Thank you for your support and interest in the Men's NetWork. As of August 1, 2021, we will be transitioning the Men's NetWork away from a formalized, branded program and into more of an online resource page for men's groups.
Why is the Men's NetWork program transitioning?
LHM staff always wants to be good stewards of our ministry time and funding. The program has evolved since its inception in 2009 and after evaluating the resources being used, we have decided to refocus the resources to better serve you. Most of the resources that you are used to seeing on the Men's NetWork website (lhm.org/men) will still be available for you to use by clicking here.
Will I still get the Men's NetWork newsletter email?
While the final Men's NetWork newsletter email will be sent August 3, you will still have the opportunity to receive timely updates on ministry news and impact through other LHM communications. To make sure you still receive LHM emails and updates, visit lhm.org/newsroom or visit the "Manage Preferences" link at the bottom of your Men's NetWork newsletter to update your email message preferences. You can visit our newsroom by clicking here.
We have truly valued your interest in the Men's NetWork and your participation in our service events like the annual WORK DAY and GIVES BACK. We hope you will continue to use the resources provided here and find fresh inspiration in your walk of faith in Jesus.
Tuesday, July 6, 2021
Tuesday, June 22, 2021
Why Community?
Whatever your worldview, it's likely you see community as integral to humanity. Humans are communal creatures. We exist as families, friends, teams, and tribes. Community is also central to the Christian story -- to the point that identity as an individual is inseparable from identity found in community.
Community is central to our story
The first book of the Bible, Genesis, spells out the Christian narrative on community quite clearly. Humans were made to be in a relationship with God and each other (see Genesis 1:26; 2:18; 3:18). God in and of Himself is relational and exists as a mysterious Three-in-One entity, termed the Trinity by Christians (see Matthew 3:16; 28:19). Even the concept of sin, which is the "fault line" that runs through the Christian narrative, stems from the time Adam and Eve rejected God's advice because they wanted to be more independent (see Genesis 3). The result was that humanity became self-centered instead of God- and community-centered.
Our purpose is carried out in the context of community
Christians believe that every single human being has purpose, and central to that purpose is our calling -- or vocation, as we sometimes call it. This concept of vocation is not confined to our job or career; it encompasses all aspects of our lives: our family, our friends, our role in the economy, and our local and global citizenship.
Our vocation was defined for us when God created humanity in His image (see Genesis 1:27) and essentially said, "go take care of the earth" (see Genesis 1:28) and "be My likeness in the communities you operate in" (see 1 Corinthians 7:17). Every person contributes according to their skillset, personality, intellect, etc. In this way we function as the "mask of God" in every community: marriage, family, neighborhood, and beyond.
As Christians, central to our purpose as humans is not individualism, but loving and serving other people, our "neighbors" (see Matthew 22:37-40). God intended this from the beginning of creation. And the concept of neighbor isn't just confined to the folks we like or get along with; it also includes people in need and people with whom we'd rather not be associated with (see Luke 10:29).
The kingdom of God
The biblical narrative tells us that as much as humans have tried to live in community the way God intended, sin has always been a barrier. Sin causes us to be driven by our own (often selfish) desires -- not the needs of our communities. But Jesus, through His death and resurrection, reunites relationships and reinvigorates communities. First humanity with God, and then humanity in community. The coming of Jesus ushers in a new era for humanity, referred to as "the kingdom of God."
Jesus uses this term over 80 times in the four books of the Bible that tell us about His time here on earth. Jesus defines His purpose this way: "I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose" (see Luke 4:18; Mark 1:14-15). The kingdom of God is the start of a process of renewal and restoration in creation back to the way it was originally intended. And this new era is marked by the liberation of the needy and oppressed (see Luke 4:43).
The kingdom of God will only be fully implemented at the point Jesus returns, but we should see evidence of that renewal and restoration in our communities today. Despite our selfish inclinations, God decides that we get to actively participate in His plan of establishing His kingdom. This piece of the narrative can change the world we live in.
The role of Christians is to introduce the kingdom of God to the communities they operate in through their vocations. Whether it's with people, creatures, or the environment, Christians should be bringing love, hope, justice, compassion, inclusion, healing, peace, etc., (in other words, the impact of the kingdom of God) into all corners of the world, one step at a time.
"Beloved Community"
We live in a culture that says we, as individuals, have the right to think and do whatever we choose. Accountability and responsibility to community seem like requirements, not benefits. For many people, social media has created a fractured and lonely world. Individualized media makes for exclusive communities and narrow-minded factions. If there was ever a time when the kingdom of God is needed, it is today.
The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., referred to something he called, "The Beloved Community." According to the King Center, "The Beloved Community was not a lofty utopian goal to be confused with the rapturous image of the Peaceable Kingdom, in which lions and lambs coexist in idyllic harmony. Rather, The Beloved Community was for him a realistic, achievable goal that could be attained by a critical mass of people committed to and trained in the philosophy and methods of nonviolence.
"Dr. King's Beloved Community is a global vision, in which all people can share in the wealth of the earth. In the Beloved Community, poverty, hunger and homelessness will not be tolerated because international standards of human decency will not allow it. Racism and all forms of discrimination, bigotry and prejudice will be replaced by an all-inclusive spirit of sisterhood and brotherhood. In the Beloved Community, international disputes will be resolved by peaceful conflict-resolution and reconciliation of adversaries, instead of military power. Love and trust will triumph over fear and hatred. Peace with justice will prevail over war and military conflict."
