith issues was based on being raised as a child in Catholicism. Science captivated me with physics as well as examining biology - all the while disagreeing with Darwin’s beliefs.
Politics directed my beliefs as an adult when, in my first presidential general election, I voted for the most conservative of the two national candidates – and it was candidate Jimmy Carter, not President Ford. Four years later I chose Ronald Reagan, because President Carter’s initial conservative convictions were superficial.
These convictions are central to my life. They guide and direct my thinking, planning and living. Think of them as guide-rails that keep one’s life moving forward.
What beliefs are central to YOUR life? Consider writing out a simple personal outline about what you believe. Somehow putting pen to paper helps us ALL own our beliefs.
What actions are springing from your beliefs?
Centering in on the issue of business, ask yourself if you’re hiring vendors or shopping at stores that truly mirror your worldview – are they providing a product or a service that honors your family, your community and your state? Do they spin off donations to causes you agree with? Do you feel you belong with that business; and that you appreciate their hard work on behalf of others? Is the opposite true?
Regarding theology: how is your love of God showing itself as action in your life? Please notice that I did not ask you if you were feeding the hungry, etc – you may in fact be doing something along those lines. Does your action truly show your love of God or do you have a self-focused reason for doing it?
I asked you how your (personal) love of God is showing itself in YOUR life. In other words, how gentle are you? How well do you listen to others, rather than wait for your time to talk? How quiet are you when every impulse in you wants to defend your position?
On the opposite side of life, how willing are you to speak firmly against an issue without having to summon your *inner barbarian? (*Ha, that’s one I’ve had personal experience with – sometimes failing miserably, sometimes surprisingly succeeding.)
I think you see my point: good actions spring from solid and positive beliefs. Returning back to the example of Israel, here are some actions that I initiated.
Consequences follow convictions.
After October 7th 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel in a horrific act of violence and death a U.S. state-by-state show of support for Israel was planned. Many American citizens of all faiths immediately began holding “We Support Israel” rallies.
Idaho, where I live, was no exception. A rally was organized at the Capitol. I was invited and decided to ask my senior pastor to make an announcement to our whole church, inviting the congregation.
He said “no”; I was slack-jawed, at his negative response.
So, I challenged my pastor.
I’ve known him to be a fine man; for 23 years my family and I attended the church he leads. I still see him that way. We buried one child and married two others from this church. He explained to me in clear terms that he did not view the Israel of today as the Israel of the Bible that the Book of Revelation speaks of and therefore it was no more theologically significant than Ireland or Iceland.
He explained that he was an “amillennialist” – one who believes that Christ will not rule on the Earth for a thousand years. His belief is that it’s a symbolic reference to the current church age and that Israel holds no special place in today’s life and times.
It simply seemed wrong to me. My shock was real. I scheduled four different meetings with my pastor to discuss this issue. I gave him information to consider, he pointed me to written material that supported his belief.
From October 2023 to March 2024, Susan and I continued attending this church as I wrestled with what “action” must now follow my “conviction”. Supporting Israel, in my view, was a non-negotiable issue.
I could not set aside my conviction on the importance of Israel to sit under his teaching. Therefore, we had to leave the church we had so enjoyed for two-plus decades.
I thanked the pastor, hugged him and said goodbye. This decision was uncomfortable and inconvenient. (After my recent operation, this pastor was very kind in texting me during my recovery.)
For nearly a year, Susan and I have been visiting many churches; it looks as though we’re settling in on one in particular, a church that matches our convictions on supporting Israel.
A conviction is an idea that is central to your life. It is your anchor that holds firm in the gale force winds; and solid actions must spring from your beliefs because consequences will always follow convictions. Come what may, you MUST take your stand.
How are your convictions helping you to stand your ground?
Do you need to make some changes so the way you live your life lines up with your convictions?
Use a little Nike philosophy and Just Do It.
More later,
Den
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- A great author to read on Israel is Malcolm Hedding. He’s been a good friend of mine for years and speaks and writes on the issue of Israel’s special place in God’s heart.
- If you’re not sure what you believe regarding the Millennium, a great book to read and determine your beliefs is The Meaning of the Millennium, edited by Robert G. Clouse.
- If your convictions in life need shoring up, here is a wonderful speaker/songwriter that will challenge you. His name is Keith Green. The book is called No Compromise.