CONFERENCE RECORDINGS
Better Citizens, Better World
Learn to take small, courageous steps toward a better world.
October 16–19, 2024
The 2024 Better Citizens, Better World conference featured a wide range of webinars over the course of four days. We are glad to be able to make complete recordings of almost all of the sessions available to stream!
A Theological Mandate for Active Citizenship
Speaker: Rick Barry, Center for Christian Civics
Letting our faith in Jesus transform the way we think, speak and act in the public square starts with learning to understand our public square the way the biblical audiences might have. When we do this, we discover a call to take politics more respectfully and responsibly than our candidates, pundits and elected officials might want us to.
God and Empire: A Historical and Contextual Approach to Christian Nationalism
Speakers: Rob Dalrymple, Determine Truth Ministries
David Crump, professor and author
A powerful and thought-provoking discussion exploring the intersection of faith and power. Through biblical analysis, we will reveal how the Gospel calls believers to reject worldly power and embrace the Kingdom's distinct values of peace, justice, and servant-hearted love. Whether you're wrestling with questions about politics, faith, or the role of the church in the public square, this livestream will offer deep insights into how the Gospel speaks to today's challenges.
Existential Crisis in the Middle East
Speaker: Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Canon, Churches for Middle East Peace
Join Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon as she teaches us how to advocate for an end to mass killing and violence in Gaza, Lebanon, and Israel, and pursue a future without war.
Protest and Lament
Speaker: Soong Chan Rah, Fuller Seminary
Noted professor and author Soong Chan Rah dives deep into the relationship between the modern work of protest and the ancient (often forgotten) biblical discipline of lamentation.
Justice through Generations
Speaker: Roslyn Hernandez, Chasing Justice
Explore how different generations of American Christians have understood the concept of justice and learn effective ways of working with the emerging generation in intergenerational coalitions.
Productive Division: The Role of Political Tension in a Healthy Church
Speaker: Rick Barry, Center for Christian Civics
For the church to function properly, people who are told by their culture that they have nothing in common have to learn to love one another. This has never been an easy task, but it can transform our walk with Christ and make us more effective advocates for the common good.
Practical Advocacy: How to Love Your Neighbor in the Civic Square
Speakers: Hassan El-Tayyb, Friends committee on National Legislation
Kyle Cristofalo, Churches for Middle East Peace
Our conference ends with a practical training on how to engage with elected officials and other policy-makers at the local and federal levels.
Conference Partners
Better Citizens, Better World is hosted by Churches for Middle East Peace, in partnership with the following organizations and ministries:
