Tag: voices

Breaking it Down: The Sermon on the Mount Week 5

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By Jenna Walmer

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. “It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery. “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” Matthew 5: 27-37

This passage is difficult to discuss without being married, having divorced, or any experience in that area. However, Jesus addresses important lessons in these passages about marriage and commitment.

Jesus tells us that adultery is sin, in actions and in thoughts. In the Old Testament, it merely stated that breaking your promise to your spouse was wrong.  However, Jesus says that the thought of it is wrong as well. To be faithful to your spouse requires honesty from the body and mind. Also, he suggests that if one has lustful thoughts, he should not have lustful actions too.  Acting out these sinful desires is detrimental to marriages, relationships with God, and to oneself. It gives one an excuse to sin rather than stopping sinning. Also, wrongful actions turn people away from God.

Jesus then addresses divorce. Today, there is approximately fifty percent divorce rate in America. Divorce was also a problem in Jesus’ era too. In the Old Testament, God created marriage for a life time commitment. Jesus said that divorce is not excusable unless there is sexual immorality, which implies an immoral lifestyle. However, when a partner has been unfaithful, one should make every attempt to forgive and restore the relationship. This can apply to typical relationships as well. Always look to for ways to restore relationships rather than excuses to disband it.

Jesus emphasizes the importance of being truthful. It is crucial to keep oaths and promises. It builds relationships and trust with your peers. However, don’t make promises half-heartedly. Also, Jesus told his disciples not to utilize oaths because their word alone should be good enough. Get in the habit of being truthful so you don’t have to add, “I promise” to the end of statements.

Through this passage, Jesus accentuates the importance of being truthful to people, so you can gain trust and enhance relationships. He warns against the harms of divorcing and being unfaithful.  The overlying theme of all of these passages is to build enough trust in your relationships so you don’t have to question faithfulness and consider divorce. In the upcoming weeks, try to improve your relationships by being honest to your peers.

Jenna Walmer - Palmyra COB, Altantic Northeast DistrictJenna Walmer is from Lancaster County and is currently in 12th grade. In school, she loves to research historical events. If she were to live in a specific time period, she would want to be a hippie and live in the 60s or 70s. Her favorite past times are swimming and playing her trombone. If you want to know more about her random life, follow her on twitter: @jaymarie2100

Want to contribute? Fill out a Dunker Punks profile, and/or email dunkerpunks2014@gmail.com.

Dunker Punks Profile Drive!

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Help DunkerPunks.com connect with every youth from NYC!

At NYC, hundreds of youth participants stepped forward and made a commitment to be Dunker Punks by living and loving like Jesus. DunkerPunks.com hopes that each of these youth will fill out a simple “Dunker Punk Profile” about simple yet radical ways that that are following Jesus.

Click here to make your profile!

DunkerPunks.com is a youth owned and operated website supported by On Earth Peace and the Church of the Brethren. The goal of DunkerPunks.com is to connect with youth in the Church of the Brethren, give them a platform to communicate their beliefs, experiences, spiritual needs, and actions, and help them inspire and support one another.

What is a Dunker Punk?

A Dunker Punk is a young person who is a member of a rebellious countercultural tradition that radically commits their life to living God’s Calvary-shaped love in the power of the Spirit, to the glory of the Father. “Dunker” refers to our spiritual heritage and baptizing tradition, and “Punk” refers to our young, radical, counter-cultural, and rebellious nature.

We practice simple spiritual discipline by praying the Lord’s Prayer and studying Jesus’ teachings. We follow Jesus through simple, radical action in our personal lives, in our communities, and on a global scale.

Why fill out a profile?

Dunker Punks can express how they are following Jesus. They can share their thoughts, beliefs, hopes, and actions. They can learn from each other and lead one another.

All it takes is two simple questions: “How are you radically following Jesus?” and “How can other Dunker Punks help?” Remember, radical doesn’t have to mean big. Small steps like loving our enemies or reading the Sermon on the Mount are radical and countercultural.

Click here to make your profile!

Encourage NYC youth in your family, congregation, and district to make a profile.

DunkerPunks.com hopes that every youth from NYC gets to make a profile, and we need your help to make that happen.

