Thursday, June 16, 2016

50 Die in Deadliest Mass Shooting in U.S. History

The Wired Word for the Week of June 19, 2016In the early morning of Sunday, June 12, a gunman opened fire inside a gay bar and dance club in Orlando, Florida, killing 49 and injuring 53. By 5 a.m. on Sunday, the gunman himself had been killed in a gun battle with police, bringing the death toll to 50. This mass shooting at the Pulse nightclub surpassed the 33 killed and 23 injured in the Virginia Tech attack of 2007.
On Sunday afternoon, President Obama labeled the rampage "an act of terror and an act of hate." On Monday, he reported that the gunman appeared to be motivated by extremist propaganda online. Although the shooter claimed allegiance to an Islamic State leader, authorities have not found any links connecting him to terrorist groups. Obama called the shooting a case of "homegrown extremism." House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan said, "As we heal, we need to be clear-eyed about who did this. We are a nation at war with Islamist terrorists."
Many of the shooting victims were taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center, where 29 were being treated, including five who were "in grave condition" as of Monday. Hospital officials reported that local blood banks had more than 600 units on hand due to a surge in donations after the shootings.
The gunman who carried out the attack was 29-year-old Omar Mateen, who was born in New York. The son of an Afghan immigrant, he grew up in Florida, obtained an associate's degree in criminal justice and held jobs as a security guard. He had a permit to carry a concealed weapon, and he legally purchased the two guns used in the attack. 
But Mateen showed signs of emotional trouble and a volatile temper. Sitora Yusifiy, who was briefly married to Mateen, described him as an abusive husband who beat her repeatedly. "He was not a stable person," she told The Washington Post. "He beat me. He would just come home and start beating me up because the laundry wasn't finished or something like that."
For several years, Mateen regularly attended the Islamic Center of Fort Pierce, Florida. Imam Shafiq Rahman described him as "the most quiet guy" and said that there was "no indication at all that he would do something violent." But Rahman's 20-year-old son described Mateen as an "aggressive person."
Mateen's father insisted in interviews following the killings that his son's violent deeds had nothing to do with religion. But he did report that Mateen expressed anger toward gays. He recalled that a few months earlier his son had become enraged at the sight of two gay men being affectionate with one another. On Monday, a witness told The Orlando Sentinel that Mateen had visited the Pulse nightclub at least a dozen times prior to the attack, and had been seen with a drink at the bar. Mateen had also been active on gay dating apps.
In recent years, the shooter had twice been on the FBI's radar. In 2013, agents investigated him for making comments to co-workers about terrorist groups and for expressing a wish to martyr himself. Mateen explained that he made the remarks in anger because he felt that he was being teased for being Muslim. Then, in 2014, Mateen was investigated for possible ties to a suicide bomber who blew himself up in Syria. The FBI determined that there were no strong ties between Mateen and the bomber.
Investigators are still trying to determine what led up to the attack on Sunday. The FBI is working to determine what role anti-gay bigotry may have played, aware that the Islamic State has carried out a violent campaign against gay people. Videos have been released showing its members executing people they identify as homosexual. The New York Times reported that Mateen called 911 shortly before the attacks and pledged allegiance to the Islamic State.
Condolences and offers of support have poured in from around the world. Vigils and memorials have been held, and the Eiffel Tower was lit in rainbow colors on Monday evening. The chief executive of Afghanistan, Abdullah Abdullah, said that the Orlando attack "tells us that terrorism knows no religion, boundary and geography. Terrorism must be eliminated."
Mark Galli of Christianity Today magazine wrote that he and his staff "are deeply grieved by the shooting in Orlando that killed 49 people. Our heartfelt sympathies go out to friends and family of the victims. In this case, the attack was targeted at one group, and so our prayers go up for gays, lesbians, and other sexual minorities who now live with a heightened sense of fear. We are glad to hear of so many Christians, from many theological persuasions, reaching out to comfort them in their grief."
More on this story can be found at these links:
The Big Questions
1. The shooter reportedly expressed anger at the sight of men showing affection toward each other in public. Regardless of your attitude toward people who are gay or lesbian, what is the justification for showing anger and rage toward a brother or sister? When is such emotion acceptable, if ever?
2. The Federal Bureau of Investigation defines hate crime as "a criminal offense committed against a person, property, or society that is motivated, in whole or in part, by the offender's bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or ethnicity/national origin." How do the Orlando shootings fit the definition of hate crime? Why should Christians be especially concerned about crimes that are motivated by hate? Should an alleged motivation of hate even be a factor, or should the objective criminal actions be what is punished? Explain.
3. How is hate destructive? When we, as members of the church, feel intense anger or dislike or disgust about something, how do we keep it from boiling over into active hate that can do grave damage? Where have you seen hate doing damage to the developing spirits of children, to buildings that are vandalized in the community, and to congregations that end up splitting because they can't figure out how to get along and do ministry together?
4. In response to crimes such as the Orlando attack, many people direct hateful emotion against innocent people. Most of us have seen responses that blame innocent Muslims or innocent gun owners for this crime, at least in part. How have you been tempted, in these ways or others, to blame innocent people? Are there any other places or cases where you have been tempted like that? How did you respond to the temptation -- and is that how you should have responded? 
5. Robert Lynch, the Roman Catholic bishop of St. Petersburg, Florida, writes, "Attacks today on LGBT men and women often plant the seed of contempt, then hatred, which can ultimately lead to violence. Those women and men who were mowed down Sunday were all made in the image and likeness of God." Where do you see contempt and hatred leading to violence? What does it mean to you to take a stand for people "made in the image and likeness of God"?
Confronting the News With Scripture and HopeHere are some Bible verses to guide your discussion:
Genesis 37:3-4Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he had made him a long robe with sleeves. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably to him. (For context, read 37:1-9.)
