Four Multicultural Churches Have Offered Me Hope

I have a fair share of conversations about racial reconciliation in the church. 

One practical step I always offer to churches, families, individuals, etc. is to visit a church that by God's grace has a ethnically diverse local expression of the body. (Note: I understand sitting in pews together doesn't always mean doing life together.) 

Couldn't find the pictures where I was smiling ... 

While much has been made recently about the racial church divide – with Sunday at 11 a.m. still being the most segregated hour in America – some churches are actually making progress on that front.

As a Christian, I want to see that. As a husband and a father, I want my family to see that.

And so we travel.

From time to time, we’ll take road trips.

The destination is churches on the east coast with a diverse leadership and congregation.

Here are four churches we have visited this far.

1.      CROWN AND JOY PRESBYTERIAN, RICHMOND, VA.

We started with Crown and Joy for a number of reasons. Richmond is the closest to my hometown in Staunton, VA, and we are part of the PCA denomination. We would commend anyone go there. 

The congregation is truly diverse. They preach the Word, and on the two times we visited the congregation stayed after and ate a meal together. It really helped us to feel welcomed to be asked to stay and eat afterwards.

2.      Anacostia River Church, Washignton, D.C.

When my family asked me what I wanted to do for Father’s Day, I told them visit Anacostia River Church, pastored by Thabiti Anyabwile. His sermon at the 2009 Worship God Conferenceabout the Church of Worship forever changed the way I relate to the local church.

Not only did we get to see a beautifully diverse church body, many members of the church were memorizing parts of Colossians together and Anyabwile preached a powerful expository message the day we were there. My friend Jeff attended there before being sent out by that church as part of a plant. He told us around the corner to get some good pizza, and then we made a day of D.C.

3.      Hampton Roads Fellowship, Hampton VA. 

We decided to do our back-to-school shopping at the new outlet stores in Norfolk, and attend church at HamptonRoads Fellowship. It was great. The worship team and the pastoral team were diverse. 

The Sunday we attended, a young man who they were training for leadership in the church preached, and he did the best expository unpacking of Philemon that I had ever heard. I left with my heart full and my gaze on Christ.

Also, something the pastor said that stuck with me in regards to evangelism: “Every person I meet could be a new brother or sister in Christ (paraphrased).”

4.      Crossover Church, Tampa, Florida.

A quick back story is needed here. Crossover’s pastor, Tommy Kyllonen, had a huge impact me in my early walk as a believer. I had been wanting to get down for FlavorFest, but when my sister actually moved to Tampa, I knew I had to check it out.

Also, the week we visited was Easter. I’m not sure what was the norm and what was special for Resurrection Sunday. Here’s what I can tell you. Crossover is incredibly diverse. They do a phenomenal job engaging visitors, and they do an incredible job incorporating arts in a Christ-glorifying way.

As much as I enjoyed the experience there – my kids are willing to move to Tampa – my favorite part was hearing them talk about how they planned to intentionally love their city. That was amazing.

A Final Thought 

I have a personal rule that I never try to miss my home church two weeks in a row, and I don’t let my work or leisure allow me to miss my own church twice in a month. I want to make sure I have a healthy commitment level to my brothers and sisters in Christ in my own congregation. 

With that being said, it’s important for me to experience settings that give us a foretaste of heaven, worshiping beside people of all nationalities. And I want my family to have a vision for that, too, especially since my kids are biracial.

I hope it encourages you, too. 

Chris Lassiter is a Christ-follower, a husband to Emily (read her blog here), a father to five kids and a freelance writer for Young Life Relationships, HipHopDX.com, JamTheHype.com and other publications. His first book, You're Grounded, was published by Moody Publications in 2013. You can order the book here.  His first kids' book, Grits & the Grimels, is out now. 

Awful Clothes, Funny Teammates and The Gospel

I never signed up for Fashion 101. My college teammate decided to enroll me. 

They enrolled me because I own shoes like this.

Growing up, I only really cared about basketball and hip-hop. I was so focused on my two passions that I didn't realize there were actual rules to fashion. So when I showed up at Shenandoah University, my wardrobe wasn't fresh. 

Not fresh at all. And that's an understatement.

Shoes weren't Foamposites. Jeans weren't Levi's. And a quick glance through old pictures will reveal that my shirts, as Kanye once told Sway, "Ain't Ralph Though." 

Right: Not Ralph Though... Left: Cross Colours 

The purple Reeboks pictured above (I won them from Champ Sports with a soda top lid) are just one sad example of things that were in my wardrobe. My fashion sense (or lack of fashion sense) didn't sit well with one of my teammates, Larry Tharpe. A post player from Washington, D.C., Larry's disappointment in my wardrobe reached a boiling point one day. 

