Church in the Wild

Week 5: Practice what we Preach
Pastor Rick Henderson            January 31-February 1, 2026

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Note: This manuscript isn’t a transcript of the sermon, but a planning guide showing what the speaker intends to say.

 

Last year, when we planned out and decided to call this series Church in the Wild, we had no idea that life would be so turbulent and that peace would feel so distant. When I moved to Minnesota, I assumed I was settling into a quiet, fly‑over state that only got attention when people were talking about Prince, the Vikings, or movies like Grumpy Old Men. I called that one wrong.

In my first year, George Floyd was killed. Protesters flooded the streets, smoke filled the air, and buildings burned while a chaotic mix of peaceful and violent demonstrations erupted across the nation—all sparked an hour up the road.

National attention returned when our governor became Vice President Harris’s running mate, complicated by a national debate over the Democratic Party’s break with President Biden.

Then political violence hit home. State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark were executed by a lone gunman. State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were also shot.

Minnesota sits at the center of scandal and outrage. What is referred to as the Somali Fraud Case is not just about massive theft and concerns over lax oversight; it is supercharged with racial tensions. Now, with the presence of ICE and the shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, our state has become ground zero for conflicts over justice and immigration. Minnesota might be ground zero in the battle for our national soul.

When I list that out, and when you combine it with everything else that’s happened in the past few years, no wonder we feel exhausted and emotionally spent. I don’t know if it was General Patton or Vince Lombardi who said it first. The quote is, “Fatigue makes cowards of us all.” I’m fatigued, which means there’s a cowardly impulse inside of me. There’s a cowardly voice that says use our worship gatherings to hide from the darkness instead of shining into it. There’s a cowardly voice in me that says it would be better to sit down and quit instead of standing up to lead. Fatigue makes cowards of us all.

But there’s another voice. And this voice won’t be drowned out. It doesn’t shout, but it won’t be turned off. It says…

1 CORINTHIANS 16:13-14 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love.

I’m going to deliver a sermon today that is intended to be paired with the statement that’s published on the website. Together, they are my attempt to do this [pointing at the screen]. I want to offer a faithful, biblical framework that’s expansive enough to provide clarity in these turbulent times and in any we’ll face in the future.

I hope this helps you find your footing as you follow Jesus. And yet, I know there’s no way to do this without someone feeling like I’m rocking the boat. There is a 100% chance that people will disagree with me. You know what, that’s OK.

When my kids were young, especially in their teen years, I told them that they would never be in trouble for believing something different from what I believe. My only request was and is that they know what they believe and why they believe it. They don’t owe me an explanation. They owe it to themselves to know and explain why.

You may disagree with some things I say. That’s OK. Know what you believe. But it’s more important to know why you believe what you believe. And if it begins to feel like I’m way off base, hang around till the end. I’m going to give you something that I think will diffuse any anxiety we feel and contribute to deep unity.

Standing firm in the faith, I wish it were easy. It’s not. Standing firm on the gospel and the implications it has for our lives takes love and guts, while never tiring of the effort needed to break out of our algorithms.

PROVERBS 4:7-8 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it costs all you have, get understanding. Cherish her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you.

Wisdom is a marathon with no finish line. With all my heart, you’re worth it.

If you’ve never read it, look up Letter from Birmingham Jail by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He articulates a reality that Christians have been saying for centuries. It is possible to stand on the wrong side of justice while still standing on the right side of the law. If we truly care about what is right, we shouldn’t first ask, “Is it legal?” but “Is it just?”

How does one determine whether a law is just or unjust? A just law is a man-made code that squares with the moral law or the law of God. An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law. To put it in the terms of St. Thomas Aquinas: An unjust law is a human law that is not rooted in eternal law and natural law. Any law that uplifts human personality is just. Any law that degrades human personality is unjust. –Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Letter from a Birmingham Jail

We need just laws, which requires government to codify and enforce just laws. It is not possible to consistently take Christian faith seriously while also being fundamentally anti-government.

I’m going put a passage on the screen that was written by a man who was unjustly executed by his government, written to people who were being unjustly persecuted by their government. That’s important to know as we read these words. It will feel ironic.

ROMANS 13:1-7 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

This is not saying that every single person in a government office or a political position was specifically chosen by God. Rather, the existence and function of government as an institution is part of God’s good design. I think we all know this without having to think about it.

