Holy Boldness guest seeks justice for common good

Sample

By Rachel L. Toalson
Staff Writer
The Rev. Tex Sample can name many churches that fight hard for justice in the lives of the poverty-stricken, minorities or the down-and-out.
Then there are a few Methodist churches in Missouri.
A Missouri group fighting the death penalty asked the United Methodist congregations if they would play host to a state meeting, Sample said. Each church said no. The group was too “controversial,” even though its position was consistent with The United Methodist Church Book of Discipline.
“It’s horrible that Methodist congregations would be that cowardly,” said Sam-ple, coordinator of the Network for the Study of U.S. Life-styles and former professor of church and society at UM-related St. Paul School of Theology in Kansas City, Mo. “If we can’t stand up on the things the church takes a stand on, what are we, then? A bunch of mouthy, singing-praise people.”
Sample is to be the guest strategist at the second session of the Holy Boldness Urban Ministry Academy Jan. 18-20 at Travis Park UMC, San Antonio.
The Holy Boldness academy is a two-year, six-session training program designed to show clergy and laity leaders ways to transform congregational life in city churches. The Office of New Church Development and Transformation is sponsoring the effort.
Holy Boldness covers seven themes in the first year. Themes for the second session are:
> Developing and strengthening multicultural relationships.
> Eradicating racism.
> Leadership development.
Sample is to focus on justice for the common good.
“Basically, we’ve tended in the United States to reduce justice to a procedural justice of rights,” he said. “And that’s not in keeping with what I would regard as the tradition of the Christian faith. Our tradition is justice based on the common good.
“When we allow the state or anyone else to reduce justice to rights, we’ve made a terrible mistake. The notion of the common good is far richer and is also something we desperately need. When you reduce (justice) to rights, you get competing groups and personalities struggling against each other rather than working together for common good.”
Sample said he isn’t suggesting that the church should take no interest in human rights. But refusing to pursue justice for the common good is to “lose the Lordship of Christ,” Sample said.
Focusing on justice for the common good could take many forms, Sample said. For instance, congregations could participate in community organizing and bringing people together from a variety of perspectives to work toward the common good.
Churches could organize interfaith organizations and look for ways to improve the common good in their communities, he said.
Congregations could also encourage members and visitors to be good citizens and participate in “politics across both religious traditions and secular tradition in pursuit of the common good,” Sample said.
During his speech, he said he would give leaders specific examples of what they might do to get more involved in their communities.
Workshops at the second session include:
> Discovering Your Context for Ministry.
> Preaching for Transformation.
> Crossing Racial Lines.
> Bridge Builders.
> Overcoming Fear of Change.
Cost for the event is $30 per session for individuals. Congregations bringing four or more participants pay $25 per person.
Childcare is available for a fee.
The first Holy Boldness session was Sept. 28-30. The third session is set for March 28-30. Three more are scheduled for late 2008 and early 2009.
For more information about the academy, visit www.umcswtxprograms.org/holyboldness or contact the Office of New Church Development and Transformation.