Breaking it Down: The Sermon on the Mount Part 4

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By Jenna Walmer

 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’  But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell. Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift. Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.” – Matthew 5: 21-26

This passage about being angry towards another person is hard to swallow. As I digested this section of The Sermon on the Mount, I realized that so far in my readings, this may be what I struggle with the most.  You see, there are people that come along that are so mean, vile in their words and actions, which makes you think, can’t I just not love one person? We think, “I love everyone else. I show unconditional love, but this particular person is downright disrespectful.”

However, Jesus tells us to love everyone.  Anger, in this passage, refers to the bitterness that is shown toward someone.  This kind of anger is dangerous to society. It can cause emotional and mental stress, spiritual impairment, and even violence.  Anger gets in the way of loving our neighbors; therefore, we should avoid our angry thoughts and replace them with loving thoughts.

Clarence Jordan brings up a provocative point about this passage.  In his book, The Sermon on the Mount, he suggests, “If people convince themselves that the lives of others aren’t worth much, the inference is drawn that it does not matter particularly what happens to them.  They may be shot, they may be exploited or bombed, or they may be used as cannon fodder, and it’s perfectly all right.  Nations do it, of course, on the wholesale and not just one at a time. Thus, contempt, leads to a justification of murder and this makes one a murderer at heart.”  As Jordan proposes, when the value of a person is lost, ‘murder’ has essentially begun. Jesus enlightens us to the fact that it is not just enough to avoid murder, we must also avoid anger and contempt towards others as well.

Jesus also warns us that our attitude towards others reflects our relationship with God. If we love others, we love God.  If we hate others that means we probably show hatred towards God.  Broken relationships impede our relationship with God. That is why reconciling relationships is so crucial. By settling disputes in relationships, you become closer to God.

To deepen your spiritual life, start by reconciling unstable relationships instead of hiding from the problem.  Then, consciously rid your mind of angry thoughts.  Have you ever heard of the saying, “Kill people with kindness?”  Instead of ‘killing’ them, because we are pacifists, I would recommend that we start practicing kindness towards everyone, every single day. So go out into the world, and be a blessing of compassion to all of humanity.

Jenna Walmer - Palmyra COB, Altantic Northeast DistrictJenna Walmer is from Lancaster County and is currently in 12th grade. In school, she loves to research historical events. If she were to live in a specific time period, she would want to be a hippie and live in the 60s or 70s. Her favorite past times are swimming and playing her trombone. If you want to know more about her random life, follow her on twitter: @jaymarie2100

Want to contribute? Fill out a Dunker Punks profile, and/or email dunkerpunks2014@gmail.com.

Jesus is Not the Secretary of Afterlife Affairs

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A few weeks ago, I attended a conference about anabaptism and church mission. This is third installment in blog posts responding to the main presenters. Today, I’m responding to Brian Zahnd. Brian is the pastor of the Word of Life Church in Missouri. He is also a speaker and the author of “A Farewell to Mars.”

One of Brian’s favorite ways to talk about Jesus is to say, “Jesus is not the Secretary of Afterlife Affairs.” By this, he means “Jesus is our Lord, now, on Earth.”

Not, Jesus will be our Lord when we go to heaven.
Not, Jesus’ is in charge, but his jurisdiction is heaven.
Not, Jesus is Vice-Lord.
Not, Jesus is Lord-elect.
Not, Jesus is my ticket for getting into heaven.

But, Jesus is Lord, right here, right now.
His Kingdom is on Earth.
Which means I’m in his Kingdom.
So I should live like I’m part of his kingdom.

Most Christians don’t bat an eye at the concept of “Jesus is Lord.” It’s standard terminology in the Christian Church. So much so that we’ve become very desensitized to its implications.

Imagine that you are a member of the very early church. This means that you live in the Roman Empire. In the Roman Empire, there was only one lord. The Caesar. The Emperor. No Lord but Caesar. So to say “Jesus is Lord.” Was to commit treason.

To say “Jesus is Lord” was to say “Caesar is not.”

No wonder so many early Christians were killed. And no wonder Jesus was crucified, a form of execution reserved for acts of political sedition.

We don’t have that vocabulary anymore, and we don’t live in that political reality anymore, so we have lost the radical implications of saying that Jesus is Lord.

It is our job as Dunker Punks to acknowledge and reclaim the radical implications. Being a Dunker Punk is to be countercultural. Being a Dunker Punk is to be nonconformist. Being a Dunker Punk is to be a radical follower of Jesus.