King's concept of Beloved Community is a reflection of the kingdom of God. Sadly, today it seems that faith has either become an exclusive community or a personalized belief system. Christianity is meant to be a faith that drives Christians to engage in all of our communities, not just our own churches. And Christians are meant to be agents of God's love, peace, justice, healing, compassion, hope, and peace in all those communities.
Written by the THRED team
You can share your thoughts on this blog by clicking here and leaving a comment.
You can let the folks at THRED know what you think by clicking here.
Community is central to our story
The first book of the Bible, Genesis, spells out the Christian narrative on community quite clearly. Humans were made to be in a relationship with God and each other (see Genesis 1:26; 2:18; 3:18). God in and of Himself is relational and exists as a mysterious Three-in-One entity, termed the Trinity by Christians (see Matthew 3:16; 28:19). Even the concept of sin, which is the "fault line" that runs through the Christian narrative, stems from the time Adam and Eve rejected God's advice because they wanted to be more independent (see Genesis 3). The result was that humanity became self-centered instead of God- and community-centered.
Our purpose is carried out in the context of community
Christians believe that every single human being has purpose, and central to that purpose is our calling -- or vocation, as we sometimes call it. This concept of vocation is not confined to our job or career; it encompasses all aspects of our lives: our family, our friends, our role in the economy, and our local and global citizenship.
Our vocation was defined for us when God created humanity in His image (see Genesis 1:27) and essentially said, "go take care of the earth" (see Genesis 1:28) and "be My likeness in the communities you operate in" (see 1 Corinthians 7:17). Every person contributes according to their skillset, personality, intellect, etc. In this way we function as the "mask of God" in every community: marriage, family, neighborhood, and beyond.
As Christians, central to our purpose as humans is not individualism, but loving and serving other people, our "neighbors" (see Matthew 22:37-40). God intended this from the beginning of creation. And the concept of neighbor isn't just confined to the folks we like or get along with; it also includes people in need and people with whom we'd rather not be associated with (see Luke 10:29).
The kingdom of God
The biblical narrative tells us that as much as humans have tried to live in community the way God intended, sin has always been a barrier. Sin causes us to be driven by our own (often selfish) desires -- not the needs of our communities. But Jesus, through His death and resurrection, reunites relationships and reinvigorates communities. First humanity with God, and then humanity in community. The coming of Jesus ushers in a new era for humanity, referred to as "the kingdom of God."
Jesus uses this term over 80 times in the four books of the Bible that tell us about His time here on earth. Jesus defines His purpose this way: "I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose" (see Luke 4:18; Mark 1:14-15). The kingdom of God is the start of a process of renewal and restoration in creation back to the way it was originally intended. And this new era is marked by the liberation of the needy and oppressed (see Luke 4:43).
The kingdom of God will only be fully implemented at the point Jesus returns, but we should see evidence of that renewal and restoration in our communities today. Despite our selfish inclinations, God decides that we get to actively participate in His plan of establishing His kingdom. This piece of the narrative can change the world we live in.
The role of Christians is to introduce the kingdom of God to the communities they operate in through their vocations. Whether it's with people, creatures, or the environment, Christians should be bringing love, hope, justice, compassion, inclusion, healing, peace, etc., (in other words, the impact of the kingdom of God) into all corners of the world, one step at a time.
"Beloved Community"
We live in a culture that says we, as individuals, have the right to think and do whatever we choose. Accountability and responsibility to community seem like requirements, not benefits. For many people, social media has created a fractured and lonely world. Individualized media makes for exclusive communities and narrow-minded factions. If there was ever a time when the kingdom of God is needed, it is today.
The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., referred to something he called, "The Beloved Community." According to the King Center, "The Beloved Community was not a lofty utopian goal to be confused with the rapturous image of the Peaceable Kingdom, in which lions and lambs coexist in idyllic harmony. Rather, The Beloved Community was for him a realistic, achievable goal that could be attained by a critical mass of people committed to and trained in the philosophy and methods of nonviolence.
"Dr. King's Beloved Community is a global vision, in which all people can share in the wealth of the earth. In the Beloved Community, poverty, hunger and homelessness will not be tolerated because international standards of human decency will not allow it. Racism and all forms of discrimination, bigotry and prejudice will be replaced by an all-inclusive spirit of sisterhood and brotherhood. In the Beloved Community, international disputes will be resolved by peaceful conflict-resolution and reconciliation of adversaries, instead of military power. Love and trust will triumph over fear and hatred. Peace with justice will prevail over war and military conflict."
King's concept of Beloved Community is a reflection of the kingdom of God. Sadly, today it seems that faith has either become an exclusive community or a personalized belief system. Christianity is meant to be a faith that drives Christians to engage in all of our communities, not just our own churches. And Christians are meant to be agents of God's love, peace, justice, healing, compassion, hope, and peace in all those communities.
Written by the THRED team
You can share your thoughts on this blog by clicking here and leaving a comment.
You can let the folks at THRED know what you think by clicking here.
Tuesday, June 8, 2021
Explaining Evil Isn't Simple
"The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate," the first man, Adam, tells God in the third chapter of the Old Testament book of Genesis.
Possibly that's got to be one of the most creative excuses for the beginning of evil in the world since, well, the beginning of time.
Be that as it may, the Genesis story -- with its serpent, forbidden fruit, and lovely garden -- is one of the first stories we have that attempts to explain a question that has bothered humans for (as far as we can tell) almost as long as there have been humans around: why do bad things happen to good people? When you start to think about it, why do bad things happen at all?
