Broocks: Greatest Social Justice Endeavor is Preaching the Gospel

Of course, all Christians know about the importance of evangelism, and many books have been written to discuss the need for more evangelism and how to go about the work. The Human Right: To Know Jesus Christ and to Make Him Known takes it up a notch.Author Rice Broocks describes preaching the gospel as the greatest justice issue. Failure to bring the good news to the lost constitutes the greatest injustice. Hearing the gospel as a basic human right gives it the preeminence and urgency it deserves, according to the author.Broocks is an up and coming apologist and evangelist who is best known for his breakthrough book, God's Not Dead. His newest book, The Human Right, speaks about the need "to know Jesus Christ and to Make Him Known." It speaks about the importance of evangelism and why all Christians need to do it.It's no secret that there is a conflict in modern evangelicalism between social justice and evangelism as the missionary focus of a church. Some are inclined to fixing the brokenness and injustices of the culture while others are inclined to only preaching a message of redemption within the culture. While not discounting the effectiveness and merit of doing charitable deeds for hurting societies, Broocks underscores the centrality of the gospel as the priority of Christian outreach.Why? Because the gospel is the message that God uses to transform the human heart - which is the seat of all evil and injustice. Using the word, the Lord regenerates a believer, granting him a new heart with new desires. Once this happens, the born again person has the appetite and will to live for the Lord, which leads to a life of righteousness. In other words, the root of the problem is the most important issue to address, which only the gospel can fix.The author contends that since the gospel is verifiable through philosophical and historical confirmation, it is considered "public truth," and not just some private opinion or suggestion. Since it is a universal truth, every person on the planet needs to hear about it. They have a right to hear it. Since all people are made in God's image and are treated with certain graces from God Himself, Christians are called to be the bearer of God's message of eternal life to the world. The right to hear true testimony should not be denied as much as we cannot deny someone the right to bear property and to worship freely.That is why preaching the gospel is the greatest social justice endeavor.The book makes a compelling case that highlights the importance of preaching the gospel to unbelievers. Much of Broocks argument depends on whether the gospel is true, which the author does in convincing fashion by contrasting Christianity with secularism, postmodernism, and other world religions. Chapter 5's discussion of "The Reality of the Soul" is also helpful discussion that describes the reality of life after death and why we are different from other created beings. This bolsters the author's claims about our capacity, as image bearers, to understand God's will and to seek for truth. This is why the saving message of the gospel matters to the world.Of course, one of the disconnects that Christians see in the gospel is its relevance for today, since the gospel deals with afterlife matters. This is one area that Dr. Broocks alludes to at times, but doesn't quite develop as much. For much of the book, we understand the gospel as the instrument that the Holy Spirit uses to revive dead sinners into God worshippers. But yet, what happens to someone who rejects the gospel in this life? An underdeveloped discussion about postmortem judgment and the eternality of hell somewhat enervates the urgency of Jesus' salvation message. The urgency of evangelism is made all the more clear if a discussion on hell is there.Nevertheless, Dr. Broocks makes a compelling case for the transformative effects of the gospel on the human heart that plays out in this life. Addressing source of all injustice is the key to producing a renewed culture where people can love God and love others, which is why the gospel must be the focus of the church's missionary endeavors. For an apologetics book that establishes God's word as truth and can inspire a generation of believers to start evangelizing, The Human Right is an admirable book that all Christians should take to heart. It is a great addition to add to your collection of Great Commission books and a great tool to hand out to Christians who need to hear its message.Steve Cha is the teaching pastor of Grace City LA.

Advocacy For Foster Children Grows From Possum Trot to Orange County

Bishop W.C. Martin, the man who led members of his small country church in Possom Trot, Texas, to collectively adopt 76 foster children, said he believes the Zero by 2020 initiative launched in Orange County, California, will lead to a national movement.Zero by 2020 is a collaborative initiative of Christian churches in Orange County with the goal of finding a family for every child in Orange County by 2020 and equip the church to support them.Bishop Martin recently told leaders of the initiative that he will do whatever it takes to help the movement grow.“I believe in my heart that what God did with us in Possum Trot is going to generate throughout this nation,” he said. “There’s no reason in the world that it shouldn’t. I believe 100 percent that God is going to move and take care of this particular problem because our children have suffered too long, our children have been through these hardships long enough. I believe they have a right to a better life than what they ever had before.”Bishop Martin, who describes himself as simply “an ol’ country boy,” gained national attention several years ago when he and his wife, Donna, led the congregation at Bennett Chapel Baptist Church to adopt 76 foster children from across Texas, many of whom had been abandoned or abused.“I never dreamed there were so many children in the system,” Bishop Martin told People Magazine in 2012. “We’re just a little church. But this problem is all of ours.”Officials within several Orange County agencies have also captured the vision and are already working with churches to help accomplish the initiative’s goal.Olive Crest, which is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping abused and neglected children, is also a leading agency in the effort.“It’s really exciting to see how churches are coming together on behalf of children,” said Wendy McMahan, who is Olive Crest’s Director of Foster, Adoptions, and Kinship. “There’s an awakening taking place right now among the Church, with so many ministry leaders who are answering the call by stepping up to find families for children waiting in foster care.”Olive Crest is focused on strong families and safe kids, McMahan said.“We want to help families discover the right fit for them, whether it’s fostering, adopting, or providing support to other families,” she explained. “We’ll train each family and walk with them each step of the way through placement and the fostering process. Some families will feel called into foster care and adoption, and we hope that others will answer the call to restore families through the Safe Families for Children program.”McMahan adds that Olive Crest feels honored to be partnering with so many Orange County churches to share the call toward finding families for children.Skip Lanfried, one of the organizers of Zero by 2020, said that the initiative is beyond the “vision stage” and now into the implementation phase.“Bishop Martin has walked this hard road already,” Lanfried said. “His small church of less than 200 people and 25 families said, ‘Yes, we will step into the pain and hardship of these kids in foster care and give them a family.’“As the result of the movement that happened in his church a miracle happened for 76 kids. These were children that experienced very traumatic childhoods. These were the most difficult kids to place in the foster care system in Texas and his church was willing to step in on their behalf, step in the gap, and provide family.”Lanfried is encouraging everyone that is interested in the Zero by 2020 initiative to attend the Next Step Gathering to be held at Friends Church in Yorba Linda on April 14. Bishop Martin will be at the event, scheduled to speak during a training session.“We believe that Orange County has kids that have experienced difficulty being placed with families,” Lanfried said. “At this event coming up, we’re going to be hearing from Bishop Martin firsthand, who along with his church have succeeded in overcoming this problem.”For more information, including registration, for the Next Step Gathering, go to the event page here:Http://NextStepGathering.eventbrite.comPREVIOUS ARTICLES: ZERO BY 2020

Empowering Urban Leaders to Go and Make Disciples

Therefore go 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 I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. — Matthew 28:19-20Post Resurrection we read the story of Jesus speaking to his disciples. Many doubted that he had actually risen. The gospel writer in Matthew states that the guards and the disciples doubted. Much doubt was clouding the faith of the followers and non-followers of Christ. Before the end of the book of Matthew Jesus appears before his disciples and tells them to “Go and make disciples.”

