Ministry Leader's Guide to Disarming Leviathan : simplebooklet.com

MINISTRY LEADER’S COMPANION TO DISARMING LEVIATHANA PASTORAL GUIDE TO LOVINGYOUR CHRISTIAN NATIONALIST NEIGHBORSCopyright © [2024] by Disarming Leviathan Ministries. All rights reserved. No part of this guide may be reproduced in any form by any means without the prior permission of Disarming Leviathan Ministries.For more resources or requests for information, visit DisarmingLeviathan.comUnless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV®. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.INTRODUCTIONPART 1: WHAT HAS GONE WRONG?SESSION 1: THE RISE OF CHRISTIAN NATIONALISMSESSION 2: WHY CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM IS INCOMPATIBLE WITH CHRISTIANITYPART 2: HOW DO WE RESPOND?SESSION 3: STUDY THE CONTEXTSESSION 4: SET THE TABLESESSION 5: SHOW ANOTHER WAYPART 3: WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?SESSION 6: DEVELOPING A HEALTHY POLITICAL THEOLOGYEPILOGUE: A WORD ON PASTORAL CAREAPPENDIX I: ADDITIONAL RESOURCES4610141822263034TABLE OF CONTENTS

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4 5INTRODUCTION2020 was a year of reckoning for pastors and ministry leaders across the United States. As if the disruption of a global pandemic and the killing of George Floyd were not enough, the chaos culminated in the aftermath of a presidential election at our Nation’s Capital. As pastors scrolled through their social media feeds on January 6th, they were exposed to a puzzling scene. They saw banners, ﬂags, and signs blending a political and Christian identity. However, the events of January 6th simply showcased a growing movement in our country and our churches: Christian Nationalism.This new religion is not primarily made up of extremists looking to take the country back by violence but instead is ﬁlled with ordinary men and women in your church who see an apparent congruence between a distorted story of America and the story of Christianity.But here’s the problem. Many resources are available to expose what’s broken about Christian Nationalism. Yet virtually zero resources are designed to equip pastors and ministry leaders to engage and love their Christian nationalist congregants and neighbors. This is not just a problem, it’s an urgent call to action.This clergy guide attempts to address this need by providing relationally oriented, practical training for pastors and ministry teams to love their Christian Nationalist neighbors. In partnership with Disarming Leviathan Ministries, we hope to walk alongside you in the work of seeing Christian Nationalists not as enemies to defeat but as a mission ﬁeld to reach. We desire to equip you to offer an alternative way to brothers and sisters entangled in this movement. Like Peter in the Garden of Gethsemane, when Jesus was arrested, we will invite people to trade the way of the sword for the way of the cross.WHO IS THIS GUIDE FOR?This guide is designed speciﬁcally for pastors and ministry leaders who are seeking to shepherd people in their congregations, communities, and families who are entangled in the toxic tribalism of American Christian Nationalism. The content of the guide has been birthed out of the successes and failures of real pastors and ministry leaders seeking to engage their Christian Nationalist neighbors with compassion, love, and grace. It is not exhaustive, but it does create a practical pathway for leaders and ministry teams seeking meaningful ways to connect with those imbibing American Christian Nationalism.HOW TO USE THIS GUIDEThere are six core sessions in this guide, each containing practical coaching and resources geared towards those serving in local church ministry. Journeying through this guide as a community can happen over one full day together or six weeks. We would recommend that each ministry team appoint a leader as the prime facilitator for the journey ahead. Each session will contain the following elements: a video introduction, a written summary, questions for dialogue and reﬂection, a team workshop prompt, and practical next steps. PRE-READINGTo aid the development of a robust learning environment, each session will have required pre-reading from the book Disarming Leviathan: Loving Your Christian Nationalist Neighbor by Caleb E. Campbell. The concepts of this guide are built on the foundation of Disarming Leviathan. If you are journeying through this guide in a short period of time (i.e., one-day or two-day training instead of 6 weeks), we encourage participants to read the book in its entirety before journeying through it. VIDEO INTRODUCTIONEach session begins with a video introduction orienting you to the primary theme being explored. You can watch these videos together when you gather for the session or beforehand.WRITTEN SUMMARY & LEARNING TARGETAdditionally, each session will contain a written summary synthesizing the content from the video as well as pertinent information for your team related to the theme of each session.DIALOGUE & REFLECTIONThe goal of this guide is not to give you a “download” of more information but instead to cultivate an environment of robust dialogue. Reﬂecting and dialoguing around a series of questions each session will help the learning move from an individual endeavor to a communal journey of discovery.TEAM WORKSHOPAfter a time of reﬂection, your team will be invited to “workshop” what you are learning by exploring how the material can be lived out in your context. The goal of these exercises is for you to imagine together how you might evaluate and shape your ministry to love and reach Christian Nationalists in your community. CONCRETE PRACTICEEach session will contain a concrete practice to do in the coming week. These practices are simple yet profoundly effective in making our learning an embodied experience.

