Common Perils and Common Opportunities

Common Perils and Common Opportunities

by | Nov 12, 2024

Election Day 2024 has come and gone, the votes are in, and a new president-elect has been determined. No matter how you voted, our country will now face common perils and common opportunities. Your response as a faith-based leader to both the perils and the opportunities will set the stage for how your people respond as well.

In this blog I would like to name three perils and three opportunities with suggestions of how to respond. But first, I’d like to remind you of one important myth, and how you can avoid falling prey to it.

 

The Myth of Omnipotence

A great deal of weight has been placed on the presidential election. And rightly so. This is a crucial leadership position in our country, and there is much at stake. However, the president alone does not control the fate of the US, or the world, or especially you. Yes, the president does have a great deal of influence, however they are not omnipotent. Checks and balances exist between state and federal law, and ideally within the three branches of government. More than that, as faith leaders, we draw upon a Higher Power to guide and direct us. This Power has been known to burst through jail cells, confound rulers of the day, and transcend even the grave. Therefore I encourage you to exercise your faith, and remember Whose you are, even in uncertain times. Especially in uncertain times.

 

Three Common Perils

Peril #1: Adjust your morals. There will be constant, steady, and unrelenting pressure to adjust your morals. Outrageous behavior and unacceptable actions will again become normalized in the public eye. You may have to work very hard to keep your moral grounding. Norms that were once commonly accepted will begin to feel radical. Norms such as making space for people who are different than you, without having to demonize them or ostracize them. Or norms such as agreeing to disagree. 

Don’t give in to this pressure. Know what you stand for. Be clear on your values. Maintain your morals and ethics. At the same time, don’t demonize those who voted differently than you did. To do so would simply reinforce the polarization that got us here.

 

Peril #2 The Gospels will sound increasingly like politicized statements. Love your neighbor as yourself. Show hospitality toward strangers. Welcome the alien and immigrant. For Christian nationalists, “making disciples” may sound like a rallying cry to lead more followers to acceptance of authoritarianism. Or leading them to treating others with a cruelty that has no place in Christianity. Or any religion for that matter.

Preach the Gospel anyway. More than that, live the Gospel anyway. Be kind. Be hospitable. Be welcoming. Even more so, interrupt acts of unkindness. Speak up for those getting bullied. Correct hateful or derogatory language uttered in your presence. As St. Frances is quoted as saying: “Preach the Gospel at all times. When necessary, use words.”

 

Peril #3: You will be tempted to sensor your words or even downplay the Gospels so as not to upset others. You may even be tempted to ignore your baptismal vows. Peer pressure can be a fearsome thing.

Pause, get your internal bearings, then live true to your values. Frankly, the Gospels have always been countercultural. They have always made us uncomfortable. Even back in the day. Yet, a word of caution: don’t beat people up with the Bible. Or with your interpretation of things. That doesn’t help, either.   

 

Three Common Opportunities

Opportunity #1: Love others. The need for love, hospitality, and kindness toward strangers will only increase. More than ever, people in vulnerable populations will need hope and help.  Even the term “vulnerable populations” will expand. LGBTQ people, all people of color, as well as non-Christians such as Jews and Muslims, Sikhs, immigrants, women, the disabled, and the elderly may all be targets of hate.

Natural disasters and interpersonal violence will both create opportunities to extend the best qualities of the gospel toward others.

 

Opportunity #2: Dream of a better future. The time to create inspiring and inclusive visions of a better future for all is now. Dream big and extend your sights beyond the church to the community around you. Partner with agencies and groups who may share your vision. Tap into the wealth of resources around you.

While the numbers of vulnerable people may grow, so will the opportunities to be of service. As a leader, you can show others how to expand their vision beyond your church’s walls.

 

Opportunity #3: Deepen your spirituality. Spiritual growth and grounding will be essential. If you look to the circumstances around you for hope, or affirmation, you may find that wanting. To continue to be a light unto the nations, you will need to tap into your own inner divinity. Practice rising from faith in Jesus to the faith of Jesus.

