As Friday rolls around, Halloween often becomes a focal point for costumes, candies, and playful frights. For some Christians, the holiday might carry mixed emotions, but Scripture reminds us of a higher calling that transcends any calendar date. Jesus taught us to be the light of the world, engaging our communities with both friendship and compassion. Halloween, with its tradition of neighborly visits and sharing, offers a unique opportunity for believers to practice hospitality, generosity, and prayer. Good Deeds and Prayer for All In Matthew 5:44, Jesus instructs: "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." This radical message isn't just for a day; it's a lifestyle. Paul echoes this in Galatians 6:10, urging us to "do good to all people." The beauty of the gospel is that our acts of compassion aren't reserved for just those we know or deem deserving—we're called to serve both the just and unjust. In other words, serve those made in God's image. When the government and society face turmoil, as in the current government shutdown, many individuals and families face heightened insecurity—financial, physical, and emotional. As Christians, we are positioned to respond in love, offering aid, prayer, and practical support to those affected, regardless of their background or beliefs. Resources in South Fulton With Jubilee Fellowship desiring to make a real difference, we can partner with local organizations dedicated to supporting our neighbors. Here are three South Fulton resources where you can volunteer, donate, or guide those in need: Mental Health Support South Fulton Behavioral Health Center Address: 1636 Connally Dr, East Point, GA 30344 Services: Counseling, crisis intervention, support groups Housing and Shelter Atlanta Mission - The Shepherd's Inn Address: 921 Howell Mill Rd NW, Atlanta, GA 30318 Services: Emergency shelter, transitional housing, case management Food Pantries South Fulton Community Food Pantry Address: 2605 Fairburn Rd SW, Atlanta, GA 30331 Services: Free groceries, nutrition education, referral services Physical Health Clinics Oakhurst Medical Centers – South Fulton Clinic Address: 1805 Phoenix Blvd, Atlanta, GA 30349 Services: General medical care, immunizations, chronic disease management Be the Hands and Feet of Christ As we celebrate Halloween, let's remember that the heart of our faith is love in action. Consider using this season as an opening to check on neighbors, offer a prayer, or serve at one of these vital community centers. By shining Christ's light, we can transform what seems like a dark time into one filled with hope, healing, and togetherness. If you or someone you know needs help because of the shutdown—or if you’re able to volunteer—reach out to these organizations and share God’s love in tangible ways. Let’s be the church outside the walls, especially when it matters most.

Thank technology for the “Undo Send” option when texting! That’s not something I’d ever thought I would be thankful for, but it’s true. To throw out some careless words that I knew I shouldn’t have, and then retrieve them before they are read is a sweet, sweet mercy. But what if the text’s been read? Then I’m all the way out of luck. Even if I intended to proverbially “stand on business” with my un-retrievable text, chances are I would not have said whatever it is that I said in that un-retrievable text in a face-to-face conversation. Then why did I say it in the first place? The heart of the godly thinks carefully before speaking. – Proverbs 15:28 Technology shows us that many thoughts can be communicated and cannot be retrieved, if it turns out that it was a mistake to have communicated those thoughts. But that has more to do with our hearts than our thumbs. And by that, I mean the intentions of our hearts. James, the brother of Jesus, gives us great counsel in chapter 3 of his letter. Many writers in the book of Psalms and Proverbs also give this much needed counsel. I happen to think it’s deeper than that. It’s far too easy to say the first or second thing that comes to mind when we feel some type of way about a person or issue. It takes great restraint to stop and consider the consequences of impulsivity. To consider if the issue is even worth going back and forth about. It’s very true that words matter. Therefore, if we have a habit of speaking before thinking, I think that’s the real issue. Are we really bothered by what this person said? Do we need to correct that person at all? Will we remember this discussion before it becomes an argument by tomorrow? These are all questions I try to answer before deciding to respond. My uncle said something to me back in the early 2010s that I have not forgotten: it’s not what a person says to you, it’s what you answer to. (Courtesy of W.C. Fields)

What I’ve written is a personal remix of Chuck DeGroat’s words in a blog. Oh dear child of God, can you hold two things at once? Are you even expected to do so? Will you bear the weight of unshaped grief . . . the kind that holds cultural complexity, refusing to demonize your tribe but not the other but also refuses to ignore the pain of the other? Could you pause long enough to weep for anyone lost to gun violence, without bringing up a party to blame, for all the ones whose names you’ll never know in nearby neighborhoods and over there lands, torn apart by war? Can you remember a tragedy from fifty years ago, its ache still lingering in the body of communities of color, while weeping over the relentless violence that arrives new each day - names scrolling across screens, names never mentioned, faces broadcasted for pointed anger and those who hardly ever get that treatment, fresh wounds layered on the old ones? Can you honor the death of someone else’s lionized hero, even if they were never yours? Oh dear little child, won’t you ache for immigrants separated from families and futures without closing yourself off to those who cannot see their God given humanity? Can you let grief be like the wind to resist being forced into a single story, willing enough to lean into empathy even when others question its legitimacy online? Can you be present without numbing yourself with cynicism or hardening your heart in blame? Oh dear little one, choose love and curiosity, even when it hurts, even when it would be easier to turn away. For this is holy work - the slow, soul work of mourning and maturation in a broken world: to hold many evils at once, past and present, and still keep your heart open.

In 2019, Kanye West crossed over music genres in a remarkable way. A rapper who never found a word he didn't like, and wouldn't use, decided to make a Gospel rap album. This was not the first time a rapper had done this. Even R&B artists have dabbled in Gospel music. However, in true Yeezy fashion, this album brought Gospel music to the masses in an unprecedented way: Debuted #1 on the Billboard 200 At the time, broke Kanye's own personal streaming record, with almost 200 million streams in the first week 2020 Billboard Music Awards Top Christian Album 2020 Billboard Music Awards Top Gospel Album 2021 Grammy Awards Best Contemporary Christian Music Album What made this crossover so different was in what we all heard. Kanye made a great Gospel album. It had great lyrics. It featured great artists. It made you think. It made you praise the Lord. It even made you laugh over that Chick-Fil-A song...(if you know, you know). One song that really stands out to me is "God Is". What I especially love about this Kanye song is twofold: The title is a Christian truth. God is, because God lives. The Character of God back then (no matter how far back you go) is the Character of God now. God is Faithful, Powerful, Able to work miracles, and best of all . . . God is Alive. Of course there are things believers could pick out in this song, and others, that are confusing and troubling.  But that's okay.  We shouldn't look to Kanye to be 100% accurate. He claimed to be a new convert who wanted to mix his faith with his talent. His platform and celebrity exposed millions of people to Gospel music like never before, even if he is not perfect. We all benefited from this. And he seemed sincere. His lyrics carried weight. For example: "King of Kings, Lord of Lords All the things He has in store From the rich to the poor All are welcome through the door You won't ever be the same When you call on Jesus' name" This is something any speaker in a church could stand up and recite every Sunday! And that is exactly why I'm sharing this with you. I want you in whatever role you will play on Sundays to consider these lyrics and share them!   Say it out loud.  Say it with faith in your mind and heart.  Say it to other believers.  Say it to guests.  Say it in a prayer. Jubilee Fellowship Church in Fairburn "Creating Space for the Flourishing of Others"

Jubilee Fellowship Church Ministry | Fairburn, Georgia I cannot account for the number of times that I have asked my children to come to me when something is wrong. I have said it so many times that I have grown tired of repeating it. There have been times that I have reflected back on certain moments in time that stand out. My son was weary and had been plagued by an awful, scary dream that led him to wake me up. It was dark-thirty when I came to, with him looking very afraid. All ministry ought to be seen and spoken of as an invitation. Startled and concerned soon became my emotional state as I laid eyes on my son. Safe to say the emotion of being appalled came over me once I looked over to the clock. Surely whatever was bothering him could have waited until a time closer to my preferred time to awake, but of course I would only say that internally. Then I was comforted that morning in a way that I don’t recall ever as a parent. My son had listened to me! All of those times I invited him and his sister to come to me when something was wrong proved that he was listening. Not only was he listening, he had also trusted me . All ministry is an invitation to entrust ourselves to God. It’s not easy to admit to ourselves that we need help. It’s not easy to then go to someone looking for help. Before we go, and as we go, you must trust that person and entrust that person to your need(s). My son trusted me to wake up and give him my attention to help him in whatever way I could. Trust is faith. God invites us to trust in him. "Entrusting" in someone is giving them the responsibility to care for or manage something. God also invites him to entrust in him. All ministry is God inviting us to trust Him. How many times have we struggled to cast our cares upon our Lord? How hard has it been to take our troubles, like my son did, to our father because we knew he would listen to us? It’s not often that I learn more about God by paying attention to my kids, but this time was different. This time was a great grace shown to me. Oh, that I would copy my son. All ministry is given to us by God to be empowered by God inviting us to trust Him before we go, and as we go. Jubilee Fellowship is evidence of a ministry that has required cycles of entrusting God. I only pray that we continually recognize our invitations. Jubilee Fellowship Invites YOU Jubilee Fellowship Church in Fairburn invites you to grow in faith by entrusting us. Join us and our growing community. We are dedicated to helping you FLOURISH. What does it mean to flourish with Jubilee? THRIVE, personally and spiritually DEVELOP in your faith CONNECT with God FIND WELL BEING, GROWTH, and JOY Please join us every Sunday at 4:00 p.m. to flourish with us in worship! Jubilee Fellowship Church in Fairburn "Creating Space for the Flourishing of Others"

"What shall we do?" It’s not the typical question we are used to hearing. It’s not even a question you find yourself personally asking. However, I can assure you that this question is just as pivotal now as it was then. In the book of Acts, Chapter 2, we read about two groups being prepared for two different things that would soon come to an intersection and collide. There were tens of thousands of Jews traveling to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Weeks, which came after the Passover. The other group consisted of 120 people gathered in the "Upper Room" waiting for the words of Jesus to happen. This is the story of the Holy Spirit coming on Pentecost.  Prayer was happening as the other group walked in groups. Soon, power came upon that room as the other group began celebration preparations. Then, that smaller group spilled out the house into the temple courts where the tens of thousands were gathered, and boom. Preaching took place as the different people groups within the masses heard the preaching in their own language. This was not the typical Feast of Weeks. This was altogether different because an event happened 50 days earlier.  Peter summarized the Story of Jesus to the people who most likely were happy that he had been crucified. Telling of His Life, Death, and unexpected Resurrection Peter laid out the truth that the Holy Spirit was very much present that day. But so many were confused.  Then they asked the question above. The Holy Spirit caused that small group of 120 to serve. To serve as ambassadors of Jesus. To serve the body of Jesus. To serve the city. To serve the world. All 3 of these things happened right in Acts 2. And now, the body of Jesus is still being caused upon by the Holy Spirit to do the same.  So, as ambassadors of Christ, may we be faithful to serve the body, serve the city, and serve the world.

In the age of endless notifications, to-do lists, and busy-ness, it’s very easy to measure our worth by productivity. But nestled in the heart of the Gospel of Luke lies a gentle rebuke and a loving invitation: to slow down, to listen, and to be present at the feet of Jesus. The Story of Mary and Martha: Setting the Scene The story begins in Luke 10:38-42, where Jesus enters a village and is welcomed into their home. Like any gracious host, Martha jumps into action. Preparing, serving, and tending to every detail for her honored guest, Jesus. Meanwhile, Mary does something even the modern-day reader finds surprising: she sits at Jesus' feet, quietly listening to His words. Martha is in the zone (of busy-ness) and gets overwhelmed by all the work she chose to do, to the point of being frustrated by what she perceives as Mary’s indifference and lack of care. And like a good child of God, she asks Jesus to intervene: “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” (Luke 10:40) Jesus' response is not what is expected: “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41-42) The Call to the Blinking Caution Light Mary chose presence over productivity. She chose to listen over labor. In a world that rewards multitasking and busy-ness, Jesus commends her. Jesus isn’t impressed with Martha’s green light obsession. Instead, he points to the blinking yellow caution light that Mary may have seen.  Every follower of Jesus is invited to do these 3 things: 1. Be attentive to Jesus. Mary positioned herself physically and mentally to receive, not perform. She didn’t let expectations distract her from the words of Christ.  2. Prioritize relationships over tasks. Of course, tasks have a place, but they are not the core of spiritual life. Mary recognized the importance of being with Jesus, not merely doing things for Him.  3. Embrace the moment. The opportunity to sit at Jesus’ literal feet was fleeting. Mary seized the moment, letting go of lesser urgencies. Our opportunities flee with every passing day. The life of faith becomes a long list of responsibilities and most of them are good. If they crowd out time for simply being with Jesus, we risk missing the “one thing” that matters most. Our culture exacerbates this with the idolization of busy-ness. We are conditioned to equate movement with meaning. Rest feels uncomfortable or even guilt-inducing. Yet, Jesus’ words in Luke 10 invite us to a countercultural way—one that prizes communion over commotion. An invitation to discover a new kind of productivity—a fruitfulness that springs from intimacy with Christ rather than restless striving. Jesus affirmed Mary, not only for her courage, but because she had discerned “the better part.” The same invitation extends to us. In the end, the “one thing needed” is not more to do, but more of Him. Everything else flows from there.