BY PETE WATTS

When you are doubtful or fearful it can cause you to be paralyzed in your actions. In the bible, we read that Jesus insists that his disciples go! As they go he says, “make disciples” which can also be interpreted as learners. Another words, go and make disciples/learners of all nations.If the church is going to be relevant with a voice of authority in our current culture (millennials) we must continue with what Jesus has commanded. We are in a time when a generation has lost its understanding of deep biblical truths. We have a generation of biblically illiterate Christians when it comes to the understanding of scriptures.We have an up-and-coming generation that rejects the historical traditions and institutions of the church. Therefore, there is a temptation for preachers to proclaim a gospel that really is not gospel at all. Unfortunately, people who attend these churches regularly don’t know the difference.Could there be a time in our history where the church is positioned to retake territory from the enemy by way of strong discipleship for community transformation through a partnership between the church and the school?Let’s face it, America is one of the strongest nations in the world, yet we are one of the least educated. According to the PISA results, which measures global K-12 educational rankings, the U.S. is trailing far behind. Singapore ranks No. 1 while the U.S. ranks 24th in reading scores.We build laws around the separation between church and state that pit great academic education against great theological truths. Ironically, the church has historically always been at the forefront of pioneering educational efforts in our country. In the early 1800s’ it was the hospitality of the church in Atlanta (Friendship Baptist Church) that housed the beginnings of Morehouse and Spelman College. The Reformers in the 15-16th century were all about the educational empowerment of the masses. When Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Whittenberg church it was in protest of the establishment being the only one with access to real power, the power of reading for one’s own understanding.“The Reformation has been an extraordinary force for global education. The Middle Ages gave birth to the first European universities that trained a select cadre of scholars. But in the Protestant Reformation, the quest for universal education was unleashed. Martin Luther, a professor at the University of Wittenberg, early on called for the magistrates to establish schools so that children could learn to read the newly translated Scriptures and benefit from the learning of the ages. Later, John Calvin, in the French context, established the Academy of Geneva that became the center of Reformed theology”.Fast forward to the 21st Century and we have a huge gap. There is a gap in our public educational system where the dropout rate is alarming nationwide for children of color. If we are really going to engage our communities again we’ll need to ensure that we make education a priority in our urban churches.I believe that the church has the answer for the breaking of the school-to-prison pipeline. I believe the church has the answer to teacher retention, positive culture and climates on campuses, as well as raising up emerging leaders for the transformation of communities we serve.My experience as a church planter/pastor and educator has brought me to a place where God has allowed me to operate in my sweet spot. 2018 will make 21 years in public education as a teacher, principal, and district administrator. 2018 also makes 17 years in ministry as a preacher, church planter, pastor and apostolic leader. These two worlds have collided not by accident but by design. God has used me in a unique way in which he has gifted me with this uncanny ability of bridging these two worlds that historically has always overlapped. Historically, the church has been invested in the education of its population. Today, I call it empowering emerging leaders for the transformation for thriving communities.What would it look like for the church to partner with schools in our neighborhoods by way of afterschool programming, tutoring, mentorship, parent advocacy and even site based instruction?I was a charter school principal for 5 years. I had the the opportunity to found and run a charter middle school in South Los Angeles. More specifically my school was a block away from the University of Southern California. At the same time, I had the opportunity to plant a church in Los Angeles as well. We were able to do both because we understood that the school was our mission field not for proselytizing but for discipleship for the purpose of community transformation.In other words, our goal was not to plant a church, but to plant a transformational community. As a result our church exploded in growth and influence. The neighborhood changed. The graffiti on the buildings didn't exist anymore. The elderly in the community volunteered and the Sunday school teachers became the 6th grade teachers. My school was unique in that every employee that worked for me had a heart for their community and was committed to seeing it transformed through the gospel.In the early days of the charter school movement in Los Angeles, the church played a vital role in its survival. As a matter of fact, I would argue that if it weren’t for the black church the charter school movement would not have lasted past 5 years of it inception. It was the black church that found itself as the midwife for the birth of the educational movement we see today. When start-up educational entrepreneurs wanted to open schools they didn’t have property. They went around neighborhoods looking at community centers, abandoned buildings and the local YMCA's for space. Then something interesting happened. They found that the church was present, but during the day it sat empty. These pastors opened their doors and so began the incubation for a beginning movement that today is here to stay.I think we are still on the verge of a next wave between educational institutions and the church. I think we are going to re-engage this new generation. It will be about the church going back to its roots. The first wave of the charter movement was missing the church’s meaningful involvement in the discipleship of emerging leaders. The church collected rent and made accommodations to many operators but that was it. The laws of the state prevented churches from being involved in any substantial way which lead to the lack of discipled emerging leaders for communities of color. As a result you had young people graduating from these schools, going on to college, but never returning back to their neighborhoods. What would it look like if the church had an important part to play in helping to shape the minds of young people? What would it look like if there was an integrated curriculum around the theology of social justice and liberation for the purpose of community transformation. What would it look like if the church became relevant again to this emerging generation by painting a vision for school leaders around leadership development. I believe that would compel those students who “make it out” to return back because of the deep desire and obligation to their community to be a part of transforming it.If the urban church is going to be relevant in this 21st Century we have to be able to understand what’s happening around us. Our young people are showing up to our churches not only with the inability to read Dr. Seuss but also unable to read or understand the gospel of John. They are showing up wondering what happened to the prophetic voice of the church.This mandate and mantle is not for everyone. I believe that there is a remnant remaining who understand the call that Jesus is giving in this season which is to “make learners” of all nations, TEACHING them to obey.Rev. Pete Watts oversees World Impact’s mission for all of Los Angeles and its surrounding communities. Born and raised in Southern California, Pete holds a Masters in Communication and Education. After serving as an elementary school teacher, he opened the Thurgood Marshall Entrepreneurial Academy Charter Middle School in 2007. Pete has also felt God’s calling him to preach. After being ordained by Missionary Baptist Church in Compton, he and his wife Didi launched The R.O.C.K. Church in 2008.To find out more about Rev. Pete Watts, check out his blog.

READ Prodigal Father: I Went to Skid Row to Find Him

My Heart is Breaking, My Blood is Boiling

My heart is breaking for the families of those murdered yesterday (2/14/18) by Nikolas Cruz in Parkland, Florida. Inner character was expressed in murderous conduct.A person — not policy or politics — committed this atrocity.In our pain, sadness and anger we lash out over events like this we can't control by grabbing the nearest source to blame. We react. We go through a ritual of talking about gun control after any deadly event and we do it to make ourselves feel better about the fact that no amount of gun control can stop people who are determined to murder innocent civilians from doing so. And once again, our reactions never produce true solutions. That makes my blood boil.The biggest lesson all of us have to learn is this: the problem (school shootings) never exists at the level at which we finally (and horrifically) see it. Families form people but the common responses by the most vocal and visible among us miss that. We miss the reality that social breakdown, the disintegration of the family, fatherlessness, and allowing culture to raise and inform our children are the root causes that make children vulnerable to evil influences.The public response pretends to have a debate on gun control, safety protocols, and better preparedness, when what we are really having a debate on is the nature of evil and whether government intervention can contain it. It cannot. These are massive moral and spiritual issues foolishly being dealt with political squirt guns. The blowback of political talk you see right now to the events of today is exactly what the word "blowback" sounds like - gas. It smells bad, dissolves into the air, and no one is helped.My grief is same as everyone else's right now but my anger over the true sources and solutions being glossed over is rising above my grief.I, for one, am going after this generation and the coming generation of fathers because it is here where the real impact and solution lies. I will be focused on helping them own a spiritual commitment and accountability to their Maker and, by doing so, foster an identity and concern for mothers and children that make both less vulnerable and more secure in every physical and emotional dimension.I am one of those who believe that families play the largest part in forming people and their identities that eventually command powerful energies capable of great evil or good. By our absence (fellow dads) we can contribute to the rise of dangerous young men who bring pain and suffering. But if we decide to be present, own a spiritual life that possesses eternally good values, live them out, and mentor our boys in them, we can raise the next generation of sons who are dangerous with goodness. These are the men who are in high demand and low supply today. These are the men who bring life not death and blessing not pain to others. These are the men who must now assemble, associate, and focus with me on the true solutions versus the reactions.[bctt tweet="My prayers are for those families right now but my energy tomorrow, this week, and for the years I have left on this planet is toward creating ever growing communities of men who are known for being dangerous with goodness not just dangerous." username="Kenny_Luck"]My prayers are for those families right now but my energy tomorrow, this week, and for the years I have left on this planet is toward creating ever growing communities of men who are known for being dangerous with goodness not just dangerous. For me, one less Nikolas Cruz will require one more fully committed and caring father who decides that if “he” doesn't do relationships with son right he will not have done life right. Good men, young and old, are made not born. It's time we started acting on it.Share and Like if you want to see change in our communities.

Ignite LA Men's Conference from Every Man Ministries on Vimeo.

Digging a Well in the Desert; Social Justice as Spiritual Sustenance

I moved to Southern California about two and a half years ago to begin my seminary journey, during the worst drought on record. The rich California soil was all dried up, raging waterfalls were reduced to a trickle, and massive 100-year-old trees were dying from the inside out due to lack of water and nutrients to defend against bark beetles.