Here’s the problem:

The Church in the United States is very nationalistic. We love to call the United States a “Christian nation.” This is dangerous because it gives the United States the appearance of wielding the power and authority of Christ, while relegating the actual Jesus to the sidelines.

One of my favorite quotes is by the author, theologian, and activist Jim Wallis: “Mixing the Church with politics is like mixing ice cream with manure. It doesn’t do much to the manure, but it really messes up the ice cream.” Any time the Church becomes part of the power structure, as it has in the United States, it betrays its heritage as a subversive institution that challenges the powerful and stands up for the powerless.

This is the culture that we have to counter. This is what we can’t conform to. Whereas the Church in the United States wants to confine Jesus’ love and power to the borders of the United States, Dunker Punks understand that Jesus loves everybody, and we have to do the same.

The borders of Christ’s kingdom don’t end at the Atlantic or the Pacific or the Rio Grande, so our love can’t either. Christ on the cross reveals a God who would rather die than kill. By following Jesus, “love your neighbor as yourself” and “love your enemies” are the pillars of our foreign policy. And feeding the hungry, healing the sick, clothing the poor, and standing with the imprisoned are the pillars of our domestic policy. And the terms “foreign” and “domestic” are irrelevant because we are all children of God.

Jesus on the cross should prove to us that a different organization of society is possible. Dunker Punks must be leaders in following Jesus. We are living in Christ’s kingdom, and we have to act like it.

That starts with us saying “Jesus is Lord,” and accepting the radical implications.

Emmett Eldred - Hollidaysburg COB, Middle PA District

Emmett Eldred is a sophomore Creative Writing; Professional Writing; and Ethics, History, and Public Policy Major at Carnegie Mellon University. His passions include reading about, writing about, and snuggling with pugs. Emmett is the founder of DunkerPunks.com, and he wants lots more people to contribute! Fill out a Dunker Punks profile, and join the conversation! Follow Emmett on twitter @emmetteldred and follow Dunker Punks on Twitter @DunkerPunks and on Facebook.

Want to contribute? Fill out a Dunker Punks profile, and/or email Emmett at dunkerpunks2014@gmail.com.

Breaking it Down: The Sermon on the Mount Part 3

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By Jenna Walmer

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.  For truly I tell you until heaven and earth, disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.  Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew 5:17-20

Many people of Jesus’ time considered Jesus to be a lawbreaker.  He didn’t observe the Sabbath, he disregarded rules about fasting, and he went against traditions (Stories from Mark emphasize these trademarks).  Jesus was a rebel with a cause.  He broke the Sabbath so he could heal a sick person or feed a hungry person.  He disregarded the typical rules on fasting because it went against his own beliefs.  He felt as though there had to be the right purpose to fast; he wasn’t going to fast because everyone else was doing it or to impress others.  He lived a life that went against the norm, despite the societal consequences.

So if Jesus was considered a lawbreaker, why was he teaching the crowd about the Law? By the time Jesus was on earth, the Law was not being applied as God intended.  The original intent of the law was to help people live in peace with one another and with God. Instead of creating a more loving nature toward God, the Law invoked fear towards Him.  Clarence Jordan translated a section of Jesus’ teachings to, “my purpose is not to destroy them but to establish them.”  Jesus was trying to explain to the crowd what the purpose of the Law God had created was meant to do originally.

Jesus told the crowd that the original meaning of the Law was to get them to Love the Lord with “all their heart and with all their soul and with all their mind.” According to Clarence Jordan, “the purpose of the Law was not to enslave people but to lead freedom which only love can produce.” Since the people of that time were struggling with sin and hatred toward God, Jesus was teaching them to Love the Lord instead because that would lead them to freedom from their bondage, connection to Christ, and clear minds.

As Jesus declared, he did not abolish the law.  He just clarified what still applies and what principles behind the law are important. In the Old Testament, there were different types of laws that people were instructed to follow and Jesus was addressing in his speech about the Law.  First, ceremonial laws talked specific trends in worship which do not apply to today.  However, the principles such as to worship and loving God are still applicable. Another type of law was civil law, which were the daily living law.  Rules set during the time Deuteronomy and other similar books were written are not appropriate to today since the society has changed, however the principles are still the same. Finally, the moral law such as “You shall not murder” should be followed.

The Law is up to great interpretation, and Jesus was even a rule breaker.  However, there are some rules, such as not killing people that must be followed.  That’s why there was confusion when Jesus was preaching the Sermon on the Mount and he addressed these issues. Jesus concludes by suggesting that our righteousness will only come from what God does within us, being people centered on God, and going past obeying the law to embodying the principles within the law.

