Ao much wisdom and kindness from @drmoore.bsky.social in this piece. So much more from President Carter. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...

For anyone like me, and Russell Moore, cradle Southern Baptists, I think this piece will be very meaningful (like Russell, I'm no longer active in SBC life; completely unimaginable as that would have been to me a few short years ago)

www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...

As I prepare to deliver my final sermon of 2024 its impossible not to reflect on a year of division, conflict, and heartbreak in which we were once again forced to watch the church sell her soul for a bowl of porridge.

We work hard at my church to actually slow down during advent. Rather than add events, we cancel them. Rather filling the calendar, we clear it.

Advent is not a time for massive productions and year end giving campaigns. Its a time for rest, reflection, and anticipation. This year, pursue quiet.

A dusting of snow in the south. Grocery stores are emptied, there are It’s a Wonderful Life-style runs on the bank, families retreat to their survival bunkers and pray.

Meanwhile, during a massive in South Korea:

I serve in a progressive, post-evangelical neighborhood. Early on during a casual conversation with a neighbor on how to best connect with the community I was told "they won't listen when you say 'Love your neighbor' because they do it better than you."

He was right. In all of it.

Susan and Dave
Soulshine

The most beautiful version of Angel from Montgomery was just played.

I’m not gonna lie, I’m a little sad that I (like most of you) didn’t make the pilgrimage here several months ago when we all saw what was happening. Would it have made a difference? Probably not. But it sure as hell would have been a salve for my mental health.

When we Christians are more known for our support of presidents than we are for our support of the poor, the immigrant, the marginalized, and the oppressed, that is when we know we are following someone other than Jesus and we have a lot of repenting to do.

58 degrees. Drizzly. Cozy crew neck. Coffee. Over the top fall candle. Sumbuck in the background.

Let’s freaking go.

This afternoon I sat in a meeting listened to an invited author (not by me) speak about the evils of deconstruction & the Trojan Horses that are Critical Theory and Side B Theology. Not 1 of the other 9 pastors gathered in that room seemed anything but enthusiastic about the conclusions presented.

It is quite the fragile god who needs political power to preserve and enforce their will.

It is quite the powerful God who is born in poverty, partners with the poor, washes feet, heals the sick, advocates for the oppressed, is unjustly killed and still changes the entire world.

I grew up the son of a Southern Baptist pastor. He was a good man. He taught me a lot, but watching him mainly taught me I never wanted to be a pastor. And I wasn’t for a long time. Then suddenly I was.

Years of preparing sermons while terrified I might preach heresy led me to a lot of questions.