Rev. John R. Miller, Ph.D.
Gracism
Teaching from David A. Anderson's book, Gracism: The Art of Inclusion
Locations & Times
Living Word Temple of Restoration
219 Stenson St, Rochester, NY 14606, USA
Sunday 5:00 AM
From Racism to Gracism
God’s Own Example of Gracism
One Body with Many Members
Seven Commitments of a Gracist:
1. Special Honor, lifting up the humble among us.
2. Special Modesty, protecting the most vulnerable among us from embarrassment.
3. No Special Treatment, refusing to accept special treatment if it is at the detriment of others who need it.
4. Greater Honor, God, as a gracist, has given greater honor to the humble.
5. No Division, when the majority helps the minority, and the stronger helps the weaker (gracism), it keeps us from division within the body (an opposite view than normal)
6. Equal Concern, having a heart as bit for our neighbors as we do for ourselves.
7. Rejoices with, when the humble, or less honorable, are helped, we are to rejoice with them. (It’s easier to weep with those who weep than to rejoice with those who rejoice.)
1. Special Honor, lifting up the humble among us.
2. Special Modesty, protecting the most vulnerable among us from embarrassment.
3. No Special Treatment, refusing to accept special treatment if it is at the detriment of others who need it.
4. Greater Honor, God, as a gracist, has given greater honor to the humble.
5. No Division, when the majority helps the minority, and the stronger helps the weaker (gracism), it keeps us from division within the body (an opposite view than normal)
6. Equal Concern, having a heart as bit for our neighbors as we do for ourselves.
7. Rejoices with, when the humble, or less honorable, are helped, we are to rejoice with them. (It’s easier to weep with those who weep than to rejoice with those who rejoice.)
Special Honor
Saying One: “I will lift you up.”
1Cor. 12:22-23the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor...
Who are the marginalized people in your congregation?
Who in your church deserves special honor?
Are there any people you think should be excluded from the circle of honor?
Who are you usually drawn towards?
Saying One: “I will lift you up.”
1Cor. 12:22-23the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor...
Who are the marginalized people in your congregation?
Who in your church deserves special honor?
Are there any people you think should be excluded from the circle of honor?
Who are you usually drawn towards?
Special Modesty
Saying Two: “I will cover you.”
1Cor. 12:23-24on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require.
What biblical examples can you think of where one person in the power position did not embarrass or shame the person in the weaker position? How could exposing people hinder their spiritual growth? How might it help them?
How much value does our society place on the virtue of modesty?
And how does this impact our ability to be sensitive to care for the modesty of others?
Saying Two: “I will cover you.”
1Cor. 12:23-24on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require.
What biblical examples can you think of where one person in the power position did not embarrass or shame the person in the weaker position? How could exposing people hinder their spiritual growth? How might it help them?
How much value does our society place on the virtue of modesty?
And how does this impact our ability to be sensitive to care for the modesty of others?
No Special Treatment
Saying Three: “I will share with you.”
1Cor. 12:23-24on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require.
When have you either benefited from or been excluded from “getting a piece of the pie”?
When you were on the benefit side, how did you feel?
When you were on the excluded side, how did you feel?
Why do we struggle with the choices of community versus comfort?
Have you ever benefited from “grace-onomics” (the leverage of relational network)?
Saying Three: “I will share with you.”
1Cor. 12:23-24on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require.
When have you either benefited from or been excluded from “getting a piece of the pie”?
When you were on the benefit side, how did you feel?
When you were on the excluded side, how did you feel?
Why do we struggle with the choices of community versus comfort?
Have you ever benefited from “grace-onomics” (the leverage of relational network)?
Greater Honor
Saying Four: “I will honor you.”
1Cor. 12:24God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it.
When does your “fairness meter” begin to make noise?
Is grace “unfair”?
How have you benefited from God’s “unfair” grace?
What are some ways you can extend grace through service in your community?
When have you heard someone say something negative about a particular people group?
What was your internal reaction?
Did you respond to the people present there?
If not you, did someone else?
Write down a proactive response you can use at a future time when someone speaks negatively about a particular people group.
Saying Four: “I will honor you.”
1Cor. 12:24God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it.
When does your “fairness meter” begin to make noise?
Is grace “unfair”?
How have you benefited from God’s “unfair” grace?
What are some ways you can extend grace through service in your community?
When have you heard someone say something negative about a particular people group?
What was your internal reaction?
Did you respond to the people present there?
If not you, did someone else?
Write down a proactive response you can use at a future time when someone speaks negatively about a particular people group.
No Division
Saying Five: “I will stand with you.”
1Cor. 12:24-25God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it,
25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.
How have you experienced the pain of division or conflict that led you and another, or you and a group, from continuing to be a part of each other’s lives?
What are some of the emotions that are stirred from the separation as you reflect on it today?
What are the consequences of that division?
Read the prayers of Jesus (Mt 6:9-13, 26:39, 42, and John 17.
Read Rev. 5:6-14.
How are these similar and what do they demonstrate about division?
Saying Five: “I will stand with you.”
1Cor. 12:24-25God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it,
25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.
How have you experienced the pain of division or conflict that led you and another, or you and a group, from continuing to be a part of each other’s lives?
What are some of the emotions that are stirred from the separation as you reflect on it today?
What are the consequences of that division?
Read the prayers of Jesus (Mt 6:9-13, 26:39, 42, and John 17.
Read Rev. 5:6-14.
How are these similar and what do they demonstrate about division?
Equal Concern
Saying Six: “I will consider you.”
1Cor. 12:24-25 God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.
In your encounters with homeless people, what were your initial thoughts and feelings?
How do you normally respond to the homeless?
What reasons would the Levite and priest in the Good Samaritan story give for avoiding the man on the side of the road?
How are those reasons similar to your responses in the opening question? What were the reasons that the Good Samaritan helped the robbed man?
Saying Six: “I will consider you.”
1Cor. 12:24-25 God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.
In your encounters with homeless people, what were your initial thoughts and feelings?
How do you normally respond to the homeless?
What reasons would the Levite and priest in the Good Samaritan story give for avoiding the man on the side of the road?
How are those reasons similar to your responses in the opening question? What were the reasons that the Good Samaritan helped the robbed man?
Rejoices with It
Saying Seven: “I will celebrate with you.”
1Cor. 12:26If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together
Can you remember a time when it was difficult for you to rejoice with someone else?
Why was it hard?
While you were growing up, when did you realize that you were different from others?
How are you still different?
How does different make you feel?
How do you view whites in the diversity conversation? I
f you are a white person, do you feel like you have a voice? Explain.
If you are a non-white person, do you feel like whites have something to offer when it comes to diversity? Why?
Saying Seven: “I will celebrate with you.”
1Cor. 12:26If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together
Can you remember a time when it was difficult for you to rejoice with someone else?
Why was it hard?
While you were growing up, when did you realize that you were different from others?
How are you still different?
How does different make you feel?
How do you view whites in the diversity conversation? I
f you are a white person, do you feel like you have a voice? Explain.
If you are a non-white person, do you feel like whites have something to offer when it comes to diversity? Why?
How to Become a Gracist:
Reach over the color line by inviting someone to your home.
Read on the subject of reconciliation.
Intentionally relate to people who are different from you.
Link with an organization that promotes care for the poor.
Reach over the color line by inviting someone to your home.
Read on the subject of reconciliation.
Intentionally relate to people who are different from you.
Link with an organization that promotes care for the poor.