Cracked, Concealed, and Called
Earlier this summer I spent a few days at the Whitworth Ministry Summit where I spoke about the imago Dei and race. Those talks have been posted and you can find them here: Cracked, Concealed, and Called. I had such a good time with the pastors and leaders at the summit and would recommend it to any ministry leader who is looking for few days of refreshment and continuing ed. And despite it being a mostly Presbyterian crowd, they welcomed this church mutt warmly.
Last night our family took the train to Millennium Park for a picnic and some live orchestral music at the Pritzker Pavilion. Chicago really is the best.
My book with InterVarsity Press, Rediscipling the White Church: From Cheap Diversity to True Solidarity, will be out early next year. I'm at the stage in the process where I'm connecting with leaders who can help get the word out about the book, especially folks who have influence in white Christian spaces. Please let me know if you are one of those people, or if you can introduce me to them.
Michael Brown was killed by a police officer in Ferguson five years ago this week. A couple of weeks later my friend Michael and I joined some clergy for a night walking and praying through the streets of that city. Here's what I wrote about the experience back then.
Michael and I were under the impression that there would be organized times of prayer as we marched in Ferguson. This never happened. Honestly, it would have been hard. The noise, flashing lights, and adrenaline made it far easier to chant loudly – No justice, no peace! Hands up. Don’t Shoot! – than to pray quietly. I wondered though, driving home, what it would have been like had small groups of clergy stopped occasionally during the march to join hands a pray. I wonder if some of the besieged citizens would have welcomed prayer. I wonder whether the omnipresent police would have relaxed, even a little bit. I don’t know, but it was an important reminder that prayer is the Christian’s first choice, always, regardless of how chaotic the surroundings.