{"id":634157,"date":"2023-05-17T05:00:54","date_gmt":"2023-05-17T05:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hillsong.com\/collected\/?p=634157"},"modified":"2024-02-15T12:30:15","modified_gmt":"2024-02-15T01:30:15","slug":"stepping-into-reconciliation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hillsong.com\/collected\/it\/blog\/2023\/05\/stepping-into-reconciliation\/","title":{"rendered":"Stepping Into Reconciliation"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ci spiace, ma questo articolo \u00e8 disponibile soltanto in Inglese Americano<\/a>.<\/p>

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The global Indigenous community is beautiful, diverse in cultural expressions, and rich in stories to minister to those who are non-indigenous.\u00a0 Experts estimate that there are about 370 million Indigenous peoples in about 70 countries worldwide.\u00a0 As a global church, our heart’s posture is love and value.\u00a0 We love and value the global Indigenous peoples and want to position ourselves to listen so we can learn, lament and act.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

The reality is that for our global Indigenous sisters and brothers, there are devastating histories of land possessions, violence, and racism.\u00a0 Australia is one of the countries where this devastating history is the reality.\u00a0 Although there are changes which still need to take place, there have also been intentional efforts to try to make the wrong things right.<\/p>\n

One of these efforts takes place annually on May 27 – June 3.\u00a0 It started in 1993 when many churches across Australia came together to spend a week praying for reconciliation.\u00a0 Since then, this effort has grown into all spheres of life, now termed the National Reconciliation Week<\/a>.\u00a0 This year\u2019s theme is to \u201cBe a Voice for Generations<\/a>.\u201d\u00a0 The intent of the theme is to intentionally step into the work of reconciliation every day, whether at home, church, school, work, or out in the community.<\/p>\n

With a vision of being a healthy church changing lives through Christ, this is something we as Hillsong Church intentionally want to continue to be part of.\u00a0 Believing that reconciliation needs to take place in order for us to be a healthy church.\u00a0 Believing the Bible in 2 Corinthians 5:11 where it states that each believer is given the ministry of reconciliation.\u00a0 Believing that God\u2019s heart is not just for reconciliation, but also for healing and unity within His global church.\u00a0 Believing that more efforts are needed.<\/p>\n

Pastor Willy, an Indigenous man and leader, deeply respected by the house, sat down last year in a recorded interview with our beloved Dr. Tanya Riches.\u00a0 You can listen to their conversation here<\/a>.\u00a0 Pastor Willy and his wife Sandra Dumas are the Senior Ministers of Ganggalah Church, Ganggalah Training Centre, and Ganggalah Aboriginal Arts, based in the beautiful Tweed Heads region of Northern NSW, Bundajlung Country. \u00a0They are also the National Leaders of the Australian Christian Churches, Indigenous Initiative Committee.\u00a0 Both Pastor Willy & Sandra know God has a mandate on their lives to \u201craise\u201d up the next generation of Indigenous Christian leaders.<\/p>\n

In the interview, Pastor Willy talked about the power of \u201clistening.\u201d\u00a0 He shares with us about the power of having a \u201cyarn\u201d and how important it is to Indigenous culture and community.\u00a0 He explains how a yarn is having both a conversation and a relationship:<\/p>\n

\u201ca yarn is listening to each other.\u00a0 It is not one way.\u00a0 It is beautiful how it unfolds. <\/em><\/strong>Sometimes people talk too much and they don\u2019t listen.\u00a0 A yarn is listening to the story behind<\/em><\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n

This year I was able to have my own yarn with Pastor Willy, the beauty of his stories and heart posture still ministering to me, even several weeks later.\u00a0 \u00a0Pastor Willy\u2019s wisdom highlights for me Colossians 3:12&14 (NIV).\u00a0 If Colossians 3 type of listening was all our heart postures, I believe we would see a significant increase in reconciliation, healing, and unity.<\/p>\n

\u201cTherefore, as God\u2019s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Australian National Week of Reconciliation is a bold reminder of those who have gone before us and have worked hard for meaningful change, how more meaningful change is needed, and how all our efforts are needed to accomplish it.\u00a0 Although on Sunday May 28 we as Hillsong Church will do our part to participate, we encourage you to go to the link<\/a> to find out how you can get involved, and perhaps even participate with your family and friends in one of the events<\/a> planned during this important week.\u00a0 If you are at one of our global locations outside of Australia, we encourage you to engage the healing and unity efforts and changes that are needed where you live.<\/p>\n