Joint Heirs with Jesus

Who I Am To Christ, Part Two—Joint Heirs with Jesus

Christ-Esteem: The world talks about “self-esteem.” But God’s Word teaches us about “Christ-esteem”—how God views us, sees us, accepts us, and loves us through Christ. Knowing how God relates to us because of our relationship to Christ is vital to glorifying God, defeating the lies of Satan, and ministering powerfully.

Note: Excerpted from Soul Physicians: http://bit.ly/7vaE

As you read the following summaries:

*Meditate on the verses and on the truth they share about you.

*Reject the lies of Satan about how God views you.

*Thank God for who you are to Christ.

*Select one verse/truth per day and specifically apply it to your life and relationships.

My Relationship to God through Christ

Acts 10:43—My sins are forgiven.

Acts 20:28—I am Christ’s flock.

Acts 20:28; 1 Corinthians 1:2—Together with all the saints, I am God’s Church.

Romans 1:7—I am loved by God.

Romans 4:7-8—My transgressions are forgiven and my sins are covered.

Romans 5:1; Ephesians 2:14-17; Colossians 1:21-22—I have peace with God.

Romans 5:2; Ephesians 2:18—I have full, free, confident, bold access to God.

Romans 5:5—God has poured out His love into my heart.

Romans 5:6-8—God demonstrated His love for me in that while I was yet a sinner, Christ died for me.

Romans 5:9—I am saved, delivered from wrath.

Romans 5:10-11; Colossians 1:20—I am reconciled to God.

Romans 8:1, 33-34—I will never be condemned because I am in Christ Jesus.

Romans 8:14—I am among those called, “sons of God.”

Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:6—I have received the Spirit of sonship so I can cry, “Abba, Daddy.”

Romans 8:17; Galatians 4:7; Ephesians 3:6; Titus 3:7—I am an heir of God.

Romans 8:17—I am a joint-heir with Jesus.

Romans 8:23—I am adopted into Father’s forever family.

Romans 8:31—God is for me, never against me.

Romans 8:37-39—Nothing, nor anyone, anywhere can ever separate me from God’s love for me in Christ.

Romans 9:25—Along with all Christians, God says of me, “You are my people.”

Romans 9:25—God says of me, “You are my loved one.”

Romans 9:26—I am a son of the living God.

Romans 10:11—I will never be put to shame.

Romans 11:5—I am chosen by grace.

Romans 14:3—I am accepted by God.

Romans 15:7—I am accepted by Christ.

Romans 15:16—I am an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

Note: Excerpted from Soul Physicians: http://bit.ly/7vaE

The Black Pro-Life Movement

Join the Black Pro-Life Movement

Join the new Black Pro-Life Movement group on Facebook: http://bit.ly/Se4zv

View the amazing video by by Dr. Alveda King, niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on the horrors of abortion. http://bit.ly/12TZdg

Here's the introduction to the new group by one of its founder, Kimberly Cash Tate.

Did you know that abortion is the #1 killer in the black community? Fifty-percent of black offspring are aborted each year. That’s more than 1,500 black children each day. Since Roe v. Wade, more than 50 million babies have been killed in the womb. More than 14 million of these were black babies. For too long, New York advertising agencies and the media have sown the lie that “pro-life” is a white issue for “right-wing extremists.” The facts tell the truth. This isn’t an issue for one group of people or one political party. This is a human issue of epic proportion. It is an issue—like slavery in its day—that requires us to stand boldly for life, truth, and justice.

We are taking a stand. We are standing in the gap for the innocent who are being led away to slaughter. We are standing in the gap for the mothers who have been deceived into thinking it’s their body—only to be left with the pain and shame of knowing they’ve killed their own child. We are exposing the lies and plans of those who seek to advance this lucrative business of abortion. We are aligning ourselves with Jesus Christ and the Word of God, not bowing to a political party or political agenda.

This group exists to do the following:

EDUCATE and INFORM about abortion in our nation and in the black community in particular;

IMPART TRUTH from the Word of God, so that we can possess the mind of God on this important issue;

PRAY for a move of God in our land to abolish the evil of abortion; and

SPUR YOU to spread the word so that others will join this movement and learn the truth.

This group is open to all. Join us!

“Deliver those who are being taken away to death, And those who are staggering to slaughter, O hold them back.If you say, ‘See, we did not know this,’Does He not consider it who weighs the hearts?And does He not know it who keeps your soul?And will He not render to man according to his work?”~~ Proverbs 24:11-12 NASB

Christ-Esteem

Who I Am To Christ, Part One--Christ-Esteem

Christ-Esteem: The world talks about “self-esteem.” But God’s Word teaches us about “Christ-esteem”—how God views us, sees us, accepts us, and loves us through Christ. Knowing how God relates to us because of our relationship to Christ is vital to glorifying God, defeating the lies of Satan, and ministering powerfully.

As you read the following summaries:

*Meditate on the verses and on the truth they share about you.

*Reject the lies of Satan about how God views you.

*Thank God for who you are to Christ.

*Select one verse/truth per day and specifically apply it to your life and relationships.

My Relationship to God through Christ

Matthew 6:26—I am are very valuable to Christ.

Matthew 9:2; Mark 2:5—I am God’s forgiven son/daughter.

Matthew 9:36-38—I am the Good Shepherd’s shepherded sheep.

Matthew 10:31; Luke 12:7—I am of great worth to God.

Matthew 12:12—I am of much value to Christ.

Matthew 18:10-14—I am God’s precious, protected little one.

Mark 3:34-35—I am Christ’s brother or sister.

Luke 6:35—I am a son or daughter of the Most High God.

Luke 12:4—I am Christ’s friend.

Luke 20:36; John 1:12; Romans 8:14-17; 1 John 3:2—I am a child of God.

John 1:13—I am a child born of God.

John 3:6—I am born of the Spirit.

John 3:16—I am so loved by Father that He gave His only begotten Son to die for me so that I could live with Him forever.

John 8:35—I am God’s forever son/daughter.

John 10:28-30—I am eternally secure in God’s holy love.

John 13:33—God says of me, “You are my child.”

John 15:5—I am a branch abiding in Christ the Vine.

John 15:9—Jesus says of me, “As My Father has loved Me, so I have loved you.”

John 15:14—Jesus says to me, “You are my friend.”

John 15:15—Jesus says to me, “I no longer call you servant, but friend.”

John 16:27—Jesus whispers to me, “The Father Himself loves you.”

John 17:23—Jesus says of me, “The Father loves you as He loves me.”

Note: Excerpted from Soul Physicians: http://bit.ly/7vaE

The Sufficiency of Scripture and the Science of Psychology

The Sufficiency of Scripture and the Science of Psychology

Yesterday I connected with a new friend on Facebook. He posed some vitally-important questions to me about the sufficiency of Scripture and the science of psychology.

These are much-debated and extremely-significant issues. His wording of the questions is the best, most succinct that I’ve seen.

Questions to Ponder

“Bob, I’d like your opinion about some things:

1. Do you think there are any useful principles that the science of psychology has come up with that are in harmony with the Word of God?

2. In your opinion are all of the truths that a Christian psychologist can effectively apply to his counselees found in the Bible?

3. If not, can you give any examples of such truths that are not found in the Bible?”

Your Thoughts?

So what do you think? How would you respond to each of these well-worded questions about the relationship between the sufficiency of Scripture and the science of psychology?

