Washington D.C….Here We Come!
Temper Your Expectations
Let me start with a disclaimer. If you are looking for a deep and intellectually stimulating commentary. This will not be the right blog for you. I am all out of brilliance and depth. I am looking forward to seeing my friends and I am exhausted from preparing to be away for 10 days. Read with measured expectations!
Excitement
I am so excited to write this Blog Post. I will be honest that most of my excitement is because I will see my friends in a few days. It is such a bittersweet feeling knowing that this is our last Advance. I always say that the excitement that I feel preparing for the Advance reminds me of what I felt the night before Summer Camp as a child. I did not expect to have such a bond with my Cohort and members of other Cohorts. What a tremendous blessing it has been to learn and grow with such an incredible group of people. I must admit that I was not excited about Washington D.C. as an Advance location. I mean after Cape Town and Oxford, it just felt underwhelming. But as we plan and work through the details of how we will spend our free time, I realize that I will be experiencing Washington D.C. differently. This time I am going with my Cohort, and I am sure that it will be a memorable adventure just as Cape Town and Oxford were.
I am really looking forward to hearing from the speakers. What we learned from our Cape Town and Oxford speakers was so impactful that many of us still quote them in our weekly blogs. I had heard one of the speakers prior to the list being given to us. The titles had me curious about the content and the approach that the authors would take to address the subject. As instructed, I complete an inspectional reading of all three books.
The Readings
High Ceilings: Women In Leadership, By Brett E. Fuller
Pivotal Points
The thesis of this short book is that women may be used in Spiritual Leadership outside of the home. Fuller presents verses that have often been used to keep women out of the pulpit and leadership positions in the Church and refutes them. He asserts that women have gifts and callings just as men do and are spiritually capable just as men are.
Questions for the Author
1.) Why did you stop at three chapters?
2.) Did you receive any backlash from writing this book?
3.) What limitations do you believe women have in the home?
4.) What is the demographic composition of your leadership team at the Church you Pastor?
Dreaming in Black and White, Brett Fueller
Pivotal Points
The thesis of this book is that understanding racial injustice, racial inequities and bigotry truly is necessary if we want to live out God’s vision for us all. Fueller uses biblical discernment to walk the reader through his journey and the experiences that he has had. As a man of faith, he speaks candidly on how he has navigated these challenges as a Man of God.
Questions for the Author
1.) How has this book been received by other Pastors?
2.) Was this emotionally difficult for you to write this book?
3.) Are there things that you wish you had included?
4.) Are there parts that you wish you had omitted?
God’s Politics: Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn’t Get it, By Jim Wallis
Pivotal Points
The thesis of this book is that God is not a political figure. Wallis makes a case for changing the way that we engage in political topics and setting a standard of how to hold political leaders accountable.
Questions for the Author
What about this topic lead you to write about it?
How has this book been received by people from opposing political parties?
If you were to write a follow-up book, what would you name it?
Do you believe that Christians can have opposing political views and work together to combat the social ills of the world? Poverty? Racism? Homelessness?
Conclusion
I am confident that more questions will come up as we hear from the authors. I am looking forward to learning the motivation for writing on these topics. I am also looking forward to hearing some of the well-constructed questions from my Cohort Friends. It is always so interesting to hear what others get from the readings. Okay, Loved Ones…see you in DC!
About the Author
Jonita Fair-Payton
10 responses to “Washington D.C….Here We Come!”
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Jonita, I love that your questions get at the authors’ motivations. Why did they write about these topics? And you’re asking about their experiences. Did you face backlash? I’ve never authored a full-length book, but I would like to some day. I think the question that I worry about is the one you ask Fuller: Are there things that you wish you had included or omitted? Such potential for regret – once it’s published it’s out there and you can’t change it!
See you in DC!
Hey Kim,
Thanks for your comment. Yes, I would imagine that it’s a scary feeling right before you publish. All sorts of questions, ideas, and thoughts enter your mind.
I can’t wait to read your first book! See you soon.
Jonita,
So looking forward to seeing you! I had to laugh when you said you were “out of brilliance and depth.” Here I thought I was the only one! I’m hoping it makes a come back for my project.
Also, love your questions. I thought it was brilliant, (though you are out of brilliance-ha! ha!), to ask about Fuller’s staff demographic.
Looking forward to our sightseeing adventure on Monday!
Esther,
I hope to muster up some brilliance for the final push also. I am looking forward to seeing you tomorrow. It’s hard to believe that this is our final Advance.
Jonita,
Friend, I feel you…I’m sitting here the night before leaving and feel primarily tired. I like having space for just me, and I have fallen in love with doing solo travel, so I’m sure I’ll rally. I like your question for Brett Fuller on why he only wrote 3 chapters. See you soon friend!
Jana,
I would have loved for Fuller to go deeper and write more about this subject. I have also fallen in love with traveling and exploring alone. Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow and exploring the African American Heritage Museum with you.
“I am all out of brilliance and depth. I am looking forward to seeing my friends and I am exhausted from preparing to be away for 10 days.”
Same.
Regardless…great quesitons. I appreciated the short nature of his ceilings book, but never would have considered why it wasn’t longer/more in depth. Bravo for catching that.
See you soon.
Thanks, Tim.
I am looking forward to seeing you soon. And I seriously doubt that you are out of brilliance.
Hey Jonita. Thanks again for your post. I really like your question to the author, “What limitations do you believe women have in the home?” This question did not come to my mind as I read the book but it is a very good one. As usual, thanks for showing the depth of your wisdom. See ya soon, my sister.
Hey Todd,
Thanks for the comment! I am looking forward to seeing you soon.