On Sunday, July 12, we will begin a new sermon series called UNDIVIDED. I have been honored to collaborate with over 25 other pastors from Charleston area churches to make this a City-Wide Sermon Series. We’ll be taking 3 weeks in each of our churches to “unpack” the powerful Old Testament verse; Micah 6:8! That verse is actually Micah’s answer to a list of soul-searching questions the prophet asked himself in verses 6-7. Questions like, “With what shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before God on high?” (When I read those verses I feel like I’m peering into the prophet’s spiritual journal.) Micah answers his questions in verse 8; “He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you, but to DO JUSTICE, to LOVE MERCY, and to WALK HUMBLY WITH YOUR GOD.”
I am very excited the LORD is leading this City-Wide movement. For me, this is an extension of what the LORD stirred in my heart back in January, as I prayed through what discipleship topic I should lead during our Sunday afternoon classes. At that time, the LORD led me to the resource THE CHURCH and the RACIAL DIVIDE. That group that formed became a great starting place of conversation here at Riverbluff for our next season of ministry. None of us who participated then, had any idea that the LORD was actually preparing our hearts for a soon and coming national crisis.
As our nation exploded over the very public murder of George Floyd, it became clear to me that the LORD was “requiring something” of us. Because of Jesus’ teaching that GOD is always at work around us, (see John 5:17), I became immediately convinced that GOD was allowing, maybe even bringing this “national-quaking” to awaken HIS people to a division that many had hoped had been relegated to the past. I believe the LORD is revealing that the problems are much broader, the division caused by sin much deeper, and that hearts and souls of many of our Black and Brown neighbors remain profoundly and justly hurt by the sin of racism. I also believe that if we ignore this, hoping it will somehow just all go away, we will forever become “the priest” in Jesus’ Parable of the Good Samaritan.
Believe me when I say that I am not deluded enough to believe I have the answers to all the complex, painful questions, but I know that the Gospel of Jesus does! I am also convinced that we will only see GOD reveal those answers to us when we ask the kind of soul-searching, difficult questions like Micah did. I’m praying you’ll join us every Sunday at 11am for the next 3 weeks on our YouTube Channel, as we seek to start a painful conversation, and begin the very difficult journey of seeking the LORD’s healing for our nation.
Collaborating Charleston Area Churches
Awaken Church
Cathedral Church of St. Luke and St. Paul
The Church at Cane Bay
The Church at Sewee Bay
Citadel Square Baptist Church
City Life Church
Coastal Community Church
DeepWater Church
First Baptist Church of Charleston
First Baptist Church of Ravenel
Fort Johnson Baptist
Freedom Church
Grace Christian Fellowship
Holy Cross Anglican
Journey Church
Kings Cross Church
The Church at LifePark
Northbridge Baptist Church
One Fellowship
Risen Hope Church
Riverbluff Church
Riverland Church
Seacoast Church
St. Andrew’s Church
St. Andrew’s Park Circle
St. Michael’s Church
Uptown Church
Wando Woods Baptist Church
I give thanks to GOD when I think of you in the struggle to see the blessing of GOD come to our nation
-Pastor Joe Still
