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Tony Campolo

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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.

Advent, blog

Advent outrage: Would Jesus curse?

advent

The PG version. For the real Advent devotional, scroll down.

(WARNING: If you are offended by coarse language. Don’t read this.) Advent is here! Advent is a time for Christmas trees, lighting candles, waiting for the coming of the celebration of Christ’s birth and… dropping F-bombs?

A new Advent devotional is pushing the edges of decorum with such words and hashtags as…

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blog, Tony Campolo

Tony Campolo Coming to Albany

Tony looks pretty “hip” here.

2010 Come Alive and Thrive PDF

Session 1, 2: May 21, 2010 Session 3: May 22, 2010.  First Church Albany, NY

Click here to register.

Tony Campolo was a professor at Eastern University (it was a college when I matriculated) when I was a student and I attended many of lectures and talks.  He taught in my sociology class the final year of full time service to the college.  That year, he retired from teaching full time and became a professor emeritus at Eastern.  From time to time, I would bump into him walking on campus, in the gym playing basketball (with his grandson), at the seminary, or in the hallways and he would always entertain a little conversation with me.

Tony was the reason why I went to Eastern.  I heard him speak at a District of Columbia Baptist Convention meeting in November of 1995 and said to myself, “I want to be at the school he teaches!”  After talking with him after the meeting, he encouraged me to come to Eastern. (James Dunn made a similar proposal that night for Wake Forest University, but I turned him down. Sorry James.)

You can anticipate hearing his unique perspective on what the church may look like in the coming decade and how it can address issues of the modern world while remaining faithful to core values and beliefs. How can the church remain relevant, energized, pro-active and connected? How can the church thrive and be significant in an ecumenical and diverse world?

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Holy Week

What is so good about Good Friday?

Good Friday?  How about Bad Friday, Black Friday, or Depressing Friday?  If this is the day in which we remember Jesus suffering, bleeding, and dying on the cross, what is so good about it?  The movie, The Passion of the Christ, in many ways, change the way we feel about Christ suffering.  The graphic and bloody movie was a stirring portray of Jesus’ last hours.  For some, Good Friday induces feelings of guilt, depression, and even remorse.  Christians, on this day, truly feel a sense of sadness.

On this day of sadness, we wonder: Where did we get the term “Good Friday?  There is no clear answer, but the word “good” and “God” mixed together in the English speaking world.  For instance, the surname “Goodspeed” derives from “Godspeed”, which comes from the expression “God speed (with you)”  The expression, “good bye” came from the phase, “God be with ye (you).  Despite the origins of the phases, we don’t really feel “good” on Good Friday.

No matter what the origins of the phase comes from we cannot escape our feelings.  Are we meant to feel guilty and depressed on Good Friday? We don’t feel “good” about Christ suffering.  Are we meant to feel the pressure to be grateful of Jesus’ torment?

Christianity Today recently published an article that gives a good take on this day.  John Witvliet explains why we should not punish ourselves:

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