Church as a Catalyst for Healing and Service
Summary
In our gathering today, we delved into some of the most pressing issues facing our society and the church's role in addressing them. We began by discussing the racial tensions that are currently at a crisis point in America and around the world. This moment presents a critical opportunity for healing and leadership from the church. We have the answers that the culture lacks, and it's time to apply them. Churches can unite across racial lines, speak with one voice on righteousness and justice, and engage in good works together. Reconciliation comes through service, not just seminars. When we serve together, we break down barriers and build relationships that transcend color, class, and culture.
We also explored the challenge of raising children with a biblical worldview in a post-Christian culture. It's crucial to train our children to think biblically, engage them in conversations about faith, and model a life of integrity and service. Our children learn not just from what we say but from what they see us do. We must be intentional in teaching them scriptures and engaging them in discussions that challenge their thinking and align with God's word.
Jackie Hill Perry shared her powerful testimony of transformation and the pushback she faces for standing firm in her faith. Her story reminds us that surrendering to Jesus means giving Him our whole life, not just parts of it. The church must hold God's standard high while loving people up to it, creating an environment that facilitates spiritual growth.
For those doubting God, especially in times of suffering, we emphasized the importance of sharing real experiences of God's faithfulness. Even in tragedy, God is at work, and our stories of overcoming through Jesus can be a powerful testimony to others.
Finally, we discussed the importance of the church being the hands and feet of Jesus, actively engaging in community service and addressing systemic issues. The church should not only be a place of worship but also a force for good in the community, demonstrating the love and power of God through practical actions.
Key Takeaways:
1. Racial Reconciliation Through Service: The church has a unique opportunity to lead in racial reconciliation by uniting across racial lines and engaging in service together. Reconciliation is achieved not through discussions alone but through shared service and building relationships that transcend differences. [01:40:51]
2. Raising Children with a Biblical Worldview: In a post-Christian culture, it's vital to intentionally teach children to think biblically. This involves engaging them in scripture, modeling integrity, and having open conversations about faith and morality. [01:44:56]
3. The Power of Testimony: Sharing personal stories of transformation and God's faithfulness can be a powerful tool for encouraging others, especially those doubting God. Real experiences of God's work in our lives can inspire hope and faith in others. [02:02:39]
4. Holding God's Standard with Love: The church must maintain God's standard of holiness while loving people up to it. This involves creating an environment that facilitates spiritual growth and walking alongside those who are struggling. [01:58:39]
5. The Church as a Force for Good: The church should be actively involved in community service, addressing systemic issues, and demonstrating God's love through practical actions. This involves not just worship but also being the hands and feet of Jesus in the community. [02:17:56]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[01:38:08] - Introduction of Panelists
[01:39:04] - Addressing Racial Tensions
[01:40:51] - Reconciliation Through Service
[01:42:04] - Encouraging White Churches
[01:44:56] - Raising Children Biblically
[01:49:00] - Speaking Identity Over Children
[01:51:05] - Parenting Reflections
[01:54:25] - Jackie Hill Perry's Testimony
[01:58:39] - Holding God's Standard
[02:02:39] - Encouragement for Doubters
[02:06:10] - Trusting God in Suffering
[02:17:56] - Church as a Force for Good
[02:21:06] - Musical Ministry by Jakaylan Carr
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Psalm 89:14 - "Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you."
2. John 16:33 - "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
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Observation Questions:
1. What are the two principles mentioned in Psalm 89:14, and how are they described in the sermon as being inseparable? [01:40:30]
2. How does the sermon suggest that racial reconciliation can be achieved through service rather than just discussions? [01:40:51]
3. What role does the family play in raising children with a biblical worldview according to the sermon? [01:44:56]
4. How does Jackie Hill Perry's testimony illustrate the concept of surrendering one's whole life to Jesus? [01:54:25]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How can the church practically unite across racial lines to address issues of righteousness and justice as described in Psalm 89:14? [01:40:30]
2. In what ways can parents model a biblical worldview for their children in a post-Christian culture, and why is this important? [01:44:56]
3. How does sharing personal testimonies of God's faithfulness serve as a tool for encouraging those who doubt God, especially in times of suffering? [02:02:39]
4. What does it mean for the church to hold God's standard high while loving people up to it, and how can this be applied in real-life situations? [01:58:39]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you participated in a service project. How did it impact your relationships with others, and how can you engage in similar activities to promote racial reconciliation? [01:40:51]
2. Identify one way you can intentionally teach or model a biblical worldview to a child or young person in your life this week. What specific scripture or principle will you focus on? [01:44:56]
3. Think of a personal story of God's faithfulness in your life. How can you share this story with someone who is currently doubting God? [02:02:39]
4. Consider a situation where you might have been judgmental rather than loving. How can you adjust your approach to hold God's standard high while showing love and compassion? [01:58:39]
5. What is one practical way your church or small group can become more involved in community service to address systemic issues? How can you personally contribute to this effort? [02:17:56]
6. Reflect on a recent challenge or suffering you faced. How did your faith in God help you navigate through it, and how can you use this experience to encourage others? [02:06:10]
7. How can you create an environment in your home or community that facilitates spiritual growth and supports those who are struggling? What specific actions can you take this week? [01:58:39]
Devotional
I'm ready to provide the 5-day devotional.
