Sep
13
2019
Friday, September 13 2019
This article, written by Pastor Nick Deere, originally appeared in our weekly newsletter, The Beacon on July 17th. If you are interested in receiving a copy of The Beacon each week and staying up to date on all of the things happening around Broadus, please contact the church office, or click here to view the latest issue.
As you might have seen, the trees lining the drive to the church are in a bad state. They have fallen victim to the emerald ash borer, an invasive beetle that has been spreading in our region. Soon the trees will have to come down. In talking with those at our church who know much more about trees than I do, I learned of another problem that has made this situation worse: monoculture planting, the practice of planting all the same type of tree. Arborists now recommend planting a variety of trees so that if a blight or beetle comes along you don’t lose them all. Having a variety of trees creates a more resilient group. In its history, the church universal has moved away from monoculture. The early church quickly expanded out beyond it roots into the Roman world. Soon the early church moved into areas like Ethiopia and India. The good news of Jesus extended across various cultures, and these cultures have a lot to teach each other; from the Celtic Christianity of Ireland, to the faithful witness of the Chinese church today, and many more. At times in the life of the church there have been people who have wanted to seek monoculture instead. At its worst, this impulse leads to sins like racism, xenophobia, and fear of others. This is something Paul warns the early church about often. One of the great benefits of being in a city like ours and a church like ours is that we get a glimpse of the diversity of the church universal. May we continue to celebrate and live into this truth by cultivating practices of listening to and seeing every person as created in the image of God, not only in the church but in all areas of life. - Pastor Nick
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At Broadus Memorial Baptist Church we believe we are called to love God and love our neighbors. The stories you read on this blog offer a witness to the ways we respond to God's love and seek to share that love with others. Scripture describes the church as a body, made up of many parts. Just as your tiniest toe isn't aware of the intricate work your heart or brain do, it can sometimes happen that people in the church body only see what is happening immediately around them. Our hope is that reading these stories will help forge connection and inspire greater love and understanding for one another. At Broadus we are a community defined by warm-hearted fellowship and thoughtful inquiry. We hope you see evidence of that in the stories we share here. We hope you know, or come to know, that you are a part of God's grand story and that you are welcome to join us, on a Sunday, a Wednesday, or any gathering in between. The life of faith is a journey, and we are not meant to walk it alone. Our stories connect us and we are excited to share some of ours with you. If you have a story you'd like to share or would like to connect in some other way you can send an email to bmbcmail@gmail.com or call (434) 977-7381. |