Embracing Faith, Freedom, and Unity Dear Church Family, As we journey together, it is important to first recognize and then celebrate the milestones that shape our shared humanity and inspire us to live the Gospel values of love, justice, and community. One such momentous occasion is Juneteenth, a day that commemorates the emancipation of enslaved persons in the United States. Observed every year on June 19th, Juneteenth stands as a powerful reminder of freedom, resilience, and hope—values that resonate deeply with our faith as a church. Why Juneteenth Matters Juneteenth marks the day in 1865 when soldiers announced that the Civil War had ended and all enslaved people were free. This announcement came over two years after Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, signifying the final triumph of liberation. For many, Juneteenth represents the fulfillment of God's promise of liberation and the ongoing journey toward equality and justice. It’s a time to marvel at the resilience and courage of those who much for their freedom, embodying the values central to our Christian teachings. Juneteenth and Our Faith As followers of Christ, we are called to celebrate freedom—both spiritual and earthly. The Bible gives us stories of liberation, from the Israelites’ escape from Egypt to Jesus’ teachings. In Luke 4:18-19, Jesus declares His mission to "proclaim liberty to the captives" and "set at liberty those who are oppressed," reminding us of our responsibility to uplift those who have suffered under the weight of injustice. Juneteenth provides an opportunity for Jubilee Fellowship, as a church, to embody these values in Fairburn. By celebrating this day, we affirm our commitment to justice, reconciliation, and the dignity of every individual, regardless of race or background. It is a chance to stand in solidarity with the Church. How Our Church Can Celebrate Juneteenth There are many meaningful ways for our church to honor Juneteenth and its significance: 1. Hosting a Special Worship Service We can organize a Juneteenth-themed worship service that highlights the themes of freedom, justice, and unity. Through readings, hymns, and sermons, we can reflect on the historical and spiritual importance of the day and pray for continued progress toward equality. Think house church. 2. Educational Events Education is a powerful tool for fostering understanding and empathy. We can host workshops, lectures, or discussions that explore the history of Juneteenth, the legacy of slavery, and the ongoing struggle for racial justice. Inviting guest speakers and historians can enrich our knowledge and inspire action. Think OneRace. 3. Community Fellowship Juneteenth is also a time of community celebration. Our church can organize events such as picnics, performances, and art exhibitions that showcase African American culture and history, creating a space for joy, reflection, and connection. Think your city’s Juneteenth parties. 4. Acts of Service As a church committed to justice, we can use Juneteenth as an opportunity to engage in acts of service. Partnering with local organizations to support marginalized communities demonstrates our commitment to living out the Gospel in action. Think public schools. 5. Prayer and Reflection Finally, we can dedicate time for prayer and reflection, asking God to guide us toward greater understanding and unity. We can pray for those who continue to face discrimination and injustice, seeking God’s wisdom as we faithfully serve as ambassadors. Think mission. The Importance of Commemoration Celebrating Juneteenth is not just about remembering the past; it is about committing to a future grounded in equality, love, and justice. As a church in Fairburn with its own history, our role is to be a beacon of hope and a source of healing for all. By honoring Juneteenth, we acknowledge the pain and triumphs of history, reaffirm our dedication to justice, and deepen our connection to one another. Conclusion As Juneteenth arises tomorrow, let us embrace this day as a sacred opportunity to grow in faith and fellowship. Together, we can celebrate the freedom and resilience of the human spirit, reflect on our shared history, and recommit ourselves to the values that define us as followers of Christ. May God bless us as we embark on this meaningful journey of remembrance and celebration. In faith and fellowship, Pastor Gilchrist Jubilee Fellowship Church

"Your presence carries with it great influence." "Believers have an ability to permeate things that are unholy." "The grace that’s given to you can also bless others." ...Have you ever heard  statements like these? Growing up in my late twenties, I encountered a few verses in Corinthians that really shook me. 1 Corinthians 7 is a chapter that talks much about marriage. A marriage involves man and woman becoming husband and wife. Sometimes, that marriage produces children. In this chapter, Paul is laying out parameters for how the husband and wife are to relate to one another based on their spiritual state. The spiritual presence of a believer IS powerful. “For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.” What’s amazing from these two verses is Paul is saying if the unbeliever wants to stay married, regardless of the temperature and pattern of your marriage, you do not divorce. Why? Because the unbeliever has been ‘sanctified’ simply through a marital union with the believer. The unbeliever is blessed for being connected to the believer in the primary family. God has always been big on families, and Paul says that God has not changed one bit. Then Paul goes on to say that the children who would be unclean due to the parents' divorce are actually holy because of his or her familial connection to a believing parent. Does that not rattle your cage a bit? The unbelieving spouse and new baby/child are now in a different spiritual category. Notice the terms: unbeliever to sanctified and unclean to holy. That’s the influence of the believing spouse. It's hard for me to wrap my mind around it all but I cannot deny what the text is saying. It is clear that families with at least one believing parent are able to bless the entire family unit. The unbelieving spouse is considered sanctified although unsaved. The unbelieving child is considered holy although unsaved. Indeed, the spiritual presence of one believer is powerful.

As a young pup in the ministry, speaking about leadership in the church, I was told that men who are doing the work of the pastor or deacon are in fact the ones the church should nominate for the office. It made sense to me. I mean, what did I know? If a guy is teaching and discipling others well, then surely, he should be a pastor. And if a guy was caring for others or serving on ministry teams that took care of the building, then surely, he should be a deacon. I took to that idea like a kid gulping down medicine their parents gave them. I rarely questioned my pastors and their thinking. I went along with it. So, I used to think. Until the issue landed right in front of me. I began to feel the Lord calling me to the ministry to be a pastor in August 2003. I was not teaching in the church. I had not called anyone to ask them if I could disciple them. I was not doing any of the things. I was just wrestling with God and this growing internal call. I lost that wrestling match, much like Jacob. In January 2004 on my walk to the church that Sunday, the first thing I did was share it with my pastor after the service. That was my process of being nominated — I told my pastor what the Lord had told me.  Now I’m not knocking anyone’s process per se, but I do think it could be improved. Too many elder teams/boards just have businessmen on them. Popularity contests are the name of the nomination game. The call for brothers and sisters of a church to pick out people of good repute, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom are pushed aside.  I used to think that only the people doing the work without being assigned to do the work are in fact worthy of being nominated and placed in positions to do the work. I never stopped to find a warrant for that in the scriptures. Now I do think the Church needs to let go of those processes and methods and find new and better ones. Maybe then the Church can have more qualified leaders who help add weight to the witness of the gospel to outsiders as well as insiders. After all, we are talking about the Bride of Christ.

The squeaky wheel gets all the attention. This idiom is also true for the Church. The most noticeable problem gets all the attention. In the West, the squeaky wheel is now and has been for decades the inactivity of believers. What’s considered the unfortunate norm has now evolved into the greatest threat that needs to be addressed. This is not an exaggeration.  When people become believers, they are now expected to do a few central things for that local church of which they're members, and maybe 1 more thing if they’re serious about their faith — Attend church; Give to the ministry of the church; Find a place to serve in the church. The bonus for the serious believer is to go and make disciples. If one of those things are not being done in some faithful manner, it becomes the squeaky wheel for church leadership. For goodness’ sake, most churches give such a low bar as it is for their members. The least they could do is tend to those things, right? Church pastors are often given the expectation to work 40 hours at least. If a church is big enough to have a staff, they too are expected to work 40 hours. Then you have lay leaders who already work 40 hours for a living expected to spend time every week preparing lessons or something similar. Then you have the people in the pews or chairs. They typically work 40 hours with the expectation of meeting the low bar requirements.  Only when the mission of the church becomes the squeaky wheel does it then become the focus of sermons and agendas in church meetings. I’ve seen it.. I've heard this pattern. I want to bring attention to one area that’s often missed. If you were to ask people what the Bible says is the mission, then I think some would turn their attention to Matthew 28. (I would be severely surprised to hear someone mention Luke 16 even.) Yet once the answer is given, the next breath of reality goes unmentioned. What I mean is that the inactivity of believers in carrying out the mission to make disciples often grieves the pew people as well as the leadership. But grief doesn’t move many. And reflection rarely happens. Inactivity almost never morphs into consistency. In other words, the church misses the mission and far too often sees it as something for the serious believers to do.  Could it be that the church has reduced the gospel into such a formula that when someone gets baptized, people don’t know what else there is to teach them to obey outside of the low bar essentials? Could the gospel story of God be the very thing Jesus wanted taught to the new disciples? Planting a church in 2025 is just as unique as planting in 1995. We want to do it the right way the first time. All of that is well and good. But here’s another question to ask ourselves — would God agree with our ways?

Was it a success? Well, that all depends on how you look at things. I mean, we ended up with a strongly divided church because of it. And the followers of these key leaders continued to divide things with great passion. It seems the Reformers wanted the focus of faith and works to be crystallized. And they succeeded. On the positive side, there’s been more bible literacy and the work of missions across the world because of the Reformers and their inventions, such as the printing press. Protestants have become Catholic. Catholics have become Protestant. The Reformation allowed minority reports to have a voice, like re-baptism, while also causing a shifting tide in some big topics. Political theology was both in, under, and around this historical event. Understandably so, because this event didn’t take place in a vacuum. This should help us to understand the English Reformation alongside the Continental Reformation.  Currently, most people wouldn't be able to define the word, "Protestant." The noun itself seems pretty foreign. The adjective has all but dropped off from the mentioning of that time period.  Catholics on the other hand? Very well-known. They seem to have remained intact and unscathed. Meanwhile, Protestants have continued on being divisive since the 16th Century.  All of this matters now because as a church planter, I’ve had the same question (albeit, worded slightly differently each time) posed to me over and over again: "Why are there so many denominations if we’re supposed to be unified?" This is an excellent question and a pressing topic for our society in this day and age. We’ve seen political party division tear apart churches, families, generations, schools, companies, nonprofits, and more. We’ve seen a pandemic and the trending fear of slippery slopes tear apart those same groups. So division appears to be en vogue.  But isn’t the church supposed to be different? I’m not here to knock the Protestant Reformation; only to show a historical lineage of division still rearing its head in 2025. Church and state are mixing in some places and ways, but are supposed to remain as far apart from each other as possible. So then my concern is, how do believers intend to present the Body of Jesus as unified on the key things so that all those disconnected can see Jesus’ prayer in John 17 as good, right, and what’s been happening. We’ve got work to do, believers, but with God all things are possible.

"We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction." --1 Thessalonians 1.2-5 I didn't even know church planting was still a thing the first time I came across recently planted churches. My pastor had taught me and a few other guys over the course of a year some key doctrines and key insights to the scriptures. Part of that teaching came as we read through the book of Acts. It really struck me learning about what Paul went through when planting the Thessalonians church. His movie-like escape. All that. So naturally, my very first sermon was taken from 1 Thessalonians. When the church planting bug hit me around 2010, it’s no wonder that my time in Acts left a deep stain on my mind and soul. The apostle Paul once wrote to this particular church plant about his prayers. Those prayers consisted of his thankfulness for them and 3 specific things: their work, labor, and endurance. Automatically, if I was in that congregation, I would've been ecstatic. Be in that congregation beaming. This is what so many people in this world want more than anything. To be recognized. But this recognition is different because it’s attached to the faith, hope, and love of all believers who are in Jesus. All that to say, this has created great expectations for me as a church planter. To have a group of Jesus followers whose work is produced by faith. Whose labor is prompted by love. Whose endurance (which is hardly ever mentioned nowadays) is inspired by hope. I desire to pen my own Paul Letter to the people of Jubilee.  I’m also filled with great expectations because I honestly have no idea what any of what Paul experienced really looked like or felt like. But I cannot wait to experience it. Paul went on to say their gospel came to them with words and power. Many will stop there and focus on their favorite. But Paul continues in saying the gospel came with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction! These are other things that motivate me. A group of believers with deep conviction, with the Holy Spirit, with power, and with words DOING things like work, labor, and enduring with faith, hope, and love.  And I think these words were kept for us so that we would be encouraged and inspired to witness these things, and then worship God for it. Witness them because they are common for believers today as they were then, and then worship. What's worship? Worship can be an expectation of experienced appreciation. God is still at work today, folks. We should expect God to meet with us.  I expect God to meet with me, especially as I plant Jesus to see it become His church.

