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Prayer: Our Heart Cry to God

Sun, 14 Sep 2025 02:24:10 GMT

The Spirit of Adoption in Prayer

Paul says in Romans 8:15–16, “You did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God.”

That’s one of the most freeing truths about prayer: it’s not a performance. It’s not about saying the right words in the right way. Prayer is simply the cry of our heart before God.

And those cries don’t all sound the same. Sometimes they’re heavy—full of fear, guilt, or grief. Other times they’re light—overflowing with joy and thanksgiving. But in both cases, it’s the Spirit at work, teaching us to say, “Abba, Father.”

From Fear to Confidence

Think about that word—Abba. It’s not formal. It’s not distant. It’s the word a child uses for their dad. It’s personal. It’s tender. It’s about belonging. And that’s what God invites us into when we pray—not because we’ve earned it, but because His Spirit makes it possible.

The truth is, we don’t always feel like God’s children. Sometimes we feel like outsiders. Sometimes fear or shame makes us wonder if God even wants to hear us. Paul calls that the “spirit of bondage leading to fear.” And if we’re honest, we all know what that feels like.

Maybe you’ve prayed before and thought, “Why would God listen to me? I don’t have the right words. I’m too broken.” But Scripture says—even those raw, stumbling cries count as prayer. In fact, they’re often signs that the Spirit is already drawing us closer to the Father.

And then, there are moments when something shifts. The Spirit reminds us: You really are God’s beloved child. And suddenly prayer feels different. It’s freer, more confident. Instead of whispering, “Lord, don’t reject me,” we find ourselves saying, “Father, thank You that I belong to You.” That’s the Spirit of adoption at work.

The Power of Praying Together

So here’s the point: whether your prayer feels weak and fearful, or bold and joyful—both are real. Both are holy. Both bring you before the Father who loves you.

And when we pray together, that truth becomes even more powerful. We don’t all come with the same story. Some of us are carrying wounds no one else sees. Some of us are bursting with joy. Some of us are carrying both at once. And all of that belongs in prayer.

Because in prayer, your cry can lift my faith. My thanksgiving can strengthen your weary heart. My plea for mercy can remind you of God’s grace. And together, those prayers weave into one chorus before our Father.

That’s why Paul says “our Father”—not just my Father. Prayer is never just me and God in a bubble. It’s always part of something bigger: the family of God. And families aren’t perfect. They carry differences and hurts. But what holds God’s family together isn’t sameness—it’s the Father’s love.

Rooted in Prayer, Growing in Oneness

The Psalms show us this. In Psalm 51, David prays out of desperation: “Have mercy on me, O God.” In Psalm 103, he prays out of joy: “Bless the Lord, O my soul.” Both are prayer. Both are real. Both come from the same lips. And sometimes, they come in the same breath.

So what does this mean for us? It means when you feel fear—pray. Don’t wait until it’s gone. When you feel joy—pray. Share it. And when you hear someone else’s cry—whether it’s pain or praise—you don’t have to fix it. You don’t have to judge it. Just join it. Because we share the same Father, and His Spirit teaches us all how to pray.

This is why prayer isn’t just important for our personal walk—it’s essential for our life together. We can try to build unity through plans and programs, but real unity only lasts when it’s rooted in prayer. Because prayer is where God shapes us, heals us, humbles us, and reminds us: we belong to Him, and we belong to one another.

The Prayer for Us

brian@missionmississippi.org (Brian Crawford) — Mon, 09 Jun 2025 21:49:20 GMT

Why I'm Here

I need you to know something. John 17 is not just a passage to me, it’s a calling. Over 15 years ago, I was preaching through the Gospel of John, and when I hit chapter 17, something happened to me.

I couldn’t shake it.

Jesus’ words in that high priestly prayer disrupted my status quo. They caused what one pastor once called a “holy discontent”—an ache I couldn’t ignore. And I had to ask myself a sobering question:

If Jesus is praying for oneness, then why am I not eagerly and consistently pursuing it?

