{"id":482,"date":"2014-08-19T09:27:00","date_gmt":"2014-08-19T09:27:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/2014\/08\/dont-ignore-it-5-ways-christians-and-churches-must-engage-michael-browns-death.html"},"modified":"2014-08-19T09:27:00","modified_gmt":"2014-08-19T09:27:00","slug":"dont-ignore-it-5-ways-christians-and-churches-must-engage-michael-browns-death","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/2014\/08\/dont-ignore-it-5-ways-christians-and-churches-must-engage-michael-browns-death.html","title":{"rendered":"Don’t Ignore It: 5 Ways Christians and Churches Must Engage Michael Brown\u2019s Death"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

I have so much emotions and thoughts in my mind, heart, and body \u2013 in light of the oh-so-much that is going on all around the world \u2013 including the utterly tragic, brutal, and unnecessary \u201cdeath\u201d of Michael Brown.\u00a0<\/span>But I thought it would be helpful to share a few thoughts how churches, Christians, and leaders can be engaging the events of this past 11 days in their respective churches \u2013 now and in the future. I\u2019m not suggesting that pastors have to completely alter their sermons or Bible studies, but to altogether ignore the injustice of Michael Brown\u2019s death would be altogether foolish.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

To be blunt and I say this respectfully,<\/span><\/div>\n
\n
The integrity of the church is at stake because when it\u2019s all said and done, it\u2019s not a race issue for me \u2014 it\u2019s a Gospel issue. It\u2019s a Kingdom issue. We shouldn\u2019t even let isolated issues in themselves hijack the purpose of the church. The Gospel of Christ is so extraordinary that it begins to inform (and we pray, transform) all aspects of our lives. So, in other words, we talk about race and racism because we believe in the Gospel.<\/span><\/em><\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n
So, here are five suggestions for Christians, leaders, and churches:<\/span><\/div>\n
Read the rest here<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I have so much emotions and thoughts in my mind, heart, and body \u2013 in light of the oh-so-much that is going on all around the world \u2013 including the utterly tragic, brutal, and unnecessary \u201cdeath\u201d of Michael Brown.\u00a0But I thought it would be helpful to share a few thoughts how churches, Christians, and leaders […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-482","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nDon't Ignore It: 5 Ways Christians and Churches Must Engage Michael Brown\u2019s Death<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"I have so much emotions and thoughts in my mind, heart, and body \u2013 in light of the oh-so-much that is going on all around the world \u2013 including the\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" 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