Raising A Reconstructionist Army

The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest. Mt. 9:37

The State of the War

The problem is not a new one. There is a world to be rebuilt, but few Christians are willing to do anything more than hold hands for Jesus. Oh, there are reasons, good reasons: luke-warm churches filled with spiritually dead wood, insipid preaching tailored for jaded ears, entertainment-oriented worship keeping people so busy playing at church they have little enough time left for real ministry. But the sad fact is that in the Great War Against Humanism, most Christians are simply AWOL. And the few Christians who do show up for the battle are so often so badly trained, they are either quickly overwhelmed by the enemy or subverted to suit his agenda. One has only to look at the so-called “Christian” Coalition to see how easily sincere, motivated and dedicated believers can be used, abused and taken advantage of.

“Reconstructionists” talk a better line, and make plenty of witty and acerbic comments about the failure of American evangelicalism. Yet when it comes to actually doing something, too many are also on the sidelines. Some are too “holy” to dirty their hands with actual work. Others just don’t know how to put into practice what we so eloquently preach.

Faithfulness in Small Battles

Part of the problem is that we are fighting a war on multiple fronts with all the attendant confusion, anxiety and downright panic characteristic of an army on the verge of disaster (trusted old military maxim: when in danger or in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout). The simple fact is that Christians are not ready for dominion in the “big things” yet. We are not ready because we have not demonstrated faithfulness in the “little things.” The Kingdom is like leaven, small, innocuous, almost unnoticeable until it permeates and affects the entire loaf. And that is one of the keys to raising a victorious Christian army, start slow, exercise faithful dominion in the areas God has already given us and watch the leaven work its power.

God is sovereign! We are not forced to compromise God’s law now for short-term gains (or make ungodly alliances with pagans). Victory will come in the war against humanism, idolatry, paganism and apostasy. But an untrained army is an armed mob. We need trained troops, quality troops, dedicated troops that will take time to raise, train and equip. Granted, there are some battles that must be fought now! Praise God, we have some highly motivated people fighting a holding action against the worst effects of humanism. They are buying the rest of us precious time to gather the resources necessary for the great counterattack. Therefore we need to use that time wisely in the unglamorous task of recruiting and training our army. This is not a war that will be won in a single generation, and therefore we need to plan and work toward a greater future. For the sake of illustration, I’d like to offer my church as one example (neither the only nor necessarily the best) of how Christians can begin preparing troops for our eventual victory.

Reformed, therefore Reconstructionist

First, we do not use the terms “reconstructionism” or “theonomy” to describe either our church or her ministries. Sadly, the words have been so misunderstood by so many that they just carry too much extra baggage. Much as one might object, most people think “Reconstruction” is about power politics and “taking over” the country, executing homosexuals, adulterers and rebellious teenagers while ramming Christianity down everyone’s throat (sort of a Christian version of Iran). Such people almost cannot help but think that way. Humanism is so pervasive that few people think in Biblical categories anymore. They cannot imagine how a nation could be Christianized without a top-down tyrannical dictatorship. It just seems incredulous to them that the grace of God manifested through the preaching of the Word and the faithful obedience of God’s people could rebuild a civilization from the ground up.

Lakeside Church simply identifies itself as a Reformed church, with Presbyterian polity that seeks to love and obey God. We unapologetically call for Christians to submit every area of life to the Lordship of Christ; personal, familial, social and political. In other words, for Christians to be faithful to that Reformed heritage. Is it my fault that the historic Reformed Faith looks more like “Reconstruction” than contemporary broad evangelicalism? (True story: the most controversial sermon series I ever preached was on the Ten Commandments. A small segment of the church reacted virulently to all this “reconstructionist” nonsense. It was only after the series was over that I revealed the source of my material: the Larger Catechism of the Westminster Confession!) 

