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1.1) The main thing! Becoming Salt and Light , The Beatitudes and the Kingdom of God.

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1.1) The main thing! Becoming Salt and Light , The Beatitudes and the Kingdom of God.

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What Are the Beatitudes?

The short lines we call the Beatitudes are a kind of blueprint for becoming more fully human — a template for inner change and for a new kind of life. As the promised king (or Messiah), Jesus used these one-liners to show what his kind of leadership and his kind of world would look like.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SWrAMmM-EbAGiluu5MWegDWkdBU1-GJfADrwyJWtTD0/edit?usp=sharing

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Welcome to the class! We'd love to get to know you better. Please reply to this assignment with a few lines to introduce yourself! Thanks!

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1.2) Amelia: "From Annoyance to Adoration: How the Beatitudes Transformed My Faith" 

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1.2) Amelia: "From Annoyance to Adoration: How the Beatitudes Transformed My Faith" 

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"I used to secretly hate the Beatitudes...

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1O9yTjr0xWOE7_U1ymkNfa5U3Kh66TWvxHglw9zfw0u0/edit?usp=sharing

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Amelia's Experience with the Beatitudes 

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For subtitles in English click on the settings wheel

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The New Humanity • The New Kind of Existence We're Invited To (Spiritual Beings Series Episode 7)

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Proud Farmers

I look back on my childhood with great fondness. I grew up on an old farm, on a peninsula where my ancestors had been farmers for generations in a small village...

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1OUZPqjGofuDcjzUJAESMrcvKGuNzMECp4FVbX8wDbGU/edit?usp=sharing

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2.3) Beatitudes viewed as a process or a journey. 

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2.3) Beatitudes viewed as a process or a journey. 

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https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/1TPdqtB3A6slLAziYhxu5-SPijZfPzgOSkfn9xwnOgJY/edit?usp=sharing

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2.1) Makarios: Understanding the Structure and Language of the Beatitudes 

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2.1) Makarios: Understanding the Structure and Language of the Beatitudes 

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“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3)

“Poor in spirit:” What’s so great about that?

First, let’s clarify what Jesus does not mean by “poor in spirit.” He is not talking about being small-minded, naive, foolish, a loser, or outdated. Why? Because Jesus himself is anything but that. To be “poor in spirit” does not exclude being a winner in sports, a tough negotiator, a visionary entrepreneur, a passionate researcher, a courageous risk-taker, or a devoted parent who cheers their kids on to excellence.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Fk-VTuqedDsiDMih3h93etzcZp3ARh-JsbZKXSDXoUo/edit?usp=sharing

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“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:4)

Loss, Mourning and Suffering

Mourning—or lamenting—comes in the wake of loss. It is the expression of the pain we feel when something valuable is taken from us. Pain is a universal human experience. Even though we try to avoid it, fix it, numb it, or push it away, it eventually reaches all of us.

continue reading:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_cNyYf6Ogb3JQTeXyzWz3ZpSUz585MImV_sVCkjXEzM/edit?usp=sharing

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“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5)

Jesus and Meekness

Jesus says that the meek will inherit the earth. But just as “poor in spirit” doesn’t mean being foolish, and mourning isn’t about being gloomy, meekness is not weakness. Jesus himself is meek, yet there is nothing weak about him. His authority doesn’t come through force, threats, or manipulation. Instead, he changes people from the inside out—through truth, grace, and love. His Kingdom operates with the opposite tools of the world: not raw power and lies that crush people, but the inner conviction brought by the Holy Spirit (John 16:8).

continue reading:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dgsnOdpDE3_cjfs5b5AJMd48Xtc7jkcXsMWL2qI7COY/edit?usp=sharing

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6.1) Intermezzo - reading: the Cross and the Beatitudes

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6.1) Intermezzo - reading: the Cross and the Beatitudes

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Intermezzo: Where is the Cross of Jesus in the Beatitudes?

As we reach the middle of the Beatitudes curve, an important question naturally arises. How are the one-liners of Jesus related to his death on a Roman cross and his resurrection?

If I take a step back and try to think of the crucifixion of Jesus, without the pre-conditioning of christian dogma, it seems at first sight a cynical display of a wasted life.

How can the excruciating torture and bloody death of a young religious teacher mean any good at all to anybody? Let alone, bring any sort of redemption to humanity on a cosmic scale?

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yF_NA7hu18782gCTdqhSpnNwf49w8PQ-Y9RTFz8sqI8/edit?usp=sharing

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“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness/justice, for they shall be satisfied” (Matthew 5:6)

The first three Beatitudes deal with humility, grief, and the controlled strength of meekness. Jesus descends into human brokenness and prepares us for transformation from the inside out. Now, at the heart of the Beatitudes, Jesus awakens a deep longing — a hunger and thirst — for justice: for things to be made right again in every sphere of life. This fourth Beatitude is the turning point where inner transformation becomes a passion for a restored world.

continue reading:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uVkU69O-kaVdX3w8t2l9q7KVRfHSvfMazqfO60FHjXA/edit?usp=sharing

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“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy” (Matthew 5:7)

Blessed are the Merciful

Mercy is the great “reset button.” However deeply the acid of evil has eroded righteousness, mercy finds a way to redeem, restore, and heal with love...

continue reading:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1t67XIh1wMFdG4tD5HztlQkHjPX-H_9w88LozWsTsCo0/edit?usp=sharing

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“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8)

Pure Motivations and Servant Leadership

In order to become a transformational force in this world, the community of Jesus takes the lowest place as a servant of all.

continue reading:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1u8GKxGjltDp4eTBbB8qyP3yqjxF-UjYsHSAA6-SDpLo/edit?usp=sharing

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10.1) Peacemakers--Sons and Daughters of God 

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10.1) Peacemakers--Sons and Daughters of God 

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“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons and daughters of God” (Matthew 5:9)

Peacemakers see conflict as an opportunity..!

continue reading:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ncydiFhed0cT47fwbzT8ZCjgZXKevRh7lyakUHQG-ww/edit?usp=sharing

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11.1) Persecution - Seal of the Kingdom Quality

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11.1) Persecution - Seal of the Kingdom Quality

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“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:10-12)

Humility and Persecution

Suggested Reading: Matthew 24:9-14, Luke 21: 12 - 19

Just as humility and being real about ourselves are the door openers to discipleship with Jesus, persecution is the seal of Kingdom quality on our discipleship...

continue reading:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eWFAjx7kMe40KHT4V80ulWpvol10-sxIIE_PGy--370/edit?usp=sharing

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Salt and Light that Transforms

“You are the salt of the earth…
You are the light of the world…
In the same way, let your light shine before others so they may see your good work and recognize the goodness behind it.”
(Matthew 5:13–16, adapted)

The Beatitudes Are About Transformation

Amelia thought the Beatitudes were just a list of rules you have to follow. JP believed they were intense spiritual experiences reserved for deeply religious people. But it’s neither.

Jesus offers a different kind of leadership — one that includes people who would normally never qualify. Those who would be ignored or underestimated by society become key players in this Kingdom. His style is counter-cultural and unexpected — and it’s the way the future world will actually work. It’s sustainable, life-giving leadership for eternity.

Imagining the City of God

The story of the Bible begins in a garden — a world that is beautiful, good, but unfinished. Creation needs development: languages, cultures, cities, technology, arts, communities. Human beings are invited as co-creators to cultivate this potential, caring for creation while expanding it.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oMeBU1-VHUtWNJKmQfBiHImNlGlDZL5gDDT61ZNRQRU/edit?usp=sharing

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Sistine chapel ceiling, Sistine chapel, Michelangelo

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1.3) The New Testament's vision on Heaven and Earth - Tom Wright

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1.3) The New Testament's vision on Heaven and Earth - Tom Wright

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N. T. Wright is the Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at the University of St Andrews, a Senior Research Fellow at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford University and the author of over 80 books, including 'The New Testament in Its World'.

One of the central stories of the Bible, many people believe, is that there is a heaven and an earth and that human souls have been exiled from heaven and are serving out time here on earth until they can return. Indeed, for most modern Christians, the idea of “going to heaven when you die” is not simply one belief among others, but the one that seems to give a point to it all.

But the people who believed in that kind of “heaven” when the New Testament was written were not the early Christians. They were the “Middle Platonists” — people like Plutarch (a younger contemporary of St Paul who was a philosopher, biographer, essayist and pagan priest in Delphi). To understand what the first followers of Jesus believed about what happens after death, we need to read the New Testament in its own world — the world of Jewish hope, of Roman imperialism and of Greek thought...

