Great Wall - Stand Together

I have to admit that I did not grow up in poverty.  Sure I was born and mostly raised in North Philadelphia, but just before my adolescence, I moved to Northeast Philadelphia.  I've never had any true run-ins with law enforcement besides looks and being followed in a store every once in a while.  However, I knew many people that would come to me explaining some of the brutalities they faced, and I would often chalk it up to nonsense.

Please do not get me wrong, there are more good, honorable officers than dishonorable ones.  But the sad news is that we are judged by our extremes- from Westboro to Jihadists.  The best thing we can do is to continue to show others that our negative extremes aren't who we are legitimately.

However, due to the recent events, it's becoming much harder for me to continue to turn a blind eye to the cries of my African American brothers.  The boiling point came to me when I saw a video of a black man being arrested, willingly surrendering by going face first into the ground.  As he was descending, one of the white police officers kicked him in the face, breaking his jaw, and knocking him unconscious.

My first reaction to this video was: ARE YOU KIDDING ME.  Forget the fact that this incident happened in the area I live in, but it's going to put me in utter disgust when I hear people justify this officer's actions.  There is no justification.

Do you believe that he is a criminal?- If answer is yes, please proceed.
Do you believe that he is human? - If answer is yes, please proceed.
Do you believe that he was violently resisting arrest? - If answer is yes, please proceed.
Do you believe that a human that isn't violently resisting arrest, deserves to get a broken jaw from an officer's boot?...Enough said.

Disbelief.  Utter disbelief.  What more needs to be done?  What more can I do?  These are the questions that are frolicking through my mind like little kids running through a field.

Then, I heard a song.  One of my absolute favorite songs.  It's a song that calls for unity.  A song that calls for unity first and foremost with those that are covered in the blood of Jesus Christ.  If we, as the Church, take a stand, there is no force of Hell that can overtake us.  Lets be honest, we might not like each other, but we need each other.  Don't believe me, take a look at 1 Corinthians 12:12-31.

The song is called Great Wall and it's by a rapper named Da' T.R.U.T.H.  I beg you not to judge the song by the cover because it's a rapper.  No, listen and read the words.:

I'm going to leave you with some of the lyrics that hit hardest to me and keep in mind, this song is talking about the bride of Christ--the Church.  We have a TON of work to do if we are seriously planning on changing the world.

"We choosing our membership based on the hour and the reverent skin;

So from the pews to the president;

We struggle to love each other like the Jews and Samaritans."

"It's like the movie "Crash" --it's a vicious cycle;

Like aluminum cans, the hatred gets recycled."

"Lord, what kind of madness is this?

I'm looking at your body, it's like a caste system.

But in Revelation chapter 7, when we snap the picture;

We see the king and every Christian, every land's forgiven;

Every tribe, every tongue (of) man is represented;

And unified by the Son and his plan of redemption;

To reconcile the nations, the great and the small;

So we life our hands and give him praise (because) he's breaking the walls."

I REFUSE to take an "us" versus "them" mentality within the church.  There is no us, there is no them, there is only We.  When one of us suffers, then we all suffer.  I'm calling on my fellow brother and sister in Christ to examine yourself and at least consider, that there may be, just may be something wrong.  We need to be together.

The Bastardization of Christian Worship Music

Have you ever had a friend (or maybe you're that friend) that tries wayy to hard to fit in.  This friend will at times bend his or her morals just to feel accepted, just to feel in the "in-crowd?"  I know that I've been like that at times and from experience, your popularity won't last very long. Either your popularity runs out because people realize that you are a phony, or you lose the drive continuously being something you're not due to its draining effect.

That is what's happened to Christian -- "God" Music.  What first started as an experiment of blending new music and sound to reach new generations, have lost, what Charismatic People call: "anointing."

Anointing.  That indescribable feeling when you hear an artist sing or play that you can just feel; that ministers to you.  Too many of our music is now lacking this.  Too many of our mainstreams songs are being made just to grab a buck.  While money is nice, the Bible reminds us that the love of money is the root of all evil. (1 Tim. 6:10)

An artist that produces music that is intended to impact a Christian-seeking audience (and also a Christian artist that wants to reach out to secular crowds) shouldn't have the primary motive of making money.  Our primary motive, in all that we do, is to glorify God and to draw people closer to Jesus.  And while peppering Jesus' name throughout a song might satisfy your conscious for a while, you are essentially turning Jesus' temple (which is everywhere) into a "den full of thieves."  Of which Jesus drove out. (Matt 21:13)

Some people might think that the title of this blog is kinda harsh and I would be inclined to agree with them.  However, as a worship leader who dabbles in artistry (bass player) as well as spent a good portion of my life directing choirs, I'm getting sick and tired of Jesus-music being made just for the money.  Or even worse just so that the artist can become famous.  Or even worse, the artist has become famous, has a loyal following, and has allowed the love of money get to their head which puts their lovers at risk.  So yes, I am annoyed thus the harsh title.

