I was a junior in college the first time that I read Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Life. The Young Adult group out of the church that I attended at the time jumped on the 40 days of purpose bandwagon and committed to changing our twentysomething, chaotic lives (and mine at least, was certainly chaotic). As …
Category: Christianity and Faith
Systemic Oppression: Understanding the Nature of Poverty in the U.S.
I still remember the first time I left the United States for a country other than Canada. The year was 2000 and I had just finished the 11th grade. After getting through the Y2K craze that year and all of the fearmongering that went with it (whatever were we thinking), I decided that I wanted …
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Have Mercy: A Prayer for Justice and Reconciliation
Have mercy on those who are suffering, have mercy on the persecuted, oppressed and marginalized. Have mercy on those who are targeted because of the color of their skin; have mercy on those who are profiled because of who they decide to pray to, disregarded because of who they love. Have mercy on those whose hopes …
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Race Relations Sunday: Have You Received Since You Believed?
The following is the text of the sermon that I preached this morning for Race Relations Sunday. The Bible reading is out of Acts 19.1 - 7, which was one of the lectionary texts last week Sunday. If you would prefer to listen to the audio, click here. I have been walking with Christ for over …
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Hitting the Reset Button on 2014 (Living More Peaceably in the Year to Come)
In a little less than 24 hours, 2014 will be over. 2015 will be here. As I reflect over the last year, however, I honestly don't think that we are ready for it. We are not ready for 2015 because we still have not learned from the mistakes of 2014. We have not made much …
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Racial Justice: A Multifaceted Approach
The roots of racism run deep in the soil of the United States of America. These roots did not grow overnight, but as a result of policy, practices and procedures over the course of hundreds of years, the roots are there and the system is massive. The roots were first planted with the systematic removal …
Ebony Johanna 