That one question became a fire in my bones. And it hasn’t gone out since. It’s why I planted a multiethnic church in Vicksburg, Mississippi. It’s why I walked away from the security of a federal job and joined Mission Mississippi two years ago in 2023. It’s why I keep waking up to walk this road—even when the walk feels long.

In August 2022, Pew Research published a survey that put numbers to something many of us have felt in our bones: deep, growing division. According to the report, most Democrats and Republicans not only disagreed with each other—they actively disliked one another. Even more, they saw those across the aisle as immoral, dishonest, and unintelligent.

By 2022, 63% of Democrats viewed Republicans as immoral—up from 35% in 2016. Among Republicans, that number hit 72%.

It’s a bleak snapshot of where we are.

However, this moment is not just a crisis. It’s an opportunity. A divine opportunity.

Because in the middle of all this mess, Jesus is still praying.

The Final Prayer

In John 17, Jesus is just hours away from betrayal and crucifixion. His disciples are about to abandon Him. Judas is already setting the trap. Peter will soon deny Him. And yet… what’s on His mind?

“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word… that they may all be one…” (John 17:20–21)

He’s praying for us .

Not for our comfort. Not for our chariots. Not for bigger barns or better buildings.

He’s praying for our oneness .

Think about that. With all He could have prayed in His final hours—He prays that we would be one.

Unity's Foundation

Our oneness isn’t built on cultural affinity, political agreement, or even personal chemistry. It’s built on something stronger: the Word.

“For those who will believe in me through their word...” (v. 20)

That word is the Gospel, the greatest bind in the universe. More binding than our race. More binding than our ideologies. More binding than our hometowns, schools, or social clubs. If we are in Christ, then we are in this together.

And if we’re not pursuing unity, then we must ask: are we truly anchored in the Gospel?

Unity’s Purpose

“...so that the world may believe you have sent me.” (v. 21)

This isn’t just about harmony in the pews. This is about the credibility of our witness to the world.

Jesus doesn’t say, “they’ll know me by your preaching” or “by your Facebook or Instagram posts.” He says they’ll know Him by our oneness .

When we’re divided, we don’t just send mixed messages. We send the wrong message altogether. If oneness is one of the primary ways that the world sees Jesus has come, then our division unintentionally screams falsely and loudly that He hasn’t.

Unity’s Appearance

Jesus didn’t pray for vague, feel-good unity. He prayed for something bold: that we would be one as He and the Father are one .

That kind of unity shows up in at least three ways:

Unity in Message – Jesus said, “I speak only what the Father tells me.” (John 12:49) So should we. And what binds us isn’t our hottest takes, it’s the Gospel.
Unity in Purpose – Jesus was on mission. So are we. When we align with His mission to redeem and reconcile, unity becomes possible, even natural.
Unity in Diversity – The Trinity is not uniform. The Father, Son, and Spirit are distinct, yet gloriously united. That’s a model for the church: different tribes, tongues, and traditions singing one song.

Let’s be clear: unity is not sameness. It’s not about erasing our uniqueness. It’s about bringing our distinctiveness under the Lordship of Christ.

Unity’s Fuel

“The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one…” (John 17: 22)

Jesus doesn’t just tell us to be one. He gives us the power to be one.

The concept of Glory takes on many different forms throughout the Scriptures. We see it when Moses cries, “Show me your glory!” (Exodus 33:18-19) as the manifested presence and goodness of God. We see it at the wedding in Cana, where Jesus turns water into wine as the raw creative power of God to make something from nothing. However, in the life of Jesus, we see glory most clearly in His death and resurrection. It is the moment when Jesus lays down His life in love leading to resurrection that is the moment He is most GLORIFIED!

So, what fuels our unity?

It’s the daily, Spirit-empowered decision to lay down our rights, our opinions, our comforts—for the sake of another. The Glory Christ has given us is the power to produce life from our lives of sacrifice.

The Glory Christ has given us is the power to lay down our lives even when we don’t feel like it because the Lord has empowered us to do it.

That’s what glory looks like. That’s what oneness demands.

Three Practical Exchanges for a Divided World

So, what does this mean for us, practically?