While working at a church, I would get to meet locals in that community who didn’t go to church. I understood, in fact, because of the church I attended, I was not comfortable inviting them on Sunday. Rather, I would take every opportunity to get to know them and listen to them. I let them voice their disgruntlement with the Church. I wanted to hear them out more than I wanted to offer a rebuttal when it comes to how they feel about the Church. Since moving to South Atlanta, I’ve tried to do the same thing. Connect with the disconnected. Let them know that I am a follower of Jesus, but that I also wear many hats and have many feelings about the way things go in this country. I don’t do this to position myself as being on their side mainly because I don’t know what their side entails. I do it because I don’t think life can be packaged all nice and neat. Systematic racism and broken homes are an ongoing reality in this country.  However, the call of God upon His children still stands. Contrary to what many conservative believers tend to parrot, the Bible never calls followers of Jesus to “just” preach the gospel and let the rest of people’s lives get ironed out on their own. I know this because God calls people into school systems, city planning, sociology, nonprofits, and other arenas that are outside the church. And if we truly are to be salt and light, while trying to restrict just who can preach or not, then it’s foolish to expect those in the city of man who are citizens in the city of God to watch all of life and say nothing about it.  Connecting with the disconnected brings about hospitality, sincerity, apologetics, and self-giving care for people who very well might have a Prodigal Son experience down the road. There is no real way to guarantee a return-on-investment for the Christian. The wind blows wherever it wishes to and God has never sat back waiting on me to act before He does.  The disconnected don’t see themselves in the story of God. There’s no rhyme or reason to life. There’s close to no hope to believe in the Jesus of the Bible. There’s very few examples of teen to 30 year old lives that have been made new and impacted others. There’s little to no substantive difference for those who were forced to watch church service online because of Covid to now get up and attend in-person. There’s a painful aim taken at abortion and anti-woke/DEI statistics while ignoring all of the other social ills that are clearly displayed before us in Atlanta, in Georgia, and beyond. But God isn’t to be mocked and has not left South Atlanta without a witness . . . .

Limitations are as natural as human error.  Or so we are led to believe.  As children, we couldn't even fully grasp our limitations. Our parents would watch us experience those limitations, then overcome them. Then, they would watch us face new ones. Limitations such as keeping our head steady and grabbing food, then progressing to facing limitations such as standing, walking, and talking. Every day we would overcome setbacks, and then experience new ones. Over and over. Sure, effort applied helps us all overcome. At least with most circumstances. There’s wonderful value in applying effort over and over again. And yet, there’s been plenty of times that we’ve tried and still have yet to overcome. Frustrating and yet, these are limitations.  Abundant life is a wonderful idea but often too full to grasp. Just because our imagination and understanding and belief is limited, doesn't mean God won't do abundantly more good than we can ever ask for. Just because we think this is as good as it gets, doesn’t mean this is as good as God can do. We are the ones with the limitations. One of the saddest verses in all of Scripture is when Jesus leaves Nazareth, "unable" to do any miracles because of their unbelief. From time to time I find myself wondering if I would’ve been found in Nazareth, limited by my unbelief. Let’s not do the same thing in our prayers. Let’s not limit what God can do because we don’t believe enough to ask or because we don’t know Him well enough to trust how much He desires to do for us. God can do more than we know. He wants to do more than we can comprehend. Jesus told us that He came to give us life in abundance. Life in abundance is a phrase that hits our ears and sounds so good until life happens and things get hard, and we realize how limited we are. What if we asked God to help us believe the words of Jesus today? To take Him at His word is akin to us passionately crying, Jesus, Jesus, how we trust Him! We can have a healthy approach to treating Jesus with the sincerity and simplicity with which a child treats her father. The healthy sincerity we had as kids trying to overcome our limitations as our parents watched on. The life that Jesus gives is healthy and complete. Abundant.  With Jesus, we will have life in abundance even with our limitations.

The earliest evidence for Advent comes from the 4th century (380AD) while the Catholic Church was combatting the heresy of Gnosticism. Gnosticism is an old teaching that our bodies are unimportant and it's only the spirit that really matters. It's safe to assume that Advent began as a way to counter false teaching. Advent historically emphasizes that God became flesh through the incarnation of Jesus the Christ, and that Jesus was born of the virgin Mary. For me as a student at an Episcopalian school being taught in 4th grade to make an Advent calendar that would soon be joined by tasty chocolates, I was never taught the history of this season nor the church calendar. Advent was just about waiting with a visible countdown to celebrate Christmas. I actually never learned of the connection of Christmas and the birth of Christ until 9th grade. But the 4th century Church helped to create the ideas of preparation for a celebration through the visible incarnation. Advent also declares that Jesus had a bodily resurrection and ascension, and that he will return at his second coming. This second coming includes a glorified body to judge the living and the dead and give us new life in our own glorified resurrected bodies. The adventure of starting up a new church, Jubilee, includes Advent and plenty of other early church doctrine that has remained a plumb line for the worldwide church. The adventure of helping this new church includes looking at the 4 elements of what's visibly celebrated today by candles. The adventure of leading this new church includes considering the depths of Advent and how vital its essence is when heresy is rampant. The adventure of teaching this new church about the importance of Advent to us will help to shape us as we seek to follow Jesus as a community of faith. And to teach our children the same while being open to making a calendar full of tasty chocolate.

The Holy Spirit gets a vote. The Bible teaches that if any man, woman, or child believes that God raised Jesus from the dead after Jesus died for our sins, then we are saved into the family of God as new creations that God now calls forgiven, redeemed, holy, righteous, justified, and so forth. And then every man, woman, and child is confronted with the realized or unrealized daily choice: be conformed to this world or be transformed from this world. However, this daily choice tends to get conflated every 4 years for the adult man, woman, and child. It was a personal struggle of mine. I grew up a stranger to a well known and often quoted speech given by Dr. Martin Luther King. As I got older, I would hear so many people, church folk and regular folk, point to that speech as the goal for a civilized and harmonious society. Honestly, it felt like pandering to a particular societal group with attempts to regulate behavior. Wow, how the tables have turned. King's focus on character has highly impacted me even today. Why? Character matters to God because it reveals the true condition of our hearts. In Scripture, God consistently looks beyond outward appearances and focuses on our inner lives, desiring that our actions align with His values of love, justice, and mercy. Our actions align with His values; not a party's values. Jesus taught that “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34), showing that our words and actions naturally flow from our character. For believers today, developing godly character is essential as it pertains to man in the household and the man in the pulpit. Our desire seems to want to honor God because it allows us to live authentically, drawing others to the Christ through integrity and compassion. Believers today have found several sources from which we cultivate character–no longer just grounded in faith by the word of God, because we think we've found better ways to become better equipped to impact a world. Dr. King's powerful vision—"to be judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character"—speaks deeply to the Christian heart, calling us to see people as God sees them. His vision resonates with Jesus’ teachings on character and the heart, which He emphasized as the true measure of a person. Like his father, Jesus spoke of the importance of inner transformation over outward appearances, declaring that "the good person out of the good treasure of the heart produces good" (Luke 6:45) and urging us to focus on what lies within. That daily choice I referenced seems to disappear every 4 years.
In a world quick to judge based on external factors, King’s words and Jesus’ teachings remind us to value character above all else, seeking to reflect God’s love and justice by cultivating the integrity, compassion, and humility that reveal our true selves. Character never makes a party's platform, but we see it in debates and in political commercials. We even see it in political tweets on X. Believers today continue to demonstrate the world's actions based on external factors. I'd even go so far as to say the color of one's skin along with the gender of the person are what's being judged nowadays. Jesus has been telling his followers to be different ever since his first speech in the synagogue in Luke 4 or his first speech on a plain in Matthew 5-7. I'm concerned by the things I'm hearing and seeing from believers today. I'm concerned by the things I'm hearing those who don't believe rightly point out the inconsistencies from believers today. I'm concerned that character has been vilified if not set aside. I'm concerned that the hashtag movements have turned believers into sulking children shouting 'this isn't fair' when their idols or buddies are being called out. I'm concerned that the 66 books of the Word are being minimized into single issues. I'm concerned that believers are far less affected by their lack of obeying Jesus' command to make disciples in comparison to making partisan disciples of their kids and friends. The opportunity for believers today to represent our Lord and Savior is still before us. It's an everyday choice, and not a conscience decision every 4 years.

In 2024, I've come to believe church planting calls for fresh perspectives and deeper purpose. While traditional approaches often focus on building momentum toward a Sunday service launch, other church planting networks report seeing a shift in how pastors are responding to the needs of their communities. In today’s rapidly changing world, the real work begins not with staging a perfect service but with cultivating meaningful relationships—engaging believers and unbelievers alike in spaces that feel authentic and personal. For the efforts in planting a church in South Atlanta, this approach is vital. The goal isn’t to gather a crowd for one day a week; it’s to build a diverse, vibrant community that reflects the heart of Jesus. This means starting with conversations, creating places of connection, and fostering genuine relationships that bridge cultural and spiritual gaps. In a time when people are craving real connection and hope, as a really cool demographic tool (Mission Insight) informed me, it’s through this foundation that the church can grow and thrive, becoming a true light in the neighborhood—not just on Sundays, but every day.
The New Testament consistently points us toward fostering genuine relationships and building authentic connections as the core of the church. When we look at the early church in Acts, we see a model of believers gathering in homes, sharing meals, praying together, and meeting the needs of their communities (Acts 2:42-47). This wasn’t about attracting large crowds for polished services but about cultivating deep, personal relationships centered on Jesus. Paul’s letters also emphasize the importance of building one another up in love, encouraging believers to care for each other and welcome outsiders with grace (Romans 12:10-13). In this way, the New Testament reminds us that true church growth happens through authentic, life-giving community. It’s in these everyday moments of connection—around tables, in living rooms, and through acts of service—that faith takes root and the gospel is shared most powerfully. This relational foundation becomes the fertile ground for new believers to come to faith and for the church to grow organically. This type of church—rooted in authentic relationships and meaningful connection—has the potential to profoundly impact South Atlanta. In a community rich with culture and history, but also facing challenges of division, displacement, and spiritual hunger, the need for a church that reflects the heart of Jesus is great. By focusing on building relationships, this church plant will become a place where people from all walks of life can feel seen, heard, and loved. It will be a place where trust is built, bridges are formed, and the gospel becomes tangible in everyday lives. As this church begins to take root in South Atlanta, it will be a source of hope and healing throughout the week. Through shared experiences, open doors, and genuine care for the community, this church has the potential to become a transformative force, bringing the light of Christ into places that need it most. This is how lasting impact begins: by meeting people where they are and building a church from the ground up, one relationship at a time. Will you join us in praying for the Spirit of God to enliven this work?

