For many, the times feel like being on a ship at sea in a storm. It feels like the world is heaving under their feet.

Between the uncertainties of the coronavirus pandemic and the rawness of racial tension, a storm at sea seems an apt metaphor.

When storms threaten, sailors and ships’ captains hope to avoid them altogether or find safe harbor. Sometimes, they are too close to land that will tear their vessel apart. Other times, they are at sea and unable to steer clear of the approaching threat. Sometimes, they have no choice but to sail into the storm.

We are in such times.

When sailors have no choice, their best chance of survival is to face the waves, sailing into them. For many of us, this runs counter to instinct. Instinct tells us to turn away. If a sailor follows that instinct and turns away, the sailor will expose the craft almost entirely to waves strong enough to roll even the largest oceangoing vessels keel up. To avoid capsizing, a ship must minimize its profile, slicing headlong into the waves.

Not only must a ship turn into the waves, it should carry enough weight that it sits in the water. Wind and waves can whip empty boats side-to-side like a metronome.

A sailor also needs to maintain enough power to keep moving forward. Without forward power, a ship isn’t able to steer into the waves but finds itself fully at their mercy. In short order, the waves will turn the unpowered ship sidelong to them.

None of these actions guarantee survival, as the book and movie The Perfect Storm remind us. But they are what experienced mariners know give them the best chance of survival.

The storm around us

While some of us might have found safe harbor from the pandemic or are steering clear of racial tensions, it is doubtful any of us are escaping the storm altogether. The times are such that we are like sailors with no choice but to face the storm.

Just like any storm, what we are experiencing didn’t come out of nowhere. The ingredients for a global pandemic and global protests over racism have been present for a long time. The ingredients have come together, and now, the storm is here, and we must face it.

We must face the reality that the coronavirus pandemic is larger than us, even though the virus itself is invisible. Most of us are not infectious disease experts, and even those who are don’t have all the answers. The pandemic really is like looking out upon a heaving sea under a brooding sky. We have to keep our wits about us and turn into the waves.

At the same time that we take the pandemic for what it is, not turning away from it by seeking a return to the way things were, we also must face racism for what it is and not turn away from it.

What racism is and isn’t

Racism, the idea that any race or person is superior to another and therefore is justified in demeaning, belittling, oppressing and subjugating anyone deemed inferior is sin and contrary to God’s law, God’s will and the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Racism isn’t an over there thing; it’s a right here thing. It’s not a them thing; it’s an us thing. It’s not a you thing; it’s a me thing.

Racism isn’t an outward thing. The outward expressions of racism we know so well are only symptoms of the disease inside. It’s not a law thing; it’s a thought thing. It’s not simply a behavior thing; it’s a belief thing. Racism is an inward thing.

For us to deal with racism in our country, communities and churches, we must deal with racism, not just with legislation and policies, but head-on with greater discomfort internally.

Facing the storm

Experienced sailors know the rough weather they face at sea is not the only storm they face. There also are the mental and emotional storms within the sailor. To face actual storms with any measure of success, these sailors first must deal with the storm inside them. So must we.

Likewise, just as sailors should not sail alone, we need to face racism and the pandemic together.

We must be courageous and turn into the waves. To turn into the waves means we stay ever-mindful of the command not to fear but to trust in the Lord, remembering the Lord gathers the waters, makes a way through the waters, walks on the waters and calms the waters. We must trust the Living Water to get us through our troubled waters.

We must carry sufficient weight so we aren’t tossed by the wind and waves. To carry sufficient weight means we remain filled by the Holy Spirit, the ethereal One who makes us solid.

We must keep moving forward. To keep moving forward means just that. With the heaving water around us and the rising waves in front of us, we do not stall nor give up nor grow weary in doing good. In the power of Christ, we stay powered and moving forward.

And as tired as we may be, we have to keep doing these things, not knowing when the storm will end.

Eric Black is the executive director, publisher and editor of the Baptist Standard. He can be reached at eric.black@baptiststandard.com or on Twitter at @EricBlackBSP. The views expressed are those solely of the author.

Through recent events in our nation, I have developed a new friendship with a fellow pastor in San Antonio. I look forward to learning from Pastor Roberts’ wisdom and perspective.

In a conversation a couple of weeks ago, I mentioned to him if he was a part of a conversation about racial issues, I’d love the opportunity to be a part of it, too. Last week, he invited me to join him and other pastors for a group conversation on a recent Friday afternoon.

As is often the case in a metro area like San Antonio, I got caught in construction traffic on my way across the city for the gathering. My phone map told me I would arrive late. I didn’t want to arrive after the meeting started, especially because I didn’t know anyone else who would be there. As I drove, I continually thought, “I hope I’m not late.”

Thankfully, I arrived before the conversation started and visited with a few other pastors briefly.

A local news crew was there to cover the event, publicizing the idea that pastors care about the racial issues in our nation.

Of the 15 or so pastors and handful of deacons and other church leaders scattered six feet apart throughout the pews, I was the only white person in the room. I’m not suggesting others don’t care and aren’t participating in similar conversations. I just happened to be the only white person at this meeting.

I planned to listen and learn

I planned to listen and learn, mainly offering my support through my presence. As others shared concerns and stories, my heart was broken by the pain of their experiences, and my eyes were opened to the weight my brothers always carry.

Though there was no particular order, eventually everyone else had spoken at least once. Pastor Nelson, our host, was helping pass a microphone around as people spoke, and he stood on the aisle near me as another pastor near me finished. He again opened the floor for comments, and I heard a few murmurs from behind me.

Pastor Nelson looked at me and said, “Pastor Graves, they want to hear from you.”

Because I had intended simply to listen and learn, I reluctantly stood and took the microphone.

It didn’t seem to me the only white guy in the room should have a lot to say about how to address our racial problems. I began by thanking my friend for the invitation and thanking the others for sharing their experiences with me.

I told them how I was caught in traffic on the way there and how I kept thinking, “I hope I’m not late.”

“I made it, and I am here with you,” I said.

I looked around the room at my brothers and sisters in Christ and admitted those words expressed my views on the racial issues we are facing.

“I hope I’m not late, but I am here with you, now.”

Different experiences

I shared a few additional thoughts, acknowledging I know my experience is different than theirs in many ways. I don’t need to have the conversation with my kids or young men in our church about exactly how to respond if they get pulled over by a police officer. We’re trying to educate our kids, but we’re having conversations with them about how we don’t have to have conversations that others have because of the color of their skin.

My concern on the way to the meeting was whether or not I would get a speeding ticket if I got stopped, not the concerns my brothers and sisters in the room had shared. My experience of “liberty and justice for all” has been different than theirs.

