I am a Christian. I respect other traditions, and have benefited from their wisdom, but my jersey says “Team Jesus.”

I truly believe that if I asked Saint Paul for a reference letter it would say something along the lines of, “Jim has some rough edges and a few things he needs to work on, but he is definitely one of us.” And, as Paul said, I wish for everyone to have a walk similar to mine. One marked by fellowship with Christ and love for others.

That said, I should confess that I have been looking for other ways to describe myself without using the word “Christian.” President Trump says “Religion is back” and Christianity is strong, but I’m not so sure. I am sure that he and I use those words to describe different things.

I believe that Christianity, patriotism, and his administration’s agenda are three separate things. He seems to think the words are interchangeable.

Along with mine and the president’s differences, too many of my Christian siblings have attached things to their walk that have nothing to do with authentic Christianity. Things like, who you vote for, who you need to be afraid of, and a good bit of “My beliefs beat your beliefs.” (Read, “I’m sorry but, you other guys are going to Hell.”)

So, since those folks seem to be holding the podium right now, and I find it awkward to immediately go into what I’m not when I say I’m Christian, I’m looking for another word or two to use. Maybe you can help. Here’s my rambling list of things I believe, and things I am trying to do and be.

I believe there is a universal and perennial wisdom, a Logos to use John’s word, that was taught and lived out by Jesus of Nazareth, but it is not contained by him. I believe one good name for this is Christ. Sacred is another good word, and really good one is Love, but words fall short for what I am talking about.

I believe that when we are awakened to our connection to Christ, we see that we are all connected, all One, and we love our neighbor as our self (not like we love our self, but as our self, part of us)

I believe everything and all things are loved and sacred. Nothing is simply a commodity to be used selfishly. So, I seek to see and listen to all people and things as clearly as I can. This is one way I seek the truth that makes us free.

I believe that practices consistent to these beliefs are: prayer, acts of mercy, promoting justice, graciousness, generosity, respect, kindness, and forgiveness.

There’s more, but for now, I’ll close by saying it’s a way of life, a commitment, and a hope to be transformed into Love’s likeness.

I believe that is a Christian list. What may bother some folks though is that it’s not an exclusively Christian list. Others could say that they believe those things. Friends, that in itself is part of what makes it Christian. Jesus wasn’t exclusive.

So, help me out. What’s a good word or words to use to describe this walk? And no, I won’t accept “Heretic.”

I guess for the foreseeable future, I’ll call myself “Christian,” and see if folks want to talk about what I mean by that.

“Know your role. Stay in your role. Star in your role.” (Doug Collins, American basketball player and coach

I’d like to share two conversations I recently had with the Spirit.

No, The Sacred Other and I don’t regularly sit around and chat, but I do pray and I often listen. And, when something comes from outside of yourself, a thought you wouldn’t have had on you own, I believe it’s Spirit.

Conversation One:

Over the last couple of years I have become friends with a fellow that reads the King James Bible exclusively. And I do mean exclusively. According to him, all other translations are potentially harmful and the KJV is the only true bible.

I on the other hand. believe the KJV is actually a pretty poor translation, and has some harmful cultural bias in it from the 1600’s. Not to mention the fact that it’s hard to read.

So, I was riding down the road the other day and I prayed, “Lord, how can I help Tommy? I don’t know what to say to him about his thing with the King James.”

And it came, “Why to you think you have to help him. I like him like he is.”

Conversation Two:

It likely comes as no surprise to anyone reading this that I am not President Trump’s biggest fan. In fact, I believe that whenever you see a list of things that Jesus tells us to beware of, Trump usually checks them all.

Because my feelings are no secret I got an email from another friend that is trying to organize a faith based response to MAGA. It read in part, “Folks, we really need to get together to talk about how to counter the messages of division and hate being sent by our neighbors and friends… I have tried to ask questions and reason with some of my more fundamentalist friends regarding their comments. I’ve made little or no headway.”

So, I was walking down a mountain trail the other day and I prayed, “Lord, what would you have me tell my MAGA friends?” And it came, “Tell them I love them.”

Hopefully y’all are picking up on this not being a “Here’s what you need to do,” essay. It’s me putting it out there that I’m getting in my lane, and I want to do my best to star in my role. Sharing God’s love.

James Finley of the Center for Action and Contemplation teaches a concept that I find extremely helpful. He says that if we could be interiorly awakened so that we could see what Jesus saw, we’d see God all around us because Jesus saw God in all that he saw. It didn’t matter whether he saw the joy of those gathered at a wedding or the sorrow of those gathered at the burial of a loved one. It didn’t matter whether he saw his own mother or a prostitute, whether he saw his disciples or his executioners or a bird or a flower. He saw God in all, in everything.

So, as Bob Marley said, this is my message for you. Those of you that read the KJV exclusively, and those who are biblical scholars. It’s my message for Proud Boys and Democratic Socialists. It’s for those whose ancestors came over on the Mayflower, crossed the Bering Strait, endured the middle passage, or maybe they recently snuck across the Rio Grande. It’s for those who talk to Allah, those who are sure to end prayers “In Jesus name,” and those who have no intention of ever praying. It’s even for our four legged, no legged, and winged cousins.

God so loved the world. That’s you. And everyone else.

That said, I’ll leave it to y’all to figure out what you want to read and who you want to vote for.

This one is a guest post, written by my former co-pastor, Kathryn Hunter. Pretty proud of her pebble throwing.

This past weekend Nebo Crossing, a large church in Marion, NC hosted the North Carolina Faith and Freedom Coalition. 

The speakers and presenters list included Kristi Noem (She was a no show), Michael Whatley (Trump’s handpicked candidate for US Senator from NC); Dr. Ben Carson; a variety of Fox News and Newsmax personalities, Turning Point speakers, Support Israel groups; and many Republican candidates in mid-term NC races. They had the audacity to call it “The Salt and Light Conference.” 