Sibling rivalry is as old as the Bible, going back to the first brothers, Cain and Abel (Genesis 4). In the case of Joseph and his brothers, the brothers hate him because he has a dream that predicts that he will someday reign over them (vv. 5-8). The brothers sell him to some Ishmaelites and he is taken to Egypt, where he rises to power. Eventually he saves his family from trouble and says to them, "Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people" (50:20).
Questions: What do you consider to be the major causes of hate between people? Why is it so hard to love the people around us, even our closest relatives? Have you had an experience of God turning hatred into love and evil into good? Describe.
Ecclesiastes 3:8 ... a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. (For context read 3:1-8.)
TWW team member Frank Ramirez notes that while this verse might suggest that there is a God-ordained time for hatred and war, the author of Ecclesiastes is cataloging a list of things that happen, regardless of our will or God's intention. They are the result of free will, accident or circumstances, the sorts of things that we will encounter over the course of a lifetime. 
Questions: When have you found yourself hating someone, or a whole group of people? What was the cause of that hatred? Did you do anything about it? When have you found yourself the recipient of hatred? Was it because of something you did, or because of who you are (African-American, Hispanic, female, etc.)? Did you fight back against hatred?
Matthew 5:43-45
[Jesus said,] "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous." (For context, read 5:38-48.)
Many civil rights activists deliberately chose the path of nonviolent resistance toward those who hated them, praying for those who beat them or sought to kill them, and refusing to return hatred for hatred. More recently we have seen African-American Christians who survived a vicious hate crime on the part of an armed white person who murdered innocent people in their church appear at his hearing and express forgiveness for the murderer.
Questions: What do you think is the most effective path of resistance against hatred? How do you understand Jesus' words, "Do not resist an evildoer" (v. 39)? What would Jesus do? What did Jesus do?
John 1:1-5In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. (For context, read 1:1-18.)
John describes Jesus as the pre-existent Word of God, in the beginning with God and part of the creation of the universe. He is part of the creation of life as well, and John describes this life as "the light of all people." One of the strengths of this light is that it cannot be extinguished by the darkness of the world.
Questions: How do you see Jesus as the light of the world? What happens when his light shines into dark situations? Where do you see his light at work, when the darkness of hatred and violence is so strong? How can you reflect his light to people around you?
Romans 13:1
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God. (For context, read 13:1-7.)
This is one of the few places where the New Testament touches on government and a Christian's relationship to the government. As with much of scripture, it is viewed in fairly absolute terms by some, as a mere suggestion by others, and with some fairly in-depth analysis by yet others. 
At a conference on terrorism and counterterrorism a few years ago, TWW consultant James Gruetzner was discussing this passage with one of the conference speakers. The speaker noted that there is no parallel passage in the Koran or other Islamic authorities that would differentiate between government and religious practices. He believed that that is one reason why religious law tends to be imposed in Muslim countries: Under Islam, even ostensibly secular rulers are responsible for enforcing Islamic law. Of relevance to the Orlando attack, at least eight Muslim countries actively impose the death penalty for homosexual acts (Iran, Mauritania, Nigeria [some sections], Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia [some sections], Sudan, Yemen). Areas controlled by the Islamic State also do so.
Questions: Where does one draw the line between obedience to governments and obedience to God? How firm does your understanding of what God commands have to be? How does one respond when government goes beyond its responsibilities, such as are delineated in the Romans passage? Does the lack of a separation between mosque and state within Islam have any effect on how Islam is viewed?
For Further Discussion
1. The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), has issued a letter in response to the June 12 shooting, which says, "We believe that all people are created in God's image. All of humanity bears a family resemblance. Those murdered in Orlando were not abstract 'others,' they are us. But somehow, in the mind of a deeply disturbed gunman, the LGBTQ community was severed from our common humanity. ... We live in an increasingly divided and polarized society. Too often we sort ourselves into like-minded groups and sort others out. It is a short distance from division to demonization. [In Orlando], we witnessed the tragic consequences of this." In society today, where do you see us sorting ourselves into like-minded groups, and sorting others out? How is division connected to demonization? What is the solution?
2. According to Religion News Service, "Religious leaders from Pope Francis to the Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations sharply condemned the shooting. ... Muslim groups also condemned the killings." What is the significance of these condemnations? How can people of different faiths unite at a time like this?
3. TWW team member Jim Berger writes, "The church has disaster agencies prepared to respond to floods and hurricanes. But how do we respond to this horror? We can't send vans of workers to rebuild anything, so what do we do?" How would you respond to Berger's questions?
4. This past Sunday, a Chick-fil-A location in Orlando had its employees make sandwiches and tea, and provided them free of charge to volunteers at an Orlando blood donation center that was taking blood donations for the surviving victims of the attack. Chick-fil-A never opens on Sundays, and its CEO has spoken out against gay marriage. Yet, Chick-fil-A responded to this attack with tangible support for the victims. Discuss this response to the attack in the context of hatred, disagreement and love.
5. If the shooter had, in fact, visited the Pulse nightclub socially and used gay dating apps, he might have been experiencing a struggle with his own sexual orientation. How do our inner struggles often erupt in destructive ways? What spiritual resources can be employed to find peace with ourselves and with the people around us?
Responding to the News
Most acts of hate do not make the news, but they are damaging to people in communities across the country. Be attentive to words and deeds that show hate toward people of any race, religion, nationality or sexual orientation, and respond with Christian love.
Closing Prayer
We thank you, Lord, for sending Jesus to be the light of the world. May we reflect his light to others, and trust that darkness cannot overcome it. In Jesus' name. Amen.

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Thursday, June 9, 2016

Muhammad Ali, Seen by Many as "The Greatest," Dies at Age 74

The Wired Word for the Week of June 12, 2016

The boxer Muhammad Ali, who died on June 3 of complications from Parkinson's disease, was one of the greatest fighters of all time. Three times, he was heavyweight boxing champion of the world. But he made news outside the ring as well. In 1981, he reached out to a suicidal man, calling him his brother, and talked him off a ledge. The man had been there for several hours, shouting that he was "no good" and that the Viet Cong were coming to get him.