BY COLTON CURRY

Water that used to fall from the heavens to replenish the land was no longer falling. And, ironically, this was exactly how my soul felt.I was dried up spiritually. All my memories of the ways God used to move in my life used up. That “grace like rain” that used to tangibly fall on my soul to replenish me was nowhere to be found. The landscape of my heart changed from a dense forest to a barren desert.I searched for years, seeking to feel God like I used to, approaching new spiritual disciplines like a thirsty man approaches promised lakes and streams. Only, each lake I went to was bone dry, even the lakes that many claim are the ol’ faithfuls (i.e. reading scripture, fasting, and praying) were coming up empty. For years I stumbled around in this desert, blaming myself for wandering and blaming God for not delivering me (*wash, rinse, repeat*).Have you ever felt this spiritually dry and unable to find sources of life?One day, I sat down with a friend and told him about all of this, and he asked me a very simple question: “When do you feel like your soul comes alive?”I replied something like, “I feel alive when I do acts of justice, when I march against police brutality and when I talk with my friends experiencing homelessness.”He then asked me a life changing question, “How are those not spiritual? Why not approach acts of justice as spiritual disciplines?”I had never thought of that before! I was wandering around this spiritual desert searching for existing bodies of water promised to me, never thinking that, perhaps, the water I needed was just below the surface.Doing acts of justice became the well that I dug in the desert, providing the spiritual sustenance I needed each day. Perhaps this is why God commanded acts of justice in the Law (Deut 24:14-22), Prophets (Amos 5:24), and the Gospels (Matt 25). It is no coincidence that Jesus teaches his disciples in Matt 5:6 that those who do justice (another valid way of translating “the righteous”) will be filled.Pastors, non-profit leaders, or any other Christians, do you need to dig wells of justice in the deserts of your souls so that you may be filled? Maybe feeding those experiencing homelessness in your neighborhood or fighting against oppressive immigration laws can be the very way you experience the love and presence of God, not as a way of earning God’s love, but by experiencing the love of God that has always been there just beneath the surface.What if doing acts of justice in your neighborhood became part of your spiritual discipline, working in tandem with prayer and the reading of scripture? It has sustained me in the desert, and I pray that it sustains you as well.Colton Curry reports on and participates in local and global Social Justice issues. He holds a B.A. in Practical Theology from Howard Payne University, and has a MDiv from Fuller Theological Seminary with an emphasis in Christian Ethics. Contact: colton@togetherla.net.

The Church: How Have We Advanced the Dream?

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. made a profound statement some 50 plus years ago about Sunday morning at 11am being the most segregated time of the week. That statement was the launching site of the gathering that took place last Saturday (1/20) at Chosen Generation Fellowship Church in Long Beach.We asked the question: How have we advanced the dream since the Civil Rights movement?A very diverse panel of pastors, ministry leaders, and academia met at the intersection of the church, the gospel, and culture. Our guests invited to talk about the subject included, Irene Cho—Program Administrator for the Fuller Youth Institute (FYI); Peter Watts—Pastor of The R.O.C.K. Church of Los Angeles, Regional Vice President of World Impact; Joyce Del Rosario—currently a PhD candidate at Fuller Theological Seminary’s School of Intercultural Studies; Mary Glenn—an affiliate professor with Fuller Theological Seminary (School of Intercultural Studies/Fuller Youth Institute) and an adjunct professor with Azusa Pacific University (MA Transformational Urban Leadership).

Today, a fascinating conversation took place about our collective and personal experiences when it comes to relationships with different people groups inside the church. Thank you, @ceddy40 for leading the discussion that needs to continue! Stay tuned! #mlkgathering #advancethedream #losangeles #longbeach #carson #pasadena #downey @worldimpact @onetenpictures @allinsmallgroups

A post shared by TogetherLA (@together_la) on Jan 20, 2018 at 7:10pm PST

The panelists engaged in discussions around two major questions: 1. Has the church moved the needle since the Civil Rights movement in advancing the dream? 2. Is diversity in church real or is it more about uniformity?Women with diverse cultural perspectives were a majority, leading to a discussion thread about how women in ministry are often subjected to certain levels of “positional” sexism in the church.Joyce Del Rosario talked about how being a Filipino American in the Christian community presented an attitude to conform to “doing” church through the lens of the dominant culture’s narrative, which is typically a white perspective.Pastor Peter Watts stated during the dialogue that “real transformation inside the church doesn’t happen until the church repents.”Mary Glenn spoke about the impact of labels, the lens by which we see each other and interpret our world. We are God's beloved and image bearers, made in the image of God. Irene Cho highlighted that there is a difference between diversity and uniformity. Irene discussed how the dominant narrative in most of our churches are to become uniform to the dominant culture instead of getting involved in the messy mosaic of diversity.Pastor Dwight Radcliff, of The Message Center in Gardena and current PhD. candidate at Fuller Seminary joined the panel to discuss diversity on the level of academia, especially regarding our seminary institutions. Pastor Radcliff echoed the sentiments previously shared regarding a lack of diversity in some of our seminaries, especially around professorship. Even at the seminary level there is a case for the dominant narrative to be singular along cultural lines.The morning wrapped up with questions from the audience with various responses from the panelist. The idea and premise of this event was to begin a conversation about where we are as a church (the Body of Christ) since Dr. King made that statement some 50 or more years ago.Dr. King may have struggled putting into action what he was questioning at the local church level, panelists highlighted during the discussion.We are still working to advance the dream in our communities, churches, seminaries, by having discussions where we can surrender our “isms” at the intersection of the gospel, the church, and culture.

READ: Dignity Answer To Racially Charged Times; Civil Rights Leader at Saddleback

Dignity Answer To Racially Charged Times; Civil Rights Leader at Saddleback

LOS ANGELES — Pastor Rick Warren countered the nation’s racially charged times that led to troubling events in 2017 by opening up the first church services of the new year at Saddleback with author and civil rights activist John Perkins center stage talking about dignity.“Mankind was created to bare the image of God. Dignity reflects the soul; that dignity that God gave you. You don’t give dignity, you affirm it,” said Perkins while being interviewed by Warren during his message, “Loving Like Jesus in a Fractured World.”In his announcement about Perkins’ visit earlier in the week, Warren stated that he asked him to join him at Saddleback in response to “so many sad flashpoints in 2017” and to help him talk “about the Christ-like response to violence, injustice, racism, and poverty.”Introducing Perkins during the first of four weekend services at Saddleback in Lake Forest on Saturday, Warren said, “You may have never heard of his name, but in Christianity he’s a giant. He’s right up there with Martin Luther King Jr. and a couple of others who talked about dignity and unity and love and forgiveness and reconciliation.”Perkins, 87, is an American Christian minister, civil rights activist, Bible teacher, author, philosopher and community developer, according to Wikipedia. Despite being a 3rd grade dropout, Perkins is recognized for his work with 14 honorary doctorate degrees from schools including Belhaven University, Lynchburg University, Wheaton College, Gordon College, Taylor University, and Northern Seminary. He has served on the Boards of Directors of World Vision and Prison Fellowship.“If you don’t affirm people’s dignity you are going to have these uprisings all the time because dignity cries out,” said Perkins at Saddleback. “We’ve wrapped ourselves around our own political social idea and we’ve become that and [the attitude that] ‘if you don’t believe in that like I do we got trouble.’ It used to be that people wouldn’t love you, but they would get along with you. We called that tolerance, but now if I don’t fit into your socio-economic political deal you don’t like me. It’s hard to speak through that. We have to affirm that dignity.”He added, “What we are doing is demonizing each other instead of embracing each other. Justice is a stewardship issue. Justice is how we steward God’s creation. We have to deal with the whole idea of the dignity of humanity.”

COMING EVENT: Dr. Martin Luther King Gathering – How Have We Advanced the Dream?

Perkins shared that churches in America have a troubled history.“The church accommodating racism was a huge mistake,” he said. Perkins believes that the current social unrest is really “an opportune moment” for Christians. “I think we should be looking at this as an opportunity,” he said.“There should be one place in the world where people actually get along together. It’s called the Church,” said Warren in agreement with Perkin’s sentiments. “If we are not helping people reconcile, we’re not the church. If we’re not helping people reconcile between each other, we’re not children of God.”Perkins, who implied that the Black Lives Matter movement has led to further division in the country, said there is “only one race, the human race.”“Reconciliation is not just an event, it’s alive. Reconciliation is ongoing, it's a never ending ministry,” he said.

Saddleback Church Service 'Loving Jesus in a Fractured World;' Warren/Perkins [FACEBOOK VIDEO]

Top 7 Most Popular Stories at TogetherLA in 2017

TogetherLA.net — our love letter to Los Angeles delivered for the first time in 2017 — has a focus on following God’s work.It has been a wild ride ever since the website officially launched this past Valentine’s Day.From exclusive interviews with pastors and Christian leaders to stories of church plants and ministry opportunities, we see God moving in L.A. and beyond.

A Year of Sharing Good News With All People

Sometimes it was a national issue that became a story for everyone. Other times, the issues and movement were all L.A.Yes, we’ve had conversations about injustice, homelessness, and the Church, and we plan to have more. TogetherLA.net is about sharing good news with all people. However, it is the good news of the gospel as lived and breathed by followers of Christ, not sugar coated.The most popular stories in 2017 included the words of two well-known pastors reacting to two tragedies that dug deep into the souls of most of us — violence in the streets of Charlottesville during a Unite the Right rally and the 2017 Las Vegas Shooting during a music festival.Interestingly, TLA’s third most popular story touches on the subject of racism in a movie review piece from the editor.We hope to bring you more stories in 2018 that follow God’s work and, prayerfully, further catalyze the impact of ministry workers and church leaders all over the city.

