Guidelines Church & Society: Advocate and Witness for Peace and Justice

by General Board Of Church and Society

Overview

You are the leaders of your church’s involvement in social issues. As such, you will help your church members respond to social issues through education, making connection, and advocating for and responding to the needs of people around you and in the rest of God’s world. This Guideline is designed to help equip you in leading this ministry group in your congregation.

This is one of the twenty-six Guidelines for Leading Your Congregation 2017-2020 that cover church leadership areas including Church Council and Small Membership Church; the administrative areas of Finance and Trustees; and ministry areas focused on nurture, outreach, and witness including Worship, Evangelism, Stewardship, Christian Education, age-level ministries, Communications, and more.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781501830280
Publisher:	Cokesbury
Publication date:	11/15/2016
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	422 KB

Read an Excerpt

Guidelines for Leading Your Congregation 2017-2020 Church & Society

Advocate and Witness for Peace and Justice

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By Clayton Childers, Neal Christie

Cokesbury

Copyright © 2016 Cokesbury
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-5018-3028-0

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CHAPTER 1

Faithful Foundations

As a leader in your local congregation's Church and Society committee, you have a mission to engage the world in transformative ways. You are called, not only to make a difference in the world, but to lead your congregation to make a difference as well. This is an important job.

Love Is the Centerpiece

We love because God first loved us (1 John 4:19).

Love is the centerpiece of our faith. Church and Society ministry grows from this love — our love for God and love for our neighbors — all growing from the love we experience in Jesus Christ.

Called to Relationship

At the center of the gospel is a relationship: God's desire to be in a restored relationship with a fallen, broken creation. As Christians we are called to be part of this ministry of reconciliation, to bring people together.

The Reign of God and Being Born from Above

The reign of God on earth as it is in heaven is not about Christians ascending to positions of prestige and power; it is about the way of God permeating all of life, from the least to the greatest, so that all of creation might be blessed and flourish. God wants everyone to enjoy abundant life (see John 10:10), but this life comes not in the acquiring wealth and possessions but in letting go, surrendering, trusting our lives to the way of Christ. As we say yes to Christ, we become new creations, we find our true selves, our minds are remade, and we assume new ways of living and being in the world. We begin to walk in the way of Christ. The love of God fills our being and flows through us. The light of Christ shines in us. And in Christ, we become God's agents of compassion and change in the world.

The World-transforming Mission of the Church

The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church declares: "The mission of the church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world" (120). This mission reminds us that our faith is about more than us; there is a greater purpose to our discipleship — the transformation of a troubled, broken world. The Jewish faith has a name for this "mending or healing of creation," Tikkun olam. We see the same image in the Lord's Prayer as we pray, "Thy kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven."

God is calling the church to join in the work of renewing creation. This is the ministry of Church and Society.

How can each of our local United Methodist congregations join in this work? Let's explore this question by considering the lessons of Scripture and our Wesleyan heritage.

The Church — A Fellowship of the "Called Out" Ones

The biblical word translated in English as church is ecclesia. In other ancient sources, this word is used for a political assembly "called out" to make decisions. It is interesting that ecclesia is the word the early Christians chose to describe their assemblies. You might be called out to be part of the ecclesia in Athens, or the ecclesia in Rome or Corinth, but you could also be part of the ecclesia of Christians. The church consisted of those who were "called out" to be part of the "Kingdom of God" movement. Indeed, Scripture tells us that though Paul was a citizen of Rome, he was also "called out" to be part of the church. This community of believers became the focus of his ultimate loyalty.

How is the local church a place where allegiances are altered? In the books of Acts and Revelation, Christians are "called out" to be a new nation. Our primary identity is to be as members of this new community (see John 14:17-21; 16:8-11; 17:13-18). By living our faith, seeking justice, and pursuing peace, we mirror on earth what happens in heaven.

