Tag Archives: Jesus

Church, Resources

Doing White Church Better

What does that even mean?

It simply means that I know we can do better. We can be:

  • less fearful of history
  • more self aware of our tendencies
  • more open and humble in our discussions
  • more welcoming to those that don’t look like us
  • more flexible on style while holding to our theological fundamentals
  • clear in our communications
  • more community-minded and less individualistic
  • kinder and less bureaucratic

I have been in what I would call “white church” my entire life. It’s a cultural collection of unwritten rules and behaviors that many folks who look like me have settled into. My guess is that there is a similar way of describing most experiences people grow up with. We all have a cultural context.

For me, it comes down to a Kingdom question… Whose Kingdom are we most for and defending?

Clarity: Serving the right God

I am mindful to constantly reorient myself to who I ultimately serve. Rock, paper, scissors – the answer is Jesus; emulate what He did AND how he did it. But there is a huge problem for me… I have been marinating in a white normative American culture my entire life and Jesus was neither white nor American.

There is SO much history I do not know.

As a Christ follower I am expected to be different; I am compelled to not get confused about this. But it is so easy… This is where we as Christians have to wrestle with our primary allegiance to Biblical living – with wisdom, courage, grace and patience. Maturing in this as a white Christian should cause us to be able to handle discussions about “White Supremacy”, “the religion of whiteness”, “Christian Nationalism” and being a “true American” with grace. Our faith should be defensible or we are among the most to be pitied.

America is my country for all that it is. It was not founded on the principle of Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Holiness though… Our country was actually founded on the premise of providing religious liberty in defiance of the Church of England and it’s ever evolving demands. The reality though is that our Declaration of Independence had more to do with independence than religious liberty. You’re not the boss of me anymore. That goes back to the Garden of Eden.

So, professing Christians across our country are divided and embattled on both sides of the political spectrum. It’s ugly and it is playing out in front of a watching world of non-Christians who have to be wondering what the hell is up with you people?!?!

Having the humility to be curious

Our “normal” gets created with how we grew up. It comes from our parents, our extended family, our hometown, our whole environment. For white people, we live in a country founded by white people. Most of us are fish who have never been out of the water – we don’t even know what water is because it is all we know. If you are not white, though, you definitely know there is a difference.

One of the terms we have to confront early on is “white supremacy”. This term is triggering for just about everyone. It is easy to immediately jump to the extremist definition and miss the subtle but widespread impact of the attitude of white being the standard of “normal”. Here is a summary I found very helpful.

White Culture is not the “Right” Culture

My use of adjective “right” here can actually go both ways. Right as in conservative OR right as in correct. Neither are monolithically true.

As practicing Christians we should never get to the point where we think White is the preferred “right” way to behave and worship. Historically that makes no sense! And yet, we have evidence that some people do. Here is a link to the 2021 letter to Pastor Dwight McKissic.

As the majority culture in a country founded by majority culture men, it is easy to see why an undercurrent reinforces the white way as the baseline. Life, liberty and pursuit of happiness is baked in to the formation of the U.S. So what is the problem??

The problem is that I do not believe cruising along this attitude regardless of the pain it causes lines up with scripture. If you are not a practicing Christian, there is no problem. Eat, drink and be merry. These rules don’t apply to you. If your ARE a practicing Christian, you are expected to see all humans as valuable like God does and love them well. Christians are commanded to love even their enemies. And, that is not optional. Sure, there is grace for being lazy or cautious or uninterested. But the fact remains – there ARE consequences. Moses is a great example. Below is my favorite image of Moses wearing his earthly consequences and sitting on the edge of the promised land. Favored but not allowed by God to cross over and enjoy the destination they sought for 40 years – even after all the good he had done.

I have to work to see the world as bigger than my cultural bubble as a southern white guy. I also have to acknowledge my complicity with the status quo. Here is a heart-breaking blog post about how white church can wound.

Lately, I am learning that the black church culture is very different from my white church experience that it is impossible for me to ever know all the differences. Why? Because I have deepening friendships with black and brown brothers and sisters and it comes up in conversation as we do life together. Man, I missed out on so much by being content to stay within my own cultural spaces.

If we use the metaphor of spicy food, there is a progression. I cannot handle Thai Hot as a spice level for instance. Hattie B’s Shut the Cluck up highest heat level is too much for me. In the beginning of one’s journey into spicy food, the first step is just even wanting to go there. I am also not the type of thrill seeker to go all in from day one. Playing this out, I have to wade into the spicy heat levels gradually until there is more enjoyment than pain. I believe this is similar to worship styles other than the one I grew up with. Not wrong – just different. Admitting that I do not have a lock on the right style of worship would go a long way in the right direction. There’s that need for humility again.

Making an effort to do less harm

Lake Rule: Your wake is our responsibility. The implication here is that our unintended consequences are ours to own regardless of the original motive. And, consequences are ours to own if we live recklessly too. The easiest example of unintended consequences is someone rear ending my car because I had to slam on my brakes to avoid an object in the road. The car behind me did not ram me on purpose – but my car is still just as damaged as if it had been on purpose. That is why the law always cites the person initiating the collision for following too close. Your wake is your responsibility – ignorance is no excuse.

