Ed Stetzer

Opinion contributor

This Sunday, Howard Dean exclaimed that the current GOP has taken on “the same meaning as evangelical Christianity with young people — intolerance, bigotry and a lack of respect, not just for women but for anybody who is not on their team.”

Howard Dean is not the only one with concerns.

Many of us believe that too many evangelicals have grasped for political influence at the expense of some evangelical values. Most of us are well aware that the current political mood has been unhelpful to evangelicals.

Yet, while I understand Dean’s conclusion, I disagree with his assessment. Why? Because so many evangelical Christians defy his description.

And these believers will, again, be quietly living out their faith this week.

Evangelicals display selflessness during Hurricane Michael

With another Category 4 making landfall, many of the evangelicals critiqued by Dean will be out in full force to help those affected. In fact, at this moment many are preparing and organizing their churches, nonprofits and community centers.

So, yes, some Christian leaders demean others and stoke fear, these other (far more numerous) evangelicals offer a pathway forward. More importantly, they remind us of Christianity’s history of selfless witness in times of suffering.

One example of this selfless love is found in the words of the Emperor Julian the Apostate in 4th century Rome. Despite his desperate attempts to slow the spread of Christianity throughout the empire, his efforts were unsuccessful. The reason? Christians throughout the empire were doing what they had done since Jesus’ resurrection: caring for the vulnerable and the oppressed.

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In frustration, Julian wrote to a friend, “These impious Galileans not only feed their own poor, but ours also; welcoming them into their love.” (‘Galileans’ was a reference to Jesus’ hometown and was used as a slur used to disparage Christians). Julian added, “Whilst the pagan priests neglect the poor, the hated Galileans devote themselves to works of charity.”

Why did Christians do this? Because this self-sacrifice is modeled for us in the mission, ministry, and sacrifice of Jesus — not grasping for worldly power, but instead for service.

Less grasping for power, more service

Jesus’ model is why evangelical Christians all over the U.S. are planning to bring comfort to hurricane victims. They’re preparing to help people of all different backgrounds because that is what Jesus commands and modeled. We are called to show and share his love to a broken and hurting world. No exceptions. Even when it costs.

I know that there are evangelicals living out this type of faith today. Many of today’s evangelicals are out right now preparing food trucks, training relief teams, and getting ready to love their neighbor as Jesus told them to.

They’re doing so because their faith calls them to selfless action.

So, yes, I know the voices of many thousand Christian volunteers can be blurred out by others who sometimes end up in the news for saying or supporting outrageous things. And, in my new book, Christians in the Age of Outrage, I acknowledge that sometimes the negative stereotypes are true, but so often they are not — and in either case, both Christians and our broader culture need a better way.

So, while they are not likely to make the news, I thank God for these “impious Galileans” who interrupted their lives in order to help because of a faith that compels them to do no other.

But, that also is a good reminder that we evangelicals need to do a lot more grasping for service and maybe less grasping for power.

Ed Stetzer is executive director of the Billy Graham Center, and a senior fellow at the Humanitarian Disaster Institute, both at Wheaton College. His newest book is Christians in the Age of Outrage: How to Bring Our Best When the World Is at Its Worst.