Derwin L. Gray's Blog, page 2

#Ferguson, Why We Need More Multi-Ethnic Churches

Mike Brown, an unarmed 18 year-old, black teenager was recently shot and killed by police in Ferguson, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis.

This is a sad, horrific, and an all too familiar ugly story.

DIFFERENT WORLDS

We don’t know all the details of what went down in Ferguson, but what we do know is that black evangelicals and white evangelicals interpret these types of situations very differently.

What if black and white evangelicals attended multi-ethnic churches instead of segregated ones?

If this Christ-exalting life were to become our reality, we could address racism, oppression, and injustice together.

What if black and white evangelicals and other evangelical ethnicities shared life with each other in a local church community and heard each other’s stories and walked in each other’s shoes?

If this Christ-exalting life were to become our reality, I believe our suspicions and mistrust of one another would be abandoned and replaced with love for one another.

A SEGREGATED CHURCH

Sadly, only 13.7% of Evangelical churches in America are multi-ethnic. And according to Drs. Michael Emerson and Gerardo Marti in their article, “The Rise of the Diversity Expert,” many multi-ethnic, local congregations don’t really discuss racial issues anyway. This “renders racial injustices invisible and thereby perpetuates racial inequality.” (http://www.academia.edu/5814093/_The_Rise_of_the_Diversity_Expert_How_American_EvangelicalsSimultaneously_Accentuate_and_Ignore_Race_In_Brian_Steensland_and_Philip_K._Goff_eds. The New_Evangelical_Social_Engagement._Oxford_University_Press)

As my good friend, Trevin Wax, a brilliant, young, white Southern Baptist theologian wrote in his blog yesterday, “Ferguson is ripping the bandages off the racial wounds we thought were healing but instead are full of infection.” And, “It is exposing the scabs of our failure to live up to the ideals put forth in our Declaration of Independence.”

RACISM, INJUSTICE, AND OPPRESSION

Racism and injustice is nothing new in our broken world. The first-century, in which Jesus’ Church was birthed, was besieged with racism, injustice, and oppression.

As Frank Viola and I wrote in a previous blog (http://www.derwinlgray.com/race-card-...), “In the mind of a first-century Jew, Gentiles (Africans, Romans, Greeks, Syrians, Asians, etc.) were created to fuel the fires of hell. When a Jew called a Gentile “uncircumcised,” he spit it. It was a name of profound contempt.”

If a Jew married a Gentile, the Jewish parents held a funeral service for their child. In their eyes, their child was dead.

On the flip side, Gentiles regarded Jews to be subhuman. Historically, the Jews have been an oppressed people, living under the thumb of one Gentile nation after another (e.g., Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Greece, and Rome).

In all of human history, there has never been so much animosity, hatred, and violence between two groups of people as there has been between the Jew and the Gentile.

THE NEED FOR MULTI-ETHNIC LOCAL CHURCHES

But God birthed a group of people on the planet who He recreated in His eternal Son Jesus to transcend this racial hostility, injustice, and oppression. He did this by means of Jesus’ death on the cross so that our hostility toward each other was put to death.

For Christ Himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in His own body on the cross, He broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in Himself one new people from the two groups. Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of His death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death. Ephesians 2:14-16 NLT

The reason the church is segregated is that we don’t believe deeply enough in the power of the cross. It seems to me that evangelicals seem to not really believe that the cross of Christ has anything to do with racism.

But the Gospel-reality is that “…Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of His death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death.” Ephesians 2:16 NLT

Maybe I’m just naive and believe what the text says?

We need multi-ethnic churches that have ethnically diverse leadership like in the church in Antioch (Acts 13).

We need multi-ethnic churches who address all sin issues, including racism, injustice, and oppression from a Gospel-inspired perspective.

We need multi-ethnic churches in urban, suburban, and rural areas.

We need multi-ethnic churches that show the world what reconciliation looks like.

This is what the Apostle Paul was doing in Colosse:

Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like Him.  In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and He lives in all of us. Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Colossians 3:10-16 NLT

PASTORS & CHRISTIANS, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?

One of the reasons we planted Transformation Church was to not just assure people they go to heaven when they die, but to give the world a picture of what heaven will look like as the Gospel transforms us here on earth:

And they sang a new song, saying:

“You are worthy to take the scroll

and to open its seals,

because You were slain,

and with Your blood You purchased for God

persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.

You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,

and they will reign on the earth.”

Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they were saying:

“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,

to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength

and honor and glory and praise!”  Revelation 5:9-12

So are we just going to scream “racism” and “injustice” from behind our segregated church walls or are we going to start building multi-ethnic communities that embody what God’s desire is for the world to be?

I choose to build. How about you? Take a look at this – http://www.derwinlgray.com/video-worth-10000-words/

Marinate on that,

Pastor Derwin

Jesus Isn’t All About Your Agenda

Jesus loves us, this we know; but He doesn’t exist to follow our personal agendas. His goal for us is so much greater.  Watch as Pastor Derwin explains.