One of the best books I have read on how things can go sideways when one does decide to help others is Toxic Charity by Bob Lupton. This book was hugely enlightening on how impacts can be counter-intuitive when one first wades into these waters.

It’s also been helpful for me to listen to voices of fellow believers who are not white – to see my church experience from a black perspective.

Here is a podcast episode that is most particularly insightful. You can also listen on the Apple podcast app.

Making an effort to get to know people better

One of my first hard stops as a white guy is to face that neither God nor Adam look like this. White culture and non-white cultures have totally different art. This may prompt a geography lesson about where Christianity started but that is for another bullet point.

I have to lead off here with the phrase Image Bearer. As Followers of Christ we should all be able to agree that all humans on the planet were created in the image of God (imago dei) Genesis 1:27, wherein “God created man in his own image. . .” For me this translates that God made each and every one of us on purpose and the way we are – for His glory. Even our brokenness was allowed by his sovereign nature for a reason that may never be explained but most definitely can be redeemed.

Doing life together is life-changing. Proximity is the word I use today. This word was new to my vocabulary and initially a bit triggering (smh). But that is the case with a lot of words I am hearing that are not commonly used in my white culture and more conservative conversations. Irritating? Perhaps initially. Like learning a new language. But not wrong – just different.

Getting to know people that don’t look like me also revealed something else I had never thought of – the individualized nature of the white culture when contrasted to the more community-based nature of minority cultures. “It Takes a Village” takes on a whole new meaning when it takes safety in numbers and togetherness to provide for the most basic of human needs.

Building bridges rather than walls

Be the Bridge has become one of my most crucial resources and communities. It encapsulates the broader Biblical mission so well for me.

Contrary to the body language of many professing Christians and much of the chirping on social media, we did not get deputized by the Holy Spirit to enforce theology and police the morality in others when we chose to follow Jesus Christ. We began a personal journey of worship and sanctification within a world-wide community called the church. We need more bridges not more walls.

God, Jesus

Jesus and the Wild Wild West

There are two visions of life, two kinds of people.

The first see life as a possession to be carefully guarded. They are called settlers. The second see life as a wild, fantastic, explosive gift. They are called pioneers. These two types give rise to two kinds of theology: Settler Theology and Pioneer Theology. According to Wes Seeliger in his book, Western Theology, the first kind, Settler Theology, is an attempt to answer all the questions, define and housebreak some sort of Supreme Being, establish the status quo on golden tablets in cinemascope. Pioneer Theology is an attempt to talk about what it means to receive the strange gift of life. The Wild West is the setting for both theologies.

Settler Theology

In Settler Theology, the church is the courthouse. It is the center of town life. The old stone structure dominates the town square. Its windows are small and this makes things dark inside. Within the courthouse walls, records are kept, taxes collected, trials held for bad guys. The courthouse is the settler’s symbol of law, order, stability, and—most importantly—security. The mayor’s office is on the top floor. His eagle eye ferrets out the smallest details of town life.
In Pioneer Theology, the church is the covered wagon. It’s a house on wheels, always on the move. The covered wagon is where the pioneers eat, sleep, fight, love and die. It bears the marks of life and movement—it creaks, is scarred with arrows, bandaged with baling wire. The covered wagon is always where the action is. It moves toward the future and doesn’t bother to glorify its own ruts. The old wagon isn’t comfortable, but the pioneers don’t mind. They are more into adventure than comfort.

In Settler Theology, God is the mayor. He is a sight to behold. Dressed like a dude from back East, he lounges in an over-stuffed chair in his courthouse office. He keeps the blinds drawn. No one sees him or knows him directly, but since there is order in town, who can deny that he is there? The mayor is predictable and always on schedule. The settlers fear the mayor, but look to him to clear the payroll and keep things going. Peace and quiet are the mayor’s main concerns. That’s why he sends the sheriff to check on the pioneers who ride into town.
In Pioneer Theology, God is the trail boss. He is rough and rugged, full of life. He chews tobacco, drinks straight whiskey. The trail boss lives, eats, sleeps, fights with his people. Their sell-being is his concern. Without him the wagon wouldn’t move; living as a free man would be impossible. The trail boss often gets down in the mud with the pioneers to help push the wagon, which often gets stuck. He prods the pioneers when they get soft and want to turn back. His fist is an expression of his concern.

In Settler Theology, Jesus is the sheriff. He’s the guy who is sent by the mayor to enforce the rules. He wears a white hat, drinks milk, outdraws the bad guys. The sheriff decides who is thrown into jail. There is a saying in town that goes: those who believe the mayor sent the sheriff, and follow the rules, they won’t stay in Boothill when it comes their time.
In Pioneer Theology, Jesus is the scout. He rides out ahead to find our which way the pioneers should go. He lives all the dangers of the trail. The scout suffers every hardship, is attacked by the Indians. Through his words and actions he reveals the true intentions of the trail boss. By looking at the scout, those on the trail learn what it means to be a pioneer.
In Settler Theology, the Holy Spirit is the saloon girl. Her job is to comfort the settlers. They come to her when they feel lonely, or when life gets dull or dangerous. She tickles them under the chin and makes everything okay again. The saloon girl squeals to the sheriff when someone starts disturbing the peace.