Let me offer three exchanges we need to make if we want to live out Jesus’ prayer:

1. Exchange the Internet for Dinner Tables

We’re spending hours listening to people we’ll never meet while neglecting the people right next to us. Want deeper unity? Sit down. Break bread. Have real conversations with real people.

2. Exchange Partisanship for Friendships

We’re being conditioned to “otherize” people who think differently than us. But proximity changes perception. Befriend someone across the aisle—and listen. It might just change everything.

3. Exchange Binaries for Image Bearers

The world keeps pushing us into neat little boxes: red or blue, black or white, urban or rural. But the Gospel calls us to see people as God sees them—not as categories, but as image bearers.

Jesus Prayed It - So Let's Pursue It

Some days, this pursuit feels long.

Years ago, my wife and I were on a business trip in Las Vegas (I know everyone calls trips to Vegas business trips, but seriously it was). We decided to walk to dinner one evening and stepping outside of our hotel onto the Vegas Strip, we could see, among the colossal buildings, our destination for dinner! So, we began walking towards it, but no matter how long we walked it felt like we were making no ground on the journey. The closer we got, the further it looked. The journey of unity and reconciliation often feels like that walk down the Las Vegas Strip on a dry and humid evening. You deal with division in your church, exhaustion in your efforts, frustration in the journey—and you wonder, “Are we even getting closer?”

But here’s the hope I carry in my soul:
If Jesus prayed for it, I know we’ll see it.

There is not a single prayer Jesus ever prayed that the Father did not answer. So, if Jesus prayed for oneness, we can pursue it with confidence. It will happen. COMPLETELY and FULLY!

Maybe not fully in our lifetime. But if we keep walking—if we keep laying down our lives, loving one another, sacrificing, forgiving, and returning to the Gospel again and again—we will see glimpses. And those glimpses will contribute towards the completed picture testifying to the world: Jesus has come.

So, let’s keep walking, let’s keep pursuing. Not because the road is easy—but because the vision is clear. Jesus prayed for it. And if He did, then we can trust by God’s grace, we’re going to get there.

The Love That Defines Us

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 19:13:30 GMT

Scripture Focus: John 13:33-36

What are you known for?

Take a moment to reflect on this question. Imagine the people you encounter daily—your family, coworkers, the barista at the coffee shop, the person behind you in traffic. How would they describe you? Would their first thought be love?

Now, take a step back and ask yourself another question: What is the Church known for today? What about your local church? If someone outside the faith were to describe us, would they point to love as our defining characteristic?

In John 13:34-35, Jesus speaks directly to what should define His followers:

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Jesus is clear: love is not just an ideal—it’s the defining mark of His disciples. Without it, we lose our authenticity, our relevance, and ultimately, our witness.

What Are We Known For?

Let’s be honest: answering this question can be uncomfortable.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., in his Letter from a Birmingham Jail, addressed this very issue with sobering clarity:

“There was a time when the church was very powerful—in the time when the early Christians rejoiced at being deemed worthy to suffer for what they believed… But the judgment of God is upon the church as never before. If today’s church does not recapture the sacrificial spirit of the early church, it will lose its authenticity, forfeit the loyalty of millions, and be dismissed as an irrelevant social club with no meaning for the twentieth century.”

Dr. King’s words resonate as much today as they did in 1963. If the Church is not known for its love, what are we known for? Is it our politics, our traditions, or our silence and indifference in the face of injustice?

Jesus’ words in John 13 call us to a higher standard. We are to love in a way that is so extraordinary, so countercultural, that the watching world cannot help but say, “They must be with Jesus.”

What Kind of Love?

The love Jesus calls us to is not abstract or undefined. It is rooted in His own example:

“Love one another, just as I have loved you.” (John 13:34)

This is what sets Christian love apart. It’s not conditional (“I love you until…”), transactional (“I love you because of what you can do for me…”), or purely emotional (“I love you when I feel like it…”).

No, Jesus calls us to love in a way that reflects His humility, inclusiveness, and sacrifice. Let’s break that down further:

Love Through Humble Service

Earlier in John 13, Jesus demonstrates this love by washing the feet of His disciples:

“He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet.” (John 13:4-5)

This task, reserved for the lowliest of servants, was taken on by the King of the Universe. Why? Because true love humbles itself to serve others.

