Mark McCurties, CS
(click here for more information)
Ever since I was a little boy, I’ve had a deep love for the Bible. When I read about men and women in the Bible overcoming hatred, famine, war, physical disease, and other hardships, their triumphs inspired me. It didn’t matter what the odds were, or what conditions they faced, individuals in the Bible seemed to flourish in adversity based on one common theme, their deep love for God.
Growing up in a Christian Science household, there was another book I loved to read daily: Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures written by Mary Baker Eddy. The very purpose of her book is to help unlock and reveal the deeper divine meaning and inspiration of the Bible. Together these two books point to the practical healing and saving power of God and its present availability for all mankind. I knew that someday I wanted to share that healing message with the world.
As I grew into adulthood, experiences in the field of education as a summer camp director, outdoor educator, athletics coach, and resident counselor, all helped to develop my understanding and practice of Christian Science. While working with young people, I had multiple opportunities to witness God’s healing power. These examples proved to me that the healing power of the Christ is just as alive and relevant today as for the men and women of the Bible. In 2010, with a desire to focus solely on healing through prayer, I went into the full-time public practice of Christian Science.
About his upcoming lecture on June 11, 2022
Humility that “Overcomes the World”
One of the central themes of Christ Jesus’ ministry was to teach and show that the power of God’s love can help us to overcome the various injustices that we face in the world. In fact, Jesus fully proved the power of God’s might. He healed all kinds of disease, transformed the worst types of behavior, he stopped violent acts from occurring, and he forgave his enemies in order to save them, proving hatred to be powerless in the face of divine Love. Ultimately, Jesus showed that the power of God’s love doesn’t just help us to cope with the ills of the world; it helps us to conquer them.
Yet, for all the remarkable healing work that Jesus did, he never once took the credit. Instead he always gave the glory and honor to God, our Father in heaven. So sincere was Jesus in his expression of humility that he even said, “I can of my own self do nothing” (John 5:30). In other words, Christ Jesus, the Son of God, who overcame all the ugliness that the world could throw at him, said (in essence), the good that I do isn’t personal to me; it’s the Father working through me.
Mary Baker Eddy, the woman who founded the Christian Science church, perceived the powerful impact that Jesus’ humility had on his healing and saving mission. She wrote, “Great charity and humility is necessary in this work of healing. The loving patience of Jesus, we must strive to emulate.” (Miscellaneous Writings 7:7-9)
In this lecture, we will discuss how learning to follow the example of Christ Jesus, particularly his profound display of humility, can empower each one of us to heal and to overcome the hard problems that we face. We will discuss what true humility is, how it links us to God, and by extension, how it connects us with God’s healing and saving laws. There is great need for healing in the world today, and Christ-like humility can help us to meet that demand.