According to CBS News, a police spokesman said: "Ali did it all. ... He went up there and he talked to the guy until he came down. A police psychologist and a chaplain had tried -- but Ali got it done." That same year, TWW team member Henry Brinton ran into Ali in the concourse of the Atlanta airport and found him to be a warm and friendly person, not the superstar who called himself "the greatest" and once said, "It's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am."
Muhammad Ali was certainly larger than life, both inside and outside the boxing ring. He was a competitor in some of the most memorable matches in boxing history: a world heavyweight championship upset over Sonny Liston in 1964, the "Fight of the Century" against Joe Frazier in 1971, "Rumble in the Jungle" against George Foreman in 1974, and "Thrilla in Manila" against Joe Frazier in 1975. He claimed that he could "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee."
Ali didn't hesitate to fight with his mouth as well as his fists. Referring to Sonny Liston, he said, "He's too ugly to be the world champ. The world champ should be pretty like me!" He mocked Joe Frazier as ignorant and called him "the Gorilla." He nicknamed George Foreman "the Mummy" and said, "Now you see me, now you don't. George thinks he will, but I know he won't." Ali was known for treating his opponents with contempt, and once said, "I'm so mean, I make medicine sick." And yet, he did not remain enemies with all of his adversaries. After Ali's death, Foreman said, "You don't want to live in a world without Muhammad Ali."
Outside of fighting, Ali was criticized for his social activism. One day after his first fight against Sonny Liston, Ali announced he had converted to Islam. Until that time, he was known by his birth name, Cassius Clay (he was named for the great abolitionist Cassius Clay), but he announced, "Clay was a white man's name, was a slave name, and I'm no longer Clay, no longer [a slave]. I'm now Muhammad Ali." Although this conversion made him seem sinister and distant to many conventional sports fans, he told a biographer, "The first time I felt truly spiritual in my life was when I walked into the Muslim temple in Miami." His conversion drew strong criticism from civil rights leaders like the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who stated, "When Cassius Clay joined the Black Muslims, he became a champion of racial segregation and that is what we are fighting against." But as Ali matured, he drastically changed his views, declaring, "The man who views the world at 50 the same as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life."
While converting to Islam was not widely popular, Ali caused an even bigger uproar when he declared himself a conscientious objector and refused to fight in the Vietnam War. The war was still relatively popular when he took his stand, and he was vilified by many, even in the African American community. He was condemned as a draft dodger and criticized in Congress, but asserted that his Muslim beliefs prevented him from going to war. Instead of fleeing to Canada or Sweden, the heavyweight champion of the world stayed in the United States and resisted -- a stance that was important to many African-American troops.
"Why should they ask me to put on a uniform and go 10,000 miles from home and drop bombs and bullets on brown people in Vietnam," Ali asked, "while so-called Negro people in Louisville are treated like dogs and denied simple human rights?" The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. called his decision to become a conscientious objector "a very great act of courage." Ali was arrested, lost his title and was banned from boxing professionally for three years. Later, the Supreme Court ruled in his favor and allowed him to return to boxing.
Beyond his victories in the ring and as a social activist, Ali's greatest strength was probably his ability to connect with people in the United States and around the world. A proponent of civil rights, he said, "Hating people because of their color is wrong. And it doesn't matter which color does the hating. It's just plain wrong." As one of the best-known Muslims in the United States, he called for peace after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Presidents asked him to make diplomatic visits abroad. In 1990, he helped to return several hostages who were being held in Iraq.
Ali visited prisons and hospitals throughout his life, often using simple sleight-of-hand tricks to connect with adults and children. He continued to travel and make public appearances as long as he possibly could, and was a tireless advocate for Parkinson's disease patients and their caregivers. Doctors say that his Parkinson's disease was likely caused by the thousands of punches he took in the course of his career.
Was Ali arrogant? Of course. TWW team member Jim Berger recalls that Ali was once on a plane preparing for takeoff. The flight attendant came by and told him to buckle his seatbelt. He replied, "Superman don't need no seatbelt." The flight attendant replied, "Superman don't need no airplane, either. Buckle up!"
As proud as he was, Ali knew that "it's not bragging if you can back it up." He tried to back up his words with deeds, and as a result was seen as "the greatest" by many people around the world.. Some of his memorable sayings will continue to inspire, such as, "Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth." In his actions, he lived the truth of his pronouncement, "He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life." Ali lived by his beliefs, knowing that you should "live every day as if it were your last because someday you're going to be right."
More on this story can be found at these links:
The Big Questions
1. Muhammad Ali boasted about his abilities as a boxer and said, "Braggin' is when a person says something and can't do it. I do what I say." When, if ever, is it acceptable to boast about your abilities?
2. Ali converted to Islam and abandoned what he called his "slave name," Cassius Clay. When have you taken a bold step in support of your faith? What change did you make in your life to signify this step?
3. Refusing service in Vietnam was a controversial stance in the 1960s, but Ali was willing to pay a price for his beliefs. What price are you willing to pay for your convictions? What message would such a stance send to the larger community?
4. Ali was a fighter for race relations and civil rights, using his words instead of his fists. What battles should Christians be involved in today? How should such fights be conducted?
5. Reflecting on his boxing career, Ali said, "It's just a job. Grass grows, birds fly, waves pound the sand. I beat people up." Can any job be an acceptable vocation, including "beating people up"? How do you see your work as your calling from God? What changes would you like to make to get closer to God's will?
Confronting the News With Scripture and HopeHere are some Bible verses to guide your discussion:
Psalm 22:6-9I am a worm, and not human; scorned by others, and despised by the people. All who see me mock at me; they make mouths at me, they shake their heads; "Commit your cause to the LORD; let him deliver -- let him rescue the one in whom he delights!" Yet it was you who took me from the womb; you kept me safe on my mother's breast. (For context, read 22:1-31.)
