Yearly Archives:

2019

Christianity

Sister, don’t ‘go home’, Go preach!

Although not as common as it was for generations in Baptist life, one can still hear church members refer to one another as sister or brother, such as “Sister Smith” or “Brother Jones.” These titles, indicators of respect, esteem and mutuality, also reflect our identity as members of the household of God.

A public conflict between a “brother” and “sister” in the Christian community recently garnered headlines in national religious media. I was not shocked when I heard that popular conservative preacher and author John MacArthur, speaking at a Southern Baptist conference, did not affirm women in the pulpit.

I was shocked, however, when he was asked during a question-and-answer session to comment on Beth Moore’s ministry of teaching and preaching. He responded with two words directed to Moore:  READ THE REST AT BAPTIST NEWS GLOBAL.

Christianity

Giving mental health awareness the right place in church

Recently my Facebook feed was full of expressions of grief, support, and lament over two very public deaths. Both people were active in bringing a focus on mental health issues in communities. One was a professor of counseling, and the other was a well-known West Coast pastor, Jarrid Wilson. Both deaths were suicides. These two people join the list of very public suicides in recent years, including fashion designer Kate Spade, chef Anthony Bourdain, and comedian Robin Williams.

The above names and their stories are anecdotal evidence of statistics that are shocking. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in the United States alone in 2017… Read the rest at The Christian Citizen

Christianity

Rapper’s rebaptism in the Jordan River

I share my perspective on rapper Lecrae’s baptism with Jeff Brumley of Baptist News Global:

An American hip-hop artist’s rebaptism in the Jordan River last month sparked conversations ranging in nature from mean-spirited to theologically reflective.

“Can’t be baptized in the Jordan river and make the same old music. This new album is gonna be special,” rapper Lecrae said in a Sept. 19 tweet in which he also shared a video of the experience.

Some responded with praise. But others said rebaptism, even in the Jordan, is religiously unnecessary. Some labeled it a publicity stunt to sell music.

The entertainer was unruffled, responding to naysayers with some theology of his own: “1. it’s a Mikvah,” referencing a Jewish ritual bath. “2. Jesus was God already and still was baptized… 

BGN

Continuing reading at Baptist News Global

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Podcast: Living Life at the Kids Table

Living Life at the Kid’s Table

As adults, we don’t want to be at the “kids table” – do we?

Have you ever went to a wedding reception or a fundraiser dinner only to find that your seats are way in the back away from the head table? You can’t really see or hear what’s going on at the head table and you miss all “the action” of what the important people are doing. Maybe you get your food last! You don’t get to brush shoulders with the hosts or people you’d really like to interact with. Jesus once addressed this type of situation: when you are invited to a big dinner, don’t go out of your way to get the best seats. In fact, when you host a banquet, don’t invite the upstanding important people who are the “in-crowd”, instead invite the lowly. To Jesus, this makes God’s kingdom real and visible – but why? Why do this? Why should we be eating at the reception equivalent of the kid’s table at Thanksgiving?

Continue Reading…
Christianity

Podcast: Do words have power?

Journeying Through James: Do Words Have Power?

Rev. Alan R. Rudnick – Journeying Through James: Do Words Have Power?

James 3:

Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.

3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

Christianity

Live Video Podcast: The Christian Citizen – Justice, Mercy, and Faith

Photo credit: David Van Brakle

I had a chance to sit down at the American Baptist Biennial Mission Summit in Virginia Beach, VA on June 22, 2019, with Editor Curtis Ramsey-Lucas of The Christian Citizen. I was part of a panel which included the Rev. Dr. Debora Jackson and the Rev. Dr. Corey Fields, talking about our recent articles. It was fun, serious, and thought-provoking.  

Be sure to watch the beginning when we are actively discussing the topic. I decided to invite some onlookers to our audience. Give Alan the mic? What could happen?

Christianity

Podcast: Seeking Unity, Healing Wounds

Podcast: “Seeking Unity, Healing Wounds” – John 17:20-26

“Seeking Unity, Healing Wounds” Rev. Alan R. Rudnick

In the midst of the conflict of politics, economics, and culture, the idea of unity in American life might seem impossible to many. We watch television as pundits argue and clash over ideology and policy. We think our country and community is divided. Unity is impossible. However, in Jesus’ high priestly prayer he prayers for his disciples and for us – the believers who are not yet born! Jesus prayed that we all may be one. The misconception is that unity is when we all agree. Jesus shows us that unity is truly a community – a people called by God to be faithful to God and to one another despite conflict, disappointment, and fear.  True unity is community lived out. The Christian community is one when we join in the work of loving, caring, and serving one another in Christ and not agreeing on every point of ideology. Differences will abound but it is the love of God and neighbor that makes us one. 


T“The church is constituted as a new people who have been gathered from the nations to remind the world that we are in fact one people. Gathering, therefore, is an eschatological act as it is the foretaste of the unity of the communion of the saints.” 
― Stanley Hauerwas, In Good Company: The Church as Polis 

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What Christians get wrong about Kingdom theology

We live in a world that is obsessed with duality and dualism. Our culture is narrated by opposing forces such as Democrat and Republican, poor and rich, the winners and losers, and saved and unsaved. Dramatic attention of such opposing viewpoints creates tension and unnecessary anxiety in cultural and family systems. When religious people create a hyper-focus on dualism, it bifurcates the love of Christ and basic Bible comprehension.

When Liberty University president and Evangelical leader, Jerry Falwell Jr. spoke to The Washington Post about politics, Christianity, poverty, and culture he made several critical theological, hermeneutical, and exegetical mistakes. Among his comments… (read the rest of my article at The Christian Citizen)

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Podcast for Sermons

Right now, I’m in the process of utilizing sermon feeds and podcast feeds. Below is an archive of sermons. Over the next weeks, I’ll have a regular podcast distribution.

Continue Reading…
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Thanks to Tony Campolo for the shout-out

After writing my Baptist News Global opinion column on our culture’s selective moral outrage, I’m thankful for Rev. Dr. Tony Campolo for the shout-out on his Facebook page. Tony is the reason why I went to Eastern College and Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Way back in 1995, I heard him preach at a District of Columbia Baptist Convention meeting. Over the years, I’ve reminded Tony of his impact on my life as a student – as I’m sure he’s heard about from thousands of students. I was honored to introduce Tony at a conference in Albany, NY a number of years ago. I admire his strength, passion, and prophetic witness, which has spanded over 50 years.

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