Racial Reconciliation

A good post from Alan Cross, former pastor of Gateway Baptist Church and an advocate for Christians going beyond their comfort zones when it comes to race and reconciliation.
Please prayerfully read.


How are you living out your faith when it comes to racial reconciliation? Are you living a biblical life where you not just pray for peace and justice, but you live it out in your every day life. Are you living a life of justice for all? All eyes have been on Montgomery this week. If you are Caucasian, are you a part of truly trying to understand where a person of color is coming from or are you ignoring their cries for understanding?

Pray on this......a good word from the Lord for ALL followers in the Greater Montgomery area.

Psalm 139:23-24
Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.

 Alan's Post 

 

Something is happening in Montgomery. It has been decades in the making. Will the churches here see it? What role can we play in this? Montgomery is becoming a city where the nation will visit to remember and yes, repent, of its sins of racism, oppression, and violence. But, will hope and redemption be offered? Or, will it be a hopeless repentance? For so long, the church in Montgomery has been divided racially and, in many cases, has been a bystander and even, at times, a perpetrator of separation and oppression. When these past things were brought up, especially in predominately white churches, the response ranged from indifference to, "why are you bringing up the past," to "this doesn't matter anymore," to "why can't THEY get over it," to "you don't understand," to "be quiet" to "get out." But now, the stake has been driven into the ground. We are here. Will we listen? Will we say anything? Or, will we pretend it never happened?

The best way that the church in Montgomery can be a part of bringing healing and redemption to our nation is to live under the Cross of Christ, to love sacrificially, to listen to one another, to stop hearing everyone else through our own opinions of how we think things should be, to lay down our lives for one another, and to model for the nation what it looks like for "beloved community" in Christ to actually exist - all of this across races, ethnic, and economic groups and lines. There is no better time than now. Our nation is coming apart over these issues and it will just grow worse. This is not an accidental moment in history. This is a Kairos moment. We have to stop "taking it slow" for fear of offending people who are now in their 70s when the events of the Civil Rights Movement saw them in the teens and 20s. Time heals nothing. It just makes the infection grow worse and deeper. The Cross of Christ is the only thing that heals and we must all stand under it. Together.
This memorial exists to make us uncomfortable. To make us angry. To cause us to turn away because we don't want to think that the past was like that. Good. We're starting to see things rightly. But, we need to reconsider. And, listen. And then hear what voices through the ages have been saying. Our nation needs a church in Montgomery that can stare into this and join with the Montgomery Advertiser and say "We were wrong," but then say, "Jesus is right and we cling to Him. Together. And, you can too."
Behold, He is making all things new. This "cross" has been planted on a hill overlooking Montgomery, right "outside the camp," beyond the downtown revitalization where millions of dollars have been invested so people can gather and enjoy entertainment. It is a stark reminder of pain, torture, rejection, and oppression. But, if we look hard enough and remember in our own souls and Scripture, we realize that Jesus was crucified outside the camp too, and that the healing of the world runs through Golgotha. It was the greatest act of injustice in the history of the world when the Son of God was hoisted and hung up on a tree. It was the Hinge of History and all of time is delineated by that tragic event. I pray that this lynching memorial will spur us to lift up Christ as the only healer for the pain and sins of the past as they have shaped the present and that for the future we will all cling to His Cross together, as He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities, the punishment that brought us peace was laid upon HIM, and by HIS stripes we are all healed.
As for me, I'm not turning away from this hill. Through many tribulations will we enter the Kingdom of God. If Montgomery has a message of redemption for the world, it will go over this hill, where heaven and earth almost collide, but are suspended by a gap, swinging in the Southern wind. But, it is in that gap of death and agony where Jesus also hung to defeat death and sin and the grave and make all things new. That is my prayer for Montgomery and the church here. May we take this message of true, deep reconciliation to the world. Together.

Link to Montgomery Advertiser post

Montgomery Advertiser  

The Word Became Flesh

The Word became flesh and blood,
and moved into the neighborhood." John 1:14 The Message

This is one of my favorite scripture because it reminds me that Jesus, in all he did, went where the people were. Whether it was near or far, He went there. God chose to come to earth and be with us. So what does that say to us, as followers of Christ?

 Here are a few prayer thoughts for us this week.....

