Would Donald Sterling be welcomed in your church?

First of all, I am outraged by the racial statements made by Donald Sterling and believe that he should be called to repentance, but it seems to me that we are missing a big issue here.  Why are we not concerned about the fact that Donald Sterling's mistress copied a private conversation and gave it to an organization that makes a living off of celebrity gossip, i.e. TMZ.  Shouldn't TMZ be held accountable for participating in private intrusion, regardless of the comments being made?  If Donald Sterling made comments about doing physical harm to African Americans and Hispanics, wouldn't they be held responsible for not acting and notifying the authorities?  Also, shouldn't we be outraged by the fact that a married man has a girlfriend that he publicly parades around.  What about Donald's wife?  Shouldn't she be outraged that her husband's mistress is now seen as a hero for releasing a private conversation?  

I do believe in freedom of speech, but at the same time, I believe in the legal due process.  The tape released by TMZ should never have been published.  Americans have expressed their displeasure with the NSA and the U.S. government spying on people without their knowledge.  Why are we not demanding the same standard for TMZ?  Of course, I completely disagree with Sterling's comments, but he has made comments like these before and no one has expressed any public outrage.  In fact, the NAACP was going to give Sterling a lifetime achievement award for his contribution to their organization.  I don't understand that!  Where was the NAACP when Sterling was sued twice by the federal government for refusing to rent apartments to African-Americans and Latinos?  In my opinion, the NAACP is no longer a relevant institution.  

Maybe the larger gospel-centered question is, would Donald Sterling be welcome in your church after such a tragic fallout?  Are we as Christians ready to put racial reconciliation into action?  Honestly, I don't think any church would want the media attention that would ensue if Sterling would attend a church service.  But the question still stands.  

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 says, "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."

If we are honest, we have all been guilty of racism or discrimination at some level, but because of Christ, we are a new creation (1 Corinthians 5:17).  Donald Sterling is not too racist that Christ cannot transform him.  The NBA is not the church, and so I don't expect them to act in such a manner.  However, the Sterling situation, presents a perfect opportunity for the church to share the gospel of reconciliation.  Sterling is not a lost cause.  He needs the gospel just as much as I do.  

The Power of the Father Wound

Will you join me in praying for children in the foster care system?

My wife never ceases to amaze me.  She is so loving and kind and tender-hearted.  Seeing her heart for children in the foster system has affected me greatly.  I never thought about adopting, until I saw my wife's heart for foster children.  She wrote a recent blog about the story of two kids, one of them ours and the other a picture of a child who is in the foster care system.  I invite you to read her blog "A Tale of Two Kiddies", and join me in prayer for those children waiting to be adopted, and also for those children who are one abuse away from Child Protections Services taken them away from all they've ever known.  Join me in also praying for families who neglect and abuse their children.  Pray that mothers and fathers would love their children so much that CPS would never have to take them away in the first place.

There are no categorical differences between men and women: Agree or Disagree

We live in a culture that blurs the line between men and women.  Late 19th and early 20th century depictions of men and women are antiquated.  Should we listen to our grandparents' description of differences between men and women?  How do we honor our parents and grandparents as Christians in understanding what it means to be a man or women?  Should we differentiate between men and women?  How do we deal with someone's presupposition about gender roles, functions, and inherent sexuality?  How do we raise a child who is a boy or a girl?

It seems to me that in our day and age calling out any differences between men and women are controversial.  I mean other than the obvious physiological differences, are we we the same?  Should physiological differences dictate the way we perceive each other and communicate? I know that I have asked more questions than answers.  So please give me your two cents, and do keep in mind that whatever you do in word and deed should be to the honor and glory of God who created both men and women as image-bearers full of His beauty.

Does the birth control pill cause abortions?

Many Christians, including myself, are against all forms of abortion.  Christians have been historically pro-life, and rightly so.  However, when it comes to birth control, it seems like this is a gray area for many believers.  What do you think?  Is there a difference between a mother going to the doctor for an abortion during the early stages of pregnancy or taking a pill that prevents an embryo from being fertilized?  What should the churches stance on birth control be?  I would love to hear your responses before giving my opinion on the matter.  Also if you have some free time, then skim through this book on the matter of birth control written by Randy Alcorn (click name to read).