Our conversation ended, and I headed home, thankful for the conversation we shared and hopeful for some of my new friendships to grow. That night, I recorded the news in case the story made it on the air. It turned out the reporter was a deacon at one of the pastors’ churches, and a several-minute-long story aired.

I saw a clip of me speaking, mixed in with the comments from others. Then a second, and then a third. I felt a little embarrassed, not because I minded speaking on this issue, but because I felt inadequate to speak compared to the others in the room.

As I reflected about that over the next day or so, I came to a new perspective. Maybe the reason they used a few clips of me speaking wasn’t because I had a lot to say, but because it is important for white people to speak up on this issue.

Being engaged

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote in Letter from a Birmingham Jail, “We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the vitriolic words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people.”

I’ve realized more deeply over these past few weeks, we must not only personally treat all people equally; we must stand and speak and act so all people are treated equally everywhere.

Yes, there are multiple biblical issues in our society to which we can apply the principle of using our voice to advocate for others: protection of life for the unborn, human trafficking, the foster care crisis and many more. Some of these are issues for which I have stood and spoken and acted.

I also know there aren’t simple solutions to address what has been ingrained for generations, but we can’t turn a blind eye and ignore the issue staring us in the face.

I hope I’m not late, but I am here with you now.

Steve Graves has been the pastor of Shearer Hills Baptist Church in San Antonio since 2014 and is a graduate of Baylor University and Baylor’s Truett Theological Seminary.

President Trump signed an executive order on police reform yesterday. He stated that “chokeholds will be banned except if an officer’s life is at risk.” In addition, the federal government will provide funding for “co-responders” like social workers to help police officers deal with issues such as homelessness, mental illness and substance abuse.

The order also mandates that departments share information on officers accused of abusing power. The National Fraternal Order of Police praised the president’s action.

In other news, Dr. Anthony Fauci told a British newspaper: “I would hope to get to some degree of real normality within a year or so. But I don’t think it’s this winter or fall.”

Two days that revealed the world

March 11 was a day that changed the world. That was the day Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, announced they had been infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 and the day the NBA suspended its season.

Actually, March 11 was the day when the world became aware of a reality that already existed. A disease that began in China the previous year now has infected more than 8 million people and caused more than 443,000 deaths as of this morning.

May 25 was a second day that changed the world. That was the day George Floyd died in the custody of Minneapolis police officers. The response to his tragic death has become a global movement to combat racism in all its forms.

Actually, May 25 was the day when the world became aware of a reality that already existed. African slaves were imported into what we know as America 400 years earlier. Racial minorities have been dealing with discrimination for centuries.

Awareness of racism in the past

If you’re like most of us, you wish we were making more progress than we are on both fronts. To that end, let’s consider a call issued last Sunday by former New England Patriots tight end Benjamin Watson at an event he hosted called Boston Pray. As I noted in the Monday Daily Article, the hour of prayer, worship and Bible study was remarkably powerful and hopeful.

At one point, Watson stated that to make progress on racial justice, we need awareness, advocacy and action. Today and for the rest of this week, we will focus on all three.

Let’s begin with awareness.

Mark Noll is one of America’s preeminent church historians. A recipient of the National Humanities Medal, he has taught at Wheaton College, Notre Dame and now at Regent College.

Over the weekend, I read his remarkable study, God and Race in American Politics: A Short History. He notes many Europeans came to the New World with the firm belief they were racially superior to the indigenous people they found here and to the millions of Africans who eventually were enslaved in America.

Slavery was legally abolished in the United States with the adoption of the Thirteenth Amendment in December 1865. The Fourteenth Amendment extended the rights of citizenship to African Americans; the Fifteenth Amendment extended to them the right to vote. But the racial prejudice that had empowered slavery remained.

Awareness of racism in the present

Noll writes that less than a decade after the end of the Civil War, “the unleashing of lynch-law terrorism, the general lack of concern for black civil rights in the North, and the imposition in the South of Jim Crow laws to quash black political participation” were inflicted on the nation’s African American population. “Jim Crow laws,” named for a black minstrel show character, were a collection of state and local statutes that legalized racial segregation.

As Noll notes, the consequence was a functional repeal of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments. It took almost 100 years after the Civil War ended for civil rights legislation to ban racial discrimination and remove legal barriers to voting by African Americans.

Unfortunately, many white Americans think this legislation ended the problem of racism in our country. As African Americans across our country have been saying in the wake of George Floyd’s death, this is tragically far from true.

A yard sign offers transforming hope

I am convinced that until our nation embraces our Father’s love for all people of all races, we cannot be the nation he wants us to be. Since “God shows no partiality” (Acts 10:34), we must reject all prejudice. Since he “made from one man every nation of mankind” (Acts 17:26), we must embrace all men and women as our brothers and sisters.

The good news is our living Lord stands ready to empower us as we seek to make true our nation’s founding claim that “all men are created equal.”

As I was walking in my neighborhood this week, a yard sign caught my eye: “Hope is alive. Jesus is alive!”

I noted on Instagram that because Jesus is alive, we have hope for our past, since Jesus died for our sins (Romans 5:8) and rose from our grave. We have hope for our present, since the living Lord is praying for us right now (Romans 8:34). And we have hope for our future, since Jesus will return for us (John 14:3) and will one day create “a new heaven and a new earth” (Revelation 21:1).

Here’s my invitation to you: Ask Jesus to show you if there are racial sins in your past, then repent of anything he brings to your mind and claim his forgiving grace (1 John 1:9). Ask Jesus to show you ways you can respond to racism in the present, then obey his call at all costs (cf. Romans 12:1–2). Ask Jesus to show you ways you can help build a more just future, then follow his Spirit’s leading (John 16:13).

I am joining you in all three prayers today in the assurance that hope is alive because Jesus is alive.

Who will experience hope because Jesus is alive in you?

Jim Denison is the co-founder and chief vision officer of Denison Forum. He pastored churches in Texas and Georgia and now speaks and writes to empower believers to navigate cultural issues from a biblical perspective.

President Trump signs police reform order and Dr. Fauci predicts when we will return to ‘normal’: How awareness can lead to hope was first published in The Daily Article by the Denison Forum. Daily Articles are republished in the Baptist Standard under agreement with Denison Forum and are not intended to represent the Standard’s views.

If I had a dollar for every youth camp and Disciple Now I’ve participated in over the years, I would buy a beach house in Port Aransas.

I’ve been a camper, counselor, preacher and parent. I was in Dawson McAllister’s big tent. I stood up when Al Denson told me to. I vividly recall Al Fike playing music with his hands and talcum powder in Panama City.