1. Pray that followers of Christ in the Greater Montgomery area will continue to be strong and courageous and step out of comfort zones to reach people who are hurting.
2. The Montgomery Baptist Association identified 5 core needs in the greater Montgomery area: Crime, Poverty, Race, Schools and Consumer Religion. There are exciting things going on in each of those areas to draw people to Christ. Ask Lisa Rose for more information on how to get involved.
3. Pray for ourselves. Each of us reading this, I know, has a heart for people to come to Jesus but we must be actively sharing that Good News we have received. It is not the type of news we keep to ourselves.

So, Jesus went to where we were...."to the neighborhood" and "dwelt among us"(in another translation). Will we do the same? We are His representatives on this earth. We are called to do what He was doing. (Re-read John 17).

Preparing for Easter

As we continue to prepare for Resurrection Sunday in the Greater Montgomery area, here are a few things to pray for. 

 

1. Easter and Christmas are the two most visited holidays in churches. Make time before Sunday, April 1 to pray for those you can invite to services that day. Pray for their hearts to hear the gospel of Christ in a fresh and new way and that hearts will be changed all around this area.

2. Pray that God will change your own heart. That He will show you the things you need to give up, the things you need to keep and the wisdom to know the difference.

Psalm 139:23-24

3. Pray for the heart of our city, our county and the whole River Region. There is something special about spring, about Easter season that makes people want to reflect on their own spiritual state.

 

 Gods Story: Easter

Martin Luther King Jr Day

As we contemplate the impact Dr. King made on our society, let us ponder these words by him. As followers of Christ, in the Greater Montgomery area, let us ask the Lord to show us any attitude we have in our hearts that are not from Him and then ask Him to remove those attitudes. He can do that for us. He wants to shape and transform us into His image, an image who delights in ALL his creation. Let us be challenged by our brother in Christ to live among our neighbors with love and kindness and justice for all.

Contemplate Psalm 139: 23-24 today.
Look deep into my heart, God,
and find out everything
I am thinking.
Don’t let me follow evil ways,
but lead me in the way
that time has proven true.

A Baby Changed Everything...

With all the strife in the world, take time today to listen to this video as we begin the Christmas season with Advent(December 2).....then pray and ask the Lord to show you (and me and all followers of Christ in Greater Montgomery)how to be "little Christs" to our world here in the Greater Montgomery area....

 

 

A baby changed everything....Luke 2

 

 

A Baby Changes Everything..

Serving Your Community

Great question for each of us today....in the Greater Montgomery area.

 

How is your church serving your community...out side the walls of the church?

Isaiah 61:1-4

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified. They shall build up the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations.

Let's pray this week that we will all live out Isaiah 61 in our communities.

Praying for ALL Christian churches in the Greater Montgomery area to get out into the community and serve the Lord. The community is where the people are and we are to serve the people of the community.

Serving the Community

Love Them Anyway.....

1 John 3:16-18 "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth."

Lately, there is controversy all around. If we focus too much on controversy, then you can get unfocused on what the focus of being a follower of Christ is....

TODAY, as you go about your day, in the Greater Montgomery area, stay focused on the thing that is most important. Love God, Love Others..to the ends of the earth. 

Leaving you with a great quote credited to Mother Teresa.
Love Anyway..................

Praying for people living in poverty

Praying for people living in poverty today in the Greater Montgomery area....that the Lord will meet their needs and bring them true peace in trusting in His care.

Most everyone I know agrees that it is important to help people in need. But, when the rubber hits the road, it is hard to know what to do. Whenever I feel overwhelmed with the need, I start simply by praying and asking the Lord "how do you want me to help?"

Here are some great verses to pray over as we feel concern for those in need of physical assistance.

"There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land. Deuteronomy 15:11 

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2 

And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. Hebrews 13:16 

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. John 15:13

Ask the Lord to show you the need around our area.
Ask for exactly what you need to do.
Ask for the courage to get beyond your comfort zone.
Then....go do it.

There Is No Fear In Christ!

One more tragedy today. How does this affect our city? More people become scared. More are overwhelmed. More feel hopeless. More may retreat or make poor decisions or live in more fear than before.
As followers of Christ, we are still prone to those same actions after such a tragedy but the Bible assures us that we will ALWAYS have HOPE. A hope that is long lasting and free of fear.
As you go about your day today and this topic comes up here are a few verses you can share and meditate on yourselves.

Pray for our city but also Las Vegas and our country as we have all felt profound sadness and anger over this tragedy. And, as always, remember the family of this man who did this. We can't always couple the families of shooters with the shooter.

