Great Television

There is not much on television that would garner the adjective "great", but here is one. I do believe that this is the greatest single scene ever shot for the television viewing audience. And no matter how many times I see it, it never gets old.




The Bible says, "...Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise..." (Matt. 21:6). Even so, out of cartoons for children.

O, that men would praise HIM!

Decline of African-American Theology 4

The central question of any theological perspective is "Who is Jesus?" Thabiti reminds us that Liberal and Liberation theology has led the way for decline of Christology in traditional African-American theology. According to Thabiti, Marcus Garvey said, "The life of Christ was intended to show man that he could lift himself by obedience to the highest soul expression (p. 150)." When examining the works of Howard Thurman, Thabiti says,

"Dr. Thurman denied the uniqueness of Jesus implied in the formula 'the only begotten Son'. He believed that 'any who is as sure of God as was Jesus, can hear for himself: 'Thou art my son, my beloved, this day I have begotten thee.' Moreover, becoming the son of God in the sense of acquiring the mind of Christ and having a similar relationship to God, according to Thurman, 'may be achieved without any necessity whatsoever of making a God out of Jesus (p. 152).'"

The liberal theology of Howard Thurman laid the ground work for the liberation theology of James Cone.

The appeal of liberation theology is the expediency and the immediacy of the need. It seeks to address the existential cry of the image of God for freedom, equality, and peace. Yet, the cyanide in this kool-aid is that it perverts the person and work of Jesus into nothing more than an anthropocentric exorcism. Subsequently, Jesus is only relevant in so far as He is willing and able to address my core issues. Thus, I am able to mold Jesus into the god of my issues. This Jesus inevitably becomes more like me than I like Him. Daily this Jesus is being conformed to my image (real and imagined), instead of me being conformed to His image (eternal and true).

Howard Thurman popularized it. Cone made it academically viable. African-America theology has been on a steady decline ever since.

The Mystery of the Manger

Last evening our Children's Sunday School put on our Annual Christmas Program. Every year this is a much anticipated event as their hard work, dedication, and enthusiasm is demonstrated in their first class performance. Every year parents, family, and friends come from all around to see what production the Southwest Children will put together. This year was no different. This year the lower grades put on A Christmas Present and the older children performed, The Mystery of the Manger. Here is just a small excerpt to one of the songs they performed from the musical The Mystery of the Manger by Celeste Clydesdale. We had to change a few things to fit within our cultural context (if you know what I mean :-), yet the message was still the same. Sounds familiar? The video is amateurish by yours truly and does not do justice to these young performers. Hopefully you can still get the message.

Pastor Resigns, Integrity Remains

In the midst of all the self-promoting and self-excusing that is popular among the so-called preachers today, it is good to know that there are still men who hold the ministry in high esteem and do not want to bring upon the calling ill-repute. I don't know this man, but I have much respect for his tough but right decision. I pray God reconciles this man with his family and the ministry.

An End to Sagging?

At least in the Atlanta Public School System. According to reports, the Atlanta Public School Board is going to ban sagging pants. This is a noble idea, however, it will be interesting to see how they can enforce the ban. Unless they have strong parental support, they will have a daily fight on their hands. Can't wait for the development of this one.

Decline of AA Theology 3

Whether we realize it or not, our anthropology (our understanding of the nature and conduct of humanity) says alot about our overall theology and understanding about God. A biblical understanding of human nature is usually grounded in a biblical understanding of God. When our doctrine of God goes into decline, so too does our doctrine of humanity. Thabiti does an excellent job in setting forth the decline of African-American theology in the area of anthropology. Early African-American writers and theologians expressed an undeniably biblical doctrine of humanity. Here are some quotes that demonstrate this point:

Jupiter Hammon (1711-1806): In the Bible, we are told what man is. That he was first made holy, in the image of God, that he fell from that state of holiness and became an enemy to God, and that since the fall, all imaginations of the thoughts of his heart are evil, and only evil and that continually. That the carnal mind is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be. And that all mankind was under the wrath and curse of God and must have been forever miserable if they had been left to suffer what their sins deserve.