Why do little kids come down with terrible illnesses? Who invented slavery as a way of oppressing people who look different than they do? Why are we so good at destroying things and people, and so poor at making them whole and healthy?
These questions bugged the women and men of the ancient world, too. Floods, plagues, locust invasions, wars waged by foreign armies -- they prompted a lot of theological reflection on the part of some of the top minds in the ancient world. There were entire schools of philosophy designed to answer these questions.
As time went by, Bible experts in the medieval and renaissance periods began to disagree about the meaning of the passage in Genesis: was it bad that Adam and Eve ate the apple because that's what brought evil into the world? Or did eating the fruit help humans learn the difference between what was good and what wasn't, so that they learned more about the world and about themselves?
But we don't live in the abstract world of theologians and philosophers. We suffer when someone we love is hurt, a friend betrays our trust, or we learn about some catastrophe on the other side of the world, and we can't help but ask: why?
I don't know about you, but when I hear someone tell a person who is grieving that it's all part of some bigger divine plan that we just don't understand, it makes me mad. How can a child starving in the Sudan or dying from a bombing in Syria be part of a divine plan?
You may disagree.
But let me suggest that the way we interpret the bad as well as the good times in our lives tell us something about the way that we see God.
What do you think? Is God in charge of everything that happens, or does God allow it? Is there a difference between the bad choices we make (because we choose to make them) and the bad things that occur in our lives?
How do you define evil? Absence of goodness? A force out there? Could it be ... Satan?
Written by Elizabeth Eisenstadt Evans
You can share your thoughts on this blog by clicking here and leaving a comment.
You can let the folks at THRED know what you think by clicking here.
Possibly that's got to be one of the most creative excuses for the beginning of evil in the world since, well, the beginning of time.
Be that as it may, the Genesis story -- with its serpent, forbidden fruit, and lovely garden -- is one of the first stories we have that attempts to explain a question that has bothered humans for (as far as we can tell) almost as long as there have been humans around: why do bad things happen to good people? When you start to think about it, why do bad things happen at all?
Why do little kids come down with terrible illnesses? Who invented slavery as a way of oppressing people who look different than they do? Why are we so good at destroying things and people, and so poor at making them whole and healthy?
These questions bugged the women and men of the ancient world, too. Floods, plagues, locust invasions, wars waged by foreign armies -- they prompted a lot of theological reflection on the part of some of the top minds in the ancient world. There were entire schools of philosophy designed to answer these questions.
As time went by, Bible experts in the medieval and renaissance periods began to disagree about the meaning of the passage in Genesis: was it bad that Adam and Eve ate the apple because that's what brought evil into the world? Or did eating the fruit help humans learn the difference between what was good and what wasn't, so that they learned more about the world and about themselves?
But we don't live in the abstract world of theologians and philosophers. We suffer when someone we love is hurt, a friend betrays our trust, or we learn about some catastrophe on the other side of the world, and we can't help but ask: why?
I don't know about you, but when I hear someone tell a person who is grieving that it's all part of some bigger divine plan that we just don't understand, it makes me mad. How can a child starving in the Sudan or dying from a bombing in Syria be part of a divine plan?
You may disagree.
But let me suggest that the way we interpret the bad as well as the good times in our lives tell us something about the way that we see God.
What do you think? Is God in charge of everything that happens, or does God allow it? Is there a difference between the bad choices we make (because we choose to make them) and the bad things that occur in our lives?
How do you define evil? Absence of goodness? A force out there? Could it be ... Satan?
Written by Elizabeth Eisenstadt Evans
You can share your thoughts on this blog by clicking here and leaving a comment.
You can let the folks at THRED know what you think by clicking here.
Tuesday, May 25, 2021
Does God Care If We Learn?
Christians believe that education is a good thing -- more than that, that it is a God-given blessing we are supposed to share with our children and with as many other people as possible.
In fact, the Western system of education was created by the Christian church. Many early Christians believed that by educating people, they could share the Good News of Christ. People who became literate could then read the Bible and spread the Gospel more readily to those around them.
Christians have long used education as a form of mission work to underserved nations and communities. Mother Teresa herself used education as a way to alleviate girls' poverty. Many missionaries today work with the same goals in mind; to educate someone is often to pull them out of poverty and point them toward a better life.
A practical gift
Education is practical. Even the birds teach their young how to fly and where to find food and shelter. How much more should human beings teach their children how to live well. We know that a person's level of education typically corresponds to their potential income and thus their ability to care for themselves and their family. Therefore, we ought to encourage education for all people as a logical means to achieve security and well-being.
Theologian Martin Luther said that it was necessary for youth to be educated to ensure, "that there will always be preachers, jurists, pastors, writers, physicians, schoolmasters, and the like, for we cannot do without them."
Harvard University and Yale University were founded as congregational establishments by Christians in search of knowledge and wisdom. Those who are educated well can often go on to achieve great accomplishments to help humanity through medicine, science, the written word, and more.
Good for society
When a social group is well educated, it is more likely to vote for good civic leaders, promote libraries and safe schools, and give back financially to its institutions and to future generations. Contrastingly, we know that there is a strong correlation between lack of education and imprisonment, with prison rates going up as the level of education goes down. Victor Hugo once said, "He who opens a school door closes a prison."
