Building Bridges in a World of Fire

A Christian response to the age of polarization

I can't shake this image from my head: There's a distant kingdom, beautiful, just, and good. It's ruled by a loving king who lifts up the poor, fixes what’s broken, and offers true freedom. A place of pure and honest joy that once experienced, you can't help but want others to experience too. And in this world, I've spent years building a bridge to help people find their way to this kingdom. A kingdom that is meant for everyone.

But here's the part I haven't been able to let go of: In that same vision, the bridge is on fire.

And I'm the one holding the match.

This isn't just metaphor. I see it playing out every day. We all say we want to change the world. Christian and post-Christian. Activist and apologist. Democrats and republicans. We talk about justice, truth, revival, and healing. We point to that better world across the bridge, a kingdom where people thrive. But instead of walking people there, we're setting fire to the only path they can take.

It's like we forgot how change actuall…