Did anyone see the census report statistics that just came out? We have a higher percentage of Americans living today in "deep poverty" than ever before--or at least as long as they've been keeping the numbers. The only increase in median income comes from those over 65 with investments and social security. There's a decent editorial in the NYTimes today, but you can find them elsewhere. Things are worse than most folks thought.
The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting children. The poor don't seem to be getting much of a voice in the blogs we've been posting back and forth, or have I missed it?
Prophets are rarely appreciated. They do sometimes comfort the afflicted, but most often afflict the comfortable. In fact, Wallis documented that when homes in the average Israelite village were roughly equivalent in size, there tended to be no prophet raised during that period. But when the discrepency became large between the homes size of the rich and the poor--during those periods God raised up prophets to address the situation among his people. Just peruse Amos a bit and you get the biblical sense of what Wallis is pointing to.
Where are the prophetic voices among the emergent communities? Is there not a word from God about the last, the lost, and the least? And are not post-modern women and men better able to see and address these? Someone out there, help me understand what the point of doing church a new way if our focus is just as inwardly focused as the old way of doing church? Please understand, I'm not being critical of you all. This after all is new, and is just taking its first steps. But does the emergent movement have any clue on how to overcome partisan bifurcation--a dividing of all things into the two a priori camps of conservative and liberal?
For me personally, we have got to get up a head of steam and learn to speak truth to power wherever and however we can. It a needs biblical, spiritual basis--but it surely needs to happen and happen more often than I am seeing it. I would love to see this happening and how it happens within the emerging church.
Any suggestions or recommendations?
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I just got back from DS training in Lake Junaluska in North Carolina. We talked alot about crossing boundaries and understanding people of different cultures and races. In the District, I hope to:
*Discover what groups of people are in this area that we do not see, know, or minister to.
*Celebrate and support all the mission ministry our churches are doing.
*Let the district leadership, like John Shettle, passionately lead us.
*And especially support New Hope UMC in Anderson which is seeking to be light to at risk teens in a city where only 50% of the youth graduate from high school(less for Black kids.)
You're right Tim. May God help us to make a difference.
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