Covenant News - Salter-McNeil: Reconciliation Part of Healing Stream

Covenant News

Salter-McNeil: Reconciliation Part of Healing Stream

PORTLAND, OR (August 19, 2004) - The echoes of 1,300 voices attending Triennial XI may have faded away, but the topic of Saturday evening speaker Brenda Salter-McNeil remains at the forefront of conversation in today's culture. The three-day event began one week ago today and concluded on Sunday.

Salter-McNeil, known as a dynamic speaker with a passion for racial and ethnic reconciliation, leads Overflow Ministries, a non-profit, faith-based organization that provides training and resources on ethnic diversity while equipping participants to be ambassadors of reconciliation.

Picking up on the Triennial theme "Meet Me at the River," Salter-McNeil suggested that the river "is not just for our refreshment and enjoyment - it needs to be a healing place for us also." She then expanded on the river theme, likening it to the stream of individual daily living and the need to build bridges and cross into other cultures. "We need a healing stream of reconciliation so we can be reconciled to God and to each other."

Brenda Salter-McNeil Two types of reconciliation took place the day Jesus met the Samaritan woman at the well, Salter-McNeil noted, using as her text John 4:1-10, 21-24 and 29-30. "Jesus reconciled her back to God and he also reconciled with her across ethnic and gender barriers," Salter-McNeil said.

In so doing, Salter-McNeil suggests, Jesus models for today's Christians what reconciliation requires:

A divine mandate from God. "Jesus had to go through Samaria. That was his mandate from God."
A need for people who are different from us. "Jesus asked her for the drink - he was tired. He needed her. God calls us toward being necessary."
Intentional interaction. "Where are we sitting? We need to go to them. Where is our Samaria?" Salter-McNeil said she is intentionally planning to go to a Central American county to learn Spanish. She will stay long enough to accomplish that task. She says she is doing it intentionally so she can communicate with Hispanics in their own language.
Risk-taking. "We must get out of our comfort zone. It is risky when we step into the river of reconciliation."
Cross-cultural social action. "The Disciples were surprised to see Jesus talking to the woman at the well. We need to do things that are counter-cultural, as Jesus did. We need to stand up for issues that bear out the gospel."
Relinquishing power. "The power dynamic usually goes towards Jesus, but not in this situation. He gives up his power by asking for help. The power goes to the helper. Jesus balances the scales; he gives up his power."
Authentic spirituality. "This means the worshippers are the ones who will not side step the truth of the gospel. For authentic spirituality to happen, people are drawn towards God."
Reciprocity. "God says get in the game. Give and take. I have something; you have something."
Bridge people. "For people who come into our lives (our family) and are different, we need to vouch for them. When that happens, bridges are being made."

"The spring of living water that flows from within each person who believes in Jesus Christ, ultimately converges into the river of life described in Revelation 22," Salter-McNeil continued. "That is for the healing of nations. May God use us to be the streams of living water that flow into his river that will bring healing to the nations."

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