Political correctness is a misguided and shallow attempt to accomplish what needs to happen in our culture. What needs to happen in our culture needs to first happen in the Church. Recently, the Lord has blessed our church with the opportunity to partner with an African-American church in our community. This is NOT an effort to be more PC or more "tolerant." No, this is an effort for the church to be what Christ created it to be: Authentic.

This post may hurt some feelings, but that is not the goal. The goal is to shift our thinking toward a better solution for our families, children and community.
I often (though not often enough) hear parents say, "We really want to get our kids into church," or "We need to start going to church for our kids." My honest, initially unspoken response is, "Why?" The parents who say this are obviously not going to church. Here is the challenge: If church is not important in their lives, why should they expect church to be important in their children's lives? What are these parents really hoping for?

Is there REALLY a need for going to church? A man once told me that he loved to go hunting on Sunday mornings because he felt closer to God while sitting in a tree stand, surrounded by creation, than he did while sitting in a pew surrounded by Christians. The man's claim seemed disingenuous, but the general sentiment he shared is one I think is rampant in our post-Christian culture and even among Christians. Do Christians have to go to church? Likely, a vast majority of people would say "no," but that vast majority would be wrong. Here's why... 

Does God really answer prayers? Is the whole business about God simply a coping mechanism for people to get through tough times? While it might be nice, does it really make a difference to believe in God, pray to God, or do what the Bible says? Yes, is my obvious answer, but maybe not in the cliché ways people often expect from a pastor or believer. Here's why...

I listened to a father speak of his heartbreak over his son. His son was convinced he was destined for failure. The boy was capable of achieving good things, but often chose to not even try. He felt worthless. The parents felt powerless. Nothing the father or mother could say seemed to change the boy's mindset. Even if an A was scored on a test, the boy was not convinced of his ability. The father and mother were not sure what to do to help.
Is it possible some are destined for failure?
Three men and their stories may help us know this Easter.

Christians are abuzz about the fact that Michael Phelps is talking about God and the book Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. Hopefully, Michael truly has found a purpose larger than winning another medal. Celebrities are often heralded for these things, but sadly, it is easy to be skeptical. Many celebrities have made their faith public only to later be entangled in scandal. Yet, maybe they reflect the unfortunate norm in many churches...  

I am a former police officer. Half of my three years of service was spent in a community where 50% of the population was African-American. The remaining portion of my service was in a community that was 85% Caucasian. This short time in law enforcement showed me that skin color has no bearing on the level of depravity in a human. I engaged criminals of every ethnicity, and I helped victims of every ethnicity. Sin is not an ethnic condition but a human condition. Why has the racial tension exploded in this nation? How should followers of Christ respond?