continue reading

Originally posted 3 years ago, here is a Christmas season repeat of hope, justice, Jesus and latte's. 

 

I broke routine this morning. I interrupted my morning commute to work with a pit stop at Starbucks and a book in hand. It’s been a very long time since I have sat and read over a latte and to my surprise, Jesus was there.  

 

I ordered a sinful Caramel Brulee Latte and took a seat along the perimeter so that I could watch the subtle rain drops collide with the ground outside. I opened my book in hand, Just Courage by Gary Haugen and reached for my latte. But before I could take in my first sip of that delightful little beverage, I was met by Jesus who had appeared somehow on my Christmas themed cup.

 

continue reading

It seems as though the Christmas shopping season, which officially kicked off on Black Friday, is a bigger deal than ever this year. For the first time stores opened on Thanksgiving rather than waiting until the wee hours of Friday morning to welcome hoards of shoppers. Some people, eager to be the first to snag a killer deal on a 50-inch LED television, camped out in front of stores like Target and Best Buy Best for a week.

Truth be told, I don’t have a problem with Black Friday and Christmas shopping or with people camping out on sidewalks across the nation for days in order to get a good deal. I mean, who doesn’t want a great price on everything these days?

But I do have a problem when this consumer nation is uneducated about the products they are buying such as how objects are made and where the materials to make all the products we love so much come from. Sometimes it seems that America, a country in which education is freely available to any and all who desire it, operates as one of the more ignorant, uneducated nations in the world in terms of understanding how things work globally. 

continue reading

I have never been one who has fought against abortion. By that I mean that I have never carried a sign that says, “Stop Abortion Now,” nor have I ever participated in a pro-life rally.

However, that doesn’t mean I waver in my belief that abortion is wrong and is tantamount to taking the life of a precious, innocent, fully alive though not fully formed human being. I believe that completely. I’m just not an active opponent of those who believe in a woman’s right to choose (to use the common language of those who favor abortion rights). Instead, I’m a passive proponent of a child’s right to live.

And you know what? I’m ashamed to tell you of my passivity, especially after reading two articles that came across my radar recently.

The first was a disturbing piece entitled, “The Three Deadliest Words in the World: It’s a Girl.” Reported by A.G. Harmon on Patheos.com, the piece focused on a new documentary produced and directed by Evan Grae Davis. I encourage you to take a few minutes to watch the film trailer, but be forewarned. It will disturb you, not because it’s so graphic (it’s not), but because it shows everyday people in India and China admitting to killing their newborn daughters in what is known as gendercide, “the culturally-based killing of a child (overwhelmingly female) on the basis of sex.” It is estimated that as many as 200 million girls are “missing” from the world’s population--whether killded, aborted or abandoned--due to gendercide.

continue reading

There I sat, anxiously awaiting the final scores for the women’s gymnastics all around. Gabby had done an amazing job and so did the rest of her team. She had already won a gold medal for her team performance, but now, was the individual gold. It finally came in. Gabby had won! Now, in times past I normally could care less about the Olympics; they take up valuable TV time and make me miss my favorite shows. But, since I got married, a lot of “things” have changed in my viewing appetite—this of course being one of them. I was floored. She actually won! Amazing. Stupendous. Unreal. And then, the racial construct ideology hit me seconds later. I wondered, how long it would take before Gabby’s racial milieu becomes the topic of conversation. So, I decided to do a little experiment, I grabbed my phone and set the timer to see how long it would take before something about Gabby’s “Blackness” (and all the social pathologies associated with being “Black”) would come to the forefront to shadow her success.

continue reading

With the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation approaching in September, this is a perfect moment for Americans to take stock of where we are in the fight to eradicate slavery in our own country. Slavery does still exist in the United States, but it doesn't have to be that way. No one wants to eat food tainted by slave labor, and we can act together as consumers to ensure that the tomatoes we purchase are guaranteed slave-free. -Eileen Campbell, Director of Justice Campaigns, International Justice Mission 

Ever hear of something so ridiculously unnecessary that you can’t actually imagine the reality of it?

That’s what I think about Florida’s tomato fields where men, women and children are right now enslaved to work.

Hope you are having a wonderful summer:) Got some big news to share with you....

My current film, Hit Man to Hero, just launched our trailer and IndieGoGo campaign!! I told my producers that our friends would step up and support this fundraiser, so take about 5 minutes to check everything out and consider giving a little to help us finish this film!! http://bit.ly/MCwW7d

Screenings have slowed down for us a little since school got out, but we did end up winning the "Visionary Award" at the Awareness Film Festival in LA and just got back from a fun screening at the Gathering in Indianapolis!!!

We've had a few incredible interviews recently: We were absolutely blown away by Gregg Mullen and the team at HEC TV. Their story on GAD? was possibly our best story ever. You need to check it out !!!!!!!!!! http://t.co/ks5YXSpb . Also, here is an hour long interview with Dan on "World Poverty" with Lillian Brummet http://t.co/w6VIlMhc

continue reading

I have been rather surprised at times by the push back of some people when phrases like ‘social justice’ and ‘social change’ are used in reference to Christians. Commentators on Fox News have warned against social justice rhetoric, while some noted evangelical leaders warn against deed ministry that seems separate from a ministry of preaching and proclamation. These may be good warnings per se, but let’s not swing from one extreme to another so readily without at least appreciating the Biblical and historical context that has been truly impactful. There is something to be said for outloving your neighbor.

In this vein, scholar and author John Dickson summarizes well the impact Christians can have culturally and historically through loving the poor and those in need well: John Dickson - Early Christian Charity

continue reading

While I plan to get deeper into this particular subject, I felt it important to at least engage, albeit briefly, on the subject matter.

The Earth cracked, just a bit, for many Black pastors and Christians when President Obama announced he was in support of gay marriage. This tore open a slice in the gender constructs within Black cultural milieus that has, especially in Christian circles, gone unengaged with for decades.  Sexuality, sexual orientation, its twin cousin gender performance is a continual issue for many Black Christians. The idea of how do I act as a man; how do I act as woman; role performance; femininity; masculinity; sexual awareness, are all issues that tend to be seen as very binary for Black Christians—generally speaking. For example, you are either having sex within marriage, in a heterosexual, monogamous relationship or you are “sinning.

Been a busy few months since you last heard from us!! We were occupied with screenings/presentations at Overflow Coffee Bar, the Africa World Doc Fest, SLU, Univ. of Oklahoma, Omaha Film Fest, Broadway Bean Coffee shop, LES Film Fest, Maryville Univ., MIIIE Conference, St. Louis Christian College, Univ. of Evansville, and Southeast MO State. With our new agent, Contemporary Issues Agency, we hope to continue to do many more next school year!! Let us know if you are interested in booking an event!

We want to invite all our LA friends to come out to our screening at the Awareness Film Fest in LA on May 5th at 7pm. Dan will be in town for the Biola Media Conference and will be at the screening for Q&A and merch sales. Check out the facebook event. Also that day our film will be screening at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Excited to hear how an African audience responds!

continue reading