I promised what happened next is a true story. Larry ran up in my room, pulled open my closet doors, and started angrily body-slamming my clothes, forbidding me to wear most of my wardrobe ever again. 

He wasn't joking! 

I'm sure all of my friends from Shenandoah University are cracking up right now ... unless you are one of the other two people that had the same experience with Larry. 

The New Testament writer Matthew records a story of a guy who has a fashion crisis worse than mine. He rolls up into a wedding party, but his outfit "ain't Ralph, though!" In the parable, everyone is invited to a wedding banquet of the king, but one guy shows up in something that's not appropriate wedding attire. 

The guy - there's always that one guy - is thrown out of the party (like Jaz on Fresh Prince of Bel-Air) and is severely disciplined.

The question is why. 

In our society, fashion represents social standing. In this parable found in Matthew 22, clothing represents moral standing. The central message of the Bible is clear. Our own morality (represented by the unfit clothing in this parable) could never measure up to God's standards. 

There is no list of do's or don'ts that can make us right with God.  To put it fashion terms, our morality "ain't Ralph, though!" I'm not saying you're not a great person. I'm saying that using the biblical standard of morality, everyone falls miserably short. The picture in the parable is that this guy thinks his own morality is good enough to be in the presence of God. 

By way of contrast, the King accepts the wedding garments of the other guests. The reason is because those garments were provided by the King Himself. The garments provided by the King are a picture of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

The gospel is that Jesus came to rescue us from our moral brokenness. My pastor Rick Gilmartin always says, "We don't need rules! We need rescuing." 

Jesus lived the perfect life we could never live in our place. Then He goes to the cross on our behalf to die in our place.  The acceptable garments are a picture of the righteousness Christ provided to cover our sins. 

Jesus is our rescuer!

Imagine I wanted to go to a social event with Larry. If I would have gotten dressed in my own clothes, Larry would have said there was no way I was going out with him looking like that.  I would have had to borrow "acceptable clothes" from someone with better fashion sense. 

This is what Jesus does for those that place their trust in Him. Rather than God grading us on our morality - how well do the do's and avoid the don'ts - God grades us on Christ's morality.  And Jesus was perfect. So Christianity isn't based on what you or I did. It's based on what Christ did. 

Just like I would have needed someone with better clothes to provide me an outfit, I need someone with a perfect righteousness to provide me right standing with God. And that Someone in Jesus Christ. 


I write these blogs as conversation-starters. I would love to know: 

• What is the worst thing you've ever worn? 
• How do you believe man can be right with God? 

Chris Lassiter is a Christ-follower, a husband to Emily (read her blog here), a father to five kids and a freelance writer for Young Life Relationships, HipHopDX.com, JamTheHype.com and other publications. His first book, You're Grounded, was published by Moody Publications last year. You can order the book here. 

Five things we should learn from Russell Wilson

Russell Wilson is my new favorite football player.

Photo courtesy of blogs.thescore.com

Growing up, my favorite football player was Kansas City Chiefs running back Joe Delaney, a player who heroically gave his life saving three other boys drowning in a swimming hole in Louisiana. (Read Delaney's story here.)

Delaney will always be my all-time favorite player. 
  
But my favorite current player is Wilson. 

I love the fact he's from Virginia. I love that he's been told he couldn't his whole life, only to prove time and time again that he could. I love the way his teammates rally around him. And I love that he carries himself with integrity. As I've followed his career, here are five things I think we could all learn from Wilson.


 1. Sometimes things don't go your way. You can't give up!  In the biggest game of his athletic career - last Sunday's NFC championship matchup against rival San Francisco - Wilson fumbled the first snap. 

Then he found his team down 10 points early. But he didn't give up. He helped his team fight back and pick up the victory. In life, you and I will fumble sometimes, too. And, just like Wilson, we have to get up and play the next down. We can still win, too.

2. Leadership matters.  Wilson transferred from N.C. State from Wisconsin as a senior in college. He quickly won the starting quarterback job, but he also won the affection of the other men in the Badger locker room. He was even named team captain shortly after his arrival on campus. 

There are two types of leaders: 

• leaders you follow only because his or her title says boss. 
• leaders you follow willingly because you believe they will lead you where you want to go.  

While physically gifted, Wilson isn't a prototypical NFL quarterback as far as height and stature. Yet his ability to lead himself and his teammates is unquestionable. Each of us has a sphere of influence. At the end of the day, do you want to be the type of leader people follow because they have to or because they want to?

3. Make the most of your opportunities. His Wisconsin Badger teammates put their faith in Wilson with good reason, as he led the Badgers to the Rose Bowl and was named an all-American. Still, NFL teams were hesitant to draft him, because he was only 5-foot-10. However, Seattle did take him in the third round, after every team had passed on him twice. Wilson, however, made the most of the opportunity, beating out Matt Flynn for the starting position, and now he's in position to lead the Seattle Seahawks to the Super Bowl in just his second season. 