It’s easy to love from a position of comfort or power, but Christlike love often requires us to get down in the dirt. It’s love that shows up in the least glamorous moments, when no one is watching, and no one is applauding.

Are you willing to serve others from a place of humility? Are you open to loving people even when it means stepping into lowly or inconvenient roles?

Love Without Selectiveness

Jesus’ love is not selective. He washed the feet of Peter, who would deny Him, and Judas, who would betray Him. Both men would fail Him in unimaginable ways, yet He loved and served them without hesitation.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” (Matthew 5:43-44)

This kind of love is rare. It’s easy to love those who love us back, but what about those who hurt us, disagree with us, or stand against us? Jesus’ love challenges us to go beyond what is comfortable and love those who seem the most unlovable.

Are there people or even groups of people in your life you struggle to love—across cultural, ethnic, racial, or even political lines. How might Jesus be calling you to extend grace and kindness to them?

Love Through Sacrifice

Finally, Jesus’ love is sacrificial. In John 13:36-38, He prepares His disciples for the ultimate act of love: laying down His life for them.

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24)

This kind of love requires self-denial. It asks us to put others before ourselves, even when it costs us something—our comfort, our time, our resources, or even our lives.

In a culture that often prioritizes self-exaltation, sacrificial love is radically countercultural. It stands in stark contrast to the message of “You deserve…” or “Protect your rights above all else.”

What opportunities do you have to deny yourself for the sake of loving others more fully? How can you sacrificially leverage your time, talent, treasure, and tenacity to love like Jesus?

The Source of This Love

If this kind of love feels impossible, it’s because it is—on our own.

The good news is that Jesus doesn’t ask us to muster this love from within ourselves. He is both the source and the motivation for our love.

Because He humbled Himself and came down from the heavens for us, we can serve others.

Because He loved us without selectiveness despite our betrayal and denial, we can love the difficult people in our lives.
Because He sacrificed Himself for us, we can lay down our lives for others.

And because He has given us His Spirit, we have the power to love in ways that reflect Him.

“By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35)

A Call to Action

So, what are you known for?

Is your life marked by the extraordinary, countercultural love of Jesus? Is your church known for its love, or are other things taking center stage?

This week, let’s commit to living out the kind of love that Jesus calls us to—a love that humbles itself, extends grace freely, and sacrifices for the good of others. Let’s allow the Holy Spirit to shape us into people who reflect Christ’s love so fully that the world takes notice and begins to acknowledge “those people follow Jesus”.

When we love like Jesus, we show the world who He is and who we follow.

Amen.

New Year, New Wineskins

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 19:13:30 GMT

Moving Different

When I was a teenager, I thought I was the definition of cool. At 16, I got my first car—a Nissan Sentra—and the first thing I did was lean the driver’s seat all the way back. Because, of course, cool people don’t sit upright in their cars, right? For two years, I drove like that, convinced I was too cool for school.

But then, my aunt asked me to help move some furniture. I bent down to lift a piece, heard a pop in my back, and, well, life was never the same. From that moment, my back gave me trouble, and I had to change the way I did things—starting with how I drove. My “cool guy” lean was wrecking my posture, so I had to adjust and start sitting upright. It wasn’t comfortable, it wasn’t cool, but it was necessary. That change was healthier, even if it wasn’t cooler or what I wanted at the time.

Isn’t that how life is? Sometimes, we hold onto what we think is “cool” or comfortable, even when God is calling us to something better—something new. That’s exactly what’s happening in Luke 5:33-39. Let’s take a closer look.

Joy in the Bridegroom’s Arrival

In this passage, Jesus is hanging out with tax collectors and sinners—people who weren’t exactly popular in ancient Israel. Tax collectors were considered traitors and cheats, and sinners, well, they weren’t the type you’d invite to a religious gathering. But Levi, one of newly called Jesus’ disciples and a tax collector himself, throws a big party to celebrate how Jesus changed his life. He invites all his friends, and Jesus shows up.

