How hard have we made it, as white evangelicals, for people of color to be in our supposed multi-ethnic spaces? How hard have we made it for black brothers and sisters to voice their concern, their pain, and even their joy in our spaces? Some examples:
Read moreThe trauma we place on Black America
Esau McCaulley gets to the core again as he unpacks the trial of Derek Chauvin, convicted yesterday in the murder of George Floyd.
The United States demands too much wisdom from Black parents. We must walk that fine line between telling the truth about how cruel America can be toward Black bodies and souls and the hope that our children can be their free Black selves. America requires too much of its clerics, who must minister, console, lead and organize a people weary of Black death.
Read moreThe Cross, the Spirit, and the Fruit
I was honored to preach at my friend Wayne Anderson’s church this past weekend. Here is the worship service. My message starts around minute 22:30.
White evangelical
The quote above is from David French. The interview is HERE.
We want to hide pain
“I’m just not opening my news app any more.”
I get it. There is a tendency to dismiss “news” as sensational. The old adage, “If it bleeds, it leads” seems to be on steroids.
Or… is it a disruption to our comfortable narrative and we just, quite simply, don’t want to be disturbed?
Read moreThe resistance is US
I’ve heard white people say, “All the media does is hype up police shootings” or “hype up racism.”
What we’re really saying is this: “I’m tired of being confronted in my comfort. I did the ‘race thing’ last summer. I read a book… or two. Why do THEY have to keep hyping this?”
Read moreIn a year we have learned nothing
A composition of lament. (I don’t know how to write a poem.)
In a year… Ahmaud Arbery… Breonna Taylor… George Floyd… and more… WE HAVE LEARNED NOTHING.
Read moreSorrow…grief
This picture… a prayer vigil… looks of hopelessness, looks of grief… wailing… mourning…
Another shooting in a city I have loved… during the trial of another police shooting
The cry of my heart… HOW LONG, O LORD?
New podcast episode — Spiritual disciplines and discipleship
Some thoughts on our need for spiritual discipleship and mentoring in days when all we want to do is build our own echo chambers. LISTEN HERE.
Easter is for fools
Christians, at their best, are the fools who dare believe in God’s power to call dead things to life. That is the testimony of the Black church. It is not that we have good music (we do) or excellent preaching (we do). The testimony of the Black church is that in times of deep crisis we somehow become more than our collective ability. We become a source of hope that did not originate in ourselves. — Esau McCaulley (more HERE)