Unfortunately, it's not always so simple. Those who face extreme poverty and/or live in dangerous, crime-ridden neighborhoods often cannot afford the luxury of a solid education. Many resort to criminal activity or must work to provide for their families instead of attaining a high school or higher education degree. Disproportionate rates of imprisonment for people of color lead to racial inequalities in schools. And the increasing cost of a college education can be prohibitive for many.
Those who can should invest time and resources into providing safe public school systems for all children in all socioeconomic situations. Education is often the best path to a safer, more stable life and livelihood. Kids who are well educated -- particularly about public health issues -- can go on to make wiser decisions that will positively impact their futures.
So what should Christians do?
God delights when we use the gifts, interests, and talents He gave us to the best of our abilities. Developing our God-given potential will look different for everyone and may or may not always follow the traditional college route. We can determine God's will for our lives by seeking Him and pursuing the interests and abilities He has already given us.
Aristotle famously said, "Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all." Christians in places of privilege should use their education and resources to help others less fortunate to do so, as well. Education does not always look like private school or college. Sometimes educating others can look like teaching people in other countries how to clean their water or to sustainably grow crops. Sometimes it means literacy training, public health education, reading to underprivileged children, or donating books to a shelter.
God intends for His people to use their gifts to serve others in His Name, and that can take many forms. Christians ought to do what they can to allow all people the opportunity to improve their lives through education.
Intended by God
Education is one way in which human beings come to reach their full potential -- and God cares about that. He intends for His people to have life and to have it to the fullest (John 10:10). God made us for many reasons, but one of them is certainly to ask questions -- to trace God's operations in the universe -- to rejoice and stand in awe when we see the wonderful things He has done.
"The study of truth requires a considerable effort -- which is why few are willing to undertake it out of love of knowledge -- despite the fact that God has implanted a natural appetite for such knowledge in the minds of men," according to St. Thomas Aquinas in his work, Summa Contra Gentiles.
We are made in God's image, and God is creative. How can we, then, not be creative? How can we not be interested in the creation God has made? And because God is a God of logic and intelligence and wisdom, we can expect to find logic in creation as well. The stars obey astronomical laws because the mind who designed our universe is an orderly mind. The same sense of order is found in genetics, nuclear physics, and mathematics, and new discoveries are waiting to be made in every field, all the time. God is consistent, and therefore His universe is consistent. That is what makes learning possible.
The human race heaps up more and more discoveries, and we teach what we have learned to our children. And this is right for us to do. To do otherwise would be to insult the God who made such an awesome cosmos. It would be like yawning through Beethoven's Ninth Symphony or turning our backs on Michelangelo's David.
All truth is God's truth
Christians believe that there is no truth anywhere that will ultimately come into conflict with the truth of the Christian faith as the Holy Spirit has delivered it to us. God is the God of all truth, not just theological truth, and truth by definition cannot be in conflict with itself. We should delight in education, not fear it.
In Romans 12:2, Paul urges believers, " Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is -- His good, pleasing, and perfect will."
As followers of Christ, we can change our minds based on new things we learn, always holding this knowledge up to the perfect standard set before us in the Bible, God's inspired Word. We can learn from others who came before us and welcome the Holy Spirit to help us determine the truth when opinions are many.
Knowledge and wisdom
The Bible distinguishes between knowledge and wisdom. Anyone can attain an education given proper resources, time, and the motivation to do so. Wisdom allows us to know truth from lies and to use our knowledge to better serve others for God's glory. James 1:5 says that if we ask our generous God for wisdom, He will gladly give it.
In Proverbs 1:7, we see that, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction." Let's not be among those who mock others who devote their lives to learning and seeking knowledge. God teaches us how to interact with people, learned or not, and how to use our intelligence for good: "The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere" (James 3:17).
God Himself is the source of all wisdom. He calls His people to seek Him, to seek knowledge, and to use what we've learned to help others in His Name. We honor Him by developing our God-given talents and interests to the best of our abilities to live fully and serve Him.
Written by the THRED team
You can share your thoughts on this blog by clicking here and leaving a comment.
You can let the folks at THRED know what you think by clicking here.
In fact, the Western system of education was created by the Christian church. Many early Christians believed that by educating people, they could share the Good News of Christ. People who became literate could then read the Bible and spread the Gospel more readily to those around them.
Christians have long used education as a form of mission work to underserved nations and communities. Mother Teresa herself used education as a way to alleviate girls' poverty. Many missionaries today work with the same goals in mind; to educate someone is often to pull them out of poverty and point them toward a better life.
A practical gift
Education is practical. Even the birds teach their young how to fly and where to find food and shelter. How much more should human beings teach their children how to live well. We know that a person's level of education typically corresponds to their potential income and thus their ability to care for themselves and their family. Therefore, we ought to encourage education for all people as a logical means to achieve security and well-being.
Theologian Martin Luther said that it was necessary for youth to be educated to ensure, "that there will always be preachers, jurists, pastors, writers, physicians, schoolmasters, and the like, for we cannot do without them."
Harvard University and Yale University were founded as congregational establishments by Christians in search of knowledge and wisdom. Those who are educated well can often go on to achieve great accomplishments to help humanity through medicine, science, the written word, and more.
Good for society
When a social group is well educated, it is more likely to vote for good civic leaders, promote libraries and safe schools, and give back financially to its institutions and to future generations. Contrastingly, we know that there is a strong correlation between lack of education and imprisonment, with prison rates going up as the level of education goes down. Victor Hugo once said, "He who opens a school door closes a prison."