The Best of Books on Multicultural Ministry

Kellemen’s Christian The Best Of Guide
The Best of Books on Multicultural Ministry and Intercultural Relationships

Kellemen’s Christian The Best of Guide: Making your life easier by finding, summarizing, evaluating, and posting the best resources on a wide variety of topics from a Christian perspective.

The Best of Books on
Multicultural Ministry and Intercultural Relationships
Part One

Note: Excerpted from African American History, Life, Christianity, and Ministry: An Annotated Resource Guide, By Robert W. Kellemen, Ph.D., LCPC. For information on the full version: http://bit.ly/f1AvT

*Anderson, David. Gracism: The Art of Inclusion. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2007.

Pastor David Anderson builds a thoughtful, practical, balanced Christian approach to multiculturalism. He avoids the extremes of color-blindness and of affirmative action. Skillfully he explains the biblical injunction to care for the marginalized. Gracism is a must read for anyone who longs to build bridges leading to racial healing, harmony, and reconciliation. Its balance between theology, philosophy, and methodology makes it a uniquely practical manual.

*Anderson, David. Multicultural Ministry: Finding Your Church’s Unique Rhythm. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2004.

Pastor David Anderson has “been there, done that.” As a seasoned pastor of a multi-cultural church in a multi-cultural community, Pastor Anderson writes both with biblical insight and personal experience. A well-written, practical, and hopeful book, Multicultural Ministry is a foundational book for everyone interested in racial harmony and mutual ministry.

*Anderson, David, and Brent Zuercher. Letters Across the Divide: Two Friends Explore Racism, Friendship, and Faith. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2001.

Pastor David Anderson and author Brent Zuercher have penned a groundbreaking and distinctive book. What happens when two friends of different races explore racism and faith? Letters across the Divide happens. For a firsthand account of what honest, open, bold, and loving multicultural relationships could look like, read this book.

*Breckenridge, James, and Lillian Breckenridge. What Color Is Your God?: Multicultural Education in the Church. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1995.

As the subtitle suggests, What Color Is Your God educates pastors in foundational cultural understanding. Covering ethnic groups in America, this primer shows church leaders how to value cultural differences. It also highlights transcultural biblical principles and probes how various cultures apply or misapply these eternal principles in daily life.

*Conde-Frazier, Elizabeth, Steve Kang, and Gary Parrett. A Many Colored Kingdom: Multicultural Dynamics for Spiritual Formation. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2004.

A Many Colored Kingdom provides ground breaking insight into the theology and methodology of spiritual formation from and in a multicultural perspective. The co-authors themselves live and breathe what they write, researching and writing with passion and precision. This book richly celebrates the diverse contributions to Christian spirituality necessary to fully engage and embrace the infinite, multifaceted beauty and glory of Christ.

*Cooper, Rodney. We Stand Together: Reconciling Men of Different Color. Chicago: Moody, 1995.

We Stand Together would be a five-star book if it were not now somewhat dated. Editor Rodney Cooper is a leading Black Evangelical educator. Active in the 90s in the Promise Keepers’ movement, he surrounded himself with men of diverse ethnic groups to edit this primer on how men of different races can understand, forgive, reconcile with one another, and minister together.

*Emerson, Michael. Divided by Faith: Evangelical Religion and the Problem of Race in America. New York: Oxford University Press, 2001.

Please, don’t read this book without reading the “sequel” (see below): United by Faith. Divided by Faith outlines the problem, as understood through a dissertation research project, of race relations in Evangelicalism in America in the 1990s. The results are troubling and at times could even produce hopelessness. However, facts are facts, and this sort of detailed quantitative and qualitative study is all-too-rare in Evangelical circles.

Emerson’s premise is that much of what White Evangelicals do to unite across racial lines end up being counter-productive. He does so by showing a concise history of Evangelical thought about racism from Colonial times to the Civil Rights movement. His core thesis is that most work done is too individualistic—one person trying alone to cross racial boundaries. His basic suggestion is the cross-cultural congregation. Unfortunately, until one reads United by Faith, how to accomplish this goal is left to the reader’s imagination—which may by now have been stunted by all the piles of statistics suggesting that Evangelical racial reconciliation is futile. However, the power of God, starting with one person’s commitment to cross-cultural relationships, can start a chain reaction—and lead to hope.

*Emerson, Michael. United by Faith: The Multiracial Congregation as an Answer to the Problem of Race. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004.

Emerson has convened a multicultural team of co-authors to follow-up his earlier work Divided by Faith. In this work, Emerson argues that Evangelicals, when they have done anything at all to work toward racial reconciliation, have been to individualistic in their approach.

Emerson then argues that the biblical and effective approach is the multicultural congregation in which no one race makes up more than 80% of the congregation. The authors explain the biblical and social need for such congregations. They then follow with hope-giving success stories which provide the philosophy, principles, and practices necessary to obtain the biblical social vision of the multicultural people of God.

Implied, but not highlighted or extracted in detail, is the truth that such congregations can and should then do two things: 1.) Be a visible testimony exhorting the world to “go and do likewise.” 2.) Take a stand against societal racism and promote racial reconciliation and justice.

*Kellemen, Robert W. and Karole A. Edwards. Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2007.

Beyond the Suffering is a one-of-a-kind African American narrative. It is not simply a history of America, not simply a history of African Americans, not simply a history of African American Christianity, but a narrative of how African American Christians ministered to one another. As the title suggests, the book tells how African American believers helped one another to move beyond their horrific suffering to a place of healing and hope.

The characters are the African American believers themselves. The plot is their real-life battles told in their empowering words. The authors are a co-authoring team, one an African American female, the other a Caucasian male. Together, they embrace the legacy of how African Americans sustained, healed, reconciled, and guided one another in the faith.

Written in an engaging style that allows African Americans to tell their own story, Beyond the Suffering reads like a novel. It empowers African Americans and all people of all races and nationalities to love like Christ loved even in the worst of circumstances. Readers not only are riveted by the powerful historical chronicles, but are also equipped to apply soul care and spiritual direction principles to their own lives and ministries.

Important Stuff

*Your Guide: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., LCPC, is the Founder and CEO of RPM Ministries (www.rpmministries.org) through which he writes, speaks, and consults to equip God’s people to change lives with Christ’s changeless truth. He blogs daily at http://rpmministries.blogspot.com.

*My Necessary Disclaimer: Of course, I don’t endorse everything in every article, book, or link that you’ll find in Kellemen’s Christian The Best of Guide. I report, you decide.

*Your Suggestions Are Welcomed: Feel free to post comments and/or send emails (rpm.ministries@gmail.com) about resources that you think deserve attention in various categories covered in Kellemen’s Christian The Best of Guide.

Download Hundreds of Verses on Who You Are In Christ

Who I Am In Christ, Part Ten

Note: Excerpted from Soul Physicians: http://bit.ly/7vaE

Knowing our identity in Christ is vital to glorifying God, defeating the lies of Satan, and ministering powerfully.

Download for Free the Entire Series of Verses

If you’ve enjoyed and benefited from our posts on Who I Am In Christ, then here’s a special gift for you. Go here for a free download of every verse from the entire series: http://bit.ly/eqNQ

Coming Soon to a Blog Near You!

You’ll also enjoy and be empowered by our next series of posts on Who I Am To Christ.

Here’s how these two sets of verses and spiritual principles are related:

1. Who I Am IN Christ: This is our position in Christ. It relates to our being saints. These verses focus on our regeneration—our new nature in Christ.