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HQbVUYuJjut3iDoiBaFX410Zo9Zw0bneF9BIQKPWyew/edit?usp=sharing

Source: TIME: https://time.com/5743505/new-testament-heaven/

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JESUS’ THIRD WAY

by Walter Wink

The following text is taken from pages 98-111 of The Powers that Be: Theology for a New Millennium, Walter Wink, 1998.

Many otherwise devout Christians simply dismiss Jesus’ teachings about nonviolence out of hand as impractical idealism. And with good reason. “Turn the other cheek” has come to imply a passive, doormat-like quality that has made the Christian way seem cowardly and complicit in the face of injustice. “Resist not evil” seems to break the back of all opposition to evil and to counsel submission. “Going the second mile” has become a platitude meaning nothing more than “extend yourself” and appears to encourage collaboration with the oppressor. Jesus’ teaching, viewed this way, is impractical, masochistic, and even suicidal—an invitation to bullies and spouse-batterers to wipe up the floor with their supine Christian victims.

Jesus never displayed that kind of passivity...

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wBB7l3htKk0TiUJ7XbwJ4bb5QSy4oawqJIyupxCavhs/edit?usp=sharing

Cassius Soares responded to Walter Wink's article, making some important nuances...

"...I am familiar with Walter Wink and affirm his presentation of Jesus’ teaching on non-violent resistance in the Beatitudes.

I am also familiar with Augustine’s ‘just war’ theory and I feel what Walter Wink says in this article misunderstands and misrepresents Augustine....

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dSbg_TT7JTMqkj0s2CIESNsA1bI1hO70sHV2vw3LINM/edit?usp=sharing

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5.3) Bishop Tutu and Dr. King : Can Nonviolence Achieve Justice in South Africa?

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5.3) Bishop Tutu and Dr. King : Can Nonviolence Achieve Justice in South Africa?

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By DONALD E. MILLER

JAN. 21, 1986

As an undergraduate in the mid-1960s I listened to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speak to a packed auditorium of students at the University of Southern California. Today I will have the privilege of introducing on the same campus his spiritual successor, Bishop Desmond M. Tutu.

This opportunity has set me to thinking about these two men, about the parallels in their struggle and the differences...

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kxX-FGfD8dz0tMsdOFy9Jsc4EirUdNuZeoV9LhHlYqk/edit?usp=sharing

For discussion: How do MLK and Bishop Tutu both demonstrate the power of meekness in spite of their different view on non-violent resistance? How do you feel about using violence to break up an evil suppression like the Apartheid system?

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7.2) Bible study on the nature of righteousness/justice - Jeanette Gaitou

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7.2) Bible study on the nature of righteousness/justice - Jeanette Gaitou

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Bible study on the nature of righteousness/justice

(Jeannette Gaitou: After: Bailey, Kenneth E; 2008, Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes; cultural studies in the gospels, USA, IVP Academic; p.76-81.)

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness

for they will be filled

(Matthew 5:6, NIV)

"...Every relationship makes claims on conduct and the satisfaction of these claims, which issue from the relationship and in which alone the relationship can persist, is described by the terms sĕdāqâ and dikaiosyne..."

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1t7etyPbV-YTcIqav6ANJ-Cz3a_y18SKskhsKWZFtp0Y/edit?usp=sharing

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Defining and Understanding the Meaning of Mercy

Mercy is the compassionate treatment of those in distress. It is the fruit of compassion, and it is a noun in action.

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What is the definition of mercy?

Mercy is the compassionate treatment of those in distress, especially when it is within one's power to punish or harm them.

The word "mercy" derives from the medieval Latin merced or merces, which means "price paid." It has the connotation of forgiveness, benevolence and kindness. Mercy is often used in a religious context of giving alms, caring for the sick or the poor.

In the legal sense, mercy often refers to compassionate behavior from a person in power, such as when a judge shows clemency, leniency or mercy during sentencing.

What is the biblical definition of mercy?

Mercy appears in the Bible as it relates to forgiveness or withholding punishment. For example, God the Father showed mercy on us when he sacrificed his son, Christ Jesus, on the Cross to pay the price for our sins.

"Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions." - Psalm 51:1, NIV

But the Bible also defines mercy beyond forgiveness and withholding punishment. God shows his mercy for those who are suffering through healing, comfort, the alleviation of suffering and caring about those in distress. He acts from compassion and acts with mercy.

In Matthew 17:15, a man approaches Jesus and kneels before Him saying, "Lord, have mercy on my son. ... He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water."

Jesus' response, to heal the man's son, is one of mercy. Jesus' compassion prompts him to act and he mercifully loves, heals and restores.

How is mercy different from compassion?

Mercy and compassion are intertwined. Mercy is the fruit of compassion. Mercy is a gift given to someone who is suffering by someone acting with compassion.

According to the dictionary, mercy is a noun. It's a mission performed to relieve suffering. It's an event to be grateful for. It's the compassion or forgiveness shown to someone. But mercy is a noun in action.

The meaning of compassion is to recognize the suffering of others and then take action to help. Compassion is more than feeling concerned about someone in distress or caring about a person's misfortune. There is action associated with compassion, and that action is mercy.

When compassion acts to alleviate suffering, it becomes mercy.

What does it mean to have mercy?

The idea of having mercy emphasizes the aspect of mercy concerning disparity in power, as opposed to emphasizing the motivation for having mercy (e.g., compassion or lenity). It doesn't exclude kindness. It simply draws attention to the relationship between having the choice to show mercy and strictly executing justice.

Having mercy or being merciful speaks of leniency, forbearance and clemency more so than grace, forgiveness, tenderness or compassion.

What does mercy mean or look like?

Mercy doesn't always involve grand moments or gestures. But it always treats the position of influence, authority or power it acts from gently. Mercy makes room for others.

Sometimes mercy means choosing not to complain to the restaurant manager when the service you received was lacking. That is the mercy of kindness.

Sometimes mercy means not making it difficult for the person who offended you to apologize. That is the mercy of forgiveness.

Sometimes mercy means correcting someone gently and not acting smug or vindictive. That is the mercy of grace.

Sometimes mercy means helping a child escape poverty. That is the mercy of compassion.

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Mercy is the compassionate treatment of those in distress. Mercy is the fruit of compassion, and it is a noun in action.

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One of JP’s favorite childhood heroes from the Old Testament was Joab. He could easily imagine this nephew of King David--a courageous leader of the rag tag outfit who joined David in the desert. They were hurting and bitter, with a criminal record and carrying debts. In all the main stories that Joab features in, he seems at first sight committed to his King through thick and thin. But if one studies these stories a little deeper we see a very different and dangerous character emerge.

If you want to really see the dark side of a hidden agenda, study the life of Joab. In every story Joab is involved in, he has a hidden agenda. At every turn when his hidden agenda is frustrated somebody ends up dying. His true loyalty is not to David, David’s family, or his kingdom. The reason for him to be close to the king is to be close to the centre of power. Every time that sole purpose of Joab is thwarted, the person who stands in the way gets killed!
David makes his successor promise that Joab may not be allowed to die in peace... Apparently it is possible to be around the King all of your life but never be truly part of his Kingship!

For a quick synopsis of Joab's life (including an enlightening thought from Flavius Josephus!) have a look at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joab#:~:text=is%5D%20father'.-,Biblical%20narrative,15%3B%2027%3A34)
It contains all the key scripture verses as well.

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Death of Absalom, 1860 woodcut by Julius Schnorr von Karolsfeld. Joab is depicted directly to the left of Absalom

Joab ( Hebrew יוֹאָב‎ Yōʼav, Yōʼāḇ) the son of Zeruiah, was the nephew of King David and the commander of his army, according to the Hebrew Bible.

The name Joab is, like many other Hebrew names, theophoric-derived from YHVH (יהוה‎), the name of the God of Israel, and the Hebrew word 'av' (אָב‎), meaning 'father'. It therefore means 'YHVH [is] father'.

Illustration from the Morgan Bible of a story in 2 Samuel 20 of Joab pursuing Sheba as far as Abel-beth-maachah and Sheba's head being thrown down to him.

Leaf from the Morgan Picture Bible, "Scenes from the Life of Absalom", c. 1250

Joab was the son of Zeruiah, a sister of king David (1 Chronicles 2:15-16). According to Josephus (Antiquities VII, 1, 3) his father was called Suri.

Joab had two brothers, Abishai and Asahel. Asahel was killed by Abner in combat, for which Joab took revenge by murdering Abner against David's wishes and shortly after David and Abner had secured peace between the House of David and the House of Saul (2 Samuel 2:13-3:21; 3:27).

While 2 Samuel 3:27 explicitly states that Joab killed Abner "to avenge the blood of his brother Asahel", Josephus ( Antiquities VII, 1, 3) paints a different picture: Joab had forgiven Abner for the death of Joab's brother Asahel, since Abner had slain Asahel honorably in combat, but killed Abner as a potential threat to his rank after Abner had switched to the side of David and granted David control over the tribe of Benjamin.

