Tag: YMCA Mission

5 Ways Fort Wayne Can Be For Those Who Suffer in the Holy Land

Sometimes we wonder: what can we do in the face of such overwhelming sorrow? Does the distance compel us to indifference or to make a difference? We wonder: Does our solidarity matter? Do our prayers matter? Does personal holiness matter? Does forgiveness matter? War has a way of clarifying your spirit: either you’re ready with courage to enter the fray, or you’re gonna need help to keep believing, to not look away. We wonder in wartime: will we put down deeper roots to love in the face of catastrophic violence? Or will we succumb to being numb, to apathy, or even hate? So what can we do?

This reflection is my attempt to clarify for me what I can do from Fort Wayne, through the YMCA, as a Christian, for my friends, strangers and “enemies” in the Holy Land. If it resonates with you as well, may God take what we offer up in our spirit and make of it what He will for our brothers and sisters in the city where Christ Jesus our Lord loved, was crucified, buried but then resurrected on the third day: “I am the way of resurrection, the truth of love, the life that suffers.”

1 Way: Be for “your people” – be in solidarity with those you know in the Holy Land (realizing everyone there is suffering).

By “your people” I’m also stating the obvious: If you are Jewish, be for all your people who suffer in the Holy Land, if you are Christian, be for all the Christians who suffer in the Holy Land, if you are Muslim, be for all the Muslims who suffer in the Holy Land, if you are Secular, be for all who are Secular and suffering in the Holy Land.

This is not a negation of being for others, but it takes serious being for “one another” in your spiritual family as a necessary step of integrity and credibility to being for neighbors, strangers and “enemies.”

Way 2: Be for a nonviolent resistance to evil as a response to vengeful violence in the Holy Land.

We know scientifically, sociologically, anthropologically, militaristicly, religiously, spiritually, economically, humanly, etc. that retributive violence ALWAYS begets more violence, it ALWAYS foments antagonisms, it ALWAYS breeds revenge.

As we have learned from Jesus of Nazareth and a few other brave historical souls, being “for” your enemy, for their “transformation” unto love, that they might ultimately be saved from the darkness of injustice and brought into the light of peace also rescues your own soul from the corruption of violence.

Way 3. Be for listening to the cries of injustice, to the pleas of mercy, to the begging for peace and let it upset your soul.

Let it disrupt your spirit, let it break your heart, let it stir your mind to seeking understanding, let it motivate you to get wisdom instead of numbing yourself to the horror, instead of tuning it out and turning away indifferently or out of fear.

Hear with your heart. Keep your eyes open to reality, stand firm in the truth, be brave and and strong for those around you who suffer. Let love be your motive for listening, seeing, standing, and understanding.

Be willing to accept and experience the sorrow that comes with knowledge, be willing to keep listening and going forward in wisdom even though the grief becomes heavier.

Way 4: Be for a vision of flourishing for all that takes geography, religion, culture, politics, power, love, the sacred, history, hurts, memories, dignity, honor, hope seriously.

What’s it look like for complicated realities to live in harmony amongst the most holy place on Earth? It’s not for the weak in spirit or faint of heart. Only the most wise and courageous would attempt to lean into this envisioning of an alternate reality that has existed for the briefest of moments in world history.

There are many Jews, Christians, Muslims, Secular and more striving for a vision of flourishing for all. Join one. Or several.

Consider joining the YMCA of Greater Fort Wayne as we walk towards a future with the Jerusalem International YMCA, East Jerusalem YMCA, Nazareth YMCA, Gaza YMCA – a flourishing future we can barely see, like through a darkened glass, but a future we yearn for sustained by faith, hope and love.

Way 5: Forgive those who sin against you in Fort Wayne, in Indiana, in the USA.

Without real and raw experiences in the gritty work of forgiveness, what wisdom will you have for global work of truth and reconciliation?

If you are Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Secular, look to your wisest of leaders who teach with the most credibility on overcoming evil with good, of atoning for sins with love, for acting justly with compassionate mercy and humility before the Divine.

Within the Hebrew Scriptures and New Testament are enduring and searing experiences regarding forgiveness and the pain of humanity, our cries to God, and our caring prayers for one another. The way of forgiveness is radical, it is grounded in fundamental realities of humanity; it is often the stone over which we stumble, but if we look up, and see the Light of Love, He can become a cornerstone with us for building a new way forward.

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish? My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest.”

A Psalm of David, 22‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.”

the Prophet Isaiah‬, 61‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

The Gospel according to the beloved apostle John‬, 1‬:‭1‬-‭5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”‬‬

the apostle Paul’s letter to the Christian church of the Colossians,‬ ‭1‬:‭9‬-‭14‬ ‭NIV

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”‬‬

Letter from James, brother of Jesus, and Bishop of the Jerusalem church,‬ ‭1‬:‭22‬-‭27‬ ‭NIV

What’s Wrong With Christianity in the YMCA?

