I have to preface this post with an admission. I had the privilege of being the lead pastor at Center City Church for ten years and during that time, we recognized Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend four times. That's six years that I never intentionally honored Dr. King or the many folks that came before and after him that have fought for justice in our country.  Here's some back story... I cut my teeth in ministry at a predominantly white megachurch in Orlando, FL. If we recognized MLK Jr. each January, I have to admit that I don't remember it being a momentous occasion. Prior to that, I...

"If this is real, it will spread." This phrase kept going through my head as I prayed about the beginning days of Center City Church at the end of 2009. We had been meeting in our living room with a small group of friends that committed to come alongside us to start a new church community in Uptown Charlotte. We decided to go completely word of mouth at the outset of this new church family. If what we were experiencing in our hearts was real, I genuinely believed it would spread. And it did.  I remember my mind racing and imagination going wild as 2009 was winding down. The start of a new...

I am thrilled to introduce you to Hannah Beavers. She is the Executive Director at Freedom Communities. I have the privilege of being on the board of this organization that works with neighbors in West Charlotte to achieve equitable access to education, housing, employment, and community wellness. This is accomplished by aligning partnerships, investments, and the community to create an environment where every family can thrive. Hannah gives an inside look at what it's like to lead a nonprofit organization that focuses on holistic strategies that take time to produce outcomes while living...

Buddy the Elf and I have a lot in common, and I'm guessing it's driving my literary agent nuts. If you've never seen Will Ferrell's Christmas movie, Elf, I need you to stop reading this and find your closest Blockbuster* and go rent it now. You won't regret this decision. One of my favorite scenes from Elf is when Buddy is talking to his dad and interrupting his work day. His father is obviously annoyed and Buddy isn't picking up on the signals. The call is coming to a close and Buddy says, "I love you... I'll call you in five minutes!"  In my defense, I am a first-time author that has had...

"I love the tradition, organization, and structure that comes along with the traditional church calendar." Dara said this to me as she looked across the breakfast table at me, eyes beaming. I've got a list on my phone that is titled Things Dara Likes. I add another line to the list whenever I see her eyes light up. The list includes things like hot air balloons, bridges, bubbles, a warm cup of coffee, etc. I have twenty-three things on her list that make her eyes light up. Actually, twenty-four as she looked across at me this morning and talked about how much she loves Advent. "There's just...

I think we need to reconsider using the word reconciliation when talking about finding friendship across the dividing lines of race. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for the work that folks are doing that genuinely try to bring racial reconciliation to our culture. However, the more that I've explored these topics and found friendship across racial lines, the more I am thinking that we may not have a reference point to which we can return that was healthy, unified, and expressing the oneness that God has always intended for us. At which point in American history would we return that was equitable...

I saw the future on Tuesday.   I was teaching eleven future pastors in my Pastoral Theology class at SEU Concord. They were totally engaged as we talked about the challenges of doing ministry in a culture that is rapidly changing. I said to them, "Ministry has to change. Engaging our culture with the gospel has to find new expressions. You are the ones that are going to lead us into that new reality.” I think they actually believed me, and I could see the curiosity and excitement in their eyes.   I saw the future on Wednesday.   I was sitting at the on-campus restaurant at...

"I have to be honest, James, I hate the word inclusion." James looked at me with a mixed reaction of shock, disappointment, and confusion. After all, he was the leader of the newly formed diversity and inclusion group at a very large organization. They were doing great work creating safe places for people to have conversations about realities present along racial and gender lines that are present within a predominantly white and male-led organization. I replied, "Let me explain... you know I love the work you guys are doing. Keep up your good work. However, I hate that word because of the...

I have dreamed of writing a book for almost twenty years. Actually, if I am being really honest, I've dreamed of writing a lot of books. What dreams do you have that you haven't released to the world? Here's to hoping that this post will encourage you to courageously respond to closed doors (don't try to pry them open) and then courageously walk through open doors (don't shrink back in fear). I've got no less than ten different book ideas safely tucked away in a password-protected journal program on my computer. Whenever I get a new idea, I pull out my computer or phone, open Evernote, and...

Developing this doctoral dissertation was a life-changing journey. Jesus shaped my heart in ways that I could have never imagined, and I love him more today than ever before because of being exposed to his story. Here's the link to download the dissertation, with the abstract (summary) of the project. https://firescholars.seu.edu/dmin/5 Neighborliness: A Call to Racial and Socioeconomic Equity in Charlotte, North Carolina In Mark 12:28-34, Jesus is challenged by an expert in religious law to identify the most important commandment. He replies that loving God and neighbors is the most...