Author: Kanisha L. Adkins

Kanisha L. Adkins is a gifted writer who draws on her professional training to address issues of faith, law, politics, social justice, mental health and personal accountability and empowerment. She is a licensed attorney with over 25 years of experience in conflict management and resolution. In addition to a Juris Doctor, she holds Master’s of Divinity and Master’s of Social Work degrees and is an ordained Baptist minister with over 22 years of offering her gifts of preaching, teaching, counseling and administration, as well as conference and small group facilitation and instruction.

OH MARY, DID YOU WEEP?: Holding Space for Those Who Are Grieving During The Christmas Season

by Kanisha L. Adkins

MARY DON’T YOU WEEP. That’s the title of a gospel song made popular by the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. My title, however, isn’t Mary DON’T you weep. It’s Mary DID you weep. And it’s based on Luke 1:27 – 56. It’s the story of a young girl, maybe 12 or 13 years old, whose parents have entered into a contract with another family. Their daughter will be given to the other family’s son. The daughter is Mary. The son is Joseph. Mary will be his wife. The contract is final. For all intents and purposes, the couple is married. It’s a done deal. Joseph’s family will pay Mary’s family and Mary will go live with her new husband. But for right now she still lives with her family.

She’s been a “good girl”. She’s done everything she was supposed to do and she hasn’t done anything she wasn’t supposed to do. And then it happens. She gets a divine message that, in spite of the fact that she has never had sex, she’s going to get pregnant, have a son who will be the son of God and a great king. And to top it off, Mary is supposed to be happy about this. That’s what we’ve been taught. That’s what the text suggests. Of all the women in the world, God chose Mary. She’s blessed and highly favored. She should be over-the-moon happy.

But let’s slow down. And before we rush off to happily ever after, let’s give Mary a moment. Oh Mary, DID you weep? She’s been promised in marriage to a man (more likely, an older boy, about 19 or 20 years old) who she has probably seen but doesn’t know very well. She’s treated like a piece of property. The parents make a deal (more likely, the fathers make a deal). She’ll leave her family to go live with this little-known of boy and his little-known of family. Oh Mary, DID you weep?

She doesn’t really have a vote in this pregnancy process. It’s GOING to happen. (In spite of what folk like to say about freewill and God allowing us to choose to have a relationship with the Creator, there are times when God doesn’t ask our permission or our opinion.) Oh Mary, DID you weep?

When she tells her family about the pregnancy, they may disown her. Joseph may refuse to take her as his wife. Everyone would think that she has committed adultery. Adultery wasn’t simply a sin. It was a crime! Would she be convicted and punished for breaking the law? Would her punishment be death? Oh Mary, DID you weep?

When she heard that her elder-cousin Elizabeth was pregnant, was she shocked? Elizabeth was an “old lady”! She and her husband didn’t have children. And now, after all these years, they were finally going to have a child. Did Mary wonder whether it was a miracle? Did she wonder if God had done the same thing to Elizabeth that was being done to her? Was it a blessing? Was it a miracle? Was Elizabeth favored by God? She should be happy for Elizabeth – but how could she? Their situations were completely different. Oh Mary, DID you weep?

Did she welcome this divine assignment when she told the angel, “I am the Lord’s servant. Let it be with me just as you have said”? Or was she simply resigning herself to the inevitability that it was going to happen? Oh Mary, DID you weep?

When Mary saw Elizabeth, in her old age – pregnant – just like the angel had told her, when she heard Elizabeth, her wise, elder- cousin, shout praises to God for blessing Mary to be the mother of the son of God and praises to Mary for honoring her with a visit, Mary sang a happy song. Finally, she shouted, “Glory to God from the depths of my soul.” She was able to call blessed what God called blessed: both herself and the child she would carry and birth. The situation hadn’t changed. But finally, after processing the situation with the angel, with Elizabeth and with herself, she was able to laugh and smile and sing. But before she celebrated, we must seriously ask the question Oh Mary, DID you weep?

And we must seriously entertain the reality that Mary DID weep. Why? Because during this advent season, as the Church commemorates and celebrates the foretelling, expectancy and birth of the Christ, there are many people who are hurting. They are believers and Christ has come, is come and will come for them too. They are walking in the Advent season. But their worlds have been turned upside down. Jobs have been taken, loved ones have died, illness has been pronounced, bank accounts have been closed, businesses have gone bankrupt, evictions have been served and so much more. The heaviness of the holidays is settling in on them. And while some people are happy and excited and singing happy songs, others are weeping.

