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A subversive approach to a subversive parable [From Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43] On the surface, the story reads quite clearly—maybe a little too clearly. If you’re a regular church attendee…
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Happy Birthday Publix!
Sept. 6, 1930 Publix corporation was born. I can’t imagine a better way for Publix to celebrate its birthday than by committing to end modern day slavery by joining the…
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No One Would Vote for Jesus
“Mixing religion and politics is like mixing ice cream and manure. It doesn’t do much to the manure but it sure does ruin the ice cream”, my friend Tony Campolo…
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Shane Claiborne's Statement on Syria
Right after 9/11, I asked a kid in my neighborhood what we should do in response. His answer: “Those people did something very wrong…” He thought pensively and continued, “But…
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Christian Pacifism: Relevant Beyond Syria
As the United States prepares to “officially” become involved in the Syrian war, Christian Pacifism has re-emerged as a much-discussed and relevant topic. Unfortunately, the concept has been somewhat misrepresented,…
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Choose Your Own Adventure
By Shayne Moore
Editor’s Note: This post is part of the Red Letter Book Club, featuring Margot Starbuck’s book, “Small Things With Great Love.” I grew up solidly planted in…
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Criminalizing Christ: The Love Wins Incident and the Nationwide Targeting of Homeless
There is no longer a war on hunger in this country. There is no longer a war on poverty. There is a war on the hungry. There is a war…
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Ten Things Christians Should Say More Often
I had a series a while back about the , and since then I’ve had people ask what they should be saying instead. So here’s a list of handy phrases to…
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Two Prayers for Labor Day
On Sunday, our church led the congregation in two prayers for Labor Day. I will be honest – I have never given a lot of thought to Labor Day, and I’ve…
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Now on the Red Carpet: John Perkins (part 2)
Last Monday we spoke with John Perkins about reconciliation, inherited dignity and why, at 83 years of age, he doesn’t get a lot of sleep. Today he shares more… Last…
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Small Things with Great Love by Margot Starbuck
By RLC Editor
In thirty brief chapters, Margot Starbuck invites you to choose the adventure that fits who you are in authentically loving those around you. Yes, she knows: just the thought…
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The Plan: Biggest Loser Wins
Editor’s Note: This post is part of the Red Letter Book Club. It is an excerpt from Margot Starbuck’s book, “Small Things With Great Love.” Biggest loser wins. That’s the…
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On Hating President Obama
By Morf Morford
I know many people who not only hate President Obama, but are proud of doing so. It is a strange thing to hate one’s leader in a Democracy – especially…
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Take the ‘A’ Train
By Mal Green
Recently, I met up with a follower of Jesus who has undergone medical transition from one gender to another. We talked about a range of issues facing transgender people in…
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Listen to London: Don’t Bomb Syria
By Tony Jones
I want to add my voice to the chorus that is urging President Obama not to bomb Syria. Yesterday the British Parliament issued a sharp rebuke to PM David Cameron’s…
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Children of the New Jim Crow
Every Saturday morning, youth from the west side of Chicago are provided a safe place to reflect, create, and express themselves through drums. Started as a ministry of support for…
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More than Hope: Working to Avoid a Post-Christian Middle East
In a recent post, CNN national security analyst Peter Bergen asked if the world is heading toward a “Post-Christian Middle East.” Bergen highlighted the plight of Christians in Syria caught…
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8 Good Reasons to Change Modern Church Service
By Yaholo Hoyt
Recently, I have been in a career transition that has allowed me some time to catch my breath. During this time, I made a decision to prioritize church and community…
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Have you been 'born again'?
By Morf Morford
“Have you been ‘born again’?” was a popular question a generation ago. This question bothered me then, and bothers me even more as I consider the multiple theological, social, even…
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Have Progressive Christians Abandoned Too Much?
By Kathy Vestal
The progressive Christianity movement arose in response to the fundamentalist movement that has in the last 30 or 40 years knitted itself closely to conservative politics. Seemingly debunking anything academic…
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A Better Story: How Our Understanding of Justice is Radically Re-defined by the Gospel
By Derek Flood
Go to see an action film this weekend, and in addition to the spectacle of epic visual effects, you will likely encounter a very familiar storyline where in the end…
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Feeding Homeless Apparently Illegal in Raleigh, NC
What Happened On the morning of Saturday, August, 24, Love Wins showed up at Moore Square at 9:00 a.m., just like we have done virtually every Saturday and Sunday for the last…
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Now on the Red Carpet: John Perkins
Today we have the privilege of chatting with John Perkins, one of the leading evangelical voices to emerge from the civil rights movement and a tireless advocate for justice…
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Western Christianity's Biggest Problem: the Bible?!