Top 7 Most Popular Stories at TogetherLA.net in 2017

1. ‘There Is No Neutral Ground Here,’ Erwin McManus Says to The Church [Interview]“It is inescapable that the Evangelical church is seen as married to the present administration in Washington. Silence in this moment would be perceived as agreement and adherence to white supremacist ideologies,” best-selling author and Mosaic Church pastor Erwin McManus told TLA shortly after violence in the streets of Charlottesville erupted during a Unite the Right rally.“There is no neutral ground here. You either speak against racism or you add credence to their views. I am convinced the Church is the greatest hope for humanity and for creating a new world where everyone is valued and embraced regardless of differences,” he said. “This is a critical moment in history and I want the church on record and on the right side of history.” >> READ FULL STORY2. Why Did God Allow This To Happen?Pastor Greg Laurie wrote this post shortly after the 2017 Las Vegas Shooting. He writes: A 64-year-old man armed with more than 12 rifles shot and killed 58 people in what is being called the largest mass shooting U.S. history. Hundreds more were wounded.The question that comes to mind at a time like this is. . . Why?Why did God allow such a horrible thing to happen? >> READ FULL STORY3. ‘Same Kind Of Different As Me’ Rises Above Protests, Slogans on RacismWhile most of the buzz about the movie Same Kind Of Different As Me released by Paramount Pictures and Pure Flix in the fall revolved around issues of homelessness, there is also an aspect of this true story that can’t be missed — racism.The film vividly captures Denver Moore’s (played by Djimon Hounsou) deep pain as the result of living through racism manifested in all ways. However, the movie goes even farther than exposing the pain. It offers a solution to the problem and is presented in such a way that it goes beyond slogans and protests. >> READ FULL STORY4. Steve McQueen’s Missing Bullitt Car: The Big Reveal [EXCLUSIVE VIDEO]The huge success of Steve McQueen: American Icon as a one-night movie event in the fall led to two more special screenings and now a special edition DVD available at Harvest.org that is having phenomenal success as well.The documentary helps to reveal McQueen’s journey to a faith in Jesus, not common knowledge about the actor described as Hollywood’s “King of Cool.”In the process of working on the biography and documentary about McQueen (with Marshall Terrill), Harvest pastor Greg Laurie took a special interest in the discovery of the long-lost stunt car used in the film Bullitt.Watch the video that’s included as a bonus feature on the DVD of Pastor Steve Wilburn and car restoration expert Ralph Garcia, Jr. telling the story of how the official validation of the car found in Mexico went down. >> READ FULL STORY/WATCH VIDEO5. Greg Laurie’s Sunday Message From SoCal Harvest 2017: Ghost BikeSoCal Harvest on the weekend of Aug. 18-20 featured musical performances by Crowder, Lecrae, Jeremy Camp, Jordin Sparks, Andy Mineo, Danny Gokey, Brennley Brown, worship by Phil Wickham, and a gospel message by Greg Laurie at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California.Harvest events are designed to be opportunities for Christians to invite family members, coworkers, friends, and acquaintances to hear the life-changing message of the gospel in an environment that is entertaining and nonthreatening.Earlier in the year, Laurie announced a Year of Good News campaign that urged American Christians to make 2017 the year they “share the message of Jesus with everyone they can at every opportunity they can.”WATCH Greg Laurie’s Sunday Message From SoCal Harvest: Ghost Bike6. Church Planting Legend Don Overstreet 'Loved Everyone No Matter What'“He loved everyone no matter what and believed in the ones most didn’t — Jesus style,” Kirk Overstreet said of his father, Don Overstreet, whose more than 50 years experience in church planting helped him share with countless church leaders in person and through his writing.Don, who is a church planting legend had a hand in launching more than 500 churches worldwide, many of which were in the Los Angeles area, went to be with Jesus in early December. >> READ FULL STORY7. Harvey Relief Efforts By Samaritan’s Purse and Salvation Army IntensifyThe relief efforts by Samaritan’s Purse and Salvation Army during and after the Harvey storm flooding and hurricane wind damage in Texas was and is monumental. Both organizations put out the call for volunteers and their call was answered big time.TogetherLA.net was able to echo their relief effort announcements with this post. >> READ FULL STORY

TOP VIDEOS

Solution For Proactive, Unified Church in LA is Already in Place, Says Rapper PropagandaThe solution for a proactive, unified Church in Los Angeles and beyond is already in place, rap artist Propaganda (Jason Petty) told Together LA off stage at the Catalyst West 2017 conference at Mariners Church in Irvine.“The beauty of Los Angeles is how many amazing things various churches are already doing,” Propaganda said. “Often times we have this idea that we have to invent the solution for the city, but there is a lot of people already in the trenches somewhere.”The practical approach or “practical unity,” as he puts it, for Christian leaders is to look for programs such as social services, outreaches, and serving the community that are already ongoing rather than to set-up new programs. >> FULL STORYUrban Ministry, Church Planting Leaders Answer the ‘What Can I Do?’ QuestionSimply discussing the problems and issues facing America today, even from a Christian perspective, is not enough, said the leaders of two national organizations that announced earlier in 2017 a partnership to plant churches in Los Angeles, New York, and everywhere in between.“We really don’t have to look much farther than social media and news outlets [to see] everything going on in our culture — the racism, the injustice…,” said Jeff Bennett, who is a Stadia executive for its U.S. Church Planting and South Region divisions. “We can talk about the injustices, we can talk about the discouragement we feel, or we could do something.”Stadia, a church planting resource that has helped “hundreds of great leaders start new churches,” and World Impact, a ministry that “empowers the urban poor and incarcerated” held a “vision trip” in Los Angeles where Bennett along with World Impact National Director Bob Engel spoke to TogetherLA.net about the partnership. >> FULL STORYClayton Kershaw: Find a Way To Put Jesus Into Every Part of Your LifeDodger ace Clayton Kershaw shared during the team's Christian Faith Day held during the 2017 season that baseball isn't everything in his life and Jesus should not simply be part of your personal "pie chart" to be sectioned off."You just have to find a way to put Jesus into every part of your life," Kershaw said during an interview with TogetherLA and K-WAVE. >> FULL STORY

Most Watched Event in US History?

This story has nothing to do with TogetherLA.net other than we chose the photo to use in our headline header for this piece. However, just so you know, Sky & Telescope reported that according to a study, a total of 154 million American adults — 62.8% of all adults age 18 or older — viewed the eclipse directly on Aug. 21, 2017. An additional 61 million adults who did not see the eclipse directly watched it electronically on a television, computer, tablet or phone screen. Up to 20 million Americans traveled to other locations to view the eclipse."The 2017 solar eclipse could easily be the most watched event in US history with 215 million observers," Sky & Telescope stated.

Mission Trips of a Different Kind: Diving Into the World’s Financial Districts

Thinking about mission trips to impoverished countries as about only reaching the poor is a thing of the past, says Resource Global visionary and leader Tommy Lee.Editor's Note: Tommy Lee played a key role in the Together LA 2015 conference, facilitating and hosting an amazing list of speakers and organizations.The reality is that many of these same countries where Christians went out in multitudes to share the gospel in distant villages and outposts, now have economically thriving financial districts inside cosmopolitan cities.“The whole idea behind Resource Global is that the world is different. We used to think that missions was just about sending missionaries to all these islands, the bush, and third-world countries where they don’t know anything about Christ,” Tommy said. “Now, the cities are booming, the economies are booming, and their young people are well-educated, college grads, wealthier than you and I, and have dreams to really make a difference in the city.”The question now becomes: “How do you equip young Christian marketplace leaders to not only grow their existing enterprises for their city but to understand the greater world of global missions and supporting initiatives around the world?”Because of this shifting paradigm, an important focus for Resource Global is to identify young marketplace leaders, who are post-college to early 30’s living and working in different global cities. “We come alongside them to help them really understand their journey and what their presence in their city means,” Tommy said.Resource Global was started in 2010 after the Lausanne Global Congress in South Africa. After the Congress was over, the question was asked - How do we invest in these leaders who are making a difference for the Kingdom in their respective countries, cities, and also communities?