We live in a world that offers countless promises of peace. From self-care routines to mindfulness apps, we’re bombarded with messages that claim they hold the key to calmness. Yet, these methods often feel like temporary fixes. It’s like patching up a leaking roof when what we really need is a complete renovation. The peace Jesus offers, on the other hand, is different—it’s not a fleeting feeling, but a transformative presence that anchors us in even the most turbulent times. Imagine being in the middle of a storm. The wind is howling, waves are crashing, and it feels like your boat could tip over at any moment. Yet in the middle of that storm, you find a deep sense of calm, as though a protective barrier surrounds you. This is the kind of peace Jesus offers— one that’s not dependent on external circumstances but that flows from within. In John 14:27, Jesus says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” His peace is a gift, unlike anything the world can provide. It doesn’t waver with the stock market, the latest news cycle, or the next crisis at work. How do we actually experience this peace? It begins with trust. When we surrender control of our lives to Jesus and trust Him with the outcomes, we step into a deeper kind of rest. Consider Peter’s story when he walked on water (Matthew 14:22-33). As long as his eyes were fixed on Jesus, he stayed above the waves. But the moment he looked at the storm around him, fear took over, and he began to sink. In the same way, we often sink into worry and anxiety when our focus shifts from Christ to the chaos around us. But when we trust Jesus—keeping our gaze locked on Him—we find that His peace sustains us, no matter what storms rage around us. This peace doesn’t just come from a private relationship with Jesus; it’s something we experience together in community. Being part of a church family provides support, encouragement, and accountability as we journey toward peace. When we gather with other believers, whether in small groups or Sunday services, we’re reminded that we’re not alone. In Hebrews 10:24-25, we’re encouraged to “spur one another on toward love and good deeds,” and “not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing.” By staying connected to others who are also pursuing Christ’s peace, we strengthen our own faith and find reassurance in difficult times. As we look around at the chaos in the world today—whether it’s the stress of work, the noise of social media, or the strain in our relationships—it’s easy to feel like peace is out of reach. But the truth is, peace isn’t something we have to chase after . Jesus offers us His peace freely, and it’s a peace that’s not based on the absence of problems but on His unchanging presence with us in the midst of them. Think about the disciples in the boat with Jesus during a raging storm (Mark 4:35-41). The wind was howling, waves were crashing, and they feared for their lives. But Jesus? He was fast asleep, completely at peace. When the disciples woke Him, terrified, He simply stood up and commanded the wind and the waves to be still—and they obeyed. “Who is this,” they wondered, “that even the wind and the waves obey Him?” That’s the kind of peace Jesus offers us —a peace that calms the storms within us, even when the storm outside is still raging. This is the peace He extends to each of us today. It’s not found in striving or achieving; it’s found in surrender . By trusting in His love and resting in His promises, we can experience a peace that transcends all understanding—a peace that no job loss, no argument, no personal failure can take away. And as we experience this peace, we become beacons of light in a world that desperately needs hope. So, what would your life look like if you stopped trying to control every outcome and instead invited Jesus to be your source of peace? What if you allowed His peace to fill your heart each day, no matter what chaos swirls around you? Imagine waking up in the morning with a quiet confidence, knowing that no matter what the day holds, you are held by a God who promises peace. I invite you to take that first step toward experiencing this peace for yourself. Start by talking to Jesus, letting Him know the areas of your life where you need His calm presence. Then, consider joining a local church community (ex: Jubilee), where you can walk alongside others who are also discovering the peace that only Christ can give. Whether through prayer, Bible study, or simply showing up for a gathering, you’ll find that peace becomes more tangible when shared in the company of fellow believers. Because at the end of the day, real peace isn’t found in the absence of problems—it’s found in the presence of Jesus.

Life in South Atlanta never seems to slow down. The rhythm of daily life—rushing to work, navigating traffic, juggling family responsibilities, and staying on top of social media updates—can often feel like trying to run a marathon on a treadmill. We move fast but never quite arrive at the peace we crave. Maybe you’ve tried yoga, meditation apps, or even weekend getaways, hoping to catch your breath and find some relief. Yet, no matter how hard we chase peace, it seems to slip through our fingers, like sand in a clenched fist. But what if peace isn’t something to be chased at all? What if it’s a gift already available, waiting for us to slow down enough to receive it? Jesus offers a peace that’s different—a peace not bound by the ups and downs of life, but one that holds steady through every storm. This peace, deeper than any temporary calm the world can offer, transforms how we live and how we see the world around us. In today’s chaotic world, the idea of finding true, lasting peace might feel impossible. But through faith, we can tap into a peace that surpasses understanding—a peace that doesn’t depend on our circumstances but is rooted in something greater. Chaos is everywhere. Whether it’s the constant pressure to succeed at work, the overwhelming flood of information from the digital world, or the strain in our relationships, life can feel like a whirlwind. The faster we try to keep up, the more we feel like we’re drowning. It’s as if we’re caught in a storm, and no matter how hard we paddle, the waves of life keep crashing over us. Take the daily grind, for instance. Many of us wake up before the sun rises, only to come home long after it sets, feeling like we’ve given our best energy to work but gained little in return. The pressure to perform, hit deadlines, and make ends meet can create an undercurrent of anxiety. If you’ve ever worried about your next paycheck or how to provide for your family, you know how this stress can rob you of peace. Jesus addresses this very struggle when He says, “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear... Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” (Matthew 6:25-27). His words invite us to trust that God is in control, even when our work and finances feel overwhelming. And then, there’s the constant buzz of social media. We’re bombarded with notifications, updates, and messages, each one vying for our attention. It’s like being in a crowded room where everyone is shouting, and we can’t hear ourselves think. Scrolling through Instagram or Facebook, it’s easy to feel inadequate—like everyone else has life figured out while we’re struggling just to get by. This comparison trap pulls us further away from peace and closer to anxiety. Jesus, in contrast, offers a different rhythm—one that’s not driven by the need for approval or perfection. In His invitation, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28), Jesus extends an offer to step away from the noise and find rest in His presence. Finally, let’s talk about relationships. Whether it’s a strained marriage, friction with friends, or challenges with parenting, the people closest to us can sometimes be our greatest sources of unrest. In moments of conflict, we often try to control the situation, forcing our way instead of seeking peace. But the more we push, the further away peace feels. Jesus teaches us a different approach. In Matthew 18, He tells us to forgive "not seven times, but seventy-seven times" (Matthew 18:22), pointing to forgiveness as the path to reconciliation and peace. By letting go of grudges and embracing His way of love, we allow peace to enter our relationships. This section sets the stage for understanding where the chaos in life comes from and how these stressors keep us from finding true peace. In the next section, we’ll explore how Jesus provides the antidote to this chaos by offering a peace that transforms us from the inside out.

It's hard for preachers to not harp on the profundity of Sabbath when listening to and looking at people's efforts to rest at all costs on certain days. There's so much underlying reasoning that I would just love to excavate for hours on end. So, I'll just share with you, the reader, what I think is asked of us when we approach days like Labor Day and Sabbath. What I'm sharing is a quote from Caryll Houselander's book, The Reed of God , pointing to the profundity of the call to relent and give way. The surrender that is asked of us includes complete and absolute trust; it must be like Our Lady's surrender, without condition and without reservation. We shall not be asked to do more than the Mother of God; we shall not be asked to become extraordinary or set apart or to make a hard and fast rule of life or to compile a manual of mortifications or heroic resolutions; we shall not be asked to cultivate our souls like rare hothouse flowers; we shall not, most of us, even be allowed to do that. What we shall be asked to give is our flesh and blood, our daily life—our thoughts, our service to one another, our affections and loves, our words, our intellect, our waking, working, and sleeping, our ordinary human joys and sorrows—to God. To surrender all that we are, as we are, to the Spirit of Love in order that our lives may bear Christ into the world—that is what we shall be asked. I pray this blesses you on today and every day you surrender to sabbath.

Within ten years after the death and resurrection of the Messiah, there were churches in Alexandria and Antioch. The early church demonstrated a missionary identity through their zeal to make Jesus known. This should not overshadow what we normally hear about church apologists, but it is important to note that the early church did not jump from the work of apostles to academic work of apologetics. Believers in that day exhibited something I so wish believers today would uncover. Although there aren't enough records to show church minutes in those days, what we do know is that there were churches popping up all over. Believers were talking Jesus and walking it out. Another way to say that is they were working out their salvation by inviting others into this hard to see kingdom that was growing. It seems to be the case that amnesia has landed on modern churches. Jesus thought it crucial enough to tell his followers to spread the same gospel message he told. Even to the ends of the world. And it shows that they heard him, told others, and obeyed. Their obedience to be missionaries included evangelism and community engagement. It does not always work in the reverse. Partly because evangelism has been redefined (invite people to church) or simply ignored, and community engagement tends to have little effort to share the gospel message. All of this has impacted a new crop of church planters in recent years. We are sent people to particular areas to particular people groups. The planter's drive is believing that Jesus really called us and others to make disciples where we've been placed. Not to take a group of people to help begin services in a new area. Planters are in fact missionaries. All followers of Jesus are missionaries. Oh that we'd obey Jesus. May the Holy Spirit nudge us to treat planters as such from now on.

There is apathy in our homes, neighborhoods, cities, and Sunday morning pews. I have run into people in South Atlanta, from Fairburn to Fayetteville, that are expressing what I used to label as doubt. However, they are in fact not curious. Instead, they are not caring. They've arrived at a settled state. They are not trusting God and His church because they've been hurt by His people. But we, His people, are not without hope and next steps. Prayer is an active spiritual weapon against darkness, evil, apathy, and more. Jubilee Fellowship has been in prayer for these image bearers, and now we want to invite others to join in. June 4, 2024 at 9am, 12pm, 3pm, 6pm and 9pm we intend to pray disruptive prayers. We believe prayer send us. We believe this because we know that God is sending us. We are sent ones who are sent out into the world to make disciples and carry fragrant aromas with us. Disruptive praying happens when we believe, and then speak, that the coming kingdom brings a new way of living that we so desperately need. And that it will disrupt our lives. So, how should we pray? Jesus has already showed us! To remove the old and make way for the new, my friend, John Smed, taught me and others in an RTS class. Here's our prayer list: God would send His workers to join with Jubilee to boldly go out into the fields God's will equip members of Jubilee to reflect Jesus God would advance his kingdom through the work of Jubilee God would bring real damage to the powers of darkness in Fairburn Thank you and may God bless you real good!

The martial artist Bruce Lee has also been known for his passion for philosophy. The philosopher Bruce Lee made this pregnant statement to a student while training in Chinatown who grew overly concerned with winning every drill and coming out on top: "Like everyone else, you want to learn the way to win! But never to accept the way to lose." The Church in America has struggled to free itself from American ideals and pursuits for quite some time. Ever since the Evangelicals and Fundamentalists were the John Pipers' and Mark Driscolls' of their time, being center stage speakers on platforms, Richard Land for example, the history of America has moved from the stage right position to right in front of the pulpit. Adding to it are the visible American flags positioned in sanctuaries without requiring the unison pledge of allegiance. Politicians replacing preachers around election time. Preachers strongly encouraging pew sitters to vote a certain way. Sanctity of Life Sundays becoming commonplace for churches from West to East. And preachers have used the Bible less and less to call out the evils and ills of donkeys and elephants more and more. "To learn to die is to be liberated from it." Where has all of this gotten us? To a place of less unity and weakened witness. The place that's supposed to be a fellowship ground for born-again believers is only the case is homoethnic churches. Most white churches lack diversity ethnically across the denominational board, and yet the unity that should be enjoyed is often assumed by many. While the differences are best left unspoken. Most black churches also lack ethnic diversity, but seem to speak to issues the white churches ignore altogether. Bruce was right. Mainly because he called for the same thing the New Testament called people to. Die! Pick up your cross and die. Learn to die. To live a life in Jesus is to deal with persecution. The fear of not winning has caused more fear. It's prompted more ridiculous charges of slippery slopes. It's drummed up a hardening to the American ideals over and often against what Jesus said. "You must free your ambitious mind and learn the art of dying." How can the place that's said to be the strongest militarily be okay with defeat? How can the place that's said to be the land of opportunity be okay with being disadvantaged? The saddest part of it all is the impact it has on those who see the hypocrisy of the church. Our witness is gone down the drain. People rarely want to talk about Jesus people because we've not looked, sounded, or acted like Jesus people. And we continue to align ourselves with politicians and social media influencers to the detriment of doctrine that most tend to agree on: we are in union with the Messiah, hidden in him, letting every man be a lie and God be true. Oddly enough, the church in America sounds like the Jewish believers in Acts 1 asking Jesus when he's going to make them a powerhouse for the whole world to see. Then God poured his Spirit over a variety of people groups causing men and women to prophesy and the old and young to dream dreams. The kingdom of God is not about power and winning. DJ Khaled makes some good songs that become anthems for certain things. Let it no longer be an anthem for the church in America. Our witness and worship can't keep taking hits.