Much of Westernized Christianity’s recent decline has been blamed on the failure of churches and denominations to adapt to modern times, becoming irrelevant, or contrarily, becoming too commercialized and “fake,…
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Gag Me
Yesterday, there was a bit of an online uproar on this post from The Gospel Coalition in which contributor Thabiti Anyabwile used the argument that Christians and society should be grossed out by homosexuality and…
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What Are You Working For?
By Micah Bales
Why do you work? Whether you are a school teacher, an electrician, or a volunteer at an animal shelter, what motivates you to give your time, energy and attention to…
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Our Obsession With Violence & The Stories You’re Not Supposed to Hear
By Jon Huckins
Upon my recent return from the Middle East (with The Global Immersion Project), I was struck more than ever before at our Western infatuation around military aggression, violence and division.…
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Why I Didn't Leave the Church: Thoughts from a Real, Live Millennial
By Neely Baugh
There seems to be a lot of talk about “millennials leaving the church” these days. And while I have my own theories on why many of my peers want nothing…
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Tribalism, Religion, and Violence
By Yaholo Hoyt
Religion is often the scapegoat for violence. Indeed, it is also so often the excused used by those committing violence. The recent violence in Egypt is a fresh reminder to…
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What I Saw in a Prison Inmate’s Eyes
By Ed Cyzewski
What chance would you give a middle-aged African American man who has been imprisoned five times and is about to be released again? I used to write this type of…
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Now on the Red Carpet: Penny and Amy Julia Becker
Today we’re chatting with 7 ½ year-old Penny Becker and her mom, Amy Julia Becker. In Becker’s memoir, Good and Perfect Gift—selected by Publisher’s Weekly as one of the…
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Fight: A Christian Case for Nonviolence by Preston Sprinkle
By RLC Editor
Preston Sprinkle, co-author of Erasing Hell (with Francis Chan), has written a book that ought to be exciting the progressive end of the evangelical world – Fight: A Christian Case…
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Fight: “Erasing Hell” co-author defends nonviolence in a new book!
By Kurt Willems
Preston Sprinkle, co-author of Erasing Hell (with Francis Chan), has written a book that ought to be exciting the progressive end of the evangelical world – Fight: A Christian Case for…
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When Worship SUCKS!
It’s been said that all a worship leader needs to have is a pure and righteous heart, and if they have that quality of holiness, things will magically turn out…
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The Spiritual Danger of Doing Good by Peter Greer
By RLC Editor
Most Christians today are interested in more than just preaching the gospel with words; they also want to serve others. But what happens when Christian service and social justice…
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When Ministry Becomes Your Mistress
By Peter Greer
Editor’s Note: This post is part of the Red Letter Book Club. It is an excerpt from Peter Greer’s latest book, “The Spiritual Danger of Doing Good.” “Peter, I met…
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Interview with Peter Greer
By RLC Editor
Editor’s Note: This post is part of the Red Letter Book Club. It is an interview with Peter Greer, author of, “The Spiritual Danger of Doing Good.” As the president…
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Good Intentions and Naive Behavior Aren’t Enough to do Good in this World
By Yaholo Hoyt
Editor’s Note: This post is part of the Red Letter Book Club, featuring Peter Greer’s latest book, “The Spiritual Danger of Doing Good.” The Spiritual Danger of Doing Good by…
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We Don’t Get To Sit Back Just Because The System Is F@!#$D: Part 4 Of How I Became A Bleeding-Heart Liberal
By Joy Bennett
It may seem like I’ve been rambling for the past three posts (part 1, part 2, part 3), but I took time to cover all that territory to make a…
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A Tale of Two Churches
The Christian Church is made up of over 30, 000 denominations and millions of congregations, all with their own unique ways of worshiping God. This is what I learned about…
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Poverty, Power, And Misplaced Trust: Part 3 Of How I Became A Bleeding Heart Liberal
By Joy Bennett
I’ve written two posts now focused on my own story and the things I’ve seen. I think it’s pretty clear how passionate and compassionate I am about helping those in need. However, lest…
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Beating AK47s into Shovels
It doesn’t get much cooler than beating an AK47 into a shovel. We are starting to make a habit of it. Our first weapon-conversion was on the 10th anniversary of September…
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Beyond Trayvon Martin and Racism