READ: Stepping Away From High-Level British Petroleum Job Included Unusual Prayer

In the first five years of the organization, the staff and volunteers of Resource Global worked primarily with ministry and non profit leaders to engage their cities. Resource Global worked on projects in a number of global cities and also in various parts of the US. Countries included Ghana, South Africa, Egypt, Peru, China, and more.Tommy said that the idea of establishing cohorts, such as in Jakarta, came when he felt the need to shift away from focusing on ministries and invest in these young marketplace leaders in key urban cities around the world. Many of these young leaders had studied in the West, Oxford, or other cities outside of their own and now were returning home to work. “Globalization was creating a different type of person, one that is unlike anyone we have seen before.” They are seeing things different, with a different set of lenses. “What does it mean if these people continue to renew their city as we continue to invest in them?”Cohorts are started when a decision is made to “journey together for eight months to really be able to learn some practical, theological ideas, and also reflect and understand God’s journey and story for their lives.” The long term vision is to build a global network where like minded leaders from different cities are learning from one another. Technology has allowed us to do this easily now.Tommy adds, “So, we will spend some time looking at Scripture, but a lot of it is looking at what their story is and how God is moving and shaping them. We also look at the topics of faith and work as well as their strengths and passions while tackling what it looks like to address the problems in their city.“The key then becomes for us to connect them with the other cohorts. So, we have a cohort in Chicago, we will have one in Nairobi, and Singapore. Now, with the world being smaller, how can a person in Jakarta connect with a person in Nairobi and learn from each other?”Resource Global focuses on developing local leaders and teachers.“These cohorts are a pipeline for developing local leaders and teachers,” Tommy said. “Now, this first cohort (Jakarta) is helping us to oversee a conference, they are now going to be some of our future breakout teachers and We’re teaching them how to break down scripture and speak according to scripture and develop talks around scripture.”First in a series.

How American Evangelicals Are Taking the 'Christ' Out Of Christianity

American Christians have an unfortunate blind spot when it comes to politics. While they worry about how to put “Christ” back into Christmas, many of them are slowly but surely taking the “Christ” out of Christianity.

By Keith Giles

For example, for the last few weeks Christian leaders like Jerry Falwell, Jr., Franklin Graham, James Dobson, and others have vocally supported the Republican candidate for the US Senate in Alabama, Roy Moore, and last night 80% of White Evangelical Christians voted to place him in office. They failed. But that failure doesn’t change the fact that today there are still millions of Christians in Alabama who actually believe that Moore stands for “Christian Values”.By “Christian Values,” they mean “Conservative Republican Values,” not the values of Jesus as expressed in the Gospels or in the Sermon on the Mount. To hear Roy Moore’s version of “Christian Values” simply look at what he has said throughout this campaign and over the last decade of his career as a politician and a judge. Very little of what he says is informed by anything taught by Jesus.Moore has said he wants to eliminate every Amendment to the Constitution after the Tenth. This means he’s in favor of taking away voting rights for Black Americans and Women. He’s also said that America was “Great” when white families owned slaves.None of this was objectionable to 80% of the White Christian voters in Alabama. And I haven’t even mentioned the 9 women who have accused Moore of sexual misconduct and trying to date several of them when they were underage. This apparently didn’t bother those Alabama Christians either. They were willing to overlook all of these infractions because there were more important things at stake. Like maintaining a Republican majority in the Senate, for example.This is not Christianity. This, pure and simple, is Nationalism.Specifically, this is Christian Nationalism and it’s slowly rotting the American Evangelical Church from the inside out.This unholy entanglement of faith and politics has effectively manipulated a religious group that identifies with Jesus and twisted them into a voting block that is primarily driven more by political interests than the Sermon on the Mount.As comedian Doug Stanhope has said, “Nationalism teaches you to hate people you’ve never met and to take pride in accomplishments you have no part in.”For White Evangelical Christians, those “people (they’ve) never met” include Muslims, Immigrants and people in the LGBTQ community. Moore has gone out of his way to condemn all three of these people groups in his campaign for Senate. He said that a person of the Muslim faith shouldn’t be allowed to hold office, accused immigrants of taking our jobs, and argued that homosexuality should be illegal.Again, none of these things are synonymous with anything Jesus ever said. To the contrary, Jesus famously taught his followers to love their neighbors – even if they were from another race or religious group (as famously portrayed in the Parable of the Good Samaritan) – and said nothing at all about homosexuality in any of the Gospels.But for an overwhelming majority of white Christians in Alabama, this is irrelevant. Moore’s platform resonates emphatically with their Conservative Republican values and that is close enough.However, it’s not just an Alabama problem. Many Christians in America are oblivious to the way their political entanglement and tribalism have led them away from the teachings of Jesus and into the heart of darkness.It started a long time ago. As Princeton historian Kevin Kruse details in his book, “One Nation Under God: How Corporate America Invented Christian America,” our country’s religious prostitution began in the 1950’s. That was when, as Kruse explains, business leaders plotted to link Christianity, Republican politics, and libertarian economics tightly together.Why? Simply to create a feeling of solidarity between Christians and Corporations who might both see “Big Government” as a common enemy.This is where our national motto, “In God We Trust” (1956), and a new line in the Pledge of Allegiance was added: “One nation under God” (1954) came from.Their goal was simple: To entangle Christianity with Republican politics in order to benefit big business.The entanglement agenda reached a fever pitch when Christians in the Moral Majority registered thousands of voters to put Ronald Reagan into office on his promise to take a stand for Christian values. They rallied to vote Reagan into the oval office twice. But in the end they got nothing in return; no abortion repeal and no legislation on school prayer.In spite of the fact that they supposedly had the ear of the American President (who many believed was a dedicated Christian), and a six-year Republican majority in the Senate, Christians were left holding the bag. The Republican party got what they wanted, but the Evangelical Christians in America got nothing.As former Moral Majority leader Ed Dobson said about this in his book “Blinded By Might”:“What did Reagan do for us in eight years of office? He gave us credibility, and he ultimately did nothing in terms of our long-term agendas.” Simply put: Entanglement works.Today, many Christian leaders and pastors vocally support candidates that a few years ago would have been rebuked by the Church for their shameful behaviors. But today these shameful politicians are unapologetically embraced so that the Republican party can gain power and maintain dominance in the House or the Senate.The entanglement of the Christian faith with politics is now pervasive. It has saturated the Evangelical Christian identity.Thankfully, many Christians are waking up to the dangers of entanglement, including conservative political columnist Dana Hall McCain who recently said:“Here’s where we are: the GOP has come to understand that Evangelicals are trained seals. We show up and clap for any clown you can slap a Republican jersey on. It doesn’t even have to be a godly or wise person. Our votes are a sure thing, and we’ll turn out and vote for problematic or corrupt GOP candidates far more consistently than non-religious conservatives. So come to terms with the fact that the church isn’t influencing diddly squat, not even in our favorite party. To the contrary, the church is the one being influenced — and our credibility before a lost and dying world destroyed — because we have believed the great lie about political engagement.We have all the power in the world, but we lack the faith to exercise it. They own us, because we don’t trust God enough to call the bluff.”She’s right: Christians already have “all the power in the world” and it’s called “The Gospel.” Unfortunately, American Christians have slowly abandoned all faith in that power to transform hearts and minds from the inside-out and they have traded it for legislative power to govern from the top-down.The entanglement of Christianity and Conservative Politics is now fully realized. Many Christians in America cannot separate their faith from their politics. They are more American than Christian. They cannot imagine following Jesus apart from political action or influence via their political party.Those on the outside of the Christian faith cannot see the difference between their faith and their politics either. This is probably one of the more damaging aspects of this entanglement. Christianity, to a non-Christian, looks more like a political party, not a way of loving our neighbors or following the teachings of Jesus.Because American Christianity has become so completely entangled with Conservative Republican politics, the faith has become impotent and irrelevant for a growing number of people. Thousands of people are leaving the faith because they are sick of this political entanglement. The Evangelical Church in America is on the decline. They are slowly becoming older as younger members opt out of the movement and they are inevitably headed the way of the dinosaur as older members die out.Even if the younger generations wanted to follow Jesus what they find when they enter most American Christian churches smell a lot more like politics than the aroma of Christ. Until Evangelicals abandon their lust for political power, they cannot fully embrace their faith. Or, as one wise man once put it: “You cannot serve two masters. You will hate one and love the other.”The simple truth is this: Roy Moore may have lost the Senate race in Alabama, but Evangelical Christianity has lost far more than this by supporting such an un-Christ-like candidate.To the Church in America I say, repent of your Nationalism and crucify your politics. It’s time to pledge allegiance to the Lamb while you still can.Keith Giles is the author of the Amazon best-seller, “Jesus Untangled: Crucifying Our Politics To Pledge Allegiance To The Lamb.” He blogs at wwww.KeithGiles.com

Joni Eareckson Tada Named WORLD's 2017 Daniel of the Year

An inspiring Christian leader and advocate for people with disabilities has been named the 2017 WORLD News Group Daniel of the Year.Joni Eareckson Tada is the founder and CEO of Joni and Friends International Disability Center, accelerating Christian ministry in the disability community since 1979.

