Sunday's coming

Yes, Sunday's coming, and it'll be an extraordinary day. People from across the country and around the world will converge upon Abilene for Abilene Christian University's 90th Annual Lectureship. The theme, topics, and speakers this year are extraordinary. The words of the prophet Micah, "He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" form the backdrop for the four day event. Speakers like Jerry Taylor, Fred Asare, Landon Saunders, and Edward Robinson will challenge our thinking and our doing as people of faith. Sprinkled throughout the lectureship will be presentations by the art, theater, and music departments. National concerns, international issues, and local church problems and opportunities will be spotlighted.

Calls to faithfulness and action will be abundant. Surely energy, ideas, and the power of God will converge in ways that will in lasting ways impact us all. I'm looking forward to the Tuesday night's program, "Let Justice Roll Down Like Waters: the Prophetic Voice in Popular Music," which will be presented by the ACU Music Department over in Erinshire Gardens.

In particular, Social Justice Team III and I met yesterday morning. While munching on doughnuts and deer sausage, and drinking coffee and orange juice, we discussed our talking points and roles in the Wednesday afternoon forum, "The Prophets, to Jesus, to the 21st Century: Injustice and the Church's Engagement." Wes Crawford, Edward Robinson, Foy Mills, Sara Blakeslee, and I will present information about farming, Black farmers, Black Indians, and churches of Christ and our efforts for justice in the world. Team members from Teams I, II, and III are prepared as respondents to the message we'll present. Tim, Josh, David Todd, Sarah, Kimberly, Brian, Rebecca, Michelle, Scott, and Heather are ready. They have their talking points prepared. They are young students filled with passion and information.

While our focus will spring from the heart of God via the prophets, Jesus, and the Church, the application will be serious applications. Implications are broad and deep for our we treat our people in this country and in our local communities when we consider the struggle of the Freedmen in Oklahoma and the Black farmer and family. It's not just about tribal membership. It's not just about farming. It's about race, racism, institutions of power and privilege, and how people of faith can mobilize and cooperate with existing advocacy efforts to promote change in our laws, policies, and hearts.

And may His Kingdom come.