Q Getting Started For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms. Use every piece of God’s armor to resist the enemy in the time of evil, so that after the battle you will still be standing firm. Ephesians 6:12–13 In this course, we have reviewed many social problems. It may seem easier at times to just throw up our hands and say, "That's just the way it is. Things will never change." Other times, we may want to point a finger at the person causing the problem and say, "You must change." But, during our time together, we have explored better strategies to analyze and solve social problems. Instead of blaming others, Paul is exhorting us in this passage to look past "flesh and blood" and analyze the "rulers and authorities of the unseen world." It is more effective to change an institution than change an individual. This workshop will give us direction to “use every piece of God’s armor" and promote effective social change. It takes courage, though. We must beware of those "wicked spirits in the heavenly realms"—those ill-directed church people, public officials, and others in whom we often place too much trust. God intends for you to be a change agent. Perhaps God has not called you to make a little change in millions of lives, but you can make a big change in the lives of a few people. Start with your family, your workplace, and your church, and make a difference. This is God’s commandment. As you continue your study of sociology, you will gain tools to help you become a productive change agent. Prayer: Thank you, God, for placing us within social structures that are amenable to change. Thank you for giving us the skills and the direction in this course to make a difference in our world. Help us to put on your armor and stand against the social powers that threaten to undo us. Upon successful completion of this discussion, you will be able to: • Articulate a Christian perspective on the social world around you. • Practice Christian social responsibility in your daily social activities. ________________________________________ Background Information The author discusses the comfort she found in the silence. She invites readers to follow her journey to find comfort as well. ________________________________________ Instructions 1. Read Day Five of Wells, M. (2021) My Ramblings in the Silence: 21 Days of Silent Reflection with the Lord. 2. Review the rubric to make sure you understand the criteria for earning your grade. 3. Navigate to the threaded discussion and respond to the following prompts: a. How are you empowered by the comfort that you find in the silence? b. What might you be afraid of in the silence? c. How can you feel empowered to seek silence in your life? 4. Your initial post is due by the end of the fourth day of the workshop. It should be at least 250 words. 5. Read and respond to your classmates’ postings, as well as all instructor follow-up questions directed to you, by the end of the workshop. 6. Your postings should also: a. Be well developed by providing clear answers with evidence of critical thinking. b. Add greater depth to the discussion by introducing new ideas. c. Provide clarification to classmates’ questions and insight into the discussion. d. Be posted on three different days during the workshop.