The week that changed my life – join me this June!

The Churchwork blog launched to the world on May 26, 2013 – almost two years ago! How time flies. Anybody remember this?

That was the first header image, which the blog kept until fall of 2014. In September I took down that image, put up the one I’m using now – and never told you why.

Now, I’m telling you why.

Last summer, I participated in a life-changing experience: Wake Forest’s 2014 Food, Faith & Religious Leadership Intensive. I started a few different posts about it, but I never could sum it up in words. It’s almost as if it was so profound and so personal that I just couldn’t describe it. I still kind of feel that way.

Here were some of the standout moments:

I listened to Ched Myers (an activist Bible scholar and our main teacher). Because of his teaching, I finally understood things I had wondered about for decades. I haven’t had too many moments of enlightenment in my life; within the last year, the majority of them happened at this gathering. (Go check out Ched’s website. I’ll be here.)

I met people who shared my concern for Creation, climate, and understood the clear connections between earth stewardship and what we eat every day – people who had been laboring in this field for years before me. People who welcomed me to the fold.

I rejoiced and sang in few different spontaneous “make your own music” hootenannies where white Southern and British folk singers and African-American gospel singers threw in their lots together for God’s glory, and everybody joined in.

I was moved by the humble leadership of Fred Bahnson, who puts on the most amazing continuing education events on the deepest problems confronting our generation. He brings together people at the forefront of solving the problems of racial injustice and planetary degradation, sets the space for mutual learning and transformation, and doesn’t even seem to realize his own genius.

Learning. Did I mention how much I learned? And I’ve been studying this stuff (admittedly on the side) for a couple decades!

Maybe the biggest difference was this: before the gathering, I too often succumbed to despair and inertia. When I considered all the facts about industrial food systems, inequality and injustice, and planetary devastation, these problems felt too overwhelming, too complicated. I felt too alone.

I didn’t know what to do, so too often I did nothing.

But after the gathering, I had renewed hope, energy, and direction. I had new insights that were solidly grounded in Scripture and tradition. I had a sense of companionship and urgency. I had new concepts, new ideas, and new momentum.

Not only did I toss the old blog header, I created an entirely new curriculum project for our church’s youth group. I preached and taught what I had learned. The ideas were well received by the congregation I serve – both adults and youth. (Plus I began working on one other thing that I can’t tell you about yet.)

Seriously, it was a really big deal for me. So big that when Fred asked me for my evaluation, I wrote

This was the course I had been seeking – without knowing what I was looking for – for the last twenty years of my life. It was deeply inspiring and caused me to rethink my life and ministry in profound ways. I am very grateful.

How do I know what I wrote on my evaluation? Because after he read it, Fred asked me to serve as chaplain for this year’s course, and put my quote on the course’s main page.

Now I’m inviting you:

If you care deeply about the intersection of food, faith, and religious leadership, you need to make your way to North Carolina this June.

If you are a pastor who wants to know how to understand, teach and preach the book of Revelation in the context of creation care, just go ahead and register now. Where else are you going to learn that? You probably didn’t get it in seminary! And trust me, your people are curious.

Are you, or do you know a young religious leader (under 40) who wants to work at the intersection of Christian faith and sustainable food systems? Encourage that person to apply for the Re:Generate fellowship which covers all the event’s expenses including travel.

Do you want to start and sustain a regional initiative for faith-based food justice? Just get here, because there aren’t any other events to teach you how to do that. Or maybe you want to think about Revelation in the morning and figure out permaculture in the afternoon. Yeah, you’re covered there too.

If you know someone who reads both Barbara Kingsolver and the Bible, thinks about what they eat and why, wants to find a way for food to glorify God beyond saying grace, and wishes they knew other people who cared about these things, share this blog post with them.

Course registration is now open and spots are filling up. I can’t wait to see you in June. Bring any musical instrument you may play. But more important: bring all your passion, all your despair, and your deepest desires to participate in the renewal of all God has made.

Bring your soul. It will be nourished.

If you’re anything like me, your life might be changed.

(Important: There is no affiliate program at work here. I will not get any financial benefit from your participation. I just want you to know about this because this event because I loved it so.)

Do you have any questions about the event?

Leave them below and I’ll answer them or get them answered.