Unfortunately, it's not always so simple. Those who face extreme poverty and/or live in dangerous, crime-ridden neighborhoods often cannot afford the luxury of a solid education. Many resort to criminal activity or must work to provide for their families instead of attaining a high school or higher education degree. Disproportionate rates of imprisonment for people of color lead to racial inequalities in schools. And the increasing cost of a college education can be prohibitive for many.
Those who can should invest time and resources into providing safe public school systems for all children in all socioeconomic situations. Education is often the best path to a safer, more stable life and livelihood. Kids who are well educated -- particularly about public health issues -- can go on to make wiser decisions that will positively impact their futures.
So what should Christians do?
God delights when we use the gifts, interests, and talents He gave us to the best of our abilities. Developing our God-given potential will look different for everyone and may or may not always follow the traditional college route. We can determine God's will for our lives by seeking Him and pursuing the interests and abilities He has already given us.
Aristotle famously said, "Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all." Christians in places of privilege should use their education and resources to help others less fortunate to do so, as well. Education does not always look like private school or college. Sometimes educating others can look like teaching people in other countries how to clean their water or to sustainably grow crops. Sometimes it means literacy training, public health education, reading to underprivileged children, or donating books to a shelter.
God intends for His people to use their gifts to serve others in His Name, and that can take many forms. Christians ought to do what they can to allow all people the opportunity to improve their lives through education.
Intended by God
Education is one way in which human beings come to reach their full potential -- and God cares about that. He intends for His people to have life and to have it to the fullest (John 10:10). God made us for many reasons, but one of them is certainly to ask questions -- to trace God's operations in the universe -- to rejoice and stand in awe when we see the wonderful things He has done.
"The study of truth requires a considerable effort -- which is why few are willing to undertake it out of love of knowledge -- despite the fact that God has implanted a natural appetite for such knowledge in the minds of men," according to St. Thomas Aquinas in his work, Summa Contra Gentiles.
We are made in God's image, and God is creative. How can we, then, not be creative? How can we not be interested in the creation God has made? And because God is a God of logic and intelligence and wisdom, we can expect to find logic in creation as well. The stars obey astronomical laws because the mind who designed our universe is an orderly mind. The same sense of order is found in genetics, nuclear physics, and mathematics, and new discoveries are waiting to be made in every field, all the time. God is consistent, and therefore His universe is consistent. That is what makes learning possible.
The human race heaps up more and more discoveries, and we teach what we have learned to our children. And this is right for us to do. To do otherwise would be to insult the God who made such an awesome cosmos. It would be like yawning through Beethoven's Ninth Symphony or turning our backs on Michelangelo's David.
All truth is God's truth
Christians believe that there is no truth anywhere that will ultimately come into conflict with the truth of the Christian faith as the Holy Spirit has delivered it to us. God is the God of all truth, not just theological truth, and truth by definition cannot be in conflict with itself. We should delight in education, not fear it.
In Romans 12:2, Paul urges believers, " Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is -- His good, pleasing, and perfect will."
As followers of Christ, we can change our minds based on new things we learn, always holding this knowledge up to the perfect standard set before us in the Bible, God's inspired Word. We can learn from others who came before us and welcome the Holy Spirit to help us determine the truth when opinions are many.
Knowledge and wisdom
The Bible distinguishes between knowledge and wisdom. Anyone can attain an education given proper resources, time, and the motivation to do so. Wisdom allows us to know truth from lies and to use our knowledge to better serve others for God's glory. James 1:5 says that if we ask our generous God for wisdom, He will gladly give it.
In Proverbs 1:7, we see that, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction." Let's not be among those who mock others who devote their lives to learning and seeking knowledge. God teaches us how to interact with people, learned or not, and how to use our intelligence for good: "The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere" (James 3:17).
God Himself is the source of all wisdom. He calls His people to seek Him, to seek knowledge, and to use what we've learned to help others in His Name. We honor Him by developing our God-given talents and interests to the best of our abilities to live fully and serve Him.
Written by the THRED team
You can share your thoughts on this blog by clicking here and leaving a comment.
You can let the folks at THRED know what you think by clicking here.
Tuesday, May 11, 2021
Our Confusing Selves
When I was little, my dad had a poster of an adorable chimpanzee next to his desk. This was long before the days of memes, but you may have seen an updated version. The chimpanzee held a thinking pose above the caption, "I think, therefore I am ... confused."
My dad explained to me about the concept of philosophy and a man called Descartes. I felt incredibly grown up to be in on what I considered to be such a sophisticated joke. I loved that poster as a child, but adulthood continuously teaches me how correct both Descartes and the chimpanzee were. I now suspect that my dad enjoyed more about the poster than simply the cheesy joke.
I freely admit that for me, thinking and confusion go hand in hand. Nothing worth thinking about is simple, straightforward, or without struggle. This especially applies to thinking about "self" or self-evaluation. While discerning things about my own heart, mind, and soul, I have experienced various degrees of success. I am always self-critiquing. It is that kind of thinking that makes me who I am.
I may not be perfect, but during the evaluation process, I have learned three important things not to do: Don't lie to yourself about your self-appraisal; don't ignore the voices of reflection, and don't let those voices shut you down.
Our brains' preservation instincts are probably too strong to ever let us be completely accurate while self-evaluating. The mind has an amazing and slightly terrifying ability to make excuses for itself and block out things that it doesn't want to deal with. This skill is best used as a short-term tool, a triage for all of the things that we think about each day. It is not supposed to last forever. Playing mind tricks on yourself can be useful in the moment, but damaging in the long run.