TWW team member Frank Ramirez notes that Psalm 22, a "suffering servant" passage, is often associated with Jesus (and was quoted by Jesus on the cross). But this is not the only interpretation. This psalm is a much more universal expression of our shared experience of suffering and alienation. Muhammad Ali certainly felt "scorned by others, and despised by the people" after converting to Islam and refusing to fight in Vietnam.
Questions: When, in your personal or collective experience, have you experienced suffering, alienation or despair? If you were vindicated, describe how this occurred. What did it feel like to be reconnected to God and to the people around you?
Proverbs 16:18Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. (For context, read 16:16-33.)
Ali was one of the first -- or at least one of the first most famous -- athletes known as much for an arrogant braggadocio as for athletic prowess. Some critics have posited that Ali "broke the ice" on such behaviors, leading them to become mainstream in American culture, for better or for worse.
The proverb appears to speak to this sort of haughty spirit, not the pride in a job well done (e.g., a plumber repairing a tricky leak, a lawyer writing a fair and explicit contract and, yes, perhaps even a fighter dominantly beating up his opponent). There is little doubt that, at least in his younger days, Ali had a haughty spirit. Ali -- and his public followers -- thrived on this sort of boasting and self-praise -- even before his latter-day turnaround. 
Questions: What are some ways that you are tempted toward a haughty spirit? Have you ever experienced "a fall" as a result? What kind of pride is appropriate, as you reflect on your work and life?
Matthew 25:37-40Then the righteous will answer him, "Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?" And the king will answer them, "Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me." (For context, read 25:31-46.)
Jesus speaks of the judgment of the nations and predicts that the kingdom of God will be inherited by those who feed the hungry, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, care for the sick and visit the prisoner. It is revealed that some people have been serving Jesus without realizing that they were doing so. Could this have been true with the philanthropic work of Muhammad Ali? In the book The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis, some discover they have been unknowingly serving Aslan (the symbol for God) while overtly being an active, believing member of another faith.
Questions: What limitations do you place on being part of the family of God? Who is in and who is out? Are there non-Christians who are serving Jesus who may not know it? How do we know if we who consider ourselves Christians are really serving Jesus?
John 10:16 I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. (For context, read 10:1-18.)
Jesus describes himself as "the shepherd of the sheep" and says that "the sheep follow him because they know his voice" (vv. 2, 4). He compares his role as shepherd to a thief and a hired hand who are not going to protect and care for the sheep. Then Jesus speaks of other sheep who will be brought into his fold in the future, creating one flock of faithful people following one shepherd.
Questions: What evidence do you see that people outside the Christian community are following the voice of Jesus? Where do you see people following dangerous leaders, the kind that Jesus calls thieves and hired hands? How can we join Jesus in the work of creating "one flock"?
John 18:36Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here." (For context, read 18:28-38.)
After Jesus is arrested in Jerusalem, he is put on trial before the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate. Pilate asks him if he is "the King of the Jews" (v. 33), and Jesus dodges the question. Jesus says that his kingdom is not from this world, and acknowledges that his followers would be fighting for him if he led an earthly kingdom. Jesus concludes by saying that his mission is "to testify to the truth" (v. 37).
Questions: What things are worth a fight in this world? When is violence acceptable, whether in the boxing ring or in times of war? When is it right to testify to the truth in a non-violent way? How have you done this, or seen this done?
2 Corinthians 10:15-18We do not boast beyond limits, that is, in the labors of others; but our hope is that, as your faith increases, our sphere of action among you may be greatly enlarged, so that we may proclaim the good news in lands beyond you, without boasting of work already done in someone else's sphere of action. "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." For it is not those who commend themselves that are approved, but those whom the Lord commends. (For context, read 10:1-18.)
Paul defends his ministry to the Corinthian Christians, and asks them to excuse him if he boasts "a little too much" (v. 8). He explains that his boasting has been within limits, and it has been designed to increase their faith and enlarge his sphere of Christian action. Paul wants the good news of the gospel to spread beyond Corinth, and says that any boasting should be done in the Lord.
Questions: Do you agree with Muhammad Ali that "it's not bragging if you can back it up"? Where do you see a connection between boasting and using one's gifts and knowledge to their fullest? How can bragging be a way of spreading a message and enlarging one's sphere of influence? When does it go too far and become ineffective?
2 Timothy 4:7I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. (For context, read 4:6-8.)
The apostle Paul regularly uses athletic imagery, in this case both boxing and racing, in his letters. Paul used images like these because they spoke clearly to believers from the Gentile world. Boxing and an event called pankratos (which resembled modern mixed martial arts contests) were extremely popular, and the winners were immortalized in statuary and poetry. Although professional boxing has lost popularity in the United States in recent years, the title of "heavyweight champion of the world" was revered through much of the 20th century.
Questions: What constitutes lasting fame in your experience? Who are the real heroes in your life? in Christian history? In your opinion what, if anything, would make you a hero in God's eyes? in the eyes of fellow Christians?
For Further Discussion
1. Islam is considered to be one of the branches of the tree of Abraham, making Muhammad Ali part of the family of faith, created by our loving God. What is your view of Muslims in relation to Christians? How are they part of God's creation?
2. The apostle Peter says, "Rid yourselves, therefore, of all malice, and all guile, insincerity, envy, and all slander" (1 Peter 2:1). Ali showed malice toward opponents during his prize-fighting career, but then demonstrated great sincerity as a philanthropist. What do you think changed him? Where is the potential for such improvement in your life?
3. Ali made the observation, "Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth." How is this true for you? Where can the church provide opportunities for service?
4. Racism in the United States was a factor in Ali's decision to be a conscientious objector during the Vietnam War. Where do you see racism today? What can you do about it? How can the Christian community work to alleviate it?
5. Although Ali was called "the greatest" by himself and others, he had many flaws. Where do you see God using flawed people today? How can God use you?