2. Who I Am TO Christ: This is our relationship to Christ. It relates to our being sons and daughters of the King. These verses focus on our reconciliation—our new family.

The Original Source: Soul Physicians

If you want to learn boatloads more about how to apply these spiritual principles to your life and ministry, then check out Soul Physicians, the original source. Soul Physicians empowers believers to grow in grace. Soul Physicians equips believers to help one another to become more like Christ. Check out free resources about Soul Physicians here: http://bit.ly/7vaE

Book Review: Seeing with New Eyes

Seeing with New Eyes:
Counseling and the Human Condition through the Lens of Scripture

*Title: Seeing with New Eyes
*Author: David Powlison, Ph.D.
*Publisher: P&R Publishing (2003)
*Category: Church, Biblical Counseling, Ministry

Reviewed By: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., LCPC, Author of Soul Physicians, Spiritual Friends, Beyond the Suffering, Sacred Friendships, and God’s Healing for Life’s Losses

Recommended: Seeing with New Eyes offers a Christ-centered, comprehensive model for building a biblical theology of biblical counseling based upon a biblical psychology of human nature.

Review: The Creator’s View of His Creation

Author David Powlison is one of the foremost theologian-practitioners in the modern biblical counseling movement. Seeing with New Eyes compiles articles previously penned (over a period of two decades) by Powlison, all centered around the theme of a theology of biblical counseling.

Thinking God’s Thoughts After Him

Powlison defines counseling very practically as “intentionally helpful conversations.” His goal in Seeing with New Eyes is to equip readers to look at such spiritual conversations through God’s perspective—this encompasses the “new eyes” of the title. We see everything in life and ministry entirely differently when God’s eyes become our lens.

Powlison uses the common and very helpful model of creation, fall, and redemption to unfold Scriptures’ view of people, problems, and solutions. It is through this three-fold conceptual grid that Seeing with New Eyes seeks to assist the church in the care and cure of souls.

The premise is simply profound: Does God have a take on counseling? Powlison answers in the affirmative: God’s gaze has everything to say about the myriad issues counseling addresses. Seeing with New Eyes aspires to listen well, to look closely, and to think hard within the patterns of God’s gaze.

Opening Blind Eyes

Powlison organizes his thoughts in two parts: Scripture Opens Blind Eyes and Reinterpreting Life. In part one, readers enjoy a biblical theology of biblical counseling from three books of Scripture: Ephesians, Psalms, and Luke. In part two, readers benefit from a biblical psychology of biblical counseling: what is the nature of human nature and why do we do what we do?

In several chapters on Ephesians, Powlison seeks to understand how Paul uses Scripture and thus how we should do so in practical theology. He then explores Paul’s view of God and the titanic difference our image of God must make in our lives and ministries. In a final chapter on Ephesians, Powlison uses Ephesians 5:21-6:4 as a model for understanding human relationships. Throughout this section Powlison artfully crafts a pastoral theology for real people with real life issues and a real God with real answers.

Biblical counseling has sometimes been slow to emphasize suffering, instead focusing almost exclusively on sin. So it is encouraging to see Powlison spend two important chapters on the why and how of suffering, using the Psalms as his guide. These chapters provide a biblical sufferology useful both for the person going through suffering and for the person called along side to help the sufferer.

His chapter on Luke is a sermon on Jesus’ sermon on worry. What Powlison does here is reflective of his entire purpose: he takes one section of Scripture and not only applies it, but models how we can apply it in biblical counseling.

For readers wanting a full-blown, systematic, detailed theology of biblical counseling, Seeing with New Eyes may fall a little short. However, that was not Powlison’s purpose. However, for readers wanting an excellent introduction into how to view and use Scripture to begin to develop a biblical model of biblical counseling, Seeing with New Eyes is an excellent primer.

What Is the Nature of Human Nature?: Why Do We Do What We Do?

Having shared a foundational model of biblical counseling theology-building, Powlison now illustrates how to build a biblical psychology—a biblical view of “personality theory.” Put practically, he asks and answers the question, from the perspective of the Creator, “What makes us tick?”

The strength of this section is found in Powlison’s insistence on building a view of human nature not coram anthropos (from the perspective of humanity), but coram Theos (from the perspective of God). We can understand people via people, or we can understand people via God. Powlison rightly chooses to understand the creature not through the creature but through the Creator.

These nine chapters cover, in overview form, almost every issue a biblical counselor needs to ponder when developing a Christian approach to human nature. In each case, Powlison shows insight into the world’s perspective, shares his view of God’s perspective, and does both with a keen eye to practical application and ministry implications.

Chapter 7 goes for the big picture of human motivation theory. It explores God’s “X-ray” of what He sees when He looks at why we do what we do. The 35 X-ray questions are worth the proverbial price of the book—practical, theological, psychological, motivational, convicting.

Chapters 8 and 9 present a theology of desire and affections. Again, biblical counseling at times has been seen (and perhaps has been somewhat guilty of) to deemphasize desires, affections, and longings. These two chapters go a long way toward reemphasizing the biblical importance of and place of desire, rightly understood, in the Christian’s life. Powlison accurately demonstrates that desire and affection are good terms and core aspect of God’s design, but that because of the fall we must always battle the temptation to orient our desires away from God.

No pie-in-the-sky theology, Powlison shows the practicality of a theology of desire/affection in chapter 10 when he addresses the question, What if your father didn’t love you? How does a Christian counselor deal with the legitimate but unmet desire (see James 4:1-4) of “father love”?

Similarly, Powlison’s chapter What Do You Feel? explores another area that at times has seen limited press in modern biblical counseling. How do we understand emotions biblically and how do we mature as emotional beings? Powlison strikes a good balance between living for feelings and ignoring feelings.
In his final chapter, Powlison attempts to address the complex issues surrounding bio-psychology: what is the role and relationship of the body to the mind? Powlison, in the space allowed, provides a nuanced approach. For instance, Powlison summarizes supportively the historic rule of thumb in biblical counseling, “See a doctor for your body. See your pastor, other pastoral counselors, and wise friends for your heart, soul, mind, might, manner of life, and the way to handle sufferings.” But perhaps because the mind/body issue is so complex in its God-designed interworking, this chapter at times felt a little less “deep” and a little too “definitive.” The possible interrelationship of mind/body, brain/soul at times seems a bit minimized. That said, Powlison does acknowledge the potential ambiguity and does encourage the biblical counselor to keep abreast of accurate medical research.

Living Life Well

Seeing with New Eyes is about living life well for God’s glory. It is a surprisingly cohesive book given that it pulls together over a dozen articles written over nearly two decades. It provides a consistent sampler of how to erect a biblical, God-honoring, God-following approach to people-helping. It supplies a compass, a GPS, a directional marker, a map to guide, without being a straight-jacket to follow blindly. The gaze of Christ does in fact shape the spiritual conversations between real people in the real world.

Spiritual Conversations on Race Relations

The President, the Professor, and the Police Officer:
Oh for a Spiritual Conversation!

By the time you read this, President Obama’s meeting with Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and Sgt. James Crowley will be filling the airwaves, the blogosphere, and print media.

Those who follow my writings know the importance that I place on intercultural relationships. You also know that several days before “the incident” became big news, I was blogging about the racial repercussions (http://bit.ly/TfTXK and http://bit.ly/eHE0X).

Everyone will be talking about intercultural racial understanding, which is a good thing—a vital conversation. Undoubtedly, President Obama will focus on improving racial understanding. Again, a very worthy cause.