The religious elite—the Pharisees and scribes—are not happy. First, they don’t like the company Jesus is keeping. Then, they criticize Him for even being at the party. They say, “The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink” (Luke 5:33). In other words: “Why are you doing things so differently?”

Jesus answers with this: “Can you make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?” (Luke 5:34). Weddings in ancient times were a big deal. There was the engagement, the ceremony, and the feast, the highlight of the wedding! The feast was a celebration filled with food, dancing, and joy that could last a week! Jesus is saying, “I’m the bridegroom. I’ve arrived. This is a time for celebration!”

That’s the first lesson here: Jesus’ presence brings joy. Yes, there’s a time for fasting, but this wasn’t it. And the joy He brings isn’t fleeting—it’s lasting and transforming. It’s a joy that should shape how we live every day.

So, let me ask: Does your life reflect that kind of joy? Are you walking in the joy of knowing that Jesus has come, or has that joy been clouded by the “angertainment” of culture, social media, and 24-hour political commentary. Are you letting the frustrations and divisions of the world define you or are you being defined by the reality that a Savior has come? As believers, we’re called to live differently—to be perpetually marked by joy, not misery, love, not hatred.

Out with the Old, In with the New

But Jesus doesn’t stop there. He goes on to tell a parable about new wine and old wineskins. Back then, wineskins were made from animal hides. When new wine was poured into them, it would ferment, releasing gases, and expand, stretching the skin. Once a wineskin had been stretched, it couldn’t handle more new wine—it would burst.

Jesus is saying something powerful here: You can’t pour something new into something old. The Pharisees were trying to fit Jesus into their old traditions and self-righteous ways, but He wasn’t about patching up the old. He was bringing something entirely new.

This is where it gets personal. How often do we try to “Jesus-fy” our old habits? We hold onto patterns of sin, division, or bitterness and try to slap a little Jesus on top. We justify patterns of hatred when Jesus tells us to love our enemies. We justify patterns of self-centeredness and selfish living when Jesus calls us to be LIVING SACRIFICES. Following Jesus isn’t about adding Him to the old patterns, adding to him to our lives—it’s about replacing the old with the new.

Think about it: Are there areas in your life where you’re trying to hold onto the old while claiming the new? Maybe it’s a grudge you refuse to let go of, a people you refuse to love as yourself, a habit you don’t want to break, or a way of thinking that doesn’t align with His teaching. Jesus isn’t asking for tweaks—He’s calling for transformation.

Embracing the New

As we enter a new year, I want to encourage you: Don’t settle for patching Jesus onto your old life. Embrace the new. Let His joy define you. Let His grace transform you. No, this isn’t about works or earning your way—it’s about receiving the gift of His newness and the arrival of His life into your life and letting it reshape everything you do.

The bridegroom has come. Let’s celebrate, live differently, and embrace the newness of His gospel in every area of our lives.

Amen.

APPROACH RACISM THE RIGHT WAY

stephanie@mm.com (Stephanie Cunningham Warren) — Thu, 13 Feb 2025 19:13:30 GMT

This past Thursday, I had the pleasure of riding down to Jackson with local friends to attend the 30th anniversary of Mission Mississippi.

The organization which started in Jackson all those years ago, aims to bring white people and black people together to discuss racism in a Christlike way. The goal is to gain understanding and empathy toward one another through

reconciliation.

The leaders of the group realize that all of us people are never going to absolutely agree. We all come from different backgrounds, cultures and situations; however, we can gain understanding of one another. We can empathize with one another.

But, in order to do so we need to get to know each other first.

While in Jackson I sat down to chat with a young lady who works with the organization. She told me she was born and raised in Jackson. In fact, she said it was the only place she’s ever lived. She’s a single mother of one child. She’s also Black.

She very honestly told me prior to her work with Mission Mississippi, she actively avoided spending any time around or near White people.

“It’s just how I was raised. I was never around White people growing up. I didn’t have a need to talk to White people so I avoided them whenever possible,” she said.

Her honestly was shocking to me. It was shocking because its something we don’t normally address in “polite” conversation.