There are a number of things I laugh about today, but I’m mostly just grateful for the tired adults who tried to help us find Jesus in all of it. That’s why I became one of the tired adults.

Hypocrisy

One of the most popular youth camp sermon topics was hypocrisy. They were trying to coax some genuine Christianity out of the soil. Their main opponent was the Deep South cultural version of “the faith once delivered.”

Some of the messages had elaborate props. We were told the word “hypocrite” came from a Greek word for “actor.” Camp preachers are often seminary students who like to show off their Greek a little.

Actors in Jesus’ day wore masks. We were told hypocrites wore spiritual masks at church. They were fakes. We were passionately told to take off our masks and never put them back on again. Masks = Bad! This message is part of the mixed cassette tape playing in my soul.

Masks today

I’m many years and miles away from Dawson’s big tent revival.

Today, I’d like to encourage you, with the same vigor we encouraged Mark Matlock—an evangelical version of David Copperfield—when he tried, once again, to break out of the straight jacket, to put your mask on when you go to church. Leave the spiritual one off, but put the cotton one on your face.

A recent study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences finds that among all the strategies for reducing transmission of COVID-19, wearing face masks may be the central variable that determines the spread of the virus.

This is encouraging news. Imagine the upside. Consider the minimal investment for the maximum good.

Coaching advice

In my former life as a tee ball coach, I learned not to draft Texas boys named Nolan. There are plenty of them to choose from. Being named Nolan does not guarantee any measure of baseball ability, but it does guarantee a baseball dad with visions of Nolan Ryan’s namesake beginning his long march to Cooperstown on your tee ball team.

Who doesn’t love Nolan Ryan? He recently did a little life coaching for us. In case you missed it, here is what he said:

“As we open Texas for business, we all need to work together in the fight against COVID-19. As Texans, we need to be responsible. We need to be smart. So, when you leave the house, don’t be a knucklehead. Wash your hands, socially distance yourself from others and wear a mask. Do the right things. Look out for your fellow Texans, and together we’ll make it through this.”

We are living through a series of “next normals.” We likely are going to be engaged in a prolonged balancing act. There are many elements of the common good that must be considered at the same time. Let’s be wise and do the best we can. So, friends, wear you mask when you go to church.

Matt Snowden is the senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Waco. This article first appeared as a Monday Meditation on the First Baptist Waco website. The views expressed are those solely of the author.

“When am I finally going to graduate?” “When am I going to get married?” “When am I going to find a job?” “When am I going to get that raise I’ve been promised?” “When will I ever get over this disease I’ve been battling for years?”

Waiting times and waiting games are some of the most difficult and challenging times we encounter as we navigate our way through this precarious journey called life.

Since mid-March, we all have been mired in one long, frustrating and now very costly waiting time. We’ve been wondering when this crazy coronavirus pandemic will end.  For our generation, this season will be remembered as perhaps the most devastating corporate and personal waiting time in our nation’s history.

Waiting times are tough times, but our waiting times do not have to be wasted times if we understand God’s perspective on waiting and time.

Two kinds of time

Two Greek words are used for “time” in the Bible. One is chronos. Chronos is quantitative or linear time. It’s the passing of seconds, minutes, hours, days, months and years.

Chronos is the time beckoning us to get up at 8 a.m., be in class by 9 a.m., squeeze in a lunch at noon, finish homework by 11 or 12 p.m.—or 1 or 2 a.m. This is the time that so often entraps and enslaves us.

The other word is kairos, a whole different kind of time. Kairos is qualitative and nonlinear. Kairos means “opportunity” or “a fitting or opportune time.” It’s a “season” kind of time.

The Byrds, in their famous song from the 1960s, quote directly from Ecclesiastes 3:1: “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.” They capture the essence of kairos. There’s a right “season” for everything, especially from heaven’s point of view.

In the Bible, kairos describes the fitting, appointed, opportune and perfect time in the plans and purposes of God. It’s when God intervenes and acts. It is carpe diem kind of time.

It’s imperative we see the difference between kairos and chronos. While God created both, which one of these kinds of time do we think he most particularly is interested in when it comes to his relationship and interaction with us?

God’s perspective on time

Kairos—and its derivatives—is used some 86 times in the Bible. Interestingly, the word kairos actually comes from the Greek root word kara, meaning “head.” When we talk about things “coming to a head,” we mean things are coming to a time of decisive action.

In addressing the urgency of responding to the gospel, Paul exhorts: “For he (God) says, ‘In the time (kairos) of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.’ I tell you, now is the time (kairos) of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).

Paul reminds us: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time (kairos) we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (Galatians 6:9-10).

In his first spoken words in the Gospel of Mark, Jesus says: “The time (kairos) has come. The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news” (Mark 1:15).

And, in what is perhaps one of the most oft-quoted passages regarding time, Paul encourages us to “walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time (kairos), because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15-16).

“Redeeming” in the Greek literally means “to purchase something from.” It’s a marketplace term. Paul is saying when we use our time wisely, we are purchasing something, we are making an investment in something useful and important. We are “buying our time back” from the evil days in which we live.

Redeeming the time, making the most of every opportunity, making the best use of the time, even when stuck in a waiting time, that’s living in kairos.

Prioritizing time

Of chronos and kairos, which should be commanding priority in our lives?

Living in chronos is important; in fact, it’s inescapable. Psalm 90:12 reminds us wisdom comes from carefully counting our days in a chronos kind of way: “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Numbering our days requires a chronos kind of accounting from us.

There is nothing wrong with chronos. God created it. We have to live in it. And we are called upon to take responsibility for the chronos God gives us each day.

What we constantly have to guard against, however, is not allowing the chronos moments of each day to overtake the kairos moments, those “times” in which God is at work and attempting to speak to us each day.

We cannot become so consumed with the scheduled stuff that we miss out on the significant stuff God may be doing in and around and through us.

Living in the right time

In The Empire Strikes Back, Yoda says of young Luke Skywalker: “All his life he has looked away … to the future, to the horizon. Never his mind on where he was.”

Kairos time says to us: “Focus your mind on where you are right now. Set your mind on what God is trying to say to you right now. Tune your mind to the kairos moments all around you even now.”

Kairos has been described as follows: “A ‘kairos moment’ is the appointed time when the Holy Spirit is moving and ready to act. It is a ‘pregnant moment’ (when) the Holy Spirit is prepared to deliver the power of God to bring a dynamic transformation to a person or situation. Often, when a kairos moment is occurring or is about to occur, people who are tuned-in spiritually sense a ‘shift’ occurring. They sense something is about to happen. The Spirit is brooding. He is hovering near. He is waiting for the word of command that will release him to act.”

