Skip to main content

Results of Pulpit Freedom Sunday

A total of 539 pastors preached prophetically and politically across America on Pulpit Freedom Sunday, October 2.  This represents a 539% growth over 2010, growing from 33 (2008) to 84 (2009) to 100 (2010) to 539 (2011) pastors.

These 539 pastors / churches represented:
  • Forty-seven of the 50 states – along with Puerto Rico.
  • Approximately 50 denominations and associations plus non-denominational and independent churches.
  • Sermons in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Filipino, and other languages.
  • From small congregations to those of approximately 20,000.
Personally, I gave a lecture for Drew University at Glide United Methodist Church on "The Politics of Shalom" for Pulpit Freedom Day (which I'll share in a future blog post).

According to Dr. Jim Garlow, organizer of Pulpit Freedom, the demonstration exceeded expectations:  

"Pastors were prepared for some parishioners to be upset.  But we were not prepared for what happened.  Across America, congregations erupted in applause – interrupting the sermons.  Standing ovations at the end of sermons were normative.  As pastor after pastor reported this common theme, they stated, “it was as if the people were hungry for this type of preaching.”

None of us anticipated this remarkable reaction.  Many reported their congregants urging them to continue the straightforward preaching.  Like the others, I, too, was taken back by the explosive standing ovations that greeted me at the conclusion of my sermons in each service.

Publicity was massive.  Even the New York Times covered it with an article and pictures.  Click here to view it.  Almost all the major papers and media outlets covered the event.

You will find the names of all participating churches we know about on the Pulpit Freedom website here.

Pulpit Freedom Day 2012 is set for Sunday, October 7 of next year.  Check on the website at pulpitfreedom.org for updates and information."
 
As the 2012 elections draw near, and so much is at stake, the time has come for religious leaders to boldly apply their faith and biblical understanding to political issues and social policies of our time.  A new movement seems to be on the rise to support faith and action. We are at a tipping point in American history.
 
While most participants in Pulpit Freedom, including the organizers, seem to be supporting "conservative" issues, many of us are speaking out on "progressive" issues and supporting initiatives such as "circle of protection" circleofprotection for America's poorest and most vulnerable, radical economic reform on Wall Street and Big Banks, American Jobs Act, Rebuilding the American Dream initiative (www.ourfuture.org). 

Regardless of your political pursuations or theological understandings, left or right, I urge you to become more prophetic, organize your constituency, seek shalom, and speak truth to the power.

mjc

Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

Let the River Flow: Why WorldHope Corps digs village wells

  Sunday Sermon at the The Water's Edge in OB , San Diego, CA. "Woman at the Well" (John 4:7-15) When you think about the gospel story of the Samaritan woman with Jesus at Jacob’s well, I’d like you to picture this Woman at a similar well in northern Malawi. Sitting and talking with Pastor Dennis Singini about water. Her name is Nyang'oma, which means "drum." Her Christian name is Mary Botha. She is 85 years old and lives in a village in the Kampenda area of Northern Malawi. She has cared for 11 children, two of whom have died. And her husband has died. When Dennis and I first met Mary in 2008, her village did not have a deep well or access to clean water. Nor did the six surrounding villages with over 1,500 people. Women and children had to drink with animals from shallow seasonal wells or walk about of 5km away to drink from the closest stream. Sometimes they would get sick and complain of stomach aches. Cholera and dysentery were widespread, and m...
Read more

Water Buckets for for washing hands Needed in Malawi

“Sadly, I do think most deaths will be in those countries (Africa, Asia and South America), and the most extreme economic pain..."  --  Bill Gates on PBS News Hour, April 7, 2020 EASTER 2020:  We’re all coping the best we can during this Easter season of hopeful-struggle in the face of the Global pandemic by the name of Covid-19.    “Brace yourselves,” I say to our international ministry partners,“ as new cases in their countries surface and testing begins.   How to help them prepare, put basic provisions in place, and help the people stay healthy and safe.   COVID CARE KITS, our Easter campaign this year, urgently seeks cash donations to help our front-line ministry partners in Malawi, Uganda, and Palestine procure and distribute soap and sanitizers, face masks, and emergency food, in areas most at risk for the coronavirus which has already arrived. WorldHope Corps sponsors two Hope Tailoring Schools in Malawi and Uganda, and a child develo...
Read more

Not Afraid of Death by Julia Esquivel

In reading your blog, Michael, I immediately think of these two poems is poem by Julia Esquivel, from Guatemala, whom I had the pleasure of meeting years ago.  Un abrazo, Ada Maria I AM NOT AFRAID OF DEATH I am no longer afraid of death I know well Its dark and cold corridors Leading to life. I am afraid rather of that life Which does not come out of death, Which cramps our hands And slows our march. I am afraid of my fear And even more of the fear of others, Who do not know where they are going, Who continue clinging To what they think is life Which we know to be death! I live each day to kill death; I die each day to give birth to life, And in this death of death, I die a thousand times And am reborn another thousand Through that love From my People Which nourishes hope! THREATEN WITH RESURRECTION They have threatened us with Resurrection There is something here within us which doesn’t let us sleep, which doesn’t let us rest, which doesn’t stop the pounding deep inside. It is t...
Read more