Do you know your trees?
I finished reading a new book about trees on a day this week when the news around the world was once again overwhelming and terrible. In Afghanistan people...
Leveraging Privilege to Create Systemic Change
This week's newsletter features an excerpt from my friend Dominique Gilliard's new book. But first... Earlier this summer I got to spend some time in NYC...
"...a reproach before God and the world."
There is a strange warning being passed around these days and I expect, with Independence Day coming up, its urgency will be heightened. It comes in...
There is Freedom: A Sermon for Juneteenth
Today, June 19th, is Juneteenth, a holiday our church has incorporated into our Sunday worship for the past few years. This is a lightly edited version of my...
When the Colonizer is One of Your Own
In this week’s newsletter I’m delighted to feature the following reflection by Dr. Suzie Sang. Dr. Sang responded to my recent social media post - “Beware...
Singing in the Dark
Johnny Dark At some point each day, having listened to the same song most of the day, Johnny Dark takes out his phone, points it toward a mirror in his...
CRT: Enough Already!
I can predict when it will happen. During the past twelve months, I’ve been invited to more online Q & A sessions than I can remember with groups around the...
Who gets to determine the ideal?
Earlier this week I posted the following reflection on social media. It provoked enough responses there that I thought it might be worth sharing here as...
Lamenting and Praising
Like most of you, I was paying close attention earlier this week to the verdict in the trial for the man who murdered George Floyd. Also like many of you, I...
The God Who Sees
In this week’s newsletter I’m sharing a lightly edited version of my sermon today from Genesis 16. There’s something powerful about being seen. This is...
Leaving the White Church for What?
Last week I listened to a powerful episode of one of my favorite podcasts, Pass the Mic, hosted by Jemar Tisby and Tyler Burns. In it, Tisby describes his...
Worship → Justice → Worship
Last week I shared ten characteristics of biblical justice. (If you're interested, I expanded the the list into an article for Missio Alliance.) Of those...
10 Characteristics of Biblical Justice
This week I spoke (online) at a church in California. They had assigned me the topic of biblical justice which ended up being a good excuse to think about...
Unexceptional in Exile
One of the things about being in a wilderness or exile situation is that you really want to believe you’re not. Maybe this is what made the recently...
Manifest Destiny and Black Faith
Not long ago I noticed how often over the past few years I’ve been returning to the biblical themes of wilderness and exile. There’s a lot to say about these...
Terror, Trauma, and Better Questions
Last week Ed Stetzer, director of the Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College, was interviewed by NPR about the white evangelical presence at the U.S. Capitol...
My Year With Books
Happy New Year everyone! Click here for a version of this newsletter with links to each of the books I mention below. I wish I could remember what I was...
Christianity ≠ White Supremacy
Earlier this week I finished Vince L. Bantu’s new book about the global nature of early Christianity, A Multitude of All Peoples. It’s a fascinating look at...
Diplomacy Doesn't Work
During our ministry staff devotions this week we ended up talking about what our Christian responsibility is to those in positions of power whose attitudes...
Hoping in Herod: An Election Day Lament
On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people. They shouted, “This is the voice of a...