As we continue navigating our way through this seemingly endless waiting time of pandemic, what are we going to do? Are we going to sit back and passively endure it, wait it out and count the days until this nightmare finally ends? That’s living in chronos. That’s wasting our time.

Or, are we going to stay tuned-in spiritually, with a sense of expectancy and anticipation, to see how the Spirit of God will act? That’s living in kairos.

Which time will you choose to live in today?

Jim Lemons is professor of theological studies and leadership in the College of Christian Faith and the director of the Master of Arts in Theological Studies at Dallas Baptist University. The views expressed are those solely of the author.

“I’m done. I can’t do it anymore. These kids are driving me crazy.”

Are similar words being voiced in your home right now? They are in the Chandler house.

If you don’t have kids, there are plenty of others who could try your patience. Perhaps your husband has let those dishes sit in the sink too long. Maybe the new puppy is having trouble potty training. Perhaps figuring out Zoom Bible study has you wanting to pull out your hair.

We can laugh, but running out of patience isn’t funny. Have you ever lost your patience? The results aren’t pretty. The worst results are things like divorce, verbal abuse or even physical violence.

What causes impatience? According to Paul, it’s our sinful nature. Humanity left to itself is governed by the flesh. In Galatians 5:16-21, Paul lists several manifestations of the flesh. Notice one of them is “fits of rage,” the opposite of patience.

The Christ-follower, however, has an advantage. Upon belief, we are gifted with the fruit of the Spirit, who begins a process of transformation. The more we walk by the Spirit, the more the fruit grows, helping us move out of the flesh. We simply find ourselves more loving, more joyful, more peaceful and more patient.

God’s patience with us

In the New Testament, there are two Greek words for patience. The first is makrothymia—self-restraint that does not quickly counter a wrong. The second is hypomonē—the temperament that does not cave easily under suffering.

Makrothymia has more to do with patience for others. Hypomonē is the ability to endure or suffer long. In Galatians 5:22, Paul uses makrothymia.

All throughout the New Testament, the uses of makrothymia support this definition. See Romans 2:1-4, for example, where Paul defends his view that God makes salvation available to Jew and Gentile alike.

There’s no moral difference between a Jewish person and anyone else. We all are in need of grace. Any Jewish person who judges another, therefore, shows contempt for God’s patience and is subjecting themselves to judgment. Considering Israelite history, God could have wiped them out many times, yet didn’t. Instead, he displayed kindness and patience repeatedly.

I’m willing to bet God has done the same for you. The overall New Testament message is that God has displayed an immense amount of patience for all of us.

Therefore, how can we not share that same patience with others?

Our patience with others

This is a second thing the New Testament teaches about patience. Since God has an immense amount of patience with us, we should display an immense amount of patience with others.

In Ephesians 4:2, the word “bearing” means “to hold up.” That’s what bearing with people often feels like.

Remember the movie Weekend at Bernie’s? One character dies, and the others parade him around like a puppet, pretending he’s alive. Sometimes, that’s what it feels like to bear with people.

Sounds hard, right? How can we do it? In two ways, love and humility.

Notice Paul tags “love” on to the end of Ephesians 4:2. The love that “bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Corinthians 13:7 NRSV) and is working through us is the only way we are able to bear with one another.

Humility is remembering specifically what terrible sinners we are. Read what Paul says about himself in 1 Timothy 1:15-16, and it all makes logical sense. We are sinners, unworthy of God’s grace. The consequence is death.

However, God is patient. He loves and desires to be in relationship with us. So, even while we were sinners, Jesus died for us. His immense patience now is on display in our lives as an example to others of his love.

A proper understanding of patience

But what difference does patience actually make? Impatient children and adolescents often are told they should acquire more patience simply because it’s a virtue. That’s it. We should be patient because it’s good to be patient. Surely, there’s more to it.

Granted, learning patience as a child helps us manage those frustrating areas of adulthood, like standing in line at the Department of Motor Vehicles. Certainly, teaching our young how to be patient will help develop them for healthy adulthood.

Yet, that’s the problem. It will help them. Patience often is taught as a means of helping yourself. That’s not what makrothymia means. Paul says patience is for others. The reason we display patience is because it is through immeasurable patience that salvation is made possible.

When Paul says Christ displayed an immense amount of patience, think about what that meant. From heaven, Christ descended to be born an infant. He endured puberty as a pimply 13-year-old. He rejected Satan’s temptation of immediate world dominion. Although perfect, he wore the filth of humanity’s sin on the cross.

Makrothymia is not about us. Makrothymia has a salvific end for others.

Patience is difficult. Patience requires that I move slower and stop in order to help others. And there’s the rub. At its core, impatience is selfishness. Makrothymia requires selflessness.

The need for patience now

The second reason we should display patience is that no community can survive without it. All relationships require it—marriage, family, friends and coworkers. Furthermore, your church needs it right now.

If you want to help your church make it through the coronavirus pandemic, it needs your makrothymia. For your church to successfully reopen, it needs patience. There is going to be something you disagree with in that process.

You may think some things an overreaction. You may even be tempted to fall into a fit of rage over it. Can you be patient anyway?

Remember: It no longer is you who lives, but Christ who lives in you. It will be obvious who is walking by the Spirit and who is gratifying the desires of the flesh based on your reactions during these days.

What difference does makrothymia make? It makes all the difference. Salvation and community are not possible without it.

Ryan Chandler is the pastor of Trinity Baptist Church in Orange, Texas, and blogs at cassryanchandler.com. The views expressed are those solely of the author.

Sam Law, a member of First Baptist Church in Lubbock, is the founder of Sam Law Financial and has been in financial planning more than 20 years. From deep in the heart of one Texan, Law shares his background and thoughts on being a follower of Christ in the marketplace. To suggest a Texas Baptist leader in the marketplace to be featured in this column, or to apply to be featured yourself, click here.

Background

As a financial adviser, my business focus is working with companies and their 401(k) plans. We meet with every 401(k) participant one-on-one, face-to-face, every single year. That’s a big differentiator to our clients. For people who do have a 401(k) plan, this is usually their only savings vehicle, and very few really understand investing.

I see our company’s role as one of educator, counselor and friend. We sit on the same side of the table as the participant and strive to help them maximize their retirement savings. We start as advisers to each person but usually end up being good friends, and this strengthens the company by having happy employees.

What other businesses have you been in, and what were your positions there?

I grew up in a family-owned plumbing supply business. In a family-owned business, everyone is involved.

