On Bigotry and Racism

Let me begin by stating one thing without reservation: I hate bigotry and racism with a deep passion. I don't care who the object of the hatred is whether black, white, latino, jew, Italians, Irish, or any other race or ethnicity. To hate an entire group because of their country of origin, skin color, or ethnicity is irrational and evil. I believe in Dr. King's dream that we would be judged by the content of our character and not the color of our skin. I wish that his work had not been undone.

I have the fruit on the tree, if you will. For several years, I served in a number of ministries working towards racial and denominational reconciliation, most of whom lead by black pastors. My lovely bride and I spent fifteen years in inner city ministry. During that time, I served as teaching and administrative pastor in a mixed race congregation and community outreach center. We lived in a mixed race neighborhood for thirteen years that became a predominantly black neighborhood. I'm not saying all this to brag but more as a pedigree so that my credibility might be established.

It's so easy to stand against the obvious hate. The KKK and other white supremacist groups are overt and blatant in their hatred of other races especially blacks and jews. Since many people I care about fall into both of these groups, the idea that anyone would want to hurt them for no reason other than the color of their skin fills me with a rage that only time and prayer can calm. Opposing their filthy ideology is the only rational thing to do but not with violence. As the Scriptures say:

"Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. 

Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Therefore 

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him; 

If he is thirsty, give him a drink; 

For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head."

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

Romans 12:14-21

I have seen this type of overt racism on display all my life but not always from whites who hate blacks. I've heard it from blacks who hate whites and jews, blacks and whites who both hate Mexicans, Mexicans who hate everybody. Hatred and bigotry are universal. Anyone can be filled with this vile poison. The reason we left the neighborhood was because my two sons were jumped because they were white. They were kids who dared to walk down the street. Speed was their only salvation. Most of the people living there at the time and, I assume, to this day are decent people who harbor no ill will towards anyone. In all cases, it is the vocal and often violent minority that are the problem.

These are the easy ones to spot. Most of the racism I see today is not quite so obvious. The blatant ones are the people denying jobs or homes to people based on race. The far more devious beliefs are often masked behind seemingly good intentions. They're so deep and hidden that the people who hold them don't believe that they're are racist. Most believe that they're fighting racism.

I'm talking about the soft bigotry of low expectations. This takes the form of beliefs such as the idea that minorities aren't able to get IDs on their own so shouldn't be expected to have them to vote. Perhaps it's seen in demanding lower requirements for admission into colleges or job advancement. Although these seem like the right thing to do, in reality they are, along with anything else in this line of thought, the message is clear that those who believe them are a different form of white supremacist. They feel guilty about their beliefs but act and speak in ways that confirm that they believe that racial and ethnic minorities are inferior and can only succeed with the help of their superiors.

This type of bigotry is the root of the need to keep minorities feeling like victims. Anger and the assumption of racism are the result. Proponents of this racism teach minorities to assume racial motivations behind everything. This, in and of itself, is a form of bigotry and racism.

I dream of the day when we can actually come back together as one American people. Our currency reads the Latin motto, "E Pluribus Unim." This means from many, one. There will always be disagreements and there will always be hatred and bigotry. It's up to us, the Body of Christ, to be instruments of peace and reconciliation. We must reject all forms of racism and see everyone as individuals regardless of race, ethnicity, or gender. The love of God must flow through us to break through and bring unity wherever we can. Hearts and minds are changed one at a time.

Reject hate. Reject violence. Embrace love and mercy.

Being The Outsider

Recently, a friend from the last congregation we served as pastors started listening to the podcast. He asked me about the name and where it came from. It occurred to me that if he asked that there are others wondering the same thing.

Jesus' Outsider was born from the life that the Lovely Bride and I have always lived. When it came time to shut down my (mercifully) short-lived political program and go back to the Gospel, we spent a lot of time in prayer about the name and the format. Ultimately, it was our identity in Christ that was the inspiration for the name.