I'm not telling you to have faith in faith. I'm 5-foot-8, 37-years-old, and a few (dozen) pounds over my college basketball playing weight. It's not like if I dream hard enough to be LeBron James, that I will be LeBron James.

What I am saying is that if you know there was something you are meant to do, do it. There were always be naysayers and people who don't believe you can. And when you get discouraged along the way, remember at various points Russell Wilson was probably discouraged, too. But he didn't give up. And when the opportunity presented itself, he literally ran with it.


4. Don't be good when you can be great.  The 41st round pick of the Baltimore Orioles out of Richmond's Collegiate High School, Russell Wilson actually committed to N.C. State as a baseball player. In 2010, he was the fourth round choice of the Colorado Rockies. But at some point, he chose the sport he was most passionate about and felt like he could excel in the most. Choices between good and bad are usually easy to make. When it comes making choices between being good or great at something, that's usually more difficult. We have to learn to pursue what we can be great at and not settle for something we where could be simply be good.

5. The thing we're most known for doesn't ultimately define us. My favorite thing about Russell Wilson isn't that he looks like one of my best friends Jeremy Hartman (see here), or that he grew up 90 minutes from me, or even that he's a short athlete balling out.  It's that he knows that sports isn't ultimate, and that he knows what is ultimate.  

I've been a sports writer for 15 years. You'd be hard-pressed to find someone who enjoys sports more than me, but sports isn't ultimate. In fact, sports play a very small role in my life compared to the story of God's redemptive work in the world through His only son Jesus Christ. That, Wilson believes and so do I, is what's ultimate in this life. 

 

Chris Lassiter is a Christ-follower, a husband to Emily Lassiter (read her blog here) and a dad to five crazy but wonderful kids. A Young Life leader in his hometown of Staunton, VA, he has written for VIBE, Rapzilla.com, The News Leader, JamTheHype.com and many other publications. 

Recently, Moody Publishers released his first book You're Grounded, which you can read about here. The Cross Promotion Blog gets updated twice a week. Please consider subscribing by e-mail or at at the bottom of the blog where it says 'Join This Site.' 

Hope for the hurting... How an American Elm Tree Survived

In his book Why Do I Love These People?, award-winning author Po Bronson tells a story about an American Elm Tree in the town of Beulah, MI.

Keep reading. I think it will inspire you like it inspired me.

Bronson explains that in the 1950s, an iron chain surrounded the trunk of the elm tree, as a farmer kept a bull chained to the tree. Over the years, the tree developed a deep gash. It was a gash so severe that many people thought it would eventually kill the American Elm Tree.

That farmhouse eventually became home to a boy, who Bronson writes had an equally deep emotional scar. The boy's mom and sister had been killed by a drunk driver. When the boy's father remarried, according to Bronson's story, the father left the son at the farm with his grandparents. 

As time went by, Dutch Elm Disease began killing all of the American Elm Trees in Beulah.

But not this particular tree.

Experts from Michigan State University came to see why only this particular American Elm Tree survived. They reached an interesting conclusion.

"The university crew had only one theory to offer. Somehow, this scar, this chain – which for years everyone thought was going to kill the tree – instead had saved the tree’s life. They suggested that by absorbing so much iron from the chain, the tree had become immune. To the boy, this offered a powerful metaphor. Perhaps his scar was not going to kill him, either. Perhaps someday, when everyone expected it to destroy him, it might save his life." (1)  (Read the full story of the tree here.)

Recently, I've had my fair share of gashes. I have a bunch of circumstances that I wish I could change. It's been tough. Not only that, I've had conversations with a lot of other people who have been deeply gashed by life as well. 

The good news for the Christ-follower is that when life gashes us (which the Bible promises will happen) it's never just random. God has a purpose in allowing what He allows. It's never arbitrary. It's not because God is powerless. And it's not because God is asleep on His throne.

The apostle Paul reminds us that God is working all things (even the really tough circumstances that gash us) out for our good. For proof of this, we need to look no further than the cross of Christ. God works out a plan of redemption for us through an extremely unjust and painful crucifixion of His Son.

You may be hurting deeply now (songs like the one in the video I posted above tend to help me in those times) but don't give up!!!!

I try to write these blogs as conversation-starters. I would love to hear how you relate to the story of The American Elm Tree. 

Chris Lassiter is a Christ-follower, a husband to Emily (you can read guest blog post here), a father to five amazing kids, and a Young Life leader in his hometown of Staunton, VA. He has written for The News Leader, Rapzilla.com, VIBE, HipHopDX.com, Young Life Relationships and several other publications. Recently, Moody Publishers published his first book, You're Grounded, which you can read about here. 