What happened to that music where you can listen to the first verse of it and just feel the Holy Spirit moving through it?  For example, I'm sitting in my bed earlier in the year watching the Passion Conference in Atlanta.  All of a sudden this woman starts singing, of whom I'd never heard of, but you may know her as Kari Jobe.  She sang the Revelation Song (which I'd never been too fond of).  Right when she starts singing the verse, I felt an instant shutter.  By the end of the song I was BLOWN AWAY because that song had anointing.

I will be the first one to admit that I'm an overly emotional black man when it comes to worshipping and I'm not ashamed.  But if you aren't feeling something by the bridge..Then maybe I'm just insane.

A fellow blogger Dan asked me a question about Christian Bands, and how do I perceive them.  My response is that I have no problem with huge bands; from little garage bands to organs to orchestral sympathies.  If you were to look through my iTunes you would see a range of all different instrumentation; it doesn't matter.
For example: (another Kari Jobe example--you can see how much I like her)

I don't wanna take up too much space, but I can go on..and on with different musical styles.  I'll admit it, this whole anointing thing can be accused of being subjective.  Nevertheless, I believe that when the Holy Spirit is on a song, anyone that's in tune can feel it.  I'm not a big fan of Southern Country music such as the Gaithers.  I would be remissed, however, to say that their music doesn't have some anointin.

My God is not one of limits.  I'm not going to call out people of whom I feel have "sold out" to mainstream ideal of M.O.E. (Money over Everything).  I'm just a worshipper who wants some genuine new songs to worship to.

For all of my gospel loving brother and sisters, here's a gospel song that I feel when it's sang:

I would love to hear your comments.  Who knows I might need to write a Pt. 2.

This blog is written in concurrance with Michael Gungor's "On the Problem With the Christian Music Industry"

--MJA

When Ushers Become Bouncers

Recently my heart has been stricken with the realization that things just aren't the way they should be.  I'm not necessarily talking about the world we live in, but I'm talking about how we, Christians 1. Treat each other and 2. Treat others.  To increase the scope of this discussion even further, I'm talking more about the church.

A little less than a week ago one of my brothers in Christ posted a blog talking about Grace in the Church (which I encourage all of the readers to read; its very short).  The church is supposed to be one of the greatest proprietors of grace and ironically, at times it feels like it's the most against it.

When I think about what church, the first absolute first thing should come to mind is Grace followed by Mercy.  When you come to church you are acknowledging that you have fallen.  You are hurting.  You need to be surrounded by other people like you.  You need to go to the hospital and see Dr. Jesus in the ER.  Jesus reminds us in Mark 2:17 that healthy people aren't the ones that need the doctor; rather its the sick.  Not just the sick, but the professed sick.

When you become a Christian, when you decide to be in the fellowship of other believers, you are acknowledging that you need help.  That living this life in isolation is desolate.  That you absolutely need Jesus.  That you absolutely need to be Taken the The King!

I pray that this isn't taken by deaf ears and I will be as respectful as I can possibly be, but, with that premise, why are we turning people away from the building?  A free clinic will not turn away people regardless of their insurance policy but the church, the ultimate free clinic will turn away someone because they haven't been "churchified" yet.  It is one of the most disheartening things to me, when I hear stories of church ushers that should be defined more as bouncers.  We shouldn't be turning away people that sin differently than us, we should be embracing them.  We should have our church doors open to those that think differently than us, dress differently than us, think differently than us.  That's what the beauty of Christendom is.

If you see a young person with their pants hanging half way on their waist, hat on backwards, walking up to your church building you have every right to tell them respectfully that it's not proper etiquette to wear the hat in the building.  I have absolutely no problem with that.  But when you, as the "church goer" gets to the point where you talk down to them and say that same phrase snarlingly.  That, I have a problem with.  With the former situation, you are talking out of love.  You are not asking for a huge commitment and you are respectful.  With the latter, you are just talking out of plain disrespect and animosity to people different from you.

Jesus didn't make people change in order to be in his presence (and this man was the Son of God!).  No, he came to the level where the most hurting where at.  He took a lot of criticism for it. But he went after their heart, not their outward expression.  He let the people be changed through constant interaction not forceable interjection.