This was to demonstrat that all humanity (black and white) were under sin and in the same spiritual condition of needing Savior. It also became the foundation for biblical and theological arguments for freedom. In quoting Lemuel Haynes, Thabiti writes:

However, resident in all people despite the Fall was "an innate principle, which is unmoveably placed in the human Species." That innate principle was "Liberty and freedom," which Haynes styled as "a Jewel which was handed Down to man from the cabinet of heaven...Coaeval [sic] with his Existance [sic]" and proceeding "from the Supreme Legislature of the universe." Man's equality with man was evident in the universal impulse toward freedom written by God into the very nature of man and the laws of nature. Efforts to deny this impulse were futile attempts to deny one's self in the case of the bondsman or to usurp the prerogative of God in the case of the enslaver.

In a word, "Awesome!"

Culture Clash 2

The second post in this discussion is now available at CRC. Our brother, Kevin Smith has chimed in. I hear rumblings that more is to come as the discussion deepens. Go check it out!

Decline of AA Theology II

Here is an excellent quote from (as Mark Noll says) Rev. Anyabwile:

The earliest black Christians maintained a tendency toward a Reformed or orthodox view of God as sovereign Ruler of all events. African-Americans built this understanding upon the teachings of Scripture and aligned it with the historic definitions of Christianity. A high view of God's sovereignty allowed early black Christians, despite the horrors of slavery, to trust that God had the necessary power to deliver them from oppression and that he would ultimately do so. Any perceived contradictions between this doctrine of God and the evil afflicting black people were resolved in the character of God. Such a belief implied at least two conclusions. First, these saints concluded that the events of their lives remained in the sovereign control of God. And second, they concluded that the proper response before the ineffable wisdom and providence of God was humility and faith. Both resolutions stirred more faith in God (p. 97).

Megachurches, Megaphones

Our brother Eric Redmond has an excellent article on the growth of the predominantly Black megachurch and the simultaneous lack of theological integrity in these churches. Eric is an excellent writer. I have read many things from him, and I can't wait for the publication of a book by him that I hope is not too long in coming. I read a pre-publication manuscript of it and I must say that we will all be greatly edified once it is in publication. Hopefully it is soon and very soon. Until then, read this article on Megachurches, Megaphones.

Cultures Clashing

Who said reformation was easy? Not me. Whether it is in our own personal theological journeys or in the church at large, serious theological and practical change comes with some constirnation. I have witnessed it and can say that it is not without its hurt feelings and misunderstood motives. Nevertheless, it is worth it. Reformation within the predominantly African-American Christian context is not any different. We can write books, hold conferences, and preach messages, but when it comes down to it, we must ask ourselves what difference will the recovered gospel make in the predominantly African-American context. What will it look like? How does a church let go of the cultural trappings and not lose its cultural soul? How do I affirm the biblically faithful Reformed theology, without having to become culturally like those who have historically held it? Can I still be black and reformed without it infringing upon my non-black brothers and sisters? What am I to do when the reformed culture (if there is one) clashes with my traditional black culture? These questions are not easily answered. Yet, they are relevant and unmistakable when seeking to do reform in an African-American context. And these are some of the questions that have sparked the discussion over at The Council of Reforming Churches. Our brother Eric Redmond has raised the issue. I am sure many other brothers and sisters will chime in. Go check it out.

The Decline of African-American Theology

The much anticipated book The Decline of African-American Theology: From Biblical Faith to Cultural Captivity has finally arrived to an internet bookstore near you. Our brother Thabiti Anyabwile has done the body of Christ (and the African-American Church in particular) a wonderful service in detailing the decline of historic, biblical, and reformed Christianity within the predominantly African-American Church. Admittedly, this decline is not just located in churches where the membership has been predominantly black, but the decline is easily traced in the broader body of Christ in America as well. Nevertheless, Thabiti puts our focus upon the rarely-criticized, though needing-critique, predominantly African-American expression of Christianity. I am sure that reviews will begin to appear, even as some have offered their pre-publication critique of this work. As I make my way through it, I want to offer, not so much a review but some of the helpful and insightful thoughts of my brother that have particularly struck me in each section. I begin with a point concerning the nature and inspiration of Scripture. According to Thabiti, the Methodist Daniel Payne's (1811-1893) view of Scripture was thus:

The only safe guide for a man or woman, young or old, rich or poor, learned or unlearned, priest or people is the Bible, the whole Bible, nothing but the Bible. (p. 30)

In demonstrating how the view of Scripture has devolved, Thabiti quotes the contemporary Methodist theologian James Cone as saying:

I still regard the Bible as an important source of my theological reflections, but not the starting point. The black experience and the Bible together in dialectical tension serve as my point of departure today and yesterday. The order is significant. I am black first-and everything else comes after that. (p. 52)

In reading this section and Thabiti's careful comparison and evaluation of the erosion of the doctrine of Scripture, it occurred to me that our spiritual fathers approached liberation through the foundational objective truth of the Scriptures. Cone approaches Scripture through the subjective, self-establishing notion of liberation. There is a world of difference between these two views. There is a world of difference between the view of Scripture of the church in Payne's day and the view of Scripture of the same church today.

