Activist Faith-Interviews and Blogs
Yesterday my book (cowritten with Dillon Burroughs and Dan King), Activist Faith released from Navpress. I wanted to share some of the conversations around this book from the web:
I wrote a guest post for Micah Fries, on the subject of crisis pregnancy centers:
While we are waiting and praying for Roe versus Wade to be overturned, there are opportunities to snatch babies from the precipice of death—in our own neighborhoods, one life at a time. And we have an opportunity to apply the grace of the gospel to young unwed mothers, helping them care for their children well after they give birth.
I’ve had the chance to work with a crisis center in our community. I’m amazed at the compassion, the love, and the effectiveness of this outreach. Though most young evangelicals might not see it this way, to serve and support a local CPC may be the most missional thing you can do. Not only are you shepherding a young girl through the biggest decision of her life, it provides an opportunity to share the good news of God’s love with someone who may feel as though their choices have left them ineligible for God’s grace.
Read the rest of that blog by clicking over to Micah’s site.
Then, I did an interview with Michael Kelley. Here is a portion of that interview:
1. What specifically made you want to write a book regarding Christian involvement in issues like these?
I’ve always had my ear to the ground when it comes to political issues and even dabbled in elective politics, helping some friends run for Congress a few years ago. But in the last five years I’ve served as a pastor and I feel it is part of my duty to help God’s people think clearly about the issues in our community, our country, and our world.
What strikes me is just how effective the Church can be when it mobilizes in a community. We can and should engage these issues on a political level (voting, speaking out, etc), but much of the work in solving issues is done on the ground, one person at a time, in very nonpolitical ways. I wanted to highlight these opportunities, so I invited my friends, Dan King and Dillon Burroughs to get involved. The idea is pretty simple: If you are particularly arrested by an issue, yes you should vote accordingly, but more importantly, there are ways you can help alleviate the problems, right now, in your local community. I’m amazed at just how the way God designed the Church to uniquely respond to social ills in a way that no other institution can.
You can read the whole interview by clicking over to MIchael’s blog
Then, Trilla Newbell interviewed me for CBMW:
Q: Why did you decide to write this book?
Dillon and Dan and I had the idea a couple of years ago. I’ve been a follower of politics most of my life and as a pastor, I’ve seen the impact of God’s people, motivated by the gospel, to meet human needs in their community. What strikes me is that after the elections are over and, regardless of whether your guy has won, there are needs you as a Christian can meet in your community. And if you look at almost every major social issue, there are followers of Jesus actively meeting those needs, on the ground, in a quiet and productive way. So the purpose of this book is really to help people leverage the concern they have for particular issues and connect them to ways they can help in nonpolitical ways in their local communities. So, for instance, if you’re hacked off about abortion–yes vote accordingly and speak out–but in the meantime, roll up your sleeves, open your wallet and support a local crisis pregnancy center. You can actually save real babies and help real women in your town.
And if you are available, I’d love to invite you to a special webcast with The High Calling at 2PM Eastern Time.