“Come to the table…” These three words change lives. The table beckons us to be something new. Communion is magical. One is able to taste and see that God is good. However, not all tables are quite so magical. For some, the words “Come to the table…” are an invitation to exclusion or even annihilation. The table was round. National activist groups always seem to have round tables. I’ve been told that the roundness of it is a symbol... Read more
“Cowardice in the face of injustice is damnable. God is not mocked. In this time of brutality, you will reap what you sow.” Bullets fire. Bullets strike. Bullets kill. Jesus got ahead of the bullets. Leaving work, Jesus had to take a second to compose himself in his car. After a few deep breathes, he headed home. Though the drive was short, Dallas had a way of making sure that it was hell. Though he never liked... Read more
-Dallas, Texas The Assassination of an Exotic Dancer She was fiercly loved. She mattered. She matters. On March 11, 2018, Shniquia Simington stood in front of the mirror. She knew how beautiful she was. There was no need to do too much. There never was. Tonight was her night. When the car pulled up, she jumped in with her friends. Before too many greetings were exchanged, they were off. They went to one of their favorite spots,... Read more
Fellow activists and I planned for major responses if Balch Springs Police Officer Roy Oliver had been acquitted in the murder of 15-year-old Jordan Edwards. For many days, I worked on what I wanted to say at the rally we were planning. Truthfully, we planned for an acquittal. This is Texas. Yesterday, we got the surprise of our lives. Roy Oliver was found guilty of murder. Today, Oliver was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Though I planned to just... Read more
2 Short Blogs in One Jesus Was Not Successful “I am so concerned about you. You have all of this education. You have all of these degrees. You are brilliant. You are more than capable of doing anything you want. Yet, you have chosen to sit at home and watch 5 kids? What is wrong with you? God has called you to so much higher purposes than this. Seek God and you won’t be sitting around with... Read more
The further away I traveled from my evangelical origins, the more distasteful the idea of sin became. In one of the liberal theological schools I attended, I remember a professor shouting out, “Sin is dead!” Everybody wanted to trade the word “evil” for the word “sin.” I guess such a switch depersonalizes it a bit. I bought into it for a time…then, I traveled back to reality. Some time ago, I worked at a church that had a large white... Read more
Nobody has to tell any of us. We live in dangerous times. Messages of hate permeate our entire culture. Justice and equality are under constant threat of extinction. Truth is manufactured. Love is fake. How now shall we live? Our only options are to fight or to die. Jesus fought. We will too. My life was forever changed that night. I feel like I talk about it too much. It’s hard not to talk about something... Read more
This is not a guide to making love. We will let the professionals take care of that. This is something else. Have you ever been locked up or locked in? I have…but not in the sense that I’m getting at. You see, what I’m about to describe is an event. As problematic as I now realize such phrasing is, “lock in” or “lock up” were our names for overnight youth events. One night, I hung out with... Read more
Hands and fists were flung wildly in the air. Jesus was being lifted high. I had my eyes clothed. Then, I felt someone tapping me on my shoulder. Startled, I jumped as if I had just had an encounter with the risen God. I hadn’t. It was time to go. Winter is dark in the South. Ghosts ride on every chill. I felt them all. The road was dark. In the high beams, I searched for the light. In... Read more
“People are dying. Unless you want to save them…we have nothing else to talk about.” “Can’t we just talk civilly?” “Civility is an evil word most often used by evil people to put up a smokescreen in front of their evil actions or inactions.” “I just think we are missing each other.” “No. You are missing the point.” “Isn’t it beautiful that we are so blessed to live in a country where we... Read more
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