January Cohort Review

Last night's conversation at Tin Star revolved primarily around the feasibility of the Dallas Justice Revival and asking questions surrounding the major justice issues in Dallas.

Brad asked an interesting question, "What is the greatest injustice in Dallas." We threw around the ideas that much of the systemic injustice is promoted by racism and classism and primarily propagated by apathy. The thought emerged that addressing education would systemically address many justice oriented issues. However, what is being taught seems to be more important in the long run than the quality of it's delivery. Our conversation seemed to settle on the importance of eschatology as it relates to how we treat each other and our resources.

Here is an interesting read that was referenced in the conversation last night. It seems the more that churches form and congregate around an evacuation or violence oriented eschatology, the more the questions asked by this planning board will ring true. Churches seem to be nothing more than a burden to a city planner. Why is that?

It was good to see everyone. It looks like we will read and discuss Rob Bell's Jesus Wants to Save Christians for next month. Let me know if there are other topics you might want to promote for future meetings.

Charles Finney Making a Comeback?

The Dallas Morning News reports in this article that Dallas area churches are being organized for a Fall 09 event that Sojourners is calling the Dallas Justice Revival.

Sojourners hosted the first Justice Revival meetings in Columbus, Ohio in April 2008. The Dallas meeting will be the second such event that Sojourners will have planned.

After consuming all that I could find online about the Columbus meeting and speaking with people who are organizing the Dallas event, I am very excited about the potential that this has for mobilizing congregations to think and act through a lens of justice for the greater Dallas community. Taking a page from the Billy Graham playbook, these periodic events look to do months of pre-conference work with area church leaders to garner support and volunteerism for the three day Fall 09 event. However, unlike any major crusade or conference that I've heard of...the Dallas Justice Revival seeks to have local Dallas churches mobilized around the idea of treating Dallas like their parish. The goal of the event is to build a platform for ongoing systemic change in Dallas with justice issues.

Jim Wallis had this to say in June 2008...

In Boston, I spoke at the historic Park Street Church, where the premier evangelist of the Second Great Awaken­ing, Charles Finney, preached in 1831. The Billy Graham of his day, Finney called people to faith in Jesus Christ and then to enlist in the anti-slavery campaign. Finney actually pioneered the “altar call” so he could sign up his converts for the anti-slavery campaign.

These Justice Revivals look like Sojourner's attempt to spur along what many have been calling America's next Awakening.

What do you think?

January Cohort Meeting - Tuesday, January 13th

After a break in December, we are getting back together at Preston Center's Tin Star on Tuesday, January 13th at 7PM. It's been a while since we have had the chance to see some of each other, so I hope you can make it.

There has been a time or two in the last couple of years where we have come to the cohort without a book, assigned reading, or preordained discussion topic -- and that is what we will do for January. We look forward to hear what you've been reading and what you might want to discuss.

See you soon!