Jenna Walmer - Palmyra COB, Altantic Northeast DistrictJenna Walmer is from Lancaster County and is currently in 12th grade. In school, she loves to research historical events. If she were to live in a specific time period, she would want to be a hippie and live in the 60s or 70s. Her favorite past times are swimming and playing her trombone. If you want to know more about her random life, follow her on twitter: @jaymarie2100

Want to contribute? Fill out a Dunker Punks profile, and/or email dunkerpunks2014@gmail.com.

Breaking it Down: The Sermon on the Mount Part 2

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By Jenna Walmer

“You are the salt of the earth.  But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?  It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.  Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your father in heaven.” – Matthew 5:13-16

Imagine…a bowl of ice cream sitting in front of you: just a brown bowl with vanilla ice cream. This bowl looks pretty empty and insignificant; a lackluster colored bowl with an even less vibrant color of ice cream (I apologize for those of you who are adamant vanilla ice cream lovers).  But the majority of us crave ice cream of a specific flavor with toppings galore! I mean, it’s a part of our tradition to eat ice cream together that is flavorful!

In Jesus’ passage about the salt and the light, he creates a metaphor for Christians in relation to how they affect the world around them.  My comparison is similar, just in Brethren terms. If we as Christians, the “light of the world”, make no effort to enhance our earth and become too consumed with earthly possessions, we are worthless.  We are called to be people who move others in a positive manner.  We resemble the sprinkles, flavors, and other toppings that enhance ice cream, or in the Bible passage how the salt seasons the food.

Next, Jesus tells us we are the light of the world! What a great gift that was bestowed upon us. However, we are not to be timid with our faith and Jesus’ teachings. We are to be bold with our speech, step OUT of the crowd, show and share the light of Christ, foster our light and strengthen it, explain our beliefs to others, and embrace, not ignore, the needs of our brothers and sisters.  Clarence Jordan, writer of Sermon on the Mount and founder of Koinonia Farm, sums it up perfectly,

“the Christian community is God’s light which he has lit up with the glory of his own Song, and he has no intention of hiding it.  When we come into the fellowship, we become a part of that light.  While we can determine the intensity of it, we cannot escape the fact that we are part of the witness, for better or for worse.  When we decide to live by the Sermon on the Mount, follow Jesus wholeheartedly, and walk boldly with our Lord, we have married the idea, for better or for worse, that we are living the life that we are called to live, speaking the words He wants us to share, and acting according to Jesus’ teachings; there should be no hiding this burning flame.”

As we witness horrible events happening in our neighborhoods, nations, and world, we stop to think, where does the Christian body fit into these actions? What can I do to stop these injustices? How can I be bold? Someone at school is getting bullied, a colleague at work is downtrodden, or a tragedy in the next town over just occurred.  Maybe it is something happening in our nation or even worldwide that you are feeling nudged to lend a hand.  At this point in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is calling us to strengthen our faith and our portrayal of His unending love. Let your light shine a little brighter the next time something pulls at your heart strings.  Step out of your comfort zone to help a brother or sister out. The next time you eat ice cream, let it be a reminder of your strong, seasoned, and bright shining faith!

Jenna Walmer - Palmyra COB, Altantic Northeast DistrictJenna Walmer is from Lancaster County and is currently in 12th grade. In school, she loves to research historical events. If she were to live in a specific time period, she would want to be a hippie and live in the 60s or 70s. Her favorite past times are swimming and playing her trombone. If you want to know more about her random life, follow her on twitter: @jaymarie2100

Want to contribute? Fill out a Dunker Punks profile, and/or email dunkerpunks2014@gmail.com.

What Dunker Punks can learn from Malala

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Today, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Malala Yousafzai and Kailash Satyarthi for their work in standing up for the rights of children and young people, especially for their right to education.

Malala Yousafzai is the youngest person to ever win the Nobel Prize. She was in Chemistry class when she learned that she had won.

What does this mean for Dunker Punks? Well, I’m sorry to tell you, it doesn’t mean that being a Dunker Punk will get you the Nobel Prize. But here’s what it does mean: We live in a world that is paying attention. We live in a denomination that is paying attention. We go to churches that are paying attention. At least they should be.

