Author Archives
We are a collection of individuals with a passion for curating content for the church.
-
BOOK: Worse Than Slavery
A history of another brutal part of America’s past that is glossed over Worse Than Slavery tells the story of convict leasing, a thinly veiled system of slavery, through the songs of convicts, court documents, and local newspapers.
-
SERMON: Let Justice Roll: Partners for Progress
Weaving current and historical events while preaching from Luke 18:1-8 pastor Taurus Montgomery of Pioneer Memorial Church (Benton Harbor, MI) lists five things white Christians can do to fight racism. One, educate yourself to understand the problems of injustice. Two, feel the pain of justice in and out of the church. Three, protest the pattern persistently. Four, be a partner for progress. Five, pray to be purged of prejudice persistently.
-
SHOW: A Different Kind of Force – Policing Mental Illness
Conservatively speaking, one in ten police interactions involve a mentally ill person, but rarely are police trained to deal with a person having a mental illness crisis. A Different Kind of Force follows the San Antonino police mental health unit as they respond to mental health situations and strive to employ crisis intervention training despite not receiving enough funding and support.
-
ARTICLE: 5 Questions Christians Need to Ask About Critical Race Theory
Critical race theory is being used by many people as a weapon and many people are not taking the time to dig into what CRT actually is. Is critical race theory a tool that Christians can use? Absolutely. Is it a tool that Christians will use to direct church doctrine? No. As Christians we must be nuanced and distinct in our response to CRT.
-
SERMON: Jesus and Privilege
In a nuanced, informative, and kind sermon, pastor Jon Tyson defines privilege as “when you do nothing and you get something.” Tyson then proceeds to give the history of the modern understanding of privilege saying that most people land on the rights side or the responsibility side on the privilege spectrum. Using Philippians 2:1-11 as his basis he says that Christians need a distinct approach to privilege – a redirection that elevates and benefits those who need help in our society.
-
BOOK: Generous Justice
What does it mean to do justice? Is justice a primary concern in the Bible? Can we separate justice and evangelism? What characteristics should make Christians unique and distinct in the world? Pastor Tim Keller answers those questions and more in a thorough explanation of Biblical justice while making the case that justice and the pursuit of justice is a primary concern of the Bible and Jesus’ ministry on earth.
-
ARTICLE: Critical Race Theory Is the New Boogeyman for the White Evangelical and Reformed Church
Lamont English tells it like it is by stating that Christians are treating critical race theory in the 2020’s the same way white Christians treated racism and white supremacy in the 1960’s by blanket labeling it communist and Marxist. Sure, there are parts of critical race theory that Christians should reject, but there are also useful parts. At the very least Christians should do their homework and not parrot platitudes.
-
ARTICLE: In This Fraught Racial Moment, We Need a Refresher on Human Depravity
Priest Tish Harrison Warren argues that the church’s response to racism should be different then the worlds – we should be able to admit systemic racism while also moving past the guilt and shaming of others and ourselves. We love the both/and worldview of this article.
-
PODCAST: “After Whiteness” with Dr. Willie Jennings
The reason why many white people become defensive when talking about white privilege is because white people have never had to reckon with whiteness as an identity. Author, professor, and theologian Dr. Willie Jennings says that we have to recognize whiteness and it’s deep roots in American society and the American church before reconciliation can happen. If you are white, this is a difficult, but needed, critique to listen to.
-
ARTICLE: On the Continued Rise of Anti-Asian Violence
Dating back to the 1800’s with the Chinese Exclusion Act to the Immigration Act of 1927 to putting Japanese into interment camps during World War II to the current wave of of violence against Asians in the 2000’s there have been countless waves of anti-Asian laws and sentiment in the United States. Asian American Christian Collaborative president Raymond Chang says Christians and the church must speak up and declare that Asian Lives Matter.