My father and mother loved people. My father stressed to me so many times: “Son, that’s a human being. Help them fix their problems, and you make a sale.” My mom had a heart for missions and sharing Christ. Mom was Woman’s Missionary Union of Texas president for some years.

My siblings and I heard business stuff and mission stuff every morning before we all scattered for the day.

Where did you grow up?

Lubbock, Texas, born and raised.

How did you come to faith in Christ?

I asked Christ into my heart at age 6 at First Baptist Church of Lubbock on Easter Sunday.

Where were you educated, and what degrees did you receive?

I received a finance degree from Texas Tech in 1984.

Life in the marketplace

Why do you feel called into the marketplace?

My passion is working with people and loving God. I get to do both every day.

How does being a Christian influence your decisions in the marketplace?

Being a follower of Christ allows me to work with people in a manner that brings hope to the people I get to work for.

When we are working with people and their money, things get personal really quick. We ask questions, listen to answers and proceed forward with what is best for each individual person. During our conversations on money, I always ask where they worship and do they tithe. These questions bring down a veil that then allows us to be better in our role as an adviser.

What is your favorite aspect of the marketplace? Why?

People, lives and interactions. It is fun for me to meet with a new company and new employees. I love the interaction and introductions with each person, knowing we are going to be good friends over time.

What one aspect of the marketplace gives you the greatest joy?

Meeting and working with so many different folks across the country.

What one aspect of the marketplace would you like to change?

The lack of hope in some many lives. People need hope for a new tomorrow.

How has your place in the market or your perspective on the marketplace changed?

As I grow older, the things of this world do not mean very much to me.

I will ask my clients, “What’s most important to you?”

People will answer something other than material things. I cannot remember someone saying, “I want a lot of stuff.” Never has happened.

Perhaps it is the flow of the meeting, but most people are more transparent with us. This is why I love the one-on-one meetings.

If you could launch any new venture, what would it be? Why?

There is a small place in Clanton, Ala. called Peach Park. I’d take it national. Peach ice cream with peach cobbler. You get the hot peach cobbler with the peach ice cream on top, take a bite, and you almost can hear the angels sing. That’s how close to heaven you are.

Name the three most significant challenges and/or influences facing your place in the market.

Baby Boomers reaching retirement, Millennials starting to save, and the speed of information—some good and some bad, some needed and some not.

I believe the ever-increasing speed of information is good to have in making decisions, but there still is a human being across the table from me. Speedy information is only one part of the solution. Good advice must be long-term and goal-based.

About Sam

Why are you Baptist?

Born here and raised here. I like it.

Who were/are your mentors, and how did/do they influence you?

I am the luckiest guy in the world. I have had D.L. Lowrie and Bobby Dagnel as my pastors during most of my adult life. God’s word proclaimed faithfully and clearly every Sunday!

Bobby Dagnel says every Sunday, “Our mission field is where our feet are.”

What did you learn on the job you wish you learned elsewhere?

I wished I had learned to be a better listener earlier in my life. The more I listen, the better I get at listening. However, I only will become a better listener over time, never a master.

Other than the Bible, name some of your favorite books or authors, and explain why.

To Kill a Mockingbird is where I first really learned to read in high school English. I enjoy Jack Reacher novels for fun and Nick Murray books in regards to my business.

What is your favorite Bible verse or passage? Why?

Isaiah 26:3. Not just peace, but perfect peace.

Who is your favorite person in the Bible, other than Jesus? Why?

The whole book of Ruth and all the people mentioned. Naomi says in Ruth 1:13, “God has raised his fist against me,” but in Matthew 1:5, we see her story listed in the genealogy of Jesus. Sometimes, when God seems distant and quiet, God is doing some of his greatest work. What hope!

Most politicians and church leaders are employing dismissive rhetoric when addressing the extreme calls to defund or disband the police. They say, “Defund the Police” (in its extreme forms) simply is ridiculous. It has been described as “crazy,” “unhelpful” and “disrespectful.”

I’m not going to try to convince you we should shut down our police departments. Instead, I’m going to try to show you why some people are calling for their defunding or disbanding. Consider an analogy.

Learning fear

Tanner and his twin brother, Wyatt, are 4 years old, white and have been bounced around from foster home to foster home their entire lives. Trauma is the most constant presence in their lives. They know trauma like other children know their mothers’ smiles or their fathers’ laughs.

This trauma has impacted the brothers in very different ways, however. While Wyatt has become increasingly violent and defiant, Tanner is withdrawn. He rarely speaks, and when he does, it is with the vocabulary of a 2-year-old. You would never guess they were brothers—let alone, twins.

This past Sunday, Tanner and Wyatt were returned to CPS custody after a volunteer in the church nursery reported Wyatt’s bruises. She also had observed both boys looked fearful when they heard their foster father’s voice in the hallway as he returned from big church. Both boys winced at their father’s touch as he picked them up.

The case manager assigned to Tanner and Wyatt is faced with a decision. Tanner has no bruises and claims the foster father never hurt him. Does the case manager send Tanner back to the foster family?

I’m guessing you think the answer is clear: No!

Even if the foster father never abused Tanner physically, it is evident the home no longer is suited to be a safe and comforting space for Tanner. Tanner’s responses in the church nursery reveal the foster father no longer can serve as a loving, nurturing or secure presence in Tanner’s life. To send him back now only would exacerbate the trauma and could prove dangerous.

Learning from others

Why is Tanner’s story important?

Because the relationship between many Black Americans and the police is just like Tanner’s relationship with his foster father.

I’ll say that again. Many Black Americans view the police just like Tanner views his foster father.

This is difficult for many white Americans to understand. We may feel some fear when we pass a police car on the road. We may be slightly uncomfortable when an officer walks into our favorite lunch spot.

This is very different from the experience of many Black Americans. When many Black Americans see a police officer, they feel the kind of fear a woman feels when she thinks there is a dangerous intruder in her home. They feel the kind of fear a man feels when he answers his wife’s phone call and hears her crying hysterically.

If you, my reader, are a white American, you may question Black Americans’ fear. You may think they are wrong to experience this kind of fear when they see the police. Furthermore, you probably think it is appropriate to fear and respect the police.

Learning from our own fear

Let me ask you two questions.

First, does the fear go away when someone explains—or you tell yourself—it is very unlikely there is a dangerous intruder in your house?

Ninety-nine times out of 100, they say—or you think—the dangerous intruder turns out to be the cat or the wind or the creaky old house. Most likely, you have nothing to fear.

If you’re like me, the fear remains. It chills my body and keeps my heart racing until I’ve checked every room in the house.

