Episode 44: All the Qs in My Inbox: BLM, CRT, Defunding the Police, the Gospel, and More
On this episode I share the top six questions I’ve gotten by email, text, What’sApp, social media, and more in the past couple weeks, as well as my answers to them. This episode was long in the making because these questions aren’t just from afar, but are being posed in my own community, family, and church and I have been spending my days in conversation, prayer, and action with people in real life.
You all have been asking: 1) Given the beliefs of the organization, can Christians say Black Lives Matter? 2) Should Christians employ Critical Race Theory? 3) Shouldn’t we just preach the gospel? 4) Should we defund the police? 5) Aren’t emotions untrustworthy and shouldn’t we only make decisions based on statistics? 6) But what about this one black speaker/commentator/thinker?
After the questions and answers I share four exhortations for you and me who are in the church in the United States. More than anything I want to urge us to consider how this is a critical moment for followers of Jesus to take action. We who know our Creator and his Word have the framework, tools, passion, and conviction to seek justice and mercy in this deeply divided time in our country. We know and serve the God who made man in his own image, he appointed that we would live here and now, and he compels us by his love to go and love others. Now is not the time to wring our hands on the sidelines. Now is the time to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with our God (Micah 6:8).
The following links might be helpful for further research:
5 Ways Christians are Getting Swept into a Secular Worldview in This Cultural Moment - Natasha Crain
Race, Injustice, and the Gospel of Critical Race Theory, With Monique Duson - Alisa Childers Podcast
SBC President: ‘Southern Baptists, We Need to Say It Clearly as a Gospel Issue: Black Lives Matter’ - Relevant Magazine
George Floyd, Police Culture & Facing Fear that Leads to Violence - Jamie Winship with Brad Jersak
TOP TEN REASONS I’LL NEVER SUPPORT THE #BLACKLIVESMATTER MOVEMENT - The Radiance Foundation
The Systems That Protect the Police - NYT The Daily Podcast
There Were TWO Reports: Remembering Mike Brown and Ferguson - Jemar Tisby
On Critical Race Theory And Intersectionality - SBC Convention