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6 7THE RISE OF CHRISTIAN NATIONALISMPRE-READINGINTRODUCTIONRead Disarming Leviathan chapter 1, “The Apocalypse”January 6th, 2021, was an apocalyptic event. No, it was not a sign that the world was ending, but it was a moment of revealing, which is the deﬁnition of the greek word “apocalupsis.” It uncovered the effects of the polluted political formation of men and women in our nation and our churches. The private conversations families had for years around the table had now become public.But pastors and ministry leaders should avoid the temptation to create a caricature of Christian Nationalists as only those who stormed our nation’s Capitol. Instead, the movement comprises “ordinary” people from diverse backgrounds and experiences. And this group is on the rise. We see evidence of this growth by witnessing the positive usage of the term: “Christian Nationalists” by pundits and the growing statistics of those who “self-identify.” We would assume that those journeying through this guide could share many personal stories of friends, family members, co-workers, and acquaintances who have been co-opted by this new religion and seek to share its propaganda with anyone who will listen. Unfortunately, Christian Nationalists are victims of carefully curated and powerful algorithms that satisfy their suspicions and hijack their affections. Many are trapped and don’t even know it.CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM IS NOT PATRIOTISM OR CONSERVATISMHowever, we must be careful not to conﬂate Christian Nationalism with love of one’s country. Christian Nationalism is not a synonym for patriotism. For Christians everywhere, the love of one’s “home” is crucial for forming a healthy identity. When rightly ordered, patriotism can be practiced and celebrated by followers of Jesus in every culture.Moreover, ‘Christian nationalism’ is not a synonym for conservative. Much of our national discourse makes the faulty assumption that anyone who believes in free-market capitalism, religious freedom, and conservative social policies is a Christian Nationalist. To be a Christian Nationalist is not the same thing as a political conservative.DIALOGUE & REFLECTIONThese questions are designed to facilitate conversation with your ministry team. Feel free to adapt them to resonate further with your context’s concerns and needs.What do you love about your country and the place that you live? What can we celebrate together as a group?What assumptions are you carrying into this training about Christian Nationalists? How were these assumptions formed?If you were to deﬁne Christian Nationalism in one sentence, what would you say?Where have you experienced Christian Nationalism in your church, family, friend group, workplace, or city? What tensions has it created for you in relationships?In your congregation right now, how many people do you think would identify privately or publicly as a Christian Nationalist? 1

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8 9TEAM WORKSHOPEVALUATING YOUR CHURCH (SWOT)For the next portion of this training session, we will invite you to evaluate and reﬂect on how your congregation has navigated Christian Nationalism. To do this, we will use the “SWOT” analysis tool with a guided question for each section.STRENGTHSAs you reﬂect on the past 4-8 years as a ministry team, what have we done well when it comes to engaging, addressing, and navigating Christian Nationalism in our church? What resources and strengths do we possess as a congregation in light of this issue?WEAKNESSESAs you reﬂect on the past 4-8 years, what weaknesses have been revealed in your engagement with Christian Nationalism? Where have there been potential missed opportunities as a leadership team? Is there anything that needs to be confessed?OPPORTUNITIESAs we look to the present, what opportunities are in front of us as a team to engage with church members and neighbors who are imbibing Christian Nationalism? What moments can we anticipate as a leadership team to engage well? How can our strengths become opportunities?THREATSAs we look forward, what potential threats seek to compromise our witness as a church regarding Christian Nationalism? Are there particular people in your congregation who need extra attention and care?PRACTICEWALK YOUR CITYAn often overlooked passage from 1 Chronicles 12:32 says, “From Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do.” This simple phrase: understood the times and knew what Israel should do—is the work of every ministry team. We desire to reﬂect deeply on our cultural moment and lead our congregation to respond appropriately. We want to transition from seeing Christian Nationalism as an obstacle to seeing it as an opportunity to embody the Kingdom of Jesus. For the practice this week, we want you to consider walking in an area of your city. As you walk, cultivate a posture of curiosity about what Jesus wants to reveal to you about how to love and care for those who identify as Christian Nationalists in your midst. Record your thoughts, prayers, and feelings, and be ready to share with your group in the coming weeks.

