An Outreach Magazine Article (Published on July 6, 2022)
This is a reality of life: How we approach our challenges will directly affect the impact and influence that we will have in the future.
The past few years have certainly been marked by political unrest, a decline in moral accountability, the rise in racial/ethnic injustice and violence against women and our most vulnerable populations both at home and abroad. COVID-19 also revealed cracks in the church’s unity and has specifically challenged the ways in which leaders respond when things are outside of their control; when the comfort of normal is out of reach, when their physical, mental or emotional health is ailing; when the sheep scatter, and the flock does not respond to their local shepherd’s call to come back home.
Disciples of Jesus and church leaders can respond to the challenges that they fear in several ways. One response is to retreat or focus inward. That’s what the disciples did after Jesus’ resurrection. They locked themselves in a room because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders (John 20:19). Jesus responds to this fear multiple times by proclaiming a blessing of peace upon them. He also invited them to receive the Holy Spirit (John 20:22). Today, our fears can rise if we do not align with this camp or that one, if we don’t support the “correct” political party or candidate, if we don’t read the “right” theologians, affirm the “right” doctrine or follow the “right” pastors.
Read the FULL Outreach Magazine Article here: https://outreachmagazine.com/features/discipleship/71732-challenging-our-fears.html
A SISTA'S JOURNEY 