“This confluence of eroding trust, a sense of powerlessness, exposure to intense suffering of others, and desensitization to political violence leaves Gen Z looking for judgment—and justice. My students know all too well that bad things happen to good people. They want to know when bad people will get what they deserve.” - CToday
The passing of John M. Perkins last Friday marked the loss of a man who not only shaped me from a distance but whom I also had the privilege of meeting a few times over the years. He was a civil rights activist, a preacher, a community developer, an evangelist, and a discipler and developer of Christian leaders, among many other things. Historian and Theologian Charles Marsh from the University of Virginia has called him the most influential African-American leader since Martin Luther King.
Many of us who see ourselves as poverty fighters, social justice activists, Christian community development workers, or urban ministry practitioners—whatever name we go by—have made Micah 6:8 our personal mission statement:
He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
For us, that verse isn’t just a verse—it’s a calling. We’ve seen poverty up close. We’ve studied systemic injustice. We’ve fought for affordable housing and racial justice, and we’ve walked alongside the poor as they break the cycle of poverty.
“We pray, oh Lord, that the civil magistrate, as Romans 13 teaches, might be a defense for those who do good and bear the sword against those who do evil. And even as we pray for justice, we are also mindful of Proverbs 24 ‘do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let your heart be glad when he stumbles, lest the Lord see it, and be displeased, and turn away his anger from him.’” - Kevin DeYoung
Read the series.
We’re exploring God’s foundational description of himself, on the assumption—well founded in Scripture—that we ought to treat others the way he does. We’re getting to the end of the list, where there’s a cluster of attributes that we really need to discuss together.
Exodus 34.7 puts it this way:
“Any one of these kills would represent the most high-profile Israeli strike against an enemy of Israel since the October 7th attacks. Taken together, they are a strategic boon.” - Providence
“From a Christian viewpoint, however, there are real concerns about economic fairness and justice. Yet, even after decades of pondering these issues, I still have lingering questions.” - Providence
“The challenge that confronts Christian political theology today is how to guard against the abusive tendencies of fallen human authority figures while not destroying authority itself; how to acknowledge that nature is fallen, while remembering that nature was created good.” - Providence
It’s easy to forget sometimes, but the book of Revelation reveals. There’s a lot of mystery in the book’s details, but if we step back and focus on what’s clear, what emerges is a beautiful expression of the greatest truths any human being can be blessed to know.
I was reminded of this recently as our pastor preached through Revelation 5-7. Flowing through the awesome scenes, strange creatures, and epic moments of these chapters is a retelling of the great story of all of Scripture.
