“What a Sunday!” Houston First Baptist Church’s social media team celebrates on Facebook. “From worship to fellowship, Pocket Constitutions to patriotic tunes, we’re grateful for a church family that gathers with thankful hearts and points people to Jesus. Happy birthday, America!”
That was a reference to the megachurch’s July 5 worship services where Senior Pastor Greg Matte wore an America 250 polo shirt and told the congregation, “We’ve got pocket Constitutions and Declaration of Independences that are out in the lobby and the fitness and recreation center.”
In the same way many churches offer literature about the church in public areas, First Baptist Houston handed out America’s founding documents.
Worshipers also were served red, white and blue popsicles on the church lawn. Images from the church’s social media team include congregants gathered around and laughing while eating their popsicles, meeting in an auditorium filled with patriotic banners and balloons, a photo booth for church members to get their photos taken surrounded by balloons underneath the America 250 logo, and people walking into worship while wearing American flag sunglasses, shirts and even one shirt featuring a cross wrapped up with an American flag over where Jesus’ body would have been.
Independence Day worship services
One of the ways Christian nationalism seeps into Sunday morning is through holiday-themed worship services. The independent Baptist churches I grew up in celebrated Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Veterans Day and Independence Day with military-themed worship services similar to the service put on by Houston’s First Baptist Church on Sunday.
When I was a student at Northern Seminary, one of the other students said she was leading worship one Sunday when suddenly videos of U.S. fighter jets zooming through the sky began playing on the screens behind her. And many of us have seen the spectacle of First Baptist Dallas worship services featuring American flags, pyrotechnics and hymns about the United States, including an original hymn written by their church with the lyrics, “Step into the future, joining hand in hand. Make America Great Again!”
So it should come as no surprise that many churches across the nation chose to host these Christian nationalist worship services over Independence Day weekend.
One of the longest-running and most over the top is Carolina Celebration of Liberty at First Baptist Church of Columbia, S.C. This year’s ticketed event began with greetings from the U.S. military and from Sen. Lindsay Graham, R-S.C. In his remarks on America history, Graham quipped, “Speaking of kings, President Trump said hello.” The comment drew rapturous applause and laughter.
The annual flag-waving musical extravaganza features the church’s sanctuary choir and orchestra, drawing massive crowds to honor veterans, active-duty military and Gold Star families. It is the longest-running patriotic event of its kind in South Carolina.
“Speaking of kings, President Trump said hello.”
The opening worship set
One of the themes I trace in Weapons of Worship is the 5th-century formula lex orandi, lex credendi, lex vivendi, meaning “As we worship, so we believe, and so we will live.” Here’s how that played out in Houston.