As one who has lived my life with a desire to follow Jesus Christ, and to be salt and light in the world, I was quite frankly, repulsed. I signed up to join the protestors. 

We were a very small group, no more than ten at any given time, and with many different agendas; climate control, healthcare, budget, vote for the Democrats, etc. I appeared to be the only one motivated by the desire to stand against the co-opting of Jesus. 

My signs read:  “Jesus said, ‘Love your neighbor;’” “Choose Kindness;” and “Jesus said, ‘Feed the Hungry.’” In addition to one slightly more political, “Stop Starving the Palestinians.”

I went to both days of the event. When I got there Saturday,  the first sight, in the church parking lot, was a large Vote for Trump bus covered with anti-abortion messages and pictures of fetuses. And of course, a huge American flag flying above it. That afternoon, most of the car traffic passing us were large, black,  SUVs with tinted windows, and government tags. The kind of cars driven only by the rich.

Sunday was an open- to -the- public worship service. Before then, all events required tickets, so, the feel was different. It seemed that most were regular church attendees and the cars that passed were med-sized SUVs and trucks with Jesus stickers, mixed with Trump stickers. Most folks waved and smiled at us. They wanted us to know that Jesus loved (even) us. They offered us water and invited us to come to church. 

For the most part, we were treated politely, even by the self-professed MAGA woman who tried to save us and almost gagged when she read my t-shirt that  said, “Equity, Inclusion and Belonging.” 

She also felt it necessary to tell me that pastors with MDivs are morons. Hard not to take that personally since I’m a pastor and have a Master of Divinity degree. 

One, very kind woman, with large American flag earrings, came and offered us beaded bracelets. The one she gave me says  “JOY.” We had a good conversation, and her faith in Jesus is real and deep. As I told her, you could see the Spirit shining through her. 

My heart breaks  for those whose faith is being abused and manipulated for others’ hunger for power and gain. She most likely does not know that her church is a White Christian Nationalist Church, or even what that is. 

Not all the actions were kind. We were called “Baby Killers.” Some waved fists and yelled “Power to Israel.” Some rev’ed their trucks and blew past us as we sat two feet from the road. I did not feel threatened, but the police were searching everyone who entered the church for weapons, so evidently they felt threatened

I feel like I tossed a very tiny pebble into a very large pond. Perhaps its ripples will have some effect on others. I pray so. But, for me it was the toss that was important. As has been said by others when asked why they protest – “it will most likely not change them, but I do it so they do not change me.”  

If you are feeling worried, anxious, or fearful about what is happening in our country, I invite you to toss some pebbles – you will feel better.

If there wasn’t a Bible, what would build your faith and guide your life?

That was the question a friend and I kicked around for an hour or so the other day. I think our conversation was podcast worthy.

As we shared our thoughts, both of us were stretched a little because we approached the question from different places. He attends a church that leads with “Bible Believing” when describing itself. I identify more as a Christ follower. While there is some overlap in those positions, there is a difference.

Of course there is another camp that wasn’t represented that day. This third camp is actually the one that inspired the question. The camp of good, moral, loving people that would have trouble locating the 23’rd Psalm. How were they formed into good, moral, loving people? I don’t think it is because they know us folks that can find all 150 of the psalms.

Full disclosure, I approached this time of dialogue firmly believing that the Spirit is speaking through and in all of life. Yes, we know we are loved because the Bible tells us so, but a lot of other stuff does as well.

It’s worth noting that Jesus didn’t say, “After I’m gone there will be a book to guide you.” He said the Spirit will lead us into all truth, and show us some things he hadn’t got around to yet. (see John 16:12&13)

So that was my starting point. After an hour, I came away with the following affirmations.

First of all, the Bible truly contains words of life, words to live by, words like: “God is love,” “Do for others what you’d have them do for you,” “Love your neighbor as yourself,” “God so loved,” “Blessed are the peacemakers,” “God with us,” “In God we live and move and have our being,” “Do justly, love mercy, walk humbly,” I could go on for a while.

But, the Creator is not contained in a book any more than in a holy building or a denomination. This ordained Christian pastor would even say that God is not contained by Christianity. I love that CS Lewis said that Aslan the lion, the Christ figure in The Chronicles of Narnia, was not a tame lion. A theologian named Anselm said, “God is beyond that which can be grasped.” The universe itself does not contain its Creator.

So I would add that along with sacred writings, Spirit also speaks within our very selves. We have a moral compass, we know what it is to love, our being alive connects us like an umbilical cord with the Lord of life. The One who molded us, imprinted us with a divine spark. That’s why that list of passages I typed a minute ago feel more like reminders than new ground when we read them. We remember who we are. We hear the sacred whisper from a place inside us deeper than our bones.

I would also add that same One who speaks to us from deep within ourselves, speaks to us from outside of ourselves. We hear/feel/see/sense the voice of the sacred in all creation. The oceans’ water, the dirt of the ancient mountains, fat clouds, bright sun, gleaming moon, rooted things, four legged things, multi legged thing, no legged things, they all sing the song. Every single one of us has heard/felt/seen/sensed their hymn of praise.

Almost every morning I pray a version of this affirmation:“For God’s Word in scripture, in creation, in relationships, for God’s Word that is in all of life, even in me, thanks be to God.”

So, I invite you to take a deep breath.

Pay attention to each of your five senses. They are conduits of the holy. Listen to your heart. Savor a second and third and fourth deep breath. Allow yourself to be open to the truth that all you are taking in is a sacred gift. I’d be willing to bet a sizable amount that you will hear/feel/see/sense the ever humming Hymn of Love.