It continues even now. The group emails and facebook posts spotlighting incidents of black on white violence and the cries, “Where’s the outrage now like there was over Trayvon Martin’s…
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The Dark Side Of Help: Receiving It (Part 2 Of How I Became A Bleeding-Heart Liberal)
By Joy Bennett
This is part 2 of a series on exploring fiscal responsibility, generosity, and social good. Read part 1 here. Read Part 3 here. Look for the final part, tomorrow. I despise needing help.…
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Gandhi-Style Evangelism
E. Stanley Jones, an American missionary to India, asked Gandhi what missionaries could do to make Christianity more accepted in India. He asked, “How can we make Christianity more naturalized in…
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How a Conservative Christian Home-School Graduate Became a Bleeding-Heart Liberal (Part 1)
By Joy Bennett
Labels are helpful, to a point, but they fall short when it comes to teasing out the nuances of an individual person’s positions. Labels depend in large part on context.…
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Now on the Red Carpet: Rachel Held Evans
Named one of Christianity Today’s “50 Women to Watch, ” Rachel Held Evans — the author of and A Year of Biblical Womanhood — is a popular blogger who devoted a…
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If God had my body
By Morf Morford
If God had my body I would have no burden of fear or regret Or shame or disgrace. If God had my body I would know, Really know Forgiveness and…
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Understanding Trauma – How We Treat the Broken Among Us
By Yaholo Hoyt
Until the about the time of the Vietnam War, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) was not widely understood. Through WWI and the majority of WWII, symptoms of PTSD were largely…
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Syria is Complicated, War is Not
By John Watson
War is a beast that we are far too eager to feed. The word complicated, in polite and diplomatic society, has come to mean let’s not do anything. It has…
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In God We (Don’t) Trust
We trust in our churches. We trust that the nurseries will carefully and tenderly watch our babies. We trust that the Sunday Schools will lovingly teach our children. We trust…
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Rethinking the $3, 000 Missions Trip
Painfully thin for his age, Martin shivered uncontrollably by the side of the city swimming pool. He held his sides in a futile effort to keep warm. I was puzzled.…
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"God is Innocent" : Rwamasirabo on the Genocide in the Church at Nyange, Rwanda
During Rwanda’s 100-day genocide in 1994, Roman Catholic priest, Father Athanase Seromba savagely sacrificed nearly 3, 000 members of his church in Nyange (a parish in the Kibuye province of western…
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Hiroshima Witness in DC
THIS JUST IN… Dozens of folks gathered in DC on the memorial of the Hiroshima bombing, with nonviolent demonstrations at the Pentagon and at the Enola Gay Museum (which dropped…
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Bill Pelke wants the best for his Grandmother's Killer, Paula Cooper
In 1985, Paula Cooper, then 15, brutally stabbed her Sunday School teacher, Ruth Pelke, 33 times before leaving her for dead. Thirty-two years later she is once again a free…
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Joy in Failure
By John Watson
Life’s greatest lessons often come from children. Jesus taught us that, but sometimes we need reminding. We have flag worship at my church. To some people, the sight of people…
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Peace of Mind and the Prophetic Pursuit of Peace and Justice
I have to confess: I have conflicted feelings about peace of mind. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not a fan of inner turmoil. And while I don’t think it is…
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Now on the Red Carpet: Sami Rasouli
He’d been living in Minnesota when, in 2003, Sami Rasouli returned to his homeland of Iraq. Stunned by the destruction he saw there, Rasouli sold his business and returned…
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Let’s have a (Deeper) Conversation about Race
By Kathy Khang
Editor’s Note: This post is part of the Red Letter Book Club, featuring Bruce Reyes-Chow’s latest book: But I Don’t See You as Asian: Curating Conversations About Race. Too often conversations…
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Riley Cooper: Is he Good enough for a second chance? YES and I'll tell you why
Waiting for my flight to take off I decided to watch ESPN. The commentators Herm Edwards, Merril Hoge and Ed Werder discussed the racially inflammatory language of Philadelphia Eagles Receiver,…
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Watchman Nee: A Red Letter Christian
When I was thirteen years old, I attended the Christian music festival Creation, held in the Appalachian Mountains. I was mesmerized as Tony Campolo preached about our call to love…
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Is it possible to have a balanced, sane, and useful conversation about race?
