Adult Ed, June 8, 9:45am

Do we recognize the peril we are in now in our country? Dr. Jemar Tisby makes the case that we are already on the Roadmap to Ruin as he begins his four-part series: “Roadmap to Ruin: How the Church Can Resist the Dismantling of Democracy.” Join Pastor Andrew in McFarland Chapel and on Zoom to view the video and enter into the discussion.

Dr. Tisby’s first video looks at the signs in our country that democracy is being dismantled and appeals to churches to make their voices heard and take actions to resist such efforts.

Dr. Tisby, a history professor who also has a master’s in divinity, launched his series in April and expressed the desire that churches pick it up and use it to guide discussions on what this means for them. Watch the trailer to his launch below.

Our adult ed program based on this series is five classes:

• June 8 – The Signs Are Clear. Dr. Tisby’s first video looks at the signs in our country that democracy is being dismantled and appeals to churches to make their voices heard and take actions to resist such efforts. After the video, Pastor Andrew leads the discussion.
• June – 15 – Puppet Masters. In the second video, Dr. Tisby outlines and names the people and organizations that he classifies as funders, thinkers, sergeants, infantry, and power players in the effort to dismantle democracy. He states that they are well funded and have been working for decades on this effort. After the video, Debra Sanderson facilitates the discussion.
• June 22 – Jesus Hijacked. In the third video, Dr. Tisby describes White Christian Nationalism and emphasizes that it is a corruption of the Christian faith. He discusses its adherents and its history, and he clearly ties it in to what is happening today. After the video, Dennis Sanderson facilitates the discussion.
• June 29 – Resistance Starts Now. In the fourth video, Dr. Tisby suggests that church members and the church itself look at its strengths and how they can be used to help protect democracy and protect people from being harmed by an anti-democratic force. He suggests making people aware through programs, urges people to make relationships in different groups, and emphasizes faith and commitment. After the video, Tillie Perkins facilitates the discussion.
• July 13 – Our Role in Resistance. The fifth class is a more in depth discussion of what we believe our church should be doing. What does it mean to engage in resistance? What specifically should we be doing? And also, what can individuals do?

Add your voice to this important discussion.

Classes are given in the McFarland Chapel and on Zoom between worship services at 9:45am.

Classes will be recorded for note taking purposes, but for privacy reasons, the recordings will not be published. We will give links to Dr. Tisby’s YouTube videos after the class, so watch for those so you can “catch up” on classes missed.