We watch the second half of a documentary that interviews multiple Baptist ministers as they talk about racism. White, black, and latino pastors, professors, and theologians share what they have experienced, and provide some good ways forward.
Weekly Bible Study – Talking About Race, part 7
We watch part of a documentary this week that interviews multiple Baptist ministers around the country as they talk about racism. White, black, and latino pastors, professors, and theologians share their perspective on history, the Bible, and more.
Weekly Bible Study – Talking About Race, part 7
We read and think more about 19th century Christians' arguments in favor of slavery. Since it was sanctioned in some way by the Bible, their arguments were convincing at the time ("The Bible says so!"). Abolitionist Christians said you should take the whole message of the Bible into account instead. But their argument wasn't as convincing to people. We talk about the argument "But it's in the Bible," and how much sway that carries.
To read the handout of excerpts from two 19th century novels, click here.
To read last week's handout, with quotes from 19th century Christian ministers in favor of slavery, click here.
Weekly Bible Study – Talking About Race, part 6 (1 Cor. 12:12-14, 25-27; 1 Peter 2:18)
How could someone justifying calling themselves a Christian and still own people as slaves? Well, we read how this week. The beliefs that Southern Christians had in the 19th century are hard to hear today. But they believed they were doing God's will based on their biblical worldview. We read some of their arguments and think about them this week.
To read the handout of quotes from Southern Christians in the 19th Century, click here.
To read 1 Corinthians 12:12-14, 25-27 and 1 Peter 2:18 online, click here.
Weekly Bible Study – Talking About Race, part 5
We celebrate the two truths that everyone is one and the same in Jesus, but that the image of God is expressed in beautiful diversity. When people use worldly divisions to separate and segregate, that is giving in to immature childish selfishness. And yet, so many Christians have prayed that God would uphold such segregation when they prayed that their will would be done instead of God's.
To read the story and discussion question handout, click here.
To read the news article handout, about the history of school desegregation, click here.
Weekly Bible Study – Talking About Race, part 4 (Ex. 21:1-11, 20-21; Gal. 3:22-29)
The world wants us to separate people into groups and label them, but the Way of Jesus is such a unifying power that it removes all those differences. Being in the Body of Christ, ideally, removes the constraints and limitations of our old immature ways (restraints from sin and even from religious laws). So we talk about how God's vision is one that transcends racial divisions, but we recognize that real inequality still exists in the world.
Read Ex. 21:1-11, 20-21 and Gal. 3:22-29 here.
Weekly Bible Study – Talking About Race, part 3 (Genesis 1:26-27; 9:18-27)
We read Bible verses that can be used in wonderful ways, as well as Bible verses that have been used in terrible ways. What does it mean that you and everyone were made in the image of God? And since that's the case, how could people ever justify extreme racial cruelty?
To open/print the handout story this week, click here.
Read Genesis 1:26-27; 9:18-27 here.
Weekly Bible Study – Talking About Race, guest speaker
This week we got to hear from Willa Wyatt. Willa is chair of the Friends of the Mars Hill Anderson Rosenwald School in Madison County. This school, that was built in 1928, has been restored and now serves as a Community Cultural Center and Interpretive Museum intended to promote a fuller understanding of southern Appalachian Black history. Click here to learn more about the history, renovation, and current updates regarding the school.
Weekly Bible Study – Talking About Race, part 2 (Eph 6:5-9; Acts 6:1-7)
Some Bible verses give a great example of overcoming racial differences so that all are blessed. Other Bible verses have been used to support some terrible behavior over the centuries. We'll think about both as we invite ourselves to be the motivators of more Christ-like behavior within the Church as a whole.
Read the week’s passages Ephesians 6:5-9 and Acts 6:1-7 here.
Weekly Bible Study – Talking About Race, part 1
We start a new Bible study series this week, as we talk about race. We'll cover issues like prejudice, racial biases, reconciliation, Bible verses (that have helped or hindered), and how Christians have been involved in race relations (in ways that helped or hindered). This week is an overview, and we look at an image of heaven as our guide: of people from every country/race/language coming together as one.
Reach the week’s passage, Revelation 7:9-10, here.
Weekly Bible Study Series – Equally Called, part 4
In our final session, we talked about the fulfillment of the prophecy from Joel, which announces and describes God’s reign and final justice. In Joel 2, the prophet points to the future day of the Lord when people will experience God’s presence in undeniable ways. In those days, all people will prophesy. Joel names specifically that sons and daughters, young and old, male and female will all know and proclaim God because God’s Spirit will come to be with them (Joel 2:28-29). This prophecy is fulfilled on the day of Pentecost, which we read in Acts 2, when the Holy Spirit falls on the believers and causes them to prophesy and speak in tongues. Peter stands up to give a sermon, quoting Joel 2, and confirming that the long-foretold day had finally come. All people, women and men, can now prophesy and announce the message of God’s reign and Jesus’ lordship. All believers today have gifts given to them by the Spirit of God. Yet some are still restricted on exercising those gifts by their congregations or religious institutions. We talked about ways in which we can further encourage and uplift all people to recognize and exercise the gifts God has given them in fulfilling God’s plan for our world.