Pioneer Theology

In Pioneer Theology, the Holy Spirit is the buffalo hunter. He rides along with the covered wagon and furnishes fresh meat for the pioneers. Without it they would die. The buffalo hunter is a strange character—sort of a wild man. The pioneers can never tell what he will do next.
He scares the hell out of the settlers. He has a big black gun that goes off like a cannon. He rides into town on Sunday to shake up the settlers. You see, every Sunday morning, the settlers have a little ice cream party in the courthouse. With his gun in hand the buffalo hunter sneaks up to one of the courthouse windows. He fires a tremendous blast that rattles the whole courthouse. Men jump out of their skin, women scream, dogs bark. Chuckling to himself, the buffalo hunter rides back to the wagon train shooting up the town as he goes.
In Settler Theology, the Christian is the settler. He fears the open, unknown frontier. His concern is to stay on good terms with the mayor and keep out of the sheriff’s way. “Safety first” is his motto. To him the courthouse is a symbol of security, peace, order, and happiness. He keeps his money in the bank. The banker is his best friend. The settler never misses an ice cream party.

In Pioneer Theology, the Christian is the pioneer. He is a man of daring, hungry for a new life. He rides hard, knows how to use a gun when necessary. The pioneer feels sorry for the settlers and tries to tell them of the joy and fulfillment of life on the trail. He dies with his boots on.
In Settler Theology, the clergyman is the banker. Within his vault are locked the values of the town. He is a highly respected man. He has a gun, but keeps it hidden in his desk. He feels that he and the sheriff have a lot in common. After all, they both protect the bank.

In Pioneer Theology, the clergyman is the cook. He doesn’t furnish the meat. He just dishes up what the buffalo hunter provides. This is how he supports the movement of the wagon. He never confuses his job with that of the trail boss, scout, or the buffalo hunter. He sees himself as just another pioneer who has learned how to cook. The cook’s job is to help the pioneers pioneer.

Faith

In Settler Theology, faith is trusting in the safety of the town: obeying the laws, keeping your nose clean, believing the mayor is in the courthouse.

In Pioneer Theology, faith is the spirit of adventure: the readiness to move out, to risk everything on the trail. Faith is obedience to the restless voice of the trail boss.

Sin

In Settler Theology, sin is breaking one of the town’s ordinances.
In Pioneer Theology, sin is wanting to turn back.

Salvation

In Settler Theology, salvation is living close to home and hanging around the courthouse.
In Pioneer Theology, salvation is being more afraid of sterile town life than death on the trail. Salvation is joy at the thought of another day to push on into the unknown. It is trusting the trail boss and following his scout while living on the meat furnished by the buffalo hunter.

—Lion and Lamb: the Relentless Tenderness of Jesus, Brennan Manning, Chapter 3, Fleming H. Revell Company, Old Tappan, NJ, 1986.3

Uncategorized

UNCLEAN! UNCLEAN!

Master – We believe you can help.

11 While He was on the way to Jerusalem, He was passing between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As He entered a village, ten leprous men who stood at a distance met Him; 13 and they raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 14 When He saw them, He said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they were going, they were cleansed. 15 Now one of them, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice, 16 and he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him. And he was a Samaritan. 17 Then Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But the nine—where are they? 18 Was no one found who returned to give glory to God, except this foreigner?” 19 And He said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has made you well.” Luke 17:11-19 NASB translation

Have Mercy on Us

We are miserable – help us out! Do some of that miracle stuff in our direction.

Go and Show

Equally available to all 10 men; no matter what they believed. They all left immediately. But they were not all headed in the same direction…

9 out of 10

One man out of the ten was overwhelmed with gratitude and turned around to thank Jesus. In a loud voice. He wanted to give glory before he received the full benefit. He knew he was being healed real-time but in that day it took a clean bill of health from the Priest for others to accept it. Yet, the one who turned around was a Samaritan.

Glory: The sum of God’s magnificent attributes.

The Foreigner

Jesus uses the hated Samaritan to show both compassion and gratitude as he explains the nature of God and how Heaven works.

10 Things that I am Grateful For

Don’t just say them silently in your mind – write them down. There is a huge difference once you write something down so you can see it. Transformation occurs when we work through the truth of how God is blessing us because the bad stuff is so easy to see.

Oct 13, 2016

God, Jesus

Settlers versus Pioneers

One of the core struggles in life is grasping the bigness and wildness of the Gospel. For me, Brennan Manning, is one of the few authors that can put into words what my heart feels and longs for.

This video is a great word picture contrasting two common perspectives on life. It explores the wildness and uncertainty of being on the front lines in a broken world. I know it looks a bit old and the quality is not HD – but it is DEFINITELY worth watching!