A WORD TO THE WISE: holding

Wednesday, October 19, 2016

HOLDING ON & MISSING OUT

This is audio of the first message in a 3-part series of challenges to the church. I originally preached this series for revival at Ferguson Chapel CME Church in Opelika, AL.

The series comes from Matthew 19, the story of “The Rich Young Ruler”:

The title of message #1 is HOLDING ON & MISSING OUT.

Listen well.

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---Anderson T. Graves II is a writer, community organizer and consultant for education, ministry, and rural leadership development.

Rev. Anderson T. Graves II is pastor of Miles Chapel CME Church in Fairfield, Alabama; executive director of the Substance Abuse Youth Networking Organization (SAYNO); and director of rural leadership development for the National Institute for Human Development (NIHD).

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Fairfield, Al 35064

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

PRISONER OR SLAVE?

Prisoners wear chains. Slaves wear chains. Prisoners work for nothing. So do slaves. Prisoners receive the worst care and treatment as do slaves. Neither prisoners nor slaves are free.

The difference between prisoners and slaves is that if a wall comes down, most prisoners will try to escape. Most slaves will start repairing the wall.

We think we are prisoners held back by an unjust system. But, when a wall falls and a way to advance appears, do you rush for the opportunity; or do you stand around complaining about the mess, waiting for the overseers of the system to give you the tools to clean up by rebuilding the wall?

Are you a prisoner of the system or a slave to it?

Opportunity doesn’t free many slaves. So simply removing the obstacles to freedom won’t help slaves because they still look to the system to provide for them, and when they experience discomfort outside the system’s support they will return and submit to the system’s supervision.

Prisoners will suffer, starve, go without, and avoid areas of comfort just to stay free from the system.

The question isn’t “Who’s holding you back?” The question is, “Whom do you expect to help you move forward?”