Figuring out the underlying reasons why you snapped at someone, took an unnecessary risk, or ate fifteen cookies in one sitting is an important thing to do. Understanding yourself is the first step to being able to grow as a human being.
When our self-reflection is able to make it past the protective barriers our brain puts up, it is important to listen. Too many people resist and ignore thinking about unpleasant things. It is not fun or easy to view yourself honestly. It is often downright exhausting, but it is crucial. Lack of self-reflection not only leads to a lack of personal growth, but also to a lack of compassion and empathy.
If you don't think about how you can improve into a better worker, parent, friend, or partner, then you won't realize how hard it is for everyone else to be the best of those things that they can be. If you are perfectly fine with the way you are and don't acknowledge how you can improve, then it can easily seem like everyone else just doesn't care enough to do things correctly. As hard as it can sometimes be, refusing to self-evaluate is not the answer.
The opposite of not reflecting on your thoughts and actions is to reflect on them too much. I once spent a stressful two weeks trying to fill out a self-evaluation form because there was too much information to put down. It seemed like an impossible task. At the time, the pressure of sitting still, picking out the most important sections of my unrelenting self-talk, and then having to also see those thoughts in print truly felt like a larger burden than I could bear. It was bad enough that I had to live with the self-evaluations floating around in my brain. I spent a lot of effort trying to get a break from my thoughts, and now someone wanted me to write them down.
This path is not any emotionally healthier than those who refuse to reflect in the first place. Growing and improving should be something that we never stop doing. There is no failure or condemnation in needing to evaluate and then improve. It is simply a part of life. As human beings, made in God's image, we have the awesome abilities of thought, decision-making, and growth. Yes, thinking often inevitably leads to moments of confusion along the way, but that's okay. It's all a part of the process.
Descartes also famously said, "It is not enough to have a good mind; the main thing is to use it well." Using our brains well and in an emotionally healthy way is a lifelong journey. If we listen and evaluate ourselves honestly, with a dose of kindness, we will be truly present and able to make an impact on the world around us.
How do you self-critique? Too harshly, or maybe too leniently? It's tough to take a look at ourselves and be honest. There are so many narratives we've built up through the years to justify our actions or explain away certain circumstances.
Have you come across any self-evaluation method that works for you?
Written by Elizabeth Rehwaldt
You can share your thoughts on this blog by clicking here and leaving a comment.
You can let the folks at THRED know what you think by clicking here.
My dad explained to me about the concept of philosophy and a man called Descartes. I felt incredibly grown up to be in on what I considered to be such a sophisticated joke. I loved that poster as a child, but adulthood continuously teaches me how correct both Descartes and the chimpanzee were. I now suspect that my dad enjoyed more about the poster than simply the cheesy joke.
I freely admit that for me, thinking and confusion go hand in hand. Nothing worth thinking about is simple, straightforward, or without struggle. This especially applies to thinking about "self" or self-evaluation. While discerning things about my own heart, mind, and soul, I have experienced various degrees of success. I am always self-critiquing. It is that kind of thinking that makes me who I am.
I may not be perfect, but during the evaluation process, I have learned three important things not to do: Don't lie to yourself about your self-appraisal; don't ignore the voices of reflection, and don't let those voices shut you down.
Our brains' preservation instincts are probably too strong to ever let us be completely accurate while self-evaluating. The mind has an amazing and slightly terrifying ability to make excuses for itself and block out things that it doesn't want to deal with. This skill is best used as a short-term tool, a triage for all of the things that we think about each day. It is not supposed to last forever. Playing mind tricks on yourself can be useful in the moment, but damaging in the long run.
Figuring out the underlying reasons why you snapped at someone, took an unnecessary risk, or ate fifteen cookies in one sitting is an important thing to do. Understanding yourself is the first step to being able to grow as a human being.
When our self-reflection is able to make it past the protective barriers our brain puts up, it is important to listen. Too many people resist and ignore thinking about unpleasant things. It is not fun or easy to view yourself honestly. It is often downright exhausting, but it is crucial. Lack of self-reflection not only leads to a lack of personal growth, but also to a lack of compassion and empathy.
If you don't think about how you can improve into a better worker, parent, friend, or partner, then you won't realize how hard it is for everyone else to be the best of those things that they can be. If you are perfectly fine with the way you are and don't acknowledge how you can improve, then it can easily seem like everyone else just doesn't care enough to do things correctly. As hard as it can sometimes be, refusing to self-evaluate is not the answer.
The opposite of not reflecting on your thoughts and actions is to reflect on them too much. I once spent a stressful two weeks trying to fill out a self-evaluation form because there was too much information to put down. It seemed like an impossible task. At the time, the pressure of sitting still, picking out the most important sections of my unrelenting self-talk, and then having to also see those thoughts in print truly felt like a larger burden than I could bear. It was bad enough that I had to live with the self-evaluations floating around in my brain. I spent a lot of effort trying to get a break from my thoughts, and now someone wanted me to write them down.
This path is not any emotionally healthier than those who refuse to reflect in the first place. Growing and improving should be something that we never stop doing. There is no failure or condemnation in needing to evaluate and then improve. It is simply a part of life. As human beings, made in God's image, we have the awesome abilities of thought, decision-making, and growth. Yes, thinking often inevitably leads to moments of confusion along the way, but that's okay. It's all a part of the process.
