Baptist Press
By Joshua Holler, posted November 8, 2024 in Lifeway, World & Politics
November 11 is Veterans Day. We’ve set this national holiday aside to commemorate all who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, not to be confused with Memorial Day, which honors all who have died during their service.
You will undoubtedly witness a host of restaurants offering discounts on meals for veterans. People encourage one another to seek out veterans and thank them for their service. And social media will be peppered with countless posts sharing a similar sentiment. But pastors and church leaders must ask: How should we honor veterans in the church?
First, we must be as zealous to answer the question of where as much as the question of how. Central to the life of the church is the weekly gathering of the saints to worship God. In this sacred scene, we must rightly order our loves and what we honor so we exalt Christ and Christ alone. This means in the songs we sing and the sermons we preach, Christ needs to be the center—not veterans, not our beloved flag, nor even our country. Singing “God Bless America” or the national anthem may be well-meaning and even feel right. But it fails to meet the intended aim of the Sunday morning worship time.
It may be tempting to think we honor veterans by carving out a time to recognize them in the service once a year. What I suggest goes beyond a singular Sunday and encompasses the whole church for the whole year. More Here
