My husband and I have been blessed with the opportunity to attend an incredible and historic gathering of people from all around the world who are convening their hearts, minds, and resources around ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
I must admit, attending the conference was not originally on my radar. In fact, it was so not on my radar, that I wasn't even aware it was happening, even though it was scheduled to take place only minutes from my home.
This is the first time in almost 30 years that the conference has been held on US soil, and God in His infinite wisdom decided that Kendrick and I would be among the thousands to participate.
We are participating at the invitation of Rick and Kay Warren, so you know that means it is no accident that we are at the conference--it's definitely "on purpose." From the way things have gone so far, God is actually achieving multiple purposes in having us attend this conference.
He is stretching us through an object lesson that shows us what it really means wo walk where Jesus did. Sure, we traveled to the Holy Land earlier this year and literally traced the footsteps of Jesus. But, in availing ourselves to learn to be more hospitable to those who are treated as outcasts and modern-day lepers because of HIV/AIDS, we are walking spiritually where Jesus walked--with those considered "untouchable" or "unclean."
Of course, we know that people living with HIV/AIDS are neither untouchable or unclean, but too many in society and the church continue to operate from those errant beliefs.
It has been such an honor to hear and be a part of the voices that represent the growing commitment of the body of Christ to agree to disagree on issues regarding sexuality, but agree like Jesus did, to walk with those who regardless of their actions, are still created in the image of God and deserve the opportunity to experience the healing, liberating love of Jesus Christ. As one of the speakers from Africa noted, too often the church is ready to send people to Hell before God has even had an opportunity to invite them to Heaven.
As followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to share the gospel and tend to those in need of clothing, food, shelter and healing. When we tend to the physical needs of those in need, we embody the gospel message in ways that go far beyond our words. We also, as my friend Steve Fitzhugh used to say, "earn the right to be heard."
And, when it comes to being heard, our job is to sow the seed and let God take care of the increase. We simply let the Word do what only it can do and we leave the timetable for transformation to God.
As the largest institution on the planet, with billions of members in cities, hamlets, hills and villages worldwide, the church cannot afford to be silent or to stand still with something as serious as HIV/AIDS swirling all around us.
We know that God's plan for sexual expression does not include turning that which is divinely designed to be life-giving into a life sentence or even worse, a death sentence. Consequently, we must do all we can to walk and talk with the next generation to help them make better choices--to help them choose life.
We must also walk and talk with those living with HIV/AIDS to help give them hope--that God can heal their body, mind and soul.
If Jesus were walking the earth today, I don't think He would walk away from this issue just because it's difficult to navigate. I actually think it would be just the opposite. I think Jesus would gravitate toward this issue because of its difficulty and demonstrate that with God, nothing is impossible.
Everyone may not have the opportunity to travel to the Holy Land and trace Jesus' physical footsteps, but in stepping up to the challenge of joining the fight to end HIV/AIDS, we can all walk where Jesus did--with the left out, the lonely, the least and the lost.
BNcouraged!
Rev. Karen
A weekly posting of encouraging and challenging thoughts about life from Rev. Karen W. Curry, a pastor's wife and mother of two who is also --in her "spare time"-- a dynamic preacher, teacher, motivational speaker, facilitator, writer, reviewer, poet, MC, liturgical dance/drama consultant and storyteller. Contact Rev. Karen at BNcouraged247@msn.com to speak at your next service or retreat.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!
In the movie, "A Few Good Men," Jack Nicholson belted out a phrase that became an iconic Hollywood line, "You can't handle the truth!"
Sometimes, when it comes to dealing straightforward with the things that have held us bound for generations, some of us decide to stay bound because we can't handle the truth.
The path to freedom often includes passageways and doorways we simply do not want to open. The irony is , the more we guard those doors and fight to keep them closed, the more we shut ourselves in and shut freedom out.
The Lord has given my husband, Kendrick Curry, a vision to gather families on a regular basis to join together and tackle the tough issues that have held us down for far too long--issues like Domestic Violence that make our families and homes battlegrounds instead of sanctuaries.
The challenge is, we have to fight, push, and prod some folks to deal with the real. Many of us are personally familiar with the challenges the African-American family faces, particularly the devaluing of the role of the father in the family unit. We see it, live it and breathe it every day, but we don't want to address it.
Instead, we let our issues pile up under the rug where we hide everything else, until we are not only shut tight behind the doors that are supposed to lead to our freedom, but we become trapped behind the ever expanding pile of debris, like compulsive hoarders.