What is "good" music?

This past weekend, Dr. John Hodges challenged my Introduction To Worship class to think about what constitutes "good" music.  If you hear a band, orchestra, choir, solo artist, or group; or if you hear a great album, cd, or single, then what makes you chase down your friend, family member, or significant other and tell them, "You have to listen to _____!  This is good music!"  What makes music "good"?  Why do we feel compelled to share with someone when we experience "good" music?  I would love to hear your responses.

When Jesus is Worship Leader ( Video Sermon ) - Dr. Sinclair B. Ferguson

Sermon points:
1. Jesus gathers us together and brings us to God the Father as His own family
2. Jesus leads us in our praises
3. Jesus preaches to us from God's Word
4. Jesus Christ is present in worship to meet us in all of our needs.

What a powerful sermon about the centrality of Christ in the worship service!  This is a message not only for "worship leaders/song leaders" but also for the average man or woman seeking genuine God-centered worship in your worship services.  As the Contemporary Worship Leader at Grace Bible Church in Dallas, TX, I am profoundly convicted by this sermon; I want to change my title to The Contemporary Worship Follower at Grace Bible Church, where Christ is the Worship Leader.  Please post any thoughts about this sermon, and let's rethink how we do worship services.

The Gangnam Style Effect

Gangnam Style is the most popular dance out right now.  Everyone from celebrities, presidents, prime ministers, and the United Nations have endorsed it.  Korean pop star, Psy, is the mastermind behind this overnight internet success story.  The youtube video is approaching 1 billion views!  So what's the obsession with a video that's in Korean that hardly anybody in the U.S. can understand?  What does the fact that this video is the #1 viewed youtube video in over 30 countries say about the future of music?  

According to Rocket Boom Magazine, Psy's Gangnam Style video earned between $13-15 million U.S. dollars in 4 months.  Lebogang Mukansi, a blogger from BizCommunity.com broke down Psy earnings in his blog:

• As a YouTube partner Psy is expected to earn anything from USD2.5 to USD5 per 1000 views on his YouTube channel. So far, the video has been watched by more than 670 million viewers. Do the maths. At more than 670,000,000 unique views divided by 1000 is 670,000 x USD2.50 (R26.10) = R17,487,000. Yep, that's 17 million big ones from one YouTube video.
• Other income streams include appearance fees of USD60 000 (R522,000) per event for product launches, clubs and company events etc. He also got paid USD4 million (R34.8m) at a rate of USD400,000 per advert and has done 10 adverts in the last three months. Psy.com released information on Psy's earnings that indicate that his concert tickets sales have netted him an additional USD4 million (R34.8m). 
• So is it a hit? Well, Gangnam Style was number onein 18 countries on iTunes, including America, it topped the UK Top 100 and spent two weeks at number one. It also rose to the US Billboard Top 100 singles staying at number two for two weeks in a row and it is still maintains its number one Digital Billboard spot for the last 11 weeks.
• Korean Album sales and digital streaming. Digital sales 2.8 and 2.7 million downloads online streams in South Korea. Sadly all this represents is just under USD300,000, but he made way more from appearance fees and concerts.

So, the question stands, how did Gangnam Style receive worldwide attention in such a short period of time?  Before I answer this question, one must wonder, what is Gangnam Style all about since the video is in Korean.  In an interview with NPR, Psy described Gangnam Style saying, "Gangnam is a territory in Seoul, Korea. I describe it as noble at the daytime and going crazy at the night time. I compare ladies to the territory. So — noble at the daytime, going crazy at the night time — and the lyric says I am the right guy for the lady who is like that."  It doesn't get any shallower than that.  Some suggest that is a sociological critic of the over indulgent lifestyle of the residents in the Gangnam district, located in South Korea.  Even if that was true, the fact that the song is in Korean makes it hard to think beyond the images of the video that clearly portray a man trying to get "the ladies".

