Saturday, May 20, 2017

A REFRESHING CONNECTION WITH MY RELIGIOUS HERITAGE... Landon Saunders Sermon. May 20, 2017

PERSONAL REFLECTION : I came across this 'preaching' video the other day. That may be enough to make one not want to look further. "Preaching" has become such a negative force in many ways and places, being either irrelevant or humanly divisive. The discovery of this video is very personal to me for it is the 'teaching person' in my original religious heritage(from which fate compelled a separation) who seemed to have the most specific transforming influence on me of anyone. He seemed, more than three decades, ago to have a 'Bible' message that transcended what had been emphasized to me in the years before. I 'heard' something different but timeless from him.

I've not had communication with Landon Saunders since those influential days when his teaching emphasis lead me in turn to other influential voices far outside my heritage. I've wondered since those days if I'd still hear Landon as one who speaks with the same transformative kind of words as I heard then? I'm not disappointed as I watch this video. He may not say things the way I would now but I am not embarrassed to recommend any person to hear this in its context of a 'church of Christ' liberal arts Universtiy. It makes me proud that my original heritage produced such a person with such preaching words. I'm sure his well chosen words would do no harm to anyone and just may bring something that can help guide some others as his message did me way back when.



I keep in mind Landon is speaking to the very church folks in which I was born , raised and was a minister for until mid life. When I hear him now( he and I both are old men) I have confidence he is doing a good thing for those in my beloved 'church of Christ' heritage. This is very refreshing to me.

Note: The only thing that I would add is that 'loving neighbors' seems to insist that we have a keen desire that any persons or groups be just as valued by and equal under the law as we who are more privileged. This means an interest and an outward stance that goes beyond just our personally treating all with mutuality and respect whom we actually encounter. That is an interest and goal that all persons and groups would become as protected, made as safe and have opportunities as any in the mainstream are.


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