[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]This past Sunday, we took a powerful and transformative look at the table flipping practice of Jesus. We were invited to protest through examining what we are FOR. We pray that the resources below would aide you in the journey of protest, especially for those of you who experienced the stirring to be broken open for the sake of reconciliation. May you this week take a step towards closing the gap between your desire and reality, and may we continue practicing together the rhythms of Eucharist as Mission.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_text_separator title=”Resources” title_align=”separator_align_center”][text-with-icon icon_type=”font_icon” icon=”icon-laptop” color=”Accent-Color”]An excellent place to explore more of what Austin Channing Brown shared with us, is through her blog which can be found below. Another fantastically helpful resource created by Austin is her guide to 8 Conversation Deflections and Responses. She specifically tackles common issues that are brought up in conversations about race and offers suggestions for loving Christian response.
[/text-with-icon][divider line_type=”Full Width Line” custom_height=”40″][text-with-icon icon_type=”font_icon” icon=”icon-youtube-play” color=”Accent-Color”]For those who were with us this past Sunday, one of the highlights in response to receiving the Eucharist was to have Austin Channing Brown read the prayer of St. Francis to and over us. For a beautiful artistic rendering of the prayer in visual form, click here.[/text-with-icon][divider line_type=”Full Width Line” custom_height=”50″][text-with-icon icon_type=”font_icon” icon=”icon-book” color=”Accent-Color”]Finally, we wanted to suggest a few books that those of you who are wrestling with what protest might actually look like in your life. As Austin shared, protest is not simply about dramatic stands (though it certainly can be), but instead, true protest is lived in one’s day to day life. One of the most practical and tangible ways that each of us can be FOR things is in our conversations and so below are a few resources we’ve found to be helpful in being intentional in our daily conversations with people about the things that really matter.
- Disunity in Christ by Christena Cleveland
- Winner of a 2013 Leadership Journal Book Award (“Our Very Short List” in “The Leader’s Outer Life” category) 2014 Readers’ Choice Awards Honorable Mention Despite Jesus’ prayer that all Christians “be one,” divisions have been epidemic in the body of Christ from the beginning to the present. We cluster in theological groups, gender groups, age groups, ethnic groups, educational and economic groups. We criticize freely those who disagree with us, don’t look like us, don’t act like us and don’t even like what we like. Though we may think we know why this happens, Christena Cleveland says we probably don’t. In this eye-opening book, learn the hidden reasons behind conflict and divisions.
- Fierce Conversations: Achieving Success at Work and in Life One Conversation at a Time by Susan Scott
- The title is helpfully explanatory: We each need help to reexamine the conversations that fill our days and be encouraged in why and how they could matter. A must read especially for anyone who might struggle feeling that their protest is really known by others in their lives.
- Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, Al Switzler
- This final resource offers us tools for remaining intentional, even when conversations become tense or overwhelming. This book expands on the ideas presented by Austin Channing Brown in her guide mentioned above and helps you dive deeper into having meaningful conversations with your life.
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