A Prayer for Joseph Biden
During this inauguration week, and on behalf of our new president, I offer this important prayer.
My Platform Response to Ahmaud Arbery’s Death
Here are my comments regarding the Ahmaud Arbery shooting and subsequent video, shared from the platform of New Hope Church on May 10, 2020: I have to take just a moment and acknowledge something that has dominated the headlines these recent days, and, if I may say, should have been dominating the headlines these recent weeks. I want you to […]
My Statement to New Hope Church about the Yanez/Castile Tragedy
Here is the statement I made this weekend in our worship services at New Hope Church in Minneapolis: “Speak Lord, for thy servant heareth.” These are the words uttered in the ancient days by Samuel when he discerned that God was trying to get his attention. “Speak Lord, for thy servant heareth.” People will be debating the verdict in […]
Reflections on Jeronimo Yanez and Philando Castile
Today in the Twin Cities a jury determined that Officer Jeronimo Yanez was not culpable in the death of Philando Castile when the officer shot him in the summer of 2016 during a traffic stop. For most of my African-American friends this is a verdict that is consistent with their expectations. It is no surprise. Their grief and pain is […]
Six Ways a Man Makes a Difference
Isaiah 32:1-8 offers a prophetic portrait of the Messiah/King who would change the world. Skimming through those verses, one easily discerns a handful of values that a man can live out in his life—values that our modeled by the Ultimate Man, that Messiah/King, Jesus Christ. Here they are, laid out simply: A man influences what is around him with righteousness […]
Trading Places: Urban Poverty and Suburban Affluence
“As a flagship majority-culture congregation with a solid reputation and global reach, we need to be intentional with our voice and vision, sharing power, voice and resources with others, and not just wait until it is too late. In this is the Lord Jesus made famous.” – Matthew St. John, from “The Inside Out Donut,” with Leith Anderson and Brandon […]
