But he, willing to justify himself,
Said unto Jesus,
And who is my neighbour?
Luke 10:29
Pero él, queriendo justificarse a sí mismo,
Dijo a Jesús:
¿Y quién es mi prójimo?
Lucas 10:29
You Are Invited!
I’m happy to announce a new series of roundtable discussions beginning in early 2018. Dialogue is a great way to promote unity in Christ, and I hope you’ll join us.
By the way, I’m Rob, and you can reach me at 201-919-2395 or at Robert.Martorana@gmail.com.
What Are Our Goals?
Christians are called to build bridges across race, class, culture, and politics. But that is not what I see in our country or our churches today. So the goals of our discussions are:
- Listen: Learn from people who are different than you.
- Disciple: Mentor youth and encourage one another.
- Evangelize: Show unbelievers that we are willing to confront Christian hypocrisy.
- Speak: Speak up when we see injustice, but remain politically nonpartisan.
- Pray
First Topic: Who Is Your Samaritan?
A lawyer once asked Jesus “And who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:29) Jesus tells the parable of the Good Samaritan, showing that love builds bridges across racial, religious, and cultural lines.
Questions for Discussion
- What group of people do you dislike?
- Can you imagine a person from this group as the hero of the story?
- Is it hard for you to help people who hate you?
- Does your church treat some people like Samaritans?
- Do you have a comments on this Scripture?
- Do you have a question for the panelists?
Who’s Coming?
- Rob Martorana, moderator
- Terrance King, speaker
- Jay Creekmur, speaker
- Brad Balfour, speaker
- Guests: Anyone can ask a question during Q&A
I want to start small, to give the panelists time to get to know one another. This helps foster personal chemistry and candid discussion, and that takes time to cultivate.
What Can I Expect on the Call?
We will have a conference call lasting 20 to 30 minutes.
- Opening prayer
- Five minutes to introduce the speakers.
- Summary of the topic.
- Each speaker gets a few minutes to address each question and respond to questions from the audience.
- Open discussion among panelists.
- Final Q&A from audience
- Closing prayer
When?
I will contact you privately to schedule our first call. I’m aiming for a quorum of three speakers.
What’s the Number?
Please call (712) 770-8086 and use access code 735-765. We will not be recording the calls for podcast, but that opportunity may come up later.
How Will I Keep These Calls Interesting?
I have moderated a variety of panel discussions, research meetings, and investment forums. Here is an article I wrote in 2016 describing Nine Ways to Avoid Boring Panel Discussions.
Based on my research, here is what I need to do before each call:
Here is what I need to do during the call
More Messages from the G328 Ministry
- July 17, 2017: Christians May Sin But Jesus Still Saves
- February 24: In the Mire with Jeremiah: Jeremiah 38:6
February 17: God’s Story for God’s Glory: Psalm 106:8
February 10: God Knows Your Heart: Hebrews 4:12
January 27: Love: Matthew 22:37
- January 20: In the Beginning: Genesis 1:1
- January 13: The Lord Looks at the Heart: 1 Samuel 16:7
- January 6: Self-Control: Galatians 5:23 & Psalm 86:12
- December 30: The Vision is Yet for an Appointed Time: Habakkuk 2:3
- December 23: Behold the Lamb of God: John 1:29
- December 16: Bear Ye Another’s Burdens: Galatians 6:1-5
- December 9: Every Man Did as He Saw Fit: Judges 21:25
- December 2: We Want a Hero But We Need a Savior: Mark 8:29
- November 27: Shut Thy Door: Matthew 6:6
- November 20: Beware Philosophy and Vain Deceit: Colossians 2:8
- November 13: My Grace is Sufficient for Thee: 2 Corinthians 12:9
- November 6: The Bed Is Too Short: Isaiah 28:20 (Part 3 of 3)
There is neither Jew nor Greek,
There is neither bond [slave] nor free,
There is neither male nor female:
For ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 3:28, KJV
Ya no hay judío ni griego;
No hay esclavo ni libre;
No hay varón ni mujer;
Porque todos vosotros
Sois uno en Cristo Jesús.
Gálatas 3:28, RV 1960
Galatians 3:28 Ministry 