If your congregation has a vision or a mission statement, let that be your guiding light. If there is a particular thing you are called to, do it, and do it well. If it is feeding the hungry, visiting the imprisoned, providing sanctuary for the immigrant – continue what you’re doing.

But keep an eye out for other opportunities to help.

 

Leaders, this is the time to not only believe in Jesus, but to believe like Jesus. Expand your capacity to be a light in the world and to be the change you wish to see.

Help bridge the gap between our common perils and our common opportunities by following me on Facebook and joining me for my 40 Day Spiritual Transformation Series, starting November 27. I also encourage you to join me this Thursday, November 14th, for my free seminar, “How Christian Ministries are Achieving Success.“

 

Copyright © 2024 rebekahsimonpeter.com.  All Rights Reserved.

Belief in Action

Belief in Action

by | Oct 21, 2024

As you know, these are challenging times. Times rife with hatred and violence, to both people and the planet. But during these challenging times, we who are moving from simply believing in to believing like Jesus can harness the courage and the power to make real, positive change. Change that makes a difference in the lives of the oppressed. In the fate of the planet. And in ourselves. Because without taking action to sustain and support ourselves, we can’t sustain and support others.

The transformation from believing in Jesus to also believing like him, can be the catalyst to responding to challenging times. Not just with passive prayer, but with action. Prayer, of course, is essential, but prayer motivated by belief can bring about amazing results.

Beliefs shape your thoughts; thoughts fuel your actions; actions demonstrate your faith, and your faith reinforces your beliefs. So, as you begin to believe like Jesus, you will find that you are now able to think new thoughts, take new actions, and develop new faith. Mountains and mulberry trees start to move. The people around you begin to respond in new ways. And the world becomes a brighter place.

 

Believe

Just as Jesus is in divine partnership with God, so are you. Jesus has faith that, at a deep level, there is no separation between him and God or between him and the Spirit. That they are divine collaborators. You, too, are invited into this unity, and are an expression of this oneness. Believe it. Embrace it. Don’t shy away from it. You are one with God.

 

Answer the Call

Jesus shows his partnership with God in his words and works. Use your creative, inborn capacity to create with words—to remind yourself of your unity with God. “I am one with God.” Saying the words names your belief and puts it out into the world. Contemplate your oneness with God to bring it to life. Express that divine partnership in what you do as well—in your good works. What becomes possible when you stretch and say “yes” to the needs around you? When you answer the call to help, your partnership with God will carry you.

 

Practice

Look for opportunities to partner with God. Nina Lesowitz and Mary Beth Sammons wrote a book about courage called What Would You Do if You Knew You Could Not Fail?: How to Transform Fear Into Courage. Let’s rephrase that and ask: What would you do if you knew God was your partner? Claim the courage to see the world through that lens. Put that partnership into practice with everything you do.

 

You and God can accomplish anything together, including miracles!

Including the miracle of transforming challenging times into loving, open, and peaceful ones.

 

 

Excerpted and adapted from Rebekah Simon-Peter’s forthcoming book, Believe Like Jesus: Rising from Faith in Jesus to the Faith of Jesus, November 2024.

Copyright © 2024 rebekahsimonpeter.com.  All Rights Reserved.

Transformation to the Faith OF Jesus

Transformation to the Faith OF Jesus

by | Oct 15, 2024

The world is in quite a state. Wars. Climate change. Regressive social policies. Gun violence.  A creeping sense of hopelessness.

It’s tempting in these perilous times to give in to doubt, fear, and despair, even for Christians. To isolate, rather than to connect. To hide, rather than to shine. To shrink in our faith, rather than expand.

But we can’t do that. That’s not who we are. That’s not what Jesus wants for us, and it’s certainly not how he lived in his time on earth. Though we look to the Kingdom of Heaven for our eternal reward, we can’t forget our call to create the Kingdom of Heaven on earth.

