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I see lots of evangelicals, incl. SBC pastors, warn of coming loss of religious liberty from the Left.
I don’t know about the future, but I don’t think the Left will do 1/2 toward me personally as other evangelical “friends” did b/c I stood against racism/xenophobia in Alabama.
I don’t know about the future, but I don’t think the Left will do 1/2 toward me personally as other evangelical “friends” did b/c I stood against racism/xenophobia in Alabama.
2/ These are personal stories that I’ll not tell because God was in control of all of it and used it for good and there is forgiveness, but once you buck the system and challenge a “way of life” that accommodated racialization as part of its foundation, things get rocky.
3/ My point is, after you experience the wrath of long-time friends on the Right (where you spent your whole life) for challenging ungodly attitudes and biases that have crept into our own camp, why should you fear anything else? God is in control. Fear God, not man.
4/ This doesn’t mean that I’m not concerned about attacks on Religious Liberty from the Left. It’s a concern. I just thought this morning how much I’ve personally experienced the past 6yrs from friends on the Right since I published my book & began speaking about race/immigrants.
5/ It would help if we all got a thicker skin. That is the gift of these past 6 yrs. I used to basically idolize consensus and unity and everyone getting along and no one being upset. I’d fall all over myself to please and be liked by everyone. But, that isn’t reality, sadly.
6/ “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” John 15:18-19
7/ Sometimes, the “world” ends up in the church, too. We shouldn’t be surprised. We are insecure because we don’t know who we really are or the God we believe in, so we look for everyone to agree with us and praise us and all of life to align around us. It’s a lie. A myth.
8/ So, we really do need to get over constant “shock” that there are people on the “Left” who oppose evangelicals & “evangelicals” on Right who oppose sacrificially loving ALL of our neighbors and perceived enemies. That’s the world we live in. Why be so afraid of it? Trust God.
9/ I spent 2015-2019 traveling all over the South talking to pastors about racial reconciliation and immigrant/refugee ministry & advocacy. Number of pastors who told me they’d like to say/do more but didn’t want to upset people or maybe lose their job was a lot. Cancel culture?
10/ At some point, we need to stop being controlled by fear of opposition - either from the world or our own camp. We need to follow God and love sacrificially or do something else. Our fear of loss of power & position betrays a lack of trust that Jesus is our hope/savior.
11/ And, to be fair, I’ve gained FAR MORE than I’ve lost, rejections are minor compared to friends I’ve made, God is extraordinarily good, and I’m blessed. This wasn’t meant as a complaint. Just an observation that opposition can come from friends too. Not just perceived enemies.
