Jarrod McKenna explained that the historic peace churches (including the Quakers), thought that Christians should not be killing other Christians, let alone anyone else, and that this is a rich theological and practical Christian paradigm that he and others are seeking to bring a fresh.
Last year alone he ran workshops with over 8,000 young where they experienced an open space to consider what the teachings of Jesus mean to the world's most pressing problems.
Mark Tronson noted that Tim Costello said of Jarrod McKenna that he is one Australia's young emerging Christian leaders and asked Jarrod, what are some of the things that have shaped his life and ministry.
Jarrod McKenna said that he was always taken by the way his parents humble way of serving others, and this set him on his own spiritual journey. His theology has been influenced by Cornel West of Princeton University, John H. Yoder, a Mennonite Theologian and Lee Camp a Biblical Ethicist who was a mentor for Jarrod.
He lived for a time in the same house as Karl Meyer who was a Peace and Civil Rights activist during the Vietnam War. Karl came to faith and was mentored by Dorothy Day, another big influence on Jarrod. Jarrod lived with Mr. Meyer in an area where they were the only two white people within eight blocks.
Where these worlds meet together with the zeal of an evangelist he finds very interesting and went on to explain.
Christians have an under pinning belief in healing-justice, this is at the core of Jesus' teachings. Justice issues, whether that be climate justice, human trafficking, peace or whatever, they meet, deep down in the soul of the believer.
The vision of the Kingdom of God that Jesus taught tackles these difficult issues. With this comes a sense deep down of peace, and justice, the joy of the Lord.
God's grace empowers Christians to be salt and light. Serving the community by helping the forgotten, the marginalised, the outcasts and Jarrod would insist that Jesus is found here, at the bottom. To love such people is to "Taste and see the Lord is good."
Yes, newly married to Teresa, this new "yet ancient" paradigm in which they as a newly married couple are experiencing new adventures has at the centre of it a theology of the Cross; that true leadership and greatness is found in service.
This Jarrod McKenna interview by anchorman Mark Tronson can be viewed on the Australian Missionary News IPTV at either
tv.bushorchestra.com/Professionals/videopages/jarrod_mckenna.html
or www.safeworlds.net