But if we are to “diagnose” accurately the ultimate “cause” of “the incident,” then I believe we have to look at it spiritually. I’d like to suggest that there is another, deeper issue at work here. Further, I’d like to propose that unless we make this issue the primary issue, we’ll never adequately address race relationships.

What Causes Fights and Quarrels Among You?

Of course, much more could be said, has been said, and will be said about intercultural relationships. But most observers have left out the human element. They’ve omitted the psychological aspect. They’ve ignored the biblical explanation.

In James 4:1, James ask one of the most profound questions imaginable.

“What causes the fights and quarrels among you?”

James answer?

“Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your own pleasures.”

Both Professor Gates and Sgt. Crowley are good men, I’m sure. However, they are mere men. Mortals. Biblically speaking, they are sinful, fallen, and even if Christians, not-yet-perfected and still struggling against the world, the flesh, and the devil.

These two imperfect men handled an imperfect situation imperfectly. Well, let’s say it the way the Bible words it. They handled it sinfully and selfishly.

Let me be honest. I’ve done the same thing countless times. And the only way I’ve resolved such issues has been to confess my sinful selfishness.

I wonder what would happen if President Obama led Professor Gates and Sgt. Crowley in a spiritual conversation that probed the personal heart motivations of each man. I wonder if the results might be confessions such as these…

From Sgt. Crowley:

“Look I can describe this situation a million ways and claim that I was only doing my job. But the truth is, in addition to trying to do my job, I let my sinful, selfish male ego take over. When Professor Gates antagonized me, I didn’t get what I wanted. I wanted respect. My peers were standing there watching me. I was being dissed.”

“Just like the Bible says, when I didn’t get what I desired (in this case—respect), instead of going to God and asking of Him humbly, I tried to control things on my own. I tried to prove that I was worthy of respect. I retaliated and I manipulated. Sure, I can state legal codes I used to justify my arrest of Professor Crowley. But none of those look inside my heart to see what motivated my actions and reactions.”

“I could have stepped away. I could have turned and ignored his words. I could have walked away and left the appearance that he had “won.” But I didn’t. I’m a male. A sinful male. And I hate to lose. I hate to lose face. I like being in charge, being the boss. I reacted selfishly. I reacted sinfully. He hurt me and so I hurt him back. He disrespected me, so I disrespected him. I was sinful, selfish, and wrong.”

From Professor Gates:

“Look, I can put all the spin on this in the world. I’m good with words. I can make myself look like the innocent victim. I mean, I was simply trying to get into my own home after a week away. But the truth is, in addition to just wanting a good night’s sleep in my own bed, I let my sinful, selfish male ego take over. When Sgt. Crowley demanded my ID in my own home, I didn’t get what I wanted. I wanted to be valued, to be seen as an equally valuable human being. Instead, I was being treated like a common criminal. Perhaps being viewed with racially tainted eyes. My neighbors were watching. My colleagues would find out. I was being humiliated."

“Just like the Bible says, when I didn’t get what I desired (in this case—being valued as an equal), instead of going to God and asking of Him humbly, I tried to control things on my own. I tried to prove that I was worthy, significant. I retaliated and I manipulated. Sure, I can state legal reasons why I am free to practice free speech on my own porch. And I can state historical, racial reasons why it was important for me to stand up for my race, for my people. But none of those look inside my heart to see what motivated my actions and reactions.”

“I could have calmed down. I could have simply shown my ID, thanked Sgt. Crowley for doing his job, and walked away and left the appearance that he was in charge and I wasn’t. But I didn’t. I’m a male. I’m a sinful male. And I hate to be overpowered. I hate to be bullied and put down. I reacted selfishly. I reacted sinfully. He hurt me and so I hurt him back. He tried to overpower me with his badge and legal authority, so I tried to overpower him with my words and moral authority. I was sinful, selfish, and wrong.”

Is That What We Will Hear?

Of course, that’s not what we are likely to hear. I’d love to be shocked and surprised though.

You see, when we only make relationships racial, and when we fail to see the personal issues—the moral, spiritual issues at work—then we fail to get at the heart of the issue.

We will never settle racial sin unless and until we deal with personal sin.

Yes, we need additional national conversations on race relationships.

But much more we need ongoing additional national and personal spiritual conversations on what truly causes the fights and quarrels among us. They are caused by our sinful refusal to humbly turn to God when others sin against us. We take matters into our own hands rather than raising humble hands to God. We raise angry fists to each other instead of raising open palms to God. We blame others rather than accepting personal spiritual responsibility.

Of course, it’s easy for us to point fingers of blame and guilt at either or both Professor Gates and/or Sgt. Crowley. But are we willing to engage in spiritual conversations with spiritual friends that expose our own spiritual selfishness?

I’ll say it again. We will never settle racial sin unless and until we deal with personal sin.

I Have Overcome the World

Who I Am In Christ, Part Nine

Note: Excerpted from Soul Physicians: http://bit.ly/7vaE

Note: Knowing our identity in Christ is vital to glorifying God, defeating the lies of Satan, and ministering powerfully. As you read the following summaries:

*Meditate on the associated verses and on the truth they share about you.

*Reject the lies of Satan about your identity.

*Thank God for who you are in Christ.

*Select one verse/truth per day and specifically apply it to your life and relationships.

My Identity in Christ

2 Peter 1:3—God’s Divine power has given me everything I need for life and godliness.

2 Peter 1:4—Through God’s great and precious promises I participate in the Divine nature.

2 Peter 1:4—Through God’s great and precious promises I have escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

1 John 2:20—I have an anointing from the Holy One and I know the truth.

1 John 4:4—I have overcome the world, the flesh, and the Devil because greater is He who is in me, than he who is in the world.

1 John 4:4, 6—I am from God.

1 John 4:7; 5:1—I am born of God.

1 John 5:4-5—Born of God, I overcome the world by faith in Christ.

Jude 24—I stand before God’s glorious presence without fault and with great joy.

Revelation 1:5—I am freed from my sins by Christ’s blood.

Revelation 1:6—God has made me, together with all the saints, a kingdom of priests.

Revelation 19:7-8, 14—Along with all the saints, I am the pure Bride of Christ, clean, white, and righteous.

Note: Excerpted from Soul Physicians: http://bit.ly/7vaE

Stimulate Your Soul with the RPM Stimulus Package!

Stimulate Your Soul with the RPM Stimulus Package!

Would you like to stimulate your heart, mind, and soul with an RPM Stimulus Package?

For the first time ever, I am able to "bundle" my books together for PayPal online credit card orders.

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They retail at $35 total, so you save almost 50%. Go here to order both together: http://bit.ly/MG1l5

Be empowered by these two books as you learn from African Americans and from women how to provide spiritual friendship to those you love.

2. Be Equipped: You can own both Soul Phyisicans and Spiritual Friends for $45 when you purchase together.

They retail at $80 total, so you save $35. By purchasing together you save an extra $5. Go here to order both together: http://bit.ly/3WsKoX

Be equipped to change lives with Christ's changeless truth with these two biblical counseling training manuals.

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The Best of Christian Biblical Counseling

Kellemen’s Christian The Best Of Guide
The Best of Christian Biblical Counseling Associations

Kellemen’s Christian The Best of Guide: Making your life easier by finding, summarizing, evaluating, and posting the best resources on a wide variety of topics from a Christian perspective.