Many of you have taken vacations in countries with governments you disagree with. But you don’t go on vacation to countries with no government.

BAD government is better than NO government.

Our default position should be to submit, honor, respect, and pay taxes. So, how do we make sense of this passage AND the reality that Paul and other apostles were executed by the government? Unknown numbers of Christians were persecuted by the government. And today, those things continue in other countries. There are Christians who break the law by gathering for secret church services in their homes. Is that wrong?

This passage is not a blind and blanket endorsement of everything a government does. It describes what a government should do and why it exists. Sometimes governments are unjust. When a government demands behavior that violates love for Jesus and love for others, we side with Jesus, not the unjust laws of government.

I’m going to give you a summary of centuries’ worth of Christian teaching on our relationship to government, and I can do it in one sentence.

We OBEY the government except when it means DISOBEYING Jesus.

We need government. And we need our government to codify and enforce just laws. That includes a secure border. In our personal relationships, boundaries clarify where responsibilities begin and end. A government that secures its national boundaries is fulfilling its responsibilities to both its citizens and neighbors.

We should support law enforcement when it bars criminals from entry and removes those who violate laws after legal entry. What about the people who entered illegally? I think every nation has the right to remove people who enter illegally. Every nation has the right to hold those folks accountable for the laws they broke. At the same time, I think we owe it to ourselves to acknowledge that for decades, politicians from both parties have enacted policies that essentially said this to illegal immigrants, [hand up, stop, and hand waving forward]. That history makes it complicated. I’m not smart enough to know the answer. I just know that whatever the answer is, it’s not simplistic.

Hang with me. Border security also requires a system for welcoming those who seek to join us in the pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness. Regrettably, our immigration system is complex, slow, and inefficient—in a word, it’s broken.

Did you know that it is all too common for vulnerable immigrants to be targeted by fraudulent lawyers, lured into dubious legal schemes, stripped of their savings, and abandoned in unwinnable legal battles? Is it more just to remove them or work to restore them to a legal pathway?

Did you know that not all who are here without legal status are criminals? Let’s be clear, some are. Those who enter legally and then lose their status are not guilty of a criminal offense, but a civil one. Is it just to treat them as one and the same?

Did you know that it’s possible to lose legal status without breaking any laws or violating the process? When this happens to those who are seeking asylum from religious persecution, they are thrown on the horns of a dilemma. What is just? Should a man lead his family back to his home country and face certain death, or commit a civil offense by remaining in the safe confines of the United States?

Years ago, I baptized Eddie. He was a PhD student from Iran. When I baptized him, we couldn’t video it. Because if the authorities found out in Iran, he would be executed when he went home to visit his family. If the US government decided to revoke his status, what should he do?

Identifying what is legal is child’s play. Establishing justice is for the gritty and wise who can endure the work without losing heart.

Immigration enforcement is clouded further by credible reports of civil rights violations and arrests of people who have carefully followed the letter of the law and fully complied with the legal process. If you doubt that or feel cynical, that is understandable. We all live in a moment when distinguishing facts from falsehoods is increasingly difficult.

But when trusted voices like Transform MN and the National Association of Evangelicals raise these concerns, we should at least pause and pay attention. We are seeing Chiefs of Police and Sheriffs raise serious concerns about ICE's practices and tactics.

Let me tell you a story from our city that intersects with our church. The granddaughter-in-law of one of our staff members was stopped by ICE. Here are the facts:

• She has no criminal history.
• She is fully up to date on the immigration process, which has been ongoing for 10 years.
• She has a valid work permit.
• She pays taxes.
• She is married to a US citizen and has children with him.

Even though these are the facts, she was arrested and shipped to a detention center in El Paso, Texas. Her hearing was set for January 22. ICE failed to bring her to the hearing. Pastor Otis has contacts in Texas. He was able to get the head of the Baptist Association of El Paso to go see her and be in court that day. His name is Larry Floyd. He is a certified Immigration Legal Advocate. He was there.

And he told us that this happens regularly, that ICE doesn’t bring detainees to their hearings. She remains in custody and must wait for a new hearing on February 23. Does that sound like the system is working? Does that sound like justice? How about this question?

QUESTION: Should we protest over injustice?

