This is from a talk given at the Faith Enrichment Conference of Savannah Presbytery, February 2019. The focus was early content from my upcoming book, "In Defense of Kindness" (2020).

1. In Defense
Of Kindness
Bruce Reyes-Chow
@breyeschow
#pcusa
Savannah Presbytery
Faith Enrichment ‘19

2. www.slideshare.net/breyeschow

3. Bruce
Reyes-Chow
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4. Bruce
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5. Bruce
Reyes-Chow
Interim Pastor
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WHO ARE YOU?
Hello my name is...
Bruce Reyes-Chow
@breyeschow
#pcusa

7. TODAY
What we are doing
Session 1
Introductions
What is Kindness
Living Kindness
BREAK
Session 2
Prophet
Priest
Pastor
Poet
Bruce Reyes-Chow
@breyeschow
#pcusa

8. RULE #1: Butt in.
Ask questions IRL or at on
Twitter via @breyeschow
RULE #2: Play with stuff.
Please use the all the stuff
while I’m talking.
RULE 3: You do you.
Take food, stretch, toilet
breaks as you need to.
Please.
RULE 4: Take notes.
Or don’t.
www.slideshare.net
/breyeschow
RULES
Invitations to play
Bruce Reyes-Chow
@breyeschow
#pcusa

9. Secular Book
College Read
Spring 2020
Still Testing
In Defense of
Kindness
Bruce Reyes-Chow
@breyeschow
#pcusa

10. There are three ways to
ultimate success:
The first way
— is to be kind.
The second way
— is to be kind.
The third way
— is to be kind.
Rev. Fred Rogers
In Defense of
Kindness
Bruce Reyes-Chow
@breyeschow
#pcusa

11. Kindness has a low bar.

12. Name the last 2-3 acts of kindness act that you last
witnessed, read, or watched on the internet.
Name the last 2-3 hurtful, hateful, or dehumanising acts
that you last witnessed, read, or or watched in the internet

13. So what is kindness?

14. “Do not mistake kindness for weakness.”

15. I strive to be kind of person
that my dog thinks I am!

17. To be kind is to know that each
person is a created and complex
human being — and then treating
them as if you believe this to be true.

18. to know that each
person is
No two people are
the same.
To be KIND is...
Bruce Reyes-Chow
@breyeschow
#pcusa

19. a created and
complex
human being
We are formed by
our experiences:
good and bad.
To be KIND is...
Bruce Reyes-Chow
@breyeschow
#pcusa

20. and then treating
them
Every interaction
matters.
To be KIND is...
Bruce Reyes-Chow
@breyeschow
#pcusa

21. as if you believe this
to be true.
Lens of complex and
created human to
complex and created
human.
To be KIND is...
Bruce Reyes-Chow
@breyeschow
#pcusa

22. To be kind is to know that each
person is a created and complex
human being — and then treating
them as if you believe this to be true.

23. Take a moment to read
the questions without
writing anything down.
In silence answer the
following questions.
When Bruce gives the
cue, share in groups.
Report back interesting
ideas, thoughts, etc.Bruce Reyes-Chow
@breyeschow
#pcusa
INTROVERT TIME
Five Minutes

24. What are the biggest obstacles to KINDNESS in the world?
How else do you define KINDNESS?
Where do you see KINDNESS most expressed in the world?
When is the last time someone has shown you KINDNESS?

25. Commonalities?
Affirmations?
Revelations?
Bruce Reyes-Chow
@breyeschow
#pcusa
GROUP SHARING
What did you hear?

26. Commodity
Competition
Privilege
Our Brains
Our Bodies
Our Faith
Conflict
Those Closest to UsT
The Public Square
The Everyday
Resistance
Walking Away
Forgiveness
Saviorism
The Internet
Social Commentary
When Kindness is Not Possible
Bruce Reyes-Chow
@breyeschow
#pcusa
KINDNESS AS...
How it plays out

27. Kindness as Commodity
Reciprocation not required.

28. Kindness as Saviorism
Not an alleviation of guilt.

29. Kindness and the Internet
With great power . . .

30. Kindness and the Internet
. . . comes great opportunity.

31. Kindness and the Everyday
It is an exhausting discipline.

32. Kindness as Resistance
Overcoming evil with good.

33. Kindness and Walking Away
Sometimes separation brings healing.

34. To be kind is to know that each
person is a created and complex
human being — and then treating
them as if you believe this to be true.

35. BREAK

36. Getting to Kindness

37. We must give up the
belief that there is only
one best way to be kind
one best strategy,
one best approach;
— mine.
MY WAY
OUR WAY
Bruce Reyes-Chow
@breyeschow
#pcusa

38. We must embody the
idea that we need
multiple approaches in
order to overcome
hatred, conflict, and
brokeness.
GIFTS
Bruce Reyes-Chow
@breyeschow
#pcusa

39. We must be more
deliberate and challenge
the “Jesus didn’t call us
to be successful, Jesus
calls us to be faithful.”
narrative when it comes
to fighting injustice.

40. “Feeling good, not engaging in violence, or being
willing to die, when you have not achieved the
goals of your struggle, does not change the fact
that you have failed.”
Gene Sharp (1928-2018)

41. From rigidly defined and bounded ways of
being and doing to fluid, overlapping, and
broad postures of engagement.

42. Enneagram
CliftonStrengths
Myers-Briggs
DiSC

43. Prophet: tables
Priest: prayer
Pastor: well
Poet: caesar
BEING
And four-fold
ways of Jesus.
Bruce Reyes-Chow
@breyeschow
#pcusa

44. ACTIVIST
INSTIGATOR
TELLER OF TRUTH
...but, “too angry.”
One who speaks truth to
power despite the
discomfort created and
in order to cause
disruption.
PROPHET
Ways of jesus
Bruce Reyes-Chow
@breyeschow
#pcusa

45. annie

46. ACADEMIC
RITUALIST
TENDER OF THE SPIRIT
… but, “out of touch.”
The one who calls the
community to memory
and mindfulness.
PRIEST
Ways of jesus
Bruce Reyes-Chow
@breyeschow
#pcusa

47. david

48. RELATER
CURATOR
CONVENER OF VOICES
...but, “too nice.”
The one who nurtures
community and calls it
into transformational
conversation.
PASTOR
Ways of jesus
Bruce Reyes-Chow
@breyeschow
#pcusa

49. mom

50. ARTIST
CREATOR
INSPIRER OF DREAMS
...but, “too out there.”
The one calls and
inspires the Spirit to be
active in the community.
POET
Ways of jesus
Bruce Reyes-Chow
@breyeschow
#pcusa

51. j alfred

52. POETS
PASTORS
PROPHETS
PRIESTS
Thoughts . . .
Bruce Reyes-Chow
@breyeschow
#pcusa
THE FOUR Ps

53. Take a moment to read
the questions without
writing anything down.
In silence answer the
following questions.
When Bruce gives the
cue, share in groups.
Report back interesting
ideas, thoughts, etc.Bruce Reyes-Chow
@breyeschow
#pcusa
INTROVERT TIME
Ten Minutes

54. How does is your KINDNESS lived out through these lenses?
Who, in your life, has modeled KINDNESS through the lens
of: prophet, pastor, priest, or poet?
How might you be more intentionally KIND?
Which of the four Ps do you naturally gravitate towards?

55. What commonalities did
you hear: struggles,
successes, perspectives?
What do you want to
affirm that you heard in
your group?
Any “aha” moments?
Bruce Reyes-Chow
@breyeschow
#pcusa
GROUP SHARING
What did you hear?

57. questions, comments, musings...

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