Responding to the News
The death of Muhammad Ali is an opportunity to reflect on the life of a complex and charismatic human being. Use his life as an opportunity to reach out, in Christian love, to a person of another race or religion. Keep your eyes open for the image of God in people very different from yourself.
Closing Prayer
We thank you, God, for all the generations that rise and pass away, giving us new insights into the ways that you are at work in the world. Help us to see all people as your creations, and to appreciate the gifts you have given them. In Jesus' name. Amen.

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Thursday, June 2, 2016

Massachusetts Congregation Vacates Building Nearly 12 Years After Closing Decreed by Archdiocese

The Wired Word for the Week of June 5, 2016
In the News
"It turns out that if you tell the people for 50 years that they are the church, they start to believe it and they start to act on it, and think they have the authority in a way to argue with the hierarchy."
That's the comment of James O'Toole, a professor of history at Boston College, speaking about the nearly 12-year-long vigil parishioners maintained at St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Roman Catholic Church in Scituate, Massachusetts, after thearchdiocesan hierarchy decreed that it, along with some 75 other churches in the archdiocese, should close and the properties be sold.
The intention was that the members of the shuttered congregations would join other parishes in the archdiocese, but the people at St. Frances, who felt strong ties to each other and viewed St. Frances as their spiritual home, weren't willing to do so. At the time, eight other congregations took a similar position, but St. Frances was the only one still holding out.
Since the date in 2004 when the archdiocesan leaders ordered the closings, members of St. Francesparish used a sign-up sheet to ensure that at least one person was in the building at all times, while the congregation pursued every legal means available -- including moving through the U.S. legal system and an appeal to the Vatican -- to stop the closure. Members kept the church continuously occupied for 4,234 days.
Now, however, the U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear their case, and the members of St. Frances held their final service last Sunday.
In an official statement, the archdiocese again said it hoped the congregants would join other parishes. "Their sense of loss from the closing of the parish is understandable," the statement said. "For this reason the archdiocese kept its commitment to allow the appeals process to conclude both in civil and canonical courts."
The decision to shutter the churches, attributed by the archdiocese to a decline in the number of priests and congregants, as well as to the cost of maintaining so many buildings, was issued when the archdiocese was in the midst of the clergy sex abuse scandal, which started in Massachusetts, and then spread around the world. A year earlier, the archdiocese had agreed to pay $85 million to settle almost 550 lawsuits.
The archdiocese doesn't say that the sales of the churches is related to the scandal, but settlements in those abuse cases led to financial problems, and many church members and observers believe it's a significant contributing factor to the closings.
Since no priest was assigned to St. Frances once the official close date occurred, lay people have led the services ever since, using communion wafers secretly consecrated by sympathetic priests. The congregation's final service last Sunday, though, was led by Rev. Terry McDonough, an ordained Catholic priest who was put out of the ministry because he had chosen to marry.
The members of St. Frances are planning to continue as a worshiping congregation, meeting in a Masonic lodge until they can acquire a building of their own. They have announced plans to form a new "Catholic community" church in Scituate, which will operate outside of the authority of the Boston archdiocese and be partly led by Father McDonough.
In a statement, Terrence Donilon, a spokesman for the Boston Archdiocese, said, "The most important step we can now make as a Catholic family is to continue to work toward reconciliation. Despite our disagreement over the closing of the parish, we have never lost sight of the fact that we share a commitment to follow Jesus Christ in and through the Roman Catholic Church .... With the conclusion of the vigil, we endeavor to memorialize the spiritual home that was once St. Frances X. Cabrini Parish."
The vigilers see it differently. As one of their members, Jon Rogers, put it. "This is not a death, but the birth of a new church and a new way of thinking. We are the bright light our world needs, and I pray that we burn forever."
More on this story can be found at these links:
Applying the News Story
In responding to this news story, we are likely to have some empathy for the vigilers who held out so long in their church building. All of us who are regular churchgoers, regardless of our denomination, can likely identify with the members of St.Frances, who wanted to maintain their community of faith within the walls of the building where so many significant milestones in their lives were marked. As one member of that church put it, "It has the sweat of my family members in the bricks. I had my first communion here. There's been weddings here. There's been funerals here."
Nonetheless, in closing the church, the archdiocese was acting within its legal rights. A Superior Court judge ruled that according to the way the Roman Catholic Church is organized, the archdiocese was the legal owner of the church property and had the right to evict the parishioners occupying the building. That ruling was upheld by the state Appeals Court, and when the U.S. Supreme Court was asked to hear the case, the justices declined, which suggests that they saw no problem with how the lower courts had ruled.
Still, the actions of the St. Frances parishioners raise the question of the nature of a congregation: Is it a people in a building or a people whether they have a building or not?
We recall a statement that seems relevant by David Platt,  president of the Southern Baptist Convention's International Mission Board, and the author of The New York Times bestseller Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream. He said we've taken Jesus' Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) instruction to "Go, make disciples, and baptize" and turned it into "Come, be baptized, and sit in one place"!  
The Big Questions
1. If your church building burned to the ground, would you rebuild it? Why or why not? How might your answer change if there were another congregation of your denomination nearby that you could easily attend?
2. Is it possible you might be missing the will of God by rebuilding? Is it possible you might be missing the will of God bynot rebuilding? How might you know?
3. If your church building burned to the ground, would the people of your town or city who are not part of your congregation miss it? Why or why not?
4. Considering questions 1 and 3, which one, if either, is more revealing about what it means to be a church? Why? Or are both equally important and if so, why?
5. What possible good might come out of some churches in a given area closing?
Confronting the News With Scripture and Hope
Here are some Bible verses to guide your discussion:
Jeremiah 29:12-14
Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart, I will let you find me, says the LORD ... (For context, read 29:1-14.)
