The first thing is to believe that Beloved Community is indeed something that we can become…
We like to say, “the Church is just a human institution…”
It’s the excuse we give ourselves to justify the divisions in the Church…to accept the reality that while we proclaim the goal of Beloved Community, we’re content to remain “un-beloved.”
The truth is, we proclaim a reality that doesn’t exist within us – as the Church. And then we wonder why those beyond the Church don’t embrace our proclamation.
We want them to join a “Beloved Community” that is no different from any other organization in the world.
I take issue with that…
The Church is not a human institution…
We just have to commit to Becoming Beloved Community…
Like that beautiful person you wanted to marry but thought was out of your league…
Eventually you had to just “go for it.” You had to believe – even in your unbelief – that catching his/her attention was indeed possible.
We’ve been conditioned to believe that “it won’t happen in our lifetime.” We’ve been conditioned to doubt the Power of the Spirit with us, in us and through us.
It is indeed that easy…
But it’s not that simple…
So, how do you engage Becoming Beloved Community more deeply? How do you strengthen your understanding and embodiment of Beloved Community?
How do you begin to renew the mind of the Church – clergy & laity – on how it approaches Beloved Community?
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You see: everything that we do in the faith is about Becoming Beloved Community. And with all of the turmoil in our Society…
With all of the manifestations of Babylon…
Certainly, we need to see Beloved Community in this world…
Certainly, the Beloved Community is the only community of true hope for this world…right?
But you know that Beloved Community doesn’t just happen…
If Babylon is real…if the system of death and degradation is real – and it is…
…then the Beloved Community must also be real…right?
It cannot be an abstraction…it must be tangible. We must believe that Beloved Community can be tangible.
And so, our minds must be renewed so that we approach the Beloved Community as something real…something that can become real, with God’s help and our engagement.
That kind of renewal takes work…takes effort…takes engagement. It doesn’t just happen.
It takes intentional work to break through the various constructs – the ideologies and systems – that keep us from truly Becoming Beloved Community.
By necessity, this work must be done in community…in a sacred space of people who are committed to Becoming the Beloved Community.
Often, racial reconciliation events end with “this was great, but how do we keep the momentum going?”
Many times, clergy, seminarians, parishioners, conventions gather together for this work and leave wanting to go deeper. They are convicted & committed to creating Beloved Community, but don’t know how to continue improving their ability to build such community.
Are you committed to creating and Becoming Beloved Community?
Do you want your group to have a sacred space for ongoing engagement that will nurture and refine their thoughts, words and deeds, so that what they have done and what they have left undone are those things which cultivate Beloved Community?
Then enroll them in the Becoming Beloved Community Mastermind (BBCM)…
Proverbs 27:17 says,
As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.
Here’s how we do it…
- Quarterly Keynote Zoom Workshops: Three times per year, we’ll connect for a deep dive virtual workshop on one particular aspect of the Becoming Beloved Community framework. This will set the tone for the content to be addressed for the quarter, while also building deeper personal rapport and connection as a group.
- Monthly Live Q&A Hot Seats: Through the monthly live video call (via Zoom), participants will have the opportunity to present a specific & particular situation where they are engaging the work or concepts of Becoming Beloved Community. I will lead the group through reflection and providing feedback on the scenario. Participants will see how others are engaging Becoming Beloved Community in their sphere of influence and learn from both the case studies and feedback of others.
- Facilitated Connections to Empower Reconciliatory Efforts: Participants will be able to establish relationships with others of the faithful remnant that will help them to expand the reach of the Beloved Community and make it “more real” within their sphere of influence. Connect with others you can help and who can help you to become better agents of Beloved Community.
- Moderated Group Forum: Through regular interaction via the online forum, participants will be able to present their thoughts and questions for feedback. They will be able to engage with the thoughts and questions of other mastermind members. This forum provides continual engagement on the ideas and thoughts and questions of our members, so that we can support one another at creating Beloved Community in the world around us.
Participants will be better equipped to overcome (and help others overcome) the challenges to racial healing and reconciliation in the world around you. They will become an agent of Beloved Community…
They will have a space to truly grow in their understanding of the issues that hinder Beloved Community and their ability to empathize with those of other perspectives. They will become leaders in forging irresistible communities that are loving, liberating and life-giving, so that we all may be one, as the Father, the Son and the Spirit are One.
Click the button below, so we can schedule a call to build the right experience for your group.
Let’s start Becoming Beloved Community!
Schedule a Mastermind Exploratory Call!
– Fr. Jabriel S. Ballentine
