Racism

The Heartbreak of Ahmaud Arbery – Racism Requires a Response

After watching the video of Ahmaud Arbery being ruthlessly gunned down, I feel numb. I feel outraged. I feel embarrassed that I live in a nation where people pretend that racism isn’t an issue anymore. And if you don’t know what I’m talking about, a video was just released showing a vigilante group of white…
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What White Folks Often Miss about Racism

Honestly, ever since I heard the news of Philando Castile yesterday, my heart has been trembling. Part of it is because it happened right on the heels of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge… and our city still hasn’t gotten over Jamar Clark, nor should it. And when you add snipers in Dallas – murdering innocent…
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Why Large Churches Should Target Urban Settings

Every 4 to 7 days, Substance (through the Association of Related Churches) has the opportunity to help launch another church somewhere around the United States. Substance was ARC church plant #15. And since that time, I’ve watched the ARC launch over 500 new churches with a 93% success rate (after 5 yrs). So, over the…
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Confessions of a White Male Pastor – I Haven’t Talked Enough About Racism

After Ferguson, Baltimore, and Charleston… I can’t take it anymore. I feel like I have to say something, and it’s this: it’s time for white pastors to talk about racial discrimination. People pretend that discrimination doesn’t exist anymore. I’ve heard numerous people say, “We have a black president, so clearly discrimination doesn’t exist.” However, this…
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