Roots: A Communal Journal

"Not by might, nor by power, but by my...actually, scratch that. Sometimes, you just have to take power and get stuff done," says the Lord. "I, Paul, determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified...actually, that would never work. Forget that I ever said that." "If anyone would follow me, they must deny themselves, take up their cross and...you know what? What would that even accomplish? I'm sorry. So impractical." Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, was like, "Yes! Finally. I get to call the shots and get stuff done!" Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword back in its...well, you know what? Go ahead use that thing to get stuff done!" Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." Peter took him aside and rebuked him. And Jesus repented, saying, "You are right Peter, what was I thinking? W...

 Jesus said that "the love of money is the root of all evil." It sure is a good thing that I don't love money. It's impossible - I give too much of it away, after all. Recurring payments to church and charity. Examine my budget and giving statements - you'll see. My mailbox is full of prayer letters and ministry updates. I don't need to read them to know my donations are making an impact. And hey if you need support, just ask and I'll probably say yes. "Prayerful consideration" is just a euphemism others make for loving money (or not being as financially gifted by God as I am). Fortunately for me, "it's more blessed to give than receive", which is also why I give to the community without presenting my own needs. Obviously, I can't give it all away. God called me to be a steward of resources. Jesus did tell the rich young ruler to give it all away and follow Him, but commentaries say that's a specific command to the rich youn...

I am grateful to have grown under the loving care of two godly parents that shaped my imagination about God and his world.  Unfortunately, too many others like me grew up with other Christian pastors, teachers, friends, and mentors who taught that when things were going wrong in our lives or the lives of others—if life was not one moment of glory followed by another—there were two possible answers: either we were not doing all of the right things or we were not believing all the right things. A lack of faith, a misstep here or there, results in hardships and divine disfavor. Meanwhile, material blessing and convenience was a "sign" from God that we were walking in step with his purposes.   This conception of God has been showing up routinely in evangelical responses to the COVID pandemic.  Most people would call this superstition. It is certainly not the gospel. It’s ironic that for many like me, this kind of superstitious theology was not all t...

I have been disappointed to see so much fear mongering and hand wringing by Christians over the somewhat recent California rules , which restricts, among other things, singing and chanting in enclosed spaces, as well as larger indoor gatherings. The concern seems to be this: Christians have an scriptural obligation to gather together in the same physical space, and to sing in sufficiently large groups, even when they know that doing so poses significant risks to their communities and will likely extend the ongoing pandemic through further outbreaks. That's just stunning to me. Absolutely stunning. Certainly, the Bible teaches that we owe God our worship, and that worship often takes the form of singing. We're also not supposed to "forsake the assembly"  (Hebrews 10:25), and some have argued that refusing to meet in person is to do just that. But when we love our neighbors, when we walk the extra mile, when we become the servant of all, when we l...

We watch television for many reasons. Sometimes, we watch it to escape. Or to feel a rush of adrenaline. Sometimes, we watch it to laugh. Other times, it helps us learn, or grieve, or remember. But sometimes, we watch it because it is a mirror on a screen. We see glimpses of ourselves through another reality. We pick up on threads that connect us to characters or stories. We tie those threads together to create tapestries of our lives - the little parts of us that make us whole. When we want television to act as our mirrors, it's even more important that what appears on those screens represents - even if only in little pieces at a time - the parts that make us who we are. So, when I see someone that looks like me on television, I jump at the opportunity to watch the movie or the show. I don't often care how good it is - I watch them because I think, in some small way, I'll find a mirror through the screen. I believe that I'm going to resonate with some part of...

[ Photo Credit: JEFF KOWALSKY/AFP via Getty Images ] I think it is fair to say that many of these Lansing "protesters" have convinced themselves that they are the heroes of their own story. You can see it throughout their public statements—they are constitutional champions, protectors of patriotism, legends of liberty. They are, in their own stories, the difference between keeping and losing the republic. Of course, they're wrong. These "protesters" are throwing a very public temper tantrum. With their rifles and respiratory particles, they are recklessly endangering themselves, their comrades, and the brave public servants facing them nose-to-nose. And of course, they are flaunting their ever-apparent white privilege.  To be frank, this selfish and senseless superhero complex is the predictable result of how many of us white folks grow up. And if we (white people) want to confront this protest, we have to confront that reality.  Think abou...

[ The "National Memorial for Peace and Justice" located in Montgomery, AL ]   -- Note: In January, I  posted  what amounted to a public confrontation with my with experience growing up as a White American Evangelical, and more specifically, the anti-Christian, violent impulses which I believe animate much of that community's public and political behavior. It was an attempt to kick-off a series of self-examinations on how my upbringing has shaped my development, tainted my values, and affected even my most basic understandings of the Christian faith. This post is a continuation of that "confrontation" and examination--it was also my answer when I was asked recently what it means to be "white". I welcome your perspectives and insight. -- To talk about whiteness, I feel as though I have to begin with what Chanequa Walker-Barnes describes as the "great moral injury" at the heart of whiteness (see her book I Bring the Voices of My Peo...

Last month, in an attempt to explain white evangelical support for President Trump, Brit Hume of Fox News wrote the following: " And he's willing to fight ."  I have been thinking about this tweet for weeks now. It's become a kind of magnet for many of my wayward reflections on race, politics, faith, and my own white American evangelical culture. That is, at least in part, because I believe Hume unwittingly identified the central deception which has captured the imagination of white American evangelicals: they regard their place in the wider American culture in terms of combat . It is this error which has led the vast majority of white American evangelicals to believe that the POTUS is fighting alongside them. For some time now, I have been reflecting on evangelicalism—the culture of evangelicals—and white American evangelicalism in particular. I grew up in a white evangelical home. We were homeschooled, watched Veggie Tales , attended non-denomin...

I love getting up on a Sunday morning to breakfast that awakens my senses. I love the sound of Spam (or more accurately, Great Wall Canned Pork and Ham), sizzling in its own salty, fragrant oil. I love poking through an over-easy egg, its bright, rich yolk gently piercing through. I love the smell of Nissin ramen, its rich broth of MSG, faux beef and sesame oil evaporating into the air and spreading across the room. Most importantly, I love the memory of what spam and egg on ramen brings. It brings the nostalgia of sharing a table with strangers in a Hong Kong teahouse, slurping our own bowls of piping hot noodle soup, never making eye contact with each other, but knowing that we all are joined by a shared experience: a communal, sweat-inducing, cholesterol-raising, and yet incredibly joyful three-and-a-half minute journey through the senses. These days, I joke about spam and eggs. I joke because it's the weird thing I still hold dearly to from my childhood. But I was reminde...

As roots grow over centuries of nurture and support, so do our identities – as peoples and cultures evolve and shape each other. Each of our identities become nuanced, with every experience and story unique from another. Yet, many of those stories are beautifully interconnected as if they formed an intricate tapestry. Those are the stories I’m hoping this communal journal will explore. The first is mine – a story shared by many Chinese Americans, and a story that holds both pain and privilege in intractable tension. This story, oftentimes, is one of privilege. It’s one that, whether we’ve chosen it or not, many of us enjoy. It’s where we can often choose to be accepted as if we were white. It’s where we’re thought of as smart and hard-working, earning the moniker of the “non-threating,” or “model minority,” or the “good” immigrant. It’s where many of us can walk into a conference room and be thought of as a trusted partner, not as the person bringing them coffee. It’s a privilege...