If you’re a Christian, but not Catholic or from one of the branches of Eastern Orthodoxy, you’re very likely in the Protestant tradition. Autumn Ridge is in the Protestant tradition. The root word of 'Protestant' is 'protest'. The origins of churches like ours can be traced to figures like Wycliffe, Luther, and Calvin, who protested abuses within the Catholic Church.

Before our nation clawed its way to independence, revolution was preceded by protests. The passing of the Civil Rights Act was preceded by protests. Protest was the midwife of realities we cherish and sometimes take for granted today. It would be a curious thing for a Protestant Christian, who loves our nation and values equality, to default to an anti-protest position.

Before we take to the streets, there is a lesson to be learned from the Civil Rights movement. This is from Dr. King’s Letter from a Birmingham Jail.

In any nonviolent campaign, there are four basic steps: collection of the facts to determine whether injustices exist; negotiation; self-purification; and direct action…We had no alternative except to prepare for direct action, whereby we would present our very bodies as a means of laying our case before the conscience of the local and the national community. Mindful of the difficulties involved, we decided to undertake a process of self-purification. We began a series of workshops on nonviolence, and we repeatedly asked ourselves: "Are you able to accept blows without retaliating?" "Are you able to endure the ordeal of jail?" –Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Letter from a Birmingham Jail

Prior to protest, self-purification was required. It was rigorous work to ensure one’s character was prepared to stay the course of peace and justice, even at the cost of one's own body or freedom. The headline-making protests of today know nothing of this. Shouting profanity, demeaning the dignity of those thought to be in the wrong, violence and calls for violence, the destruction of property, and the disruption of a church service are not protests. Those are tantrums. I don’t think Jesus would smile on us throwing tantrums.

Hear me on this. It’s right, and it is God-honoring to be moved to action when we encounter injustice.

PROVERBS 17:15 Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent— the LORD detests them both.

Government or law enforcement that mistreats the innocent is not new. It’s been around for a long, long time. We shouldn’t be shocked by it, nor should we be numb to it. As followers of Jesus, we have a responsibility to respond to all incidents of injustice, whatever the cause.

CAUSES OF INJUSTICE:

• Well-intended error
• Negligent error
• Intentional wrongdoing

Whatever the cause of injustice may be, we don’t explain it away. God detests that. If he doesn’t tolerate acquitting the guilty or condemning the innocent, neither should we. How we respond to injustice is important. We must do so while standing firm in the way of Jesus, being fearless, and doing everything in love.

I’m not going to tell you what to do. I’ve got some options to prime the pump for you.

Slide: Prayer Gathering

Start with prayer. I hope you join us. I’m sure there are many of you who simply can’t come. If you are unable, we understand. If you can come, please come. If you can come, but you're struggling to find the motivation to come, I have a question. Why would God bother to use a church that can’t be bothered to pray? Let’s be people who pray.

WAYS TO RESPOND:

1. Call representatives and voice concern.

I’ve had the privilege of sitting face-to-face with Congressman Finstad (R) in his office. I’ve also sat face-to-face with Senator Klobuchar (D) in her office. To both, I said the same thing. “Thank you for your work. We affirm the need for a secure border and an immigration process that works. We’re asking you to work for that, and to create a pathway for legal residency for those who work, pay taxes, and haven’t committed crimes.”

You should know, when I was with them, I didn’t see any horns. And I looked. No pointy tails. Just people who were gracious, serious-minded, and easy to respect.

2. Partner with trusted organizations that advocate for and serve immigrants’ needs.

In my statement, on our website, there’s a list of these groups. I personally worked with one this week.

3. Donate financially.

Our church has donated to the One Fund. You can do that too.

4. Be good neighbors.

I know that many of you are already serving the needs of people close to you who are impacted by this reality. This is not an exhaustive list. And I’m not telling you what to do. I’m priming the pump to help you decide for yourself.

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room.

QUESTION: How do we respond to recent shootings, and how should we relate to law enforcement?

The recent shootings in Minneapolis have functioned as Rorschach Tests for an ideologically tribalized nation. I want to remind us of something we already know. Weeping with those who weep has nothing to do with the political jerseys we wear. We should grieve the loss of their lives. We should grieve for those who loved them. We should grieve for the officers who will carry this burden for the rest of their lives. We should grieve that we’re all marked by yet another national scar.