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10 11WHY CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM IS INCOMPATIBLE WITH CHRISTIANITYPRE-READINGINTRODUCTIONRead Disarming Leviathan chapter 2, “A Figure In The Shadows”, chapter 3, “Leviathan Emerges”, chapter 4, “Leviathan Exposed”It’s a common problem for those living in the technological age. The giddiness and excitement of buying a new product or uploading new software triggers a deﬂating message on your screen:Error Number: 0034395803 Description: The version of this app is incompatible with your current software.One of the central claims in this guide is that Christian Nationalism is incompatible with Christianity. Christian Nationalism is not a close relative to Christianity but a hazard to the witness of the Church and the gospel of Jesus. Just as Christians believe in the Trinity of Father, Son, and Spirit, Christian Nationalism has a trinity of its own: ideology, identity, and idolatry.THE unHOLY TRINITY OF CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM: IDEOLOGY, IDENTITY, & IDOLATRYBefore the age of portable Bluetooth speakers, most people enjoyed music using clunky stereo systems. These old systems had several “dials” you could adjust to change the volume and experience of the music. In the same way, ideology, identity, and idolatry function as the three dials of Christian Nationalism that will be adjusted according to the context.IDEOLOGYSeven core convictions make up the ideology of Christian Nationalism:1. Most Americans Identify as Christians2. America was founded on Christian values.3. God has a unique relationship with America, like Israel4. The government should recognize Christianity as the ofﬁcial religion.5. The government should oversee and fund “the Church.”6. The government should be ruled by Christians.7. The government should promote and enforce “Christian values.”These convictions form the worldview of Christian Nationalism and shape how they see an apparent congruence between the story of Christianity and a distorted story of America. IDENTITYAs you listen to Christian nationalist rhetoric, you will recognize a pattern of deﬁning who is “in” and who is “out.” This identity formation is similar to how tribal identities function. In other words, Christian Nationalism operates as an “ethnic” identity seeking to deﬁne belonging and purpose. For Christians, identity is foundational to our witness in the world. However, our identity is deﬁned not by political allegiance or preferences but by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.IDOLATRYAt the heart of idolatry is syncretism, a blending of two traditions or religions. In the ancient world of Rome, the leading ofﬁcials had no issue with people worshiping Jesus as long as those same people also bowed to the state. Interestingly, if you were to pick up a hymn book tucked into a pew across America, you would ﬁnd a section titled: “Patriotic Hymns.” This is a simple example of how a form of syncretism can develop between a worship of God and country. It should make us consider how the youngest in our midst are being formed when they start their day with sometimes both a prayer and pledge. Christianity is diluted when it mixes worship of God and country, creating a compromised faith. The entire Old Testament is a case study of this reality as Israel compromises their allegiance to Yahweh to the worship of other gods and ways of life from surrounding nations. Throughout the Bible, there are severe consequences for those who offer their loyalty to both God and Caesar.For wise and discerning followers of Jesus everywhere, the unveiling of Christian Nationalism’s ideology, identity, and idolatry should trigger a warning of incompatibility, much like those troubling computer messages that appear when our devices are updated.2

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12 13TEAM WORKSHOPRE-NARRATIONDr. Michael Goheen says, “All of discipleship is re-narration.” For churches seeking to embody a distinct, faithful witness of the gospel, we will need to practice “re-narrating” for our congregants the incompatibility of Christianity and Christian Nationalism using the Bible. To do this effectively, we need to develop a rhythm of narrating the story of the Bible to one another as an antidote to the compromised version of Christianity we interact with. For our workshop time in this session, we are encouraging you to do just that. Pastors and ministry leaders in Arizona have found the usage of these six symbols above as a helpful aid in rehearsing the Story of the Bible to one another as the True Story of the Whole World. The ﬁrst down arrow represents creation (Genesis 1-2), the “x” represents rebellion (Genesis 3-11), the ﬁrst forward arrow represents promise (Genesis 12 - Malachi 4), the cross represents redemption (Matthew-John), the second forward arrow represents the Church (Acts - Revelation 3), and the ﬁnal down arrow represents restoration (Revelation 4-21).Using these symbols, practice with your ministry team taking turns rehearsing for one another how the people of God were to interact with the “state” and national identities.What themes and stories begin to emerge as you move from Genesis 1 - Revelation 22?PRACTICESEARCH FOR SYNCRETISMIn the coming days, we invite you to research different opinions and forms of Christian Nationalism. An easy way to do this is to search the web for the term “Christian Nationalism.” As results appear, choose ﬁve different links to click on to read or watch. Find and read resources from various perspectives, especially those promoting Christian Nationalism.As you read and listen, notice speciﬁcally ways that Christian Nationalism showcases syncretism between Christianity and the State. As you notice syncretism, practice “re-narrating” what you read through the framework of the biblical story, as you did during the team workshop. DIALOGUE & REFLECTIONThese questions are designed to facilitate conversation with your ministry team. Feel free to adapt them to resonate further with your context’s concerns and needs.For you personally, where have you found yourself blending a vision of America with the vision and witness of Christianity? Have you been able to identify potential blindspots in your life when it comes to this topic?As you read through the seven core convictions of Christian Nationalist ideology outlined above, which one are you most sympathetic towards? Which of the seven brings to mind the most questions? As pastors and ministry leaders, how might one use the Bible to justify one of these convictions?When it comes to exploring the identity of Christian Nationalists, where have you experienced the drawing of boundaries and “us vs. them” language? Who is included, who is excluded, and why?From your background, have you witnessed in your tradition any blending of Christianity with American values or liturgies (patriotic hymns) in the life of your Church and community?Where have you experienced the ideology, identity, and idolatry of Christian Nationalism inside your congregation these past several years?