Our Wesleyan Heritage — Social Holiness

When John Wesley said that there is "no holiness but social holiness," he was warning the church against the practice of isolating itself from the world. There is always a danger of hiding away within the walls of the church while the world is perishing around us. Holiness calls us to be God's witnesses in a hurting world. We must not hide in the isolation of our holy sanctuaries. We are "called out" to go into the world where people are hurting.

CHAPTER 2

Faithful Witness and Advocacy

What Does It Mean to Be an Advocate?

The word advocate is derived from the Latin root word vocare which means "to call." An advocate can be understood as "one who pleads the cause of another." Advocacy is our calling. We, as Christians, are called to speak up, and to "resist evil, injustice and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves" (Baptismal Covenants I & II, The United Methodist Hymnal [The United Methodist Publishing House, 1989]). By standing alongside those who suffer, we strengthen them, encourage them, and offer ourselves to support and amplify their cries for justice.

Advocacy and Prayer

It is important for you as a Church and Society leader to tend to your spiritual life. Advocacy can be draining and discouraging. At times it can be frustrating. We need help from God to do this work. Make time for daily prayer and enrichment. Share honestly and openly with God the challenges of your life. Pray for guidance in your role as a church leader. Pray for team members by name and pray for the tasks that need to be done.

Pray for your church and community. Pray as you read the newspaper. Pray for your community as you walk through its streets. Pray for community leaders and for state, national, and world leaders. Prayer is one way we "walk humbly with God" (see Micah 6:8). It helps us keep our work in perspective and reminds us to care for those whose views may differ from our own.

Advocacy and Worship

The act of worship is central to who we are as a faith community. How we conduct worship reveals much about our identity. Do people feel welcome in your local church? Visitors often watch to see if the values the church proclaims are expressed in the way it worships. Be sensitive to roles of leaders during worship: Who collects the offering in your church? Who says the prayers? Who reads the Scripture? Who preaches? Do the worship leaders reflect the diversity of people in your congregation and community? Do you see diversity of age, race, gender, ethnic backgrounds? Are the hymns and litanies supportive of our call to be ministers of peace and reconciliation in the world? Do they reinforce violent or narrow images of God?

Advocacy and Missions

People want to be able to act on their faith. Many Christians translate faith into action through volunteering for mission projects in their communities and beyond.

People can find a new place in the life of the church through mission trips. Youths can find new meaning in life by taking time from their summer vacations to be involved in voluntary mission service. Such projects offer excellent opportunities for discussion on the root causes of problems that plague our communities. They can foster an environment conducive to deeper analysis and critical thinking.

Consider these questions as examples: Why are so many people in our community homeless? What does this say about the availability of jobs that pay a living wage? What might this teach us about our community's provision of health-care services? How have poor communities in developing countries been affected by global policies that limit or undermine their economic development? Who benefits from the current system? Who pays the price for these policies? How might current systems be changed so they are fairer for everyone?

Careful research and some preparation can add to the hands-on mission experience by providing an important educational component. How can you partner with your missions committee in its work of addressing critical needs from a holistic perspective? It has been said that every service opportunity should be accompanied by prayer. It might also be said that every service project should be accompanied by social-justice reflection and advocacy.

Advocacy and Christian Education

Education happens every day. We are constantly being formed and reformed, and perhaps even deformed by the data and information we encounter. Rather than be tossed about, to and fro, with no purpose, we should direct education to accomplish particular ends. What then is our purpose?

George Albert Coe, a leading figure in the growth of the Christian Education movement, once asked: "Shall the primary purpose of Christian education be to hand on a religion, or to create a new world?" (What Is Christian Education? [New York: Scribner, 1929], 29).

This is a critical question. We need to prepare people not only to be Christian believers but also Christian practitioners: people who practice their faith each day of their lives in ways that change the world around them. Education should always be connected to some form of concrete action. Education and awareness on an issue should lead to but not replace doing justice. We reflect critically on social concerns in light of our Christian faith so we can take action to make a difference. Education, when done well, results in positive change.