If you missed the discussion but would like to follow along please click the following links: Study Guide 4, Video 4, What's Next Resource Guide.
Weekly Bible Study Series – Equally Called, part 3
This week we focused on the key role that women played in the Early Church. Although it was not common for women to have positions of leadership in Greco Roman structures, the churches scattered across the empire disregarded this exclusionary practice. Instead, women were church planters, teachers, deacons, apostles, and prophets. They worked alongside Paul in the ministry, and even suffered imprisonment for their leadership in the new Jesus movement. We took a look at the witness of Acts and Paul’s letters that showed how the Early Church pushed against their societal norms to enact God’s original intent for oneness among humanity. We also looked at the letters attributed to Paul that are often used to argue against women in ministry and how those text compare with Paul's support of women in ministry in his other works.
If you missed the discussion but would like to follow along please click the following links: Study Guide 3, Video 3.
Weekly Bible Study Series – Equally Called, part 2
This week we focused on the key role that women played in Jesus' life and ministry. Jesus called women as disciples, and he centered the experiences of women who had been marginalized by their society. He taught women alongside men and encouraged their participation and leadership in the work of God. Women also provided the ministry of presence to Jesus at the cross when the male disciples did not, and they alone were the witnesses to the world-changing news of the resurrection. These women served as the very first preachers of our faith.
If you missed the discussion but would like to follow along please click the following links: Study Guide 2, Video 2.
Bible Study – Conflict and Peace in the Holy Land, part 7
We end this series by seeing what life is like now for Christians who have lived in the West Bank for 2,000 years. (It's hard.) We also think about what we can do, as Christians here, to build more peace. Since Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers," and we want to be blessed, what could we do? And if we want to support people in the situation over there, what does support look like?
To open the handout for this session (an article about the Biggest Myths of the Israel-Palestine Conflict), click here.
Bible Study – Conflict and Peace in the Holy Land, part 6
We return to our series about the Holy Land this week, as we learn what it’s like to live in the West Bank area. For some groups it’s easy and pleasant; other groups are impeded from leading natural lives. As we’ve been doing in this series, we take time to understand what the conditions and motivations are for all the people involved, so that we can better understand what’s going on, and then be better able to work for peace.
Weekly Bible Study – Spiritual Discernment, part 6 (areas of focus)
In our last session of spiritual discernment together, we focus on three areas of action and split into groups for each one. The areas of focus that have risen to the surface in our conversations have been: Community Connections, Youth & Children, and Music. How can our church take the next faithful steps in each of those areas?
To look at and use the worksheet to think about each focus area, click here.
Weekly Bible Study – Spiritual Discernment, part 4 (reviewing and focusing thoughts)
This week we continue working in small groups to review what we've heard and felt so far. That will help us hear/see what God has been doing for us and is leading us towards. We spend time coming up with a few key items (issues, words, activities, opportunities, challenges, interests) that are emerging from us that can lead to action.
To look at and use the group worksheet for the week, click here.
Weekly Bible Study – Spiritual Discernment, part 3
The first step of spiritual discernment is focusing on God’s presence with you and love for you. Then you ground your heart in gratitude. So what are we grateful for, in our community together as a church? We listen for key words that stand out, and we think about previous conversations we’ve had. What things were positive, and what were disappointing? We listen to our hearts tonight as we listen for the Holy Spirit.
To look at and use the group worksheet for the week, click here.
Weekly Bible Study – Spiritual Discernment, part 2
To really determine where God is calling you next requires lots of prayer, mindfulness, imagination, and openness. We also must be willing to let go of what we hold onto, if God calls us elsewhere. Some attachments we have are nurturing, some hold us back, and some can go either way, depending on our relationship with them. So does your weekly routine give you a helpful rhythm, or does your routine control you?
Scripture verses read: Hebrews 12:1; Luke 9:62; John 8:36; Galatians 5:13.
Weekly Bible Study – Spiritual Discernment, part 1
In this Bible study series, we’re thinking about how to figure out what God wants us to do. Not how to pray for God to do the things we want, but to spend time in prayer discerning where God is calling us—as individuals and as a church. Spiritual discernment has been practiced since the very beginning of Christianity. It’s usually not easy—as individuals or as a group—but it is necessary in order to grow and continue following God.
Read Acts 15:1-21 here.