Dealing with Violence in the City
This morning as I was running on the treadmill, I was also watching CNN. A story came on about a shooting in Washington D.C. The police chief was speaking with the mayor of D.C looking on. She stated...
View ArticleLiberation Must Include Reconciliation
I have an issue with folks who deal with the race issue by simply talking about liberation and the end of White supremacy. This limited solution to the issue of race misses the mark in two ways. One,...
View ArticleThe Missional Church Must Embrace Multi-ethnicity
I have been reading a number of books on the Missional Church recently. At first as I was reading books by Alan Hirsch, Darrell Guder, and Alan Roxburgh, I’d wished I hadn’t waited so long to jump into...
View ArticlePost-Black Theology: Theological Streams
I introduce Post-Black Theology around the thesis that, there are theologies and ministry practices coming out of the Black Church in the United States of America that can be a gift from God to the...
View ArticleMuch Love for LaCrae (Holy Hip Hop and Theology Part 2)
Last week I had the honor of speaking on main stage at the Ichthus Music Festival. I spoke right after a very powerful performance by Holy Hip Hop artist LaCrae. Earlier that day I was on a panel with...
View ArticleTen Ways to Live as a Reconciler
1.) Don’t avoid conflict. 2.) Find biblical and prayerful approaches to anticipating and resolving conflict. 3.) Practice forgiveness daily. 4.) Embrace “dying to self” as a daily spiritual discipline....
View ArticleThoughts on Bloodlines by John Piper
First of all I want to share my love, respect, and honor for my Brother, Dr. John Piper and the ministry God has given him in Minneapolis and beyond. I was born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota and...
View ArticleThe Serving and Suffering Church
As we move towards Good Friday and reflect on the suffering and death of Christ, I have been thinking of how the mission of the church should be aligned more with the suffering. This begins with what...
View ArticleThe Color Of Jesus
I received some negative feedback for speaking against The Bible cable series on the History Channel. I have to also acknowledge that I found many like-minded Sisters and Brothers as well. My two...
View ArticleDenying Race
In this same month that a movie on Jackie Robinson, who integrated major league baseball years before the Civil Right Act is released, a high school in the state of Georgia has its first racially...
View ArticleBeyond Just Trayvon Martin
“When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. ‘Get up,’ he said, ‘take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search...
View ArticleGeorge, Trayvon, and the Church
This morning as I prepared to go for a run, I thought of getting my hooded sweatshirt from the closet because there was somewhat of a chill in the air. As I thought about this further my heart once...
View ArticleWhy The Color of Jesus and Noah Matters
With the films Son of God and Noah coming to theaters, I will once again share my thoughts while also grieving over the continued portrayal of Jesus the Christ as European. The Noah movie, featuring...
View ArticleBlack-on-Black Violence: Pastor Voddie Bauchman’s Assault on Black People
Black-on-Black Violence: Pastor Voddie Baucham’s Assault on Black People By Austin Channing Brown, Christena Cleveland, Drew Hart and Efrem Smith So God created human beings in his own image. Genesis...
View ArticleThe Road Forward Is A Bridge
The Road Forward Is a Bridge By Efrem Smith 12/7/14 “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you, but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your...
View ArticleThe Urgency of Reconciliation
This post will briefly include a number of random thoughts, but what will tie them all together is the ongoing need for the movement of reconciliation. A predominately White (or possibly all-White, I...
View ArticleStarting Racially Reconciling Conversations
I just finished serving as the moderator for Exponentials’ webinar on Race and Justice, which originally took place at the national conference in Tampa last month. As I listened to the panel of...
View ArticleA Year From “Ferguson”
Yesterday was the one year anniversary of the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, MO. His death came within the very unfortunate conflict with Officer Darren Wilson. Our nation slipped deeper in the...
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