After Joab led the assault on the fortress of Mount Zion, David made him captain of his army (2 Samuel 8:16; 20:23; 1 Chronicles 11:4-6; 18:15; 27:34). He led the army against Aram, Ammon, Moab and Edom. He also colluded with David in the murder of Uriah (2 Samuel 11:14-25).

Joab played a pivotal role as the commander of David's forces during Absalom's rebellion. Absalom, one of David's sons, rallied much of Israel in rebellion against David, who was forced to flee with only his most trusted men. However, David could not bring himself to harm his son, and ordered that none of his men should kill Absalom during the ensuing battle. However, when a man reported that Absalom had been found alive and caught in a tree, Joab and his men killed him (2 Samuel 18:1-33).

Hearing of David's grief over the reported death of Absalom, Joab confronted and admonished David. The king followed Joab's advice to make a public appearance to encourage his troops (2 Samuel 19:1-8).

David later replaced him as commander of the army with David's nephew, Amasa (2 Samuel 19:13). Joab later killed Amasa (2 Samuel 20:8-13; 1 Kings 2:5).

Joab and other commanders began questioning David's judgment (2 Samuel 24:2-4). As David neared the end of his reign, Joab offered his allegiance to David's eldest living son, Adonijah, rather than to the eventual king, Solomon (1 Kings 1:1-27).

On the brink of death, David told Solomon to have Joab killed, citing Joab's past betrayals and the blood that he was guilty of. Solomon ordered Joab's death by the hand of Benaiah (1 Kings 2:29-34). Hearing this, Joab fled to the Tent of the Tabernacle (where Adonijah had previously sought successful refuge according to 1 Kings 1:50-53) and told Benaiah that he would die there. Benaiah killed Joab there and thereby replaced him as commander of the army. Joab was buried in 'the wilderness' (1 Kings 2:34).

The ATS Bible Dictionary describes Joab as "a valiant warrior, and an able general; and his great influence on public affairs was often exerted for good, as in the rebellion of Absalom, and the numbering of Israel ... [b]ut as a man he was imperious, revengeful, and unscrupulous".

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Easton, Matthew George (1897). Easton's Bible Dictionary (New and revised ed.). T. Nelson and Sons.

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Joab ( Hebrew יוֹאָב‎ Yōʼav, Yōʼāḇ) the son of Zeruiah, was the nephew of King David and the commander of his army, according to the Hebrew Bible. The name Joab is, like many other Hebrew names, theophoric-derived from YHVH (יהוה‎), the name of the God of Israel, and the Hebrew word 'av' (אָב‎), meaning 'father'.

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Who on the Peace?

Jeff Fountain

Europe at the end of the Second World War was a mess.

We have all seen the pictures of Allied soldiers being met by flag-waving crowds as they drove through the liberated towns of France, Belgium and the Netherlands, giving out chocolate and kissing the girls. Yet these euphoric scenes quickly gave way to the daunting reality of rebuilding a devastated and divided Europe.

Yes, we all know who won the war. But who won the peace?

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HF8HBcYWhQqpY2u_lSSjZpmtyBiEnmCZgTsBGhcAaDo/edit?usp=sharing

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11.2) Blood of the Martyrs, Seed of the Church??

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11.2) Blood of the Martyrs, Seed of the Church??

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Is the Blood of the Martyrs Really the Seed of the Church?

By Glenn 🤬

One of the most beautiful songs I have heard in recent years is Steve Green’s song “The Faithful”, which he dedicated to the persecuted Church. The first time I heard it, a tingle went up my spine and I confess that I still am touched by it whenever I view the music video that The Voice of the Martyrs produced together with Steve in 1998. The chorus of the song concludes with the familiar words, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.”

Some have mistakenly believed that these words can be found in the New Testament.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1B_HrCOK5HFsFayniB8wOweC22yGznv9-6v3Zl-RLlW4/edit?usp=sharing

From: https://www.vomcanada.com/download/seed.pdf

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Is the Blood of the Martyrs Really the Seed of the Church

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https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GqrSGW6n7GYoDMsdWQf0Ya-0qODI4AgQty21Tb7IH4g/edit?usp=drive_web&authuser=0

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3.2) A different look at poverty: we're all poor!

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3.2) A different look at poverty: we're all poor!

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Go to settings for subtitles in english. You can also slow the speed.

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What is Poverty? - Chalmers Center Video

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3.3) Interesting to learn about humility from a Muslim teacher!

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3.3) Interesting to learn about humility from a Muslim teacher!

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Walking with Humility - Nouman Ali Khan - Quran Weekly

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4.2) Mark Vroegop: Reclaiming the power of lament.

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4.2) Mark Vroegop: Reclaiming the power of lament.

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clip explaining why 'Blessed are those who mourn/lament' is foundational in transformational discipleship

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2 Reasons Why We Don't Know How to Lament

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I have made it a point to visit the migrants. Wherever they may be, I try to go to them where they are at, focus on them for that moment, and bring with me the care & concern that I know our Father has for each one of them individually. Sometimes, this takes me to far-off towns, and into the countryside- places lost or forgotten by the majority. I try to show-up for them in their lonely settings and bring friendship and encouragement. Many times, all I need to do is to sit and listen to the guys talk.

Their stories overflow with anxiousness, fear, doubt, stress, and hopelessness. In the midst of trying to cope with the present, they still haven’t been able to process the horrors they witnessed and/or personally endured during their trip across the continent of Africa, thru the deadly desert, in the midst of the treacherous Libya, and upon the terrifying Mediterranean Sea. Often, two listening ears are all they need to decompress, feel validated, experience love and care, and unpack a bit of the heaviness they carry around with them daily. Joining them in this way, I have seen their countenances lift, their eyes twinkle with joy again, and smiles glow anew upon their faces.

One boy from Guinea said to me, “I can’t believe you would come all this way just to see me… This means more to me than I can ever express…”

Another guy from Senegal said, “In my nation, we have an old proverb that says: ‘The One who goes the distance for you, is the One who is greater.’ By taking your time and going the distance for me, I see the greatness you carry.”
And that greatness is the agape love of Jesus Christ! He is the Greatest!

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Capsized in Lampedusa: Fortress Italia (Part 1/4)

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5.4) 'I was prepared to die': Nun protects protesters in Myanmar's 'Tiananmen moment'

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5.4) 'I was prepared to die': Nun protects protesters in Myanmar's 'Tiananmen moment'

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During the recent protests in Myanmar, this courageous sister took a stand that is humble and courageous. Do you see the 'Christ-figure' in her?

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'I was prepared to die': Nun protects protesters in Myanmar's 'Tiananmen moment'

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Read the article from Prison fellowship to better understand anger and how to channel it. Try to be as concrete and honest with yourself as possible to 'listen' to your anger and take responsibility for your emotions.

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(Proverbs 14:17).

That, in a nutshell, is our most common problem with anger. When our anger flares up, we often act in ways that are irrational and destructive

A gang member feels "dissed" because of the way a rival looks at him, so he pulls out a gun and shoots him.

A shopper in the line at the grocery store fumbles for her money, and the man behind her cusses her out for holding everybody up.

A man is late for dinner, and his enraged wife dumps the whole meal in the garbage.

While in the chow line, one inmate jostles another, who turns around and slugs him.

Anger can be triggered by a threat-real or perceived-in about one-thirtieth of a second! That's according to Arizona psychologist Lynne Namka, who has worked with countless angry people. A lot of rapid-fire thinking can take place in that fragment of a second.

For the person who often gets angry-and often way out of proportion to the "offense," as in the examples above-it is important to understand and change distorted ways of thinking.

Why? Because in prison, angry reactions can get you into trouble with the officers-robbing you of privileges, getting you stuck in segregation. It can put you on the outs with other inmates and your family. And chronic anger can tear you up inside-mentally and physically- causing headaches, digestion troubles, insomnia, high blood pressure, skin rashes, depression, heart attack, and stroke. Who wants that?

We all know how prison can crack your sense of "cool." It strips you of your freedom, diminishes control over your life, and deprives you of respect. We may think hostility gives us more control. It doesn't. Usually it reveals our loss of control, our feeling of powerlessness, our hurt pride. It's a far greater display of inner control when you can stay cool and unflinching under stress. So how can you get there?

In his book Prisoners of Hate, prominent psychiatrist Aaron Beck explains that anger may seem like the first emotion triggered by a threatening event (because it happens so fast). But it's commonly preceded by distress-a feeling of hurt or anxiety. The meaning we attach to that feeling-our interpretation-is what leads to the anger. Here's a quick way to look at it:

Event --> Distress --> Interpretation --> Anger --> Mobilized to Attack

When we're distressed, our thinking gets self-centered. Irrational thoughts spring up automatically, conditioned by past feelings and events. Let's look at the most common types of irrational thinking that distort our views and feed our anger.

