Telling the Truth
Dear friends of Invested Faith,
I've been thinking a lot lately about telling the truth. I think most of us would say that telling the truth should always be our default, but a lot of times telling the truth hurts so we avoid, demure, recuse ourselves.
I find this to be true in our country these days and very, very true in faith communities. But poet Andrea Gibson wrote, “Even when the truth isn't hopeful, the telling of it is.” And I think the poet is right. Saying the hard thing is what helps us move toward the newness into which we are being called.
Some of the truth telling I’ve been trying to do is part of a brand new book that was published just last week. Written together with my brave and brilliant colleague, Rev. Dr. Dawn Darwin Weaks, Holy Disruption: A Manifesto for the Future of Faith Communities is now available. The book is a six week study for small groups and a good read for individuals who want to learn stories of hopeful disruption, along with a theology that leads us all toward resurrection. These stories offer a glimpse into the network of good built by over 70 Invested Faith Fellows and others working across the country to create meaningful change in their communities.
And so, this email comes to you with the hope of truth-telling:
Our communities need the work of Invested Faith Fellows more than ever.Can you give a generous gift?
We have more potential Fellows than we can fund, and we need your help. Will your faith community make Invested Faith part of your mission budget to expand the reach of your missional impact?
Sometimes our faith communities need to end their institutional lives as they’ve known them. Talk with Invested Faith about how telling that truth can turn into beautiful hope.
Join me in telling the truth, even if the truth hurts, because that’s exactly where we’ll find the truth that will guide our future.
With deep gratitude,
Small Group Resource: Holy Disruption
Rev. Drs. Amy Butler and Dawn Darwin Weaks have teamed up to created a brand new resource for faith communities to faithfully consider this moment of shift in which we find ourselves. Holy Disruption: A Manifesto for the Future of Faith Communities is a book of stories - “stories of people on intrepid expeditions to live into questions about what’s next for the future of faith communities—stories of people who left what the institution normally looked like to see what it could look like, with or without permission to do so, and stories of people willing to risk everything to do exactly what faith calls us to do: love and care for our neighbors. These innovative, holy disruptors are social entrepreneurs, doing exactly what Jesus both did and taught. They are planting seeds in places traditional institutions have overlooked or cast aside, or simply no longer have the capacity to consider serving.”
Butler and Weaks tell the stories of faith communities imagining this new path forward and share some important discoveries: “What we’ve learned from these holy disruptors is that it’s a mistake, if not a blatant sin, to limit our definitions of faith community to familiar buildings with stained-glass windows and pews, to traditional structures of leadership, or even to rituals that comfort and define our communities. We’d be wise to remember that Jesus spent very little time in institutional committee meetings, necessary as they sometimes are. He didn’t even mention writing bylaws to start a new religion. Faith community happened around him, seemingly organically, in all kinds of places; and it always involved relationships, care for neighbors, and a challenge to move toward justice, more easily taken on together. With what kind of expansive imagination would we live out our faith if we were able to recognize and nurture growing faith communities in places beyond traditional church buildings and at times other than 11 o’clock on Sunday mornings?"
Read an excerpt from Holy Disruption: A Manifest for the Future of Faith Communities here.
Small Group Study and a visit with Pastor Amy
Are you looking for a way to have a meaningful conversation about resurrection, hope, and breaking out of our traditional boxes? Holy Disruption: A Manifest for the Future of Faith Communities is perfect for your small group this fall to ask hard questions about the future and to imagine resurrection. And, as a bonus, if you select this book for your fall book study, Pastor Amy will zoom into one of your small group meetings for a Q&A session. Contact us here for more info.
