Christ at the Checkpoint was by far the most impactful conference I’ve ever attended. Nothing can compare to hearing from Palestinian Christians themselves at this particular moment of crisis. Even while these Palestinian Christian leaders affirmed their love for Jewish people and the depth of solidarity they feel from Jewish allies around the world, they spoke with authority and clarity to call western Christians to confront our own anti-Palestinian racism and the underlying Christian Zionism that results in harmful theological and political positions. So what can we do? Here are some resources.

“Peacebuilding is not an elective that you can choose from your church’s course offerings; it is the essence of our calling as Christians and the motivator for all we do.” That feedback was one of many incredible responses we got from our last 6-week online small group: “Introduction to Christian Peacebuilding,” and we have another group coming up in September. Read what others are saying about it, and join us for the next one!

We all encounter circumstances, people, and conversations that scare us. It is natural for our defenses to automatically kick into gear, preparing us to fight or escape at any cost. This is why I am amazed whenever I meet people who instead manage to pause their defense reactions long enough to engage their curiosity and seek to better understand their partner in conflict. This kind of dialogue is truly courageous.

Over four weeks in the States while visiting family and friends, I was invited to preach or speak at a different church each weekend, in addition to speaking at several Christian small groups. The biggest takeaway that I have is how much American Christians are longing to hear about peacebuilding, and regardless of high levels of skepticism about how peacebuilding functions or whether it can be successful, Christians are interested to learn more and eager to put peacebuilding insights and skills into practice.

At Peace Catalyst International, we're dreaming of a day when churches across the world are known as communities of peace, when their Christian witness is recognized through their reconciliation with enemies, their pursuit of justice, solidarity with the marginalized, and commitment to truth. But we know we can't get there through good intentions alone, and that’s why we’re expanding our capacity to provide aspiring peacebuilders with high-quality training and an intentional community of practice.

When I recently arrived in South Africa at the end of January to join my husband for a few months while he is on a temporary deployment with his job for USAID, I wondered how I would spend my time - what I would learn and whom I would learn it from. One thing I knew almost the first day I arrived is that I wanted to learn more about the concept of Ubuntu.

Islam and Christianity are different religions, but in both faith traditions Miriam/Mary is a revered figure and someone around whom we can have important conversations. So who is Miriam in Islam and Mary in Christianity? And where is the common ground?

Most peacemakers I know are better at talking and listening than they are at praying. Certainly, wise speech and attentive listening are fundamental peace practices. But so is prayer. In fact, the discipline of prayer is a key component of peacemaking.

I am much better at praise than I am at lament. Yet one third of the Psalms are laments. Prayers of lament are an important part of my spiritual heritage as a follower of Jesus.Yet I struggle with lament because I want to ignore and stay away from pain. I realize this is a natural tendency in all people. But peacemakers engage conflict. So we need to learn how to enter into the suffering of the world.