Manifest Destiny
When we believe that God is on our side, our enemies become our God’s enemies. History is filled with conflicts between peoples of differing traditions, each believing that God wills it for them to conquer the other. This is where we were in the world, where we are in the world, and where we will continue to be in the world until we stop assigning God’s blessing to our own plans.
Ryan Phipps is the Senior Minister at Church In Bethesda.
Raised in the church, becoming a pastor was the one thing Ryan vowed he would never do. After spending many years away from faith, he found that for all of its flaws, the church can still occupy a unique place of good in the world if it is willing to evolve with reason and empathy.
Ryan has a special place in his heart for those who have been damaged or disillusioned by the church, and longs to lead those within it toward a more just and generous expression of itself.