The Best of Christian Biblical Counseling Associations

*American Association of Christian Counseling: http://www.aacc.net/

The AACC is the largest counseling association of any type, any where in the world with nearly 50,000 members. Their web site offers links to resources, conferences, articles, links to counselors and counseling agencies, and much more.

*The Biblical Counseling and Spiritual Formation Network: http://bcsfn.aacc.net/

The BCSFN is a division of the AACC (I am a co-director). The web site provides resources for pastors, lay people, and Christian/biblical counselors including a daily blog, free resources, conferences, book reviews, and much more. The BCSFN seeks to build bridges of connection through positive presentations of biblical counseling that leads to formation into the image of Christ.

*Black African American Christian Counselors: http://www.aacc.net/divisions/baacc/

The BAACC is a division of the AACC. It seeks to equip counselors to understand intercultural issues that impact ministry and to suggest ways to enrich services for our ethnically diverse society from a Christian perspective.

*The Society for Christian Psychology: http://christianpsych.org/

The SCP is a division of the AACC. It seeks to equip believers to understand psychology from a thoroughly Christian perspective. Their web site offers resources, a weekly blog, articles, conferences, and more.

*Faith Biblical Counseling Ministries: http://www.faithlafayette.org/ministry4.aspx

FBCM is a ministry of Faith Baptist Church in Lafayette, Indiana. For over three decades, Faith has been leading the way in equipping lay people and pastors to be biblical counselors. Their web site offers information on numerous conferences around the country, plus resources for biblical counseling.

*The Christian Counseling and Education Foundation: http://www.ccef.org/

The CCEF seeks to restore Christ to counseling and to restore counseling to the church. Their web site includes numerous books and conferences, along with frequently updated articles on life issues.

*The Association of Biblical Counselors: http://www.christiancounseling.com/

The ABC is the “new kid on the block,” having been launched five years ago to provide equipping in biblical counseling. Their web site offers resources, articles, links to certified counselors, links to blogs, and much more. Their national and regional conferences equip lay people and pastors to speak the truth in love.

*National Association of Nouthetic Counseling: http://www.nanc.org/

The NANC provides training and certification for nouthetic (from a Greek word used in the New Testament meaning to confront out of concern for change) biblical counselors. They host conferences around the country to equip pastors and lay people. Their web site lists certified counselors and provides resources and links for biblical counseling.

*RPM Ministries: www.rpmministries.org

RPM Ministries is my ministry. I seek to equip God’s people to change lives with Christ changeless truth through Christ-centered, comprehensive, compassionate, and culturally-informed biblical counseling and spiritual formation. The web site includes links, free resources, articles, book reviews, a blog, quotes of notes, and much more.

Important Stuff

*Your Guide: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., LCPC, is the Founder and CEO of RPM Ministries (www.rpmministries.org) through which he writes, speaks, and consults to equip God’s people to change lives with Christ’s changeless truth. He blogs daily at http://rpmministries.blogspot.com.

*My Necessary Disclaimer: Of course, I don’t endorse everything in every article, book, or link that you’ll find in Kellemen’s Christian The Best of Guide. I report, you decide.

*Your Suggestions Are Welcomed: Feel free to post comments and/or send emails (rpm.ministries@gmail.com) about resources that you think deserve attention in various categories covered in Kellemen’s Christian The Best of Guide.

Blameless in Christ!

Who I Am In Christ, Part Eight

Note: Excerpted from Soul Physicians: http://bit.ly/7vaE

Note: Knowing our identity in Christ is vital to glorifying God, defeating the lies of Satan, and ministering powerfully. As you read the following summaries:

*Meditate on the associated verses and on the truth they share about you.

*Reject the lies of Satan about your identity.

*Thank God for who you are in Christ.

*Select one verse/truth per day and specifically apply it to your life and relationships.

My Identity in Christ

1 Thessalonians 3:13—I am blameless and holy before God’s presence.

1 Thessalonians 5:23—God is sanctifying me through and through.

1 Thessalonians 5:23—God keeps my whole spirit, soul, and body blameless.

2 Thessalonians 2:14—I am called to share in the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Timothy 1:7—God placed within me His spirit of power, love, and wisdom.

2 Timothy 2:3-4—I am a good soldier in Jesus Christ.

2 Timothy 2:5—I am a victorious athlete in Jesus Christ.

2 Timothy 2:6—I am a disciplined, hard working farmer in Jesus Christ.

Titus 3:5—I am saved, washed, re-birthed, and renewed in Christ and by the Spirit.

Hebrews 1:3—I am purified from sin in and by Christ.

Hebrews 2:10—I am brought to glory in and by Christ.

Hebrews 2:11—I am made holy in and by Christ.

Hebrews 7:25—I am saved completely.

Hebrews 8:10; 10:16—God’s law is in my mind, written on my heart.

Hebrews 9:12—I have eternal redemption in Christ.

Hebrews 9:14—My conscience is cleansed in Christ.

Hebrews 9:15—I am set free from sin in Christ.

Hebrews 9:26-27—My sins are done away with and taken away in and by Christ.

Hebrews 10:2—I am cleansed once for all, guiltless in Christ.

Hebrews 10:10—I have been made holy once for all by Christ’s sacrifice.

Hebrews 10:14—I have been made perfect forever in and by Christ.

Hebrews 10:22—I am cleansed and washed in Christ.

1 Peter 1:3—I am born again, given new birth in Christ.

1 Peter 1:18-19—I am redeemed from my old empty way of life by Christ’s precious blood.

1 Peter 1:22—I am purified by faith in Christ.

1 Peter 1:23—I have been born again of imperishable seed.

1 Peter 2:5—I am a living stone, being built into a spiritual house.

1 Peter 2:5—Along with all the saints, I am a holy priesthood.

1 Peter 2:9—Along with all the saints, I am a chosen people.

1 Peter 2:9—Along with all the saints, I am a member of a royal priesthood.

1 Peter 2:9—Along with all the saints, I am a citizen of a holy nation.

1 Peter 2:9-10—Along with all the saints, I am a people belonging to God.

1 Peter 2:9—I am called out of darkness into Christ’s wonderful light.

Note: Excerpted from Soul Physicians: http://bit.ly/7vaE

Sacred Friendships Back Cover

Holy in Christ

Who I Am In Christ, Part Six

Note: Excerpted from Soul Physicians: http://tinyurl.com/d8grf6

Note: Knowing our identity in Christ is vital to glorifying God, defeating the lies of Satan, and ministering powerfully. As you read the following summaries:

*Meditate on the associated verses and on the truth they share about you.

*Reject the lies of Satan about your identity.

*Thank God for who you are in Christ.

*Select one verse/truth per day and specifically apply it to your life and relationships.

My Identity in Christ

Ephesians 1:1—I am faithful in Christ.

Ephesians 1:4—I am holy in Christ.

Ephesians 1:4—I am blameless in Christ.

Ephesians 1:17-19—I have God’s resurrection power actively working in me.

Ephesians 2:5—I am alive with Christ.

Ephesians 2:5, 8—I am saved by grace in Christ.

Ephesians 2:6—I have been raised up with Christ.

Ephesians 2:6—I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms.

Ephesians 2:10—I am Christ’s workmanship, His opus, His poem, His masterpiece.

Ephesians 2:10—I was prepared in advance in Christ Jesus to do good works.

Ephesians 2:15—Together with all the saints, I am a new person in Christ.

Ephesians 2:21—Along with all the saints, I am God’s holy temple.