Genesis 18.18-19 tells a story that's amazingly hopeful. It serves as the background of the story told in Luke 19 about Zacchaeus. And is the main reason Luke 19.9 makes sense to the people during Jesus' time. But not our time. Ever since the garden, Yahweh had a plan to rule his world through his image bearers. The coming of the Messiah didn't put an end to that plan. Before, during, and since Jesus took on flesh and walked among creation, his Father has been gathering a family who are to join him in his mission of blessing to the world. This ought to make you think of Abraham and the promises God made to him. The death and resurrection of the Messiah continues to lead to a union whereby sinners are reborn as acquitted and empowered disciples of Jesus abled to serve on Yahweh's mission team. __________ Since delving into church planting about two years ago, I've heard two terms used over and over: evangelism and mission. Depending on who you read or listen to, you can walk away with a host of definitions for them both. But a colleague of mine challenged me to let the scriptures dictate their meaning more than your favorite preacher or theologian. That's when I ran into Zacchaeus. (not literally) How on earth is this 'wee little man' given such loving and encouraging words by Jesus? I mean, he was a rich tax collector just like Matthew after all. Jesus invited himself over to Zack's house and apparently that led to him telling Jesus his future plans of restitution and the restoring of dignity and shalom for the oppressed. In other words, Zack told Jesus how he planned to be a blessing. God chose Abraham to become a great and mighty nation of people so that all the nations shall be blessed through him. Cool, but how? Well, God also chose Abraham to command his children and his extended family to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice. Then you read about Zacchaeus planning to do righteous and just things to those who have been the complete opposite of blessed. And due to his plan of action by way of faith, Jesus not only announced the salvation of this man because of his familial connection to Abraham. ____________ Jubilee Fellowship Church is about keeping the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice. We are committed to being the family that joins Yahweh in his mission of blessing to the world. Selah.

"So, yo, God are you really here?" I've spent considerable time over the last 2 months in all kinds of circles. Time with pastors of established churches or church planters or lay members or ministry workers and leaders or nonprofit works or staff employees. All of these spaces have communicated the above question in multiple ways. But once I heard it amongst my core team and those whom I'm grateful to minister to, caught off guard doesn't best describe it. There are lots of people who feel unseen. They feel forgotten. They believe they've been overlooked and are looked over for quite some time. This is the soil that I do ministry in. These are their cries. I can hear them verbally processing the same thing Hagar did in Genesis 16. Running away from rejection. Running aimlessly to unknown places of comfort. Or just running from God. Her story has served as a life-giving gospel reminder to my soul! It's also equipped me with language that's often foreign to Fairburn and those on my core team. Adonai El Roi. Genesis 16.13 says it this way — " She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” Far too many pastors and ministry leaders walk around doing ministry feeling unsure if God sees them. And if they're not settled, you can only imagine how the people in the pews are feeling. Now triple that with the people who still attend church with church hurt or those who've left church due to real church hurt. This is especially true for our sisters in Christ who unfortunately feel they have to silently hide in the open. Her story has taught me that I don't have to be Neo. I struggle, and have possibly even failed, in leading people to see that God sees them. That God will visit them. That God has not forgotten about them. That it's okay to have Hagar moments of doubt and despair (so, yo, God are you really here?) as long as you can be reminded of Adonai El Roi - the Lord God who sees me.

Lent can teach us to value what it means to be a vapor. Good Friday can teach us to set our sights on the most important scapegoat in the history of the world. And here we are. In a world that's more indifferent to the life of Jesus than we care to realize. In a time where Christians can very easily narrow in on the services their church has planned. In a season where religious schools that require one of the parents to be a christian in order to admit their kid turnaround to give their children the day off from school. In a society where instantaneous results are highly praised in lieu of us being still, waiting, knowing He is God. There were so many in the days of Jesus who didn't know what He was sent to do, and had planned to let happen to him on that evening. He had just washed feet and taught something so clear and yet cryptic the day before. What was customary for Jews in preparing the Passover meal was seen as the beginning of something new that Jesus would set in motion for his confused followers. In other words, the ever-active God was taking action in certain ways. They didn't get it then and we still struggle to get it now. I cannot recall ever gathering with a group of 10+ people to eat a meal, sing, and then go for a walk. A walk that would lead to fear and scandal and whataboutisms. Tarrying is something we don't like to do even when we celebrate Lent, or fasting, or Good Friday. And yet, we wait for Jesus to return. To make things right. To wipe every tear from our eyes. To gather up his own. To bring an end to suffering. May we meditate on the theme of tarrying today for the good of our own soul.

Whatever happened to good morals and respect? A member of my HOA laid before me. Every generation has its cultural distinctiveness and expectations. "Back in my day" are common phrases one hears when listening to older people. "That boy needs some home training!" I grew up hearing phrases like these and so many others as a quiet fixture propped up in corners. But this HOA member was asking this question out of desperation. Wanting to hear something hopeful in return from me. While not placing the weight of hope on me. This dialogue initially began as my plea to pray in the clubhouse. Something so small and harmless. This is one of those times that believers are thankful for pluralism. To my surprise, this member was talking to me about Jesus and how this neighborhood needed his power to sweep through certain areas where social injustice occurred. Older people being disrespected by younger people. Older people being overlooked and set aside for youthful thinking and energy. I stood there provoked to silence listening to this seasoned saint as she called for right living to spring from right belief. This Holy Week is about right living that springs from right belief. Just maybe it demands a type of quietness from us to consider afresh how our theology is meant to translate into action. After all, it takes action for the King to bring about peace to the nations.

"God's command is for his people to see a near one as a dear one." Protestants and Catholics simultaneously share the celebration of Easter on the calendar. Easter can be celebrated in so many different ways, which is a good thing, by Protestants that we shouldn't grow so accustomed and therefore unaffected by the holiday. Sadly, that's but a hopeful mist falling away into the air. Carl F. H. Henry once lamented the church’s lack of concern for engaging the world with justice and righteousness in his time. In his 1947 book, The Uneasy Conscience of Modern Fundamentalism , he wrote, “If Protestant orthodoxy holds itself aloof from the present world predicament it is doomed to a much reduced role. . . . If the evangelical answer is in terms of religious escapism, then the salt has lost its savor.” I wrestle with staying inside my comfort bubble just to escape the naysayers and negative things said. Maybe you do, too. Not only am I reminded that faith without works is dead if kept aloof, but I'm persuaded that God actually placed me where I am on purpose. But none of that matters if I hide from the darkness. God has a track record of taking ordinary people, calling them to an extraordinary mission alongside Him, giving them extraordinary power to display the characteristics of God (justice and righteousness) as best we can, and calling those ordinary people to point to and magnify the Son of God. The people living around us need us to share and show Easter in new and fresh ways. We need God to empower us to do this. This synergy is something we ought to plead with God for. I'm just trying to make my Fairburn neighbors feel like dear ones.

Speaking with some people that live around me has made me more aware of cynicism. No, I don't mean the cynicism of a successful Falcons season. No, I don't mean the cynicism of construction crews actually starting and completing their project in a timely manner. What I mean is the cynicism of why Christians are so quick to celebrate something with pagan roots. This isn't something I had to deal with in Smyrna for the last several year. And yet, this isn't new. In fact, there are pastors who've created Youtube videos saying that Christians shouldn't celebrate Easter. Pastors. Men who stand up on Sundays with opened bibles telling people about Jesus. The pause comes from recognizing just how crucial apologetics is for my community and others like mine. This pause leads me to consider the crowd that Jesus saw and heard as he entered Jerusalem on that untamed donkey. Holy Week began with the cheers and jeers from a mixed crowd of spectators and participators. So many moving parts with varied motives and perspectives watching Jesus do something that a forgotten prophet spoke to so long ago. "Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. He will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall command peace to the nations; his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit. Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; today I declare that I will restore to you double." - Zechariah 9.9-12 This too causes me pause. Jesus enters the parade triumphant and victorious. Jesus enters in humble. Jesus enters in to cut off and command peace. Jesus enters in to set prisoners free. Jesus enters in with reparations on his agenda to restore back double. As I think of the people living around me with doubt, despair, pain, disbelief, and whatever else that's led them to cynicism . . . I pause. They need to hear about Zechariah this week and beyond. Hosanna in the highest!

When's the last time you read a bible passage and you couldn't get it out of your head? Church planting is hard, but planters can make it harder. Putting too much pressure on ourselves all because we forget who's really in control. And when the desired output does not match the focused exertion, it gets hard yet again. But a stranger led me to see things in a new way. Earlier this month while teaching a seminary class, a student alluded to how hard it is to bear fruit. Matthew 7 came to mind. I desperately wanted to console him with a comment dripping with positivity, but the passage left me awestruck. Then I had an Inigo Montoya thought moment. "You keep using that word, I do not think it means what you think it means." The passage said, "you will recognize them by their fruits." For quite some time, I thought only believers produced fruit. But here in Matthew 7, Jesus is pointing out the fruit of the false prophets in how they deceive people with their gifts. And then a sense of church planting renewal happened. I want to be seen as one of God's people that speak love and truth on behalf of God, and people want to know God more. Being so concerned about bearing fruit can cause an abuse of gifts due to making things all about me. Nobody wants to be a false prophet in the church or the kingdom. But it's far too easy to focus on output. Even wolves have output. The next day we gathered for class and I shared with that student what I had been chewing on. That we all bear fruit, and that some of the fruit that we produce will be burned anyway. I was encouraged because of this student's words. The student was encouraged to know that God wants the good fruit. Our doctrine and our deeds lead to fruit. I see it in parenting all the time. It's beyond frustrating when one of my kids uses my words against me. Even worse when I tell them to do x and x comes to bite me in the end. But I stand encouraged like that student - God wants the good fruit. He's always in control. He's always wanting our best. Our God is a good God.

Lent has often been associated with the ashes on a forehead. As someone who attended an Episcopalian college preparatory school, I took part in Ash Wednesday services often. Sadly, I understood next to nothing about it other than it was part of the Christian calendar. Lent, nowadays, has a higher meaning. Other than focusing on the cool candy calendars or the food that's being set aside for a period of time, the depth of this historical practice weighs heavier on me than it ever has. I have had the benefit of reading several people in other denominations point me to this higher meaning. Learning Lent has meant learning to die to self. The road that Lent sends every believer on is one that leads to death. Jesus was sent to earth to accomplish his Father's will which culminated in death. No matter one's doctrinal stance, we're all aware of substitutionary atonement. It's likely that we're not so quick to connect the dots of that very doctrine to the church calendar (although we know the Easter is coming). Following Jesus means dying to self. Learning to imitate Jesus means dying to self. Living for Jesus means dying to self. A dear friend of mine is taking steps to gain entrance into RTS Dallas, and one of her requirements is to do a book report on Redemption Accomplished and Applied . I assured her that if she could understand John Murray, then she's plenty reformed and well worthy to attend and excel in seminary classes. While having this discussion, I reminded her that the death of our Lord ought to have daily-to-weekly impact on our lives now. We shouldn't have to wait until our calendars celebrate Easter. Practicing something that affects our psyche, soma (body), and pneuma (spirit), is to practice suffering and hopeful clinging to our Lord Jesus the Messiah. When's the last time you chose to set aside a meal or your preferred foods to set your eyes to the hills from whence our Lord comes? Can you recall how your mind, body, and spirit was affected by that decision? It reminds me of Paul's words to the Galatian church, "to live is Christ and to die is gain." We know that death is not the end. It wasn't the case for Jesus, and it won't be for us. But we can begin to look at Lent as Jesus' willingness to die so that we might live. It was the greatest victory in the whole world! It's my hope that you'd join me on Wednesday in learning Lent.

What make Christianity so unique? This is the season to give a reason. What may be much to the chagrin of the Reformed ilk, Christianity is not primarily an intellectual faith. Instead, Christianity is primarily a practiced faith. This can be derived when we read the Bible from its historical context going back to the early church periods, and not just our 21st century lens or the protestant reformation lens. One author that I’m gleaning much from, Gerald Sittser, says it this way. “The church demonstrated an unusual capacity to establish meaningful contact with unbelievers and yet maintain high standards of membership, to welcome outsiders into the church and turn them into committed disciples.” The services we attend, the songs we sing, and the photos we post do not necessarily make us different from the rest of the world. Our love for and unity with believers and contact with unbelievers does make us distinct. The early christians operated as a cultural minority behind Rome and Judaism. Here in America, privilege and power wane as syncretism continues and stands over one’s commitment to Jesus and his kingdom. The tactics of fighting for power tend to prevent us from operating as the cultural minority we once were. Discipleship is almost never mentioned on a consistent basis while mission takes the spotlight. Faithfulness has become so unstable to the point where it’s only expected on Sundays here in America. But if you are a missionary, you are expected to be faithful and serious about Jesus every single day. It’s sad. Is the birth of Jesus enough to make Christians everywhere take their faith seriously? Is the light of the world coming into darkness and chaos enough to make Christians repent and reorient themselves? Is the coming of the king sent by God to welcome all to live with God enough to make Christians so peculiar that Christianity can be seen as unique in the West? Christian author and artist, KB, once said this in a song and I’ve never forgotten it - “ people don't care you keep Christ in your Christmas / If they cannot see that there's Christ in the Christian .” It’s time for us to respond creatively and winsomely. We’ve lost most culture wars (because we’re fighting to hold onto privilege and power) and we’ve lost out on the opportunity to build substantive relationships with unbelievers. This is the season to give a reason. I spent my entire high school singing this in my church, and I still believe this to be the reason for the season. “You came from heaven to earth to show the way. From the earth to the cross, my debt to pay. From the cross to the grave. From the grave to the sky. Lord, we lift your name on high.” And if we practice our faith by listening to Jesus and living it out, we can make Christianity unique in the West again.