Check out the rest of the sermon here –> http://bit.ly/1r7WZ13

Do You Want a Successful Life? Then Marinate on This!

Do you want a successful life?  If you answered yes, then marinate on this ― pursue developing your character, then success will pursue you.

We live in a culture that is insanely driven by hype, immediate gratification, and external success. Or said another way, our culture is high on success and achievement, but low on character.

What good is success and achievement if you have no character? This is joyless, empty life.

When you place a higher value on pursuing “success” instead of developing your character, you’ll likely create an emotionally unhealthy, toxic path of destruction that will hurt you and the people your life influences.

Always pursue character first!

DEFINING SUCCESS

Sadly, in our culture, even among pastors, success is defined by achievement, job title, money, the car you drive, the clothes you wear, and even the amount of followers youhave on Twitter.

On the surface, nothing seems particularly misleading about this definition of success.  It’s just NOT a good definition of success. A person can have all these external signs of success and be a donkey butt.

WHAT IS A GOOD DEFINITION OF SUCCESS?

A good definition of success is to be a person of deep, Christ-like character.  The Apostle Paul describes the character of a successful person in this way―

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” Galatians 5:22 ESV

Can you imagine living with and working with a “successful person” who conveys these characteristics?

Who wouldn’t want to hire a competent, successful person like this?

This is the kind of person you want to be around.

This is the kind of person that will work like crazy to develop the skills to be competent in their job because their internal integrity will call them to be the best they can be.

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.” Colossians 3:23 ESV

In my own experience, I’ve found that the more I abide in Christ and the more I grow into His image, the more amazing opportunities seems to pursue me.

According to God’s providence, I believe the same will happen to you.

Pursue a Christ-like character and God’s meaning of success will pursue you.

Marinate on that,

Pastor Derwin

All Hell Just Broke Loose – Now What?

Let’s face it, at some point in life, all hell is going to break loose. It’s never a matter of if, it’s a matter of when. And when it does happen, there’s hope! Watch as Pastor Derwin explains.

Check out the rest of the sermon here –> http://bit.ly/1ssHy0u

Let Christ Motivate You, Not Critics

If you don’t want to be criticized, do nothing.

But if you take that path, you’ll be criticized for doing nothing.

Criticism is a part of life.  It can break you or make you an idolater!

IDOLATRY

If you’re letting critics motivate you, they are functioning as your god.

The critics words dominate your thoughts, instead of Christ’s words.

Instead of letting critics motivate you, let Christ.

Let His glory, His honor and His name be your motivation, not what critics say.

Marinate on that,

Pastor Derwin

 

High Gifting Plus Low Character Equals Disaster

Let’s face it,  in our culture it’s very easy to become enamored with someone who’s extremely gifted. However, when we elevate a person to a leadership position based on gifting and we don’t bother to examine character, we set everybody up for a fall.  Watch as Pastor Derwin explains! 

Check out the rest of the sermon here –> http://bit.ly/1qJAW0c

High School Football Star Drowns

I was walking and thanking God for my family under the beauty of the Montana Big Sky.

Then I received a text from my cousin saying, “Joshua passed away today. He drowned at the lake we were at. Please keep our family in prayer.”

My heart sank. I called my cousin and when she told me, I screamed from the bottom of my heart.

I just recently got to know Joshua.  As an up-and-coming football player, I wanted to encourage him.

I remember the last time we talked I thought to myself, “What a mature, godly young man.”

Here’s a link to his story.  Despite the great sadness, you’ll be encouraged by Joshua’s great life. You’ll be inspired to touch people the way he did.

http://www.kens5.com/story/news/local/2014/07/22/drowning-medina-river-oconnor-student-high-school/13029615/

Transformers – Roll Out!

Jesus Is Not Your Personal Dream-Maker

No doubt about it, Jesus loves you. He really does! His love for you is so huge that He doesn’t care about your dreams – He actually has something bigger in mind.  Watch as Pastor Derwin explains!

Check out the rest of the sermon here –> http://bit.ly/Tb71io

What Makes An Effective Leader?

Are you and “Emotionally Intelligent Leader”?

I sure hope you are.  I sure want to be.

The emotional intelligence of leader is the engine that makes a car go. In 1995, Daniel Goleman who first brought the term “emotional intelligence” to business world with a book entitled, “Emotional Intelligence.”

Take a look at the 5 Components of an Emotionally Intelligent Leader:

Think of innovative ways to grow as an emotionally intelligent leader, and innovative ways to train those you lead to grow as emotionally intelligent leaders as well.

Marinate on that,

Pastor Derwin

Skubala Happens

Perhaps you’ve not heard the term “skubala” before.  It’s a word that the apostle Paul uses in Phillippians 3:8-9 in a very compelling way.  Take just a couple of minutes to watch as Pastor Derwin explains!

Check out the rest of the sermon here –> http://bit.ly/1mIlNc4