You can read Thabiti to learn more. I am.

The Seeds of Reformation

Question: Where does this statement come from:

We believe that, in order to be saved, sinners must be regenerated, or born again; that regeneration consists in giving a holy disposition to the mind; that it is effected in a manner above our comprehension by the power of the Holy Spirit, in connection with divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the gospel; and that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance, and faith, and newness of life.

In case you could not guess, it is taken from one of the historic Reformed confessions, namely the New Hampshire Baptist Confession of 1833. This brief confession was adopted by the New Hampshire Baptist Convention in 1833 and received wider acceptance in many baptist circles around the country.

Now where does this statement come from:

We believe that the Scriptures teach that in order to be saved, sinners must be regenerated, or born again; that regeneration consists in giving a holy disposition to the mind that it is effected in a manner above our comprehension by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the Gospel; and that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance and faith, and newness of life.

No, I have not lost my mind. Yes, it is a repeat of the above question, but I have a different answer. This second statement comes from The Articles of Faith found in the back of The New National Baptist Hymnal published by the National Baptist Convention.

The teaching of this statement on the nature of regeneration actually carries with it the seeds for a reformation in the National Baptist Convention. If men would take up the hymnal from which many of them sing every Sunday and teach themselves and their people what their church has historically confessed, they would find that the God they have long heard preached in their churches today is different from the God of the men who first adopted this confession.

I was raised in a National Baptist church. I attended Sunday School conventions and we sang out of the National Baptist hymnal. Yet, I was never taught that regeneration precedes faith (as the above statement suggests). I was never instructed in the theology that leads me to worship a God who is sovereign and to understand the theological implications for my salvation and life. Yet, all the time the hymnal from which we sung contained these truths, not just in the songs, but even in the confession.

I wonder how many National Baptist churches actually take the time to go over the confession with their people. I wonder how many of them actually instruct their children and youth in the doctrines that outline the confession of their church. I know I was not. If any of you are National Baptist could you tell me your experience with the Articles of Faith?

I find it ironic that the seeds for reformation is in the hands of the people every Sunday. Isn't that just like God?

Good News Getting Better

Here is some good news that prayerfully will get even better. We all know how the Southern Baptist, being the largest and most influential protestant denomination, tends to be a trend setter for evangelicalism. For example, if you want to know what evangelical Christians are reading and thinking, check with the large Southern Baptist Church in your area. So, if the current trends suggested by the above-mentioned study continues, can we dare say that we are witnessing and even sharing in a spiritual renewal (or even reformation)?

A (Good) New Blog

New blogs are popping up in the blogosphere everyday. And as we know, everything new is not good. If you are like me, you probably frequently suffer from blog overload. One could spend the better part of one's day just going from blog to blog reading the latest musings of those of us who are so self-possessed as to believe that people whom we don't know would be interested in reading our thoughts. But, as one who does blog (reluctantly at times), I digress.

Today, a new blog has been brought to my attention. And I must say, that while I have really narrowed my blog hopping down, I have added this one to my regular rotation. It is the Miami Pastors Conference Blog (surely you didn't think the conference was going away so quickly). Our brother Jarvis is doing us all a service in creating a blog where he will review the content of the conference, and give us opportunity to interact once again.

Thanks Jarvis. This is a good new blog.

Not Mincing Words

Today our brother Lance is not mincing words. He has spent some time watching the The Baal Network on television and has concluded that "an appalling and horrible thing has happened in the land: the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule at their direction; and (the) people love to have it so" (Jer. 5:30-31). Check it out, but be careful. Our brother has both barrels firing today.

The Real Struggle

One of the ways that African-Americans like to speak of the ongoing fight for equality and against racism in America is to speak of "the struggle." In fact, in order to discern ones sympathies and heart for so-called African-American causes, one is often asked if you are "down with the struggle." Needless to say, the fight for equality for the under-served in this country goes on. Indeed, there remains a struggle to see American continue to pursue the true meaning of her creed, "That all men are created equal." However, there is a far greater and substantial struggle waging that the struggle for civil rights often eclipses in the minds and hearts of so-called Christians. It is the struggle for the hearts of men and women as they embrace or reject the true meaning of the Cross of Christ. It is a struggle to understand the cosmic battle over sin is also and equally an intimate and internal battle in the hearts of men and women. It is this struggle for which the cross, and the Christ crucified on it, was waged and won for His people.