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Anger: It's All in How You Think - Prison Fellowship

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Don't let your emotions get the best of you. Here are some biblical reasons to keep our anger in check. A quick tempered man does foolish things." (Proverbs 14:17). That, [...]

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5.7) The Power Of Martin Luther King Jr.'s Anger

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5.7) The Power Of Martin Luther King Jr.'s Anger

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You may also want to read about the struggle that Martin Luther King had with his anger, to channel it positively.

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The Power Of Martin Luther King Jr.’s Anger

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Martin Luther King Jr. dealt with anger in both his personal life and life’s work. He often tried to turn his anger into constructive action, but he did occasionally struggle with that balance.

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"...As we listened, I was preparing an argument or defense against each accusation...!

continue reading

https://docs.google.com/document/d/17AElaVN_TPHXm7zPNyntj3FpusxqxdOfVDlT-cea7SU/edit?usp=sharing

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There are many metaphors in the New Testament that give away some aspect of how the death of Jesus affects our relationship with God, ourselves, our neighbor and creation. Tom Wright takes a step back to help us see how the Cross fits in the big picture of the biblical narrative, and especially in understanding the dynamics of the Kingdom of God and the Beatitudes. This might be quite challenging to our traditional way of understanding the Cross - enjoy!
(Start the video at minute 5)

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The Beatitudes: the Portrait of Happiness

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http://www.catholicismseries.com/ For the first time, in breathtaking, high-definition cinematography, the beauty, goodness and truth of the Catholic Faith are illustrated in a rich, multimedia experience. Journey with acclaimed author, speaker and theologian Fr. Robert Barron to more than 50 locations throughout 15 countries.

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7.3) Bible project on Justice and Righteousness

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7.3) Bible project on Justice and Righteousness

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Justice • This Is the Bible's Radical View

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We humans live in four relational dimensions in which justice plays a crucial role: with God, with ourselves, with other people and with creation. Learn how justice is at the heart of the Beatitudes by reading one of the case studies below, or watch the TEDX  talk or the video. When it comes to hungering and thirsting for righteousness and justice, you will see that all 4 dimensions are interlinked. Often we don't think about the justice issue pertaining to Care for Creation and Reaching the people who never heard about Jesus...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpjL_otLq6Y

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The Bible doesn’t talk about climate change, right?

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7.6) Another example of Righteousness and Justice in 4 dimensions

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7.6) Another example of Righteousness and Justice in 4 dimensions

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My name is Samantha and I am from America! I work long term in the eastern hills of Nepal! Here we have the privilege of working with many kids from ages 4-16. We do ministry in a pretty developed city but also do many short term trips to villages in the mountains 1-3 days hike away.

The city where we live has many schools where children from all over the region are sent for a quality education. However we have noticed a great inequality between the boys who are sent for education and the girls. Many more boys are sent to school then girls because boys will take care of their family and their parents in the future and need a good job to provide. Girls will simply be married off to another family to do house work and therefore don’t need to be educated. This worldview comes from the major religion in Nepal, Hinduism. Hinduism views men at the top of the hierarchy and women classified just above animals. Because of this world view, we see a large gap between men and women in society. A gap of not just education but social standing, means to be independent, and ability to travel overseas.

This is an incredible injustice, not just in Nepal but all over the world. Many organizations in Nepal and world wide are working relentlessly to address this inequality. And we hope and pray that someday soon girls will be treated just as valuably as boys.

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Be challenged by Father Damian and Mother Marian's mercy, courage and sacrifice...

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Father Damien of Molokai | Explore Films

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https://docs.google.com/document/d/14i5-ysUtl83hFXtprIWmABUS4lsA37Zd_Mr81ErSP9s/edit

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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

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Peace Word Study from Bible Project.

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10.4) Peacemakers: The Imam and the Pastor

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10.4) Peacemakers: The Imam and the Pastor

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Peacemaking requires to take all the steps of the beatitudes that come before. Watch this example of the imam and the pastor.

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The Imam and the Pastor (10 Minute clip)

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On what levels do you see in Francis Collins a peacemaker?

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NIH Director Francis Collins on the Quest for a Cure

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How does the Spirit of God inspire your imagination for the coming renewed heaven-earth? Enjoy this world famous painting from 600 years ago, still loaded with meaning and glorious beauty...

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St Lukes Gallery Episode 9 - The Ghent Altarpiece

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1.5) Reflection - what is your emotional response to the Beatitudes? 

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1.5) Reflection - what is your emotional response to the Beatitudes? 

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Describe what comes to your mind or what you feel when you think about the Beatitudes today (or in the past, if it has changed over time). What seems or feels shocking or annoying to you about them?
Please keep answers fairly short in Padle, (+/- 20 words) if you want to write longer answers please use the whatsapp group)

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1.6) Read and Imagine the Scene: Jesus Teaches the Beatitudes 

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1.6) Read and Imagine the Scene: Jesus Teaches the Beatitudes 

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1) Read Matthew 4:23-5:16. Read the section several times, maybe aloud or together with friends.
2) Try to imagine the scene: the mountainside, the crowds and Jesus's disciples gathered there, Jesus sitting down to talk with his friends. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you "enter in" to the scene, or to give you fresh eyes and ears to see, hear, and experience the story in a new way. Imagine you never heard about or met Jesus, all this was new and strange...
3) Respond to the story. You can: draw a picture of the scene, write a description of what you imagined when you read the passage (what does the mountain look like? What is the atmosphere?), tell a friend about your impressions of the passage, journal about what Holy Spirit highlighted or revealed to you, etc. For some, it might be helpful to read the text again and imagine yourself in the scene. Are you sitting in the crowd, trying to hear what Jesus is saying? Are you one of the disciples, listening eagerly and then repeating what you heard, to people in the crowds?

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The family, in whatever form or shape, is the microcosm in which we learn all the basics of life -- identity, relationships, authority and leadership, negotiation and conflict resolution, sexuality and healthy boundaries, handling money and stewardship, worldview and religion, recreation and much more. So obviously family life is very much a place for discipleship.

The family we are born into, however caring and safe it might have been, is affected also by human mistakes, sin, cultural flaws. Families can be a place of loneliness, suffering and rejection.

The good news of the gospel is that we can cherish the positive wholesome things of our upbringing whilst we don't need to remain victims of past hurt, bound by injustice or rejection done to us. The Beatitudes outline the 'Jesus way' to respond to our past, a way to healing and to becoming a healing person to others.

In this assignment throughout the course, you make the relationship dynamics in your birth family visible, by drawing a 'mind map' with circles, lines and colors etc. (be creative!) The idea is to create a mental image of how relationships worked in your family. Whom were you close to? Where was conflict? Which relationships were nourishing, and which ones were 'cold'? How did you respond to rejection, were you a 'fighter' or did you withdraw? You may want to decide on a certain age range, eg. 10 - 12.

With every Beatitude we will stop for a moment and try to think/feel/pray how it speaks to the family we grew up in. But this exercise is really personal, so some of you may want to share with others in the group but others will want to keep this to yourself, which is completely OK!!

If you find that this Family Mind Map exercise opens up areas in your life that need pastoral care you may consider talking this over with someone you trust in your community, or feel free to ask for help of the facilitator in your small group.

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3.4) Discussion topic: Jesus poor in spirit

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3.4) Discussion topic: Jesus poor in spirit

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How was Jesus "poor in spirit"?

Please think of your own examples from Scripture about how Jesus came as a '"learner" and a "listener." Where do you discern Jesus' humility?

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3.5) Reflection: Superiority and Inferiority

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3.5) Reflection: Superiority and Inferiority

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What signs/symbols/language/attitudes of superiority or inferiority does my culture show? My religion? My ethnic group? My profession? Education?

Religion, culture and our devotion to Jesus theoretically could all be rolled into one. But in reality, religions are man made and embedded in cultures tainted by the dark side of human evil. Although religions can have beautiful rituals and traditions that are redeemable, they can never save mankind or save me as a person, in the sense of making us whole, bringing about our full potential--that only happens through knowing and obeying and becoming like Jesus.  For this reason, it is important to be aware of the dark side of our religion and culture and let the words of Jesus continually challenge, purify and transform us.

Write a prayer for revelation from God’s Spirit to open your spiritual eyes to the blind spots you have about your religion and culture. Spend some time reflecting, alone or with a trusted friend, about the reflection questions written above.

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3.6) Personal reflection - re-visit the family mind map with 'blessed are the poor...'

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3.6) Personal reflection - re-visit the family mind map with 'blessed are the poor...'