 1. Bronson, Po, The Tree, pobronson.com, http://www.pobronson.com/WDILTP_Tree.htm, (accessed Oct. 29, 2013) 

2Pac, Preachers of L.A., Pastor Clever and the apostle Paul

The idea of reality television is ingenious.

Television producers found a way to create more drama with less money. And, on top of that, it's all "real."

It was only a matter of time before the cash cow that is Reality TV hit the church.

And now it's here, in the form of the Oxygen Network's new series, Preachers of L.A. 

If you are unfamiliar with Preachers of L.A., watch the three-minute trailer above. (Or check out the show Web site here.)

Part of me is intrigued. The other part of me is scared that the show will remind us of the fictitious L.A. reverend named Pastor Clever, Bernie Mac's character in the classic hood film Friday.  

In what must clearly be taken as Hollywood taking a jab at Christianity, Pastor Clever is represented as all "religious" talk with no Christian walk.

Take, for instance, this exchange between Pastor Clever and Craig and Smokey on the porch as the other two men prepare to roll up some marijuana. 

"Excuse me brother, what we call drugs at 74th Street Church Baptist Church, we call that sinny-sin-sin," said Pastor Clever in one breath. In the next breath, he asks Craig and Smokey to share their marijuana.  "Let me get a little bit for my cataracts." (1)

The hood has a saying: Real recognize real!  In many cases, sadly, the church is one of the things labeled as not real.

Fancy buildings full of Pastor Clevers. 

That skepticism can best be summed up by iconic hip-hop artist 2Pac. And while the New Testament - and not a hip-hop legend  - is to be the judge of what the church should and shouldn't be, it's worth wrestling through 2Pac's perception.

"If the churches took half the money they was making and gave it back to the community, we'd be all right ... Have you seen some of the churches lately? There's one that takes up the whole block in New York. There's homeless people out here. Why ain't God lettin' them stay there? Why these (brothers) got gold ceilings and (stuff)? Why God need gold ceilings to talk to me? Why God need colored windows to talk to me? If God wants to talk to me in a pretty spot like that, why the (heck) he send me here then? That makes ghetto kids not believe in God. Why?" (2)

I know some of 2Pac's questions have good answers. I also wince as I imagine myself trying to explain to him why what I hold to be true biblically isn't what he sees experientially.  As someone who cares deeply about both the hood and the church, I am hoping Preachers of L.A. isn't the reality version of Pastor Clever.

Whether it's Pastor Clever on Friday or the Preachers of L.A., the New Testament clearly lays out the standard for pastors. Hint: It looks nothing like Pastor Clever.

As you watch the show, here are four New Testament guidelines given for pastors to consider:

• First, does this pastor truly and sacrificially love the people he is pastoring? True pastors follow Christ as their example. In John 10, Jesus uses three examples in relationship to sheep. The true shepherd loves the sheep and would give his life to protect the sheep. That's the example pastors are to follow. Conversely, for the hired farm hand, watching sheep is just a job. He is only in it for the money and would bail in a heartbeat before he defended the sheep. He doesn't care about sheep one way or the other. Finally, the wolf just wants to eat the sheep. If a pastor reminds you more of a hired hand or a wolf than a shepherd, that's a big problem.

• Second, does this man's life and words match up with the Bible? True pastors preach what they practice. They watch their life and doctrine closely. True pastors care deeply about their own spiritual formation and the spiritual growth of the people they are leading. Their desire is to look more and more like Jesus every day, and to study carefully the doctrines of Christianity to avoid false teachings.

• Third, is this man a one-woman man? Simply put, this pastor is not trying to get with the ladies in the congregation. He's faithful to his one wife. In Friday, after the verbal exchange between Pastor Clever, Craig and Smokey, Pastor Clever is shown chasing after one of the scantily clad woman in the neighborhood, Mrs. Parker. A better picture of the gospel is that a Christ-exalting preacher will treat every woman that is not his wife like his daughter or sister, not as prey.

•  Fourth, is this man a lover of God or a lover of money?  Point blank, you shouldn't walk away from a pastor feeling like he loves money more than he loves Jesus Christ.  There is a set of teachings called the prosperity gospel that claims that God's ultimate blessing is material possessions. (Read a good blog about Preachers of L.A. and the Prosperity Gospel here.) The true Christian sees Christ - and not a material blessing - as his or her greatest treasure.

Chris Lassiter is a Christ-follower, husband to Emily and father of five. He has written for The News Leader, VIBE, rapzilla.com, HipHopDX.com, Young Life Relationships and other publications. He is the author of You're Grounded, which you can read about here.


 (1) F. Gary Gray, Friday, New Line Cinema, April 25, 1995
(2) TUPAC SHAKUR: By the editors of VIBE, (New York: Three Rivers Press), 1998, p. 98.