This day started out with an incredible treat. Fred Craddock preached the title, “What Shall I Do With the Gift?” And what a gift it was! He is as sharp as ever. Absolutely wonderful! All preachers struggle with the difficulty of fulfilling one’s calling. Some choose to deny they have the gift. Others deny they have it and try to give it back. Still others try to divide it up among myriad staff members. Some grudgingly accept it as a neccesity. Still others complain. Some flaunt it. And some even try to get rid of it. The shocking conclusion was put into the words of Jesus, in KJV language no less. “I must needs go!”
Brian Blount shared an exegesis of Mark 1 with us and then preached on it, sharing his frustration with never having heard a clear and audible voice from God while so many others claim to have done so.
In the afternoon we heard from Biana Butler Bass. She shared her take from the perspective of a historian on the condition of the mainline church in the midst of widespread media reports of the decline of religion. She states that we are in the midst of a monumental shift in the church and that we must embrace it to move forward.
The evening was marked by a powerful musical gift from the Choir of Victory Church and sermon by Kenneth Samuel, challenging us to make our voices heard for justice.