Now let me be clear.  I again have no problem if a church has specific policies for leaders.  For example if both men and women can't wear clothes that reveal too much while they are on stage because when it comes down to it, leadership is a privilege   But when church-folk try to super-impose a second form of salvation; that you have to be just like us or you can't be taken to the King, we have a HUGE HUGE HUGE problem!

No wonder Christians have this bad reputation of being judgmental   No one, I repeat NO ONE should have to feel like they have to "get right" in order to go to church.  I pray that this doesn't fall on deaf ears because it's something that we need to take into serious consideration or I'm afraid that insituation that we know as the church may crumble to pieces (especially in the Western Hemisphere).  We need to extend that Grace & Mercy that Christ has given us because if we are completely honest, we are just as consistently broken and torn down as some of these people that get turned away.

--MJA

Truth Is I'm Tired

I know that I said I wasn't going to blog for a while, but this has entered into my heart like a fire.  Like a raging, rushing river.  I'm just disgusted.  Epically Disgusted at what I've seen.  What I've read.  What I've heard.  We...are killing each other.  We are drawing people away from the Truth.

If I was to sum my Christian beliefs in a 4 Point Sermon, I would say:

1. Jesus Lived

2. Jesus Died

3. Jesus Rose

4. He's Coming

Am I missing anything?  Did I omit anything?  Where's my talk about the hatred of homosexuals?  Where is my debate about Abortion?  Where's my controversial decision to pray in schools?  Oh wait, that's not there.  You know why?  Because when it alll comes down to it, those ideas aren't that important.  The important things in my life all circle around those 4 ideals.

Firstly, I believe that Jesus lived on this earth.  He was the living example of how all humans should be, both male and female.  He was perfect in all ways, never sinning.  And you know what is the most important thing that he taught in his ministry?  To LOVE.  Jesus ate and drank with prostitutes and tax collectors (whom at that time were perceived as some of the most vile people).  He reprimanded the "religious" because they held all God's statutes but forgot about God's creation.  They didn't love each other or the others.

Secondly, I believe that Jesus Died on the Cross.  He died on the cross Just for me.  But wait, it wasn't just for me.  He died on the cross for everyone.  The Jew and the Gentile.  The Greek and the Hebrew. The Westerner and the Easterner.  The believer and the non-believer.  I know I've said this before, but Jesus died the worst death possible for the time he lived, crucifixion   And He did it when everyone deserted him, mocked him, and forsake him.  But he still Loved everyone!  When the robber on the side of him proclaimed him to be the Son of God he told him that the robber would go to heaven.  While he was up there giving his life, he thought of me...he thought of us.

Thirdly, I believe that Jesus Rose from the grave.  Why did He rise?  So that all those people that mocked him, would see who He really was.  He rose so that the unbeliever would believe.  I picture it as Jesus telling everyone, "I'm not dead!  Wake Up! I'm right in front of your face!"  He also rose again to combat the devil.  To tell the devil that this isn't your kingdom.  It's mine!  You think you can kill my savior?  You don't have any chance!

Most importantly, I believe that he is coming back!  It is my motivation to do what I do.  To say what I say.  No one knows when that day comes, but it is coming ya'll.

So what am I angry about?  I am angry that the "believers" aren't acting like it.  We seemingly don't have the urgency that we should.  Keep in mind that I am saying the "we believers" in a general tone because if one of us is failing, it looks bad on all of us!  We are too busy occupying ourselves with the politics of the body, politics of the mind.  We are killing ourselves....we are killing everyone.  I'm not even talking about a Physical death.  I'm talking about a spiritual death.

For me, you will never see me get into a heated debate about the "controversial" topics.  I personally am against abortion except in extreme cases.  I do believe that homosexuality is a sin.  It is a sin along with drukenness, audultry, gluttony and a host of other things.  When it comes down to it, I honestly don't care about the "controversial" topics. If I met a woman who had an abortion or a person that is attracted to the same-sex I wouldn't care.  I'm not going to turn away and judge somebody for their past.  I'm going to do what I'm commanded to do.  To love them.  To show them Christ's love through mine actions, through my words.

Wake up people!  We are driving generations (especially mine) from the Church in astronomical numbers.  I read in a recent book that ina a recent survey, 91% of young adults who are nonbelievers call christians judgmental.  Whoa.  Aren't we the ones that believe in Jesus.  And isn't Jesus the one that said on numerous occasions that He didn't come to condemn the world?  Why are we going around condemning everyone?  Why are we going around judging everyone?  What's up with dat! (For more information check out my pervious blog post "No Condemnation"

It's hard for me to find a church family as a believer because I go in alot of places and I feel a disconnect.  And it's not necessarily from the congregation, but it's also some times from the pastoral staff!  We are called to spread the Gospel.  To shed light on the world. Ahhhhhhh!!!