Advent is for those who hear the word annually in some setting still heavily intertwined with the rat race of Christmas shopping and Christmas dinner. For me, having attended an Episcopalian college prepatory school from 4th grade through my senior year, the idea of Advent consists of a calendar with tasty candy behind every punched hole. I cannot recall anything of substance being said. But now as a pastor seeking to plant a church, I am able to taste and see so much more. It is not enough to have all the right answers about advent, where to find it in the Bible, tracing its every touchpoint, etc. What people need is practice! Not a game; not a game; we talking practice. Due to the hurry experienced every Christmas season, it's easy to find ourselves in chaos at every turn from traffic, grocery stores, department stores, and internet deals. Shame and anxiety are never too far behind. Advent is calling us to practice finding silence in this season of noise. As we find silence, we get to experience solace and sanity. We can find time to hear from God as He speaks to our anxiety. Christmas is often emphasized as a time to be greedy. It's alright because the church and society gave it the green light a long time ago. Heavy hint-dropping and no desire to look at our bank accounts are never too far behind. We have learned that the right gift can result in an overwhelming right reaction, and who doesn't want the right reaction. Advent is calling us to practice being generous in this season of noise and greed. As we are generous, we get to experience mimicking our Lord by finding big and small ways to put others first with some of our most precious resources. This is my two cents of advent advice. Jubilee is described as bringing liberty in both testaments (Deut 15 and Luke 4). Practicing silence to hear from God and generosity to mimic Jesus should also bring forth liberty. Now go enjoy practice as we wait for the real game once he returns.

Recently I’ve been meditating on Jesus-shaped unity. As I come across good brothers of the Protestant ilk, I’m joyfully impressed by their love for Jesus and me as their brother. Because we have the same main beliefs, our bond is stronger and really all that matters.
No matter if some celebrate All Hollows Eve or Reformation Day, our preference of celebration doesn’t interfere with our unity. And that’s a great thing. As I get to meet more and more people in Fairburn, I’m reminded more of what unites us than what divides us. Some are planning to celebrate halloween tomorrow and have a blast. Some have already celebrated trunk-or-treat and had a blast. Both can be good things. Zero sum thinking doesn’t have to reign here.
Love of Jesus and the Christian essentials is at the center of this Jesus-shaped unity. I’m often reminded of it when I encounter some brothers who want to ‘team up’ for the conservative right or against CRT. Those same brothers are often meek as a mouse when it comes to the language and ideology of Christian nationalism, and other hurtful approaches that have caused major family pain due to syncretism.
Mike Glenn had this to say, “Someone who bears the name has come to terms with their own brokenness and failures. A Christian is someone who recognizes they can’t fix what is broken within them nor repair the damage they’ve done in others. A Christ follower has realized that Jesus and Jesus alone understands the best way to live life and He alone, has the power, grace, mercy and love needed to make something new out of our wreckage.”
Richard Hays adds this helpful note, “The term love has become debased in popular discourse; it has lost its power of discrimination, having become a cover for all manner of vapid self-indulgence.” And then I came to realize the meaty part of my meditation. The Christian life is a character-transforming life because Jesus is at the center of it. Fundamentally, this is an inner work on the heart. After all, it is the wellspring of human action.
So here I am thinking of this Jesus-shaped unity looking at the Jesus-shaped kingdom proclaimed in Luke 4 where Jesus connected all of this to Jubilee. And joy, delight, and discipleship all stem from this connection! Wow, what a wonderful God we serve.

A few Sundays ago, I walked away from a church service empowered. I had heard of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that visits his people when they're spiritually dry and feeling lonely. I felt empowered because I knew that I could never be worthy of such a visit. Friends from that church reminded me that Saturday was the delivery date for their daughter. What a wonderful time. It made me think of bringing my kids home ten years ago. How small they were. How loud they were/are. How inexplicably overjoyed I was while being sleep deprived. Monday goes by. Tuesday morning meets Ebony and I with bright red lights outside. Beaming bright into our bedroom signaling its nearness. 3:30AM and a neighborly sense of wonder and curiosity sat with us. Later that evening, my neighbor calls me with grave concern on his voice mixed with a hurriedness in his words. He asks a favor of me and I obliged. Wednesday morning hits and I find my neighbor outside, so naturally I begin to inquire about Tuesday. He invites me into his man-cave garage and tells me his wife had given birth to a stillborn baby Wednesday morning upstairs in their bathroom. I felt stuck immediately. I didn't have a word, a story, nor a verse. Just silence . . . trying not to make things worse. I just listened and sat with him. Praying intermittently between his pauses that spanned 3 hours. Then 1 Corinthians 9 visited me. Here I was thinking about myself and all I had to do, and it was like God using Paul to remind me to become all things to all men. Near the end of our time together, I was given the space to talk about Jesus because my neighbor brought Jesus up. Had I left earlier only concerned about myself and my schedule, I never would've learned about the kingdom that day. God is here. That's good news. The radical availability for anyone to enter into the kingdom is good news. The king of that kingdom is the one who will wipe every tear from our eyes is Jesus. And as I got to talk about the tenderness of Jesus, I knew at that moment why Holy Spirit had me stay there so long. Thursday afternoon I received a text from an out-of-state friend that he and his wife welcomed their second baby. I knew she was pregnant, but I hadn't paid attention to dates and what not. Joy erupted at the reading of the text followed by pain at the thought of my neighbors. Then Saturday afternoon came and I received a picture of the beautiful baby girl that was scheduled to be born. Evoking more emotions of seeing my daughter. Then I recalled something else Paul said - "the kingdom of God is about righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." At that moment I re-learned that I can rejoice with those who welcomed their babies into this world and I can weep with my neighbors who lost their son. A few days later, I was sharing at a middle school chapel service about my week. I told those students that life was but a vapor, that God is always faithful, the opportunity to trust Jesus right now is available to them, and we all will go through things that feel awful and will hurt. That chapel service was a culmination of what we've learned as Jubilee is moving forward. Jesus in Luke 4 told us that he would minister to all types of people in conditions that none of us would sign up for even if we knew Jesus would visit us. But when we are slow to speak and quick to listen to the Savior of the world, we can be reminded that even when life is heavy, that God is stretching you for many reasons. But one of the main ones I think is because in those times of heavy, we can look to him. We can begin again in Jesus. That week shaped our entire month. But glory be to God . . . Jesus has been a constant friend to Jubilee Fellowship. We aren't behind. We're walking with Jesus.

The idea and reality of church planting is constantly evolving. I highly doubt that anyone in the first century were having the types of discussions being had across modern day Christianity. What I do believe is that modern day thinkers could learn a lot from the first century followers of Jesus. Whether we label it renewal or refreshment, it's nigh time we begin learning. Church planting happens when outsiders bring inclusive news that does a person and place good to the point where those people and places are positively impacted, and they begin to meet on some regular basis. But just how does that outsider get in? I have a good friend from Oklahoma who decided to uproot his life right after college to become a bible translator in a country that I'm not allowed to name. But first, he along with others were sent to enroll into a special school. This school taught many languages and ethics that would enable them to become acceptable outsiders. Having stay connected to him dating back to 2008, I have gleaned all of the intricate and creative ways he's gone about learning to be an acceptable outsider. Now I find myself learning to be one. My posture has had to be one of learning: the culture I'm moving into, speaking into, seeking entrance into, being granted access into, and willing to change into. The context that we've moved into already has its own cultural language and set of ethics; I'm enrolling into their special school to learn them. As Jubilee looks to meet regularly, we do so with the intention of learning to be. This takes time, as does the ability to generously plant and water the good news into people all over this place. Then wait for the sovereign Lord to give growth. Hopefully we will become acceptable outsiders to many people, even those who never step foot into a Jubilee gathering. The beauty of the gospel is that it's meant to be shared everywhere, not just within a huddle of lights. This is our heartbeat. We welcome; shape; and send out people who have met Jesus afresh with other followers to become acceptable outsiders with people and places who have yet to meet Jesus and commune with his people. We invite you to join us wherever you are located to become practitioners in learning to be.

One of the hardest things to do in life is to start something. When it comes to healthy habits, it's incredibly hard to start dieting or picking a day to visit a gym. It's a lot of work to be honest. Picking a day; getting enough rest the night before; selecting the right (aka cool) gym outfit; buying a sufficient (aka cool) water bottle; choosing the right time of the day to go. It can be overwhelming. I've found this to be true in the religious world as well. People have an even harder time going from nothing to something. After all, that's the principle behind this blog title. Getting started can become the greatest leap known to mankind. I've often wondered if this principle is why churches bend as much as they can, hoping to not break, just so their members feel cared for. Recently I've found myself wondering how this principle would have interacted with Jesus and his approach. Jesus showed up on scenes with great intention teaching something that seemed foreign in most ways. Jesus showed up calling all sorts of unlikely people to leave everything behind to follow him. Isn't that still amazing to consider? His principle was give me your full allegiance or nothing at all. The zero to one idea in the gospels gives us a different perspective. This call to follow Jesus feels extremely weighty if our willpower is all it takes. Isn't that how we approach everything else in life? But here's the thing: we cannot muster enough willpower to follow Jesus without it going the way of the New Year's resolution. Which is why faith is so essential to this principle as it counters the ways of the world. It takes faith to believe just as much as it takes faith to follow. That is the principle for all believers of the Christian religion. We go from nothing to faith without having to conjure up something into existence. While it's magical to feel like a true innovator, it's fools gold when it comes to following Jesus. God gives us faith so that Jesus is followed. So our starting position is where we begin every day anew. Go to bed in faith; wake up in faith.

God is a God of liberation and salvation. The scriptures make this clear over and over again. God is a God of freedom because he is on the side of the oppressed, the downtrodden, the marginalized, the outcasts, the exploited, the enslaved, the poor, the sojourner, and the captives. I've heard it said this way in former churches — Jesus came for the lost, the least, and the left out. Often lists like these get the partisan treatment. Like a buffet, one party comes along placing some on their platform plate as if to signal to everybody that these matter to us. Then the other party comes along to place the rest on their plate to communicate what's important to them. It's often an 'us' versus 'them' approach in this arena because optics matter most. Virtue signaling has become the goal of some corporations, churches, and Christians looking to separate themselves from others. When does doing the right thing become the main thing for everyone to see? An Old Testament prophet, Jeremiah, and book of the Bible tell a story about how the liberating God valued ethics over optics. In Jeremiah 34, we read: 8 The word came to Jeremiah from the Lord after King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people in Jerusalem to proclaim freedom for the slaves. 9 Everyone was to free their Hebrew slaves, both male and female; no one was to hold a fellow Hebrew in bondage. 10 So all the officials and people who entered into this covenant agreed that they would free their male and female slaves and no longer hold them in bondage. They agreed, and set them free. 11 But afterward they changed their minds and took back the slaves they had freed and enslaved them again. 12 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 13 “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I made a covenant with your ancestors when I brought them out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. I said, 14 ‘Every seventh year each of you must free any fellow Hebrews who have sold themselves to you. After they have served you six years, you must let them go free.’ Your ancestors, however, did not listen to me or pay attention to me. 15 Recently you repented and did what is right in my sight: Each of you proclaimed freedom to your own people. You even made a covenant before me in the house that bears my Name. 16 But now you have turned around and profaned my name; each of you has taken back the male and female slaves you had set free to go where they wished. You have forced them to become your slaves again. 17 “Therefore this is what the Lord says: You have not obeyed me; you have not proclaimed freedom to your own people. So I now proclaim ‘freedom’ for you, declares the Lord—‘freedom’ to fall by the sword, plague and famine. I will make you abhorrent to all the kingdoms of the earth. 18 Those who have violated my covenant and have not fulfilled the terms of the covenant they made before me, I will treat like the calf they cut in two and then walked between its pieces. 19 The leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the court officials, the priests and all the people of the land who walked between the pieces of the calf, 20 I will deliver into the hands of their enemies who want to kill them. Their dead bodies will become food for the birds and the wild animals. 21 “I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah and his officials into the hands of their enemies who want to kill them, to the army of the king of Babylon, which has withdrawn from you. 22 I am going to give the order, declares the Lord, and I will bring them back to this city. They will fight against it, take it and burn it down. And I will lay waste the towns of Judah so no one can live there.” It's important to read the entire narrative to understand several crucial points. First, God has been in the business of liberating hurt and oppressed people. Second, the proclivity to unjustly use someone's body for another's benefit is ancient. Some might even say it's as old as apple pie. Third, God is always sending his people to stand against the evils of captivity in order to bring about freedom in divine ways. Fourth and final, God is the ultimate judge who does judge in the here and now, as well as in the future. God calls people to himself to give him glory, worship Jesus, be made powerful by the Spirit of the living God to walk it how they talk it, and believe it. And God calls his people to be freedom speakers. The freedom found in the good news of the gospel is what we proclaim to others, those near to us and those far off. God clearly cares more about ethics. The very ethics he set up a long time ago. Nobody is exempt to follow those ethics, even if they make it look like they're doing the right thing. In verse 11, we see God calling them to account for changing their minds and effectually waving off the commands of God. In verse 15, we see God giving them credit for their optics stunt, and the very next verse we read of God ethically dealing with them for their misdealing. God proclaims freedom in two ways: either release from captivity, or entrance into judgement seen in verse 17 and on. What does this mean for Jubilee Fellowship? It means that our passion for loving and obeying God needs to be met with faith, and then turned into action. It means that our pursuit of holiness and unity comes at a cost. It means that our continual killing of sin will bring us into conflict with others. It means that our proclaiming freedom must be rooted and grounded in the character and call of God. It means that we have to walk in the Spirit's power to do all of this. It means freedom for us.