This is why it doesn’t help much for white Americans to tell Black Americans they shouldn’t be that afraid of police. It may be true, but it isn’t helpful. The statement doesn’t make the fear go away.

This is not because Black Americans are irrational human beings. This is not because Black Americans are childish human beings. It is because they are human beings.

Such racist ideas—that Black Americans are irrational or childish—are deeply flawed and deeply corrosive. The fear of Black Americans is just like the fear of white Americans. Unfortunately, human fear—no matter the color of the skin it chills—is not very responsive to reason.

Seeing the roots of fear

The second question is this: Is the statement I’ve been discussing—that Black Americans shouldn’t be that afraid of the police—true?

According to a study done in 2016, police are nearly four times more likely to use force on Black Americans than on white Americans.

However, the average number of black Americans who receive this treatment is 273 per 100,000. That is 0.273 percent. This suggests it is highly unlikely for police to use force on Black Americans.

Should we conclude our statement was true—that Black Americans should not be that afraid of police? I don’t think so.

Black Americans are not just afraid the police will be violent. They also are afraid the police will detain them without just cause.

As one study shows, Black Americans accounted for 47 percent of the exonerations—wrongful convictions later overturned—in 2016, despite making up only about 13 percent of the U.S. population.

Combine this with an understanding of the connections between early American policing and the runaway slave patrols as described by Khalil Gibran Muhammad in The Condemnation of Blackness, and you will start to see why Black Americans are justified in being that afraid.

Now we may be in a position to understand why some Black Americans want to defund or disband the police and replace them with a new and different institution. It is not because they are crazy. It is not because they are disrespectful. It is not because they want more opportunities for crime.

It is because they are afraid.

Our nation faces some very difficult conversations concerning the future of policing. Let’s not dismiss one of the views simply because we think it is crazy or disrespectful.

In so doing, we might continue to silence the voices our nation has been ignoring for far too long.

Jared Brandt is a philosophy professor and amateur coffee roaster. He and his wife Courtney are members of Fielder Church in Arlington, have two children and will be licensed as foster parents this summer. The views expressed are those solely of the author.

Public education is indispensable. If we weren’t sure of that before the current crisis, we certainly are now.

I, for one, never have had a doubt. My mother was a third-generation public educator, and three of my four grandparents taught and coached. The grandfather who didn’t work in public education served on the school board. I got to be around teachers on the clock and off the clock. I heard stories and saw old photos and even the odd turn-of-the-century gradebook from my family’s work in the classroom.

My father was a pastor, and if I wasn’t at school, I probably was at church. On a given Wednesday or Sunday, there were teachers and coaches there too, because very often teachers and coaches are “church people.” So, perhaps it is natural for me that the institution falling right below my church in order of importance is the public school.

The church and school, while not identical in mission or allegiance, are natural co-laborers for the public good. Pastors know this. It’s why so many of us seek out partnerships with schools. Of course, a free church and a free state require a separation between them that safeguards the dignity of both. A public school cannot and should not become a church. But a wise pastor can recognize the place a child most likely will encounter an adult outside his or her own home who knows them well and loves them deeply is in a public school.

A web of human intelligence

There is a whole web of human intelligence in a public school capable of knowing how a child is really doing: Are they well? Are they flourishing? Are they safe?

Educators get to watch children with their peers; to see how they treat others and how they are treating themselves. Cafeteria workers know what and how often a child is eating. Coaches and fine arts teachers have unique opportunities to foster passion and confidence or to guide a student as they react to an immediate challenge. Public educators often know with certainty the features of a child’s day-to-day that even careful parents and pastors could only guess.

Even if a child never darkens the door of the local church, does it not stand to reason that securing this level of attention for every kid in every community is worth our best efforts?

What could be more important, especially during our present COVID-19 national crisis?

My cards already are on the table. My bias toward the public school system is plain, even inherited. However, there are facts we have to reckon with.

There are more school-age children in Texas than there are people in the commonwealth of Kentucky. And yet, Texas schools are funded at a per pupil rate well below the national average.

While Texas has grown over the last decade, the rate of spending per pupil has been little better than static, and the burden of funding schools quietly has been shifted away from the state to local district.

Money isn’t everything, but it does suggest many of our state policymakers may not fully appreciate that, in addition to a solid education, students in our public schools receive the care, concern and love essential to healthy human development.

How churches can benefit education

For pastors and people of faith, what response is required? Should we just be proud of the successful ministries we already have for students? Or bemoan the fact schools have the advantage of compulsory attendance or that students simply are beyond our grasp?

Is there a more excellent way? What if we were to become grassroots community advocates for public schools and schoolteachers? If pastors, youth ministers, deacons and elders saw their role to stand up and speak out on behalf of their community and neighborhood public schools, our children likely would have the funding they need to thrive.

Thankfully, ministers and faith leaders are beginning to do this. Groups like Pastors for Texas Children and others are mobilizing people of faith to come alongside school leaders in support and solidarity.

So many educators, people like my mother, grandparents and great-grandfather already are in our churches. My band director was a Baptist music minister, and my head football coach was a Presbyterian elder. We already know and love the people who know and love our students.

Let’s support them and petition the folks in Austin to do the same.

Marshall Cook is a minister and the son of a minister and a public schoolteacher. He is a graduate of Lorena High School, Baylor University and Baylor University’s Truett Theological Seminary.

If you have been listening to discourse about race and racism in the United States, you probably are familiar with the phrase “systemic racism.”

Many of us white people understand racism primarily as individual prejudice and discrimination. While this is not wrong, systemic racism refers to a reality beyond individual attitudes and actions.

Systemic racism refers to “systems” in the United States—institutions, societal structures and so forth—that disadvantage and harm non-white people.

For example, Black people on average are approximately 2.5 times more likely than white people to be killed by police officers, despite Black people only making up approximately 13 percent of the United States population, as opposed to white people making up approximately 60 percent.

Are Black people just intrinsically more criminal and violent than white people? Of course not. The problem is endemic to the institutional structure of policing.

The battle against systemic racism is one of public policy and structural change, not simply one of personal belief and behavior. But as Christians, we ought to understand systemic racism goes even beyond policy.

Ephesians 6:12

Near the conclusion of his letter to the Ephesians, Paul writes: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” (NASB).

What is significant about this passage is Paul is emphasizing the reality of sinful forces that go beyond individual human sins. While Paul speaks at length elsewhere of our sin nature and various transgressions, here he focuses on something else. There are powers in this world hostile to Christ and that transcend human agency.

The devil himself is the most infamous and powerful of these entities, but he certainly is not the only one. He commands a great host in his war against the King of kings, and these satanic soldiers are a threat to us. They operate in and throughout the world, working against the goodness and glory of God.

