Arthur Brooks NPB20

I watched the 2020 National Prayer Breakfast live on C-Span on February 6. I was profoundly moved by the words of Arthur Brooks.Yet I did not hear much about his speech afterwards. It was overshadowed by other news including the President's own comments at the event.

I think Brooks' comments were so important and timely for our country that I want to lift them up without reference to the President, and invite others to read, watch, and consider them on their own. I believe they are a good and godly word to those with hears to hear, starting with ourselves.

A Follower of Jesus

After an impressive introduction (see end of this post), Brooks introduced himself saying, "I'm not a priest, not a minister; I'm a social scientist and university professor. But most importantly I'm a follower of Jesus, who taught us to love God... and love each other."

Crisis and Opportunity

At the outset Brooks identified the biggest crisis facing our nation as "a crisis of contempt and polarization that is tearing our society apart." He promised not to depress us with his remarks, but to show us that in this crisis resides the greatest opportunity people of faith have ever had to lift our nations up and bring our people together.

His description and identification of this crisis rang true for me, and with his promise to show the opportunity therein for people of faith, he had my attention!

Love, Moral Courage, and some Homework

I listened closely over the next 14 minutes as he talked about Jesus teaching to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. Brooks made practical application to the world of politics by sharing an example from his own family. To contrast disagreement and contempt ("they are stupid and evil") he described his parents as very different from himself politically, but people he loves deeply. He asked the group at the prayer breakfast, "How many of you love somebody with whom you disagree politically?" Brooks said that moral courage isn't (necessarily) standing up to your enemies or those who disagree with you; rather it is standing up to the people with whom you agree on behalf of those with whom you disagree. Stepping (leaping?) right past those who call for civility and tolerance, Brooks said Jesus didn't teach us to tolerate our enemies, but to LOVE our enemies. He then gave three homework assignments to flesh this out:

1. Ask God for help - because this goes against human nature
2. Commit to reject contempt - disagreement is one thing and good, but disagree without contempt
3. Go out looking for contempt and turn it on its head - this is how we'll change (and heal) the country

I highly recommend digging in to Brooks' remarks directly. You can read the text of his remarks HERE (if you can't access that see HERE), and a video (14 min.) of his remarks is below:



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Arthur Brooks: According to the introductory remarks, Brooks is the "professor of the practice of public leadership" at the Harvard Kennedy School. He is also an author and Washington Post columnist. He was also president for the previous ten years of the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank. He is an economist, with notable work on culture, public policy, technical economics, and the sources of happiness; he is also a classical musician. His remarks at the prayer breakfast are from his recent book, Love Your Enemies.

*Photo by Nina Strehl on Unsplash

Willing to Be Uncomfortable - How to Change the World, pt. 4

Bryan Stevenson

I was so fortunate to get to hear Bryan Stevenson speak at Davidson College on January 28. Just the previous week Heather and I went to see Just Mercy (imdb), the movie based on Stevenson's life work through the Equal Justice Initiative to pursue social justice for falsely imprisoned and unfairly sentenced juveniles and people of color.

The event at Davidson filled up the original venue and then sold-out the basketball arena. He spoke to the gathered crowd on the topic: "How to Change the World." From what I've come to learn about his life, if anyone has the clout and experience to speak to such a lofty topic, Stevenson does. He shared four points, all after framing his work in his own faith and desire to "get to higher ground" with the people he works with. I'd like to look at each of his points in a series of posts and draw a connection with the work of the church, which is also in the business (under God's leadership) of changing the world. Here's a short (3 1/2 min.) video summary of his presentation (VIDEO).

How to Change the World, pt. 4: WILLING TO DO AND BE UNCOMFORTABLE

Photo by Matt Collamer on Unsplash

Bryan Stevenson's fourth point is at once obvious and difficult. I don't know of anyone who actively dislikes 'comfort' - but it is often the enemy of godly change. Stevenson shared story after story of his choices to leave his comfort-zone and enter into the suffering and struggle of others. It is there - in that space - where such justice and life-change happened, both in his clients' lives and (often) in his own.