Advocacy and Evangelism

Many people have written off the church because they have not yet heard the whole message of God. What they know about the church has been shaped by the warped portrayals they see constantly in the media. Many have not yet heard that God passionately loves the world, and that we as God's people are called to be faithful stewards of all creation. Many have not yet heard that Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace, and that we are called to be peacemakers, ministers of reconciliation in a world addicted to violence. Many have not yet heard that we as God's people are called to love all of God's creation, inviting and welcoming every person in grace and love to worship and serve God.

We worship a savior who opens his arms wide on the cross and in so doing proclaims: "There is nothing you can do to me to make me stop loving you." This is the gospel message, God's open invitation that many have not yet heard. How can we reach religion's "culture despisers," those compassionate but secular people who consider the church at best irrelevant or at worst as an "opiate of the people"? How do we connect with the masses of people who see the church as being preoccupied with "pie in the sky, by and by" and unconcerned about making a difference in the here and now? We know that this is not the true essence of the church, but many people believe this is who we are.

The General Board of Church and Society hosted a group of 24 students from Africa who were studying at schools in the United States. We worked with advocacy partners to plan an "Imagine No Malaria Advocacy Day" in which the students were briefed on the issues of global health and then went to meet with members of the U.S. Congress. The students first thanked the legislators for the generous support given by the U.S. government in the past. Then the students asked that Congress continue to support the fight to eradicate deaths and suffering from malaria.

As we walked back to the United Methodist building, a staff member from a partner anti-malaria agency, who helped plan the day's visit, was asked if he was involved in a church anywhere. "No," he said, "but if I ever got involved, I'd want to be involved in a church like this one."

We need to rethink how we do church. Church must be more than a building. It is more than an organization. Church needs to be seen as a movement of people formed by the love of Jesus Christ, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and actively working to renew God's world according to God's will.

Advocacy and Prophetic Witness

What does it mean to be a prophet?

Often, people equate prophet with "soothsayer" or "fortune teller." In the Bible, prophets are "truth tellers," people called out to be God's messengers, proclaiming God's word in a world gone astray. They lift up a holy vision. They call people to change. The Bible is filled with stories of people fulfilling this role.

Shiphrah and Puah were two courageous midwives in ancient Egypt. They conspired to defy a law established by Pharaoh. They took prophetic action to protect newly born Hebrew male babies (see Exodus 1:14-16).

Moses was a prophet. He became God's spokesperson, demanding freedom for the Hebrew slaves in the halls of Pharaoh's palace (see Exodus 5–12).

Esther is remembered for her courage as she risked her life to go before the king to plead the cause of the Hebrews (see Esther 5).

The prophet Nathan confronted King David with God's word of judgment after David had an affair with Bathsheba and had her husband killed (see 2 Samuel 12).

Daniel refused to obey the order requiring all people to pray to and worship the king (see Daniel 6).

Jeremiah repeatedly warned the people of Jerusalem about their coming defeat at the hands of the Babylonians.

John the Baptist is key to understanding the ministry of Jesus. John was the son of a priest, Ezekiel. It was expected that he would follow in his father's footsteps and become a priest as well. Instead, Scripture tells us "John the Baptist was in the wilderness calling for people to be baptized to show that they were changing their hearts and lives and wanted God to forgive their sins" (Mark 1:4).

People flocked to him. Surely John's preaching and popularity were provocative to the priestly class that oversaw the temple. This is where sacrifices were being made each day by the priests to forgive sins. John was offering the people an alternative way of worship and forgiveness. How significant is it that Jesus identified his ministry with John's ministry (see Mark 1:14-15)?

Jesus also was a prophet. Jesus is celebrated in the Christian church as God incarnate, the very presence of God in the world. His life and teachings bear witness to God's vision for all people. Jesus' ministry was both life-transforming and world-transforming.