This year's Family Summit is designed to deal with the fatherhood issue head on --not in any way condemning to fathers, but simply attempting to hit the reset button to give fathers, and families as a whole, an opportunity to move forward instead of in circles and cycles.
It's time to go below the surface if we want true healing to occur in our homes and in our communities. However, if you are only interested in putting a bandaid on your issues, then the Family Summits are not for you. If you are only interested in coming out when we have a moonbounce, cotton candy and hot fish in the deep fryer, but not when we are giving a no-frills escape plan to break free from the tricks of the enemy, the Family Summits are not for you. If you can't handle the truth, the Family Summits are definitely not for you.
But if you understand that "ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free," then you will not let anything keep you from sowing seeds of truth and uprooting seeds of destruction in your life.
God provides many opportunities for us to be healed from the inside out. The Family Summits are just one mechanism. Be determined to get in an atmosphere where you can be transformed by the renewing of your mind and help set future generations of your family on course for a future and a hope. God will honor the desires of your heart and direct you to a path of help and healing. If that path leads toward the Family Summit, meet us this Friday, July 20 at 6pm and Saturday, July 21 at 8:30am at 3000 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE and let's work together to not only handle the truth, but rightly divide the Word of truth so we can be set free. For, whom the Son sets free is free indeed!
BNcouraged! (emphasis on the "couraged")
Rev. Karen
Sometimes, when it comes to dealing straightforward with the things that have held us bound for generations, some of us decide to stay bound because we can't handle the truth.
The path to freedom often includes passageways and doorways we simply do not want to open. The irony is , the more we guard those doors and fight to keep them closed, the more we shut ourselves in and shut freedom out.
The Lord has given my husband, Kendrick Curry, a vision to gather families on a regular basis to join together and tackle the tough issues that have held us down for far too long--issues like Domestic Violence that make our families and homes battlegrounds instead of sanctuaries.
The challenge is, we have to fight, push, and prod some folks to deal with the real. Many of us are personally familiar with the challenges the African-American family faces, particularly the devaluing of the role of the father in the family unit. We see it, live it and breathe it every day, but we don't want to address it.
Instead, we let our issues pile up under the rug where we hide everything else, until we are not only shut tight behind the doors that are supposed to lead to our freedom, but we become trapped behind the ever expanding pile of debris, like compulsive hoarders.
This year's Family Summit is designed to deal with the fatherhood issue head on --not in any way condemning to fathers, but simply attempting to hit the reset button to give fathers, and families as a whole, an opportunity to move forward instead of in circles and cycles.
It's time to go below the surface if we want true healing to occur in our homes and in our communities. However, if you are only interested in putting a bandaid on your issues, then the Family Summits are not for you. If you are only interested in coming out when we have a moonbounce, cotton candy and hot fish in the deep fryer, but not when we are giving a no-frills escape plan to break free from the tricks of the enemy, the Family Summits are not for you. If you can't handle the truth, the Family Summits are definitely not for you.
But if you understand that "ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free," then you will not let anything keep you from sowing seeds of truth and uprooting seeds of destruction in your life.
God provides many opportunities for us to be healed from the inside out. The Family Summits are just one mechanism. Be determined to get in an atmosphere where you can be transformed by the renewing of your mind and help set future generations of your family on course for a future and a hope. God will honor the desires of your heart and direct you to a path of help and healing. If that path leads toward the Family Summit, meet us this Friday, July 20 at 6pm and Saturday, July 21 at 8:30am at 3000 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE and let's work together to not only handle the truth, but rightly divide the Word of truth so we can be set free. For, whom the Son sets free is free indeed!
BNcouraged! (emphasis on the "couraged")
Rev. Karen
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Magnum, P.I.
Some of you may remember the old television series, Magnum, P.I. starring Tom Selleck. Tom played the role of a private investigator, or P.I., who always got the job done, despite the challenges that came his way.
I heard someone refer to a woman as a "praise instigator" today, and my mind immediately saw the intials, "P.I." My chain reaction mind then took me, of course, to "Magnum, P.I.", hence the title of today's blog.
The word "magnum" implies greatest, maximum, strongest. Just imagine what happens when we function as spiritual "Magnum, P.I.s" or magnum praise instigators.
That would mean we would boldly initiate praise whenever we had the chance. It would mean that we would let nothing stop us or stand in our way when it came to praising the Lord and encouraging others to do the same.
