In the midst of a devastating physical virus, we are coming face to face with a spiritual one that infects every human being due to the impact of the fall, the virus of prejudice. It prejudges people based on factors such as race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status. Prejudice is rooted in our own insecurity and fear and fails to see and know a human being for who he/she uniquely is.
|
|
As a 67 years old white male from southeast Alabama I am acquainted with prejudice. In junior high I
remember
the prejudice my Jewish friend encountered. In tenth grade I have memories of conversations with my black friend where I
began to
realize that his experience of life and the world was very different than mine. As an adult, conversations with my black pastor friend helped me see that I
would
never be able to truly understand what it is like to be a minority growing up in a majority culture.
As I look back on all those conversations, I’m grateful to have had the opportunity see and move toward understanding those around me. Though I’ve sought to understand those different from me, I am painfully aware I have to do more. For to truly see another human being I must, as fully as possible, identify with his/ her experience of life.
|
|
This is the gospel.
This is the way of Jesus who so identified with fallen human beings that he “shared in our humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.” (Heb 2: 14-15)
|
|
|
|
So how do we identify with other human beings different than we are? It begins with small steps. For me this means being
intentional
to speak to those around me, to
affirm
them, to more actively reach out to our black neighbors and our neighborhood policeman. It has looked like standing in unity with over 10,000 black, Hispanic and white Christians from all over Atlanta in a time of worship, sharing, and prayer and repenting for not effectively addressing historical racism while crying out to God to bring freedom and restoration to all of his people and blessing to our
community
.
How can you and I be part of the reconciling work of Christ setting others free from the “fear of loss, harm and death?” By simply playing the part God is giving us right where we are. By simply pausing to see every human being as a divine image bearer. Then, as possible, begin a conversation that can be a catalyst for God’s redemptive love to touch this person through what we call the BLESS skills These are heart skills that lead to blessing – which is an experience of God’s favor and a taste of the relational wholeness he created us
for.
|
|
Take a moment to read through these. Then consider how you can connect with a neighbor, a co-worker, a client or family member who is different from
you
.
|
|
Be fully present
to God, his Larger, Eternal Love Story and your part in it.
To enter into difficult, potentially uncomfortable conversations, to risk hearing or experiencing something contrary to what you believe about life and people, you have to be anchored in God’s love and validation of who you are as his child.
|
|
|
|
From this position, you can ...
|
|
Listen in four directions -
- To the heart of the person you are with – to seek to in some way to see and understand their experience;
- To your own heart - let yourself be affected by what you are hearing;
- To God’s heart - what might God be experiencing in this situation?
- To what evil is seeking to accomplish – how can you resist evil as he seeks to steal, kill and destroy?
|
|
|
|
From this place of listening then seek to understand the other person as you...
|
|
Explore with simple questions
– such as:
- I wonder what this has been like for you?
- How are you coming into this meeting today? (One alumnus consistently asks his staff, customers and peers this question. He is having impact and is finding that people simply long to be heard through both of these crisis.)
|
|
|
|
Share from your heart -
- Once you have listened and allowed yourself be affected, simply share what is happening in you. (This is not a time to convince the other person of your perspective. This is an opportunity to mourn with those who mourn and rejoice with those who rejoice.)
|
|
|
|
Savor
-
Pause and recognize what God is doing through you and in the situation you are in. Reaching out will not be easy but it will be good, because you are seeking to reveal the steadfast, compassionate love of God. When you do that, God is pleased, you are fulfilled and people have an opportunity to experience the blessing of reconciliation personally and spiritually.
|
|
|
|
In these challenging and uncertain times, may we all humble ourselves and pray trusting God to heal our lives, our relationships and our nation.
From that place of trust
may we engage with love, beauty and strength one person at a time right where we are.
Larry Bolden | Executive Director, Wellspring Group
|
|
Though we’re disappointed we won’t be able to be with you in person this fall due to COVID limitations (except for our Silent Retreat), we look forward to connecting with you through email, seeing you virtually this fall (see options below) or in person the first of next year. If you have any questions about how these changes will impact you or your team or if your team needs support in any way, please don’t hesitate to
contact us.
|
|
Were you and your team planning to come to a Battle for the Heart event this fall? Are you interested in materials available to you as you prepare to come to our next events in 2021?
Contact us for resources
.
|
|
Battle For The Heart | 2021 Events
|
|
Battle for the Heart
for Men
Jan. 21-24, 2021
Columbiana, AL
Registration Deadline: Nov.,15 2020
|
|
Battle for the Heart for Women
Jan. 28-31, 2021
Columbiana, AL
Registration Deadline: Nov.,15 2020
|
|
Battle for the Heart
for Men & Women
March 11-14, 2021
Mt. Bethel, PA
Registration Deadline: Jan., 11, 2021
|
|
More Information On Events Offered in Illinois Coming Soon!
|
|
Battle For Your Domain - Hybrid Events | Fall 2020
|
|
|
|
Wellspring Group will be offering hybrid Battle for Your Domain (BYD) events this fall due to COVID. Teams slated to begin the 2nd module of the Battle for the Heart process will be eligible to attend this event by coordinating a location for their team to retreat to for the weekend and accessing the teaching live via zoom. These events will be held on the regularly scheduled BYD weekends, August 21-23 and September 11-13 this fall.
Contact us for cost & more details.
|
|
Silent Retreats | Fall 2020
|
|
Heart of a Leader Workshop & Module | Fall 2020 Offering
|
Our
Heart Of A Leader: In Crisis | Workshop and 6-Week Module
that we offered this summer has gotten tremendous feedback so far. Because we would love to see even more people have the opportunity to take advantage of this exciting new offering, we anticipate offering this experience again this fall! If you are interested in inviting others to take part, please let us know and we will keep you updated with more details closer to the date.
“As a leadership coach working with both churches and businesses, I’m seeing that connecting with hearts could just be the most important issue that God is revealing to us during this COVID crisis. He’s revealing it as a need for this season and as a need for any season because he designed us for this. But I also strongly believe that it is a practical need for any organization going forward because of the need to build deeply cohesive leadership teams that can adapt the organizations to a new and ever-changing future. The workshop and materials that Wellspring has put together seem to be so well-designed to help meet this need.”
John Purcell | Transform – Leadership Coaching
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
