New Series! ONENESS
ACT JUSTLY - LOVE MERCY - WALK HUMBLY
October 17th - November 7th
Everybody is in favor of unity . . . as long as everyone else becomes like them!
Everyone wants war and conflict to become unnecessary and believes it would have already happened if other people realized that they were to blame for the problem!
Historically, the Church has often not only failed to help produce Oneness but it has often been on the wrong side of some serious issues, especially pertaining to racial issues, that I don’t believe accurately reflected the heart of God.
In recent years, race relationships in our country have been especially rocky and when they were at their worst, people asked me how our church was going to lead.
Thankfully, we live in a part of the country where racial issues are less intense than others but there is still significant pain on both “sides” that while you may not feel personally affected, you could still be a greater part of the solution than you’ve been.
I didn’t know but I sought the Lord and here is what I believe I heard:
Everyone wants war and conflict to become unnecessary and believes it would have already happened if other people realized that they were to blame for the problem!
Historically, the Church has often not only failed to help produce Oneness but it has often been on the wrong side of some serious issues, especially pertaining to racial issues, that I don’t believe accurately reflected the heart of God.
In recent years, race relationships in our country have been especially rocky and when they were at their worst, people asked me how our church was going to lead.
Thankfully, we live in a part of the country where racial issues are less intense than others but there is still significant pain on both “sides” that while you may not feel personally affected, you could still be a greater part of the solution than you’ve been.
I didn’t know but I sought the Lord and here is what I believe I heard:
- Describe the problem in a way that all people can say, “That’s right.”
- Look at life through the eyes of people who grew up differently than you.
- Then begin to suggest solutions to “the problem” of racism in our country.
The results haven’t been great. For awhile, each of us on the Teaching Team tried to accomplish #1 but the feedback we received did not indicate success.
We participated with other churches and hosted an event designed to allow those voices to be heard. Those who attended or watched online had a positive reaction but we were no closer to accomplishing #3 and developing solutions to the problem of racism in our country.
On the contrary, the feedback we received mirrored the growing national sentiment among many that the divide between races continues to be a predominant issue today.
The elders have been wrestling with this for months too and here is where we are in the process:
We participated with other churches and hosted an event designed to allow those voices to be heard. Those who attended or watched online had a positive reaction but we were no closer to accomplishing #3 and developing solutions to the problem of racism in our country.
On the contrary, the feedback we received mirrored the growing national sentiment among many that the divide between races continues to be a predominant issue today.
The elders have been wrestling with this for months too and here is where we are in the process:
- Matthew 5:23-24 (when my “brother has something against me”) - Look for people I fail to appreciate and get to know them and their stories.
- Psalm 139 - Pray for God to search my heart and reveal the prejudices in my life.
- Micah 6:8 - Be people who “love mercy" by not always giving people what I think they deserve.
Neither have we found a way to adequately define the problem in a way people could universally say, “Yes! That’s right!” but we keep trying. At nearly every monthly meeting, we watch a teaching from someone who grew up seeing life differently than most of us have.
One of the many reasons Sierra Vista is a great place to live and raise a family is that it is a wonderfully diverse community. A unique feature of our “Oneness” series is that we are going to rotate pulpits with two other churches with pastors who can offer a different perspective. I invite you to come join us as we try to figure out how to contribute to a solution that will make life better from our little corner of the world!
One of the many reasons Sierra Vista is a great place to live and raise a family is that it is a wonderfully diverse community. A unique feature of our “Oneness” series is that we are going to rotate pulpits with two other churches with pastors who can offer a different perspective. I invite you to come join us as we try to figure out how to contribute to a solution that will make life better from our little corner of the world!
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3 Comments
What courage that TMC leadership continues to take while others buy guns. May God continue His work through the Body as well.
The media is a big source of the problem. Constantly twisting facts and telling stories to get anger and reaction out of the viewers. It’s a powerful voice for sure. Gods truth brings healing and restoration, not division. We have to realize we have one common enemy, and it isn’t the other “side.” Our enemy is not flesh and blood. Looking forward to this series. 💜
I am encouraged that the TMC team wrestles with this issue - it shows honesty and humility and courage in addressing an issue most of us want to skim over and deal with "later". The TMC team teaches us as to listen patiently for God's answer to our prayers and questions and since that is often a huge challenge for me, I am thankful to rely on our team to try to walk us through what God teaches us and how to hear His voice in all of this. Just reading the blog shows how much I don't understand - yet. Looking forward to being taught more of how we can be effective in loving our world. And looking forward to getting rid of ideas and practices that don't serve God's people well.