Lately, I’ve been asked what makes Jubilee Fellowship unique over and over again. What’s going to make this church stand out from the rest. Glibly, I fight against sarcastic responses that happen to be true —the way the Holy Spirit works in our midst is what will make us unique. Still believe that to be an appropriate response. However, I’ve learned from the things I continue to say and the responses I get from others that I’m basically pointing to a framework that in no other terms feels essential. Here’s what I mean. It’s been posited that Maya Angelou once said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” From her wise words came this three-tiered framework. Orthodoxy. Orthopraxy. Orthopathy. According to Sis. Angelou, orthopathy is the one people will never forget. Here’s the way I define these terms: Orthodoxy is right belief; Orthopraxy is right practices; Orthopathy is right affections/emotions. And I used my work experiences around kids to help solidify these tiers. You can explain the rules of the game to kids, be it basketball or soccer, but that’s not enough. They need more from the coach than just rules. You can showcase the drills for the kids during practice until they become commonplace, but that’s not enough either. They need more from the coach than the elementary phases of completing a drill. But when you help those same kids channel their day into focused energy, or their drive into honing their skills, or their determination into playing well with their teammates, then major progress has been made on that day and the days to come. I can’t help but to read the beginning of Romans 12 in this tiered way now. Appealing to somewhat involves your affections aimed at connecting with their emotions with the sole purpose to accomplish some practice based on what you believe. That might sound like a mouthful, but believe me when I tell you what I just described is very normal in our lives. We typically prefer people to draw us in with emotion-filled words before asking us to do something. Christianity is no different. In Exodus19, God tells the very same people He just rescued from Egypt that He loves them and even calls them his treasured possession. God appeals to their emotions with his affections. The commands come in chapter 20. Peter repeats this same framework in 1 Peter. Now when people ask me what will make Jubilee unique, I feel more inclined to remind that ever since the Garden of Eden God has communicated that right affections are to accompany right practices and right belief. I’m sure I’m not alone when I tell you that I know a plethora of believers who know lots of good orthodox truth about God, Jesus, salvation, and assurance. But they have the hardest time believing it enough to change their affections towards God, Jesus, the saved and the lost in their behaviors. Jubilee is set on practicing in good ethical ways the right beliefs we believe are found in God’s Word. Jubilee is also set on having the right affections and emotions towards creation and image-bearers in good ethical ways based on right beliefs we find in God’s Word. And we’re asking and depending on the Holy Spirit to empower us to carry theses out without equivocation.

The pandemic has unveiled quite the smorgasbord of brevity, bravery (fake), and boasting. Twitter fingers as Drake so eloquently labeled them in his song have run rampant. I can admit to being caught up in the fray a time or two. Maybe not in my original posting, but possibly in my replies. Amazed by the new stated positions of friends and acquaintances left me with dropped jaw and furnace ignited anger. But this only shows the hypocrisy of people who call themselves Christians, right? Not exactly! There’s this resounding gap that I find often hidden in plain sight in most situations, but like the proverbial pink elephant, it goes about its business ignored by those with vision. God is slow to anger. The Old Testament says this many, many times. Eventhough many believers find themselves to be ‘faithful’ when they can state and then act as if they’re never angry. For those who are sports and consumption fans, we can rest assure that our exploding actions often fail to underscore our statements. Or those on the other side, who have no problem with being consumeristic and capitalistic in their faith, refusing to be bothered by the anger they showcase at any given moment, because they ‘keep it real’ or ‘want to be authentic’ despite the message they’re sending, aren’t concerned with what the Bible says because God made them that way. Notice I didn’t say God doesn’t get angry, but he is slow to anger. God the Father is shown to be angry quite a lot in the Old Testament. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons (misconceptions) for why some think the God of the Old Testament is harsher than the God of the New Testament. But God the Son, Jesus, is shown to be angry a few times in the New Testament as well. One time his anger led him to create a whip that was used to clear out the temple. But we as humans often forget to and clearly fail to square away our tendency to be angry with the character of God while highlighting our own character. If only our sights were set on being like God and less like these personality tests and knee-jerk reactions say about us. In other words, what type of testimony might we be able to give if we were slow to anger and abounding in love? If the anger angle we as a community, be it family, church, neighborhood, job, etc, desired to follow now was congruent with the true statements of God, then the command by Paul (be angry and do not sin) would hit us with more joy than skepticism. This cannot happen until we are ready to abound in love and compassionate mercy towards others. Again, setting our sights on this love overflowing for God, self, others (family, friends, foes, strangers), and creation serves as a catalyst for being slow in our anger process. No, we don’t get rid of anger. Why? Because when you love someone or some thing that gets misused in any way, anger is sure to follow. However, God calls believers to imitate him, so we trust in Jesus for our holiness and trust in Holy Spirit for our words and deeds. So, let’s try taking the slowest road to anger with God, self, others, and creation out of our love for God, self, others, and creation.

Happiness and flourishing are terms becoming somewhat familiar in the Church. What’s interesting is the one word that connects these two terms with the often stated term, blessed. I’m thinking here of the beatitudes in Matthew 5. Jesus is preaching on the mountain to a group of onlookers, skeptics, and initial followers. Jesus is sitting down while preaching so he’s incredibly comfortable. And this crowd got more than they bargained for. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Israelites heard this phrase in the midst of other statements probably unaware of what to do with it. I’ve often tried to place myself in their shoes hearing this man who’s gaining popularity and a following. How would I respond to this? What is he trying to teach me and us? I would want justice as Israel has succumbed to the rule and reign of Rome. I would want my cultural ways appreciated and levitated inside of, not alongside of, the Greco-Roman new way of life. I would feel oppression and despair. Ultimately, I don’t want peace. I want control. I don’t want someone to call me to make peace especially with those people. It’s easy to play the game so as to give someone the perception that we have peace. Ironically, that’s the crust of people that transcends cultures and geography. You might read that and think, wow, that’s so American and it is. We love to keep the peace as long as someone else is responsible to make it happen and own it once things go awry. And yet here’s Jesus calling this crowd to be blessed and happy. Here’s Jesus telling this crowd how to flourish. And he’s saying this with full knowledge of what’s going on. Almost all Israelites considered themselves to be sons of God because of their heritage. So maybe that last part sat well with them, maybe it didn’t. Maybe it hadn’t initially crossed their minds that Jesus was saying a group of people doing ‘this’ shall be called ‘that’ by God. But I still want justice. I still want freedom. I still want my way. Jesus knew that for them and for us. I do believe Jesus was then and is now offering the crowd a PBJ. Some of you readers know that there was no peanut butter or jelly at the time of this sermon in Matthew 5. How astute of you. So what Jesus offered was something more radical. PBJ = peacemaking before justice. This is such a hard word to hear, consider, process, believe, and then live out. Do know that way before America decided to finally pursue justice for multiple types of people, God was calling his people to pursue it. But so many chose the culture over the scriptures, and still do. However, Jesus is wanting the crowd, then and now, to be blessed and happy and flourish. You see, peacemaking is a process just like justice is a process. It’s not overnight. It’s not always easy. And it’s fraught with pain and agony because we live in a sinful world with tons of sinful ideologies percolating throughout gaining popularity and a following here and there. Justice is all over the Bible. “ Justice  executed is a joy to the righteous but a terror to evildoers.” “Therefore the Lord is waiting to show you mercy, and is rising up to show you compassion, for the Lord is a  just  God. All who wait patiently for him are happy.” “How happy are those who uphold  justice , who practice righteousness at all times.” “Pursue  justice  and  justice  alone, so that you will live and possess the land the Lord your God is giving you.” From Moses to David to Isaiah to Jeremiah (and more) you will see that the Old Testament is replete with examples of God’s will for his people. And that continues in the New Testament through the words of Jesus and his disciples. The baton is still being passed to us as we shall pass it onto others. We must not forget the importance of peacemaking especially in these times. It’s easy to swing our mental and emotional pendulum to the side of justice without remembering the joy that comes from that because we’re acting like the sons of God.

Men and women were created to complement each other. Men and women cannot be friends. Both of these statements get tossed back and forth like a tennis game. Maybe we’re landing at the wrong stances because we’re not asking the right questions. For instance, can men and women be friends is a wrong place to start. As believers of Jesus, we can ask does God care how men and women get along. That’s a far better question to ask because the Bible directly answers that. Home Team is another way of referring to the question presented in the book of Joshua when the military captain stepped forward into the scene. Are you on my side or on their side? was the question Joshua asked. The answer he received confused him much like some of our current day answers stumble us. The captain said I’m not here to choose sides, I’m here to takeover. As creator of this universe, God has a side. Anybody who’s against God is his opponent. So it’s not always clear cut to decipher who’s on God’s side or who’s his antagonist. Which means it’s possible for believers of Jesus to be his opponent. In fact, looking at history gives us ample amounts of examples of who’s against God. Sometimes we think those who come out as victors are on the side of right. But that would be foolish thinking. Just like we think those who come out as losers are obviously against the side of right. Again….foolish thinking. It is also possible to consider how someone could begin a quest for something on the side of right and then make some decisions that leave them on the other side, and vice versa. If Israel as a geopolitical entity could find themselves going against God as told in the Bible, it’s wise to make room for any other political county with an army to land at the same spot. So back to the question. Does God care how men and women get along? Absolutely. How can I (as author) and you (as reader) be sure? Great question. Look at the book of Genesis and see what lengths the writer goes to lay out how Adam and Eve are to work in tandem in their garden work and population dominion. Go on to see how much God cares for how siblings are to treat each other in the Cain and Abel story. Read on further to see how man and animals are to relate in the story of Noah. I’m talking far beyond who gets to be on the ark. You’ll see this question and answer theme pop up over and over again throughout the rest of the Old Testament into the New. For example, Abraham don’t mistreat Hagar and listen to Sarah. Sons listen to your mother and consider what she says as precious to the point of binding her words around your neck. Boaz followed a Jewish custom to care for Ruth as she gleaned the fields to care for her mother-in-law. Peter tells husbands that properly caring for their wives matters. Matter is the minimum in this case (and in other scenarios). To know her, understand her, listen to her, bend your ear to her words, incline your heart towards her, and treat her in sacrificial ways is part of what Peter is getting at. Punishment for failing to do this is wrapped up in the result that his prayers will fall on deaf ears of the very creator of man and woman. Still question if God cares how man and woman relate? So yes, men and women can be friends in all the senses that don’t involve friends with benefits, or a married man having a single female friend. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you – that oldie but goodie golden rule. This demands that people created with dignity get treated as such regardless of their societal stations in life. Part of being on the Home Team means believers of Jesus pushing back against the world and culture’s set terms with a large helping of fluidity on the side waiting to be mixed in. Now we can play smarter tennis games because we can operate with better questions that lead us to answers.