By A. Larry Ross Communications

Joni and Friends runs a multifaceted nonprofit covering a number of program outlets headquartered in Agoura Hills. The longest running program is Joni and Friends Radio, a five-minute radio program begun in 1982 that can be heard each weekday on more than 1,000 broadcast outlets. Tada also records a one-minute radio broadcast, Diamonds in the Dust, that airs daily. Joni and Friends Radio received the Radio Program of the Year award from National Religious Broadcasters in 2002, and Diamonds in the Dust won the same award in 2010 in the short-program category. Joni and Friends also produces a television program, hosts family retreats where individuals with disabilities and their families learn they are not alone, and distributes wheelchairs and Bibles for those in need around the world through its "Wheels for the World" outreach.Each November, WORLD's annual Daniel of the Year award is bestowed on a person or persons who exhibit courage in defense of God's authority by helping those who are being persecuted. Tada is the 20th recipient of the award. Other winners include John Ashcroft, Franklin Graham, Wanda Kohn, and Stephen C. Meyer."For twenty years, WORLD Magazine has been telling the stories of Christians who are overcoming great odds to make the world a better and stronger place," said Marvin Olasky, WORLD's editor-in-chief. "We have shared many great stories in that time, but the Daniel winners are always a little different and are doing some amazing, amazing things. Joni Eareckson Tada is one of them. She is an inspiration."

Click here read Jamie Dean's profile on Tada and her ministry.

A Baltimore native, Tada was injured in a diving accident in 1967, at age seventeen, that left her a quadriplegic in a wheelchair without the use of her hands. After two years of rehabilitation, she emerged with new skills and a fresh determination to help others in similar situations.During her rehabilitation, Tada spent long months learning how to paint with a brush between her teeth. Her high-detail painting and prints are much sought after and collected by fine art enthusiasts. Her best-selling autobiography, Joni, and the feature film of the same name have been translated into several languages, introducing her to millions of people around the world. Tada has also visited more than forty-seven countries to share her story.In addition to her ministry efforts, Tada has served on the National Council on Disability and the Disability Advisory Committee to the US State Department; she has served as Senior Associate for Disability Concerns for the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization and serves in an advisory capacity to the American Leprosy Mission, the National Institute on Learning Disabilities, and Christian Blind Mission International, as well as on the Board of Reference for the Christian Medical and Dental Society. Tada currently serves on the Young Life Capernaum Board.After being the first woman honored by the National Association of Evangelicals as its Layperson of the Year in 1986, Tada was named Churchwoman of the Year in 1993 by the Religious Heritage Foundation."We as Christians have to promote a culture of life and help parents of special-needs children ascribe positive meaning to their child's pain," Tada said. "The church can show the world that a child or an adult with a severe disabling condition is not 'better off dead than disabled.' Each individual, no matter how medically fragile, is a stunning image-bearer of God; that, if anything, gives him immense worth, dignity, and life worth living."About WORLD News Group:WORLD News Group is a nonprofit organization that produces WORLD Magazine, WORLD Radio, and WORLD Digital, all dedicated to providing clarity in the news through wise insights into the stories that matter most. To learn more about WORLD and its award-winning Christian worldview journalism, visit wng.org.

Top 7 Answers For Racial Reconciliation From a Christian Perspective

Ninety-five Christian leaders from many parts of the U.S. answered the call to promote racial reconciliation and combat "systemic segregation in the American church" in a piece published by the Mosaix Global Network on the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation on October 31.

“Love God. Love the Different. The same.” – Dave Gibbons, XEALOTS https://t.co/F5V0mW5RwP #racialreconciliation #reformation

— Together LA (@Together_LA) November 3, 2017

The "95 Theses" was written in the hope that the "collective words will a) help fan the flames of this legitimate Movement of the Holy Spirit in our lifetime, (b) spur important conversation, (c) inspire conviction, and (d) motivate literally thousands of pastors, church planters, ministry leaders, etc., to take action in their own local churches, in order to advance systemic change, over the next few years," wrote Mosaix Global Network co-founder Mark DeYmaz.

Reformation: New 95 Theses Calls Out Segregation in American Church

Below are seven quotes chosen by the editor of TogetherLA.net for their profound and simple call for the local church to work towards the change God is calling us to be a part of.

Top 7 Answers For Racial Reconciliation From a Christian Perspective

“Without sacrifice, diversity remains a nice, romantic ideal. In the spirit of reformation, we must move from efforts and ideals to sacrifice and service for diversity to become reality in the church.”

– Wilfredo “Choco” De Jesús • Senior Pastor, New Life Covenant Church • Chicago, IL

 “The God who sanctifies the church is far more freakishly 'other' to us than are our neighbors. If we cannot abide in the discomfort of difference with them; if we cannot relinquish any measure of preference and control for the love of people that we can see, then how can we claim to desire an encounter with the Holy One whom we have not seen? The discomfort of diversity—the fear, selfishness, and pride we must surrender—is part of God’s sanctification curriculum.”

– Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Childs Drury • Professor and Pastor • The Wesleyan Church

“We can’t expect to diversify our churches if we don’t first diversify our dinner tables." - Matt McGue, One Church https://t.co/F5V0mW5RwP

— Together LA (@Together_LA) November 3, 2017

“The best way to learn to love one another across racial lines is to do life together and get to know one another’s back stories. This begins the process of identifying and eliminating our implicit biases. Multi-ethnic churches are a critical way to do racial reconciliation.”

– Kevin Haah • Founding Pastor, New City Church • Los Angeles, CA

 “Redeeming the soul of America from the sin of racism requires the church to face its own historic complicity in that sin. For the church, this is where change must begin.”

– Dr. John A. Kirk, Director of the Anderson Institute on Race and Ethnicity, University of Arkansas at Little Rock • Little Rock, AR

 "Love God. Love the Different. The same."

– Dave Gibbons, XEALOTS • Irvine, CA

 "We can’t expect to diversify our churches if we don’t first diversify our dinner tables. It’s beyond time we follow Jesus and become extremely intentional in pursuit of houses of worship that represent the diversity of the school house."

– Matt McGue • Founding and Lead Pastor, One Church • Jackson, MS

 "Christianity without regard for the 'other,' or community with the 'other,' is simply not Christianity. Our savior, Jesus, Himself, a brown-skinned, Middle Eastern man, has created a beautiful mosaic of cultures and colors that, together, represent the fullness of the image of God. Collectively, we are the joy of His heart. Jesus thus intends to bring all these cultures and colors together as one–one Lord, one faith, one baptism–to bring credibility to our witness and wholeness to our lives. The time to move in this direction is not tomorrow; and just waiting until heaven is certainly not an option. The time to come together is now.

– Scott Sauls • Senior Pastor, Christ Presbyterian Church • Nashville, TN

 Sharing...[ictt-tweet-blockquote hashtags="" via=""]Without sacrifice, diversity remains a nice, romantic ideal. - Wilfredo “Choco” De Jesús[/ictt-tweet-blockquote] 

READ THE FULL 95 THESES AT MOSAIX GLOBAL NETWORK

But now, O Lord, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; And all we are the work of Your hand. (Isaiah 64:8)

‘Same Kind Of Different As Me’ Rises Above Protests, Slogans on Racism

The closest I’ve come to experiencing the pain of racism is when I was called “commie” by several of my fellow junior high classmates during the Cold War period of relations between the U.S. and U.S.S.R. (Russia).However, that somewhat public ridicule and humiliation was mostly the result of youthful immaturity and social ignorance. Some of that may have even been passed down by the taunters’ ignorant parents.The emotional pain, if only lasting for a short time, experienced by this Los Angeles-born child to Eastern European parents who escaped communism, not embraced it, is faintly related to the sin of racism, but nowhere near the black experience in America.While most of the buzz about the movie Same Kind Of Different As Me by Paramount Pictures and Pure Flix releasing on Friday revolves around issues of homelessness, there is also an aspect of this true story that can’t be missed — racism.It is not only the way the film so vividly captures Denver Moore’s (played by Djimon Hounsou) deep pain as the result of living through racism manifested in all ways, including physical, that makes the movie a must-see, but it is the way a solution to the problem is presented that goes way beyond slogans and protests.Below are parts of the obit published by the Dallas News after Moore’s death on March 31. 2012.

Denver Moore was a feared warrior, hardened during his 22 years living on the streets of Fort Worth. He was the baseball bat-packing alpha male of the homeless when Ron Hall, a Dallas art dealer, started trying to befriend him in 1998......Mr. Moore was an unlikely candidate for 20th-century prophet.Born in rural Louisiana, he grew up with an aunt and uncle on what amounted to a plantation in Red River Parish. He never attended school and labored for credit he used to buy necessities at the company store.He was roped and dragged by the Ku Klux Klan when he was a teenager for helping a white woman change a flat tire on the plantation, Mr. Hall said. He vowed he would never speak to another white woman or trust a white person.In 1960, Mr. Moore hopped a freight train to Fort Worth, where he lived for a few months before moving on to Los Angeles.Several years later, he returned to Louisiana, where he was convicted of armed robbery in 1966.Hungry and living in a hobo camp, Mr. Moore attempted to rob a bus driver, using a rusted revolver that had no cylinder. He threatened to kill the driver but left when the man said he could not get the change out of the bus till.Mr. Moore was arrested, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 20 years in the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola, known as the Alcatraz of the South. He was released in 1976 and returned to Fort Worth.In 1998, he met Mr. and Mrs. Hall, who had been volunteering for a couple of weeks at the Union Gospel Mission, looking to find the man in Mrs. Hall’s vision. One evening, as they were preparing to serve a meal, a fight broke out as the homeless men left a chapel service.