For as long as I can remember, I have been an outcast. As a kid and teen, I was too geeky for the cool kids, not good enough for the A Band, and not athletic in the slightest. Even in the Navy, I wasn't exactly Mr. Popularity. Once I came to Christ, that continued. At first, many well intentioned people tried to shape me to fit the mold of what they thought I should be. Once that didn't work, I was relegated to the work that no one else really wanted. On occasion, I found a few people that I fit with but, for a wide range of reasons, these times were relatively short. The same is true of the lovely bride.

We've been a part of a lot of groups but, with most of them, we were in the but not really part of the group. The best description I can come up with is that we have been the socially acceptable outcasts.

This is the source of the name. We belong to Christ (There's a possessive to Jesus that we are His) but have always been on the edge of His people. After lamenting this for years, we finally accepted the situation as an asset rather than a liability. As outsiders, we can take on the issues that the insiders may not be comfortable addressing. We can reach out to the people that the majority doesn't know how to reach. Since then, the Lord has been close to us. We are outsiders and outcasts that found our home in Him.

Over the years, we have found others that are like us. They want Jesus but feel rejected by His people. Many, like us, have experienced what it's like to be forced into a mold that they just don't fit into no matter how hard they try. The outsiders, the hurting, the mentally ill, the seekers, and the rejects within the Body are the ones we connect with. As fellow outsiders, we understand where they are.

As I said, being outsiders for us has been freeing. There's nothing we can't address. We are privileged to preach freedom from the challenges and sins that the church doesn't want to address. Porn, mental illness, and others avoided by too much of the Body are our bread and butter. Our mission is to reach the unreachable, the teach the church to love the unloveable, and speak what many consider unspeakable.

We are Jesus' Outsiders. We belong to Him in Whom the reject, the outcast, and the nobody can find home.

Sex, Porn, and Freedom

What's so important that we need to be fully functional again? Sure, the podcast has listeners who will miss it, but there needs to be something more that's worth the work and supporting.

There is. We are planning our first conference and it's going to be a big one. (Go big or go home, right?) A few have already been briefed on what we're planning but, in light of current situations, we going public now. To catch anyone who missed the last few posts, we had been working on planting a church but the Lord hit us on the side of the head and asked us why we were doing that when He had already given us a part to play in His kingdom that we had been neglecting. That word, along with a reignition of passion at a Josh McDowell conference, put us where we are today.

Our first conference is Sex, Porn, and Freedom: Breaking the Bondage of Sexual Sin. I told you it was a big one. In the years of broadcasting Jesus' Outsider, this topic is one we hit often especially since it seems that few are actually addressing it. It's the giant elephant in the room that no one wants to talk about yet it's destroying the Body of Christ and our nation. Oh, and it's not just a men's problem.

We're building a great lineup that will be announced soon. We'll be sharing statistics, tips on web and mobile device safety, and a lot of what you'd expect in something like this. However, we're going a lot further than that. We'll give you the science of porn, how the industry has changed and its impact on the greater culture, how to break the chains, and a dose of prevention.

One piece will be of great interest. My lovely bride will be sharing her testimony publicly for the first time. It's not a pretty story. She lived the BDSM lifestyle that millions of women were introduced to in Fifty Shades of Grey. Despite the growing acceptance of this lifestyle, it has consequences. Come and hear some truth about how people get into it, how BDSM affects those involved, and how hard it is to get out. During the story, we'll use the words and writings of the advocates to demonstrate the reality of what she shares. It will be challenging for her, but you won't want to miss it.

Our purpose in doing this conference is more than just providing information. We are going to demonstrate how widespread the problem really is within the church with both genders. That's just the beginning. Our goal is to break the silence surrounding sexual sin so that the light of the Gospel can shine into the dark corners of all of our hearts. We want to see people set free from these chains. We're doing this for anyone who wants to be free, desires to minister to people trapped in these sins, or just wants the information.

Oh, there's much more. This is just a teaser. We are tentatively planning for May but that will be dependant upon fundraising efforts and how fast the response comes through. As soon as the studio is fully functional, the Jesus' Outsider site and our Facebook Page will have all the details as they develop and when tickets go on sale. We'll be posting here as well as the full speaker lineup is confirmed along with the music (courtesy of Be Loud Promotions). It's going to be a day you'll not soon forget.