Ephesians 2:22—I am a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit.

Ephesians 3:16—I am strengthened with power through God’s Spirit.

Ephesians 3:17—Christ dwells in my heart.

Ephesians 3:17—I am rooted and established in love.

Ephesians 3:18—I have power to grasp God’s great love for me in Christ.

Ephesians 3:19—I am filled to the measure of all the fullness of God in Christ.

Ephesians 3:20—Christ’s immeasurable resurrection power is at work within me.

Ephesians 4:13—I am maturing to the full measure of the fullness of Christ.

Ephesians 4:22—My old self is put off in Christ.

Ephesians 4:23—I have been made new in the attitude of my mind in Christ.

Ephesians 4:24—My new self is put on in Christ.

Ephesians 4:24—I am created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Ephesians 5:8—I am now light in the Lord.

Ephesians 5:9—The fruit of my life is goodness, righteousness, and truth.

Ephesians 5:26—I am cleansed in Christ

Ephesians 5:26—I am washed in Christ.

Ephesians 5:27—Together with the Bride of Christ, I am presentable, radiant, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless in Christ.

Note: Excerpted from Soul Physicians: http://tinyurl.com/d8grf6

A Christ-Centered TEAM Approach to Intercultural Relating

Cultivating Christlike Intercultural Relational Competency:

A Christ-Centered TEAM Approach

In light of the ongoing controversy over the arrest of African American Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr., many of you have asked to hear more about my views on intercultural (multicultural) ministry.

Goals of a Christ-Centered TEAM Approach

The primary goal of Cultivating Christlike Intercultural Relational Competency: A Christ-Centered TEAM Approach is to equip people to develop four championship TEAM skills that empower them to function effectively in our culturally diverse society. People can learn how to relate harmoniously by building bridges of understanding across diverse cultures.

The TEAM approach is based upon the biblical conviction that God in Christ is moving all of history toward an eternity where “a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language” will stand before the Lamb in united worship (Revelation 7:9-10). Thus the eternal goal is to equip people to relate interculturally now in light of their eternal future so that God is glorified and others are attracted to Christ by their love.

Learning Outcomes of A Christ-Centered TEAM Approach

After successful participation in Cultivating Christlike Intercultural Relational Competency: A Christ-Centered TEAM Approach, people will be able to implement the TEAM intercultural relational competencies of:

T: Taking another person’s earthly perspective through empathy and culturally-informed listening.

This is the ability to empathize with someone whose patterns of relating, thinking, acting, and feeling developed out of a diverse culture. It is the ability to walk in the shoes of another person from another culture. It requires culturally-informed listening, among many other “skills.”

E: Engaging in bridge-building spiritual conversations through focusing on God’s eternal perspective.

This is the ability to encourage another person to assess their own individual, cultural, and universal experience through the lens of God's eternal Person, perspective, purposes, and plans. It includes the both/and “skill” of listening to the earthly story while jointly weaving in God's eternal, heavenly story.

A: Abolishing barriers through forgiveness and reconciliation.

This is the ability to apply Christ’s forgiveness of us to our intercultural relationships. It highlights the fact that “racism” is not a skin issue but a sin issue. It recognizes that integration alone is a legislative/law issue, while reconciliation is a heart issue, a spiritual issue. This includes the “skill” of being an ambassador of intercultural reconciliation.

M: Making intercultural peace through spiritual renewal.

This is the ability to move beyond the absence of hostility to the presence of biblical unity in diversity. It highlights biblical shalom which only comes from Christ’s supernatural resurrection power among His redeemed people. It includes the “skill” or relational competency of applying personal spiritual renewal to individual and group interpersonal relationships.

Just How Biblical Is Intercultural Ministry?

Consider just a few examples of how central intercultural ministry is to the eternal plan of God.

1. Intercultural Ministry Is a God Thing: James 2:1-13; Romans 2:4-11. For God so loved the world. God is no respecter of persons. He is calling people from all nations to His forever family. He calls us to godly living that shows no favoritism.

2. Intercultural Ministry Is a Christ Thing: Matthew 28:19-20; John 4:1-42. Christ calls us to make disciples of all nations. Christ models intercultural ministry in breaking social barriers to witness to the Samaritan women, resulting in the people proclaiming that He is indeed the Savior of the world.

3. Intercultural Ministry Is a Spirit Thing: 1 Corinthians 12:12-27. We are all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks. The Spirit purposefully combined the diverse members into one Body so that there would be no division.

4. Intercultural Ministry Is a Salvation Thing: Ephesians 2:11-22; Revelation 5:9. Christ’s salvation purpose is to reconcile, make peace, and create in Himself one new people who have full and equal access to the Father by the Spirit, making us all fellow citizens and joint members of God’s household. The Lamb purchased for God people from every tribe, language, people, and nation.

5. Intercultural Ministry Is a Church Thing: Acts 2:14-47; Acts 10:1-48. The first Church and the Church throughout Acts integrated believers from diverse cultures.

6. Intercultural Ministry Is a Sanctification Thing: Colossians 3:1-11. As we put off the old and put on the new person in Christ we are renewed not only individually, but also corporately where there is no Greek or Jew, barbarian or Scythian, but Christ is all and is in all.

7. Intercultural Ministry Is an Eternal Thing: Revelation 7:9-10. As John peers into eternity, he witnesses a great multitude that no one can count from every nation, tribe, people, and language worshipping God together forever.

Toward a Description of Intercultural Ministry/Relating

In the old game show, Name That Tune, contestants would say, “I can name that tune in ____ notes” (the lower the number of notes, the better). Well, I canNOT name the “tune” of intercultural (or multicultural or cross-cultural) ministry/relating in just a few notes. In fact, one specialist in this area lists more than a dozen different names for the concept related to intercultural/multiculturalism. That’s a dozen names—each with its own set of scores of definitions.

Still, we can at least suggest some beginning descriptions.

What Is Culture?

Let’s start with a supposedly simple word like “culture.” This word itself has a myriad of definitions. My working definition of culture is based upon a biblical theology/psychology of how God designed us.

Here are two similar ways I would word my description of culture:

*Culture is the shared relational, rational, volitional, and emotional patterns for living that people use in social interactions and learn through social interactions.

*Culture is the system of shared patterns of relating, thinking, acting, and feeling that members of society use to relate to one another and to others, and that are learned through social interactions.

What Is Intercultural Relational Competency?

First, I use intercultural relational competency interchangeably with multicultural skillfulness. Here are a few ways I describe these terms:

*Intercultural relational competency is the ability to relate like Christ with people from other cultures.

*Intercultural relational competency is the ability to relate like Christ when interacting with people whose patterns of relating, thinking, acting, and feeling are culturally different (diverse) from yours.

Speaking

I have spoken on this topic across the country in diverse settings. My presentation includes a five-page outline, a 60-slide PowerPoint presentation, and an engaging, interactive lecture/discussion. If you are interested in having me speak to your group, feel free to contact me: rpm.ministries@gmail.com.

Resources

My book Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction offers insights for all people into the great contributions to ministry made by our African American brothers and sisters. For more information on Beyond the Suffering visit: http://tinyurl.com/d7bwnv.

Seeing Race Relations through Christ-Colored Glasses

Seeing Race Relations through Christ-Colored Glasses

The incident involving the arrest of African American Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr., seems like an all-too-familiar case of “he said/she said” complicated by the still contentious issues of race in American society. And the responses seem equally predictable: people choosing sides left and right (see http://tinyurl.com/nejvyy for a summary article—and be sure to read the scores of one-sided comments from readers).