No more!  No more of it!  No more woman being turned away from the church because you found out she had an abortion.  No more lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender men and women being turned away from the hospital because you feel like their sin is too great.  REALITY CHECK!  ALL sin kills.  The wages of sin is death people. As Pastor Woody said: "STOP ALL THIS HATIN'" Chill with the judgin and start focusing on the lovin'.  In theory, for the Christians, the Word should've changed you life.  Well......act like it! GAH!

We are in a war people.  The Devil is trying to tell everyone that us CHristians are judemental.  That we hate homosexuals.  That we are overly political.  But let me tell you that the devil is a LIAR!  Let's act like it!

Love

Love

Love

I See You (The Stories)

A.
I see you....young man.  You've come from a pretty privileged lifestyle.  You've never experienced a truly rough moment in your life financially.  You've now grown up and have your own job, your own life, your own career...your own money.  Life is good.  You somehow thought that money would make you happy.  I mean it seemingly made your parents happy all their lives right?  But for you, you was looking for something more...You have even more money than you can spend.  But you need something more.  So you turn to alcohol...then drugs.  Eventually you find yourself so caught up in a cycle of addiction that you start getting angry. Angry at God for allowing this to happen.  "God, if you make me stop drinking I promise I'll serve you forever."  But it hasn't happened...Why hasn't it happened.

B.
I see you woman.  Your dad abused you when you was younger.  Not only did he abuse you sexually, but verbally and physically as well.  Before high school he could be described as an absentee but present father.  He was working all the time.  Never reaching out to talk to you, to teach you about his love.  Never to appreciate you.  But now little girl has all grown up into her high school body, and now he's no longer an absentee but present father.  He's an always present, always thirsty man.  A man of authority in your life that made you do horrendous things.  Things that you'll never forget forever.  It haunts you that you can still remember these things.  "Why did this happen to me!"  You fall in a cycle of clinical depression that drives you up the walls.  You have a hard time trusting any man in your life so why would you trust God the Father...why?? What hope is out there...

C.
I see you...Scared little girl, that's entering this big scary world.  With no direction.  With no hope. With no support.  I mean there is direction and hope but you don't see it.  You have loving parents.  You have a family that has done everything to prove their love to you in the past.  But now you've grown up.  Made some mistakes you regret, and now you have to live with them.  You feel like everyone has turned their back on you.  Those close to you act like they still love you, but do they really?  Do they really care about you?  Cuz if they did, they wouldn't have abandoned you at your weakest hour...at your weakest moment.  Then you turn to God, and you question Him...."How could you let this happen.  I've heard stories about your love and your grace but how could you let this happen to me!"....So you continue through life....

D.
I see you bro.  All your life you wanted to have confirmation.  Confirmation that what you was doing was the right thing.  Confirmation that you was good at sports.  Alll you wanted to hear was the man in your life say: "good job son."  But you never heard it....And you grew up hating your dad for it.  You didn't grow up with a father...you had a mom.  And sure, your mom tried, God bless her soul she tried and did an excellent job filling that void...but it just wasn't enough.  You go through your life angry at the world.  Angry at everything.  You've learned to turn that anger into productivity, but that anger still resides in you.  You reach out to other "Father" figures, but its not the same.  And now you here a preacher to tell you to call God your Father.  Are you kidding me???  Trust God, whom you've never met before.  Nah man, you trippin....

E.
I finally see you girl.  You grew up with a single parent.  And for he most part you are fine with it.  But there's a kicker to it.  Your mom is an alcoholic and extremely possessive.  There were two of you, but your bother died when you was younger and ever since then, she hasn't been the same.  She doesn't want you to go off to college.  She doesn't want you to grow up and leave her.  She's afraid of losing you...afraid of being alone.  So she guilts you into staying.  She makes you stay.  But you know that you have to get out.  You have to leave.  You've been out of college for a while and you see your friends moving on in life.  Jesus, why won't you just cure her of her loneliness and help her let me go.  It drives me crazy with her mood swings due to the alcohol.  I can't keep living like this!  I'm calling on you to help my mom.  Will you help her...please???? I pray for all the time.