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from Crosswalk.com
It’s not always easy, and it often comes down to a choice:
Choosing not to allow fear and anxiety to control your life.
Choosing to guard your heart.
Choosing to focus your mind on what is truth in the midst of uncertain times.
We might still feel afraid, but we can believe that God is with us. We may not be in control, but we can trust the One who is. We may not know the future, but we can know the God who does.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.” Psalm 94:19
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4
“The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?” Psalm 27:1
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6 

REMEMBER THIS: 

GOD IS WITH YOU!

 And we need to be sure and communicate that with others. Go and share with others the GOOD NEWS of Christ despite what goes on in our world. Let us not retreat but go forward with HOPE .

A Conversation on Race, Racism and Faith

Today, I want to share a post from Vaughn Forest Church(SBC) and have you listen to a conversation on race in Montgomery from two pastors who have invested a great deal of their lives in bridging the gap of race in our city. Ponder this verse this week......

 1 John 2:11   "But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes."

Listen to the video, pray for our city and then ask the Lord what He wants YOU to do or change to better reflect Christ in Greater Montgomery."

Let's Talk - A Conversation Concerning Race, Racism, and Faith 

Praying in the Aftermath Of Irma

Praying for Irma Aftermath today.

As their state got pummeled by Irma, some Florida evacuees have been here in Montgomery, waiting on the go ahead to go back home to assess the possible damage to their own homes. Thank you to all who have helped get supplies to make their stay more comfortable.

HOW CAN YOU PRAY AND HELP during this time?
1. Pray for peace, for comfort in the midst of a storm, for each person here from FL to be able to cope with whatever comes their way.
2. Help. Donate to your favorite charity who helps with disasters. For Southern Baptists, here is the link to donate. 100% of your donation goes toward helping victims of the recent storms. LISTEN to what local orgs tell you they need. Don't assume you know. Sometimes, helping can hurt if we don't listen to what is needed. www.sbcdr.org
3. Do something kind for someone here in the Greater Montgomery area this week. You never know what they are experiencing. Their "disaster" may not be a storm or a terrorist attack(9-11-01)but a devastating loss or perpetual poverty or an addiction that is consuming them. Be kind. It WILL make a difference.
4. Help remind ALL those you come in contact with this week that God is our refuge, our rock during hard times.

He only is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
On God rests my deliverance and my honor;
my mighty rock, my refuge is God.
Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your heart before him;
God is a refuge for us.Selah
Psalm 62:6-8

Help In Times of Trouble

Let us bring the HOPE OF CHRIST to our city by praying over these things. People are very scared these days. As followers of Christ, we have the HOPE they need.

READ AND PRAY for individuals in our city and nation who are having a very hard time with all that is going on. There are many who suffer with severe anxiety over news stories. Let us pray for peace for all in the Greater Montgomery area as well as our nation this week.

Today, keep in mind there are many things to be praying for this week for our nation:
1. DACA-this will affect a whole lot of people who are living here, being productive people, not harming anyone, living the life our country was founded on. We need to pray for direction and a pathway to citizenship for each of these folks who were brought here as babies. All they have know is the United States as their home.
2. HARVEY-the remnants of Harvey, the clean up and people having to start over, the volunteers who are working tirelessly.
3. NORTHWEST FIRES-Homes destroyed, people displaced. The hundreds of firefighters and rescue personnel trying to control a fire.
4. NORTH KOREA-Praying for intervention and cooperation among our allies and a plan to stop this guy! Praying for safety for all people affected by evil actions.
5. IMPENDING IRMA-Where will Irma land? Praying for redirection of the storm, preparation of all people affected. Prepping of all disaster relief people.
6. Flooding in Southeast Asia. Hundreds of people lost their lives. Thousands displaced. Pray for all humanitarian workers who will be helping with recovery and restoration.

SO MUCH.....can feel overwhelming. Makes you want to go back to bed and hide under the covers and never listen to the news again. At least, that is what my instinct wants to do some days.
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God has kept his promises about being with us through hard times. He has warned us in His Word that there will be troubles in this world.. He has promised to be with you and me during this time.
When I was living in NYC, right after 9-11-01, I was walking in a park and saw this verse taped onto a tree-just scribbled on a plain piece of paper-with these words.

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."
Psalm 46:1

Meditate with me on this verse today. It can soothe the soul and bring us to a deeper understanding of God's love for us.

