WEDNESDAY'S WORD - FACTIONS - Sadell Bradley - 06/29/2022

 

WEDNESDAY'S WORD FACTIONS 6/29/2022 “Every faction conditions its members to think and act a certain way. And most people do it. For most people, it's not hard to learn, to find a pattern of thought that works and stay that way. But our minds move in a dozen different directions. We can't be confined to one way of thinking, and that terrifies our leaders. It means we can't be controlled. And it means that no matter what they do, we will always cause trouble for them.” - Veronica Roth - Divergent Author

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"Faction before blood." That's the premise behind the best selling Divergent science fiction books and movies by Veronica Roth. The story takes place in a dystopian and post-apocalyptic Chicago. Dystopian is an imaginary society where there is great suffering and injustice. Post-apocalyptic means it's set in the time after a catastrophic event like a nuclear war. In dystopian Chicago, the people are divided into five distinct factions based on human virtues: Abnegation (the selfless), Amity (the peaceful), Candor (the honest), Dauntless (the brave), and Erudite (the intellectual). The remaining population, the Factionless, have no status or privilege. These factions are at odds with each other and must be separated to maintain a 'false peace.' The main character Beatrice Prior (Tris), is told she is divergent (different) and will never fit into any one of the factions. It is interesting—check it out. It seems these days we are bent on dividing ourselves into FACTIONS - small organized dissenting groups within a larger one, especially in politics. A faction is also the state of conflict or dissension itself. We are all watching (or participating) as the Country and even the Church divide into factions. People are protesting or celebrating—warring and pontificating on social media about a variety of complex subjects. Many disagreements ignore nuances and grays, and stand offs don't bring about peace, empathy, or understanding.. Factions are listed as one of the 'works of the flesh' in Galatians 5."19The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions (disagreement that leads to discord), factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God." The Greek word for factions is hairesis, from which we get heresies. A heresy is defined as belief or opinion contrary to orthodox religious (especially Christian) doctrine; an opinion profoundly at odds with what is generally accepted. The Lexicon describes hairesis as a self-chosen opinion, a religious or philosophical sect, discord, or contention. But according to this Galatians passage...it's not just the contrary belief that is a work of the flesh—but also the fostering/perpetuating of an atmosphere of discord, disagreement, and dissension. This shows that you could possibly be right and wrong at the same time—right about what you believe, but wrong about how you present it. Maybe these situations call for Divergent folks.

WEDNESDAY'S WORD - SILENCE - Sadell Bradley - 06/22/2022

 

WEDNESDAY'S WORD SILENCE 6/22/2022 "In the end we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends." - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. JOIN US TONIGHT AT 7PM!! WEDNESDAY BIBLE STUDY CREATE SERIES: PLAY SKILLFULLY @warehouseOTR Facebook & YouTube In 1965, Simon and Garfunkel released a song entitled "The Sound of Silence." It was inspired by the friendship of Art Garfunkel and Sanford 'Sandy' Greenberg his roommate at Columbia University who went blind as glaucoma destroyed his optic nerve. Initially, Greenberg believed he would have to drop out of school, but his loyal friend Art shadowed him, vowing to be his eyes. Garfunkel even began to refer to himself as "Darkness"— a show of empathy for what his friend was going through. He said, ‘I want to be together where you are, in the black.’ He'd tell Sandy, "Darkness is going to read to you now."  Art kept watch over Sandy's every move until he developed the confidence to operate on his own. One day Garfunkel wanted to record a song but needed $400 for the session. Sandy had just $404 to his name, but gladly gave all but $4 to his friend Art, who recorded the now famous song The Sound of Silence. Its first lyrics,"Hello Darkness, my old friend..." are a testament to their brotherly love. Don't we all desire to have or be a friend like this! Sandy Greenberg went on to receive his master's degree from Harvard and Oxford. He became a businessman and philanthropist giving millions to blind research. Listen to The Sound of Silence here. It's lyrics and music are profound: And in the naked light, I saw Ten thousand people, maybe more People talking without speaking People hearing without listening People writing songs that voices never shared And no one dared Disturb the sound of silence The dictionary says SILENCE is the complete absence of sound; the fact or state of abstaining from speech; the avoidance of mentioning or discussing something. Silence is also a verb—to prohibit or prevent someone from speaking; to stop or suppress a sound or nose. Ecclesiastes 3:7 tells us that there is "A time to tear, And a time to mend; a time to keep silence and a time to speak." If you're like me, there are times when you wonder if you've properly placed those. Have you spoken during the time for silence? Or did you remain silent when you should have spoken? I did not realize that silence had a sound. The older I get the more I realize that, like Dr. King said above...people make very clear statements with their silence. Silence can say, "I'm with you," but silence can also say, "I'm not on your side...you're on your own." We've all given someone the punishment of "the silent treatment." Silence can affirm and silence can reject. Silence can even scream. Some people believe their silence brings safety and comfort. Is silence the best option because it keeps us unexposed and under the radar? Sometimes there is wisdom in being silent, but other occasions call for our voices to be raised. As I've looked around the atrocities of these days, I hear loud voices on the fringes, but mostly I hear a lot of silence, Disenfranchised people have said they experience this silence as violence—a display of apathy and abandonment when they'd hoped for allies. That means that even silence can be weaponized. The Sound of Silence's lyrics say, "The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls, in tenement halls. And whispered in the sound of silence." Your silence speaks.