These are just the stories that you may or may not be able to relate to.  I don't expect anyone to relate to any of these stories 100% but I expect most people to relate to some aspect of the stores.  This blog is about what I see, through my humanly, finite eyes.  The next blog post is going to be my attempt to describe what God sees and how God wants to help.

You

Hey, it's me again.  The one that felt deserted.  The one that felt unappreciated.  The one that never quite seemed to fit in because my family raised him a lil bit different.  Just because you may not have liked my parents doesn't mean it has to go down on him.  I wanted to help out...I wanted to desperately get involved, to feel wanted. And yet you shoved me out.  And now you are surprised when you find out where I am. Who I'm trying to become? How God is using me??

I used to hate you.  I used to absolutely loathe your presence.  Every week I would dread that day were I would face your presence.  If it wasn't for my loving parents forcing me to attend you once or twice a week I guarantee you I wouldn't have visited.  When I was in your presence I felt judged, looked down upon, and used.  Yes, there were parts of you that I loved.  Parts of you that welcomed me, that loved me.  But, the nasty parts..the mean parts always seemed to overtake me...to consume me.  But yet...yet...my parents still forced me to go see to you at least once a week.  There were times where I would act like I was sick just so I wouldn't have to engage you.  Yep, I said it...I lied just because I couldn't stand your presence.  You were supposed to love me.  You were supposed to care about me..for me.  You were supposed to be part of my family.  I was supposed to be happy to be around you..at least most of the time. But, I never wanted to be near you....

Once I graduated high school I felt free!  I never had to see you again.  I never had to see you or any of your cousins again!  But wait...I went to a college that was based off you.  Why?  Why would I spend the next four years of my life learning more about you!?  I initially didn't know why God pointed me in that direction, but soon I would find out...

My first year in college I did everything to avoid you and your cousins.  I would never go visit you unless I was forced to because of my love for music or some older people required me to.  I enjoyed my sleep. (I am NOT a morning person).  I mean seriously, why would I wake up early to visit you when I didn't even like you.

My next year I dated a girl who was in love with your extended family.  Wow...it was contagious.  She actually got me excited to go meet your 2nd-cousin-twice-removed!  Once I entered into her presence...I felt something different.  I didn't feel judged...but I didn't feel loved either.  But my girlfriend was in love with your family.  So, naturally I kept going.  The more I went, the more I learned.  Your 2nd-cousin-twice-removed is a smart lady.  She really knew how to keep me interested...to teach me.  But soon I lost the fire to visit even her.  I eventually broke up with my girlfriend and was left in the same place...

But then, I saw something.  You was struggling...Here was my chance to feel loved...To feel wanted! I had the tools to help you.  Yet you refused me.  Once again you looked down on me.  After that, I never wanted to see you again!  You scarred me for my next year (Junior Year of College).  Until...

I was coerced to come meet another one of your family members...It had to be God that introduced us because once I met this beautiful relative, I felt loved.  I didn't feel judged.  I felt anew!  Even though I still was unsure about this Beautiful Monster, I kept going because I couldn't get enough of her!  She wasn't perfect, but then again, no one is. She, however, loved me.  And I started to love her.  She had one of the best brains I had ever seen and the rest of her body was great as well (it gets a 9 out of 10 if you know what I mean!).  I never thought I could learn so much from someone like her.  I've fallen in love with her.  Eventually, there may come a day when I have to leave her.  But I want to say that thanks to her, I've been restored and replenished.  I've been restored in my faith in God.  And I love your family, flaws in all.

Now, I just want to tell you that I'm sorry.  I'm sorry for lying to you.  I'm sorry for hating you.  Before I just saw all of your flaws and denied the good in you.  Though you may be surprised where I am now, (aka trying to become an important part of your family) I hope that you continue to pray for me.  I just want to ask for your forgiveness.  If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be where I am now. Thank You You!

To my readers, if you havent figured out who you is.  You is church.  That's my church journey in a quick snippet.

Paradoxical Life

So, I'm going to seminary in the spring (I need to keep telling myself that).  But, not everyone knows that proably right after that, I'm going to go back back to college and get my paralegal cert.  I plan on being a paralegal (Thanks Meghan Markle ;) ).  I've always been intrigued by the law, so I mind as well stay involved in it right? People keep telling me that they see me as being a lead pastor eventually.  Sooooo, if that happens...

I will be living the most paradoxical lives ever.  I will be a Paralegal Pastor.  Half of the time I'll be the "head" of the church while the other half I will be getting bossed around and at the bottom of the pyramid.  I guess Jesus' command that the: "last shall be first and the first will be last" is veryyyy applicable to this situation.  I love it!