…I could go on, my point being that Christianity is a critiqueable religion, it invites criticism, it requires self-critique, it ought to be critiqued. Obviously Christ Jesus could handle it without getting defensive or sullen…. So what’s a way forward for Christians in the YMCA who are sensitive to the realities of self-criticism but also yearn to follow Christ Jesus as faithfully as possible in this world?

What’s wrong with Christianity in the Y? Christians, of course!

All the complaints and frustrations and hurts and even injustices experienced in the Y via Christians is less about Christianity and more about actual people stumbling and bumbling, sometimes being mean jerks and leaving wounds in their path.

But Christianity as a religion is not above reproach; there is plenty to criticize.

Interestingly, embedded within Christianity is a vibrant tradition of self-critique.

The Hebrew Scriptures and tradition are a formative foundation for Christianity. Have you ever read the Torah? It’s full of robust self-critique. The Psalms? David is brutal on himself, as he ought to be. The Prophets – Isaiah, Jeremiah, Amos, Micah and the others evoke powerful lyrics of self-critique regarding the children of Israel, God’s people.

Christianity is ideally built on the commands of Christ Jesus, a religion of cruciform love that includes devastating self-critique. Jesus’ first sermon required self-critique to understand it and accept it: “repent, for the Kingdom of God is come near.”

I could go on, my point being that Christianity is a critiqueable religion, it invites criticism, it requires self-critique, it ought to be critiqued.

Obviously Christ Jesus could handle it without getting defensive or sullen.

If you pay close enough attention to Christianity, you’ll notice most of its literature is either grounded in self-criticism or a response to it.

Almost all of Paul’s epistles include critique of sin in the early churches, and him responding to critics of him and his ministry. Augustine’s Confessions is the longest prayer in recorded history, all of it grounded in a searing self-critique that also soars with redemptive eloquence.

Martin Luther is famous for his 95 critiques of the church; the whole Protestant Christian tradition is founded on the premise of self-criticism!

When it comes to the world criticizing Christianity, whether people of various faith traditions, or political or secular, most of it is probably warranted, and ought to be taken seriously. Whatever the critiques are, they probably already echo the self-criticism that is already being generated.

Christianity gets a triple whammy when it comes to criticism (this is not about garnering sympathy): there is the self-criticism that is foundational to our religion, there is the criticism of the world, and there is the omnipresent Scriptural critique of God. Yikes!

Add to this the perfection we see modeled in our founder, the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth. According to our traditions, he is 100% human and 100% God, without sin in any way, though fully tempted in every way. That’s the standard set before Christians!

Obviously every single Christan who has ever lived never came close to perfectly following his commands. It’s obvious to fellow Christians, the world, and God.

This then points to the painfully obvious fact that churches are even worse examples, as the sinfulness of the congregants tends to mestatisize over time, despite the best of intentions (the law of entropy is always at work…).

It’s a glum picture, for sure.

So what’s a way forward for Christians in the YMCA who are sensitive to the realities of self-criticism but also yearn to follow Christ Jesus as faithfully as possible in this world?

1. Humility is crucial for moving forward. The willingness to lament where mistakes were made, to listen well, the openness to confession and repentance are essential realities of becoming a Christian in the first place, it’s the narrow way of receiving the Good News, of experiencing Jesus drawing near to the lost and broken-hearted.

2. Mutuality is key to our hearing and receiving critique. The broken relationships are what necessitates criticism, an unmooring of mutuality is both a cause of critique and can also undermine the ability to receive it in love and wisdom. A resilient commitment to seeing diverse and often divisive Christian’s as brothers and sisters in Christ fuels our capacity to immerse ourselves in self-critique for the sake of reconciliation and future fellowship.

3. Obedience is also foundational to our engaging in rigorous and thorough self-criticism. Jesus says this many ways, different versions of: “my new command is this, you must love one another as I have loved you.” This is an impossible standard to meet on any kind of consistent basis. Its an inspiring command that also opens everyone to criticism for all the ways they fall short. Yet this also can reframe our self-criticism as a form of love, rather then vipurative complaints of victimization.

Christian principles in the YMCA, for example, ought to excel at self-criticism – in the way of love, humility, obedience. When the world criticizes us then, we ought to take it in stride, absorbing all that is true within it and lovingly, humbly, faithfully, penitently, and in mutuality, do better. And so on principle the cycle continues…

Unfortunately within Christianity are many different dimensions of diversity that mistrust and misunderstand each other, abuse and abandon one another, disregard and defame, shun and excommunicate.

The prayer of Jesus in John 17 seems less and less likely of ever being answered, “…that they all may be one…”

The world does Christians a favor when they critique us, when they criticize our sins and shortcomings, our self-righteous protesting and prejudicing.