Biblical Application

Secondly, my job as a pastor is to teach God’s people, God’s law, commandments, statutes and judgments (as in the Westminster Confession 19:5-7, LC Q&A 94, 95, 97, 99, etc., Mt. 5:17-20, Jn. 14:21, etc.). That in itself is life-changing. Too many Reformed Christians have impeccable doctrine, but are woefully deficient in making practical application. It is almost as if some pastors have adopted essentially neo-platonic theology, i.e., right thoughts = right actions. But the Scriptures require pastors to preach so that God’s people will obey (2 Tim. 4:2). We are to meditate on the Law so that we might be careful to do “according to all that is written in it” (Josh. 1:8). If there is no application from a sermon, if it does not instruct us in how to grow in grace and obedience, then the pastor has wasted his time, and ours Jn. 14:21).

Advanced Infantry Training

Thirdly, though the pastor’s role is important, it is not magisterial. Pastors are not popes and the institutional church is not the army. To the contrary, the church is better viewed as Advanced Infantry Training. The institutional church preaches the word and administers the sacraments (vital and central ministries). But most of the real work of dominion will occur through the whole body as Christians exercise their individual callings. Therefore, at Lakeside, we exhort each individual household to apply God’s law in the spheres He has entrusted to them. We have no big programs, no session mandated- ministries (apart from our deacons), no grandiose plans. But our people take God’s word seriously and consistently act upon it. The session does not try to run people’s lives. We just try to give people the opportunity and support to identify and fulfill their own individual callings. We tell them what God expects and then let them get on with it.

Primacy of Family Government

Fourthly, if the church is advanced training, basic training takes place in the home. Dominion begins with the family. As Rushdoony notes, the family is a man’s first school, church and state. If Christians fail here, then we can expect little success in the greater war. It is significant that God requires elders to manage their own households first, before they are to he entrusted with the household of God (cf. 1 Tim. 3:4-5).

Therefore as a church, we have tried to reestablish the primacy of the family as the foundational sphere of government. Since men are held accountable by God for the welfare of their families, we teach, exhort, admonish, encourage and equip them to take responsibility for leading in their homes. Daily family worship is taught, emphasized, encouraged and expected. The Directory for Family Worship (published by the Church of Scotland in 1647, reprinted by Greenville Seminary), has been of enormous benefit, as well as Rushdoony’s Toward A Christian Marriage and Doug Wilson’s Reforming Marriage. All three have been read and discussed in our Monthly Smoke-Blowing, Calorie-Consuming, Men’s Breakfast and Kibitzing Society. Fathers are held accountable to catechize their children, teach their wives and be responsible, self-sacrificial, godly heads of their households.

Our men meet separately on Sunday evenings for intensive training in theology, hermeneutics and exegesis. Christians need a sound theological basis and a consistent, Biblical world view if they are to exercise dominion in their callings. The men meet to encourage each other, admonish each other and help each other to be the men God wants them to be. No touchy, feelie nonsense here, just iron sharpening iron (with the occasional spark!). We rigorously train our men in the Reformed Faith: the same Faith that saw our spiritual ancestors harassed, imprisoned, tortured, and martyred because they proclaimed the Crown Rights of King Jesus. The same Faith that transformed the medieval world as Calvin turned Geneva into a “city on a hill and a light to the nations.” The same Faith that motivated the Scottish Presbyterians to reform one nation, and the New England Puritans to build another.

However, it is crucial that we do not just study doctrine, but rather emphasize its meaning and application in every area of life. Instead of a bunch of ivory-towered intellectuals useless in the real world, we need to develop men who are both principled and pragmatic; men who can sit in the city gate dispensing God’s wisdom; men committed to the truth, articulate in the truth, but humble and gentle toward one another (cf. 1 Cor. 8:lff). Leaders, lovingly and gently serving their wives and children at home is the first step in exercising dominion in the world.

Some people are surprised Lakeside does not have couple’s Bible studies. The reason is partially pragmatic, partially principle. If Scripture requires husbands to teach their families (cf. Deut. 6:4ff), then where do couples studies fit in? If women are to remain silent in the church and ask their husbands at home to explain the Law (1 Cor. 14:34-35), why encourage open discussion groups where women are often more vocal than the men? (The pragmatic reason is that I have never found a gracious way to tell a woman she’s dead wrong without offending her grievously. And once you offend the wife, the husband is honor bound to come to her defense.) Men and women think differently. Men usually like the rough-and- tumble challenge of swapping ideas, heated discussion and pointed remarks. Woman often find the same setting unruly and uncomfortable and so we separate them.