Editor’s Note: This post is part of the Red Letter Book Club, featuring Bruce Reyes-Chow’s latest book: But I Don’t See You as Asian: Curating Conversations About Race. Is it possible to have…
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A Journey of Recognition: Racism, Prejudice, Sexism, and Hate Do Exist
Editor’s Note: This post is part of the Red Letter Book Club, featuring Bruce Reyes-Chow’s latest book: But I Don’t See You as Asian: Curating Conversations About Race. This isn’t a large book,…
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Vanity of Vanities: Does Ministry Really Matter?
Just a couple of days ago, about why some ministers tend to lose their faith. It was part of my weekly lectionary study, and the texts for the week particularly…
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Courage that is Contagious: Take Action Today to Bring Home the DREAM 9
The energy and courage of the DREAM 9 has spread across the country in the past ten days, mobilizing thousands to action. It has been over a week since the…
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But I Don’t See You As Asian by Bruce Reyes-Chow
By RLC Editor
The Red Letter Book Club is proud to debut featuring Bruce Reyes-Chow’s latest book, But I Don’t See You as Asian: Curating Conversations About Race. In it, Bruce curates…
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"Don’t Be So Sensitive"
Editor’s Note: This post is part of the Red Letter Book Club. It is an excerpt from Bruce Reyes-Chow’s latest book: But I Don’t See You as Asian: Curating Conversations About Race. My…
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Interview with Bruce Reyes-Chow
By RLC Editor
Bruce Reyes-Chow is the author of But I Don’t See You as Asian: Curating Conversations About Race. Who is this book written for? Everyone? While I hope this book will speak to a…
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Acknowledging Our Social Location
By David Ensign
Editor’s Note: This post is part of the Red Letter Book Club, featuring Bruce Reyes-Chow’s latest book: But I Don’t See You as Asian: Curating Conversations About Race. The afternoon that…
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Pointing Out the Elephant in Our American Family Room
Editor’s Note: This post is part of the Red Letter Book Club, featuring Bruce Reyes-Chow’s latest book: But I Don’t See You as Asian: Curating Conversations About Race. Bruce Reyes-Chow…
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Ignorance Is A Sign that Something Needs to be Done
Editor’s Note: This post is part of the Red Letter Book Club, featuring Bruce Reyes-Chow’s latest book: But I Don’t See You as Asian: Curating Conversations About Race. Growing up I…
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A Good Cringe-Inducing Conversation
Editor’s Note: This post is part of the Red Letter Book Club, featuring Bruce Reyes-Chow’s latest book: But I Don’t See You as Asian: Curating Conversations About Race. Think about the…
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It’s NOT the economy, stupid
By Morf Morford
The word ‘economy’ derives from the Greek word ‘economos’ which refers to the care and provisioning of a household. Money is one of the basic elements of a healthy, functioning…
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Are you Involved in Self-Centered Christianity? If not, then you should be!
Earlier today I was on a conference call with the ministry team leaders of a local church. In addition to discussing the new healthy eating and nutrition classes, urban garden…
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An Open Letter to All Christian Theologians
Dear Christian Theologians (and anyone else who discusses theology), Please…. Be Understandable: Theology is worthless if it can’t be understood. There are times and places to use fancy terminology and…
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Ramadan, A Shared Table & Following Jesus
By Jon Huckins
Last night, Janny and I had the honor of sharing a table with a gathering of local Muslim’s for an Iftar meal. It is currently Ramadan, which means the Muslim…
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Now on the Red Carpet: Kevin Palau
If you’ve got a stereotype of an old-school evangelism “crusade, ” prepare to have it dismantled. Under the leadership of Kevin Palau, the Luis Palau Association has produced some…
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Why I’m Fasting with the Dream 9
Friday I decided to join the hunger strike of nine undocumented youth in a detention center in Arizona. Theirs is not the only hunger strike underway right now (I’ve been…
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Is Money The Enemy?