It was also shocking because I had never considered Black people would be intimidated by me, a White woman with green eyes, blond hair, stands 5’3” and weighs about 120 pounds. Not exactly an intimidating person. Yet, here she was telling me that she never would have spoken to me before she was involved with the program because she would fear me based on the color of my skin.

Now here’s where the organization gets it right. They put fear aside and ask Jesus to help reconcile their hearts through prayer. The goal is to have these open conversations and to develop relationships with each other. Because once a strong foundation is formed, a sense of trust is formed.

Now, the young lady in Jackson told me those confessions because she realized I was approaching her out of love. Sure. We’d only just met, but she knew I was there to talk to her. To hear “her side of the story”.

We both understood we weren’t there to be harsh to one another. We were there to learn, and have compassion with each other as brothers and sisters in Christ. We will never defeat racism by being harsh with one another. It has to be approached with love.

I thanked her for sharing her story and why she believed so strongly in Mission Mississippi.

Can you just imagine the change we’d see in the world if we all slowed down and approached each other like this everyday? The world would be a more compassionate and understanding place with less hatred and fear all based on the pigmentation of one’s skin.

It would also be more Christlike, and what a joyful place that would be.

Why I Celebrate “Living Reconciled”

sherri@mm.com (Sherri Tynes) — Thu, 13 Feb 2025 19:13:30 GMT

There are SO many reasons to love Jesus. One that always brings a smile is how He enjoyed parties. We know from Scripture that the first recorded miracle took place at a wedding reception. He was there as a guest, but as an obedient son, the Son handled a rather unusual request from his mother. And because of that, the celebration continued without any interruptions.

In October of 1993, I began my journey with Mission Mississippi (MM). This year we celebrate our 30th year of ministry. My first introduction was at a 3-day rally held at Memorial Stadium in Jackson. I watched in awe as over 100 preachers and priests carried a cross over 100 yards down the field. The voices of an interdenominational, multi-ethnic choir were heard throughout the stadium. Then, I listened as Pat Morley and Tom Skinner spoke of their friendship and deep love for one another – all because Christ had led them to cross barriers of color and recognize the Holy Spirit living within each of them. Would anything result from this rally – which asked us to look within and consider how we, too, might begin to cross some of our very own barriers – of denominational and racial differences?

My next chapter began in April of 1997. A staff member from my home church asked my Sunday School class to choose a Thursday to attend a Prayer Breakfast which was to be hosted by a local church, but led by the MM ministry. Three of us from the class attended a breakfast at Briarwood Presbyterian Church. The night before, a dear friend’s son had committed suicide and I was going to see her later that morning. I SO felt the need for prayer. When we broke into small groups to pray, a Black brother prayed the most comforting and encouraging prayer for me. Two months later, I attended a MM Prayer Breakfast my church hosted. And, after that, I was “all in.” So, what difference have these 26+ years made in my life?

Well, there was Willie Bell, whom I met at Christ the King Catholic Church, while we were attending a Prayer Breakfast there. When I first heard her pray, I was moved by her words and how well she and God seemed to know one another. Early on, MM organized events called “Two and Two Together.” Area restaurants gave a 22% discount for all patrons who visited with someone different from themselves. Since Willie Bell and I were “different colors,” we decided we would participate together. We shared meals and prayers for many years after that. We became friends. Later, larger groups shared meals together. We participated in ministry projects, like wrapping presents at Christmastime at the mall. Just like Jesus, we enjoyed our times of fellowship. They were sweet. When you have prayed together, that lays a wonderful foundation for growing a beautiful friendship.

