M2EP-"Belief in spite of the evidence"

"Hope is belief in spite of the evidence; then watching the evidence change." The quotation may not be exact, but this the the gist of it. Jim Wallis reminded the several hundred gathered at Shiloh Baptist Church last Sunday night, April 26, at the opening worship service of the Mobilization 2 End Poverty campaign . That notion wove through the plenary sessions and worship services during the 3-1/2 days. You couldn't miss it, not with living reminders of the civil rights struggles (Rep. John Lewis, Dr. Vincent Harding, and John Perkins) or present-day examples of hoping and working for change in spite of the evidence, like Alexie Torres Fleming, founder of Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice, who organized her neighborhood against the drug lords of her community, in spite of death threats, arson, and fear; and Rachel Anderson and Lisa Sharon Harper, who, along with other believers, formed the Boston Faith and Justice Network (working, among other things, to make Boston a "Fair Trade City") and the New York Faith and Justice Network, respectively.

There were the historical reminders that people of faith and people with hope have fought against fears and systems to change what others thought could never be changed. Richard Stearns, of World Vision, recounted the story of the British abolitionists who fought to abolish the trans-Atlantic slave trade--a system that fueled an empire and an economy.

And of course, throughout the entire M2EP, we were reminded about our biblical call to abolish injustice and bring about change in spite of the cost, in spite of the odds, in spite of what seems realistic.

But back to the statement, "Hope is belief in spite of the evidence, then watching the evidence change." What if we lived that way? What if Christians, people who profess belief, profess faith in the Almighty (think about that word!) really lived out life that way? I must admit, while I think I have strong faith about my personal, private, and family life, I have meager faith when it comes to the kingdom of God here on earth. Now. Eliminate poverty? Eliminate starvation? Make sure every human being has clean water to drink? Eliminate slavery? Stop the illegal trafficking of over 1 million children each year? The Millenium Development Goals?

My faith has been too small. My hope too weak. I have fallen into the trap of rationalism and reality of the day. "No one has ever...." "How can you think that...when the deficit is...$$?" I don't know. I don't have rational answers. But I believe in an Almighty God, the power of the Holy Spirit, and the love of Jesus. And there are plenty of reminders of God's greatness "in spite of evidence." Esther. Ruth and Naomi. David, the shepherd. Mary and Martha and the friends of a dead Lazarus. Daniel surviving a lion.

My faith may be small; but I'm trying to grow it.

M2EP-Day 1 recap

Yesterday is still wild in my heart and head. The first day of the Mobilization to End Poverty (M2EP) campaign. Here are some snapshots from the day.

Zina Jacque is the worship leader for the sessions. Grace and love and pure Jesus love flow from her. She has a rich, honied voice and ushers this gathering of 1100 into worship. She introduces each speaker with story or metaphor and urges us to "Give God a handclap of praise."

Jim Wallis opened the first morning session, "The Mobilization to End Poverty--The Fierce Urgency of Now." Among the stories he told is one about Mary Glover, his neigbor and mentor of long ago who was a prayer warrior and lover of Jesus. As people in the neigborhood lined up at the neighborhood food bank, she would pray, "Lord, we know you'll be coming through the line today. Help us to treat you well."

Wallis affirmed that for many in the audience, the work of justice for the poor and "the least of these" is often dishearteningly slow, but that it is, nonetheless, important. That we can't give up. He uses the metaphor of the tectonic plates that move imperceptibly--10,000 times slower than the hour hand on a clock. Yet when they meet, the effects are gargantuan. Earthquakes. Things will never be the same.

He suggested this is a time for a paradigm shift. The prophetic example of Amos and Isaiah, shouting out the injustices loudly in righteous anger, may need to be set aside for the example of a Nehemiah who whispered truth, gained the trust of power to influence power's heart, and then mobilized the people to act. Initiate reflection, then mobilize the people.

Social movements must push against open doors. This gathering of 1100 is part of a movement whose strategy is to build relationships within the walls of power, the walls of influence in order to inform and influence. But in that process, we must continue to push for change.

We've been living in a "greed economy," the the face of a "greed culture." Rich Stearns, president of World Vision brought this point home when he talked about "the hole in our gospel," (also the title of his book). As Christians, we have bought into the greed economy. A revision of Matthew 25 makes the point: "I was hungry, and you ate more. I was thirsty, and you drank bottled water. I was naked, and you said you needed more clothes. I was sick, and you pointed out my behaviors that led to my disease. I was in prison, and you said that I got what I deserved."

This is only the first hour of Monday.