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In what ways did your family teach humility? Who would you say taught you most about humility, can you think of specific moments that a family member demonstrated transparent authenticity about himself/herself?
There is good pride (in a job well done, being a respected family) and there is bad pride in which we compare ourselves to others to feel better about ourselves, it is really a form of inferiority we try to compensate for. Can you think of examples for both?

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4.4) In what way did Jesus come as a 'mourning person'? 

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4.4) In what way did Jesus come as a 'mourning person'? 

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Think of your own examples in the Gospels of when and how Jesus mourned, grieved or lamented. (When seeing the crowds, the view of the city of Jerusalem, the unbelief of his people, at the death of his friend Lazarus, in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross) How did mourning play a crucial role in his mission if you think of lamenting and mourning as a way of connecting with people in their pain?

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4.5) Reflection: Re-visit the Family "Mind Map" with 'mourning...' in mind.

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4.5) Reflection: Re-visit the Family "Mind Map" with 'mourning...' in mind.

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How did your family process pain? Were you able to share pain?
How has your upbringing influenced your basic outlook on life, concerning pain?
How did your family respond to loss of any kind e.g. losing jobs or health?
Were you as a family involved in reaching out to people in need in the community?
Can you describe a typical memory of loss or fear of losing something precious? How would you formulate an adult response to that now?
Do you remember specific moments when comfort was flowing thru you to other people?

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5.9) Reflection: Re-visit the Family "Mind Map" with 'meekness...' in mind

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5.9) Reflection: Re-visit the Family "Mind Map" with 'meekness...' in mind

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Ask yourself some questions about anger.
We can be very creative in dressing over our anger. Ask yourself the question: How does my anger manifest?  Competitiveness, rage, self destructiveness, gossip, self degradation, jealousy etc..
What injustice or pain is it rooted in?
Revisit the family mind map and try to understand how you have learnt to deal with anger in your family setting. How was anger expressed in your family? Was it in the form of a response or reaction?
Do you harbour anger in however mild form, towards people you don't know personally - other race, gender, denomination, nationality, or...??
Try to formulate a prayer (even write it down) that gives recognition to your anger and helps you formulate a response.

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7.8) Does my society treat every person equally?

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7.8) Does my society treat every person equally?

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Does my society treat every person equally? Men/women? blue collar/white collar? Native/foreigner? etc?
Numbers 15:15 The community is to have the same rules for you and for the foreigner residing among you; this is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. You and the foreigner shall be the same before the LORD: 16 The same laws and regulations will apply both to you and to the foreigner residing among you.

Compare also with:
Deuteronomy 10:19 Therefore love the foreigner; for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.
Deuteronomy 23:7 Do not abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother. Do not abhor an Egyptian, because you lived as an alien in his country.
Deuteronomy 24:14 You shall not oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy, whether he be of your brothers, or of your foreigners who are in your land within your gates
Deuteronomy 24:17-22 Do not deprive the alien or the fatherless of justice, or take the cloak of the widow as a pledge. 18 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the LORD your God redeemed you from there. That is why I command you to do this. 19 When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave it for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. 20 When you beat the olives from your trees, do not go over the branches a second time. Leave what remains for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow. 21 When you harvest the grapes in your vineyard, do not go over the vines again. Leave what remains for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow. 22 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt. That is why I command you to do this.
Deuteronomy 27:19 "Cursed is the man who withholds justice from the alien, the fatherless or the widow." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!"

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What from the teachings this week "stuck in your heart/mind"?  Is there someone you can think of that you can share this with?  This coming week, think and pray about someone who would be blessed by what God has been speaking to you about this week.  Share with that person, and, if you like, journal or tell a friend or your small group about how it went.

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7.10) Hungering and thirsting for Justice

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7.10) Hungering and thirsting for Justice

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Assignment in pairs:
Present the case of one group of vulnerable people, possibly from your nation, in 5 minutes to the class, as you 'hunger and thirst for justice' for them. Have a look at International Justice Mission for examples. Use google slides to share your presentation.

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Trafficking & Slavery | International Justice Mission

GIVE NOW.

The problem

Trafficking and slavery still exist today

Slavery is illegal almost everywhere. But millions of men, women and children are trapped in modern-day slavery around the world. In India, entire families are enslaved in labor trafficking in brick kilns, rice mills, and garment factories working up to 20 hours a day. In the Dominican Republic, women and children are lured into sex trafficking with promises of school or a good-paying job. In the Philippines, children as young as two are sexually abused live for anyone in the world to watch through online sexual exploitation of children.

There are an estimated 50 million people held in slavery today.

An estimated 90% of labor trafficking takes place in the private economy-homes, business and supply chains.

Human trafficking generates about $150 billion a year -with two-thirds coming from commercial sexual exploitation.

Forms of Trafficking and Modern-Day Slavery

Labor Trafficking

Vulnerable people are forced to work for little to no pay, through deception, threat or violence.

Sex Trafficking

Someone deceives and sexually exploits another person for a profit. Sex trafficking includes exploitation in brothels, homes and on the internet.

Online Sexual Exploitation of Children

Children are sexually abused by traffickers who spread videos, photos or livestream the abuse for sex offenders to direct from anywhere in the world.

Our solution

Our Community Protection Model

We don't stop at rescuing and restoring people who have been abused. Our goal is to prevent the violence from happening in the first place.

That's why IJM and our partners collaborate with local authorities to serve individual survivors of violence, pursue sustainable improvements in the justice system and build communities where all people can expect to be safe and protected.

Where we work to end trafficking and slavery

Meet Foli

A young boy rescued from slavery in Ghana

Foli* was a young boy forced to work 19-hour days casting and untangling nets to produce fish in Lake Volta's massive fishing industry. For these young children, the only way out of slavery is to drown or be rescued. Foli prayed to God for safety and a chance to escape. After local police found him and brought him to safety, he was able to go to school and play soccer again. Today, there are still thousands of other children like him waiting for rescue.

Explore more stories related to
Trafficking and Slavery:

Slavery and Trafficking Resources

We are seeing evidence that IJM's model works-that enforcing the law deters criminals and protects people from violence. Here's proof:

Together, we can end trafficking and slavery for good.

Will you send rescue and protection until everyone is free?

Make an Impact

Your skills, talents, and ideas are a force for change. From birthday parties to polar dips, your fundraising campaign can stop the violence.

Need Help?

Need more information?
We're here to help.
Contact us at events@ijm.ca

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Trafficking & Slavery | International Justice Mission

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Trafficking & Slavery | International Justice Mission shield arrow-simple-alt-top arrow-simple-alt-left arrow-simple-alt-right arrow-simple-alt-bottom facebook instagram linkedin medium pinterest twitter video-play arrow-simple-right arrow-simple-left arrow-simple-bottom readio arrow-simple-top minus cloud hb camera globe cart rotate star check square speaker-up speaker-mute play love GIVE NOW. The problem Slavery is illegal almost everywhere.

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7.11) Reflection: Re-visit the Family "Mind Map" with 'justice and righteousness' in mind

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7.11) Reflection: Re-visit the Family "Mind Map" with 'justice and righteousness' in mind

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Was it possible to discuss injustices in your family? What kind of leadership did you experience as you grew up? (eg. supporting, authoritarian, manipulative, confident but strict, absent, ...)
How did the leadership style influence issues of justice - equal treatment keeping age difference in mind, gender equality, taking care of the environment, responsible citizenship, honesty...
Was leadership mostly imposed by 'rules' or was there an appeal to your intrinsic motivation (according to your age?) Another way to ask this question is whether your family taught you to live by the 'law' or to depend on the Spirit for making choices?

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Mercy is written all over Jesus' life, which examples speak the most to you? How merciful are you for others, especially those whom you don't have a natural liking for - personalities, gender, ethnicity...? Are you merciful for yourself?
Jesus had a particular problem with religious people who were not merciful, why would that be you think?

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8.6) Reflection: Re-visit the Family "Mind Map" with 'mercy' in mind. 

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8.6) Reflection: Re-visit the Family "Mind Map" with 'mercy' in mind. 

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When we have suffered injustice - mean or harsh words, unjust treatment, neglect, rejection or abuse - we are invited to a process of forgiveness, of letting go and healing. Depending on the severity of the injustice that process may vary from 'shrugging it off' if it was just a small thing to a 'steep uphill climb' against despair, loneliness and bitter pain. Forgiveness happens at the cross, where we look at Jesus identifying with us as well as with those who hurt us.
The power of forgiveness and letting-go, allowing Jesus to take the injustice on himself, gives us new hope and freedom, that is healing.
You can write a prayer of forgiveness or share with someone that you do this together with if you need support.
Conversely this can be the right time to ask forgiveness for wrongs (even small ones) that you did to others. Here also it can be very helpful to do this with a 'witness' who just listens and assures you of Jesus' forgiveness.