Were either of the shootings justified? I have an opinion, and I suspect you do too. But I also know I don’t yet have all the facts, and I don’t have the expertise that would warrant making definitive public claims before the investigations are complete. In a moment this serious, it is unwise and unfair to rush in with commentary before a thorough, independent investigation and a careful review of all the evidence.

When all the facts have been carefully and objectively evaluated, we should expect and insist that every person be held accountable to the law. That includes citizens, politicians, and law enforcement officers alike, without exception or favoritism. Whether someone is inside or outside our preferred political tribe must not change our standard. We should be the kind of people who remain unwavering in our expectation and our insistence that everyone is held accountable under the same just laws.

Now, I do think I have the qualifications to speak to common foolishness and dangerous behavior.

PROVERBS 22:3 The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.

I’m going to make some statements about foolish and dangerous behavior. I’m NOT talking about blame. Please don’t twist my words into statements about blame. This is only about foolish and dangerous behavior. Here we go.

• Irrespective of just or unjust behavior by ICE, it’s foolish and dangerous to attempt to intimidate them.
• It’s foolish and dangerous to disobey commands, especially in a heated situation.
• It’s foolish and dangerous to engage in aggressive behavior that only reinforces the concern that their safety is at risk.
• It’s foolish and dangerous to attempt to walk, run, or drive away from law enforcement.

Many who engage in these foolish and dangerous behaviors claim they are defending immigrants and minorities whose due process is being denied. At best, that is hypocritical. In our nation, abuses of power are not corrected by mob justice but by seeking justice and accountability in a court of law. Circumventing that system by taking matters into one’s own hands, while claiming to protect due process, undermines the very legal protections they want to preserve.

What about our relationships with law enforcement? I think we should befriend our Law Enforcement Officers and express genuine gratitude for them. Their work is neither easy nor safe. Folks, I don’t have the adequate vocabulary to tell you how much I respect our Police Chief, Jim Franklin.

My brother is a deputy sheriff, and every day he straps on a bulletproof vest and holsters his firearm—not because he is looking for trouble, but because trouble comes looking for people like you and me. He is prepared to stand in the way, even if it means he may not come home.

Today might feel like drinking from a firehose. I know we’ve covered a lot. Let’s review.

REVIEW:

• Know the difference between legal and just.
• Promote the enforcement of just laws.
• Serve immigrants and advocate for their justice.
• Know the difference between protests and tantrums.
• Respond to injustice, even if it costs us personally.
• Use the systems and resources available to us.
• Expect and insist that all are held accountable to the law.
• Reject foolish and dangerous behavior.
• Support and show gratitude for Law Enforcement Officers.

If this feels hard and fraught with tension, it is. This isn’t easy, especially when there are people working hard to make you pawns in their agendas. One of my favorite Christian thinkers was G.K. Chesterton. I think he once hit the nail on the head.

The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult and left untried. –G.K. Chesterton, What's Wrong with the World

At the beginning I said I’m going to give you something that should diffuse anxiety and contribute to deep unity. Here it is.

There are many reasons this is hard. One of the reasons it’s hard is that we are all on a political team. Whenever evidence says our team was in the wrong, whenever we must admit our team was wrong, it feels like a loss of identity.

Do you know what never happens after the passage of time and facts come to light that shows a political team was in the wrong? Do you know what never happens? You will never hear leaders from that team say, “Boy, we got that one wrong. The other team was right on that one. So, we’re going back to basics to review how we got it wrong, to ensure it doesn’t happen again.” We never hear that. Do you know what we hear?

• Or, doubling down.
• Or, the “what about” game. What about when the other team was wrong.
• Worse yet, saying that the other team is so bad and evil and that our team can’t risk being honest about when we get it wrong.

But if you’re on team Jesus, if you’re a follower of Jesus, an ambassador of King Jesus, that all started with your repentance. Following Jesus begins with saying I was wrong, I am wrong, I get it wrong. Being a follower of Jesus comes with all the resources we need to admit error, but without losing our identity.

Whether you’re on a progressive political team or a conservative political team, I’m suggesting that we take the jerseys off. Sometimes we’ll agree and disagree with progressives and conservatives. Sometimes we’ll be able to partner and sometimes we won’t be able to partner with progressives or conservatives. Let’s remember this, we don’t wear their jerseys. We aren’t their pawns. We are followers of and ambassadors of King Jesus.

1 CORINTHIANS 16:13-14 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love.