Praying for Montgomery Public Schools

Let's pray for our Montgomery County School system this week. BIG MEETING this Thursday. Pray for Tom Salter and Dr. Eggleston this week as they meet with pastors/clergy on Thursday!


From Tom Salter. Montgomery Public Schools.

Community involvement, especially by leaders like yourself, is critical to our success as we work to improve our schools. Please plan to attend and share this information with other religious leaders who may want to attend."

I hope to see you Thursday.
Sincerely,
Tom

School is starting!!!

Praying for Our Schools



This week and the next few weeks, schools will be starting and getting back into a routine. Let's pray this week for our teachers, administration and students/parents.


Teachers-Pray for wisdom, care for self, resources provided, discernment on how to care for the students they have.

Administration-For wisdom and guidance on decisions that have to be made on a daily basis. For them not to forget that the students are the priority.
Students-That each student will be filled with hope in a brand new year. That they will have clear minds to concentrate and that a hedge of protection will be around each and every student.
Parents-That parents will strive to help their students to have the things they need to be successful in their school day, care for themselves and their ids, provision to make the load lighter and that any things that are troubling them will be resolved.


Philippians 4:19 "And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus."

 

Rejoicing in New Life

Had to stop and take a break to rejoice over some great news in the Montgomery area.

Last night, after 10 years of investment, building relationships, getting to know the culture, we launched the FIRST Mixtec Church in 2 areas of Montgomery. We had 52 told come to the services. Sunday nights 5:30p.m. Food and Fellowship.

This people group has been in the Montgomery area for many years and we just found them about 10 years ago. This church is only the 4th Baptist church in the nation. We are so very excited. They are an indigenous people group from southern Mexico whose primary language is Mixtec, not Spanish.

If you know any Mixtec who either are curious about Jesus OR are Christians and need a safe church to attend and grow in, we would welcome them with open arms. Each site has a unique and simple worship style and the goal is to grow up leaders from within this indigenous group to lead.
Be praying as things get going. Contact me if you know of anyone who could benefit from being a part of this fellowship.

Prayer Points:
1. Pray for the deep spiritual needs of this culture.
2. Pray for indigenous leaders to rise up and become the overseers of this church.
3. Pray for the men of the culture to be interested in this Jesus guy!
4. Pray for those who are already Christians to grow and become leaders and examples of Christ like living.
5. Pray for the Bible teachers now to be wise and sensitive to the spiritual needs of this culture.

Contact Lisa Rose at 334-271-6794 if you need any information. 

Racism Part 1

RACISM--That word no one wants to acknowledge that we ALL have problems with. Today I want to remind us of some scripture that we can use for ourselves as we battle the SIN of racism. We ALL have the potential to be a racist. WE ALL have sinned and come short of the GLORY of God. Right?

 1 John 2:11  "But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes."

So the challenge is this:
1. Look at our own heart and see if there is RACISM in our hearts.
Psalm 139:23-24
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
    test me and know my anxious thoughts,
Point out anything in me that offends you,
    and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

2. Then ask the Lord to show it to us and then pray this prayer as well....
Psalm 5:7-13
Purify me from my sins,[c] and I will be clean;
    wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Oh, give me back my joy again;
    you have broken me—
    now let me rejoice.
Don’t keep looking at my sins.
    Remove the stain of my guilt.
Create in me a clean heart, O God.
    Renew a loyal spirit within me.
Do not banish me from your presence,
    and don’t take your Holy Spirit[d] from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
    and make me willing to obey you.
Then I will teach your ways to rebels,
    and they will return to you.

3 Live out that clean heart through teaching others BY YOUR WORDS AND ACTIONS how to love ALL people.....not just be nice to them, but LOVE THEM.
I John 3:18
"Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions."

4. Which means standing up for someone when they are wronged because of the color of their skin.
Proverbs 31:8-9
Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of ALL..... Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.

Then, this will happen................
Isaiah 58:8-9
“Then your salvation will come like the dawn,
    and your wounds will quickly heal.
Your godliness will lead you forward,
    and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind
Then when you call, the Lord will answer.
    ‘Yes, I am here,’ he will quickly reply.

Will you take the challenge today?
Will you ask God to show you the ugliness of racism in your own heart? 
Will you allow Him to cleanse you from ALL unrighteousness?

Then and ONLY then can we see change in this area of SIN in the Greater Montgomery area.....