Called to a Place: Living as Blues Singers, Resident Aliens, & the Creative Minority

Posted by Jeff Crawford on September 28, 2016 in

9/25/2016

Chris Breslin

Jeremiah 29:4-14

“This is kind of how blues began — out of feeling misused, mistreated. Feeling like they had nobody to turn to. Blues don’t necessarily have to be sung by a person that came from Mississippi as I did, because there are people having problems all over the world.” (B.B. King)

“To be a resident but alien as a formula for loneliness that few of us can sustain. Indeed, it is almost impossible to minister alone because our loneliness can too quickly turn into self-righteousness or self-hate. Christians can survive only by supporting one another through the countless small acts through which we tell one another we are not alone, that God is with us.” (Stanley Hauerwas & Will Willimon, Resident Aliens)

“What Jeremiah was saying was that it is possible to survive in exile with your identity intact, your appetite for life undiminished, while contributing to the wider society and praying to God on its behalf… “ (Jonathan Sacks, On Creative Minorities)

“Every time you try to be like your neighbors, they said, you will be defeated by your neighbors. Every time you worship power, you will be defeated by power. Every time you seek to dominate, you will be dominated. For you, says God, are my witnesses to the world that there is nothing sacred about power or holy about empires and imperialism.” (Jonathan Sacks)

“The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” (Frederick Buechner)

Scripture

Psalm 137

1 Peter 1:1

Philippians 3:20

Romans 12:2

Slides from Sunday

This Sunday’s Songs

Wayfaring Stranger

All Creatures of Our God and King by St. Francis

Blessed Be Your Name by Redman

Steadfast by McCracken