 

Faith IS Action

There’s a saying often attributed to Mahatma Gandhi: “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” This advice carries particular weight for Christians. The world can use some of that change—a lot of that change—right about now. As Christians, we’ve always been asked to live our faith out loud. While we may feel silenced by the sheer number of challenges we face, the present times demand that we dig deep into our spiritual lives so we can be bold voices for love, for a shared purpose, and for a common vision. By living our faith in Jesus, we can transform the world and manifest the Kingdom of God here on earth.

I’ve prayed about this often and deeply. What does this actually mean? How can we use our faith in Jesus to transform the world?

The more I’ve thought about it—the more I’ve prayed about it—the more I’ve come to realize that faith in Jesus may only be a first step. When we have faith in Jesus, aren’t we putting the load on him? Asking him to be responsible for fixing things? This kind of faith is passive. How is that being the change we wish to see in the world?

To rise to the challenge of our times, we must draw on a more active faith. We must transform our faith so that it has a greater impact. What if we rise from having faith in Jesus to having the faith of Jesus?

 

The Transformation of Belief

Faith in Jesus gives us someone to follow. That’s not a bad thing. We all need someone to inspire the good in us—“the better angels of our nature,” as Abraham Lincoln put it in his First Inaugural Address. Who better than Jesus? But faith in Jesus puts the locus of agency outside ourselves. Like there’s nothing we ourselves can do.

When we take on the faith of Jesus, however, we become the locus of agency. Instead of just believing in Jesus, we begin to believe like Jesus. We activate the faith we have. As our souls are infused with Jesus’ kind of faith, we become ever more Christ-like. Not only do we tap into Jesus’ divinity, but we also tap into our inner divinity. And we become miracle-makers alongside Jesus.

Lest this sound heretical, let me assure you that rising from faith in Jesus to the faith of Jesus is a very biblical concept. It’s the difference between being a disciple and an apostle. Think of a disciple as a follower, a student, an apprentice, and think of an apostle as an ambassador, a messenger, a journeyman or -woman empowered to act on their own on behalf of the one who sent them. The goal of embracing the faith of Jesus is to advance from being a disciple to being an apostle. In fact, that’s always been the purpose of following Jesus: to be sent by him out into the world.

 

Just as a tree puts down deep roots to grow tall, we take a deep inward journey of spiritual transformation to rise into human beings who live our faith more courageously, more miraculously.

 

Excerpted and adapted from the Introduction to Rebekah Simon-Peter’s forthcoming book, Believe Like Jesus: Rising from Faith in Jesus to the Faith of Jesus, November 2024.

Copyright © 2024 rebekahsimonpeter.com.  All Rights Reserved.

Voting Rights, Justice, and Faith

Voting Rights, Justice, and Faith

by | Oct 14, 2020

U.S. law is deeply embedded with systemic racism. It is also deeply embedded in the history of faith communities.

That’s why, since the murder of George Floyd, I have been hosting “The Uncomfortable Conversation Series.” In these hour-long discussions, spiritual leaders are engaged in deep listening and heartfelt discussions. Each conversation has subject matter experts sharing their views on various aspects of racism. The legal system, healthcare, access to food, and the voting process are all woven by racist policies.

With the presidential election less than 30 days away, “Racism, Redlining, Re-Districting and Voting Rights” couldn’t have been a more timely topic for October’s Uncomfortable Conversation. My guests included David Daley, best-selling author, and senior fellow for FairVote. David is a nonpartisan champion of electoral reforms, widely recognized as one of the leading national authorities on voting rights and partisan gerrymandering. Gilda Daniels also joined me, Assistant Professor at the University of Baltimore School of Law. She is a voting rights expert and former Deputy Chief in the U.S. Dept. of Justice Civil Rights Division Voting Section. Gilda served in both the Clinton and Bush administrations.

Voting and Faith

You might ask what voting has to do with faith. Or what faith leaders can say about voting. I did.

