Before You Choose a Side: A Christian Guide to War, Israel, and Iran (Post 1 in This Series)

A Wesleyan-Holiness Introduction to Thinking Theologically in a Time of War

In these days of rising conflict between Israel and Iran, many Christians find themselves caught between the rapid pace of headlines and the slow work of discernment. Missiles fall. Alliances shift. Fear spreads. And for many in the Church—especially in the U.S.—there’s a growing urgency to “choose a side.”

But what if the first step isn’t choosing a side, but choosing a clear and faithful theological framework?

This series is written to help us do just that.

Why I’m Speaking Now

Since 2002, I’ve been studying the intersection of theology, Middle Eastern history, missiology, linguistics, and cultural anthropology—both in academic settings and on the ground. I hold a Master’s degree in Biblical Studies from Asbury Theological Seminary, and I’ve had the unique experience of living in the Holy Land, engaging deeply with the cultures, languages, and lived realities of Israelis, Palestinians, and others across the region.

Over the past two decades, I’ve written extensively on these topics—privately, in notebooks, research papers, and journals. I never felt released to publish any of it. Until now.

What’s changed is not just the news cycle. It’s a deep internal conviction, formed in prayer, that the Church needs more voices—grounded in Scripture, shaped by the Holiness tradition, and committed to peacemaking—to speak clearly in this moment.

I do not claim to have all the answers. In fact, I approach these topics with great humility, aware that even with years of study and lived experience, I may be wrong in some areas. The Middle East is layered with centuries of conflict, and theology is often misused to serve political ends. But I offer what I’ve learned so far, with both firm conviction and open hands.

Our Shared Tradition: A Theology of Peace

This series is rooted in the Wesleyan-Holiness tradition, as lived and taught in denominations like the Free Methodist Church, the Wesleyan Church, the Church of the Nazarene, and the Church of God (Anderson). Collectively, we affirm that:

• Acts of war are the result of human sin, not divine endorsement.
• Peacemaking is central to our identity as followers of Jesus.
• The early Church, prior to Constantine, broadly embraced nonviolence and Christian pacifism as normative.
• Holiness is not private moralism—it is the Spirit-empowered way of life that reflects the character of Christ in a broken world.

We are called to live in a way that is both holy and sent—committed to justice, truth, and love, even in the face of global violence.

Three Dangerous Responses to War

In moments of international crisis—especially those involving the Holy Land—Christians often fall into one of three traps:

1. Nationalism: Confusing loyalty to a nation-state with loyalty to Christ.
2. Fear: Interpreting world events through the lens of panic or speculative prophecy.
3. Apathy: Tuning out the pain of others because the complexity feels overwhelming.

But as followers of Jesus, we are not called to be swept along by the current of cultural reactions. We are called to stand firm in love, to bear witness to peace, and to think theologically before we think politically.

A Guide for the Journey Ahead

This Live Sent blog series will explore key theological, historical, and missional questions related to the current war and broader Christian engagement in global crises. Upcoming posts include:

Is Modern Israel the Israel of the Bible?

A Wesleyan-Holiness view of God’s covenant people and the modern state.

What Is Zionism? And Why Does It Matter?

Understanding its political and theological roots—and how Christians often get it wrong.

Why Iran and Israel Are on the Brink

A historical and cultural overview of the conflict from 1979 to today.

The Danger of Dispensationalism

How a popular but flawed theology has distorted Christian responses to war and prophecy.

How Christians Should Think About War

Exploring just war, pacifism, and the call to nonviolence in our tradition.

When Prophecy Becomes Politics

Resisting fear-based eschatology and reclaiming Christ-centered hope.

Living Sent in a Time of War

What it means to be missional, prayerful, and present in a world in crisis.

A Call to Prayer and Presence

Offering intercessory practices and liturgies for this moment.

Final Words for Now

I offer these reflections as a fellow sojourner—someone shaped by Scripture, tradition, personal experience, and prayer. I write not to persuade you toward a political position, but to invite you into a deeper way of being the Church in this cultural moment.

Let’s resist the temptation to choose sides too quickly. Let’s choose Christ instead.
Let’s listen carefully, love boldly, and live sent as ambassadors of reconciliation in a time of war.

Next up in the series:
Is Modern Israel the Israel of the Bible?