Is there hope for the Church in the U.S.—do you feel hopeful?
With record numbers of churches closing their doors and more and more people rejecting the religion of their parents and grandparents, it could be easy to lose heart.
For the Everyday Peacemaker with eyes to see, we believe there is so much to offer hope! What if those things being rejected actually need to be rejected? Like the rotten beams and pocked drywall of an old house, what if this rejection is actually the demolition to signal a renovation making way for something new, a better faith home for us all?
What might happen if churches moved beyond religious talk and political posturing and into the Jesus Way of active, incarnate Love on the bleeding edges?
With these questions in mind, a prominent Christian denomination took action. The local Bishop reached out to our team of peacemaking coaches to help plan their borderlands conference. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the conference went virtual and was broadcast to church leaders and congregations around the world.
As one voice, the top clergy wrote a denominational statement affirming that the work of the Everyday Peacemaker is central to the life and practice of their congregations. Using our See – Immerse – Contend – Restore language, the clergy then translated the statement into other languages and, in one of the most beautiful readings we’ve ever heard, the Bishop from Guatemala stood up to read the statement in Spanish.
The conference ended, but the action had only just begun. A network of Latin American bishops met post-conference to explore ways they might get at root causes of migration and displacement from South and Central America.
If you ever feel like the churches you grew up around can’t change, remember this denomination-wide shift toward active, Everyday Peacemaking! There are Jesus people all over the world living and loving beyond borders and simple stories, and we are committed to supporting them as much as we possibly can—are you ready to help?
As we celebrate 10 years of stories like these, we’re asking you to sign up to give $10 per month in support of our next decade of supporting and celebrating everyday peacemakers as they prove that the Jesus way is still alive and well!
Author: Matt Willingham
Matt Willingham is a writer, photographer, and content creator with over ten years experience living and working in some of the hardest-hit conflict zones in the world. He and his wife, Cayla, are now based in San Diego where they’re raising three little peacemakers and working to promote empathy and understanding in their community.
@matt.willingham