While all people of good will call for calm and respect for the rule of law in Ferguson, Missouri, the truth remains that violence begets violence. Truthfully, Michael Brown's violent death at the hand of a police officer, and the violent aftermath, are tragic reflections of America's continuing …
What is a Pastor Like Me Doing at a Protest?
Twenty-five years ago, I was in 10th grade and lived in Lakewood, Colorado. As a suburbanite, I rarely ventured downtown. It was considered unsafe and largely to be avoided. The main strip through our city is Colfax Boulevard where the east end garnered the reputation for being the red-light …
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Does God Stand with Immigrants
At church we sang Chris Tomlin’s “Our God.” I love this song, and I can’t help but get some goosebumps as we celebrate the bigness of our powerful God.And if our God is for us, then who could ever stop us? And if our God is with us, then what could stand against?It was three days …
Lamentation for Ferguson or Healing in the Aftermath of Ferguson
The hearts of our staff at Mission Year were heavy on our weekly prayer call. It was the morning after the grand jury decision in Ferguson and there was a lot of disappointment, pain, and anger. Many of us were struggling with words to say and prayers to pray. Instead of listing a litany of prayer …
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Red, White & Blue
The red, white and blue lights flashed in the mirror and the familiar sting of fear crawled through my stomach. “Not today,” I thought. “Please, don’t let it be today.” The lady riding in the passenger seat of my vehicle whispered to me, “Just stay calm.” Her short, curly, gray hair had been …
No Indictment is Outrageous, Even if Wilson is Innocent
No Indictment. The announcement broke the suspense, if not the tension. 108 days after Michael Brown was killed by Darren Wilson, St. Louis Prosecutor Bob McCulloch announced that the grand jury had determined that there was no probable cause to indict Officer Wilson in the August 8th death on …
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Reflections on Ferguson in Poem Form
As I thought and prayed about Ferguson today I found myself at a loss for words – but yet so many thoughts, hard to contain. I do not know how to express them all. Yet – as a pastor, I do not want to be silent upon these matters. I do not want my church to be silent upon these matters. For my faith …
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Immigration, Ferguson, and the Importance of our Lens
I returned a phone call to a friend recently who proceeded to tearfully share her burden for a young man who had been incarcerated and recently released. This young African American man returned to society with a strong desire to change his life. Yet even with the help of my passionate and …
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