Knowing that we live in a world where a 17 year old Pakistani girl can win the Nobel Prize encourages me that I have a right to speak up and put my beliefs into practice. And I want to speak up and say that you have that right, too. In the Church of the Brethren we recognize something called the “Priesthood of All Believers.” And yes, that even includes youth. How Dunker Punk is that? It’s pretty counter cultural, and its pretty radical.

And I would argue that it’s not just a right, but a responsibility.

In her statement after learning that she had won the Prize, Malala said that children around the world should stand up for their rights and not wait for someone else. In the United States, not many of us have our basic human rights violated. We have access to clear water and fresh air, shelter and food, health and safety, education and opportunity. But there are people in our communities and across the world who do not have these things.

Jesus advocated for a world that cares for one another, that stands up for each other’s rights. On earth as it is in heaven.

For Dunker Punks, Malala’s words and Jesus’ teachings mean that we have to stand up for others’ rights and not wait for someone else to do it. So don’t. But remember, we don’t have to do something worthy of the Nobel prize. All we have to do is listen to Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, talk to Jesus with the Lord’s prayer, and listen when Jesus inspires our creativity.

Fill out a Dunker Punks profile, and tell the Dunker Punks community what you are doing to follow Jesus and practice his love. Email me, and let me know how I can help you speak out and stand up.

Emmett Eldred - Hollidaysburg COB, Middle PA District

Emmett Eldred is a sophomore Creative Writing; Professional Writing; and Ethics, History, and Public Policy Major at Carnegie Mellon University. His passions include reading about, writing about, and snuggling with pugs. Emmett is the founder of DunkerPunks.com, and he wants lots more people to contribute! Fill out a Dunker Punks profile, and join the conversation! Follow Emmett on twitter @emmetteldred and follow Dunker Punks on Twitter @DunkerPunks and on Facebook.

Want to contribute? Fill out a Dunker Punks profile, and/or email Emmett at dunkerpunks2014@gmail.com.

Breaking it Down: The Sermon on the Mount Part 1

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By Jenna Walmer

Week 1: The Beatitudes

“Now Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down.  His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them.  He said:  ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.  Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.  Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.  Blessed are the merciful, for they will be show mercy.  Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.  Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.  Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.  Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.’”

The challenge was set for us… have you been living up to it? I know I haven’t been living up to the call fully.  I’ve been putting some time in here and there to delve into the Sermon on the Mount, but now I have decided to study the message in its entirety. Throughout the Sermon, Jesus asserted his feelings toward the law of his era. He also expresses the unimportance of money, authority, and status in the heavenly kingdom. Instead, being faithful to the Lord and having an obedient heart is what matters, which is why Jesus repudiates and challenges the leaders of the day.

In my current studies, Clarence Jordan has sparked my interest for many reasons, but one idea caught my eye during my readings: he based his theology on the Sermon on the Mount.  Clarence Jordan is the focal point for my year-round research project for a history class.  He has written a few books, and has also re-written a majority of the New Testament in terms of Georgia during the Civil Rights Era.  He even wrote a book titled, Sermon on the Mount, which details his perspective of the teachings.  Jordan started Koinonia Farm, an interracial community that began in 1942, survived the Civil Rights violence of the Ku Klux Klan, and is still alive today.  His radical ideas of having a common purse, challenging authority in peaceful ways, and living in community with anyone despite what the public thinks, always leaves me thinking about Dunker Punks.

In Jordan’s Sermon on the Mount, he transferred the last two verses of the Beatitudes to, “You are all God’s people when others call you names, and harass you and tell all kinds of false tales on you just because you follow me.  Be cheerful and good-humored, because your spiritual advantage is great. For that’s the way they treated men of conscience in the past.” Also, Blessed are the Peacemakers was translated to “Men of peace and good will are God’s people, for they will be known throughout the land of his children.” These two verses reflect the era that Jordan was living. Despite all the harassment the community was being dealt, he returned their hate with peace and continued to love his neighbors.

So what are the Beatitudes telling us to do?  This first section of the Sermon of the Mount starts us off with certain people shall be blessed and will receive such and such.  The first three verses even seem to contradict themselves! People who wouldn’t live by the Sermon on the Mount would think, why should the poor in spirit receive the kingdom in heaven?  To be precise, God’s teachings usually contradict what the world assumes, similar to when we love when others hate. These statements that contradict the world’s views exemplify how we are to serve others.

