We didn’t incinerate last week!
We didn’t incinerate last week, praise the Lord!
Last week’s newsletter article and both/and video, both prompted by reactions to the Charlie Kirk assassination and related topics, were the first ones in my 14+ years of doing citywide unity work that I “field-tested” in advance! I sought feedback from more than a dozen people who I knew represented various sides of the spectrum (oversimplified as those who see Kirk as a hero, and those who see him as a villain). Several encouraged me to go forward – but to expect to get hammered. One of my board members said, in essence, “This may not produce the dialogue you’re hoping for, but silence for sure won’t.”
Cancelled
For a ministry like ours, there are easy ways to measure both success and quick death (aka, “going up in flames”):
A rash of unsubscribes → there were none last week
Cancelled financial supporters → there were none in the last 7 days
Hate mail in a variety of forums → none was received
There are certainly times that God asks us to do something that will be highly unpopular. He’ll also give us the courage to say yes when He asks – if we’re willing to let Him. For the vast majority of cases in America (99.9%+), the pushback we might receive won’t involve physical violence. We are still a highly blessed nation. But the warning signs keep increasing.
Hopeful
Here’s what gives me the most hope. I’m summarizing this enough that those involved may not even be able to self-identify, but four different highly-active people in our ministry – two of whom would lean heavily on the “Kirk is a hero” side of the spectrum and two on the “villian” side – said, “I don’t understand how a follower of Jesus can have a different perspective on this than the one I have… at all… but I’m willing to learn.”
Praise
the
Lord!
In Pastor Partners (a monthly gathering of African-American and Anglo pastors), we often lamented that we mostly represented the middle when it came to political perspectives – leaning significantly one way or the other, but rarely all the way on one side or the other. We wanted to dialogue with the black and white perspectives (no pun intended), but those weren’t typically the people who came!
Introducing… WayMaker Dialogues!
I’m thrilled to hand the rest of this over to one of our staff members from J17’s beginning, Tasha Campbell, who is following God’s calling into a new area of emphasis. The plan had been to launch in January. But God seems to be saying, “How about now?”
God works in mysterious ways, amen? While by nature I am not a person who runs toward conflict, this past summer I heard a call from the Lord that affirmed a passionate feeling that the Church – and by extension, the world – needs safe spaces to engage in difficult conversations. And that is what WayMaker Dialogues is all about.
While Jesus walked this earth in physical manifestation, we read that He never shied away from tough topics or “shady” characters. Rather, Christ met people right where they were (grace) and shared the Gospel message (truth). He wasn’t angry in these moments of dialogue but is moved, time and again, with compassion for people. Can we, followers of Christ 2000 years after His ministry, likewise set aside feelings of frustration and anger and pick up a spirit of compassion in our dialogue?
As Dave mentioned, my original interpretation of God’s plan for WayMaker Dialogues was to launch in January 2026. While there will be a wider array of topics and conversation groups promoted at that time, in light of recent events, it seems Holy Spirit has bumped up my timeline to NOW! Who am I to argue?
Time to talk
If you can identify with any of the following statements, consider joining the very first WayMaker Dialogues conversation group! The date is yet to be determined but our first (and possibly only) meeting will either be at 6:30pm on Tuesday, October 14, or Wednesday, October 15.
Charlie Kirk was an amazing evangelist.
Charlie Kirk’s “gospel” isn’t good news for many.
Charlie Kirk encouraged open respectful conversation.
Charlie Kirk sought to sow discord through his speech.
Charlie Kirk is a martyr for the Christian faith.
Charlie Kirk’s death is tragic, but he didn’t die for his faith in Jesus.
Charlie Kirk’s legacy will be part of a national revival, especially among GenZ.
Charlie Kirk’s legacy moves us one step closer to civil war in multiple arenas.
Ideally, this will be a mixed group of individuals, people from various walks of life with lots of opinions represented. The purpose: to not only meet someone who thinks differently than you, but to also engage in healthy “help me understand” conversation.
Ready to say ‘yes’ to both grace and truth? Email me (tasha@j17ministries.org) that you would like to participate, commenting as well on your preferred meeting day (Tuesday or Wednesday). We – the Body of Christ – can disagree about the “nonessentials” but Christ Himself calls us to be a light in the world through our unity. And in order to be one, just as the Son and the Father are One, we have to start talking with one another.
Dave Drum, Founder
Tasha Campbell, Community Liaison