Unfortunately, these two struggles have been so intertwined by some that the latter has lost its clarity and preeminence. Some theologians have sought to use the latter to support the former and thus the struggle for the cross ultimately becomes nothing more than a struggle for Civil Rights. In this scenario, men and women gain the world, but lose their souls. They gain the right to vote, but lose the victory in Christ.

Don't get me wrong, I am down with the struggle. Having been on the demeaning side of racism and prejudice, I know that there yet remains a need for America to be diligent in living out her mandate. However, I am more gripped with the depths of my own sin than I am with the prejudice of others. I am more gripped by the cross when I understand that it was not just racism that sent Christ there, but even the pride, lust, anger, and all other unmentionables that lie in my heart and actions. In other words, as Christians wax eloquently about the struggle, I pray that the real struggle, the struggle within, is not lost or subverted by the struggle without. I pray that African-American church goers and theologians would not seek to gain America and yet lose their souls.

This morning I am particularly moved by this because my brother and friend Thabiti Anyabwile has posted an entry at his blog that I believe to be the most heartfelt post I have ever read from him. As I read it my heart was drawn across the water to that beautiful island where he currently resides. I wanted to reach my hand out to him and hug him and let him know that he has a friend and comrade in me who is down with him in The Real Struggle.

Thank you my brother and friend. For you, if I might borrow from my favorite poet:

The theological woods are dangerous and deep
But our Lord has many promises to keep
And by His grace, we have many miles to go before we sleep
Many miles to go before we sleep

50 Things I Love About Politics

Recently Comment Magazine asked if I would write a list article giving 50 Things I love about the world of politics. It seems they have published my findings:

When I was asked to set forth 50 things I love about the world of politics, my first thought was that I did not have 50 things I love about politics. However, on second thought, I realized that between things I love and things I love to hate, I had more than 50 things . . .

1. The Sovereignty of God. God changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings—Daniel 2:21.

2. My mother—thirty-nine years of public service as an elected local public official.

3. The President of the United States. Without a doubt the most difficult, public, and fascinating job in the world—wouldn't want it for anything.

4. The Declaration of Independence. "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

...read more

Michael Horton on "What is the Gospel"

One of the many delights from the conference was the renewed fellowship we had with Michael Horton. Those who have a vision for the spread of Biblical Reformed theology should know well the labors of Michael Horton over the years. He has long been at the center for reformation among modern evangelicals. His life has been dedicated to the gospel of Jesus Christ and the implications of the truth contained there in. He was gracious enough to join us in Miami and share with us concerning the gospel. In particular he addressed "What the Gospel Is." Here is a short excerpt from his first message. Thanks Mike. Your ministry has been used of God to inspire others to stand firm and labor for a Modern Reformation.

The Gospel and the Creation

One of the staples of the Miami Pastors Conference is the ministry of Ken Jones. Ken has long been a stalwart in the movement for Reformed theology in broader evangelicalism in general and among African-Americans in particular. Our admiration for Ken and the labors he has faithfully discharged at Greater Union Baptist Church in Compton CA and on the radio with The White Horse Inn, go without saying. Every year we look forward to the preaching and fellowship of our brother from the west coast.

As you know the conference was on "What is the Gospel". Ken opened the conference with a message on The Gospel and the Creation. Here is an excerpt from his message as he sets the direction his presentation will take. Ken is always clear, precise, and convincing. Here is just a taste of what I mean.

The Best of the Time

Since returning from the Miami Conference, I have been consistently asked about my time there. In particular, people want me to explain what I enjoyed the most. Honestly, I am finding it difficult, if not impossible, to describe the atmosphere and the overall experience of being at the Miami Pastors Conference this year. I can confidently say that this was the best Pastors conference yet. Nevertheless, if I had to pinpoint one aspect of the conference that really stood out it would have to be the preaching. The content, subject, and the delivery of the messages provided some of the best reformed experiential preaching I have ever had the pleasure of hearing. Over the next few days I hope to upload a few excerpts from some of the messages. First one is from Michael Leach. His sermon was The Gospel and the Fall of Man. Enjoy!