Reviewing the Situation

Henry Louis Gates, Jr., is African American. He also is the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor and the Director of the W. E. B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research at Harvard University. (For his academic bio, go here: http://tinyurl.com/ceah7r.)

Professor Gates arrived home after a week in China to find his front door jammed shut. He and his African American driver attempted to force the door open. A White neighbor called police to report a possible break-in by two African American males wearing backpacks.

Two Sides to Any Story

This is where the details get dicey. If you want the extended version of the story (stories), go here: http://tinyurl.com/nejvyy).

Of course, there are always two sides to any story. And we always view our side through our grid—our background, our perspective, our history, and, yes, our ethnicity.

Professor Gates maintains that he cooperated with the police, showed his ID, and asked for the officer’s ID—likely because he was beginning to sense that, from his perspective, racial issues were at least a part of the issue. When the officer refused to show his ID, Professor Gates apparently began to verbalize his concerns about potential racism.

Looking at Life through Professor Gates' Eyes

Before anyone judges Professor Gates as a “liberal, whining, race-baiting, African American” (as many have done on various web sites), perhaps it would be helpful to walk a mile in his shoes.

I travel. It’s exhausting. A week-long business trip to China would be especially draining. After such a grueling trip, I’d want to place my key in my door, enter, plop down, and chill for the night. The last think I would want would be to have to break into my own house. And certainly the last thing I would want would be to have someone accuse me of being a criminal.

Now, that’s as a “White guy” who has not experienced racism and prejudice. Professor Gates has lived it. He has researched it. He was witnessed it. So, yes, is it possible that he sees life at times with “race colored glasses”—seeing racism where it may not exist? Perhaps.

It is also possible that he sees and senses the subtle and frustrating signs of racism where others miss those signs. Perhaps he sees in this very personal situation a small taste of what his entire life’s work has highlighted. Maybe it felt to him like one more maddening example of racial profiling.

Police officers are trained to assess situations. They are trained to look for verbal and non-verbal clues. Did this older, distinguished looking gentleman really look the part of a thief? How many times have African Americans been stopped by White officers in majority White neighborhoods for no other obvious reason than the color of their skin?

Could the White officers have defused the situation? Explained better their procedure? Empathized more with a weary traveler? Walked away when they felt verbally attacked, rather than handcuffing and arresting Professor Gates?

Looking at Life through the Police Officer’s Eyes

Before anyone judges the arresting officer as a “racist, rude, prejudicial, arrogant, aggressive cop,” (as many have done on various web sites), perhaps it would be helpful to walk a mile in his police shoes. The police officer has his own side of the story—and he has his own lenses through which he observes life.

Surely it all began innocently. He was responding to a 911 call of a possible breaking and entering. Following procedures, he reached the home to see a man trying to force his way into the house. Suspicions arouse, tensions mount.

He properly asks for identification. Now the situation begins to escalate. Perhaps Professor Gates is raising his voice. He’s making accusations of racism. At the end of a long shift, perhaps this police officer is not only weary, but now he is shocked and feels defensive. No, with many officers present, his physical safety was not endangered. But maybe this officer is thinking, “I’m just trying to do my job. I’m here to protect your home. Let’s not make this something it isn’t. I am not a racist! Let’s just drop this and move on, okay?”

As sad as the incident is, what is even sadder is the predictable public response. People choosing sides. No one trying to look at both sides. Isn’t that the very reason we still have racial tension in America today?

Be honest. As you’re reading right now, you are “yes butting” me. If you tend toward Professor Gates’ view, then you have a myriad of thoughts about how, “this White guy Kellemen just doesn’t get it!”

If you tend toward supporting the police officer, then you have a millions sentences going through your mind like, “Kellemen is a liberal White guy pandering to African Americans!”

Looking at Life through Christ’s Eyes

Well, then, forget my eyes. Let’s look at this through Christ’s eyes.

Consider four basic principles of cultivating Christlike intercultural relational competency. I called them a Christ-centered TEAM approach.

*T: Taking another person’s earthly perspective through empathy and culturally-informed listening.
*E: Engaging in bridge-building spiritual conversations through focusing on God’s eternal perspective.
*A: Abolishing barriers through forgiveness and reconciliation.
*M: Making intercultural peace through spiritual renewal.

The T in Team

It’s easy for us to say that Gates or the officer should have taken each other’s perspective, that they should have empathized with each other’s background, or that they should have seen life from each other’s lenses.

But what about us? Rather than quickly picking sides, could we step back and try to see things from both perspectives? Could Black brothers and sisters try for a minute to see this situation from the White officer’s perspective? Could White brothers and sisters try for a minute to see this situation from the Black professor’s perspective?

This does not mean that we close a blind eye to racism. It does not mean that we accept every charge of racism as valid. It simply means that we start with empathy—T—taking another person’s perspective.

The E in tEam

Now, I hardly expect that in the heat of the night, the Professor and the Officer would have sat down for coffee to build bridges of understanding! But now that the heat has had time to subside, don’t you think they, and don’t you think we, could start a little bridge-building?

I mean, just take a look at those comments on the link above! Perhaps 1% constitute a bridge-building comment. What’s up with that? Are we sill so racially divided in America that no one can say, “Let’s focus on God’s eternal perspective”?

According to Revelation 7:9, we will spend eternity fellowshipping and worshipping in racial and ethnic diversity. Maybe we should start practicing now. Maybe we could have some candid, honest, frank bridge-building spiritual conversations that look at situations like this through Christ’s eyes.

The A in teAm

Building bridges is a start. Once built, we can reach out hands that work together to abolish barriers through forgiveness and reconciliation. My guess, and I’m sure I’ll make everyone mad with this, is that there is plenty of confession and forgiveness to go around in the Professor/Officer incident.

And there’s plenty to go around for all of us as we react in knee-jerk ways like…well, jerks! Ripping Professor Gates and ripping the so-far unnamed Officer is a far cry from Jesus’ cry on the cross, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Of course, true forgiveness includes, leads to, and offers reconciliation. God can create something beautiful out of the mess that is this Professor/Officer situation. He could help you and me, brothers and sisters of different hues, to reconcile with one another.

The M in teaM

Peace is more than the absence of hostility. Biblical peace, scriptural shalom, is the presence of unity in diversity.

That’s not natural; that is supernatural. It requires spiritual renewal.

I find it fascinating that when the Apostle Paul speaks of the peace of Christ ruling in our hearts and of singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs together, that the context is intercultural harmony! Ninety-nine percent of the time we miss that context. We think Colossians 3:1-17 is about whether we worship with traditional hymns or with contemporary praise songs or with Gospel spirituals.

But Paul precedes his comments on worship with the comment that in Christ “there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarians, Scythians, slave, or free, but Christ is all, and is in all” (Colossians 3:11).

And Paul even precedes those comments by insisting that all who have been raised with Christ must set their hearts and minds where Christ is seated at the right hand of God (Colossians 3:1).

That means that we must set our eyes, our lenses, our perspectives on God’s heavenly, eternal perspective. Now we’ve come full circle because we already know that heaven is an eternal multicultural worship and fellowship service!

So let’s get it right now. Peace comes from spiritual renewal. And spiritual renewal comes from Christ. And as new creations in Christ we wear Christ’s eyeglasses not our own.

Life

Life is not, “He said/she said.”

Life is “Thus saith the Lord!”