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What from the teachings this week "stuck in your heart/mind"?  Is there someone you can think of that you can share this with?  This coming week, think and pray about someone who would be blessed by what God has been speaking to you about this week.  Share with that person, and, if you like, journal or tell a friend or your small group about how it went.

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Read the definition of servant leadership given below. Think about positive examples of servant leadership that you have experienced in your life (we may discuss this together as a group). How do these examples inspire your leadership style?

Servant leadership is a leadership philosophy in which the goal of the leader is to serve. This is different from traditional leadership where the leader's main focus is the thriving of their company or organization. A servant leader shares power, puts the needs of the employees first and helps people develop and perform as highly as possible. Instead of the people working to serve the leader, the leader exists to serve the people. As stated by its founder, Robert K. Greenleaf, a Servant Leader should be focused on, "Do those served grow as persons? Do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants?"

When leaders shift their mindset and serve first, they benefit as well as their employees in that their employees acquire personal growth, while the organization grows as well due to the employees growing commitment and engagement. Since this leadership style came about, a number of different organizations have adopted this style as their way of leadership. (Youth With A Mission value 11 https://www.ywambridges.com/ywam-foundational-values)

According to a 2002 study done by Sen Sendjaya and James C Sarros, servant leadership is being practiced in some of the top-ranking companies, and these companies are highly ranked because of their leadership style and following. Further research also confirms that servant leaders lead others to go beyond the call of duty.

source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Servant_leadership

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The Revolution Has Only Just Begun Twenty-five years ago Robert Greenleaf published these prophetic essays on what he coined servant leadership, a practical philosophy that replaces traditional autocratic leadership with a holistic, ethical approach. This highly influential book has been embraced by cutting edge management everywhere. Yet in these days of Enron and what VISA CEO Dee Hock calls our "era of massive institutional failure," Greenleaf's seminal work must reach the mainstream now more than ever. Servant Leadership― · helps leaders find their true power and moral authority to lead. · helps those served become healthier, wiser, freer, and more autonomous. · encourages collaboration, trust, listening, and empowerment. · offers long-lasting change, not a temporary fix. · extends beyond business for leaders of all types of groups. †

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Servant Leadership: A Journey into the Nature of Legitimate Power and Greatness 25th Anniversary Edition

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The Revolution Has Only Just Begun Twenty-five years ago Robert Greenleaf published these prophetic essays on what he coined servant leadership, a practical philosophy that replaces traditional autocratic leadership with a holistic, ethical approach. This highly influential book has been embraced...

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Take time to reflect and pray about the following questions. (You can do "reflection" through: writing a journal, talking it over with a friend or mentor, drawing your thoughts on the topic, or any other way that helps you process thoughts and engage the Holy Spirit in prayer and reflection.)

You might choose to answer only one or two questions, or you might want to answer all of them. Look at different aspects of your life -- work, relationships, study, house chores, other aspects of daily life--and reflect on the following questions:

1) What is the explicit (obvious) reason for doing what I'm doing? Are there any implicit (deeper, hidden) reasons or motivations for doing what I'm doing?
2) What do I expect of myself when it comes to the activity? What do I expect of others?
3) What do I hope to gain from the activity?
4) When did I last feel disappointed, frustrated or angry with someone? What was the reason for my anger?
5) What will I lose if I were to fail in the activity, or to accomplish a result that is less than what I'm hoping for?

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9.5) Reflection: Questions on Motivation for Missions.

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9.5) Reflection: Questions on Motivation for Missions.

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Sadly but not surprisingly, missions history shows that missionaries are not exempt from having hidden motivations. To try to evaluate whether you have any hidden or impure motivations, some helpful penetrating questions to ask are:

• What am I trying to prove to myself or others by going into missions?

• What do I expect in return from people I reach out to with the Good News? (Respect, reverence, reward, revival, recognition, etc.?)

• Am I looking for something to give me status, or a sense of self worth? Do I want to prove myself worthy to God?

• Do I want to control the outcome of my serving, making disciples “after my own image”--my culture, my religious tastes and theology, etc. or is my way of influencing people such that it makes them more free to choose?

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9.6) Reflection: Re-visit the Family "Mind Map" with 'pure heart' considerations

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9.6) Reflection: Re-visit the Family "Mind Map" with 'pure heart' considerations

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Can you think back to a moment when you did something for another person that was 'pure' and unselfish?
In your family, what did you learn about serving others? Were there times when you felt that your motivation was cast doubt on or judged? How did you learn to think the best of people or were you rather taught to distrust certain people and their motives?

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What from the teachings this week "stuck in your heart/mind"?  Is there someone you can think of that you can share this with?  This coming week, think and pray about someone who would be blessed by what God has been speaking to you about this week.  Share with that person, and, if you like, journal or tell a friend or your small group about how it went.

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How is it that Jesus can give his peace to his disciples but at the same time he says that he has not come to bring peace but the sword in the world? How can he say to Peter: "Put your sword away, because those who draw the sword will perish by the sword", but when he sends the disciples he tells them to sell their coat in order to buy a sword... how to explain this paradox?
Math 10: 34, Luke 22:36, John 14: 27and other scriptures)

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10.7) Resource: The Slippery Slope of Conflict

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10.7) Resource: The Slippery Slope of Conflict

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Attached is a drawing of the slippery slope of managing conflict, that we can fall off from on either side. This is from the website Relational Wisdom 360: https://rw360.org/slippery-slope/

The image outlines two basic ways people tend to respond to conflict--attack or escape. Ultimately attack can lead to destroying another person and escape can lead to sabotaging ourselves.

Have a look for yourself to see which is your ‘danger’ side. If you'd like, check out the website for further description of the image.

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Relational Wisdom | Ken Sande | Biblical Emotional Intelligence | Peacemaking | Institute Christian Conciliation | Reconciliation

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Staying on Top of Conflict

The slippery slope of conflict illustrates several key dynamics of conflict and helps us to evaluate our personal inclinations and habits for responding to conflict.

One of these key dynamics is he fact that harmful conflict is usually triggered by unmet desires.

"What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask" (James 4:1-2).

Even good desires can evolve into controlling demands or idols that can lead us to judge others and then avoid or punish them until we get what we want (see Luke 10:38-42). This progression often starts with minor differences, but before we know it we're sliding down a slippery slope of conflict that can drop off in two directions, as illustrated in the slippery slope of conflict.

Escape Responses (aka "peace-faking")

People tend to use escape responses when they are more interested in avoiding unpleasant people or situations than in resolving differences.

Denial -One way to escape from a conflict is to pretend that a problem does not exist. Another way is to refuse to do what should be done to resolve a conflict properly. These responses bring only temporary relief and usually make matters worse (see 1 Sam. 2:22-25).

Flight -Another way to escape from a conflict is to run away. This may take the form of pulling away from a relationship, quitting a job, filing for divorce, or changing churches. Flight may be legitimate in extreme circumstances (see 1 Sam. 19:9-10), but in most cases it only postpones a proper solution to a problem.

Suicide -When people lose all hope of resolving a conflict, they may seek to escape from the situation (or make a desperate cry for help) by attempting to take their own lives (see 1 Sam 31:4). Suicide is never a right way to deal with conflict.

Attack Responses (aka "peace-breaking")

People tend to use attack responses when they are more interested in controlling others and getting their way than in preserving a relationship.

Assault-Some people try to overcome an opponent by using various forms of force or intimidation, such as verbal attacks (including gossip and slander), physical violence, or efforts to damage a person financially or professionally (see Acts 6:8-15). Such conduct always makes conflict worse.

Litigation-Although some conflicts may legitimately be taken before a civil judge (see Acts 24:1-26:32; Rom. 13:1-5), lawsuits usually damage relationships, diminish our Christian witness, and often fail to achieve complete justice. This is why Christians are commanded to make every effort to settle their differences within the church rather than the civil courts (see Matt. 5:25-26; 1 Cor. 6:1-8).

Murder-In extreme cases, people may be so desperate to win a dispute that they will try to kill those who oppose them (see Acts 7:54-58). While most people would not actually kill someone, we still stand guilty of murder in God's eyes when we harbor anger or contempt in our hearts toward others (see 1 John 3:15; Matt. 5:21-22).

The Gospel-The Key to Peace

The key to changing the way we deal with conflict is the gospel-the good news that God made peace with us and between us by sending his Son to die for our sins and give us new life through his resurrection (Col. 1:19-20; Eph. 2:14-16). When we believe in Jesus, we receive forgiveness and are united with Christ and one another (Acts 10:43; Phil. 2:1-2). God then begins to transform us into the likeness of his Son, enabling us to break free from sinful escaping and attacking habits and mature into peacemakers who reflect the glory of God's reconciling love in the midst of conflict (2 Cor. 3:17-18; Col. 3:12-15).