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14 15STUDY THE CONTEXTPRE-READINGINTRODUCTIONRead Disarming Leviathan chapter 4, “Leviathan Exposed”It’s not a rally but a revival.Across the United States, pundits and politicians who align with a Christian Nationalist worldview are hosting gatherings for their followers. The language at these rallies sounds strikingly religious, with references to Bible verses, the taking of offerings, and certain leaders painted as saviors of America. The truth is, these rallies can feel like going to church. But more than church, these rallies are painted as revivals. For participants, it’s a powerful experience of belonging, meaning, and mission.If you are journeying through this learning guide, you are approaching a crossroads. At this moment, you can dismiss these rallies as ludicrous and turn your face in disgust. Or you can choose another way. You can choose the way of engagement and love. If you take this approach, you can move from disgust to discovery. You can begin to discover the allure of these types of political rallies and take the posture of a learner by studying the context.The ﬁrst step for every missionary entering a different culture is to listen and develop a curiosity for the people and place they seek to reach. Reaching those aligned with Christian Nationalism will begin with understanding the world from their perspective. This process of studying the context will challenge our assumptions and lead us to look at Christian Nationalists with love and a burning desire for them to encounter the Jesus of the Bible instead of their party. So leave your assumptions and displeasure at home. And step into the context of Christian Nationalists not as enemies to defeat but as a mission ﬁeld to reach. 3DIALOGUE & REFLECTIONThese questions are designed to facilitate conversation with your ministry team. Feel free to adapt them to resonate further with your context’s concerns and needs.Have you participated in a rally that would align with Christian Nationalism before? If so, what was your experience? What did you notice? As you take the posture of a learner and study the context, who are some of the leading voices and organizations that would be classiﬁed as Christian Nationalist or at least sympathetic to their cause? Are any of them active in your city or state?Consider the conversations you have had with Christian Nationalists in your context. Who are the voices they are listening to? Who are they being shaped by? If you don’t know, consider asking in curiosity without condemnation.When you listen to those who identify as Christian Nationalists, what are some of the key talking points and “one-liners” that are typically shared? As you list some out, what stories of America and the world lie behind those statements?

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16 17PRACTICEBUMPER STICKERSAt every stop sign and stoplight, you have an opportunity to listen and learn. Bumper stickers reveal the stories we believe about the world. As you drive this week, notice the bumper stickers in front of you. Take a picture of them, if possible, to share it with your group later. As you see different bumper stickers, begin to explore what stories they are telling of how they see the world, people, political parties, and the problems they face. Choose a few bumper stickers and consider how you might offer that stranger an alternative vision of Jesus and the Kingdom. As you consider what re-narration might sound like, also spend time praying for the person driving in front of you. Don’t forget to keep your eyes open during your prayer :)TEAM WORKSHOPRELATIONAL INVENTORYFor your workshop time during this session, you are invited to participate in a relational inventory related to the church you are leading. As a pastor or ministry leader, where have you experienced fractured relationships in your church context because of tensions and disagreements related to Christian Nationalism? Before you dialogue as a team around these relationships, take some time privately to make a list of people that come to mind personally.The goal of this session is not to gossip or speak poorly about brothers or sisters but rather to process these experiences together and discern alternative ways you could have worked through the conﬂict. Some reﬂective questions to consider as different people come to mind with your team:• What was my posture towards this person or people when I was made aware of potential conﬂict?• Were there any missed opportunities to listen and understand before seeking to confront, correct, and challenge?• Is there anything I need to apologize about to this person or people regardless of how they responded or will respond?• Did I gossip or distort the truth about this person or people with others? Do I need to make any amends with anyone I inappropriately shared with?• What remains the most painful part of the fractured relationship for you personally? Many of these fractured relationships will likely not have a clear path toward reconciliation or repair. However, there is likely personal work related in our own hearts that we need to address as leaders with these people so that we might not carry feelings of resentment, bitterness, or guilt about what has unfolded. End your relational inventory time by speciﬁcally praying for those you brought up together as a team.

