Author: Rev. Dr. Daniel C. Wilburn

I really didn’t mean to be controversial last Sunday.  I inadvertently used some language that wasn’t polite, for which I am sorry.  But the force of the scripture is consistent:  ‘those in power run roughshod over the poor and voiceless.’  As Christ followers our identity is always (default) with the voiceless.  “Identity” does not mean agreement or consent – Jesus did not agree with extortion or prostitution.  Identity means compassion – even for those who hate us (“turn the other check,” the Good Samaritan… etc).  This identity with the marginalized is reflective of Jesus’ community, and his own journey to the cross.  I am not in favor of killing by anyone.  I am very close to being an unwilling pacifist.  And I believe that Americanism goes to the violent too quickly.  It is my role and office to speak out against such things even if they are unpopular and it costs me and all of us popularity.  Each minister (and you as well) is prophet, poet and priest.  As preacher my job is is to ‘comfort the afflicted, and afflict the comfortable.’  It is usually difficult to do both at once. There is a reason why terrorism exists and more so why it is aimed at America.  And it isn’t because the terrorists (and I do choose that word) are innately evil.  I believe they are desperate.  That said,...

The resurrection was such a central part of the first church’s gospel that some Gentiles asked Paul, “So just who is this Jesus and Anastasia?”  Anastasis is Greek for resurrection.  The two words were always paired:  Jesus and Resurrection. We should flee then to Jesus and his resurrection.  Why?  Many Evangelical Christians misunderstand the point of the resurrection at the time of the first church.  They might think resurrection just shows proof of Jesus’ divinity.  They might think resurrection was a power-proof of g-d’s supernatural abilities.  Evangelicals focus so much on Good Friday and the cross that they have little to really celebrate on Easter.  I mean, after one’s sins are atoned for, what else is there?  We already know we are going heaven, right?  So what’s the big deal about the resurrection? You see how we fail to grasp the resurrection? I remember going to a good Evangelical church years ago that basically did a Good Friday service on Easter Sunday. Yeah boy.  It’s always a bit disconcerting to kill off Jesus on Easter morning. Good theology requires we  understand the core definition of the word resurrection.  Resurrection was not disembodied spirits.  Nor was resurrection resuscitation.  Resurrection by definition is a new way of existing.  Jesus is the first born of the new existence.  It is called resurrection.  Since Ezekiel 37 Jews had spoken of resurrection, but it...

50 teens over for dinner, twice a week – KansasCity.com Andy and Kylie Ewing find a favorable review in the Kansas City Star newspaper.  Click the link above and read the article and look at the...

We talk about how difficult it is to survive in our inner city, but these statistics make “the killing zipcodes” a reality… STATISTICS Recently we had some friends over who live in the inner city (64128).  We live in a safe suburb (64063).  Around ten o’clock that night someone knocked on our front door, which is unusual for us.  But my friend from the inner city bolted straight up out of his chair.  The knock was a neighbor looking for something they left in our car.  But the auto-response from my friend was telling.  We kidded him about it, and all he said, “Hey when someone knocks on your door at ten at night in the inner city you move.” Is our world ‘a perfectly safe place to be’ as Dr. Dallas Willard phrases it?*  Or a violent dangerous place? Perspective is everything.  But I will say this:  FEAR is the top sin.  Fear keeps us from the good that we must do.  Fear keeps us from trusting and submitting to Jesus.  Fear keeps us racist.  Fear keeps us greedy.  Fear is scarcity.  Fear that g-d was holding out on them drove Adam and Eve to eat the forbidden fruit.  Fear keeps sheep standing rather than lying down in green pastures.  And fear will keep us out of the inner city. Is our world safe or dangerous?  It depends...