Descartes also famously said, "It is not enough to have a good mind; the main thing is to use it well." Using our brains well and in an emotionally healthy way is a lifelong journey. If we listen and evaluate ourselves honestly, with a dose of kindness, we will be truly present and able to make an impact on the world around us.
How do you self-critique? Too harshly, or maybe too leniently? It's tough to take a look at ourselves and be honest. There are so many narratives we've built up through the years to justify our actions or explain away certain circumstances.
Have you come across any self-evaluation method that works for you?
Written by Elizabeth Rehwaldt
You can share your thoughts on this blog by clicking here and leaving a comment.
You can let the folks at THRED know what you think by clicking here.
Tuesday, April 27, 2021
Community—Have You Found It?
Recently, I interviewed an administrator for a coalition of churches in another state struggling with an enormous drug problem.
"How can churches be useful in tackling a drug crisis?" I asked him.
Frankly, I was a little skeptical. In many parts of the country, churches are treading water, along with other social pillars we used to take for granted: volunteer charitable organizations, bowling leagues, shopping malls.
His answer surprised me.
In some communities, he said, there's no grocery store, no bank, no school left. The church is the only institution still standing. It has a role to play when there is a need for dialogue, comfort, or help in a time of crisis.
Admittedly, I was speaking to someone who lives in a state which is struggling with high unemployment, persistent problems with addiction, and poverty that is passed on from generation to generation. The question of where and how to build community -- a place where people come together to listen and to help each other -- is crucial if they are going to have the resources to deal with the issues they face.
Perhaps you live in Minneapolis, or San Francisco, or Boston. Maybe your town, your city, your country village still has a Starbucks on every fourth corner, and a yoga studio and library right down the block.
Whether you must drive 50 miles to get to a restaurant with decent grub or can look at six out your apartment window, the places and people who anchor our lives are still important -- even if we sometimes take them for granted.
Where do you hang out on a Friday night? Who do you take with you on your weekend adventures? Where do you go for a shoulder to cry on or a quiet space in which to reflect when life gets tough and you feel that you are only hanging on by your fingernails?
For centuries in America, the church and other faith communities meeting in fancy buildings and humble homes were anchors for families from childhood to marriage to grave. Do you think it's possible that they still could have a role to play in being that inviting, sustaining, consoling and (even) enjoyable place in which to, hmm, "congregate"?
Community is a state of mind as much as a concrete place. Share your stories of where you have found it, and maybe you'll help someone who is still looking.
Has your sense of community and people gathering together changed in the last year? Where do you go to get together with people? Is church the place you go? Is it the local coffee or donut shop? Were these places important to you before COVID-19? Are they possibly more so now?
You can share your comments with us at the links below.
Written by Elizabeth Eisenstadt Evans
You can share your thoughts on this blog by clicking here and leaving a comment.
You can let the folks at THRED know what you think by clicking here.
"How can churches be useful in tackling a drug crisis?" I asked him.
Frankly, I was a little skeptical. In many parts of the country, churches are treading water, along with other social pillars we used to take for granted: volunteer charitable organizations, bowling leagues, shopping malls.
His answer surprised me.
In some communities, he said, there's no grocery store, no bank, no school left. The church is the only institution still standing. It has a role to play when there is a need for dialogue, comfort, or help in a time of crisis.
Admittedly, I was speaking to someone who lives in a state which is struggling with high unemployment, persistent problems with addiction, and poverty that is passed on from generation to generation. The question of where and how to build community -- a place where people come together to listen and to help each other -- is crucial if they are going to have the resources to deal with the issues they face.
Perhaps you live in Minneapolis, or San Francisco, or Boston. Maybe your town, your city, your country village still has a Starbucks on every fourth corner, and a yoga studio and library right down the block.
Whether you must drive 50 miles to get to a restaurant with decent grub or can look at six out your apartment window, the places and people who anchor our lives are still important -- even if we sometimes take them for granted.
Where do you hang out on a Friday night? Who do you take with you on your weekend adventures? Where do you go for a shoulder to cry on or a quiet space in which to reflect when life gets tough and you feel that you are only hanging on by your fingernails?
For centuries in America, the church and other faith communities meeting in fancy buildings and humble homes were anchors for families from childhood to marriage to grave. Do you think it's possible that they still could have a role to play in being that inviting, sustaining, consoling and (even) enjoyable place in which to, hmm, "congregate"?
Community is a state of mind as much as a concrete place. Share your stories of where you have found it, and maybe you'll help someone who is still looking.
Has your sense of community and people gathering together changed in the last year? Where do you go to get together with people? Is church the place you go? Is it the local coffee or donut shop? Were these places important to you before COVID-19? Are they possibly more so now?
You can share your comments with us at the links below.
Written by Elizabeth Eisenstadt Evans
You can share your thoughts on this blog by clicking here and leaving a comment.
You can let the folks at THRED know what you think by clicking here.
Tuesday, April 13, 2021
Do We Make Faith Too Complicated?
If you ask me, religion has a funny way of complicating things.
For example, take something as straightforward as faith. I don't necessarily mean faith in the religious sense; I'm simply referring to the idea of trusting in someone.
Can someone be faithful and not religious? Is faith reserved for those that believe in and practice a specific religion? Can those of us that don't identify with a religion still have faith?
I'd like to think so. From where I stand, I've always considered myself to be an optimist and, if you ask me, faith and optimism sound eerily similar.
