03/08/2026
At Roots we often describe ourselves as “a community of misfits on a mission.” And sometimes that sounds playful, but in moments like this, it’s actually very serious. Because being a misfit means we refuse to let our faith be shaped by fear, propaganda, or shallow thinking. Instead, we try to practice three things together: curiosity, critical thinking, and empathy.
Right now the world is watching another war unfold, this time between the United States and
Iran. Military strikes have already hit thousands of targets, and the conflict is spreading across
the region. Whenever war begins, governments immediately start telling stories about why the
violence is necessary. And sometimes those stories even come wrapped in religious language.
But here’s where our misfit identity matters. At Roots, we believe faith should make us more
thoughtful, not less. Curiosity asks better questions than propaganda. Critical thinking refuses to confuse political power with the kingdom of God. And empathy reminds us that the people who suffer in war are not symbols in a prophecy chart—they are human beings loved by God.
So when we hear theology that treats war as inevitable—or even desirable—because it might
accelerate the end of the world, we step back. Because the Jesus we follow didn’t teach his
disciples to hasten Armageddon. He taught his disciples to be peacemakers, to love our
neighbors as we love ourselves, and to even honor the image of God in people who align
themselves against us.
That doesn’t mean we ignore what’s happening in the world. It means we face it without panic,
without cynicism, and without surrendering our imagination to war and violence. Followers of
Jesus have always been a little odd in that way—misfits, if you will. While empires prepare for
war, we prepare ourselves for witness.