No evidence suggests that Jesus ever had any official credentials or theological training. He was never ordained. While he was not recognized as a leader by those in established positions of power, he was celebrated as a leader in the eyes of his followers. They saw in him the presence of God and identify him as the "Word" of God.

Ministries of Mercy and Justice

God is just, and as followers of God we are committed to be a people of justice. God is also merciful, and as followers of God we are committed to be a people who show mercy. Both mercy and justice are characteristics of God and as Christians we are committed to both.

Ministries of mercy are critical; they address immediate needs. They can include donations in response to natural disasters, food for the hungry, shelter for the homeless, money to pay electricity bills or overdue rent and a host of other acts of service. The church excels at responding to needs like this. United Methodists are generous in responding to human needs both globally and in our own communities. And our generosity goes beyond financial support. Hundreds of thousands of church members participate in volunteer mission programs through UM Volunteers in Missions and similar programs every year. Many find these experiences life changing both for participants and those receiving assistance

Holistic ministry, however, must address both symptoms and root causes. It needs to be both reactive and proactive. While ministries of charity or mercy tends to focus on direct response to needs, justice ministry focuses on going "upstream" to address the root causes of problems. How can we supplement ministries of mercy with ministries promoting justice? This requires some imagination, study, advocacy, and organizing.

Many have asked is it better to teach people to fish or to give them a fish? While it is essential to meet the immediate needs of those who suffer, it is better to equip people with the skills and resources they need so they can care for their life needs without requiring ongoing help. Justice ministry works to establish new systems that enable all people to grow and flourish and reach their full potential.

Many people believe that mercy is optional, that we can voluntarily extend help or withhold it. It is our choice. Yet, as followers of Christ, is this true? Is there not an inner voice calling us to act when we are faced with human need? We may say no to the Spirit's call, but in doing so we fall short in our faithfulness. In reality, each time we are confronted by a person in need we make a choice to respond or not. And how best to respond in a way that is most helpful. It may come down to choice but it may depend on our benevolence, our willingness to help.

(Continues...)

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Excerpted from Guidelines for Leading Your Congregation 2017-2020 Church & Society by Clayton Childers, Neal Christie. Copyright © 2016 Cokesbury. Excerpted by permission of Cokesbury.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

Contents

Blessed to Be a Blessing,
Faithful Foundations,
Love Is the Centerpiece,
Called to Relationship,
The Reign of God and Being Born from Above,
The World-transforming Mission of the Church,
Faithful Witness and Advocacy,
What Does It Mean to Be an Advocate?,
Ministries of Mercy and Justice,
Faithful Application,
Why Not Church?,
Our Public Witness — The Church Engaging Society,
Getting Started,
Faithful Examples of Successful Ministries,
Micah Corps Peace-with-Justice Interns in Great Plains,
Bishop's Forums Promote Respectful Dialogue in North Carolina,
Lion and Lamb Festival in Illinois Great Rivers,
Refugees, Strangers, Friends?,
Anti-violence Seminars in Illinois Great Rivers,
CROP Walk to Stop Hunger in Idaho,
Organizing for Education in Rural Nigeria,
Young Justice Advocates in West Ohio,
Peacebuilding and Conflict Transformation in Nigeria,
Habitat for Humanity in the United States and Beyond,
Local Church Health Clinics in Mississippi,
Taking Back the Community in Zimbabwe,
Justice, Not Jails, in California,
Chicago-area Urban Strategy in Northern Illinois,
Ending Mass Incarceration in Ohio,
State-level Legislative Victories in the United States,
Social Principles Study Leads to Social Action in Nigeria,
People with Disabilities in Russia,
Fair Trade Marketplace in Missouri,
Voter Registration in Oklahoma,
Resources for the Journey,
Special Sundays for Church and Society,
Resources for Church and Society,
Ecumenical Advocacy Days,
Lake Junaluska Peace Conference,
United Methodist Seminars on National and International Affairs,
Local Church Grants,
UMC Agencies & Helpful Links,