These words of God were communicated to Jews in exile in Babylon in a letter to them from the prophet Jeremiah. The Jews had long associated God's presence with the temple in Jerusalem, but when exiled, they were separated from the temple (which the Babylonians eventually destroyed).
But in exile from their religious building, as Jeremiah suggests, the people discovered that they could still be a people of God, could still study the scriptures, could still pray and be heard by God. In fact, in exile, the synagogue system was born, some of the biblical texts were put into their final form, and there appears to have been a significant reduction of idolatry among the Jews.
Their God, they found, was not locked into a "place."
Question: What are the advantages and disadvantages of congregations identified with specific buildings?
Ephesians 2:19-22
So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God. (For context, read 2:11-22.)
1 Peter 2:4-5
Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God's sight, and like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (For context, read 2:1-10.)
The New Testament has very little to say about church as a place, but quite a bit to say about the church as an assemblage of people. In fact, there is no place in the New Testament where "church" translates into any reference to a building: It is always to an assembly or multitude.  (The English word "church" derives from a post-biblical Greek phrase "house of the Lord," and only later merged with the biblical Greek concept of an assembly of Christians.) The two passages above are examples.
Questions: According to the Ephesians verses, Christ is the cornerstone of the church. How should that betangibly expressed in a congregation? What does it mean to you to be a "living stone" in God's "spiritual house"?
Acts 12:12
…[Peter] went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many had gathered and were praying.
Romans 16:3-5
Greet Prisca and Aquila, who work with me in Christ Jesus, and who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. Greet also the church in their house ….
Colossians 4:15
Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters in Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house.
Philemon 1:1-2
Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our dear friend and co-worker, to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house ...
In the New Testament, the few passages that refer to the church as a place are connected to individuals' private homes -- homes that evidently were large enough to host groups of people gathering for worship, prayer and study.
TWW team member Frank Ramirez, who is a pastor in the Church of the Brethren, comments, "The Brethren originally worshiped in house churches, and only gradually went to meeting houses that were low maintenance and resembled houses, not churches. Now, most of our congregations meet in buildings that require maintenance and upkeep. But they can be essential to our group identity as well. The Amish in our area meet in house churches. The benches are moved from one home to another depending on whose turn it is to host church."
Questions: To what degree is the house-church a useful model for the church today? To what degree is it an inadequate model for the church today?
Add up your church's building maintenance, utilities and the other expenses, and ask what would it be like to meet as the New Testament churches did, as a network of house churches and not as one church. (When Paul writes to the church in Rome or Corinth or Philippi, he is writing to a confederation of house churches). What could you do with the money you spend on the building for the ministries of Jesus? On the other hand, what ministries and what part of your identity would not be possible if you did not have a building? How is your building linked with the identity of the community?
Hebrews 10:24-25
And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (For context, read 10:19-25.)
The writer of Hebrews doesn't mention specifically in what sort of location the Christians should "meet together," but meet together we should, he says, "to provoke one another to love and good deeds."
Questions: In what ways does going to church provoke you to love and good deeds? How might your practice of discipleship be less faithful without "meeting together," and why?
For Further Discussion
1. Is it possible that God uses church closings to bring attention to our need for community with him?  
2. Because of certain clergy in the Boston archdiocese sexually abusing children -- or protecting those who did -- some people stopped going to church. What message might those people have learned from the long vigil of the people of the St.Frances congregation? Might it have helped them to reconsider? Why?
3. TWW team member Mary Sells comments, "One thing I seem to say to myself often is, 'Don't let your religion get in the way of your faith.'" How much must you be in agreement with your church or your denomination to still remain with that church and be true to God?
4. Discuss this, from TWW team member Frank Ramirez: "Around 20 years ago I spoke with a fellow pastor whose church had burned down. She told me that she got the call in the middle of the night and went to the church and met fellow parishioners in the parking lot to live through the grief together. She was met by a local priest whose church had also burned down a few years before. He told her she might not understand it now, but this could be the best thing that ever happened to the church.
     "Her church went through a discerning process about whether to rebuild or move and had a vote that was almost a tie. They realized they didn't have consensus yet, went through another discerning process, realized they were deadlocked and made a near unanimous decision to move to another location, build a handicap-accessible building that accommodated their ministries, and they never looked back. It had been wrenching at first to think about leaving behind all the memories, but now there are new memories and new ministries."
5. In our "In the News" section above, we cited this comment: "It turns out that if you tell the people for 50 years that they are the church, they start to believe it and they start to act on it, and think they have the authority in a way to argue with the hierarchy." Why should we believe we are the church, and what authority should that give us?
6. Respond to this, from TWW team member Charles Alkula: "When I was stationed in Cornwall [England] with the U.S. Navy, I regularly preached in tiny Methodist chapels across the Duchy. One, St. Kew Highway, had a grade 2 (historic) building where John Wesley himself [Methodism's founder] had personally laid the cornerstone. Yet having a building that drained resources became too much for the remnant [of the once flourishing congregation] to handle, and so the decision was made to sell the building to the nearby golf course. The chapel took that money, gave it away for mission projects, and now rents space each Sunday in the village hall (which, unlike the chapel, has heat, air conditioning and is accessible). They've seen a growth in numbers attending services and in ministry to the community, which now sees the chapel as being engaged in its neighbors' lives."
7. Comment on this, from TWW consultant James Gruetzner: "While I don't find anything in the New Testament instructing Christians on how they must organize themselves -- congregational, presbyterian, episcopal and other polities might work in various places -- Jesus does note that he is present when any assembly of 'two or three' Christians gathers (Matthew 18:20). That said, I found it interesting -- and inconsistent -- that some members of the (former) St. Frances X.C. parish believe that they can form a 'Catholic community' while being in rebellion against the local archdiocese, since Roman Catholicism (as well as some other Christian groups) believes that the historical episcopate (the line of bishops beginning with the apostle Peter and extending to the present) is the only way the church can be organized.
Responding to the News
This is a good time to think seriously about your answers to these two questions:
  • If your church burned down, why would you rebuild it?