Peacemaking Responses - Staying on Top of the Slippery Slope of Conflict

Peacemakers are people who breathe grace. Inspired by the gospel, they draw continually on the goodness and power of Jesus Christ, and then breathe out his love, mercy, forgiveness, and wisdom to dissipate anger, improve understanding, promote justice, and model repentance and reconciliation.

The six responses found on the top portion of the slippery slope may be divided into two categories: personal peacemaking responses and assisted peacemaking responses:
Personal Peacemaking
There are three biblical ways to resolve conflicts personally and privately, just between you and the other party.

Overlook an Offense -Many disputes are so insignificant that they should be resolved by quietly overlooking an offense. "Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense" (Prov. 19:11). Overlooking an offense is a form of forgiveness, and involves a deliberate decision not to talk about it, dwell on it, or let it grow into pent-up bitterness or anger.

Reconciliation -If an offense is too serious to overlook or has damaged our relationship, we need to resolve personal or relational issues through confession, loving correction, and forgiveness. "[If] your brother has something against you ... be reconciled" (Matt. 5:23-24). "Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness" (Gal. 6:1; see Matt. 18:15). "As the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive" (Col. 3:13).

Negotiation -Even if we successfully resolve relational issues, we may still need to work through material issues related to money, property, or other rights. This should be done through a cooperative bargaining process in which you and the other person seek to reach a settlement that satisfies the legitimate needs of each side. "Let each of you look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others" (Phil. 2:4).
Assisted Peacemaking
When a dispute cannot be resolved personally, God calls us to seek assistance from other believers.

Mediation -If two people cannot reach an agreement in private, they should ask one or more objective outside people to meet with them to help them communicate more effectively and explore possible solutions. "If he does not listen [to you], take one or two others along with you" (Matt. 18:16). These mediators may ask questions and give advice, but the parties retain the responsibility of making the final decision on how to resolve their differences.

Arbitration -When you and an opponent cannot come to a voluntary agreement on a material issue, you may appoint one or more arbitrators to listen to your arguments and render a binding decision to settle the issue. "If you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church?" (1 Cor. 6:4).

Accountability -If a person who professes to be a Christian wanders from the Lord by refusing to be reconciled and do what is right, Jesus commands church leaders to lovingly intervene to hold him or her accountable to Scripture and to promote repentance, justice, and forgiveness: "If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not ... go in search of the one who went astray? ... If he refuses to listen ..., tell it to the church" (Matt. 18:12,17).

As you can see, the escape responses only postpone a proper solution to a problem, and attack responses usually damage relationships and make conflicts worse. Therefore, you should generally try first to deal with conflict personally and privately by using one of the first three conciliation responses (overlooking, discussion, or negotiation). To learn how to carry out these steps in a biblically faithful manner, see The Four G's.

If repeated efforts at personal peacemaking do not resolve a matter, then you may need to pursue one of the other conciliation responses (mediation, arbitration, or accountability), which will require the assistance of other people in your church or community. For more information on these assisted responses, see Resolving Conflict through Christian Conciliation.

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Adapted from The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict © 2004 by Ken Sande. All Rights Reserved. See Chapter 1 for more information on the Slippery Slope. Download Chapter 1 for free at this link.

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The Slippery Slope of Conflict - What Is Your Response to Conflict?

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The slippery slope of conflict illustrates several key dynamics of conflict and helps us to evaluate our personal inclinations and habits for responding to conflict. One of these key dynamics is he fact that harmful conflict is usually triggered by unmet desires. "What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you?

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10.8) Reflection: Re-visit the Family "Mind Map" within the context of making peace in the family

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10.8) Reflection: Re-visit the Family "Mind Map" within the context of making peace in the family

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What kind of conflicts ran through your family? How did you learn to deal with conflict?
With the Beatitudes in mind, how would you like to deal differently with conflict? St Paul tells us to be at peace with all men and women, as far as possible. Are there still relationships in your family that could be pacified?

If there are people in your life that you decided to forgive or ask forgiveness from, sometimes the Lord will ask you to take steps in restoring the relationship, as far as it depends on you. It is probably wise before you write a letter to someone, drop an email or pick up the phone, to 'practice' with a trusted friend. That wisdom might help avoid making new mistakes in the relationship.

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How can we prepare for being persecuted? Remember that Jesus was mocked by his brothers, betrayed by his closest friends and killed by religious people. Often persecution comes out of an unexpected corner, like from fellow Christians - how prepared are we?
How can we 'celebrate' persecution, without being self-righteous?

How do we reconcile 'moving towards people' as peacemakers, whilst at the same time 'celebrating' persecution as the works of darkness are being exposed?

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11.4) Reflection: Re-visit the family mind-map - persecution

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11.4) Reflection: Re-visit the family mind-map - persecution

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Did your family ever experience persecution, if so, what was it for? In what form or shape did it happen? How did you learn to pick your battles, to make sure you were persecuted for doing the right thing? How are the Beatitudes helpful?
Do you remember instances where you learned to stand up for what you believe is right? How did that work out? How did that affect the relationship with the 'persecutor'?

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What from the teachings this week "stuck in your heart/mind"?  Is there someone you can think of that you can share this with?  This coming week, think and pray about someone who would be blessed by what God has been speaking to you about this week.  Share with that person, and, if you like, journal or tell a friend or your small group about how it went.

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Share in 4 minutes (or 1/2 A4 page) how you came to be a follower of Jesus, using the Beatitudes as framework.
Ready??

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Having worked through the Beatitudes - please take moment to quiet yourself, to listen to what the Holy Spirit says in your head/heart/inner being. Accept the 'Welcome' into the Kingdom that he extends to you...

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Make together a visual representation of an imagined heavenly city. Use clip art, images you Googled, your own drawings, mind maps, photos, etc.
Keep in mind that the city has to be sustainable/eternal, it will reflect God’s character, be intensely human and interesting… You can add elements throughout the week as you continue to dream and brainstorm!

Reflection: How are your choices today directing towards that city?

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Get access to files anywhere through secure cloud storage and file backup for your photos, videos, files and more with Google Drive.

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“To pass from estrangement from God to be a son/daughter of God is the basic fact of conversion. That altered relationship with God, gives you an altered relationship with yourself, with your brother man, with nature, with the universe.”

E. Stanley Jones

JP is married to Heddy, both are Dutch but lived for the past 40 years in Belgium. JP grew up in a stable Christian home but struggled with Christianity as a religion.

When his YWAM team leader lent him "The Christ on the Mount" by E Stanley Jones, the famous missionary to India, JP found the inspiration for a lifelong quest to follow Jesus -- as a father, grandfather and husband, as a world-citizen, as pastor to migrants, as a leader and colleague, as hobby gardener ...

Over the past 40 years I have become convinced that although this part of the Scriptures, the sermon on the mount and the Beatitudes, is somewhat neglected in certain pockets of the church, it gives me the keys for robust missional discipleship for the 21st century. I believe, if we ‘get’ the Beatitudes, we can enter into the mission of Jesus in our world.

The most challenging part of the beatitudes for me is to actually try to live them out in every relationship in which I play my role.

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Wwooowww!!! I did it!

I just finished my first week at the new job, it was hectic and I’m exhausted. But I feel totally fulfilled and challenged. I was excepted to teach a class of 7 and 8 year olds in a Don Bosco elementary school in a neighbouring city.
As I throw my bag in a corner and I fetch myself a coke, I drop half dead on my newly bought couch and put my feet up on the table. As I start to relax a bit my mind pours over all the new impressions and experiences of this first week.

Don Bosco is a medium size school in an older but not unfriendly neighbourhood. I have 12 colleagues, some of them seem very kind and open to receive me on board of the team, with smiles and words of welcome. One teacher showed genuine interest in me as a person, showed me around the school – I felt that I had met a friend.
Others just looked up from their newspaper during coffee break, their eyes seemed to measure me up, somewhat disinterested if not cold. I wonder why - had they seen too many young colleagues come and go in recent years? They seemed to not want to bond to me, may be they didn’t want to be disappointed in yet another enthusiastic young teacher. Their tired drooping shoulders said: “You do not know what this place is like and what it does to you…”

I have 24 kids in my class, and the first day as I walked in, all the boys were in a big ball on the floor fighting over some toy. They are quite wild, and some of them plainly out of control. One boy is hyper-active and in the whole first week I have not seen him sit down and listen for more than 3 minutes at a time. He wears me out, I wonder how his parents cope with him, I noticed that he was at school very early and stayed as one of the last ones to be picked up from the childcare after school.
The girls are great fun, they look at me and invariably find something to giggle about, they are less wild but not less naughty all the same.

