July 16, 2008
All one in Christ Jesus
“for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:27-28
Some Mountain Christian Church folks attended Dudley Rutherford’s NACC presentation on diversity in the congregation he serves, Shepherd of the Hills Church. This energized the already-present desire among MCC’s leadership to reach more disciples by becoming better disciples by genuinely welcoming those from different cultural, racial, socio-economic backgrounds.
In the Spirit’s providence, the very next week, MCC’s Student Ministry, led by Matt Silver and Jenna Howell and some great volunteers (including my wife Heather), guided our 8th & 9th graders through a Short Term Mission trip. In partnership w/ Youthworks, many of the students (including my daughter Olivia), came to a deeper understanding of the race-based sins of the past, and the need to become better disciples in reaching & connecting w/ others across all barriers, the way Jesus did. Heather & Olivia told me about learning the story of civil rights leader Fred Shuttlesworth, seeing the tragically historic Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, and meeting and hearing the “Yay God” life testimony of Stephen Manyama and Family
Life Center.
As Olivia & I talked about the trip, I asked, “now that all this happened, what would you like to do?” – a tough question to turn around on myself…
More Better Tools for the Journey 
Ryan said,
July 17, 2008 at 5:16 PM
A concept I’ve come to realize and embrace more and more. “Jesus belongs to the whole world” as Billy Graham said. Matthew 28 doesn’t comission us to go into one part of the world and seek to save God’s certein number of of His chosen people. We’re comissioned to go into all the world, reach every toungue, tribe, and nation. People who don’t look like you, talk to like you, act like you, don’t have the money you might, don’t have the same self-esteem or mental condition as you, people who weren’t raised with manners or values or sense of humor that you were.
Every toungue, tribe, and nation means people who might be like you. That’s the picture of God’s holy catholic church (small ‘c’, get the CD from church) and the picutre of “going into all of the world.” Jesus belongs to the whole world, and the whole world needs him.
When will people realize that we’re all God’s chidlren? Amen Alex!
The trip to Birmingham was amazing; full of “take aways” and lessons. I’m so glad God allowed for me to make it there.