By Micah Bales
For most of my life, I have related to money as an enemy. I viewed finances as a necessary evil, a barrier that had to be overcome somehow in order…
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More than “just”
By Alise Wright
A couple of weeks ago, I received an email in which I was called a gross, disgusting name. I deleted the email almost immediately, but something like that doesn’t delete…
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The SOLD Project: Because Prevention Works
By Rachel Goble
Travel With Us :: A Short Visual Poem from The SOLD Project on Vimeo. It was October of 2007 when I found myself sitting in a brothel in the center…
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The Lion, the Witch and the War
The Chronicles of Narnia, the incredibly popular collection of books written by C. S. Lewis has sold over 100 million copies in 47 languages. The series, which was conceived by…
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Hungry Gypsies and Ragged Prophets
By Morf Morford
Hungry gypsies and ragged prophets Have truths to tell – or find, or barter. They are the jesters of the dangerous Ridiculous and impossible truths, The ones we like to…
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Can Christianity Learn to Say, "I'm Sorry"?
Jesus never said “I’m sorry.” Sure, when He was being crucified He cried out “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing (NIV)” But technically He…
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The DREAM 9: Perfect Love Casts Out Fear
“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and he who fears is not perfected in love.” – 1…
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Chat Rooms and Discussion Boards: How Understanding the Internet Changed My Relationships
In 1971, men in the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) invented a way to plug information transfer cables into personal computers. This connected machines like a spider’s web or a…
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White privilege, and what we’re supposed to do about it
The case of Trayon Martin’s death has caused a national conversation around race. People seem to be polarized in their reactions to the recent verdict, and as such I’d love…
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My Response to the Closing of Exodus International
By Tony Campolo
On June 19, 2013, Exodus International President, Alan Chambers, published, “I Am Sorry, “ a blog post on Exodus’ website apologizing to the LGBT community. Over the past month the…
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Time Share Charity and God's Scandalous Grace
By Joy Bennett
I answer the phone and the voice on the other end of the line chirps, “We want to give you 2 nights and 3 days in our luxurious Florida beach-front…
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Hitler in Heaven?
By John Watson
Let me paint a picture: You die. You ascend, or transmute, or do whatever happens, and end up in heaven. You are greeted by angels, ancestors, Jesus, all the people…
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Now on the Red Carpet: Isabel Castillo
Could it be true that a vibrant young woman who graduated Magna Cum Laude from a reputable east coast university is prohibited from working legally in the country in…
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A Hispanic response to the Trayvon Martin verdict
These past few days have been filled with frustration. I was one of the ones who followed the Zimmerman trial closely and patiently awaited a verdict. It was more so…
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Feeling Impatient?
By Micah Bales
I am used to instant gratification. When I get hungry, there is almost always food around. When I am curious about something, I search the internet and can find an…
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Jahar Could Be Your Kid
By Shane Raynor
I turned on a couple of the cable news channels last night and the outrage du jour was over Rolling Stone’s decision to run featuring Boston bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev (nicknamed Jahar…
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Christianity's 5 Most Popular Scapegoats
Within Christianity it’s easy to criticize. Here are some of the most common scapegoats: 1) Conservative Fundamentalists Christianity’s negative public image is—often rightfully—blamed on these people. Perceived as being exclusive,…
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Stand Your Ground
“No duty to retreat.” That is the foundation of the controversial “stand your ground” laws that are in effect in over half the states. These laws allow people to “stand…
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Where Is God When We're in Pain?
“Night” is a by Elie Wiesel about his experience in the German concentration camps. “One day, ” writes Wiesel, “as we returned from work, we saw three gallows… The SS…
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No Passengers & No Excuses
By Morf Morford
We human beings have struggled with the place, power and purity of religion and politics since the dawn of history. Whose belief system is ‘right’ and what to do with…
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Is It Harmful to Tell People to Love Their Enemies If You Never Teach Them How?
After hearing a sermon on Jesus’ call to visit those imprisoned, Jasmine signed up as a volunteer for her church’s prison ministry. She was inspired by the vision that God’s…
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What if the World Doesn't End?
By Yaholo Hoyt
“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.” – Matthew 24:36 ESV Many people seem to…