Professor Gilda Daniels, the daughter and granddaughter of Baptist preachers answered me this way. “I quote this scripture in my book: 2 Timothy 3:5, ‘Having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof.’ Using that analogy toward our democracy, we have a form of democracy. Still, it is not operating into its full power as long as it continues to suppress and prevent people from participating freely and fairly. I do not see any difference between talking about Jesus, liberation, and freedom. He came to set the captives free from discrimination.”

If our form of government re-encaptivates people through voter suppression, which you can learn about in the video, then that’s not the last word for the Christian. Jesus promises something better, something bigger, something freer than the system as it is.

You might ask what voting has to do with faith. Or what faith leaders can say about voting. Read more here: Share on X

As we move toward an election that will set the course of our country for decades to come, I invite you to listen to this discussion with my knowledgeable guests. Afterward, respond with your action to further the ministry of Jesus, who came to set the captives free.

And don’t forget to vote.

Neighboring, First Holy Communion and Democracy

by | May 7, 2012

I missed church on Sunday.  At least, I didn’t make it to my own church.  Instead, Sunday found me sitting in a pew in a Roman Catholic Church prepared to celebrate the First Holy Communion of Rachel and Lauren, the twin 8 year olds who live across the street.
Our families are engaged in “neighboring”and it’s deeply related to a healthy democracy.
Here’s how it goes.  The girls and their mom often watch Amigo, our little dog, when we are gone.  We help them out with projects from time to time too.  We often meet in the middle of the street just to say hi and to check out what’s happening.  We are frequently in each others home and have figured out we all like riding bikes!  And we are worried about environmental issues.
We have a lot in common and that helps.
Now, I have other neighbors down the street I haven’t yet approached.  They have signs hanging outside on their fence that I’m not quite sure what to make of.  One says “God bless Arizona.”  The other says  “God bless Israel.”
I’m all for blessing states and countries and I’m very pro-Israel.  But I can’t help but wonder if that isn’t really code language for something else, like: “We don’t like Mexicans and we don’t like Palestinians.”  Or even:  “God damn Mexicans and Palestinians.”
I’m not sure.  But this I know:  My husband and his family are of Mexican, Spanish and Indian descent.  And I believe in the human dignity and rights of Palestinians as well as of Israelis.  In fact, I believe in a world that works for everyone.  All families, all ethnicities, all religions, all species.
So, where does that put us as neighbors?
I confess I’m not really sure.
I’m reading Parker Palmer’s newest book, “Healing The Heart of Democracy:  The Courage to Create a Politics Worthy of the Human Spirit.”  It’s very challenging.  And very timely.  Not just because of the world we live in, but because of the neighborhood I live in.
He notes that regularly, “we withdraw into the silence of private life or express ourselves with cynicism and anger that make the public realm toxic, producing more psychodrama than social change.”
You’d have to live in a cave to not experience that…no matter what neighborhood, state or country you live in!
Palmer suggests an antidote.
It begins with seeing democracy as a way of being.  It takes shape in neighboring and other local associations.  It’s open to “The Other”and practices holding tension creatively.  It’s a way of being that moves us beyond our own little privatized worlds.  And requires both chutzpah and humility to engage the process well.
All of this is needed, he suggests, to counteract the “culture of cruelty” that overtakes when fear-mongering outweighs facts or real conversation.
So, as part of creating a politics worthy of the human spirit, I’m practicing democracy in my little neighborhood.  I know I’ll connect with the girls and their mom in the middle of the street soon.  Probably this afternoon.
But what about my other neighbors?  That’s going to take an intentional action from me.  To get over my fear, my judgmentalism and my “privatized world” that could easily keep them out.
It’s the kind of intentional act Jesus told stories about.  He too highlighted neighboring as the foundation of a healthy kind of living:  the Kingdom of God.  Reaching out beyond the norms to embrace “The Other.”  Of course, his wisdom was grounded in the Torah, too.  All of this makes a very strong case for me.
So what’s a democratically-inclined person who longs for a world that works for everyone to do?
It might just be time to bake some banana bread and head on down the block to meet all of my neighbors!