Paul exhorts believers to “put on the full armor of God” (6:11) so we may do battle against the devil and his minions. Victory belongs to Christ, and Christ’s followers call on his power to oppose the principalities and powers.

Principalities, powers and racism

What does this have to do with racism in the United States? For one thing, passages like Ephesians 6:12 provide us with a theological category for evils like systemic racism. Sin is not reducible to the cumulation of individual transgressions, and systemic racism is not reducible to the cumulation of individual prejudices and acts of discrimination.

Rather, there are evil supernatural powers that animate and drive the sinful realities we perceive. This includes racism.

Systemic racism is a matter of policy, but it is more than that. Systemic racism is a spiritual problem. The principalities and powers have played a key role in building and sustaining racial injustice in the United States. This does not necessarily let any individuals “off the hook” for racism, of course.

Passages like Ephesians 6:12 also help us reframe how the battle against systemic racism must be conducted. As I mentioned above, a key way to combat systemic racism is through policy change. We must change laws, restructure institutions, etc. But these actions, necessary as they are, will not be enough.

As Christians, we must recognize and bear witness to the truth that racial injustice is a spiritual problem requiring a spiritual solution. We also certainly must support policy changes, but Satan and his minions can twist and distort even the best policy changes in order to perpetuate injustice.

A key role Christians must play in the battle against systemic racism is to bear witness to the supernatural reality of this fight. We must unmask the spiritual forces at work and point to the crucified and risen Christ as these forces’ ultimate conqueror (Colossians 2:15).

Just as we must highlight the severity of the threat, we also must direct others to the ultimate solution.

Arming ourselves for battle

What does it look like for us as Christians to “put on the full armor of God” in this particular situation?

Black and other non-white Christians in the United States have been resisting the spiritual powers of racism from the beginning of our country, and they have much to teach white Christians if we are willing to listen and let them lead us, if we are willing to learn from their beliefs, practices and histories.

There are numerous thinkers whose writings and teachings can serve as a great starting point for those of us who wish to learn more. Jemar Tisby, Malcolm Foley, Justo González and Texas Baptists’ own Kathryn Freeman are just the tip of the iceberg. These individuals interact with numerous other thinkers both contemporary and historic, allowing readers to pursue further studies.

I encourage my fellow white American Christians to do research on our own and listen to our brothers and sisters of color. But please exercise tact and restraint in soliciting their personal input. Spiritual warfare against racism is a deeply exhausting and painful experience for them. Sharing and explaining that experience also can be exhausting and painful.

Joshua Sharp is a graduate of Baylor University’s Truett Theological Seminary and lives in Waco, Texas. The views expressed are those solely of the author.

I spent time away last week.

That sentence seems absurd.

I pray for pastors and other leaders throughout Texas every month and email them when I pray for them. Last month, I prayed they would receive a Sabbath that would rejuvenate them for continuing ministry. Several wondered if I would take my own “advice.”

Though I did not check email, texts, voice mail or social media last week, I did see the news. What a week to be away.

It can be difficult to think through all that is happening in our country. We may be trying to push it out of our mind. But we mustn’t.

Here are some events in recent headlines:

• Breonna Taylor was shot and killed by police.

• Ahmaud Arbery, while out for a jog, was shot and killed by a white man.

• George Floyd was killed by police.

• A white woman in Central Park was afraid of a black man and called 911, accusing him of threatening her and her dog.

• President Trump created concern with a tweet that included, “ … when the looting starts, the shooting starts.”

• Twitter flagged tweets by President Trump with “fact-check warnings.”

• Millions of people in hundreds of places around the world have been protesting against racism and police brutality.

• Martin Gugino, a 75-year-old protester, was shoved to the ground—hitting his head—by police officers in Buffalo, N.Y., who then walked past him as he bled.

• President Trump said that to deal with “professional anarchists, violent mobs, arsonists, looters, criminals, rioters, antifa and others,” he “strongly recommended to every governor to deploy the National Guard in sufficient numbers that we dominate the streets. Mayors and governors must establish an overwhelming law enforcement presence until the violence has been quelled.”

Trump went on to say, “If a city or a state refuses to take the actions that are necessary to defend the life and property of their residents, then I will deploy the United States military and quickly solve the problem for them. …

“America needs creation, not destruction; cooperation, not contempt; security, not anarchy; healing, not hatred; justice, not chaos. This is our mission, and we will succeed 100 percent. We will succeed. Our country always wins. That is why I am taking immediate presidential action to stop the violence and restore security and safety in America. I am mobilizing all available federal resources, civilian and military.”

He concluded his address by saying, “And now I’m going to pay my respects to a very, very special place.”

• Protesters in Washington, D.C., were cleared from between the White House and St. John’s Church.

• Shortly after protesters were cleared, President Trump walked from the White House to St. John’s Church, where he held up a Bible in front of the church’s sign for a photo-op.

• Behind all these events, in the United States we passed 100,000 COVID-19 deaths and reached an unemployment rate not seen since the Great Depression.

And these are just some of the headline-making events.

Ignorance is bliss, but the times call for us to set aside our comfort and to pay attention.

Stepping back to pay attention

I sat by the pool last week with all of these events on my mind. I watched bees work Vitex bushes and wind ripple the pool water. I listened to birds chirp and water pour gently into the pool. And I realized the natural world is oblivious to what keeps us up at night.

The natural world seems indifferent to our turbulent times, even as it eagerly awaits its liberation from the effects of our sin. What I observed in the workings of nature is that nature is not going to solve the problem. The natural world is waiting … on us.

Healers observe and then act

What will we be in response to these turbulent times?

To be an ostrich is easy. Just close our eyes. But we must understand, though we can’t see the world, the world still can see us, and it looks like some of us are trying to hide. When Christians do this, we present a fraudulent gospel.

To be a wedge is easy. Just pick a side. Believe whatever our side tells us, be our nastiest selves in defending our side and lash out at all opponents. And when Christians do this, it is as though we are offering vinegar to the thirsty.

To be a healer is hard. Being a healer is the least natural for us and the most like Jesus. To be a healer means we take a kind of Hippocratic oath to do no harm or injustice. It means we pay close attention to everything so we can work toward the greatest good—not for the sake of the good, but as ambassadors of the Healer.

In paying attention, we will observe things that disturb us. We will see people suffer and be killed. We will see people flaunt the law and abuse justice. Just as a doctor must not look away in order to bring healing, we must not look away.

Our observations must lead, not merely to action, but to active healing, which is harder still. Some don’t think they are sick. Some are more afraid of the pain of healing than the pain of dying. Some have found advantage in their sickness and will not let it go easily. There will be resistance to healing, and that resistance may be very painful.

