The Cross Of Jesus

The pinnacle of the Christian faith is undoubtedly found in the Cross of Jesus. No matter what tradition you glean from we (Christians) have always seen the cross to represent the climax of history for all humanity. Commonly, in response many Christians are filled with a sense of gratitude for the great sacrifice done our behalf.

I think that response is an appropriate one, but is that really all that we are supposed to do in response to the cross. Or is there a deeper more essential response that we have neglected in the latter end of Christian history when gleaning from that old rugged cross. Consider Philippians 2:5-8…

“In your relationships with one another, have the same attitude of mind Christ Jesus had:
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a human being, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!”

It seems as though the cross of Jesus for Paul was not only something to be grateful for, but also something to be mimicked. Paul takes a very hard look at the sacrifice, service, and suffering Jesus took on, and tells us to have that same mind that Christ did… interesting. In fact in verse 3 and 4 he explains what that looks like for us…

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”

That is a life shaped by the Cross of Jesus rather than one that is only grateful for the Cross of Jesus. Of course, this is not the only place we see this application of the cross in the Bible. When we look at 1 John 3:16-18, we see an expectation of us to imitate Jesus cross in our daily lives again. Except in this case, we see a more specific example of what it looks like. Check it out…

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for one another. If any one of you has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in you? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.”

As I understand it here, love is to have our lives shaped by the Cross of Jesus, in which we lay down our lives for others. Probably the best example of this lived out in America would have to be Martin Luther King, Jr., who not only literally gave his life to better the society he lived in, but he was shaped by the cross during his life as well, as he gave tirelessly of himself by putting others welfare before his own.

So we must look inward and ask, am I only grateful for the Cross, as though it is something only done for me, or am I in response also shaped by the cross, bearing it for the benefit of others as well? Freestyle with me… Is your life shaped and conformed by the Cross? What are the obstacles?

Pastor Encourages Members to Bring Guns to Church…

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A Kentucky pastor is inviting his flock to bring guns to church to celebrate the Fourth of July and the Second Amendment.
New Bethel Church is welcoming “responsible handgun owners” to wear their firearms inside the church June 27, a Saturday. An ad says there will be a handgun raffle, patriotic music and information on gun safety.
“We’re just going to celebrate the upcoming theme of the birth of our nation,” said pastor Ken Pagano. “And we’re not ashamed to say that there was a strong belief in God and firearms — without that this country wouldn’t be here.”

Family, I’m not sure what you think about the merging of Faith and Patriotism… Furthermore, should we be people who bring PEACE, or people who bring our PIECE??? Freestyle with me…

Color Me Blind… a must see, this is funny!!!

I have had an expereince somewhat similar to this a few different times in my life.  Not exactly the same, but I can relate to it.  Watch it and let me know what you think, I think it is good for us as a nation to continue to dialogue around the subject of race and diversity.  Freestyle with me…

Why 2 black men?

It’s the same old story, nothing new. White woman (Bonnie Sweeten) and her daughter (Julia) head south from Bucks County PA to Florida. Of course not before Bonnie claims that two black men abducted her and her daughter throwing her in the back of the trunk. Aside the fact that we already know that she was lying and has been found fine with her daughter in Florida… I am troubled (not surprised) that the same old stereotype was used. Any time you through in that black men did anything to a white woman it becomes instant national news. Had it been 2 white men blamed, we might not have even heard about it other than solely on local news. Why did she have to go there? I mean really, as a black man I got enough stares, looks and instant mistrust in certain neighborhoods already, I don’t need people thinking I possibly have abducted a white woman and her child as well. Ya see when blacks are believed to have committed a crime, they will grill any brotha within a 10 mile radius. But if she said white men, or just “men” without having to get racial, it would not have provoked any already sensitive stereotype. At the end we have not moved that far from the 1931 Scottsboro boys case.

African American Culture has global reach

Check this Korean praise team out and let me know what ya think!

Freestyle with me…

Cracked… Part 1


If someone didn’t pick it up from reading the bible, all one would need to do is look around (or inward) to see that we are comprehensively cracked and broken people. We are so distant and apathetic toward God, that it is embarrassing. Then of course, there a many of us who disregard God’s existence and imprint on all creation all together.

Our relationships with others is fractured as well. We lie, steal, commit adultery, become jealous, divide, hate, and kill one another. For those that do not commit those more outwardly vicious acts, let it play out inwardly with their thoughts and emotions. The damage we do to one another is clear evidence of our broken state.

Of course, we do not only do things to others, but we also have things done to us as well. We are betrayed, picked on, lied to, abused, mistrusted, and manipulated by others, leaving us even more damaged than we already were. Not to mention the harm that we do to ourselves as well, self hatred and self deceit, insecurities and fear, pride and ego, laziness, gluttony, and the list can go on and on. In the end we are left like a self contained island of disaster.

I would be wrong to ignore how we relate communally and globally as well. Because as messed up people, we make decisions that affect whole communities and other people groups all around the world. We are greedy, hoarding for ourselves and leaving little to nothing for others, we are apathetic towards others sufferings, we step on the powerless for our own gain. We stereotype others into villains, so that we might justify our actions against them, and we make distinctions from our own group, so that some can receive special privileges. All of this leaves our society systemically and structurally impaired.

We are comprehensively cracked and broken in every possible way and dimension. This is not a Calvinist piece on our total depravity, so we can sit around in a circle and dis on ourselves as a form of religious piety. Rather, I wonder how many places there are available for cracked and broken people to come together. My experience is that sadly the church is the last place where people can come together honestly and authentically, sharing their vulnerabilities and weak points. In church, we would rather put on a show as though we are perfect and deal with every situation with ease and grace because we are too blessed to be stressed.

How might we begin creating space where people can be transparent and authentic with one another in our brokenness. How might we lead others into cracked community, so that healing might take place? Freestyle with me…

Teach Us To Pray… Part 2

“This, then, is how you should pray,
‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.”

TEACH US TO PRAY… Part 1


One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” (Luke 11:1)

There are so many things we could learn from the Master. We could learn how to love, to die to oneself, to show mercy, to offer restoration, and much more from our Teacher. However when the disciples pulled up their desks, grabbed the notebooks from their backpacks, as well as some #4 pencils, they decided to enroll in Jesus’ School of Prayer 101. They did not ask how to turn water in to wine, how to do that feeding the five thousand trick, no they wanted Jesus to teach them how to pray. Are you enrolled in Jesus’ School of Prayer? And if so what are you learning? Freestyle with me…

Attention All Young People in the Philadelphia Area… You don’t want to miss this!

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WEC’s campus is located at… 709 Pennsylvania Ave, Fort Washington, Pa  19034.  Cya there…

Freestyle TV… tonight

Keep your eye on the Freestyle TV page. Tonight I will capture some live footage of an event called HANG out, which will include Holy Hip Hop performances from local Philly artists. Ill be taking video at various points between 7 and 10pm. Enjoy it live and in freestyle or later at your own convenience.