As I am writing this I am returning from a conference in a familiar setting: Providence Presbyterian on Hilton Head Island. My family would often vacation there when I was young and we would go to church at that church. If you know anything about Hilton Head, it is not a place you would associate with discomfort, at least not for those vacationing there. One of the distinct memories from my childhood attendance at that church, however, was the pastor's benediction. After proclaiming God's Word to a group of largely affluent parishioners he would pronounce these words as part of the benediction: "Remember, Jesus came to comfort the afflicted...and afflict the comfortable. Figure out which you are." (Or something like that... It's an old memory!) I was struck by the idea that Jesus would introduce or invite the comfortable to enter into affliction or discomfort. Bryan Stevenson's words reminded me of that benediction and challenged me freshly to be open to and willing to do and be uncomfortable.

Church can be a very comfortable place: familiar friends, encouraging messages, prayers for personal and others' needs. But that is falling short of Jesus' purpose of His Church. We need to be challenged, stirred up, sent out, and boldly entere into an uncomfortable world. That's what Jesus did, and it's what he called us to do (see John 17 again). He does not send us helpless or without resources; but he does send us. And to Stevenson's point, that's one way God changes the world.

Stay Hopeful - How to Change the World, pt. 3

Bryan Stevenson

I was so fortunate to get to hear Bryan Stevenson speak at Davidson College on January 28. Just the previous week Heather and I went to see Just Mercy (imdb), the movie based on Stevenson's life work through the Equal Justice Initiative to pursue social justice for falsely imprisoned and unfairly sentenced juveniles and people of color.

The event at Davidson filled up the original venue and then sold-out the basketball arena. He spoke to the gathered crowd on the topic: "How to Change the World." From what I've come to learn about his life, if anyone has the clout and experience to speak to such a lofty topic, Stevenson does. He shared four points, all after framing his work in his own faith and desire to "get to higher ground" with the people he works with. I'd like to look at each of his points in a series of posts and draw a connection with the work of the church, which is also in the business (under God's leadership) of changing the world. Here's a short (3 1/2 min.) video summary of his presentation (VIDEO).

How to Change the World, pt. 3: STAY HOPEFUL

Photo by icon0.com from Pexels

If anyone had cause to lose hope, it might be someone like Bryan Stevenson, who works with people who have (in many cases) been wronged and who sometimes do not get justice, even with the involvement of the Equal Justice Initiative (or the fervent prayers and long wait of family and friends). But HOPE was precisely what Stevenson lifted up as one of the essential components of his work and changing the world.

Of all that Stevenson said, this had the most immediate connection to faith; and he did not hide his own faith as a source of inspiration and hope in his own work. Hope points to a rightness, justice, and good purpose to work toward. What a dismal world indeed it would be without hope. You might think that the church would be one of the beacons of hope in the world - in fact, it should be. But all too often these days Christians struggle to be hopeful. Whether it is hopelessness at the pain and need in the world, or the seeming cultural shift away from God and faith, or the dwindling attendance, support, and participation in our churches, we struggle with hopelessness. But what a good word to us all - and particularly to people of faith - to stay hopeful! Indeed, we believe that there is a good God, acting with good purpose, working around us and through us for good. Let us hope and press forward.

Change the Narrative - How to Change the World, pt. 2

Bryan Stevenson

I was so fortunate to get to hear Bryan Stevenson speak at Davidson College on January 28. Just the previous week Heather and I went to see Just Mercy (imdb), the movie based on Stevenson's life work through the Equal Justice Initiative to pursue social justice for falsely imprisoned and unfairly sentenced juveniles and people of color.

