In my devotional Wednesday morning I shared how important it is that Christians have faithful and mindful conversations about the issues of the day that affect everyone. This is part of the love ethic that Jesus taught. It is not just a matter of "personal salvation" but rather the salvation of the world for which Jesus came. Our world and our country are suffering mightily from people talking past one another and not talking at all. This is not healthy for a church or a democracy, and we must do better.
During the height of the Black Lives Matter movement (which was and is so much larger and different than the tiny, official organization of the same name), I was encouraged when our church held several conversational studies by Zoom. We discussed the books White Fragility, Trouble the Water, and His Truth Is Marching On among others. These conversations focused on the underpinnings of the angst our black sisters and brothers bear on a daily basis. These conversations were helpful to those who participated, which included both adults and youth. We need to have more of those kinds of conversations and will do so this fall.
In the meantime, I will begin one of these crucial conversations next Wednesday, July 13, at 6 p.m. Meet me at The Lion & Crown in Watters Creek Village in Allen where I will lead a conversation around, "How do we begin to faithfully think about the issues of our day?" This is open to anyone who would like to come and everyones takes care of their own bill. Some 40% of those who filled out our Community Connections Survey in the spring expressed interest in this kind of “Pub Theology” opportunity. If it’s received well, Mark Lucke and I have agreed to host more of them. I hope to see you there and let the crucial – and faithful – conversations begin.
Connecting God and Grace …