Quotes
This issue of race and reconciliation, this is really as bad as things are, opened up a critical opportunity for some healing and from some leadership from the church, because the culture doesn't have any answers. We have answers that we haven't applied. They can do three things. First of all, they can get with other churches of like faith to bring Christians together who share the same identity in Christ, because that should overrule color differences. [01:39:51]
Reconciliation comes through service, not through having a bunch of seminars. We can talk all day about how we all get along kumbaya, but if we assert when you're in a war, you don't care about the color class or culture of the god fighting next to you as long as he's shooting in the same direction you are. We have a common problem, and we need to face it in a common way through our service while we get one get to know one another along the way. [01:40:51]
How do we continue to cultivate in our children a bibliocentric worldview when they're just hearing so many other voices that are leading them down a different path? What are you doing and then Katherine even with your children, what are you all doing to cultivate that in the lives of your children? I mean, I think that, you know, and dad could speak really academically to this about historically, um, the philosophies of thought like the Greeks had a way of thinking and the Romans had a way of thinking. [01:44:56]
As parents, we still have the opportunity and the gift of training them how to think, and so just yesterday after we listened to the sermon from church, you know, we were sitting around eating leftover pancakes and bacon because we were going to finish it all, and I printed out the study guide and I was asking them questions and the kids' assignments this week were to read the scriptures that were referenced in the sermon and say how do what does that look like for you. [01:45:56]
The scriptures that she remembers are not the ones she learned in her 30s and 40s, it's the ones that she learned when she was at her mother's knee that are so deeply ingrained in her mind and her heart, and many of us know this to be true when we're away from our mothers we can still hear their voices in our heads that there is a way that you can get in your kids' heads with your own wisdom that your god-given god inspired a wisdom that comes from a godly worldview. [01:47:19]
I think as your kids get older you don't shy away from hard conversations you engage in them because it's an opportunity to train them in thinking and looking at that and say what is the world view that this commentator or this newscaster is sharing and what does god's word say about that and if you don't know google it, I mean it's okay for you to learn alongside your kids so I think you can train them and be intentional about it. [01:48:56]
When I was five or six I don't remember I just know it was before I knew how to spell my name is when I noticed that I had same sex desires didn't know the name forward didn't have you know this was early 90s and so it wasn't like you know tv and culture and all of the it's not like I had all these options for how to identify myself until I went to church and that's when I heard that what I was dealing with was called homosexuality. [01:54:25]
God is so consistent that he would not allow me to continue sinning against him in a variety of ways without the acknowledgement of my conscience it was just everything that I heard in Sunday school everything that I saw in my aunt who was a Christian she used to read and sing the psalms and it was confusing to me because ain't none of them rhyme but she's saying with all our heart mind and joy and strength. [01:56:59]
I needed to give god like my whole life and my whole heart my whole mind and all of that was the holy spirit none of that made any sense apart from the holy spirit unveiling my eyes to see the beauty that is Jesus and so now you know I'm just trying to live this life to the best of my ability into the glory of his name. [01:57:59]
You hold god's standard high and it's non-negotiable but you love people up to it you don't oppress them with it you don't change it but you are walking with them if that the whole purpose of the church is to be an environment that facilitates spiritual development so you want to grow people and you can't grow people if you dismiss them reject them and oppress them but if you love them and show compassion to them. [01:58:39]
I ask god questions without questioning god you have to make a distinction between the two rebecca said why lord how long lord but then he closes and he says but I'm still going to trust you so I asked god questions but what I didn't do was question him god has a conditional will and an unconditional will the conditional will says if you meet certain conditions I'll do this the unconditional will means this is my plan regardless of what you do. [02:06:10]
We have a whole outreach ministry we call it the turnaround agenda where we impact the community with food with clothes with job training job placement with health issues with unplanned pregnancies a comprehensive program the biggest of which is the adoption of over 40 public schools where we provide mentoring and family support services as our way of bringing healing to young people their families and strength for our community. [02:17:56]
Chatbot
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