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18 19SET THE TABLEPRE-READINGINTRODUCTIONRead Disarming Leviathan chapter 5, “Disarming Leviathan” and chapter 6, “Meeting Leviathan”Jesus set far more tables than he ﬂipped. In fact, Christians around the world practice eating at Jesus’ table most Sundays through the taking of communion. The central headquarters of Jesus’ ministry was not in an ofﬁce or at the Temple but instead was found over dinner.But why?Because hospitality is often the primary medium of transformation in our lives. Henri Nouwen says, “Hospitality is not to change people, but to offer a space where change can take place.” At the table, we ﬁnd safety, belonging, and purpose, which are the ingredients needed for someone to radically re-imagine their lives and allegiances. Meals play a crucial role in creating this safety and belonging, reassuring us that we are in a secure and welcoming environment. Ancient followers of Jesus gathering around a meal included the powerful and powerless, healthy and sick, the rich and poor, the celebrated and condemned, and conservatives and liberals. Hospitality was one of the primary reasons Christianity spread like wildﬁre.We come to meals to satisfy our hunger but surprisingly experience the opening of our hearts.As we seek to reach those who identify as Christian Nationalists in our midst, we transition from studying the context to setting the table because we are convinced that powerful encounters with Jesus await us there. As ministry leaders, we play a crucial role in setting tables for heart change. To be effective missionaries, we need to see sharing meals as the starting point for desiring the people we shepherd to experience heart change. Sadly, we often believe it is through effective arguments that we will win Christian Nationalists, 4DIALOGUE & REFLECTIONThese questions are designed to facilitate conversation with your ministry team. Feel free to adapt them to resonate further with your context’s concerns and needs.Can you share an experience from your own life where you experienced transformation and heart change because of the hospitality of others?Is there a particular story from the Gospel accounts that personally resonates with you where Jesus showcases the power of hospitality?What are ways in your church that you are setting tables for people to experience belonging and safety before seeking to teach and instruct them in the way of Jesus?Who are the people in your church that model the hospitality of the Kingdom? What could you learn from them? How could you thank them this week?but we fail to ﬁrst create safety, belonging, and purpose so that change might take place. This underscores the signiﬁcance of our role in the ministry and the importance of our actions in creating a transformative environment.

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20 21PRACTICEBLESS RHYTHMSThis week, we invite you to practice the BLESS rhythms with those who identify as Christian Nationalists. The BLESS rhythms are a set of practices that include Blessing others, Listening to their stories, Eating together, Speaking truth in love, and Sabbath rest. As we focus on setting the table for others, notice how sharing a meal is an easy way to practice all ﬁve rhythms! Consider planning a meal with someone in your church or neighborhood who might carry a sense of suspicion towards you because of their Christian Nationalist background. As you share this time together, your goal is to create a space of safety and belonging, resisting the temptation to reason or argue about particular issues that may arise. For this meal, seek to listen and understand and not respond.TEAM WORKSHOPMINISTRY AUDIT (HEAD, HEART, HANDS)We invite you to do a ministry audit for your workshop time together in this session. The question you are to wrestle with is: How do our current ministries mirror the ministry of Jesus, who spent much of his time around the table? Developing ministries around meals to engage the heart does not exclude the need to shape our heads and hands. The goal is to create holistic ministries that address the head (mind), heart (soul), and hands (body) because Jesus reminded us that the greatest commandment is to: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27). Use the categories of head, heart, and hands to audit each of the ministries you lead.MINISTRY AUDIT TEMPLATEArea of Ministry:Head: How are we cultivating the renewal of minds in this space? (Romans 12:1)Heart: How are we setting tables for heart transformation to be made possible through welcome and belonging? (Luke 19:1-10)Hand: How are we inviting people to listen and obey in this context? (Matthew 7:24-27)