WEDNESDAY'S WORD - STAMINA - Sadell Bradley - 06/15/2022

 

WEDNESDAY'S WORD STAMINA 6/15/2022 "Grit is that 'extra something' that separates the most successful people from the rest. It's the passion, perseverance, and stamina that we must channel in order to stick with our dreams until they become a reality." -Travis Bradberry - Author JOIN US TONIGHT AT 7PM!! WEDNESDAY BIBLE STUDY CREATE SERIES: CREATIVE BEGINNINGS @warehouseOTR Facebook & YouTube Several weeks ago I started an aerobic exercise program that has three levels that increase in intensity. Of course the fitness guru does all the exercises with ease, smiling through them while encouraging us viewers that we can do it...as we pant for our lives! Some of the exercises are simple and easy; others not so much—as we work to stretch and strengthen muscles that have rarely if ever been used. One purpose behind moving from level to level with the exercises is to increase our strength, flexibility, and stamina. This is done by a lot of sometimes painful repetitions that exhaust the muscle. Who knew you sometimes need to take yourself to your limit in order to really grow? Have you ever started an exercise routine and then the same week...looked at yourself in the mirror or weighed yourself to see if pounds and inches had fallen off? Uh...you haven't been doing it long enough yet. The natural mirrors the spiritual—some things take years to achieve...maybe you haven't been doing it long enough and you need stamina. Webster defines STAMINA as the bodily or mental capacity to sustain a prolonged stressful effort or activity: endurance; or the moral or emotional strength to continue with a difficult process, effort, etc.: staying power. Endurance, whether in marriage and family, business, or ministry, means you're in it for the long haul and you will persevere no matter the season. I'm wondering if anyone told you as a child that you had to build your physical, mental, moral, and emotional stamina to have a good quality of life. Did they explain that some of the more difficult/ strenuous situations you face are building your strength? I don't recall that conversation. Even our engagement in the things of God requires stamina. The writer of Hebrews chided the Believing Jews, calling them sluggish of hearing because they were disinclined to listen to spiritual truth. He said, 12For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 14But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." (Hebrews 5:12-14) In this way, spiritual growth and maturity is like lean muscle mass in exercise—if you don't use it...you lose it. These days our culture is strongly against doing anything difficult, exhausting, or strenuous, whether physical or spiritual. The CDC (Center for Disease Control) reports that in 2020 nearly 74% of Americans were overweight or obese (40% were obese). Many Christians are spiritually fat, having spent years under teaching and in worship services yet doing nothing to exercise or activate their faith. Here's a question—"If God gave you what you're asking Him for, would you have the stamina (physical, mental, emotional, financial, relational, spiritual) to do it?"

WEDNESDAY'S WORD - EXPOSURE - Sadell Bradley 6/8/2022

 

WEDNESDAY'S WORD EXPOSURE 6/8/2022 "We pay a price when we deprive children of the exposure to the values, principles, and education they need to make them good citizens." - Sandra Day O'Connor - Supreme Court Justice JOIN US TONIGHT AT 7PM!! WEDNESDAY BIBLE STUDY NEW SERIES: CREATE! @warehouseOTR Facebook & YouTube My mother was a school teacher, and a former City accountant. She was the first in our family to graduate from college and held a high value for education of all types. Exposing me to all kind of things and people was high on her priority list. We traveled to other cities and even a few countries by car, train, bus, and plane. We visited the Atlantic ocean yearly. She took me to Broadway plays, musicals and concerts, to the ballet, museums, and her yearly class trip to the Philadelphia Zoo. I traveled abroad to England. The Quaker school I attended was filled with students and teachers of all ethnicities, social classes, genders, and religions. EXPOSURE, in this case meaning the state of experiencing or in contact with something or someone, was something that I took for granted. Last Sunday, The Warehouse Church held the first of three Summer Worship events in Cincinnati's Washington Park. CLICK HERE TO SEE PHOTOS! It is a combination worship service, festival, and community meal. Last week, as I listened to the news, a woman was bemoaning the rising cost of gas and food. When asked how she would cope, she said, "I'll have to stop self-care and doing things with my kids." Sometimes when people minister in the inner city, they think only of the homeless. But there are more low-to-moderate income families, many headed by single mothers, who are struggling to make ends meet and do not have the means to do quality things with their children over the Summer. The Over The Rhine community in which we're located is multi-ethnic, inter-generational, and multi-class and so is our Church. One of the most hope-filled parts of doing this event is watching families from all ethnicities and classes experience what we offer together. This was the first time we've had a petting zoo and pony rides, and it was a hit! I thought it would be likely that many neighborhood children would not have been exposed to live farm animals. I wasn't expecting that their parents and grandparents, some over 50 years old, had never seen a real camel, llama, goat, etc. One man was so terrified to pet the goat and asked me to please do it first. I thought, wow...exposure is everything. Genesis 12:1-3 tells us that God blessed Abraham and his seed in order to bless all of the families of the earth. Some American ministries limit that blessing to the basics: food, clothing, shelter and maybe transportation. These are needed and many groups do a wonderful job providing essentials to the glory of God! At the Warehouse Church, OTR, we believe that spiritual transformation comes through the Word of God, the Holy Spirit, and a loving community—but often, natural transformation comes by the power of exposure to new people and things. It broadens your perspective on what's possible. We want the preached and demonstrated Good News to have the poor dreaming of what could be, experiencing things beyond their imagination, and seeing God's view of their value. Riding. a pony, winning a prize, getting a specially made balloon...are experiences that when added together, show God's love, that His people care, and that there may be more beyond the mundanity of the life being lived. So, as you notice folks struggling to make ends meet this Summer, maybe there's something you can do to relieve some pressure. Offer an experience of exposure for their family.