Sometimes, the trials and tribulations of life can really start to get the best of us. It is during those times that a Magnum P.I. reminds us to give our most excellent, maximum, strongest praise in proportion to the depth of our challenge. Maurette Brown Clark said it best, "...and the harder it gets, the harder I praise..."
No matter how tough things got for Mr. Magnum, the viewers always knew that Magnum would be victorious in the end. Why did we know that? Because it was in the script!
No matter how tough things get for us on this side of glory, we can rest assure that we will be victorious in the end. How do we know that? Because it's in the script--the Scripture, that is!
God has already told us that we are more than conquerors through Jesus Christ and that we are overcomers. Satan often tries to get us to forget and forfeit this truth to make us give up before we cross the finish line.
Just like Magnum always put the bad guys in their place, we also put the enemy underfoot when we become Magnum P.I.s for Jesus, even if it means giving Him a sacrifice of praise. Remember, God inhabits the praises of His people, so the more "magnum" our praise, the more space we are creating for God to do what only He can do in our lives.
BNcouraged!
Rev. Karen
I heard someone refer to a woman as a "praise instigator" today, and my mind immediately saw the intials, "P.I." My chain reaction mind then took me, of course, to "Magnum, P.I.", hence the title of today's blog.
The word "magnum" implies greatest, maximum, strongest. Just imagine what happens when we function as spiritual "Magnum, P.I.s" or magnum praise instigators.
That would mean we would boldly initiate praise whenever we had the chance. It would mean that we would let nothing stop us or stand in our way when it came to praising the Lord and encouraging others to do the same.
Sometimes, the trials and tribulations of life can really start to get the best of us. It is during those times that a Magnum P.I. reminds us to give our most excellent, maximum, strongest praise in proportion to the depth of our challenge. Maurette Brown Clark said it best, "...and the harder it gets, the harder I praise..."
No matter how tough things got for Mr. Magnum, the viewers always knew that Magnum would be victorious in the end. Why did we know that? Because it was in the script!
No matter how tough things get for us on this side of glory, we can rest assure that we will be victorious in the end. How do we know that? Because it's in the script--the Scripture, that is!
God has already told us that we are more than conquerors through Jesus Christ and that we are overcomers. Satan often tries to get us to forget and forfeit this truth to make us give up before we cross the finish line.
Just like Magnum always put the bad guys in their place, we also put the enemy underfoot when we become Magnum P.I.s for Jesus, even if it means giving Him a sacrifice of praise. Remember, God inhabits the praises of His people, so the more "magnum" our praise, the more space we are creating for God to do what only He can do in our lives.
BNcouraged!
Rev. Karen
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
How Great is Our God!
How great is our God!
Sing with me
How great is our God!
And, all the world will see
How great, how great
is our God!
I had the indescribeable joy of singing that praise song this morning. What made it so special you ask? The fact that I was singing it in Spanish and Portuguese while attending the Baptist World Alliance meeting in Santiago, Chile.
I don't speak Spanish or Portuguese, yet, with the words emblazoned on the large screen in front of me and the familiar tune ringing in my head as well as in the voices of all those in the room, I was able to sing what I can't even speak.
Singing that song in the presence of worshippers from all around the world gave new meaning to the verse that says, "All the world will see how great is our God!"
Truly...How great is our God!
Only God can take me somewhere I've never been and have me doing things I've never done, all while having me meet people I've never met, but have so much in common with.
Only God can have my husband and I meet people here in Santiago, Chile who grew up in our home towns or who have ministered in some of the same areas where we have served. People who are fellow Americans, but whom we would never have met face to face by remaining on US soil.
When God gathers his children together in one place, at one time, on one accord, you know He is up to something! And, what an honor for my husband and I to be a part of that great "something" that God is preparing. The fact that I was here as I celebrated my birthday on July 1 also reminds me that God started that "something" in my life even before I was born in the womb.
One of the "somethings" that God has already revealed to me is the depth of arrogance and insensitivity we Americans have to acknowledge and get rid of. Many persons on the hotel staff and surrounding venues here in Santiago do not speak English at all or speak very little of it. I have never had a Spanish lesson in my life, but the little bit I have picked up here and there has helped me tremendously in communicating with the locals here. For a change, I have had to be the one to work to be understood instead of expecting everyone around me to indulge me by speaking my language.