They remind us of our need to repent and abide in Christ Jesus, to confess our sins to one another and make amends as much as we are able.

The prayer of Jesus that we might be one gets resisted by humans; it can only be made real in us through the actual presence of Christ at work through us.

Our humility, mutuality with Christ Jesus and our obedience is our experience of redemption and the ground upon which we stand to do the ministry of reconciliation work we are called to participate in.

How could this play out in the Young Men’s Christian Association? What could be a way forward for Christianity in the YMCA in light of what is wrong with us?

When members and staff criticize, the opportunity is laid before us as Christian’s to hear it in humility, to respond out of mutuality, a sense of urgency and duty as promised in the terms of membership and employment as well as in the realities of being an association. And underneath that for Christians is the command to respond with loving patience and kindness.

When Christians make prejudiced remarks about each other, instead of letting the deragatorive comment go unchallenged, gently find a way to turn a corner with then and open up a space for more gracious humility towards brothers and sisters in Christ that you disagree with politically, economically, socially, racially, ethnically, etc.

When disagreements are emerging between people in a board meeting about the role of religion one must be attentive to the power dynamics in the room, the trauma that’s likely been experienced due to participation in a faith community, and lack of skills in forging ecumenical or interfaith collaborations.

The more pluralist our community becomes, the more investment is needed in mutual understandings, humble respectfulness to what you don’t understand, and patient dialogue that flows from the command to love one another including your “enemies.”

This means having the courage to be present in the moment, the tensions, the misunderstandings but also the hopes for a faith and love that truly heals, that are part of the answer to Jesus’ own prayer, “that they all may be one.”

“My prayer is not for them alone.

I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.

May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity.

Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

Jesus’ Prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, Gospel of John‬ ‭17‬:‭20‬-‭23‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Defining YMCA Christian Principles: What They Are Not?

In our brand mission statement it’s not only “Christian principles” as a phrase that is taken for granted, but also the part about “spirit” – it’s as if these are too hard to understand, too out of date, or too powerful.

Context matters.

When a phrase doesn’t seem to make sense anymore, or it causes misunderstanding, or it doesn’t inspire like it used to, then it’s time to step back and consider what is going on, what has changed, and what to do about it.

If the phrase “Christian principles” is really as important as many think it is for the YMCA and our brand mission statement, then shouldn’t we invest more time in discussing it, reviewing it, celebrating it?

If it’s not important to keep that phrase, what all does that imply about who we are now and why we are here and what ought we to be doing next?

It’s obvious that meaningful phrases can become so common, so familiar that they get taken for granted, full of assumptions that everyone knows what it means. Of course as we know, what ends up happening is that no one is on the same page about what it means, and it fades to the background as a source of direction or unity.

In our brand mission statement it’s not only “Christian principles” as a phrase that is taken for granted, but also the part about “spirit” – it’s as if these are too hard to understand, too out of date, or too powerful.

There is immediate resonance in our culture regarding the phrases “healthy”, “for all”, “mind and body” – those show up on lots of branding documents in print and on file. Why the disparity?

Is it a matter of culture moving on, and the YMCA has to adapt, and we should read the tea leaves and acknowledge the obvious: the community does not need or want “Christian principles” or “spirit” work from the Y.

Maybe. I suppose it depends on what kind of organization the YMCA wants to be – are we a leader in our community or a follower?

Do we put our finger in the air to catch the direction of the breeze and run to get in front of it? Or do we look around and within and make a decision about what we can offer a community that is both resonant with who we are but also visionary in how we believe the community might become even healthier with us?

The Y has traditionally been a leader and a mirror in our culture; whatever is going on in our country shows up in a YMCA, but also: the Y innovates and problem-solves in unique ways that change the world. For example: basketball and volleyball; group swim lessons and group exercise classes; ESL classes for immigrants and night-school for day-laborers, Mother’s Day and Father’s day all have their roots in the YMCA.

“Christian principles” and “spirit” were powerful combinations for fueling this innovation, all channeled through the desire to be “for all.”

It’s almost unethical to split apart “Christian principles” from “for all” in the YMCA; they are so intertwined to almost be indistinguishable; you could almost say they are two sides of the same coin, inspired by Jesus himself as he prayed “…that they all may be one…” [John 17:21]

But, to help give some definition to what we could mean in the YMCA (based on our trajectory) regarding Christian principles, let’s start with what it is NOT (since that sometimes is an easier place to start):