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22 23SHOW ANOTHER WAY PRE-READINGINTRODUCTIONRead Disarming Leviathan chapter 7, “Engaging Leviathan”The context has been studied, and the table has been set. But how we connect at the table will determine the effectiveness of our witness. Many of us will need to practice the art of staying connected in conversation amidst a potential barrage of hostile statements, caricatures, and suspicions.Imagine for a moment you are sitting across from a Christian Nationalist, and during a conversation, you hear this statement:“What people don’t understand is that there are thousands of violent illegal immigrants coming across our border who will destroy our cities, steal our jobs, and harm our children.”This statement represents the crucible of your formation in loving Christian Nationalists and showing another way. It would be easy to anxiously react to what has been said rather than faithfully, winsomely, and prayerfully respond. Here are ﬁve things you need to remember when seeking to love your Christian Nationalist neighbor amid comments like this.1 - Determine the ContextFirst, as the listener, seek to discern if you are in the proper context and moment to engage a comment like the one above. For example, maybe this comment was made during a friend’s birthday celebration. Instead of exiting the party to dialogue or awkwardly talking over others at a table, you determine a better time to have this conversation. And you say in response:“I would love to hear more about what you just said. Can we set up a time to talk so we can also spend time with our friend we are celebrating today?” In this, you have set an appropriate boundary but communicated a genuine desire for more dialogue.2 - Moving From Head to HeartSo you ﬁnd yourself back at a table with your Christian Nationalist Neighbor, and you ask them: “Tell me what you were saying again at the birthday 5celebration last week?” After they repeat their comment, the dialogue begins. However, the task before you is to refrain from offering a detailed counterargument of facts but to engage the feelings and values underlying the statement. To move from the head to the heart. Something like: “When you made that comment last week, I sensed fear in my heart. What are you feeling about immigrants coming over the border?” With this question, you have given a clear invitation to your neighbor to explore what is underneath the surface of their comment. As they enter into their feelings about the subject, this is your chance to resonate wherever possible with similar feelings you might carry without having to validate their statement. For example:“You mentioned that you are afraid for the safety of your kids. I want my kids to be safe, too.”3- Sidestep SuspicionsIn his seminal work Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis says, “Suspicion creates what it suspects.” In other words, our carefully curated suspicions will deem certain words or phrases as “red ﬂags” based on our political allegiances. In navigating a conversation with Christian Nationalists, we want to avoid any words that they might infuse with a different meaning than we intended. This is an outworking of studying your context well.4 - Find Beauty Amidst Brokenness It will be easy for you to notice and lament the broken ways of thinking and processing when you are in these kinds of conversations. However, I also need to ﬁnd ways to acknowledge any glimmers of beauty. Phrases like: “I love that you care deeply about children and their safety and belonging.”“I love that you care deeply about our country and desire it’s ﬂourishing.”“I have witnessed your love for people in these ways…”These responses help us honor the image of God in our neighbor even as they seek to distort the image of God in someone else.5 - Ask Questions and Allow TensionLastly, after determining the context, moving from head to heart, sidestepping suspicions, and ﬁnding beauty amidst brokenness, you are ready to subversively challenge your neighbor’s thinking through questions that create tension. It could sound something like this:“I know both of us care deeply about the Bible and how it is to shape our lives. Lately, as I have been reading the Bible, I have noticed that God seems to care deeply about immigrants and their well-being. So, I feel this tension personally

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24 25PRACTICEMEDITATING ON THE QUESTIONS OF JESUSThis week, we invite you to read through the gospels and consider the questions that Jesus asked the people he encountered. As you read through the text, notice what kinds of questions asked and the various ways that people responded.TEAM WORKSHOPREAL-LIFE CASE STUDIESFor your workshop during this session, we invite you to consider several case studies of people in your congregation, neighborhood, or friend circles identifying as a Christian Nationalist. As a team, locate three different people and tell their story, highlighting a central comment or statement they have made in the past that you would like to practice in how to respond prayerfully. Once you have named each statement, take turns as a team, considering what a healthy dialogue might sound like with the steps outlined above. Afterward, consider any proactive ways you might step toward the people you identiﬁed in the coming weeks, months, and years.DIALOGUE & REFLECTIONThese questions are designed to facilitate conversation with your ministry team. Feel free to adapt them to resonate further with your context’s concerns and needs.What has been your typical reaction to comments like those mentioned above about immigrants or other contested issues? Can you think of a story where you have tried to reason with a Christian Nationalist? How did it go? What did you learn from that experience?What words or phrases do you think Christian Nationalists would deem as “suspicious” or “red ﬂags”?How would you rate your current ability to ask questions instead of providing answers in conversation? How would you like to grow in this?Why do you think it is essential to build trust over time with neighbors and church members who are Christian Nationalists? What could be some of the outcomes over the next year?about how I should care for immigrants while also wanting safety for my children. What do you think about this tension?” With this question, you have created an opportunity for your neighbor to wrestle with their fears and with God. But the key is not to answer the question for them but allow the Holy Spirit to work in their heart and life. The results might not be immediate, but our hope is that by having these kinds of conversations over time, you will become a trusted friend when Christian Nationalists seriously consider another way. The truth is, the moment your neighbor might doubt the rhetoric and worldview of Christian Nationalism, they will feel a sense of being trapped. This is because to offer these doubts to their Christian nationalist allies could result in the loss of their belonging and the safety of the tribe. But our hope is that in these moments of reconsideration, they would remember you as a trusted friend to dialogue with through these things and be prompted to reach out.