The director of the school seems very nice but I do get the feel that he does not have a lot of authority, that his leadership isn’t much respected, and I wonder why. I overheard some of the teachers talk about him and openly criticize his decisions. He seems nervous around people and almost apologetic for being the director.

This first week I also met some very interesting characters from the neighbourhood in which Don Bosco is located..

I met one of the parents of my children, who drove up to the busy school gate with a fancy Mercedes with driver. He just rolled the window down as his son got out of the car, and didn’t think he needed to introduce himself. ‘So you’re Nick’s new teacher’, he said with an air as if I was his new employee. ‘I want him to have more homework than with that last one, who was worthless as a teacher’, he said and ordered his chauffeur to drive on.

The director who saw me talking explained me how this man has a doubtful reputation, he owns a lot of the property in the neighbourhood, apartments of poor families that he doesn’t keep up well. However the director wants to remain friends with Nick’s father as the school depends on his generous annual gift to make ends in the budget meet. It means walking the tightrope as Nicks father is now also in the school board and seems to have a final say in just about every matter.

I was really touched as one momma came to see me, she looked extremely tired and discouraged. She explained how she is unable to pay the school bills for her daughter Kelly, due to the fact that Kelly’s father isn’t paying the alimentation money after their divorce last year. She told me how she is very depressed and is afraid that she’s not much of a mother for Kelly, who seems to suffer quietly. Kelly seems to work hard in school, may be to earn her Dad’s approval?

The neighbourhood seems to be quite run down, built at the beginning of last century, most houses are in need of renovation. Some areas are outright filthy, people have dumped old furniture and mattresses in some open spaces and some houses are empty and dilapidated with trees growing through the roofs.
I heard from other teachers that there are quite a few families with both parents on welfare. The large car assembly plant that went bust some years ago, causing many to loose their jobs, has not yet been replaced with other economic activity. The only places that seem to flourish are the pubs downtown and several nightclubs.

I noticed riding my bike home that on the main square lots of teens are hanging out, probably causing a lot of problems for the shops. It wouldn’t surprise me if they do a a fair bit of drugs and skip school regularly.
Many of the teens seem to be from immigrant background, In my class I have several Turkish and Moroccan kids. I read in the newspaper that recently there have been clashes between different groups of Moroccan and Turkish youth, and later, as the police tried to intervene they turned together against the police, so the police had to quickly retreat. Sounds to me like there are some deep feelings of resentment and alienation between these groups and the authorities.

As I asked one of my colleagues about church in the neighbourhood, he said that recently two parishes were closed. He did seem to know about a small charismatic chruch he heard that they were a bit strange – they sing in tongues and do spooky stuff like healings through laying on of hands – but he promised to introduce me to one of the families who go there.

As I ponder all these things an overwhelming feeling of thankfulness floods me, this is the place where God has called me, where he wants me to lay down my life…
On the other hand I realize how small I am, and how little my life and contribution can be…

If you were me…
Can you write a ‘prayer strategy’ for the Kingdom of God to come in this neighbourhood?
What key relationships should you develop/ invest in ?
What situations do you discern where the beatitudes apply? Give practical ideas how you could apply them.
What kind of resistance/persecution should Christians in this neighbourhood be prepared to meet ?

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Here is a list in the making of resources for further study into the Beatitudes and some of the themes and topics we’ve covered in class:

Mike Beaumont: The One Stop Guide to Jesus

ISBN 978 0 7459 5361 8

The Bible Project series: 'The Sermon on the Mount'

https://bibleproject.com/playlists/

Loren Cunningham, The Book that Transforms Nations

Skye Jethani, Futureville

E. Randolph Richards and Brandon J. O’Brien, Misreading Scripture With Western Eyes

N.T. Wright, Surprised by Hope

Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert When Helping Hurts, how to alleviate poverty without hurting the poor or yourself.

E Stanley Jones:  Christ of the Mount

Jeff Fountain,  A Spiritual Uprising, How truth, Faith and Hope overcame Lies and Oppression to topple Communism.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YeX8-TvUPWz4hh_UVsrJphIoHasrr6-d/view?usp=sharing

N T Wright Jesus at the Crossroads of History. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Teg6KkcpDNU

Pope Francis: encyclical Fratelli Tutti http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20201003_enciclica-fratelli-tutti.html

Podcast on Forgiveness with Robert Enright, founder of Forgiveness Therapy https://guardiansoftheflame.podbean.com/e/bob-enright/?fbclid=IwAR3czq7R6e3uPRtqPNGx0V0hZUrE7o1jlYobSj5dueHEY9UMxzopONaw-9Y

Bailey, Kenneth E; 2008, Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes; cultural studies in the

gospels, USA, IVP Academic; p.76-81.

Why ‘Rapture Idea’ is not biblical:

https://ntwrightpage.com/2016/07/12/farewell-to-the-rapture/

Beatitudes, Kingdom of God and the Cross - how do they relate? This short video is helpful: https://youtu.be/tQ1VCDFEkkk?si=NCvWPzDAIk4I6feP

If you want to study deeper about ‘retributive/punishment’ justice and ‘restorative’ justice, this is a good article:

https://peacetheology.net/pacifism/biblical-bases-for-restorative-justice/

https://vimeo.com/64266830  This video helps understand how the Kingdom of God can be established in a diversity of cultural and socio-religious settings, redeeming some things, replacing other things, as well as creating new expressions of following Jesus.

https://www.facebook.com/ourtreesourfutureuganda/ planting trees is connected to climate, to justice, to communities, to sharing about Jesus, to health issues and medicine, to just about everything…!!

Meekness - practical article.

https://www.regent.edu/journal/inner-resources-for-leaders/spiritual-meekness-a-virtue-for-christian-leaders

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Bible Project Playlists - Slow Down and Sit With Scripture

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Experience a weekly collection of resources about Jesus’ teachings. Reflect on Scripture with videos, podcast chapters, and immersive readings.

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Summary: Most pastors, evangelists and missionaries have been trained to share about Jesus’s atoning sacrifice on the cross, the cleansing of every believer from their sin, and the imputed righteousness of Christ on the believer. But what about the transformational work of the Holy Spirit on all aspects of life? Shouldn’t a whole gospel message include a green gospel that leads to a believer’s changed relationship with God’s creation?

By Erik Hyatt

https://docs.google.com/document/d/11qBtuSh2xJhCXEGadLMM_u1zyc9WnCb0GxVz0MPjIv8/edit?usp=sharing

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When you teach the Beatitudes in a context of missions

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When you teach the Beatitudes in a context of missions

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What is the meaning for first hearers?
Shockeffect? Upside down? Counter cultural? Counter intuïtive?
What does this say about kingdom of God?
How does Jesus model it?
Where is this supported in the bible?
How important in missions?
How bring transformation in 4 quadrants?
Personal and other examples?

How does this question/critique my culture? My host-culture?? Affirm my host culture?

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You Tube video links to teaching of the Beatitudes by JP, Jeannette, David and Tove.

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You Tube video links to teaching of the Beatitudes by JP, Jeannette, David and Tove.

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We recorded a whole Beatitudes course online, with different people introducing the different Beatitudes. Each person shares what is special about a particular Beatitude to him/her, so you don't need to stick religiously to these examples :))

For subtitles in different languages: click subtitles => settings=> auto translate => language

JP: Introduction 1 to the Beatitudes https://youtu.be/dZ_QSfWtds0

JP: Introduction 2 to the Beatitudes  https://youtu.be/F2Ny-w2t5Jg

JP: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven https://youtu.be/C2kstBwglr0

David: Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted https://youtu.be/5n462i8Tmtshttps://youtu.be/5n462i8Tmts

JP: Where is the cross in the Beatitudes? https://youtu.be/O663NCnoMgc

Jeannette: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied

https://youtu.be/dNrw1h9flrQ

David Ruiter: Blessed are the Merciful, for they will receive mercy https://youtu.be/RlZtYTKDo_Q

JP: Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God https://youtu.be/5kw3AFDsziU

Tove: Blessed are the Peacemakers, they will be called sons of God

https://youtu.be/7n5FCoaZMi4

JP: Blessed are the persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of God.

https://youtu.be/kVs4T7NJYfc

JP: Salt and Light, and the future City of God https://youtu.be/4WFSMpcEF7k

JP: A quick overview of the Beatitudes & main take-aways https://youtu.be/UwfID_CQyyE

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Reading the Beatitudes Through the Ages: A History of Interpretation

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Explore how Christians throughout history have interpreted the Beatitudes—from the early church and monastic traditions to modern liberation theology and global spirituality. This chapter reveals how these blessings have inspired, challenged, and transformed readers across the centuries.