Blog Entries

  • Consuming Scripture

    Modern attempts to justify scripture’s legitimacy as primarily a sourcebook for gleaning doctrinal truths (fundamentalist-evangelicalism), illustrating moral and philosophical ideals (liberalism), or bearing relevance for practical living (seeker-sensitive Christianity) fail to convey that the Bible is the ultimate Story, the story that envelops all of our stories. We must approach the Bible, God’s storied world, from the standpoint that it envelops and consumes us when we consume it.

    ...Christians – including scholars – can never master the text, but the text, which bears witness to the triune God, can and should master them.
    –Paul Metzger, Consuming Jesus

  • Pacifism Is Not Passivism

    The majority of people opposed to nonviolence I seem to encounter never get past the idea that nonviolent people are passive people. Every discussion concerning pacifism seems to involve someone asking “how can you stand by and do nothing?!” or something strikingly similar. The truth is that real pacifists are not apathetic or passive but instead are aggressively nonviolent.

    I’ve admitted before that pacifism is poorly named because it makes one immediately think of passivity. For this reason many nonviolent advocates refrain from the label of pacifism. It seems to me that even the term nonviolence has come to be synonymous with passivity in the minds of many who disagree with the lifestyle.

    I’ve yet to meet a nonviolent Christian who would not protect others or fight injustice. I’m yet to meet a passive pacifist (though this does not mean cowardly people do not exist under the label pacifist). Pacifists aren't passive & apathetic as non-nonviolent people are not violent & hostile.To all of those who do, please stop assuming we’re cowardly, passive, unjust, overly optimistic idealists who care only about our own self-proclaimed higher morality. We care about protecting the innocent, fighting for justice, and working aggressively towards peace both on small and large scales and assume that those who do not label themselves pacifist or nonviolent can care about the same things.

    It just so happens we care about these things so much that we aren’t willing to use means that are contrary to our ends. We believe it is illogical to fight fire with fire and remember that our parents told us two wrongs don’t make a right. Simply because we are unwilling to kill or destroy does not mean we do not care or that we are unwilling to act. It means we care very much and that we will find creative ways to act. If you are not convinced then so be it. But if you really care to ask how pacifists can believe what they do then perhaps it is best to drop the assumptions and believe us when we say:

    Being a pacifist does not mean being passive.

  • Art & the White House

    There are times when we desperately need artistic beauty to invade our inner selves to shatter our coldness. Thankfully, the White House recognized this recently and had a night of "art, music, and the spoken word." I'm a big fan of slam poetry and solo performances. I felt it only right to share these great works of art with you friends. Enjoy! I hope these pieces touch you as deeply as they touched me.



    Joshua Bennett apologizes for his unloving silence.
    (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_U5BwD8zOeM&feature=SeriesPlayList&p=1ECEA36D759093A1)


    Esperanza Spalding sporting my favorite female hairstyle.
    (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xfG-dJFbxc)


    Jamaica Osorio reminding us to remember our roots.
    (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kc176yYdcxY&feature=SeriesPlayList&p=1ECEA36D759093A1&index=9)



    Lin-Manuel Miranda connects Alexander Hamilton with Hip Hop.
    (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNFf7nMIGnE&feature=SeriesPlayList&p=1ECEA36D759093A1&index=7)

  • Our Struggle Our Prayer

    Ephesians 6:12
    “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

    "If it has 'flesh and blood,' it’s not our enemy and not someone we’re to be struggling against. Indeed, if it has 'flesh and blood,' it’s someone we’re to be fighting for. And we do this by struggling against the spirit rulers of this oppressed world — the very rulers that are in part responsible for dividing us and inciting violence among us in the first place." -Greg Boyd

    I'm pressed to appreciate prayer warriors more.

    2Corinthians 10:3-4
    For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.

    I'm pressed we should be prayer warriors.

    Romans 12:2
    Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

    Philippians 4:6
    Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

    Matthew 21:22
    If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.

    And what will we pray?

    Matthew 6:9-13
    ...Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

  • Turning Jesus Over to the State

    I shared the link to this entire sermon in early September. Here is a snippet.



    What are your thoughts on this video?
    More specifically, do you believe Christians can have dual allegiances? Why or why not?

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