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26 27DEVELOPING A HEALTHY POLITICAL THEOLOGYPRE-READINGINTRODUCTIONRead Disarming Leviathan chapter 8, “Leviathan’s End”“I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.” - Apostle Paul, 1 Corinthians 3:6-7The overarching goal of this guide is to equip pastors and ministry leaders with the necessary tools to plant gospel seeds in the hearts of Christian Nationalists. We aim to cultivate something beautiful amidst rocky soil and weeds, believing that with faithful planting and watering, God can help those caught up in Christian Nationalism re-imagine their allegiances. Ultimately, we strive to foster a healthy political theology and praxis.Regrettably, the past several years have shown that we, as pastors and ministry leaders, inadvertently handed over our people’s political formation to partisan pundits and provocative platforms. As a result, many in our congregations have been more inﬂuenced by their preferred T.V. personality than the image of Jesus. It’s time for us to reclaim the political imagination of those we lead. We’re not just calling Christian Nationalists out of something, but also into a political engagement shaped by the Kingdom of God.The end game is that our cities will rejoice when faithful Christians are present in the political sphere, not because they are taking America back for God but because they are displaying how God is for the ﬂourishing of every American.In this session, our aim is to shift from reacting to the rise of Christian Nationalism to proactively paving the way for our churches and neighbors to engage the political sphere in healthy ways.6DIALOGUE & REFLECTIONThese questions are designed to facilitate conversation with your ministry team. Feel free to adapt them to resonate further with your context’s concerns and needs.As you reﬂect on the past several years, how much of your time with your congregation has been focused on reacting to political challenges as they arose? How much time was spent proactively shaping and forming the political imagination of those you lead? Can you name particular moments or events in the life of your church that answer either of these questions?What are some of your longings for your church when it comes to developing a Kingdom imagination for political engagement? What do you lament?What stories of healing and reconciliation related to politics can be found in your church?Who are the people in your church engaged in politics in healthy ways that you can encourage and highlight?Are there any current discipleship pathways for those in your church seeking to grow in their political imagination and practice? If so, what has been the fruit? If not, what would you like to see form in the coming years?TEAM WORKSHOPTHE EISENHOWER MATRIXAmerican President Dwight D. Eisenhower developed a decision-making strategy that helped him navigate his daily choices regarding what to do next. In light of coming to the end of journeying through this guide, use this matrix on a whiteboard or piece of paper to map out what you will do (and not do) as a leadership team in light of your learning, conversations, and insights gleaned from your time together when it comes to loving Christian Nationalists neighbors and developing the political imagination of those you lead.DOIMPORTANTURGENTDELEGATENOT IMPORTANTDECIDENOT URGENTDELETE