Faith: complete trust or confidence in someone or something.
Optimism: hopefulness and confidence about the future or the successful outcome of something.
After reading between the lines, it looks like both words are grounded firmly in trust. Having faith means you completely trust in someone or something, whereas having optimism means you trust that things will be okay in the future.
As an eternal optimist, trust means a lot. Every day, I tell myself that, no matter what, I have to trust that everything will be okay. Weirdly enough, this feeling never really wavers and this tends to be all the assurance I need.
When it comes down to it, my problem is sharing this optimism, or faith, with others.
Take this recent tragedy for example: a few days ago, my mom called me in the middle of the night. As soon as I saw her name in my phone, my heart began to pound. While crying on the other line, my mom told me that her brother, my uncle, had just died. He was due for transplant surgery, but died in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.
Since this call, I've been grappling with one simple question: how can I reassure her that everything will be okay?
Most people would tell her, "He's finally at peace," or, "He was a good man who lived a great life," or possibly some combination of both.
To be honest, I have no idea what happens to us after we die. As an optimist, I would like to think we actually do find peace and finally have a chance to see the people who died before us, but as someone who doesn't necessarily believe in heaven, I can't say for sure.
Do you see my problem here? As much as I want to comfort her, I can't, in good faith, tell her something I don't necessarily believe in myself. It wouldn't feel right to tell someone something just because you think it's what they want, or need, to hear. I try to steer clear of doing this.
Maybe I don't need to say anything at all. Maybe, just maybe, being there for her is enough. When I think about it, actions really do speak louder than words, and many times, words aren't even necessary to show someone how you feel.
After reflecting on this entire situation, I can confidently say I have complete faith in my mom. I have confidence that she will make it through this and she will be stronger because of it. After all, she is the toughest, most independent person I've ever met and she has witnessed her fair share of tragedy. I know that doesn't make it any easier for her, but I really do think she will get through this.
I realize now that faith doesn't have to mean life or death. It shouldn't only be reserved for gods and higher powers; we can have faith in each other, one human to another. You can have faith in someone and, sometimes, that's all they need to hear to get through whatever life throws at them.
This has nothing to do with my mom having faith in someone or something else; it's about us having faith in her. It means trusting that she is strong while also reminding her that she has a support system and isn't alone.
In my opinion, faith isn't all that complicated after all ... as always, we just make it more complicated than it needs to be.
Written by William Frazier
You can share your thoughts on this blog by clicking here and leaving a comment.
You can let the folks at THRED know what you think by clicking here.
For example, take something as straightforward as faith. I don't necessarily mean faith in the religious sense; I'm simply referring to the idea of trusting in someone.
Can someone be faithful and not religious? Is faith reserved for those that believe in and practice a specific religion? Can those of us that don't identify with a religion still have faith?
I'd like to think so. From where I stand, I've always considered myself to be an optimist and, if you ask me, faith and optimism sound eerily similar.
Faith: complete trust or confidence in someone or something.
Optimism: hopefulness and confidence about the future or the successful outcome of something.
After reading between the lines, it looks like both words are grounded firmly in trust. Having faith means you completely trust in someone or something, whereas having optimism means you trust that things will be okay in the future.
As an eternal optimist, trust means a lot. Every day, I tell myself that, no matter what, I have to trust that everything will be okay. Weirdly enough, this feeling never really wavers and this tends to be all the assurance I need.
When it comes down to it, my problem is sharing this optimism, or faith, with others.
Take this recent tragedy for example: a few days ago, my mom called me in the middle of the night. As soon as I saw her name in my phone, my heart began to pound. While crying on the other line, my mom told me that her brother, my uncle, had just died. He was due for transplant surgery, but died in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.
Since this call, I've been grappling with one simple question: how can I reassure her that everything will be okay?
Most people would tell her, "He's finally at peace," or, "He was a good man who lived a great life," or possibly some combination of both.
To be honest, I have no idea what happens to us after we die. As an optimist, I would like to think we actually do find peace and finally have a chance to see the people who died before us, but as someone who doesn't necessarily believe in heaven, I can't say for sure.
Do you see my problem here? As much as I want to comfort her, I can't, in good faith, tell her something I don't necessarily believe in myself. It wouldn't feel right to tell someone something just because you think it's what they want, or need, to hear. I try to steer clear of doing this.
Maybe I don't need to say anything at all. Maybe, just maybe, being there for her is enough. When I think about it, actions really do speak louder than words, and many times, words aren't even necessary to show someone how you feel.
After reflecting on this entire situation, I can confidently say I have complete faith in my mom. I have confidence that she will make it through this and she will be stronger because of it. After all, she is the toughest, most independent person I've ever met and she has witnessed her fair share of tragedy. I know that doesn't make it any easier for her, but I really do think she will get through this.
I realize now that faith doesn't have to mean life or death. It shouldn't only be reserved for gods and higher powers; we can have faith in each other, one human to another. You can have faith in someone and, sometimes, that's all they need to hear to get through whatever life throws at them.
This has nothing to do with my mom having faith in someone or something else; it's about us having faith in her. It means trusting that she is strong while also reminding her that she has a support system and isn't alone.
In my opinion, faith isn't all that complicated after all ... as always, we just make it more complicated than it needs to be.
Written by William Frazier
You can share your thoughts on this blog by clicking here and leaving a comment.
You can let the folks at THRED know what you think by clicking here.
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