There have been numerous friends I’ve made throughout this journey. There was Joel, who often began his prayers by saying, “Thank you, God, for waking me up this morning and touching me with your fingers of love.” I learned valuable lessons from Joel’s sweet and humble spirit, his dependability, his love for all things “MM.” He kept “at it,” until he was 91 and moved to Heaven! Some people I would see yearly when their church hosted a breakfast. Mary, from St. Richard’s Catholic Church, wasn’t used to praying aloud with others, but the second time we visited her church, she decided to “give it a try.” From then on, she was eager to pray with those in her small group during our prayer time. Had there not been a MM organization, I would never have met Willie Bell, Joel and Mary. Oh, I will see them again in Heaven (because these three have already “relocated” there), but I would have missed the pleasure of knowing them on “this side.” I was privileged to know the three previous directors/presidents of MM – first, Jarvis Ward, then Dr. Dolphus Weary and most recently Bro. Neddie Winters. I celebrate these three leaders and thank the Father for each of them. Now, we celebrate our newest leader, President Brian Crawford, who officially joined us in April.

What has all this meant to me? It has helped me recognize how big my God is and how all-encompassing His love is for everyone. I’ve realized the importance of living reconciled NOW, not just waiting for Heaven where everything is perfect and all problems have been resolved. No, God had it in mind for us to work on relationships on “this side.” I still have miles to go, but my life has been so much richer and so very blessed by journeying with all these precious brothers and sisters in Christ whom I wouldn’t have met otherwise. MM made this all possible. This was not man’s idea, this was God’s idea. I am beyond grateful that it was HIS idea for me to participate.

To “live reconciled,” we must first be reconciled to God through Jesus Christ, then we can work on our relationships with one another. And, it’s not a cake walk. It takes intentionality and commitment. It takes the Holy Spirit working in us to help us see people the way God sees people. My journey with MM has enlarged my understanding of God in ways I would have never imagined. And my life has been blessed in ways I would have never dreamed. I am so thankful to HIM and to MM.

What now? Come and join us on this journey. Come celebrate with us! “Living Reconciled” truly is the ONLY way to really live!

30 Years Beyond: Serving as an Embassy of the Kingdom of God

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 19:13:30 GMT

My first job after graduating from divinity school was with Mission Mississippi. I came to the ministry in 2009, which was a season of transition in this country and for the organization. Frankly, what was happening in national politics pulled back the veneer of racial tensions that still permeated the state then. People who worshipped, worked, and even played together were balkanized in ways that disclosed how much more work needed to be done to reconcile people who claimed to be reconciled to God.

Fourteen years later, I serve as the chair of the board of directors. I can say that as much as things have changed for the better since 2009, there are ways in which racial tensions in this state are actually worse now in metropolitan Jackson and in enclaves throughout Mississippi.

Thirty years ago, this ministry began to meet a need: racism and de facto racial segregation were and still are impediments to evangelism. How can a divided church witness to Christ’s love for lost people if the found folks cannot get along? That was the question then, and it remains a relevant one in 2023. Thirty years later, Mission Mississippi continues to see the need for this reconciling work because increasing numbers of people doubt that the gospel has any power to change lives and the enduring issues that plague our communities. I like to say that Mission Mississippi must serve as an embassy of the kingdom of God. “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.” (2 Corinthians 5:20 NIV) We must see our ministry much like a diplomatic mission. We must commend the gospel in hostile territory where the conflict is hot.

Younger generations are crying out for this. Millennials (like me) and Gen Zers believe that the gospel speaks holistically to the human condition; it is good news in the midst of bad news and even falsehoods. But our divisions blur this reality for many Mississippians who know how complicit the church has been in what ails us. Diplomats help conflicting parties see better.

A few years ago, I decided it was time to get glasses. I’m nearsighted, which means objects further away are blurry to me. With my glasses, though, I can see clearer and make out important details on the horizon. At its best, Mission Mississippi is like a pair of corrective lenses. The gospel’s themes of love, mercy, justice, and salvation are blurry objects in the distance for people closer to hate, malice, injustice, and hopelessness. Our ministry can help them see clearer and further, so that “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith,” we can have a better vision of Mississippi where Christians live out the grace of the gospel unhindered by racism, racial strife, racial prejudice, racial hatred, and racial division throughout Mississippi and the world.

Dr. CJ Rhodes, serves as the chairman of the Mission Mississippi Board of Directors, is pastor of Mt. Helm Baptist Church in Jackson, MS, and director of the Hiram Rhodes Revels Institute for Ethical Leadership at Alcorn State University.