Steve Bezner

Saw a video of the Indiana Lt. Gov. saying Christians have forgotten to hate the things God hates. Perhaps. At the same time, the American church also loves things they were never supposed to love: money and power. They often hate anything that threatens their hold on those things.

At that, Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword away!”—John 18:11 We choose self-defense; Jesus chooses self-sacrifice. There is something powerful in refusing to destroy enemies who would most certainly choose to destroy us.

Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains by itself. But if it dies, it produces much fruit.—John 12:25 If we are willing to die to ourselves, fruitfulness is on the other side.

John 11: I am comforted by the fact that Jesus knew of the resurrection and yet also grieved the death of his friend. I am the resurrection and the life. (v 25) Jesus wept. (v 35) We can hold hope and grief at the same time. As a person of faith, I have found it is the only honest way to live.

For if we have been united with him in the likeness of his death, we will also certainly be in the likeness of his resurrection.—Romans 6:5 From death to life.

Happy Sunday! Let's gather and worship the LORD! The miracle of church: In Christ, we are family. No pretense. No division. No favorites. No rankings. Members of one body with Christ as our head.

In an age of authoritarianism, faithfulness to Jesus is revolutionary.

"For we do not market the word of God for profit like so many. On the contrary, we speak with sincerity in Christ."--2 Corinthians 2:17 Being performative for profit is a poor substitute for being prophetic.

Romans 16:23 is incredible. Paul sends greetings from Erastus, the city treasurer. The next person he mentions? Quartus. He was likely a slave, simply named “Fourth.” The city treasurer and a (former?) slave, worshipping side by side. The family of God.

Happy Trinity Sunday! Our triune God has been loving for all of eternity. May we do the same for the rest of our days. The greatest of these is love.—1 Corinthians 13:13

Christianity declares the highest form of masculinity to be found in a crucified God. Those who find this to be weak or effeminate tell more about their own insecurities than they do about the God of the Bible.

“Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.”—1 Corinthians 8:1 So much pursuit of knowledge. So little pursuit of love. Time is limited. Choose well.

When we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we respond graciously. —1 Corinthians 4:12-13 Those who are in Christ respond as Christ would.

To the pure, everything is pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure.--Titus 1:15 Creation is a mirror of our hearts. We see in others what we believe about ourselves.

If you honestly read the Bible, you cannot help but notice that God gives preferential treatment to the poor. The biggest reason that I support policies that help the poor is that I read the Bible.

In that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll, and out of gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see. Once more the humble will rejoice in the Lord; the needy will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. —Isaiah 29:18-19

Do not call conspiracy everything this people calls a conspiracy; do not fear what they fear, and do not dread it. —Isaiah 8:12

If someone opposes the poor, they may be many things, but they are not Christian.

Any discussion of “biblical values” must include advocacy for the poor and condemnation of corruption. Your rulers are rebels, partners with thieves; they all love bribes and chase after gifts. They do not defend the cause of the fatherless; the widow’s case does not come before them. —Isa 1:23

Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.”—Mark 5:19 Remember what he has done. Tell what he has done.

I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. —Psalm 121:1-2

“Here is the news. Out beyond the world of exclusion and rejection and hostility, there is on offer a world of welcome that sees the other not as threat or competitor but as cohort in the pilgrimage of humanity.”—Brueggemann

The Lord executes righteousness and judgment for all those who are oppressed with wrong.—Psalm 103:6

“I used to imagine that my calling was to defend The Truth. Now I’m just trying to figure out how to love.” James K.A. Smith, Make Your Home in This Luminous Dark

“What God has forgotten we no longer need remember.”—Brueggemann

How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. —Psalm 84:1-2

“If Jesus of Nazareth had not been raised from the dead, we would never have heard of him.”—Fleming Rutledge

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. —Psalm 73:26

One pastoral reflection after many decades in and around evangelical congregations: We have an outsized obsession with leaders and leadership.

When we were newlyweds and would visit my in-laws, they would always say, “This was a treat.” Our sons are all but grown now, so the four of us being together without additional family is rare. It happened today. I’m going on record: My in-laws were right. This day truly was a treat.

With tortilla chips, there are two options: Eat none. Become one with the tortilla chips.

O send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling. Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy, and I will praise you with the harp, O God, my God. —Psalm 43:3-4

I have no issue with some of my pastor friends criticizing James Talarico's theology. I just wish many of them would be as outspoken regarding the theology driving our current administration. That prophetic criticism gap—in my opinion—causes the church to lose credibility.

The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid? —Psalm 27:1

Lots of talk about Revelation lately. There was a time when I read Revelation like a fortune cookie. Later I learned Revelation's true message: God does not need us to usher in anything. Refuse the Way of Power. Follow the Way of Jesus. He will set all things right. In His time.

My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.—Psalm 5:3

Incarnation—>Presence “I am with you.” Crucifixion—>Forgiveness “I forgive you.” Resurrection—>Hope “This is not the end.” Impartation—>Power “You will receive power.”

Do not take advantage of the widow or the fatherless. If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry.—Exodus‬ ‭22‬:‭22‬-‭23‬

The older I get in ministry, the less I care about church "style." Instead? I am suspicious of churches that talk about "submitting to authority." They tend to be fear-based. Conversely, churches that lead with extravagant, personal love are so beautiful and enticing to me.

Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God.—Ex 20:8-10 Part of Sabbath is not working to remember we are free (slaves were not allowed rest), that we are more than our work, and that God provides.

When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset.—Ex 17:12 It is good to hold up others. It is good to be held up.

Why don't we have White History Month? I’ve been thinking about what the American evangelical church can learn from the historically Black church, and the close of Black History Month seemed to be an apropos moment to put some of those reflections into writing. bezner.substack.com/p/why-dont-w...

“The old teaching of exclusion cannot fully protect us from God’s pull to be a neighbor.”—Walter Brueggemann

If there is any benefit from loss of control, it is that I am reminded of how good it is to spend time in prayer.

The Lord will fight for you, and you must be quiet.—Exodus 14:14

“God’s way is a way of graciousness and mercy; but it is grace and mercy on God’s terms, not ours.”—Walter Brueggemann

“I believe the crisis in the U.S. church…has everything to do with giving up on faith and discipline of our Christian baptism and settling for a common, generic U.S. identity that is part patriotism, part consumerism, part violence, and part affluence.”—Walter Brueggemann Happy First Sunday of Lent