This week, I connected again with my friend Keeshon Washington and discussed why we need to have conversations about racism, why we should talk with friends of color about their experiences, what racism even means, and how parents who adopt children of color should parent their kids.
In this episode we discuss race, Anabaptist churches, inner-city missions, and whether or not one should change their lifestyle in order to better connect with other cultures.
A few weeks ago, I sat down with my aunt over Skype and we talked about race, black history, what it’s like growing up black, whether or not couples should have inter-racial adoptions, and much, much more! I shared the full interview with my blog members, but wanted to give you all a taste of what we discussed as well.
A few posts back, I asked the question “Do we have a male-dominated expression of faith?” Particularly, has the Anabaptist subculture neglected to make space for women to put into practice their faith in active and engaging ministry? In this post, I’m going to share a few thoughts I have as I observe Scripture and what it says about women and their role in the church.
Are you aware of the racism in your church?
“Now wait a minute,” you may say. “There’s no racism in our church.” And there very well may not be.
But then again, there might be and you don’t realize it.
What are we talking about when we say we shouldn’t be conformed to the world? What do we mean when we talk about being transformed, or “holy.”
Can I tell when you are being assimilated to an earthly culture? Can I tell when you are assimilating to a heavenly culture (or mindset)? Is holiness something we dissect from looking at each other? Is worldliness something that can be prevented by keeping the external in order?
Does what happens on the outside actually reveal what’s on the inside? Is the heart the only thing that matters?
Church is confusing these days. Especially with all the different denominations and applications to scripture.
I feel a tension in my generation of Mennonites. We learn in church that a passage of Scripture means this and we should be doing that because of it.
But other believers aren’t. Other people who have authentic relationships with Jesus aren’t necessarily wearing the veiling or dressing in dresses. In fact, some of them are having a greater impact on our culture. So why do we insist on doing things our way?
Author Asher Witmer knows what it’s like to want freedom from sexual sin only to continually fail. We’re often told we need more personal discipline, that we need to think godly things instead of fleshly things.
What if I told you that discipline won’t solve your problem with lust?
Our male sexuality is given by God for advancing beauty and goodness. But somewhere along the line it becomes something that causes devastation and guilt. The good news is we don’t have to live with guilt. In Live Free, Asher Witmer shows us how we can find freedom from sexual sin, live with nothing to hide, and be able to fight for others.
