Shalom

Hello from Miami! I thought a good blog post for the day would be the welcome statement found in our CCDA conference manual. The theme of the conference is SHALOM.

When God created the Heavens and the Earth, He wove it all together like a million silk threads forming a dazzling garment never before seen-each thread passing over, under, and around millions of others to create a perfectly complementary, tightly-woven, interdependent, amazing whole. This wondrous webbing together of God and man and all of creation is what the Hebrew prophets called shalom.

Shalom is a word packed with hope for a broken, bruised and wounded world. It speaks of wholeness, right relationship, justice, salvation, and righteousness, all of which can be missed when we simply read the English word, 'peace'.

God's intention for every community is that His shalom would reign. Can you imagine neighborhoods with secure streets, healthy relationships, effective and affirming schools, clean air, and a thriving local economy? Can you picture neighbors sharing meals together, children laughing and playing freely, and the elderly being valued, honored and cared for as the norm in our communities? Can you fathom vibrant churches in every neighborhood being beacons of light and hompe because of their deep concern for the well being of all community residents, not just their members? Can you envision people being drawn to the love and power of God because of the clear witness of Christians fully committed to Jesus Christ?

We can! In fact, CCDA exists to see this kind of impact in the poorest communities in our nation and world. Our passion and commitment is to be a voice of challenge, equipping Christ-followers who are ready to step forward and see the shalom of God become a reality in under-resourced communities. To this end, we pray boldly and confidently, as Jesus prayed, "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven." SHALOM!