  • If your church burned down, would the community miss it?
We can't answer those two questions without prayer, but they belong in our thinking. It's a good idea to ask ourselves those questions every couple of years or so, for they can help us determine where ministry and mission of each congregation needs to be expanded or changed.
Prayer
Thank you, Lord, that the church is so much more than a building, but that a building can sometimes be a place of spiritual learning, growth and service to others. Help us to keep a proper perspective on our houses of worship so that our first priority is always to do your will. In Jesus' name. Amen.
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Thursday, May 26, 2016

Chair for Study of Atheism Established at University of Miami

The Wired Word for the Week of May 29, 2016
Although it has not yet been officially announced by the University of Miami, that school will soon become the first to have an academic chair "for the study of atheism, humanism and secular ethics," according to a report inThe New York Times.
Within academia, a "chair" is a teaching position established with endowed money. In this case, the endowment is in the amount of $2.2 million from Louis J. Appignani, 83, the former president and chairman of Barbizon International, a modeling school. Over the years, Appignani has given money to several humanist and secular groups, but the donation to the University of Miami, which is a private, nonsectarian institution, is his largest to date.
"I'm trying to eliminate discrimination against atheists," explained Appignani. "So this is a step in that direction, to make atheism legitimate."
Given that goal, it is perhaps ironic that the idea of academic chairs originated from the Medieval church where teaching was said to take place ex cathedra (from the chair), because each bishop had a throne (cathedra) in his principal church. In academia, creation of an endowed academic chair typically makes the subject of the chair -- atheism in this case -- a priority area of study. The funding enables a school to recruit faculty from among the best scholars in the world.
The University of Miami, however, was quick to say that the goal of the new chair is not to encourage atheism but to study it. "We didn't want anyone to misunderstand and think that this was to be an advocacy position for someone who is an atheist," said Thomas J. LeBlanc, executive vice president and provost of the Miami school. "Our religion department isn't taking an advocacy position when it teaches about Catholicism or Islam. Similarly, we're not taking an advocacy position when we teach about atheism or secular ethics."
Of course, the professor occupying the chair, just as any other professor teaching a subject he or she cares about, could personally be an advocate, one way or another.
While this chair is the first in any U.S. institution of higher learning to have the word "atheism" in its title, Pitzer College, a liberal arts school in Southern California, has a program and major in secular studies, founded five years ago by Phil Zuckerman, a sociologist of religion. Only two students have opted to major in that area, but the classes in the program are popular, often attracting more students than the courses have room for.
"There is a real need for secular studies," Zuckerman said. "As rates of irreligion continue to rise, not only here in the U.S.A., but all over the world, we need to understand secular people, secular culture and secularism as a political and ideological force."
According to the Pew Research Center's 2014 Religious Landscape Study, 3.1 percent of American adults say they are atheists, up from 1.6 percent in a similarly broad survey in 2007. While 3.1 percent may not sound like a large figure, when applied to the adult population of the United States -- 245.3 million in 2014 -- that translates to 7.6 million self-declared atheists. What's more, the Pew study found that an additional 4.0 percent of Americans call themselves agnostics, up from 2.4 percent in 2007. Beyond that, the percentage of Americans who claim no religious affiliation has risen sharply, from 16 percent in 2007 to 23 percent in 2014.
More on this story can be found at these links:
The Big Questions
1. In what ways, if any, can developing scholarship about atheism, humanism and secularity be useful to the church and its responsibility to spread the gospel? In what ways, if any, can it impede that mission?
2. Is the increase in the percentage of unbelievers in our society a threat to Christianity itself? Why or why not? Is the increase a reflection of a lack of evangelism and teaching on the part of Christians?
3. Is the increase in the percentage of unbelievers in our society a threat to your personal faith in Christ? Why or why not?
4. Since college is already the place where some students abandon the faith in which they were raised, what impact, if any, might such classes as those connected to this new chair have?
5. The donor whose money established this new chair said that it was a step toward making atheism "legitimate." Does that square with the university's stated intention not to advocate disbelief in God? Since there are millions of people who claim no belief in God, is atheism already "legitimate"? What is the difference between something being "legitimate" and something being "true"?
Confronting the News With Scripture and Hope
Here are some Bible verses to guide your discussion:
Psalm 14:1 
Fools say in their hearts, "There is no God." (For context, read 14:1-7.)
It seems that in any church discussion of atheism, somebody eventually quotes this verse from Psalm 14. We are quoting it too, but not to call nonbelievers fools. While there is no doubt truth in this verse (see next paragraph), it's not likely to be helpful in reaching out to nonbelievers if "fools" is our baseline opinion of them. And the fact is, some very intelligent people who are not fools by any earthly measure have arrived at a position of atheism -- just as some very intelligent people who are not fools by any earthly measure have arrived at a position of belief in God and commitment of their lives to Christ.
But to give the verse its due, the foolishness here is not so much a lack of knowledge but an unwillingness to acknowledge and trust God. Without God in one's personal equation, some of one's priorities will be different from those things that God calls us to prioritize. Thus, the verse should be understood not as a statement about philosophical atheism, but about atheism in the practice of one's life -- acting as if one is ultimately responsible to no one but one's self. The foolishness is in "being a law unto oneself."
Questions: Where have you acted as a law unto yourself? How does it affect your outlook on life? Are there any ways you might call such an approach foolish? Why or why not?
Colossians 2:8
See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ. (For context, read 2:8-15.)
Paul's letter to the Colossians seems to have been prompted by reports that some in the Colossian church, in addition to worshiping Christ, were acknowledging -- if not actually worshiping -- certain heavenly powers associated with the stars; that is, some form of astrology. Or perhaps he was referring to what we nowadays would call the Zeitgist -- the spirit of the times -- or possibly some concept of the "arc of history" or even some commonly felt ideal.