And the Lord of all says live at peace with everyone for we are all one in Christ.

New Creation in Christ

Who I Am In Christ, Part Five

Note: Knowing our identity in Christ is vital to glorifying God, defeating the lies of Satan, and ministering powerfully. As you read the following summaries:

*Meditate on the associated verses and on the truth they share about you.

*Reject the lies of Satan about your identity.

*Thank God for who you are in Christ.

*Select one verse/truth per day and specifically apply it to your life and relationships.

My Identity in Christ

1 Corinthians 1:2—I am sanctified in Christ Jesus.

1 Corinthians 1:2; Ephesians 5:26; Colossians 3:12—I am holy in Christ.

1 Corinthians 1:8—I am blameless in Christ.

1 Corinthians 1:30—I am wise in Christ.

1 Corinthians 1:30—I am holiness to God in Christ.

1 Corinthians 2:16—I have the mind of Christ.

1 Corinthians 3:9—I am God’s fellow worker.

1 Corinthians 3:9—I am God’s field.

1 Corinthians 3:9—I am God’s building.

1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 2 Corinthians 6:16—I am God’s sacred temple.

1 Corinthians 6:11—I am washed in Christ.

1 Corinthians 6:19—I am the temple of the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 6:20—I have been bought and redeemed with a price.

2 Corinthians 2:14—Christ always leads me in a triumphal victory march.

2 Corinthians 3:6—I am a competent minister of the new covenant in Christ.

2 Corinthians 3:10—In Christ I have surpassing, lasting glory.

2 Corinthians 3:18—I am a growing reflection of the Lord’s glory.

2 Corinthians 3:18—I am increasingly being transformed into Christ’s likeness.

2 Corinthians 4:16—I am being renewed inwardly day by day in Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:17—I am a new creation in Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:18—I am a minister of reconciliation.

2 Corinthians 5:20—I am Christ’s ambassador.

2 Corinthians 5:21—I have the righteousness of God in Christ.

2 Corinthians 8:9—I am spiritually rich in Christ.

2 Corinthians 11:2—I am Christ’s spiritually pure virgin.

Galatians 1:4—I have been rescued from this present evil age.

Galatians 2:20—I am crucified with Christ.

Galatians 3:13-14—I am redeemed from the curse.

Note: Excerpted from Soul Physicians: http://tinyurl.com/d8grf6

The Best of Web Sites for Christianity and the News

Kellemen’s Christian The Best Of Guide
The Best of Web Sites for Christianity and the News

Kellemen’s Christian The Best of Guide: Making your life easier by finding, summarizing, evaluating, and posting the best resources on a wide variety of topics from a Christian perspective.

The Best of Web Sites for Christianity and the News

*Everyday Christian: http://www.everydaychristian.com

Everyday Christian doesn’t just tell you about “Christianity in the news.” It gives you a Christian perspective on whatever is in the news. Solid writing by a growing team of experienced journalists who are committed a Christian worldview.

*Christianity Today: http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/

This is the online site for the venerable Evangelical Christian magazine. Tons of links to topics of importance to Evangelical Christians.

*Belief Net Christianity: http:www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Christianity/index.aspx

Belief Net itself is not focused on the Christian faith alone. However, their Christianity link highlights news relevant to Christians. Their focus is very broadly Christian—be discerning.

*Examiner: Evangelical: http://tinyurl.com/l3buz6

The Examiner is like a growing number of sites with national and local news—something of a USA Today online. The Evangelical page highlights news of interest to Evangelical Christians from an Evangelical perspective.

*Life News: http://www.lifenews.com

Life News is a pro-life online site with news related to the sanctity of human life—political, religious, and philosophical.

*Washington Post: God in Government: http://tinyurl.com/nrl9jm

The God in Government section/blog of the Washington Post examines religion’s impact on politics. Co-written by Jacqueline L. Salmon and Michelle Boorstein, their slant is not necessarily Evangelical per se, but they do keep you abreast of religion and politics in the news.

*About.com Christianity: http://christianity.about.com/

Like The Examiner, About is a leading online news source on scores of topics. Their Christianity topic provides a boatload of links to news relevant to believers.

Important Stuff

*Your Guide: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., LCPC, is the Founder and CEO of RPM Ministries (www.rpmministries.org) through which he writes, speaks, and consults to equip God’s people to change lives with Christ’s changeless truth. He blogs daily at http://rpmministries.blogspot.com.

*My Necessary Disclaimer: Of course, I don’t endorse everything in every article, book, or link that you’ll find in Kellemen’s Christian The Best of Guide. I report, you decide.

*Your Suggestions Are Welcomed: Feel free to post comments and/or send emails (rpm.ministries@gmail.com) about resources that you think deserve attention in various categories covered in Kellemen’s Christian The Best of Guide.

Have You Heard about Sacred Friendships?

Have You Heard about Sacred Friendships?

Co-authors Bob Kellemen and Susan Ellis are excited to announce that pre-orders are now available for their book Sacred Friendships: Celebrating the Legacy of Women Heroes of the Faith. Sacred Friendships shares captivating narratives from the lives and ministries of over 50 women spanning 2,000 years. These heroes of the faith teach men and women about life and ministry today.

Compelling Work

Julie Clinton, President of Extraordinary Women, shares why she is excited about Sacred Friendships.

“Dr. Bob Kellemen and Susan Ellis, in their compelling work, Sacred Friendships, provide a voice for the voiceless. Like never before, they tell ‘her story’—the story of our great female forbears in the faith. As they tell it, and as we listen, we do not simply learn historical facts; we are empowered and equipped to practice soul care and spiritual direction today.”

Superb Presentation

Dr. Timothy George, Dean of Beesen Divinity School and Senior Editor for Christianity Today calls it a “superb presentation!”

“Dr. Robert Kellemen and Susan Ellis have done a masterful job bringing together here a wonderful anthology of the stories and voices of Christian women throughout the history of the church. A superb presentation!”

Sample Chapter

To read a free sample chapter go here: http://tinyurl.com/l34rag and be empowered by the ministries of Margaret Baxter and Susannah Wesley.

Endorsements

To hear how excited others are about what they are learning from Sacred Friendships go here: http://tinyurl.com/mmjf3w.

Pre-Order

To pre-order your copy of Sacred Friendships at 40% off for only $12.99 go here: http://tinyurl.com/lf6rjp.

Professors

Sacred Friendships, with its built-in discussion and application guide, is ideal for classes on Christian biblical counseling, spiritual formation, women's ministry, and church history.If you would like to use Sacred Friendships as a required book in one of your classes, email rpm.ministries@gmail.com with the name of the class and your address so you can receive a complimentary professor's copy.

Church Leaders

Sacred Friendships is the ideal book for small groups, Adult Sunday school, and Bible studies. If your church or para-church group would like to order ten or more copies at 50% off, please email rpm.ministries@gmail.com for details.

Reviewers

If you write reviews for major publications or major blog sites and you would like to review Sacred Friendships please email rpm.ministries@gmail.com to receive a complete Review Kit.

Bloggers

Kellemen and Ellis will be launching a "Blog Tour" soon, interacting on blogs across the country as they celebrate the legacy of women heroes of the faith. If you have a regular blog and would like to join the excitement, email rpm.ministries@gmail.com.

Radio Interviewers

If you are involved in radio, or know those who are, and would like to engage your audience about women in ministry, please email rpm.ministries@gmail.com to receive a detailed Media Kit.