But as children of God who are creative, compassionate and courageous and who believe every person is created in the image of God, we can face this pain.

Successfully being creative and not destructive, cooperative and not contemptuous, healing and not hateful will not be because we are American. It will be because the children of God are alive in God’s Spirit, seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. When Christians do this, they shine with the light of Christ.

Eric Black is the executive director, publisher and editor of the Baptist Standard. He can be reached at eric.black@baptiststandard.com or on Twitter at @EricBlackBSP. The views expressed are those solely of the author.

John Vassar has been at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor since 2017, where he is the provost and vice president for academic affairs. He is a of First Baptist Church in Belton. From deep in the heart of one Texan, he shares his background and thoughts on Christian higher education. To suggest a Baptist General Convention of Texas-affiliated leader to be featured in this column, or to apply to be featured yourself, click here.

Background

On a university campus, the provost serves as the chief academic officer. In this role, I am privileged to work with the outstanding faculty at UMHB to ensure our academic offerings are of high quality and meet the needs of our students, as well as our business and church stakeholders.

Where else have you served, and what were your positions there?

Karen and I moved back to Texas from Shreveport, La., where I served as provost at Louisiana State University in Shreveport and she taught nursing. I taught at LSU Shreveport for 17 years. I also have served as an intentional interim pastor at churches in Texas and Louisiana.

Where did you grow up?

I lived in McKinney until I was 10 years old. Our family then moved to Shreveport, La., where I remained through college.

How did you come to faith in Christ?

I was blessed to be born into a family where Christian faith and Christian practice were both modeled and expected. My parents remain my greatest example of what faith should be and do. After coming to an understanding of my own brokenness and need for salvation, I was blessed to be baptized by Mack Roark, pastor of First Baptist Church in McKinney, and then spent formative years under the pastorate of John Sullivan at Broadmoor Baptist Church in Shreveport, La.

Where were you educated, and what degrees did you receive?

I earned a Bachelor of Arts in history at LSU Shreveport. Sensing a call to ministry, Karen and I moved to Fort Worth, where I earned a Master of Arts in theology at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. While there, I fell deeply in love with the Old Testament and went to Baylor University, where I earned a Ph.D.

About education

Why do you feel called into education?

In my experience, I’ve seen two things truly transform a person: an encounter with Jesus Christ and deep engagement with education.

Christian higher education presents a combination of these two life-changing actions. Fundamentally, I see Christian higher education as a form of discipleship, teaching students about this world with which God has blessed us.

How does being a Christian influence your work in education?

Whether I’ve worked in a state institution or a Christian one, my faith has formed my understanding of others. Fundamentally, I see all people I serve—both co-workers and students—as God’s deeply loved creation, made in God’s image. This perspective guides my interaction with them and provides a context in which to understand how best to serve them.

What is your favorite aspect of education? Why?

My favorite aspect of education is watching students grow. I love the “Aha” moment when a student grasps a complicated concept for the first time. When those moments occur, students experience a profound wonder and take their learning far outside of the classroom.

What one aspect of education gives you the greatest joy?

In the classroom, I get tremendous enjoyment from watching our students grow in life and faith. Playing a small role in this ongoing, four-year life cycle from freshman to senior is wonderful. Watching students grow and mature in life and faith is my greatest joy.

In my administrative role, I get the opportunity to interact with some of the smartest, most grace-filled people on the planet. I’m grateful for the opportunity to work with remarkable faculty and staff colleagues who are focused on the mission of making UMHB the institution of choice for Christian higher education in the Southwest.

What is your favorite class to teach? Why?

My favorite classes to teach are freshman Old Testament classes. In freshman classes, I get the honor of introducing texts to students who in many cases have not read them. The Old Testament is the Bible Jesus used, and the survey classes provide a great opportunity for students to be introduced to God’s mission to redeem creation.

Freshmen also are just starting out on their lives apart from their mom and dad. I love the opportunity to teach them about life and faith.

What is the impact of education on your family?

Both of my parents were first-generation college graduates who met at Baylor. With their decision to pursue college, they changed the trajectory of our family and instilled in me a love for God and a love of this world.

At UMHB, we are serving more and more first-generation students every year, and that is a responsibility we take seriously. Education is a gift that spans generations.

If you could get one “do over” in education, what would it be, and why?

I would pay closer attention to my college Spanish classes. God is bringing millions of people to our state over the next several decades. Many of these new Texans will be from minority communities, and many will be Hispanic. As Texas Baptists, we must serve all of our neighbors well.

About John

Why are you Baptist?

I am a Baptist out of a profound sense of gratitude. My earliest memories are etched with experiences in the Baptist church. Baptists traditionally have held a high view of Scripture connected to a fierce commitment of all people standing individually before God.

I have benefitted greatly from the cloud of Baptist witnesses who have gone before me and express my gratitude in part by being a part of an institution that has served Texas Baptists for 175 years.

What did you learn on the job you wish you learned elsewhere?

I am working on learning the importance of listening well. As one of my mentors often has said, leadership is fundamentally an acoustical art. I want to be a better listener and a better leader. It’s a lifelong course.

What is your favorite Bible verse or passage? Why?

My favorite passage is 2 Corinthians 5:18-19. This text reminds the Baptist in me that all Christians have been given a ministry—not just the clergy—and our ministry is to engage in the reconciliation of this world to the kingdom of God.

Who is your favorite person in the Bible, other than Jesus? Why?

I love Job. I wouldn’t want to switch places with him for a million bucks, but his circumstances pushed him into a raw, personal and painful relationship with God few have experienced. I aspire to his boldness and tremendous faith.

What are your Top 5 Christian films?

Jesus (1979)—Campus Crusade’s film has been the most widely translated and most widely viewed film in history. I’ve seen it used for evangelistic purposes in places as exotic as Alaska, Brazil, Russia and Collin County. It is an amazing tool for missions around the globe.

Miracle Maker (2000)—This is a great film you’ve never seen. It is a Russian stop-motion film that captures the loving power of Christ in a way that engages both kids and adults.

Of Gods and Men (2010)—A French film that won awards at the Cannes Film Festival and tells the true story of faithful monks who suffered unto death in northern Africa in the 1990s. It explores the question, “What would Jesus do?”

The Tree of Life (2011)—A painful and hopeful retelling of Job centered around the death of a child and the powerful role of God’s grace in our lives. As a bonus, it is set and shot in central Texas.

Silence (2016)—Scorsese’s moving story about missionaries in Japan and what it means to follow Christ to the very end.