Section 4

Cultural Challenge 4

Confront evil, not abandon good.

 

Spiritual Awakening:
We can confront evil peacefully, through non-violence, non-cooperation.

In the second part of the last video you viewed, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vS_wgrUMr9E, you
saw an insurance story example of using non violence, non cooperation.

God calls us to confront evil, not abandon good.

We can confront evil peacefully, through non-violence, non- cooperation.

It’s not always easy!

I must confront evil not abandon good. There is a war of evil spirits going on. If any are to come to God they must confront. Any who do God’s will are to confront all whom they come in contact with. All who hear God in their hearts shall confront.

What they shall confront is up to God. Some shall confront themselves. Some shall confront others. Those who confront others shall be twice blessed. They shall be blessed for confronting themselves and for confronting others. All who love God shall come to God. All who turn from God shall suffer eternally.

All who hear the one who confronts them shall be asked to account for their actions by God. All those who scorn the one who confronts them, shall be scorned by God.

Discussion Questions Set 4. Cultural Challenge 4-Confront evil, not abandon good, Spiritual breakthrough-4 confront evil peacefully, through non-violence, non-cooperation. Have you ever felt you had to confront evil? Can you share an example of what you did? Have you ever non violently, non cooperated? If so, can you share your story?

1 Corinthians 10:13

No trial has come to you but what is human. God is faithful and will not let you be tried beyond your strength; but with the trial he will also provide a way out, so that you may be able to bear it.

2. Can any share experience you have in facing a similar concern?

Micah 2:13 usccb:

The one who makes a breach goes up before them; they make a breach and pass through the gate; their king shall go through before them, the LORD at their head.

3. What alternative or combination of alternatives does the focus person like best?

4. Does the focus person see this solution as being for the primary values?

Is the experience for : 1 Doing that which is truly in the best interests of others, 2 Attaining a goal (can you get the job done) and 3 Operating in an area of meaningful expansion for oneself.

 

The Rule –
If one or more of the values is present and the experience does not go against any of the other values, you will feel good. If the experience goes against one or more of the values, you will feel bad, even if other values are present. Even if you feel bad but are doing the right thing, you will feel joy.

 

Here is how to run a Work Meets Faith small group discussion.  Each small group will select one person to act as facilitator.

Facilitator Guidelines for Small Group Discussion

 

In General Follow the Odd Rule

 

When you as facilitator are tempted to say something in response to what a speaker has said, be silent and call on others to speak. If you want to say something on a controversial point, the chances are high that others will also want to speak. The rule is odd because when you want to speak, the rule says do not talk on the subject. As a facilitator, the more you want to say something in response to what has been said in the sense of coming to some conclusion, the more you need to be silent and call on others to form consensus to resolve the matter.

This odd rule will help shift the burden of choice off of you and onto the group. In the end, the group will more appreciate you because of your use of the Odd Rule.

There is another very important reason for using the Odd Rule. The Odd Rule is like jiu-jitsu. As the group facilitator, you hold all the power. If you are perceived as misusing your power because you took a position different from another in the group, even if you are correct the group may disagree with you, simply to take power away from you. Instead, call on others to form consensus when you are tempted to say something. Always give the power back to the group. That way it will be the group responding to each other and not you responding, or worse you concluding, to them. We call this forming consensus.

 

Here are the steps for the facilitator to follow:

1 Corinthians10:13

No trial has come to you but what is human. God is faithful and will not let you be tried beyond your strength; but with the trial he will also provide a way out, so that you may be able to bear it.

2. Can any share experience you have in facing a similar concern?

Micah 2:13 usccb:

The one who makes a breach goes up before them; they make a breach and pass through the gate; their king shall go through before them, the LORD at their head.

 

Hear Best Practices

  1. “Does anyone else have personal experience facing this concern where work meets faith?” Call on others until the Focus Person has heard all the alternative practices that the group has to offer.

 

Ask the Focus Person

  1. Ask the Focus Person “What practice or combination of practices do you like best?”

 

Ask the primary value questions

  1. Ask the Focus Person the primary value questions of the best practice.

· Do you see the best practice as going for “Doing that which is truly in the best interests of others?”

· Do you see the best practice as going for “Attaining a goal, (or other end not necessarily preconceived as a goal but which becomes a goal once experienced)?”

· Do you see the best practice as going for “Operating in an area of meaningful expansion for yourself?”

If against

  1. If the Focus Person perceives the best practice as going against any primary value, State the rule: If the experience goes against one or more primary values you will feel bad even if other values are present, or call on another to state the rule.
  2. Ask the group “What, if anything can be done, to make the best practice “for” that primary value?”

 

If for

8. If the Focus Person sees the “best practice” as “for” one or more primary values and not going against any other primary value, or is neutral to another primary value, the “best practice” will be a good experience for the Focus Person.

State the rule: If the experience goes for one or more primary values, and the experience is neutral or does not go against any of the other primary values, you will feel good. You will tend toward happiness for yourself and sense of community for your group at work.