I am perplexed.

I have found that Christians generally have no problem saying, “I’m a sinner!” until it comes time to name it. It seems we prefer living in the abstract generalities of our faith rather than the concrete specifics. When we move away from the abstract generalities to the concrete specifics the conflicting values, ethics, and ideologies buried deep within the soul are revealed. Once they are revealed we will have to make a choice, and a choice is always costly.

That is how I believe we can raise up generations of Christian children formed in the Christian tradition, teach them how to be godly spouses, good citizens with good “morals”, yet still have a white supremacy problem or xenophobia problem or patriarchy problem or lack-of-compassion-for-the-poor problem in the church and in society.

We have to name things, especially sin, concretely and specifically.

I’ve been asked many times, even by church family, why I’ve preached about racism and other specific injustices with frequency, and why I believe the Church must concretely name things like white supremacy, etc.

Look around society now. Revisit history. This is why. It’s what happens because many do not.

Either it is a part of our discipleship or it’s not.

Let’s change that. That, I believe, is how it begins with you and me.