Training Women

Therefore, sixthly, godly women need to he encouraged, strengthened and supported in their countercultural role. Women today are bombarded by the most intensive propaganda campaign in history. They are often torn, frustrated, confused and anxious because of the conflicting messages from popular culture, schools, husbands, employers, friends and the church.

At Lakeside, we try to help women develop a clear, unambiguous vision of their role and calling. For example, in their studies, the older women teach the younger ones how to love their husbands and children, be workers at home, sensible, pure, etc. (cf. Titus 2:4-5). On their own, the woman decided not to study theological issues because they felt that this usurped their husbands’ role. Instead, they meet for prayer and fellowship, to encourage each other to be help-meets to their husbands’ calling. Some of our women are brilliant, well-educated individuals with advanced training in computer programming, engineering, sociology, nursing, etc. Yet they cherish above all their role as wives and mothers.

Almost all of our mothers are home schooling right now, sacrificing their careers for the higher goal of raising dominion- oriented children (sadly, there are no Reformed Christian schools available, but we’re working on it!). Home schooling offers a godly woman one of the most challenging and fulfilling opportunities imaginable to utilize her gifts and skills. The Industrial Revolution, urbanization and specialization destroyed traditional women’s work, leaving many feeling useless and unfulfilled. But what technology took away with one hand, it has now given back with the other. Women can now educate their children at home right through high school. Home schooling provides children with one of the best educational opportunities available while giving godly women vital and meaningful work.

These same women are also developing economic strategies for using their skills and education for when their children are older (one very young grandmother went back to work as a public school teacher just to make sure her grandchildren could afford the tuition of a Christian school!). The Biblical model of a godly woman is neither the sanctimonious saccharine Mom of the 1950s nor the liberated androgynous creature of the 90s. A godly woman is a business manager, real-estate agent, crafts- woman, social worker, counselor, as well as a mother and wife (cf. Pr. 31:10ff).

Houses as Ministries

Since the family is the center of the Christian life. Lakeside emphasizes each household taking responsibility to use their homes as vehicles of ministry. How, is up to them, depending on their calling. We don’t try to get everyone to sing the same note, but rather trust in the sovereignty of God, to make harmony out of the notes He gives each one to sing. Each family has its own, unique call from God. For example, some of our families picket local abortuaries (one man gets quality time with his two adult sons by meeting in front on an abortionist’s house every Sunday morning before worship; ironically, the abortionist is an elder in the “other” Presbyterian church! One of the signs reads, “Real Presbyterians Don’t Kill Babies”), others keep a legislative watch on our local politicians or work in political campaigns, some have a ministry helping old folks in their neighborhood, others have a vision for reaching the inner city, some are involved with home school organizations, others have a heart for personal evangelism.

Every household tries to practice Biblical hospitality, ministering to the saints and adorning the gospel with personal acts of charity. Our deacons are trained to assist each family in discovering God’s call on their time and resources. Sometimes one family recruits another family and the two households work together. And all this without the least hit of micro- management by the session.

No Short-Cuts

There is no short-cut to dominion. An army takes time to recruit, train and equip for battle. But time is something postmillennialists have plenty of! To build that army, we need churches dedicated to preaching the truth in power, congregations committed to loving and serving King Jesus in the places He has put them, learning the basic principle that dominion comes through service (Mk 10:45). Men need to be men, working at their calling, leading their families, loving them, training them, giving themselves up for them. Women need to be encouraged to rediscover their God-given roles in an age that gives them conflicting values. Children need to be disciplined, educated and catechized to see life from a consistent, Biblical world view. Individual by individual, covenant household by household, each family must work at extending the Kingdom one small step at a time. Like a little bit of leaven, slowly but surely, life by life, family by family, church by church, community by community, we can infiltrate, affect and eventually reconstruct the world around us.