Public Justice

Public Justice

I Am With You – Inspired by the song: Your Labor is Not In Vain

There’s a song I love that gets to me every time it comes through my speakers. (Okay, there are a few that fall into this category, but bear with me.) It’s not only the music, which is lyrical and lovely. It’s also not only the words, though I find them to be thoughtful and powerful. The emotional trigger of the song comes down to one line, which I am convinced captures a truth at once so fundamental and so easy…

What Do the Sufferings of Jesus Say to Your Frontline?

When we talk about our frontlines, it is with a largely positive tone. This is understandable. For many of us, whole-life discipleship offers a sense of empowerment and fulfillment. When we realize that God cares about our everyday lives, those ordinary spaces—our work life, our leisure time, our relationships—become exciting opportunities to experience God and see Him at work. It is a joyful thing to know that your mundane existence can be part of the work of God in the…

What Does Fruitfulness Look Like? 6Ms by Mark Greene

When we talk about life on the frontlines, it isn’t long until we need to consider what faithfulness looks like in the places, spaces, and relationships God has placed us in. In the tradition I was raised, conversations about being on mission in the everyday typically centered around opportunities to explicitly share the Gospel and invite a friend, co-worker, or neighbor to accept Jesus. Or, more likely, invite them to church, where they would accept Jesus. Obviously, for those of…

A Nuanced Kind of Christianity – The Kingdom of God and Politics

It is clearly evident that we are living in polarized and polarizing times. Christians in America find themselves facing several converging issues at once: the fray of an election season, ongoing conversations about the need for racial justice, all while continuing to navigate a pandemic. What are disciples of Jesus to do in the face of polarization and contention? How does the Kingdom of God shape the way we live in such a context? In the face of such questions,…

One of Our Own (Sam Kim & Racial Trauma)

Every time Sam Kim sees something horrible happen to his African-American brothers and sisters, it immediately brings back the racial trauma he’s experienced. He’s transported to the first time he remembers being called by racial slurs, to being chased through the streets of Chicago, to hearing his parents laughed at and taunted. This trauma has continued, even after living and working in the United States for decades, even after serving as a U.S. soldier in a war. He can tell…

12 Racial Justice Resources We Recommend

This past fall we worked through the Race, Class, and the Kingdom of God study series as a church. For those who aren’t familiar with it, we highly recommend it for your church. But now since that class is over, we want to keep on learning. Racial reconciliation is just too important to let slide. That’s why our Elders have come up with a list of 12 resources that are especially helpful. John, Mark, and Jonathan have each shared four…

A Conversation with Friends – Systemic Racism & Becoming a White Ally

In June I preached a sermon entitled “A Posture of Listening” (all links below) where I shared how the Lord was teaching me to try and listen and learn more about the issue of racism and racial justice. With this I sensed the Lord might be leading me to reach out to three of my Ockenga friends, Cyntoria, Monica, and Devon, to talk further about this topic. All three love the Lord and care deeply for the church. Cyntoria serves…

Esther Discussion Guide/Questions

Thanks for checking out our college group’s discussion guide of the book of Esther. I hope this helps you study and reflect on the book as we prepare to discuss it together. Here are some helpful resources for studying the book of Esther (PDF download at bottom of page): The Bible Project: Esther Video & Discussion Guide For Such a Time as This article by Bethany Jenkins Esther and the Silent Sovereignty of God article by Bethany Jenkins  How to…

Grace, Justice, & Mercy with Bryan Stevenson and Timothy Keller

In May 2016 Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City hosted an evening discussion on race, grace, and the church with Bryan Stevenson and Pastor  Timothy Keller. I’m sharing this as a follow-up to our recent series, God of Justice. I hope you’ll take the time to listen to both sessions to further our discussion of this important topic. While you may fully agree with everything you hear, or you may come to different conclusions, both are a worthwhile listen.…