By Lainey Nix
This past weekend, the Capital Fellows packed into cars and headed to Oxford, NC for the Micah 6:8 East Conference and Retreat. Along with Fellows from the other programs on the East Coast, we chatted by fires, square-danced at a hoe-down, walked around the camp through the brightly colored fall trees, and had an Ultimate Frisbee tournament, in which the Capital Fellows bravely made it through (count ‘em!) 2 rounds!
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. - Micah 6:8
In addition to all of this, we also had the pleasure of hearing from former U.S. Ambassador to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons and co-founder of the Human Trafficking Institute, John Cotton Richmond, who spoke about Micah 6:8 throughout the retreat. Mr. Richmond covered a lot of ground in his talks with us, but what stuck with me the most out of it all was this line: “God doesn’t call us to the couch.”
What he is getting across about the Micah 6:8 command here is that the apprenticeship under Jesus requires action. In order to do justice (which is making wrong things right), love mercy (which is compassion that is activated), and walk humbly with God (which involves recognition that God does not need us to do His work, he wants to involve us), we must take the risk of getting up and getting busy. Instead of only considering the cost of “going for it” and failing in our work, endeavors, and relationships, we must also consider the cost of not “going for it” because, in Mr. Richmond’s words, “The orchestra of God would be missing an important piece if you don’t show up.” The cost of un-discipleship, he said, is like a Steinway piano that never gets played.
Mr. Richmond’s call to action for us twenty-somethings was to take the message from Micah 6:8, convert it into passion and a heart for justice and mercy, and convert that passion into action done in humility in our lives. Living out this command does not mean we have to work for places like the Human Trafficking Institute that have a direct justice-and-mercy-oriented mission, he was careful to point out. Wherever we find ourselves, in whatever life circumstance, God wants to involve us - flawed as we are - in His work to bring justice about on Earth. Justice and mercy are words about how we relate with and treat each other not only in the world at large, but in our families, our offices, our churches…oh yeah, and our Capital Fellows cohort! In our Fellows microcosm, we are in pursuit of living out this command. We are a community of people who are asking God to make our hearts yearn for justice, seeking to love each other with compassion even when we get in deeper and loving gets harder, and striving to live in perpetual remembrance that we are but small bits of dust whom God wants to involve in His work.
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. - Joshua 1:9
Pictures from the Week
Christmas card worthy family picture
Kate and I cooking Capital Commons dinner for 20
Road-trip ready and retreat bound!
Ambassador John Richmond speaking at the 2021 TFI Micah 6:8 Conference.
Become A Capital Fellow in 2022-23
We are now receiving applications for Season 16 of the Capital Fellows program!
EARLY APPLICATION DEADLINE: NOVEMBER 30th!
Most fellows work in the marketplace - for companies, nonprofits, government offices. Three Capital Fellows work at our church each year as well. For these roles, we are looking for a worship fellow, a children's ministry fellow, and a missions fellow. These are special Capital Fellows opportunities because you are not only paid a salary, but also your Capital Fellows program fees are covered as well!
The Season 16 program year runs from late August 2022 through mid-May 2023. If you are a college senior or recent graduate - or know someone that is - we would love to hear from you!
Pray for the Capital Fellows
Thank you for praying for the Capital Fellows each week!
As the Capital Fellows process the Micah 6:8 Conference weekend, and consider who to put this verse into action in their lives, please pray for them. Pray that they would seek and learn how to act justly and love mercy at work, church, home, and in society. Pray that they would be humble, not proud, before God and the world, in every area of life. Pray that they would continue to go deeper into these truths over the remaining six months of the Capital Fellows program.
Want to pray for the Capital Fellows throughout the year? Download this handy prayer guide for your phone or tablet.
Benefits of The Fellows Initiative
You probably already know that Capital Fellows is one of 32 fellows programs in The Fellows Initiative network. Capital Fellows benefit from our affiliation with The Fellows Initiative in many ways. One of those ways is that all Capital Fellows alumni receive a 33% tuition discount at Reformed Theological Seminary for 5 years. For more information, please contact us.
If you know a church in the US or Canada that would benefit from joining The Fellows Initiative by launching a new fellows program. Please contact TFI by visiting their website.
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