  • Christian Principles does not mean Christianity (shocking, I know but here me out: no one is just a “Christian” – you’re usually either from the Orthodox, Catholic, or Protestant tradition which each has it’s own distinctive and cultural realities for how Christianity is experienced and practiced – even “secularism” can be seen as a form of Protestant Christianity).
  • Christian Principles CAN MEAN: drawing on the most common and enduring truths and foundations of all the varieties of Christianities across the ages and generations (this is meant to be a unifying direction that draws thoughtfully on the strengths of different Christianities so that as many Christians as possible can participate in the Young Men’s Christian Association as meaningfully as possible.)
  • Christian Principles does not mean Christian Morality (shocking, I know, but again, depending on your culture and context, not all Christians agree on all moral standards, which have now have become very divisive).
  • Christian Principles CAN MEAN: the teachings and example of Christ Jesus that cross as many cultural barriers as possible that build up as much unity and harmony as possible; it also presumes that Christ Jesus is the foundation and living reality which gives Christian Principles it’s vitality and endurance.
  • Christian Principles does not mean Biblical Proof-Texting (if we had to have a Bible verse to back up every code of conduct or every value or every major decision, we’d have to keep twisting the Scriptures to support whatever is personal to us; the Bible is sacred and of profound value to Christians in the world including the YMCA, but the Y lets the local church teach the Bible and organize around it in particular ways).
  • Christian Principles CAN MEAN: drawing on the most common and unifying themes of the Holy Scriptures as a way for diverse Christians in the Y to put into practice what they believe and value such that their lives and those they are in proximity with experience transformation in spirit, mind and body.
  • Christian Principles does not mean Church-centric Decisions (how a Y engages a community has a unique dynamic and reality to it compared to a local congregation, and that’s okay – what gets frustrating and disillusioning is when church leaders on a Y board insist the Y act in accordance with how they think their church should participate in the public sphere: the Y is not a church).
  • Christian Principles CAN MEAN: reflecting on the kingdom of God themes in the New Testament, instructions that transcend the Y and the church, which point back to the larger work of Christ Jesus in the world and how the Y and the church can complement each other, work together in different ways unto flourishing for all (see the Paris Basis, 1855 and Challenge 21 of World YMCA).
  • Christian Principles does not mean religious dogmatics – what a YMCA is putting into practice is not about abstract religious ideals or carefully nuanced dogmatic beliefs – while religion and dogma are of existential importance for humanity, the Y keeps focusing on what we can do together for more healing and harmony as religious and dogmatic people.
  • Christian Principles CAN MEAN: paying attention to the various truths and wisdom in all religious traditions and honoring all they ways they highlight and enrich what is revealed through Christ Jesus and the Holy Scriptures – by looking for what he hold in common, we are also looking for maximal agreements and cooperation, not lowest common denominator for all varieties of Christianity and religions in the world.
  • Christian Principles does not mean putting our YMCA Core Values into practice – while the brand mission statement and the organizational core values have different centers of gravity for why they were created and their intent for influencing our movement, they are obviously highly compatible and mutually enriching, but they are not the same thing. Our brand mission statement is an evolution of the Paris Basis, Portland Basis, and the YMCA Constitution Preamble and Goals; our Core Values are a creation of a national YMCA leadership team to identify key themes around which our organization can collaborate that are deeply held in common through all religions and faiths. Again, it may seem similar to Christian Principles, but not the same.
  • Christian Principles CAN MEAN: drawing as many people together who care about and respect to some degree the Christian faith and way of life and together lead and serve in their community such that their labor of love enriches and heals for stronger and more resilient spirits, minds and bodies – and we’ll keep doing this work with anyone who invites us in, we’ll keep expanding the scope of our work, we’ll keep inviting in those who want to add to this calling, our posture is to be for all of those who want us to come alongside them in hope and practical programs.
  • Christian Principles does not mean categories for judging and condemning those we disagree with; while we humbly acknowledge that everyone has faults and everyone has their prejudices that taint their perspectives, we do not want to blindly lash out at those who we consider different or wrong.
  • Christian Principles CAN MEAN: a way to ground our passion for truth and grace in a strong foundation which goes deeper than the whims of a chaotic cultural; a way to put down deep roots to sustain liberty and justice for all; a way to gauge a healthy spirit, mind and body for a community and individuals such that we don’t have to make everything up as we go along; a way forward for all that taps into the depths of our humanity, believing we are all made in the image of God, that Christ Jesus is working unto the restoration of all things, and the Holy Spirit empowers with tremendous love all who would embrace it.
  • Christian Principles does not mean your personal preferences about religion and faith, it’s not pointing to just your own opinion on how people ought to live and behave based on what you happen to believe.
  • Christian Principles CAN MEAN: drawing on all that Christians have learned through the last twenty centuries across all the continents on how to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with God in the Spirit of Christ amidst every kind of political and economic reality, amidst every kind of cultural upheaval and violent revolutions, amidst ordinary times and extraordinary chaos, amidst quiet neighborhoods and bustling cities, amidst seething hatreds and miraculous loves such that we can pour all that learned experience and wisdom into the complexities of our own day that we might create dynamic programs which build up a healthy spirit, mind and body for all.