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30 31EPILOGUE: PASTORAL CARE & PEACEMAKINGHe was buried wearing a red hat. I (Caleb) had met with him a week before his death at the request of his family to offer pastoral care, knowing that death was close at hand. After he passed, the family asked me to lead his memorial service.When I arrived at the funeral home, my eyes were drawn to his casket, particularly the red protruding above the man’s head. As I got closer, I realized what it was. It was a red hat reading “Make America Great Again.”It caught me off guard. It wasn’t that I didn’t know his political leanings; I was just unaware of how much it meant to him. His political convictions were so important to him that he asked his family to bury him wearing a MAGA.As people arrived and approached the casket to pay their respects, I heard many whispers. Some seemed proud of this decision, while others were derisive and condemning.I wasn’t sure if I should ignore this peculiar situation or acknowledge it explicitly. In that moment, I felt a deep need for godly wisdom. As pastors and ministry leaders, we will likely ﬁnd ourselves in situations like this, where pastoral care and peacemaking require creative solutions and discernment.The question is: How do we offer pastoral care and embody peacemaking to those in our congregations and communities that imbibe toxic tribalism and political polarization? From my experience of both success and failure, I offer these seven insights:1 - ASSUMPTION IS THE ENEMY In pastoral care, never assume you know where someone else lands politically. You will likely be surprised when the private political afﬁliations of your congregants and even close friends are revealed. The danger of assumption is that you speak as if what you are saying is a shared conviction when, in reality, it might be quite the opposite. Assumption is a shortcut to the diligent work of curiosity we are to practice as pastors and ministry leaders.2 - AVOID POLITICALLY CHARGED JOKESWhat we say in jest can become what we are judged by. Joking about a political party or leader would be wise to avoid both in private conversations and from the pulpit. Regardless of intention, jokes can communicate who is welcomed and excluded. It would be unfortunate that a few words of sarcasm could undo your years of pastoral ministry and faithful care. 3- EXPLAIN YOUR TERMSMovements like American Christian Nationalism are driven by the hijacking of cultural terms for exploitative ends. Terms like social justice, systemic racism, DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion), LGBTQIA+, and “whiteness” are used in a variety of ways depending on the context and political afﬁliation. As a pastor or ministry leader, explain every term you use that could mean different things to different people. Instead of leaving those you lead questioning what you meant, proactively re-narrate your intention and connect it explicitly to the worldview of the Bible.4 - SET A SUSTAINABLE PACEIf you lead too quickly, you may reach your destination alone. Instead, I invite you to lead at the pace your people can handle and bring many along for the journey. As you press into issues related to Christian Nationalism, work to identify where your people are, what they can handle, and what would be appropriate steps of obedience for this stage of their development. We don’t expect children learning to walk to compete as sprinters in the Olympics. In the same way, we shouldn’t expect those who have never explored the origins of their political formation to come to different conclusions overnight. Growth takes time. We need to, as pastors, understand that our work is more like gardening and less like Amazon Prime.5 - BALANCE SAFETY AND STRETCHINGThe tension of every pastor and ministry leader is to create an environment with high levels of safety while simultaneously a growing capacity for stretching. Jesus modeled this throughout his ministry. Growing in our ability to offer pastoral care to those caught up in Christian Nationalism will involve locating spaces in your church where people can be brutally honest and accepted (safety) while also cultivating spaces where people are challenged with kindness (stretching) to listen and obey King Jesus. If we only provide safety, we will create a culture of fragility and intolerance for new ideas. Yet, if we only push for stretching, we will cultivate a culture of rigidity, burnout, and shattered relationships. We need to balance the two within our church ministries and programs.6 - START WITH YOUR LEADERSIt’s been said, “You can’t lead others where you haven’t ﬁrst journeyed.” It could also be said: You can’t lead your congregation where you haven’t ﬁrst led your leaders. In wanting to address Christian Nationalism, our temptation might be to quickly turn to the pulpit and public teaching. However, if we have yet to bring our leaders along in the process, they may feel forced to ﬁeld questions and feelings that they need to be adequately equipped to respond to. We need to start with our leaders and develop a cohesive team of unity, not uniformity, as we seek to shape a congregation as a whole.

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32 337 - SET CLEAR “RULES OF THE ROAD”As we seek to step into the tumultuous waters of America’s political landscape in the life of the church, it is wise and loving to create and articulate clear rules of engagement (‘rules of the road’) to deﬁne how we will behave toward one another.However, the boundary lines should not be drawn around “what” political afﬁliation you hold but how you interact with those you disagree with. It should be clear that your removal from a group or conversation will not be related to your ballot but your behavior, especially towards the most vulnerable in the community.A FINAL ENCOURAGEMENTWhen we step into the story of the gospels, we witness Jesus calling disciples to himself from a variety of political backgrounds and allegiances. The community Jesus was forming undoubtedly faced conﬂict, disagreement, and leadership challenges. Yet, through their differences and backgrounds, they displayed the beautiful tapestry of the family of God.Yet, for many pastors and ministry leaders, their conﬂict and challenges might not feel like a tapestry being woven but a tearing apart. The last several years have left many leaders disillusioned, disappointed, and ready to quit.Remember that as much as you are offering pastoral care to others, you must ﬁnd care for yourself to stay in the race. I pray that resources like this guide will empower you to sow seeds of hope, imagination, and repair. And as these seeds are watered and grow: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9).Jesus loves you so much!Caleb E. Campbell

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34APPENDIX: ADDITIONAL RESOURCESINTRODUCTIONThere is a growing movement of pastors and ministry leaders creating resources and environments to love and engage with Christian Nationalists. In light of this, we wanted to share with you a number of organizations that we would recommend to continue your journey to be faithfully equipped as a leader.THE J29 COALITIONwww.j29coalition.com/homeDescription: The J29 Coalition is a network of theologically conservative pastors seeking to disciple the American Evangelical church in kingdom-shaped politics. What they do:• Host conferences, digital workshops, and in-person retreats for clergy, ministry leaders, and theologians.• Curate resources for clergy and congregations. • Connect pastors with opportunities for care, coaching and connectionTHE AFTER PARTY COURSE & BOOK BY REDEEMING BABELwww.redeemingbabel.org/the-after-party/Description: Christians have lost their way when it comes to the intersection of faith & politics. It’s time to reframe our political identity as we take the lead in healing what’s broken. Jesus’ call is clear: We are to be salt and light in this world. Come be equipped and encouraged as we prepare for the true party to come. We’ve saved a seat for you!MENDING DIVISION ACADEMY

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Ministry Leader's Guide to Disarming Leviathan

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