The event at Davidson filled up the original venue and then sold-out the basketball arena. He spoke to the gathered crowd on the topic: "How to Change the World." From what I've come to learn about his life, if anyone has the clout and experience to speak to such a lofty topic, Stevenson does. He shared four points, all after framing his work in his own faith and desire to "get to higher ground" with the people he works with. I'd like to look at each of his points in a series of posts and draw a connection with the work of the church, which is also in the business (under God's leadership) of changing the world. Here's a short (3 1/2 min.) video summary of his presentation (VIDEO).

How to Change the World, pt. 2: CHANGE THE NARRATIVE

Mr. Stevenson did not accept that the stories told about his clients were the complete or final word about them. He challenged and then is working to change the narrative: people of color are not inherently criminal or untrustworthy or violent; children are children, not adults. He says that a narrative of fear and anger (around race) allow us to justify indecent responses to crimes... there is a demonstrable difference in sentencing and outcomes based on skin color.

Photo by David Travis on Unsplash

What would it mean for the church to challenge and change the narrative around race - to see the world and our stories through a different lens? The narrative that people of color are inherently criminal, untrustworthy, violent, or "less than" permeates our society. There is demonstrable data of such throughout spheres of criminal justice, education, health care, housing, and politics. While at first blush one might think the church would be an exception to such realities, it is still one of "the most segregated hours in our country."

The church needs to rediscover and proclaim biblical themes (narratives!) such as the following:

• imago Dei -- all humanity (male and female) is created in the image of God, with all the dignity inherent in that truth
• unity and equality in Christ -- the Apostle Paul wrote that in Christ there is (no longer) distinction to be made spiritually or inherently between male/female, slave/free, Jew/Gentile. 
• God as qualifier of the called -- neither God nor Jesus sought out the elite or the educated or the prosperous, though they did not avoid them either; rather, God and Jesus often called someone from the edge of society (or beyond the borders!)
• Pentecost and Revelation -- both the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and the scenes of heavenly worship in Revelation depict people from many/all tribes, tongues, and nations gathered. This is the biblical and holy picture of God's design for humanity and the narrative that the church needs to be proclaiming and working toward.

Stevenson noted that to get from here to there we need an era of truth and justice - and I thought: repentance.

Get Proximate - How to Change the World, pt. 1

Bryan Stevenson

I was so fortunate to get to hear Bryan Stevenson speak at Davidson College on January 28. Just the previous week Heather and I went to see Just Mercy (imdb), the movie based on Stevenson's life work through the Equal Justice Initiative to pursue social justice for falsely imprisoned and unfairly sentenced juveniles and people of color.

The event at Davidson filled up the original venue and then sold-out the basketball arena. He spoke to the gathered crowd on the topic: "How to Change the World." From what I've come to learn about his life, if anyone has the clout and experience to speak to such a lofty topic, Stevenson does. He shared four points, all after framing his work in his own faith and desire to "get to higher ground" with the people he works with. I'd like to look at each of his points in a series of posts and draw a connection with the work of the church, which is also in the business (under God's leadership) of changing the world. Here's a short (3 1/2 min.) video summary of his presentation (VIDEO).

How to Change the World, pt. 1: GET PROXIMATE

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

I don't remember if Stevenson made the point or if my own mind went there so quickly, but Jesus was the exemplar of helping people (and changing the world) through getting proximate. He was no ivory tower Messiah, but spent his days along the seashore, in the outer court of the Temple (where women were allowed), in the Judean countryside and in the neighboring country of Samaria. And even bigger picture, he is named "Emmanuel" or "God with us." He is God-in-the-flesh, born into the world to live and move among us.

The church cannot miss the example of Jesus nor the challenge of Mr. Stevenson. We cannot remain within our walls and and carry the Good News into the world. Jesus great prayer for all of us who would follow after him was that God not take us out of the world, but send us INTO the world even as he was sent. (cf. John 17:13-21) Mr. Stevenson reminds us of what is a great Gospel truth: to love and serve others and to change world requires that we get out, in, and among the world... that we GET PROXIMATE to the neighbors and communities where God would lead us.