Next, we are to take the Beatitudes as a whole, not choose one or two to follow, but follow every one of them, because it is Christ’s description of how we are to be as followers. Since Christ wants us to build up our treasures in heaven, some of the verses show the contrast between kingdom values and worldly values; it portrays what is temporary versus what is eternal. The Beatitudes is the preamble to the Sermon of the Mount, so we should take it in one swallow, not in baby bites.

Also, the Beatitudes teach us how one qualifies, per say, to be in God’s kingdom.  It describes what we are to seek.  For example, we are NOT to seek earthly possessions, such as money, authority, and power.  However, seeking different ideas such as humility and righteous behaviors will reflect attitudes of Kingdom seekers.

Lastly, and the hardest of them all, Jesus wants us to rejoice when we are persecuted. Rejoice when we are mistreated?  This is beneficial because it takes us away from earthly rewards and strengthens our faith.  Our attitude to serve also grows!  Leaders and prophets in the Bible have been persecuted because of their beliefs; be strong in faith and people will notice.  If you are going unnoticed that is a sign of weak faith.

The Sermon of the Mount is a long passage to study deeply and to understand thoroughly, let alone memorize.  As I go through and read what Clarence Jordan has to say about the Sermon on the Mount and study it myself, I challenge you to do the same and understand it in your own terms.  Maybe rewrite it, or start memorizing it! Be bold in your faith and challenge yourself! You never know what you can to until you try.

Jenna Walmer - Palmyra COB, Altantic Northeast DistrictJenna Walmer is from Lancaster County and is currently in 12th grade. In school, she loves to research historical events. If she were to live in a specific time period, she would want to be a hippie and live in the 60s or 70s. Her favorite past times are swimming and playing her trombone. If you want to know more about her random life, follow her on twitter: @jaymarie2100
 
Want to contribute? Fill out a Dunker Punks profile, and/or email dunkerpunks2014@gmail.com.

Dunker Punks: Walking into the Storm With Jesus

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A few weeks ago, I attended a conference about anabaptism and church mission. My favorite speaker was Meghan Good. Meghan is the pastor at Albany Mennonite Church. Meghan’s presentation was so insightful that I’ll probably write a number of posts inspired by quotes from it. Here’s one:

“Salvation doesn’t pull us out of the storm, but into the heart of it.” 

That’s good, right? If I had one takeaway from the conference this is it.

More importantly, if I had to sum up how I want to follow Jesus, I think this would be a big part of the conversation.

Meghan’s statement questions: “Is salvation the ultimate goal of following Jesus?”

Most Christians would probably say yes. And I don’t think that that is selfish. I believe a lot of Christians are genuinely as concerned with the salvation of others as they are with their own salvation. And I think that speaks to a level of human compassion that is admirable and deserves credit.

However, I do think we Christians tend to look at salvation the wrong way. I’m certainly not saying that there is no heaven or anything like that. What I’m saying is that when we become totally preoccupied with what happens after death, we are missing the point of living, we are asking the wrong questions, and this doesn’t allow us to fully follow Jesus.

I think its pretty important that the gospel tells the story of God coming to Earth to live among men, not of men going to heaven to live with God. The bible isn’t about what happens to us when we die. It’s about how we are supposed to live.

Meghan’s presentation started with the story of Peter walking on water. Do you remember it? Its at the end of Matthew 14. Basically, the disciples are on a boat, and that night Jesus walks out onto the water towards the boat, but the disciples are afraid because they think Jesus is a ghost. And Jesus tells them to chill out because it’s just him. Peter says to Jesus, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” Jesus does, and Peter steps out of the boat and onto the water.

So often, we think of salvation as the boat, the feeling of safety, the place of refuge. But Peter shows us that salvation isn’t about a place or safety. It’s not about staying dry, but about getting our feet wet.

You may remember that for a moment, Peter loses faith. He begins to sink, and Jesus saves him. Salvation isn’t something that happens when we die. It happened 2000 years ago with Jesus on the cross, and it continues to happen to us constantly. Salvation doesn’t provide us with the comfort of knowing that one day we will be gone from this mess we call the world. It galvanizes us to continue working to clean up this mess we call the world.

Another quote from Meghan: “To Peter, the most defining thing about Jesus is when he says, ‘come do as I do’ and makes that doing possible.” It’s a understanding of Jesus that we should strive for as well. It demonstrates both Jesus’ call for us to follow him by living like him, but also how Jesus equips us so we can have the faith to do that following.