Now that we sort of understand the videos deeper esoteric meaning, why the sudden success?  While the video apparently in the beginning had 15 million views before Scooter Braun, Justin Bieber's manager, saw the video and decided to sign Psy to a recording contract.  Braun used his industry influence to get Psy in front of every media outlet and television show out there.  And as a result, the Gangnam Style video went from 15 million to over a 100 million overnight.  In some respect, this Gangnam effect is a case study in genius marketing and branding; and that may be the case, but I would suggest that the Gangnam Style effect is deeper than just marketing, it's about our global culture.  

Because of the ubiquitous nature of the internet, more and more of the world's population is online.  According to Internet World Stats, worldwide internet users are broken down in the following way: Asia 44.8%, Europe 21.5%, North America 11.4%, Latin America/Caribbean 10.4%, Africa 7%, Middle East 3.7%, and Oceania/Australia 1%.  As far as the percentage of each regions' population that uses the internet (internet penetration rates), the stats are: North America 78.6%, Oceania/Australia 67.6%, Europe 63.2%, Latin America/Caribbean 42.9%, Middle East 40.2%, Asia 27.5%, Africa 15.6%.  The average is 34.3%.  Therefore 34.3% of the world's population uses the internet.  

Let's analyze the facts here.  If Asians represent 44.8% of total internet users and only 27.5% of Asian countries actually have access to the internet and almost 80% of Americans have access to the internet, then don't you see why an Asian internet sensation with an American marketing team makes sense for ratings and viewership.  I think the Gangnam Style effect is only the beginning of European and American marketing companies  and corporations partnering with Asian countries, primarily to make record high sales.  I mean look at Facebook.  About 60% of Facebook users are Western (North America, South America, and Europe).  Facebook hasn't even reached its full potential with 800 million active users.  Just imagine the influence of the buying power of U.S. and European dollars and the huge untapped market segment of Asians (nearly 4 billion people...which is about 57% of the world's population).  The Gangnam Style effect will be a way of life in a globalized economy.

Chris Broussard speaks on Christians influencing culture

The Composer

Jennifer Main - The Composer

I come to thee

I come to you

I come like David in Psalm 22,

Yet I am in two…

Torn between that which I want and that which I do

The apostle said it best, I do not do what I want but I do the very thing I detest

O wretched man that I am who will deliver me from this body of death!

I breathe fallen air;

 A corrupted sphere

Marred by a nature of fear

That has coalesced with despair

Some say, “It’s not fair!”

But what is fair?

When man was created for someone higher, yet chose something lower

Yes, I’m talking about the forbidden fruit

The root of our freedom to chose

Freedom to lose

When winning seems overrated, like scoring another point when the game is already won.

Freedom comes with a price.

One man died so that we could have life

Just as one man died and brought upon strife

Yeah, life’s not worth living when you’re living for yourself

Man was made to love someone higher than himself

That’s why the Creator, God, put man on a shelf

To reflect His glory, the glory of Himself

What wealth of wisdom to be put on display

The complexity of man, only a shadow of His ways

His rays, enlightening the sun to shine on the moon so that the very sight of light at night might cause us to long for home…

Yes, man was made for something higher

Someone greater

Some event later in time

When the composer would visit his words and make them all rhyme

Matt Chandler on Hip Hop (@mattchandler74 @rapzilla)

What is behind the fear of young black men in America?

When you think about young black men in America, what picture do you see?  Do you see a group of thugs with no father figure or do you see potential leaders?  Most of us, if we're honest, do not think about young black men in America as potential leaders.  We default to viewing young black men through the lens of stereotypes, mainstream rappers, criminals on the news, and our own internal fears.