Life will inadvertently make you choose to celebrate or regret. It’s not based on your personality test or how you are wired. Either you recognize that goals are eventually placed before you or are things you plan to achieve. The life expectancy for men is on the decline. It’s somewhat lower for Black men. Crime and the government are huge factors to this. Health is another one. But here’s the thing: goals are always looming. So is the glass half-full or half-empty? I’m beginning to think our answer to this question is determined by how we view goals. It’s amazing to me to see and meet high school juniors and seniors with zero goal aspirations for their lives. Some aren’t even focused on graduating as much as they are with not having to sit in classrooms. To play the "oneupmanship" game, I’m far more puzzled when these kids are athletes. I can’t recall going into a season without personal and team goals. In fact, almost every job has personal and team goals for every employee, as do most schools that actually care about students. While life forces us to decisively enjoy what we have accomplished or bemoan it, one must never lose sight of the milestones and Ebenezers that come with it. The cool thing about this is even young people get to participate. Perhaps, adults ought to be in a constant state of learning from kids. They decide to celebrate often. And then adults come along with an Ebenezer in hand to commemorate. What’s lost in all of this is goals and appreciation. Goals will come regardless if we set them or not. Appreciation will not. But this can change. It’s nigh time we set out to create milestones as goals such that we can learn to celebrate what happens in our lives. Due to my faith base, I strongly hold that God would have his people celebrate in all the ways he moves and governs our lives from celebration to celebration. When will you choose to celebrate? Go out and look back at a milestone you’ve reached, look for an Ebenezer there of value, and appreciate what you accomplished. Go out and look back at a milestone you didn’t reach that actually would’ve brought more harm than good into your lives, look around for an Ebenezer there of value, and be thankful that you didn’t get what you wanted leading you to great regret. Then celebrate. I personally want to encourage everyone I know that set goals. High and lofty goals. Pursue them. Be amazed by how far you go. Regret not taking chances. Bemoan the fear that holds you back. But celebrate often what you do on a daily basis that leads to weekly achievements that capture monthly joy pointing to yearly milestones. Then set up tangible Ebenezers for the sake of that joyful celebration.

This pandemic has caused an epidemic everywhere. In your home. On your job. Out in these streets. Upward mentally. Downward physically. And so on. I can’t speak for everyone else, but I’ve suffered insomnia to great levels since covid-19 to the point where I’ve considered seeking professional help. One friend of mine offered me a piece of advice that made an immediate impact: go outside and get that vitamin D for about 10-15 minutes a day. I tried it and it worked beyond my wildest imagination. Then he hit me – rest has taken on a morphed shape since mid March. I feel like this is the case for all humans. Our calendars haven’t changed much, and that’s something we ought to reconsider. There’s something inherent in putting rest into our calendars that provides us cycles of health on many levels. In the West, our presumed calendar is five + two. 40 hours used to be commendable. Now folks are busy-shaming others for not working doubly hard in addition to gaining some extra hobby that affords you profit and/or phame. Then take two days to focus more on that hobby and then some Netflix/Hulu/Prime and chill. The Jewish calendar approach is six + one. The idea is to be literally tied to what God did when He created this world. So they work hard creating and cultivating things for six days, and then rest up on that one day (because you’re gonna need it). I’m not here to tell you which calendar to adapt for your life and family etc. I just want to raise the appropriate question of where does rest fit in. The Christian calendar is a complete reversal of what we might consider common sense: it’s a one + six format. The rest is placed on the front end followed by six days of work. Admittedly, this calendar format is incredibly hard for me. For one, I tend to not see Sundays as the beginning of the week for me. Sundays means rest and worship. But here’s the other part that is a game changer. I begin my week resting in the work that God completed. (See Jewish calendar). I don’t heap on more and more back-breaking work to my plate, aka shoulders, for the week. I don’t do that because I know all that was needed for me to accomplish what I’m employed to do was done by God, therefore, I rest in that mental safety net. Sure I have goals and weekly tasks….who doesn’t. But my approach is one of thankfulness for what my creator did for me. I’m not the alpha and omega of all good things happening in my department, project, team, or company. That’s a great feeling. This approach has offered me moments where I “woosah” throughout the week. Sometimes I’m able to do that the same way Marcus and Mike did it if you get what I’m saying. And I’m able to get some vitamin D outside even during this pandemic, which continues to provide me blessings on blessings on blessings. Whatever your calendar regimen is, I do hope you desire to fit rest in as much as you want success, gym, games, or being around people to be in there.

In the Church, “to whom much is given, much will be required” says Saint Luke in chapter 12. In the West, “to whom much is given, much is tested” says Saint Kanye of Chicago. In the eye of ethics, balance freedom and responsibility. There’s not much as piercing to people as the teeter-totter slide when it comes to justice. Judgement has gotten a bad wrap. Decision-making has attained a high value. Standards are forever subjective. And justice has suffered under this weight. While I prefer just treatment and fair shots, I’m under zero obligation to give that to others. I’m the objective beholder of ethical behavior. I know my worth. I’m all about positive energy. I will not stand in the shadows just so you can feel better about yourself adjusting the spotlight. And all that other jazz…. Covid and lockdown and shelter-in-place has unearthed the realities that were already present. Nobody’s concerned about the freedom spoken of within the Constitution. No one is striving after being responsible in several spheres of influence. In other words, ethics has gone the way of the do-do bird. Balance is not what the Western world is truly after. Don’t be mistaken, we want both freedom and responsibility. And when do we want it – as soon as it’ll get us off the hook. Perhaps Saint Luke was onto something in chapter 12. The very things we crave to be given come with a high dose of reciprocity. The requirement of attaining don’t mesh with the tendency to withhold. It’s a give and take situation. Viktor Frankl proposed a thought as deep as the ocean: keep the statue of liberty in the East and put the statue of responsibility in the West. So as the sun rises and then sets, the proverbial American cannot forget the shadows of freedom and responsibility. It’s basic ethics 101. Unfortunately, the community of Jesus-followers tend to resemble the community of anti-Jesus followers when ethics is on the menu. Both communities would do well to listen to Saint Luke.

Covid-19 has been like a mirror to the entire world. Lots of different faces are being reflected. The things people hold near and dear to their heart are closer than they appear. What used to be just subjectively surface and not much of a big deal has now become objectively root level deep and real. In other words, YOLO and “you do you” are no longer acceptable lenses to view life in this world. Chaos tends to do that. Give a new set of lens to view life. Especially to the ones who are having immense trouble with the pandemic mirror reality. If people are unsure about their identity before a crisis hits, then that lack of surety is magnified hundredfold once it hits. Who am I now that this crisis has hit? Who am I now that my life has been turned upside down? And then comes the next question that we all have to wrestle with: who am I to be for and towards others now that life has been turned upside down? This is where this particular blog finds a silver lining of hope. For the nonbelievers, there’s hope in being a good human. It almost sounds patriotic. It’s definitely chalked up to being American. What the world needs now is a lump sum of good humans being good humans for and towards others. It’s a system built off happenstance fed by guilt and fear. Guilt of not being the best you that you can be; fear of making things worse as a result of not being a good human. There’s a lot of common sense in this system. Good and practical mores to adhere. For the believers, there’s hope in being what God said you were a long time ago. Peter the apostle wrote his first letter to a group of exiles for the purpose of encouragement: “Therefore, get your minds ready for action by being fully sober, and set your hope completely on the grace that will be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed.” Then in 1 Peter chapter 2, God sets a designation on all believers who are being built by him as a spiritual house to be a priesthood of believers. That’s our lens. This lens isn’t new for the believer. This lens isn’t a crisis produced identity. This lens has the benefit of being an ongoing one. For the believer, the lens which we look through is none other than the identity God gave us that Peter the apostle wrote about in his first letter. We are priests. We stand in the gap for people. We listen to those happy and hurting. We value all people. We seek to be a vehicle for provision for people. We go to God on behalf of people. We are messengers of good news. We are messengers of bad news. We empathize with the lowly and the arrogant. The way we view this present world under much chaos ought to be the same way we did before this invisible killer was lurking. We may even risk our lives for those unwilling to save theirs. We may even risk our lives for loved ones and neighbors with whom we’re not familiar. We may even risk our lives to help bring rest to someone else. We do that because we know we’ve set our hope in the divine human being known as Jesus, and we believe he’s coming back at which point his glorious deity will be revealed to all. So we act in wisdom. A priesthood of believers is our continual identity. Much like the group to whom Peter wrote 2 letters, we know ourselves to be exiles here in this world and its kingdoms. This isn’t our final home, and yet we are citizens left here to be the hands, mouths, and feet of Jesus to others. May that mark our continued presence here under the reality of a priesthood.

“There’s no such thing as situational ethics.” I once heard this statement expressed and affirmed many times over. As the heads nodded, I asked a simple question: “in what situation is ethics always consistent?” Much to my chagrin an answer was not offered. You see, I found a silver lining in that proposed question. God. In order for there to be ethics, then there has to be an ethical standard that is worthy of setting that standard. However, such an ethical standard must be applied situationally as problems arise. In other words, ethical standards have a way of posing a consistent principle in every situation. Situation #1 – In the Pentateuch, as Israel was set to enter their rest in the Promised Land, Moses was given a message for Israel in Deuteronomy 10.12-22. Situation #2 – In the Minor Prophets, the prophet Micah is given a prophetic message for Samaria and Jerusalem under the reign of Judah kings about the Lord’s remnant and the Lord’s rule in Micah 6.8. Situation #3 – In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus’ enemies, Pharisees and Sadducees, teamed up together to quiz him about what God’s word had to say about the greatest commandment in Matthew 22.34-38. The consistent principle in every situation above is this: God requires that his people love him with all their heart and mind by obeying his commandments, namely to promote justice, be faithful, and live humbly. God is consistent and gives commandments for every situation. Sure, some are harder to decipher than others. Yet the principle remains the same. The requirement is the same. God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. His standards have never changed. And they never will. So when someone says there is no such thing as situational ethics, you can make better sense of what’s really being said under the surface.

Friends, I’m thinking mainly of those who will read this blog and maybe pass it on to their friends. How would you measure your level of creativity? There are challenges all around us. Opportunities are endless. This is a gift, people. The question is, do you see this as a gift or not? Curiosity has some funny ways of presenting itself to us. Some times we have to be forced to slow down in order to activate that brain muscle. And this is a perfect time to do just that. Personally I’m working on my martial art. Movement is key during a time where sitting down is often the go-to for us. Working on kinetic energy is helpful for the mind and body. What are you working on? What ways can you take up a new challenge or opportunity out of curiosity? Don’t waste this time.

Anything good goes up on social media. What a person is eating and drinking to where a person is going to when a person is going to make something major happen; it all goes on social media. Ironically, the time period where this is suspended is Lent. Just a few weeks ago, I saw photos boasting of Ash Wednesday. Amazing to see it plastered on platforms. Hey guys, I’m giving up something for a period of 40 days, but before I go, check out this cool looking forehead cross. For the record, I am not hating. I just find it hilarious. It strikes me as odd that so many folks posting about their dedication to Lent are doing it for likes and labels. The likes of friends celebrating their coolness. The labels of hip, different, countercultural, or believer being attached to their person with the hope that it won’t fade away once the 40 days is over. I would love to challenge the religious and spiritual folks to give up likes and labels for Lent. Having symbolically manifested one’s grief for all the things done wrong via a forehead cross, there’s something heavily missing. If the person choosing to engage in the 40 days craze is not a believer in the God of Ash Wednesday, there is not enough recompense that can be made to bridge the chasm of shame of division from an imperfect person to a perfect God. This is not an easy statement to read and digest. But it is true. The only remedy that bridges that chasm is the one who took on flesh to lift up humanity to God – Jesus. So if this person is giving up things without placing their confidence in him, then their shame has gone nowhere. If the person choosing to engage in the 40 days craze is a believer in the God of Ash Wednesday, then I would actually challenge the person’s reasoning for taking a break from something. Again, I have no problem in a believer joining in on this long standing tradition. However, it is key to note that belief in the one who took on flesh to lift up humanity to God is what bridged that chasm. He’s the only mediator between God and man whereby the two can be reconciled. So labels like belief in God’s son is something that ought to never be given up for Lent. And likes for the work that God’s son has done in ultimate completion is something that ought to never be given up for Lent. All the other labels and likes are up for grabs in my opinion. So pray, fast, and give as you see fit. Encourage others who have signed up for this tradition. Think through the person and work of God’s son while doing all three. And I can only hope that after 40 days, belief and trust in Jesus is the result.