Starting today, all of the Americans will have to use headsets during the sessions and listen to everything through translators. It has usually been the other way around, regardless of what country the meeting has been held in. No more "easy street" for us Americans--and it's about time.
I heartily commend BWA General Secretary Neville Callam for stretching us and working to make the "W" in BWA true to it's name--World. After all, this is not the Baptist American Alliance, but the Baptist World Alliance. The beauty of allowing followers of Jesus Christ from around the world to more fully experience our time together is that we are all strengthened by one another's authenticity--not by imposing one culture (American) on the rest of the world. Hasn't that approach gotten us in enough trouble over the years?
In order for us to truly be one in the bond of love and the body of Christ, we must first all be who God made us to be individually. It is in the collection of individuals united in the bond of Jesus Christ that we experience a unique oneness that can only be found in God.
I miss being in the US for all of the Independence Day celebrations today. But, in connecting me to my Christian brothers and sisters from around the world, God has given me a level of independence and freedom far beyond my fondest American past-times of family, food, and fireworks.
If you have not yet traveled outside of your country or your comfort zone, ask God to make a way for you to do so. It's one thing to stay inside the comfortable and familiar walls of your own church home and sing your favorite hymns and praise songs. But it's only when you get out and see God's great creation, see the faces of your brothers and sisters across the world and join hands and hearts with them in total praise that you will finally see...
How Great is our God!
BNcouraged!
Rev. Karen
Sing with me
How great is our God!
And, all the world will see
How great, how great
is our God!
I had the indescribeable joy of singing that praise song this morning. What made it so special you ask? The fact that I was singing it in Spanish and Portuguese while attending the Baptist World Alliance meeting in Santiago, Chile.
I don't speak Spanish or Portuguese, yet, with the words emblazoned on the large screen in front of me and the familiar tune ringing in my head as well as in the voices of all those in the room, I was able to sing what I can't even speak.
Singing that song in the presence of worshippers from all around the world gave new meaning to the verse that says, "All the world will see how great is our God!"
Truly...How great is our God!
Only God can take me somewhere I've never been and have me doing things I've never done, all while having me meet people I've never met, but have so much in common with.
Only God can have my husband and I meet people here in Santiago, Chile who grew up in our home towns or who have ministered in some of the same areas where we have served. People who are fellow Americans, but whom we would never have met face to face by remaining on US soil.
When God gathers his children together in one place, at one time, on one accord, you know He is up to something! And, what an honor for my husband and I to be a part of that great "something" that God is preparing. The fact that I was here as I celebrated my birthday on July 1 also reminds me that God started that "something" in my life even before I was born in the womb.
One of the "somethings" that God has already revealed to me is the depth of arrogance and insensitivity we Americans have to acknowledge and get rid of. Many persons on the hotel staff and surrounding venues here in Santiago do not speak English at all or speak very little of it. I have never had a Spanish lesson in my life, but the little bit I have picked up here and there has helped me tremendously in communicating with the locals here. For a change, I have had to be the one to work to be understood instead of expecting everyone around me to indulge me by speaking my language.
Starting today, all of the Americans will have to use headsets during the sessions and listen to everything through translators. It has usually been the other way around, regardless of what country the meeting has been held in. No more "easy street" for us Americans--and it's about time.
I heartily commend BWA General Secretary Neville Callam for stretching us and working to make the "W" in BWA true to it's name--World. After all, this is not the Baptist American Alliance, but the Baptist World Alliance. The beauty of allowing followers of Jesus Christ from around the world to more fully experience our time together is that we are all strengthened by one another's authenticity--not by imposing one culture (American) on the rest of the world. Hasn't that approach gotten us in enough trouble over the years?
In order for us to truly be one in the bond of love and the body of Christ, we must first all be who God made us to be individually. It is in the collection of individuals united in the bond of Jesus Christ that we experience a unique oneness that can only be found in God.
I miss being in the US for all of the Independence Day celebrations today. But, in connecting me to my Christian brothers and sisters from around the world, God has given me a level of independence and freedom far beyond my fondest American past-times of family, food, and fireworks.
If you have not yet traveled outside of your country or your comfort zone, ask God to make a way for you to do so. It's one thing to stay inside the comfortable and familiar walls of your own church home and sing your favorite hymns and praise songs. But it's only when you get out and see God's great creation, see the faces of your brothers and sisters across the world and join hands and hearts with them in total praise that you will finally see...
How Great is our God!
BNcouraged!
Rev. Karen
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