What is behind the fear of young black men in America?  Before I answer this question, I think we need to ask a preliminary question.  And that question is this: what is behind fear?  I believe when people feel threatened or in danger, one reacts in fear.  The fight or flight response kicks in.  Fear also comes from the lack of perceived control on subjective reality.  We fear what we can't control.  Let's be real, if we see a group of young black men with braided hair, dreadlocks, and sagging pants, then we get a little uneasy.  All the negative associations people have placed on young black men come flooding into our minds and we become afraid.  We are not use to being in the company of young black men who look "thuggish".  I for one, as a black male, have experienced this type of fear.  Depending on the neighborhood I'm in, if I see a group of black guys who are dressed like Lil Wayne (top picture to the right) stare me down, then I get uneasy.  I usually look the young men in their faces, lift my chin in the air, and say, "What's up?"  More often than not, I get a similar response in return.  Now if you are not black, you might say, "That's easy for you, Andrew, all black guys do that to each other!"  Well, you're right!  It's like saying "What's up?" is the universal black brotherhood greeting...but I digress.

Back to issue at hand, I believe that we fear young black men because we have many internal fears, for example, fearing loss of control, fearing danger, feeling threatened, fearing any symbol of strong masculinity, maybe you were robbed by a young black man, maybe you were bullied by a young black man, maybe you're afraid of what they will think of you...the list can go on and on.  We succumb to fear because deep down we know that we are not in control.  We seek to manipulate our reality as much as possible to appear in control.  We live in certain neighborhoods, wear certain clothes, go to certain schools, hold certain jobs, and marry certain people because we want to control our environment as much as possible.  When our controlled experiment doesn't work, fear takes its place.  But fear was there all along, motivating us to maintain a level of reality to keep us from constant worrying.

We fear black males because we can't control them.  We can't tell them what to dress, how to behave, how to talk, and which side of the sidewalk to walk on.  We are powerless to change a young black man who exudes a level of confidence that seems stifling at times.  What if that young black man is afraid of you?  What if he's wandering, why are they looking at me like that?  Why do I feel out of place when I'm surrounded by a bunch of people who are not from my neighborhood?  Why do I feel like I'm sub-human?  You see, fear is not a monologue, but a dialogue between both parties.  One party may be able to hide it better than the other.  The truth is we are all afraid of something.  The question is how do we react when we're afraid?  1 John 4:18 says, "Perfect love cast out fear."  Jesus Christ loved us so much that he decided to face the ultimate fear and that is, to be a man clothed in sin in the hands of a holy God.  Jesus removed the barrier of hostility away from us so that we can approach God the Father in love every time we are afraid and ask Him to remove our fears just like His Son removed our sins.

Potentiality

Potentiality

Check out a sample of a song I'm working on.

Time To Revive!

A friend of mine from Park Cities Presbyterian Church in Dallas, TX asked me to sing for Kyle Martin's Time To Revive Show.  The February 15, 2012 show features Brian Piper and I.  If you type in Time To Revive with Kyle Martin in iTunes or you can click on this link: Time To Revive.  It will be the 98th podcast listed on the iTunes link.  Hope you all enjoy!

It's a war!

While I was in college, I was apart of a hip-hop/pop/gospel/r&b group called 308.  Check out our inspirational song, "Believe."

What do you think about hearing teaching over a hip-hop beat?

Hello, readers.  I am working with the Aura Radio Show, a Christian Hip-Hop podcast that plays music, provides commentary on scripture, and presents interviews from the biggest names in the Christian Hip-Hop industry.  Wesley Brooks, the founder and CEO, ask me to teach on John 1:1-18 with a hip hop beat in the background.  Here's an example of what we've done: http://www.theauraradio.com/audiostudies/johnred115a.mp3

If you want to hear more, then please download the Aura Radio Show App.  Let me know what you think.

Dr. Carl Ellis: A Cultural Translator with a Biblically Reformed Perspective

Check out Dr. Ellis' blog: Prophets of Culture: Social Justice: A Foot Race Paradigm: There was no way I could anticipate the appalling reaction I received from the college students when I returned their assignments. Some of ...

My New Favorite Gospel Song

Keller, Piper, and Bradley Q&A Session (Click Me)

Tim Keller, John Piper, and Anthony Bradley discuss Race in America (Click Me)