Thank you to everyone who joined us for last week’s Better Citizens, Better World conference! Over the course of four days, we heard from ten incredible speakers on a range of topics that encouraged us, challenged us and empowered us in a tumultuous election season. From our opening session making the biblical case for Christians to be politically engaged to our closing workshop on how to make your voice heard on some of the most pressing issues of the day, the conference offered up a wealth of content for Jesus followers at all levels of civic engagement.
If you would like to revisit any of the conference sessions (or catch up on any of the sessions that you missed), you can view most of the sessions below.
Mission Incarnate: A Theological Mandate for Active Citizenship
Rick Barry, Center for Christian Civics
Letting our faith in Jesus transform the way we think, speak and act in the public square starts with learning to understand our public square the way the biblical audiences might have. When we do this, we discover a call to take politics more respectfully and responsibly than our candidates, pundits and elected officials might want us to.
God and Empire: A Historical and Contextual Approach to Christian Nationalism
Rob Dalrymple, Determine Truth Ministries
David Crump, professor and author
A powerful and thought-provoking discussion exploring the intersection of faith and power. Through biblical analysis, we will reveal how the Gospel calls believers to reject worldly power and embrace the Kingdom’s distinct values of peace, justice, and servant-hearted love. Whether you’re wrestling with questions about politics, faith, or the role of the church in the public square, this livestream will offer deep insights into how the Gospel speaks to today’s challenges.
Existential Crisis in the Middle East
Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Canon, Churches for Middle East Peace
Join Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon as she teaches us how to advocate for an end to mass killing and violence in Gaza, Lebanon, and Israel, and pursue a future without war.
Protest and Lament
Soong Chan Rah, Fuller Seminary
Noted professor and author Soong Chan Rah dives deep into the relationship between the modern work of protest and the ancient (often forgotten) biblical discipline of lamentation.
Justice Across Generations
Roslyn Hernandez, Chasing Justice
Explore how different generations of American Christians have understood the concept of justice and learn effective ways of working with the emerging generation in intergenerational coalitions.
Productive Division: The Role of Political Tension in Church Health
Rick Barry, Center for Christian Civics
For the church to function properly, people who are told by their culture that they have nothing in common have to learn to love one another. This has never been an easy task, but it can transform our walk with Christ and make us more effective advocates for the common good.
Practical Advocacy: How to Love Your Neighbor in the Civic Square
Hassan El-Tayyb, Friends Committee on National Legislation
Kyle Cristofalo, Churches for Middle East Peace
Our conference ends with a practical training on how to engage with elected officials and other policy-makers at the local and federal levels.