So, as the story is beautifully told in the movie, we are witness to the the most powerful weapon against hatred, ignorance, despair, evil, and social injustice. That weapon is love, and not the love of the world, but the love of a relationship with God through Jesus. We see love blast through real-life racism.[ictt-tweet-blockquote hashtags="" via=""]In 'Same Kind of Different As Me' we are witness to the most powerful weapon against racism.[/ictt-tweet-blockquote]Practically speaking, the hope and solution demonstrated in this movie come from a relationship with God and relationships with others.This is not a “bible-thumping” movie, however, it is a movie that clearly re-emphasizes what the Bible already says:You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself. — Luke 10:27Put away your pre-conceptions of “Christian” movies. Put away the distractions of a world gone mad and go see Same Kind of Different as Me.One more thing. Please realize that you can be part of the solution by simply going to see this movie with a friend.Need more of a nudge? Read this: What If We All Made the Same Kind of Difference?

4 Pastors Get Real About the City – Together LA Pop-Up

It may have seemed like a daunting task to figure out what’s broken in Los Angeles then offer a simple solution.But that’s not what four Christian leaders from various parts of L.A. set out to do during a panel discussion at Philosopher’s Cafe in Santa Monica on a recent June evening. Co-hosted by Together LA, the panel — Broken City – Is there hope for Los Angeles? — began with moderator Steve Snook of Metro Church giving a heads up to the direction the discussion will go.

MICHAEL MATA

Together LA- Michael Mata on Koreatown, Los Angeles from One Ten Pictures on Vimeo.

What If We All Made the Same Kind of Difference?

Ron Hall didn’t plan to write a book. In fact, his formerly homeless friend Denver Moore pushed him into doing it together. In the beginning, no one wanted to publish it—38 submissions and 38 “no’s” from publishers later, they had to publish it on their own. Who would’ve known their book Same Kind of Different as Me would sit on the New York Times bestseller list for 3 straight years? What single thing could take this story and spread it to so many people … and change so many hearts? Only the latent power of kindness, and the lives it changes forever.[ictt-tweet-blockquote hashtags="" via=""]Ron's Life's Work Was Really About Art; Maybe This is Why God Decided To Paint Such a Story With His Life.[/ictt-tweet-blockquote]He sold paintings worth millions of dollars. He was living the good life. So good, and yet he walked down a path that almost destroyed his marriage. Against all odds, his wife Debbie forgave him, and God slowly restored their broken marriage.All this led them down a path to the story he wrote. He owed his wife. Big time. One night, God gave Debbie a dream of a “poor, wise man who would change their city.” It was more than an ordinary dream … it unsettled her and she couldn’t get it out of her mind. She even saw the man’s face in her dream.The next day, they drove around their city to search for this man from the dream, Ron was in tow, and after hours of driving, they stopped at a gospel rescue mission. Everything around the building was run down. No one cared much for this area of town, or the people that hunkered down here. So many without a place, or people, to call home.Reluctantly serving these people alongside his eager wife at the mission led them to what happened next. A man busted in kicking and screaming. Ron cowered behind the food counter. Yet as the angry man walked out,DEBBIE CRIED OUT, “THAT’S HIM! THAT’S THE MAN FROM MY DREAM!Ron, you have to talk to him. That’s the man from my dream!” Ron would have preferred never seeing the man again.Slowly, after months of effort, and Debbie’s fiery persistence, Ron was able to talk with the man from Debbie’s dream. His real name was Denver he said. No one had known his real name in many years. Such was the life on the streets, life in the shadows.Their unlikely friendship grew and grew, and eventually Ron and Denver would call each other their “very best friend in the world.” Ron had given many a check to help the poor, but this was different; this time he gave himself in friendship. That was something more valuable than gold.Denver found in Ron and Debbie people who truly cared for him in way he hadn’t experienced in his whole life.Eventually Denver did get off the streets, and carried on Debbie’s passion to help those in need. Slowly, but surely, just as his own life was transformed by the power of kindness, he in turn played a key role in transforming his city, and providing hope for many on the streets. He convinced Ron to write their story down, which is why you are reading this today.

READ FULL STORY AT THINK ETERNITY

Here are 4 practical ways we can start changing the life of one:1. BRING A GROUP FROM YOUR CHURCH TO SERVE AT YOUR LOCAL RESCUE MISSION OR SHELTER.Let’s make sure the forgotten people are forgotten no more, and that someone wants to know their name and their story.2. PICK ONE NEEDY PERSON IN YOUR COMMUNITY TO ENGAGE IN RELATIONSHIPRemember, there are about 1-2 homeless people for every 1 church in America. Your church may not be able to do everything, but you can help one!Share a meal with one person, and hear their story, and simply listen. Simply listening could change a life forever.Begin to look for ways to stay in touch with one person, and provide in smalls ways for their practical, social, emotional and spiritual needs. You may not know where to start, so just take it an interaction at a time.As your friendship with one person develops over weeks, months or years, work with the local shelter or rescue mission to help in any way you can as a local church or group, to help get shelter and a job if the one you are loving and serving is capable to move forward.3. BRING A GROUP FROM YOUR CHURCH TO SEE RON AND DENVER’S STORY ON THE BIG SCREEN“Same Kind of Different As Me” is releasing in theaters nationwide on the weekend of October 20.[ictt-tweet-blockquote hashtags="" via=""]I believe it is perfect timing, a movie for "such a time as this" in our nation that is so divided.[/ictt-tweet-blockquote]Plus, it will energize, mobilize and move you to tears what God can do when we reach outside our comfort zone’s to the life of someone in great need.Watch the trailer, find a showtime at a theater near you, and get your tickets to see "Same Kind of Different As Me" at tickets.samekindofdifferentasmemovie.com.You can also access, free materials for a 4-week church-wide campaign.4. LOOK FOR SIMPLE WAYS TO SHOW KINDNESS, AND MAKE A DIFFERENCEAfter watching Ron and Denver’s story, look for other ways to do a “simple act of kindness” to other people in your city, whether they are homeless or not.We never know how far we can all go, until we step out and touch the life of another.Join in the "Make a Difference Day" this month by doing a random act of kindness, and share your stories using #SameKindMovie.The above content originally appeared at Think Eternity.

Most Disturbing Harvey Weinstein News is Employees Sworn to Secrecy, Says Gretchen Carlson

The most disturbing fact to come out of the news of sexual harassment by Harvey Weinstein is that his company required employees to agree to keep his deplorable actions a secret, said former Fox News host Gretchen Carlson recently."Once again we have the revelation that for 30 years a powerful man has harassed women and the companies they run have enabled it, covered it up, and shut up the victims," Carlson, who said she's been a Christian for as "long as she can remember," told The Lily. "This happens in all industries and it must stop. Most disturbing is that fact that this company required employees to agree to secrecy before they were even hired. Women who are brave enough to complain about harassment are forced to sign confidentiality agreements. So, the harassers are free to harass again, sometimes for decades, and the women are forever silenced."The Lily introduced its interview story with Carlson this way:

After 11 years with Fox News, host Gretchen Carlson was dismissed from the network in June 2016. Two weeks after being fired, Carlson made headlines when she sued then-Fox News chief Roger Ailes for sexual harassment. The suit prompted an internal investigation of Ailes’s interactions with women throughout the company.The controversy quickly mounted.Just weeks after the Carlson filing, Ailes was out of a job, though he left with a princely sum. Later in the summer, Carlson secured a $20 million settlement from Fox News’s parent company, 21st Century Fox, as well as an apology.

Carlson continues to speak out about her experiences at the network and this week, her new book, “Be Fierce,” was released.When asked about her efforts to empower women, Carlson said she is donating all proceeds from the book to her "Gift of Courage" fund. Also, as part of her foundation’s work, she is partnering with the All In Together Campaign, a nonpartisan women’s civic leadership organization, on the Gretchen Carlson Leadership Initiative to empower and train underserved women to get involved in civic and political leadership — and to have a voice, she told The Lily. "I’ve always believed that when women’s voices are heard, on an equal footing, whether that’s in local communities or the halls of Congress, change can happen. The GCLI will hold workshops in nine cities across the country in 2017–18 and also offer women in lower socioeconomic statuses helpful counseling on domestic violence and sexual harassment."