The conversation about Jesus shouldn’t be about meeting him in heaven, but meeting him in the hungry, the thirsty, the strange, the naked, the sick, and the imprisoned.

The conversation about his love shouldn’t be about how we have received Jesus’ love, but how we love others like Jesus.

Is salvation the ultimate goal of following Jesus ? I say no. Following Jesus is the ultimate goal of salvation.

Emmett Eldred - Hollidaysburg COB, Middle PA District

Emmett Eldred is a sophomore Creative Writing; Professional Writing; and Ethics, History, and Public Policy Major at Carnegie Mellon University. His passions include reading about, writing about, and snuggling with pugs. Emmett is the founder of DunkerPunks.com, and he wants lots more people to contribute! Fill out a Dunker Punks profile, and join the conversation! Follow Emmett on twitter @emmetteldred and follow Dunker Punks on Twitter @DunkerPunks and on Facebook.

Want to contribute? Fill out a Dunker Punks profile, and/or email Emmett at dunkerpunks2014@gmail.com.

Happy International Day of Nonviolence!

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Today, October 2nd, is Gandhi’s birthday.

In honor of Gandhi, October 2nd is the International Day of Nonviolence!

You may be wondering, “Why do we need an International Day of Nonviolence? Wasn’t the International Day of Peace like less than two weeks ago?”

It’s a good question. And I’m glad you hypothetically asked it.

We need both because we need to be able to see the big and small picture. The International Day of Peace is a great day to come together and join in collective prayer and work with shared dreams of a world where there is no fighting between tribes and nations. It’s an important reminder that, especially in our globalized, interconnected world, it is very much our business what happens to our neighbors in Syria, Iraq, Palestine, Nigeria, and across the world.

The International Day of Nonviolence is a reminder that it has to start with us. Gandhi did amazing things, and his work continues to effect billions of people, but it all started with him. You might think that Gandhi was born a humble peacemaker, unifying the people of India and marching to sea since the moment he could walk and talk. This isn’t the case. Gandhi was born and raised in privilege, and for the first twenty years of his life, he didn’t question the organization of Indian society very much. It wasn’t until Gandhi spent time as a lawyer in South Africa, where he witnessed and experienced various expressions of prejudice that he began to question his own place of privilege and who might be negatively effected by his own high status.

It wasn’t until Gandhi experienced the disadvantage of prejudice that he began to address his own prejudice and the systemic prejudices that advantaged him.

Gandhi went on to touch millions of people in his life of work, but it all started with him changing himself. His change effected a nation, but it was very personal. You and I will probably never touch millions of people with our expressions of nonviolence, but we can learn from Gandhi’s life that changing millions of people isn’t the goal. The goal is changing ourselves. And whether an entire nation is watching, or just our friends and family, changing ourselves begins to change others as well.

So today, in honor of Gandhi’s birthday, think of how you can change yourself to be less violent in your personal interactions. This may mean physical violence. No more driving aggressively, solving problems with use or threats of force, or beating up your brother (sorry Ethan).

It may also mean no more emotional violence. No more using cruel words or hurtful humor. No more saying you hate your enemies, and speaking to them in that way.

Or, it could be spiritual violence. No more using your religious beliefs or the bible as a weapon against those who don’t believe the same thing as you. Evangelize through Christ-shaped love. Make disciples by being disciples.

Solve problems with creativity and meekness. Answer hate with love. Answer violence with nonviolence.

Whatever you do, use October 2nd as a day to change yourself to be less violent, and as always, remember to continue that change on Oct 3rd and beyond.

Happy International Day of Nonviolence, everybody! Happy birthday, Gandhi!

Think Big. Be Small.

Emmett Eldred - Hollidaysburg COB, Middle PA District

Emmett Eldred is a sophomore Creative Writing; Professional Writing; and Ethics, History, and Public Policy Major at Carnegie Mellon University. His passions include reading about, writing about, and snuggling with pugs. Emmett is the founder of DunkerPunks.com, and he wants lots more people to contribute! Fill out a Dunker Punks profile, and join the conversation! Follow Emmett on twitter @emmetteldred and follow Dunker Punks on Twitter @DunkerPunks and on Facebook.

Want to contribute? Fill out a Dunker Punks profile, and/or email Emmett at dunkerpunks2014@gmail.com.