In any case, in the verse above, Paul references these powers as "elemental spirits of the universe," and he wants his readers to have nothing to do with such belief. So when he warns his readers to avoid being taken "captive through philosophy," he's not speaking about philosophy in general but the particular belief in these so-called elemental spirits.
Questions: When has a new idea or teaching shaken your belief in God and Christ? What helped you deal with the inner conflict? What philosophies do you consider not worth your time? Why?
Ephesians 2:8
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God ... (For context, read 2:4-10.)
Romans 12:3
For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. (For context, read 12:1-8.)
In the Ephesians verse above, Paul tells the Ephesian Christians that the faith through which they've been saved is not their own doing, but rather is God's gift to them. Thus every part of their salvation -- even the very faith through which God worked in their lives -- is God's gift.
And in line with that, notice what Paul said about faith to the Romans: Faith is something that God gives us --and in varying amounts. In other words, some of us are given a great ability to believe while others are issued a smaller measure.
Questions: So, if faith is a gift from God and is given in varying amounts, does that mean that those who don't believe haven't been given the gift of faith? Are there any ways in which skepticism can also be God's gift?
Luke 7:2-5 
A centurion[in Capernaum] had a slave whom he valued highly, and who was ill and close to death. When he heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to him, asking him to come and heal his slave. When they came to Jesus, they appealed to him earnestly, saying, "He is worthy of having you do this for him, for he loves our people, and it is he who built our synagogue for us." (For context, read 7:1-10.)
TWW team member Frank Ramirez notes that this account of the Roman centurion with an ill slave has an atheist element: The centurion would have grown up thinking Jews were atheists because they did not believe in all the gods the Romans did. But he has evidently taken time to learn the local customs. He has studied the so-called atheists -- the Jews -- and it has made him a better member of the occupying army. He has built a synagogue for the locals, and he understands that coming into his house would make Jesus unclean (see vv. 5-7).
Ramirez reminds us that in the era of the early church, many people likewise considered Christians to be atheists because they didn't believe in all the gods that the pagans did. Sometimes the cry against the early Christians wasAire tous atheous ("Away with the atheists"), as for instance with the martyrdom of Polycarp, the second-century Christian bishop of Smyrna.
Ramirez comments, "It seems to me that all world religions, cultures and philosophies are worth knowing about. The centurion took time to learn about clean and unclean in Jewish culture, and thus become open to Jesus, whereas the imperial Roman culture was more content to spread lies about Christianity, that we ate flesh, engaged in abominations, etc."
Questions: When has gaining an understanding of another religion helped you to view its adherents with more grace and appreciation? When, if ever, has it helped you appreciate more what God has done for us in Christ Jesus?
1 Peter 3:14-16 
... do not be intimidated, but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and reverence. (For context, read 3:13-18.)
This is good advice for Christians. Insofar as our personal ability and gifts allow, we should be ready to testify to the hope that is in us -- our confidence in Christ. This isn't to say that we all have the gifts needed for the cut and thrust of debate with unbelievers, but that our genuine testimony can be offered even when we can't detail all the reasons for our faith.
We don't need to have a polished presentation; simply, we need to convey the impact of what following Jesus means to us. We once heard about a cleaning woman who testified that since receiving Christ, she no longer swept dirt under the rugs. That testimony might not convince an atheist to abandon unbelief, but it should convince him or her that something significant happened in the life of the person offering the testimony.
Question: What sincere testimony can you offer today?
For Further Discussion
1. Respond to this: For some years, Protestant theologian Stanley Hauerwas was on the faculty of Notre Dame, a Catholic university. He was once asked what that experience was like. He said, "For good or ill, what it means to be a Catholic is to be a member of the church. I can illustrate the difference by calling attention to what it means to be an atheist in Judaism, Protestantism and Catholicism. When Jews say they do not believe in God, they mean that God is an unjust [being] and they'll be d----d if they'll worship him. When Protestants say they do not believe in God, they mean this is all there is: You might as well eat, drink, [live life] and die. When Catholics say they do not believe in God, they mean they are mad at the church. 
     "I soon learned that ex-Catholics disbelieved with an intensity I could only admire. They could get angry at the pope or at the priests or at the nuns for taking it out on them in the second grade. What was remarkable is that these 'ex'-es had actually been marked for life." 
     Hauerwas ends: "What a wonderful gift, even if it took the rest of your life to get over it."
2. Comment on this: In writing about the rise of atheism, Lutheran pastor and author Martin E. Marty suggests that Christians "keep cool." "America," Marty says, "has seen cycles like these before and has managed to survive." He also advises, that we "don't sneer," as some Christians have done when challenging atheism. "Where does [sneering] get us?" Marty says, "Who can refute a sneer?"
     He has several other good suggestions as well, but he closes by recommending that instead of arguing with atheists, we "read a good book." He adds, "For more profit, read a novel, a volume of poetry or a sacred scripture. And relax."
3. Discuss this, from Phil Zuckerman, head of the secular studies program at Pitzer College: "There is a real need for secular studies. As rates of irreligion continue to rise, not only here in the U.S.A., but all over the world, we need to understand secular people, secular culture and secularism as a political and ideological force."
Responding to the News
This is a good time to remind ourselves of two passages:
• Matthew 13:23 -- "But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty." 
• Matthew 28:19-20 -- "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
All of those words are from Jesus. The Matthew 13 verse is the final sentence of his parable of the sower (read the whole parable in 13:1-8 and Jesus' interpretation of it in 13:18-23). One point of the parable is that our responsibility is to "sow" the gospel seed. The condition of the soil is not our responsibility; it's God's. So we shouldn't let the unbelief of our hearers stop us from sowing the seed.
The Matthew 28 verses are Jesus' "Great Commission" to his disciples and the church. Again, our responsibility is to faithfully obey, not to guarantee the results.
Prayer
Help us, O Lord, to ever be ready to account for the hope that is in us because of Jesus. In his name. Amen.
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