Can the Anthem Become an Idol? MATT INGALLS COMMENTARY

In the year 112, two women led the Christian congregation in Bithynia (modern Turkey). We know almost nothing about them: neither names, nor stories. We do know they were enslaved, which meant their rights were limited—no right to marry, have control of their own bodies, keep their children, make money, etc.

BY MATT INGALLS/RELEVANT MAGAZINE

Their station in the world would have depended entirely upon the will of their master(s), who we know nothing about. But a pagan governor of the time, Pliny, wrote a letter to Emperor Trajan concerning these two extraordinary women and their flock. He tortured them for their confession of Christ as Lord. And though it is a bit up to interpretation, he likely executed them for their stubborn insistence upon the reign of Christ.These nameless heroes of the Church’s infancy help us capture the tenor of the early Church’s moment. They and Christians like them posed a threat to Rome’s order. In his letter, Pliny writes that the Christian message is so well-received in his region that the pagan temples go empty and the sacrifices to the pagan gods go undone—which up-ended the local economy that revolved around pagan sacrifice. So, he felt the need to send a signal to the Christian dissenters, that their obstinance and divisiveness would not go unchallenged.Pliny offered the women a chance to escape his wrath. They had only to curse Christ and offer solemn reverence to an image of Caesar. Instead, they held to their convictions. Thus, they lost Pliny’s mercy, while gaining a share in the suffering of Christ. I pray they found Christ’s joy in their final moments.THE DANGERS OF PLEDGING BLIND ALLEGIANCEThe sacrifice and “protest” of these women is a far cry from taking a knee at a ballgame, but I think we can learn a thing or two that might help diffuse the explosiveness of our current ruckus.First, we should be very wary of Christians telling people to follow their country blindly... READ FULL COMMENTARY AT RELEVANT MAGAZINE.

Who Really Sponsored the Las Vegas Shooter?

IGNITE LA MEN'S CONFERENCEFor registration and more information go to the conference website: ignitela.net.There is nearly 100 percent agreement from all political sides and viewpoints that the horrific tragedy that transpired in Las Vegas was an act of evil. So, why does so much of the reactionary movement since that event drift away from the root of the problem to focusing energy instead on gun control or racial perspective or other issues?The vast majority of the reactions that took place after the mass shooting in Vegas are normal. After something like this happens we tend to deal with it from the outside in, but when we do that we miss dealing with the root issue.Let’s bring the discussion of how and why into the level at which it actually exists, which is the nature of evil. At the root of the issue: beliefs drive behaviors. If beliefs drive behaviors, who is sponsoring the beliefs?Kenny Luck VLOG#2 from Every Man Ministries on Vimeo.Somewhere along the way Stephen Paddock believed a lie, a justification, a rationalization, an evil belief that resulted in the loss of many lives. The devil sponsored that lie because he is a liar and a murderer seeking to control the flesh of men to produce what he wants, which is murder. Jesus talked with perfect clarity and perfect authority when he talked about the devil. In fact, he gave the devil two names: he is the father of lies and murderer from the beginning.In the Bible, God says very simple things about the mind:1) Your mind is made for God2) Your mind is evil’s target3) Your mind is going to make the differenceWe have to win the battle of the mind, which will ultimately bring behaviors that bring life and bless others.

READ MORE FROM KENNY LUCK VLOG: Could Today’s Activism Be Going in the Wrong Direction?

Could Today's Activism Be Going in the Wrong Direction?

What is really going on in culture today, both practically and spiritually speaking? Could the rampant activism we see now be going in the wrong direction?Today's problems don’t simply exist at a level that's clearly visible to everyone and commonly talked about. They exist at another level. And really, the problems are only one problem — the heart of the guy who lacks character. The poor and wrong choices men make create a lot of the injustices. For example, the choices men make are the impetus behind sex-trafficking, domestic violence, the orphan epidemic, and fatherlessness, just to name a few.What would happen if all the energy spent on today's activism, which addresses problems only on the surface level, went to the root level instead?As a men’s expert, Kenny has a different perspective than today's activists. The problem will never be solved by skimming the issue or simply reacting to the issue. The only way to talk about solutions to the issues of injustice is by changing the heart, character, and conduct of a man. When you do that then you are talking about a solution.The best response is to deal with the issues where they actually exist: in the hearts of men.Listen to a brief word from Kenny on this topic below!Kenny Luck on Activism from Every Man Ministries on Vimeo.Published with permission from Every Man Ministries.

Dreamers are American in Every Way Except on Paper

The roughly 800,000 people who have benefited from the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program — more of whom live in Los Angeles than anywhere else in the country — are American in every way except on paper.

By Erwin Raphael McManus

Now the president has decided to not renew DACA, giving Congress a six-month window to find a permanent solution, through legislation, to this complicated issue. Christians throughout our country are raising their voices, calling on this administration and on Congress to set aside differences and quickly come together to ensure that these young people can continue to contribute and thrive in the country they consider their home.As a follower of Christ, I find myself with a moral imperative to speak out for these who are dependent upon us to advocate on their behalf.While I understand and respect the importance of borders and security, those protected by this policy are worthy of our compassion and concern. This is not a question of border security — these individuals have already been in the country for many years, some for decades.We know that these individuals are not a threat to public safety: each has already passed a criminal background check as a prerequisite to being granted deferred action.They are not to be feared but embraced as immigrants who define the American spirit... READ FULL STORY AT THE CHRISTIAN POSTErwin Raphael McManus is the founder of MOSAIC, a church with locations in Hollywood, Santa Monica, and South Pasadena, and the author of The Last Arrow.

READ: ‘There Is No Neutral Ground Here,’ Erwin McManus Says to The Church [Interview]

DACA: Rev Samuel Rodriguez, Hispanic Christians Call For 'Unrelenting Pressure' On Congress

In reaction to today's decision by the White House to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference (NHCLC) led by Rev. Samuel Rodriguez posted the following on its website:

Hispanic Christians to Launch National 60-Day Campaign in Support of DREAMers,

Will Put 'Unrelenting Pressure' on Members of Congress Until 'Every DREAMer can Dream Again'

“We do not intend on letting a single member of Congress have a good night’s rest until they guarantee our young people can rest easy.” — Rev. Samuel RodriguezSACRAMENTO, Calif. — Today, in light of the White House’s decision on DACA, the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference and its affiliate churches and organizations, announces a national campaign intent on putting “unrelenting pressure” on “every” member of Congress until a permanent, legislative solution is provided for “DREAMers.”“Hundreds-of-thousands of Hispanic young people will be overcome with fear and grief today. Simultaneously, a multi-ethnic coalition of tens-of-millions of law abiding, U.S. citizens will begin to put unrelenting pressure on members of Congress to provide a permanent solution for DREAMers, whose fate is in question by no fault of their own,” said Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, President of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference.“For far too long in this country, Hispanic young people have been the political bargaining chips of our powerful politicians. This is an affront to the sanctity of life, it is inhumane, and the Hispanic community will stand for it no longer. Our elected members of Congress have time and again, professed concern for the Hispanic community and yet, have chosen to do nothing. We will not distinguish between Republicans and Democrats but between those who stand for righteousness and justice and those who do not.”Among other actions, the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference will be temporarily relocating additional staff to Washington, D.C., launching a national media campaign, rallying tens-of-thousands of the nation’s spiritual leaders, coordinating weekly meetings on Capitol Hill and in State Capitols. Additionally, the NHCLC will be organizing a “fly-in” of hundreds of prominent Hispanic leaders from throughout North America for a prayer meeting on the evening of Oct. 30, followed by a series of Congressional visits on Oct. 31.Of President Donald J. Trump’s decision to phaseout DACA, the Rev. Samuel Rodriguez says the following:“I am disappointed that these protections are ending and I’ve expressed that disappointment to the White House directly. I also understand why they chose this course of action. If the fate of DACA is any indication, then it was only a matter of time before DACA would face a similar fate in the courts and, in fact, the entire program could be ceased immediately by a court order rather than being phased out. Thankfully, it is the job of Congress to make laws, and now the President has provided Congress a six month window to legislate a more permanent and legally defensible solution for DREAMers. Six months is too long, we will demand action from Congress within 60 days. We do not intend on letting a single member of Congress have a good night’s rest until they guarantee our young people can rest easy. We will not be silent until every DREAMer can dream again.”The National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference is a non-partisan organization that has long been numbered among the nation’s foremost advocates for comprehensive immigration reform. It is the organization’s official position that it is primarily the responsibility of Congress to address the nation’s longstanding challenges with immigration policy. In that capacity Rev. Samuel Rodriguez has worked with Democrat and Republican majorities in Congress as well as with Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald J. Trump in advocating for comprehensive immigration reform.NHCLC's statement originally published here.