I’m one of those pastors who gets labelled a bunch of stuff, even by those I love. I’m told I’m too political, come off ‘edgy’ and ‘ social justice-y,’ etc. Whatever I may seem to be, I can tell you what I am not. I am not a pastor who believes the Scriptures ought to be tossed around just to win arguments or make myself feel better about what I want to believe (even though I would like to treat them that way). I can tell you what I am. I am a pastor who believes that if you are going to make such claims, about anyone, then let Jesus and the Scriptures have a voice in that conversation.
So I want to say this for posterity’s sake: to my bros and sis,’ let’s read the Scriptures and pay close attention to what they testify about Jesus. Let’s read them beyond devotionals and proof texts here and there. Let’s sit with them. Let’s receive them. Let’s wrestle with them. And please, let’s do so in community, not just alone and in private. If we aren’t actively sitting with the Scriptures and as a community discerning the world they are inviting us to be part of in our cities and neighborhoods, then please, in the name of all that is good and holy, let’s stop talking about them.
It doesn’t matter how many times we go to Church, or how we serve the Church on Sundays, or whether or not we grew up in one. If we are not following Jesus, like actually obeying what he does and says, and discerning what this looks like together, then we are just making noise. We are fans, not followers. And chances are, we are not giving Jesus a fair shot with others because we are either domesticating him, White-washing him, Americanizing him, or spiritualizing him as if he only cares about the afterlife.
Let’s get back to Jesus as Lord and King, not just Savior. And let’s have discussions with our Bibles open.
I’m here for that.
Like this:
Like Loading...
About Fred
Fred came to serve greater Williamsburg and WCC as lead pastor in October of 2010 and is grateful to be a part of the family. He is a husband, father, certified trauma professional, S.T.A.R. (strategies for trauma awareness & resilience) practitioner, community organizer, TEDx alum, founder of 3e Restoration, Inc. and co-owner of Philoxenia Culture LLC. He received his B.S. in Ministry/Bible at Amridge University and his Master’s of Religious Education in Missional Leadership from Rochester University. Currently he is a candidate for a Doctorate of Ministry in Contextual Theology in at Northern Seminary in Chicago. Fred has also served as an adjunct professor for Rochester University and Regent University where taught courses in philosophy, ethics, leadership, pastoral care, intro to Christianity, and ethnography. He has also served as a guest lecturer on the subjects of racialized cultural systems, poverty, and missiology at various universities, such as William & Mary and Oklahoma Christian University. Fred has authored on book (Racialized Cultural Systems, Social Displacement and Christian Hospitality) and several curriculum offerings, including The FloorPlan: Living Toward Restoration & Resilience.
Fred enjoys hanging out with his family anytime, anywhere. He is deeply grateful for how God graciously works through the Church in all her various forms, despite our brokenness. He is passionate about seeing the last, least, and lonely of every neighborhood, city and nation experience God’s in-breaking kingdom, and come to know Jesus as King. Oh, and his favorite season is Advent and Christmas.
Fred is a founding member of the board of directors for Virginia Racial Healing Institute, a member of the leadership team for Williamsburg's local chapter of Coming to the Table, and a member of Greater Williamsburg Trauma-Informed Community Network's Racial Trauma Committee and Training Committee.
Long Way Here 