Let Them Weep! God will send divine messengers (it may be you – it may NOT be you) to remind them that buried under the burden of the turmoil, there is a hidden blessing. It may take some time to find the blessing but it’s there. And they will find it. But first, they must weep. So, let them! Give them love and space. And trust God to help them find their way, in their time, to that place of celebration.

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No portion of this commentary may be duplicated in writing or in any other recorded format without permission.

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MOVE OVER ABRAHAM, ISAAC AND JACOB–THE WOMEN ARE TAKING CENTER STAGE!

In Honor Of Women’s History Month…and every month.

4 minute read

In case you haven’t noticed, girls and women are all over the place! And that’s not an overstatement. The number of women and men in the world is just about equal, 50-50. The same holds true for the United States of America, just about 50-50.[1] But there are some places in the U.S.A. where women outnumber men. In fact, of the 50 states, about 40 of them are predominantly populated by women.[2] Women in the U.S.A. tend to live longer than men, to the point of women outnumbering men 2 to 1 by the age of 85.[3] And when it comes to the Christian church, like I said, girls and women are everywhere!

Women in the U.S.A. are more likely than men to attend religious services in their lifetime and they are more likely to attend a service at least once a week.[4] Women are also more likely than men to read scripture during their lifetime and to read it at least once a week.[5] With the prevalence of women in the community and the church, it just makes sense that preaching and teaching would more frequently use scriptural texts that highlight women and address issues that are significant to men AND WOMEN. And for those preachers and teachers who are skeptical as to whether there is enough scriptural content to speak to these issues, you can put your concerns to the side. There is no scarcity of scripture to address the needs, concerns and experiences of women.

The Old Testament is rich with a diversity of experiences that women faced. And while some of the women are anonymous in the scriptures, in many scriptural texts, we actually have a name and family relationships as well as health, social and economic issues that applied overwhelmingly to the women. A creative and close look at the women of the Old Testament reveals that they were very much like women of today—not only concerned about being wives and having children. The issues and concerns mentioned in the Old Testament scriptures are issues that women face today in the 21^st century.

Certain topics are seldom addressed in church—topics like sexual abuse and assault, single parenting, infertility and mental health. The failure to address these topics is probably because topics like these cause preachers as well as congregants to feel uncomfortable. Remaining silent provides a sense of comfort but it is a false sense of comfort. The purpose of ministry is not to provide a false sense of comfort. The purpose of ministry is to provide healing and wholeness of spirit, body and soul for the individual as well as for the church and community. Effective preaching (and teaching) must address a wide gamut of topics. Women in the Old Testament and their stories can be used as sources of empathy, empowerment and encouragement as well as examples of agency for 21^st century women.

The following is a list of 9 potential topics, Old Testament scriptural texts and the women at the center of the texts. Also included are the percentages and numbers of 21^st century women who are part of these respective categories. This is by far not an exhaustive list. But it is a start toward highlighting Old Testament women to preach healing and wholeness to women in the 21^st century.

Depression: Women are twice as likely as men to experience depression.[6]

Leah Genesis 29: 16-35; Hannah First Samuel 1:1-18

Infertility: Approximately 6.1 million U.S. women are experiencing infertility.[7]

Sarah Genesis 16:1; Leah Genesis 29: 16-35; Hannah First Samuel 1:1-18

Equal Rights: The Equal Rights Amendment would give women equal rights to men and prohibit discrimination against women in areas such as employment and property ownership. The ERA was passed by Congress in 1972 and sent to the 50 states for approval. The ERA can only be added to the U.S. Constitution if at least 38 states approve. This has not been done.[8]

Mahlah, Michah, Hoglah, Noah, Tirzahm Number 27:1-8

Child Advocates: Women overwhelmingly outnumber men in jobs as child advocates.

Shiphrah and Puah Exodus 1:8-21; Jochebed Exodus 2:1-10

Widowhood and Grief: Women in the U.S.A. (and around the world) tend to live longer than men. This amounts to more married women being widows.

Ruth Ruth: 1:1-5

Sexual Abuse: 1 in 5 women will be raped at some point in their lives; 1 in 4 girls will be sexually abused before she turns 18 years old and 20% – 25% of college women are victims of forced sex during their time in college.[9]

Bilhah and Zilpah Genesis 30; Dinah Genesis 34; Bathsheba Second Samuel 11:3-4

Women in Military Service and Combat: Women make up 16% of enlisted forces and 18% of the officer corps in the United States.[10]

Jael Judges 4:17-24;

Women in Politics: In the United States, women hold 23.7% of the 535 seats in the 116th U.S. Congress; 27.6% of the 312 available statewide elective executive positions and; 28.7% of the 7,383 state legislative positions. From 1971 to 2019, the percentage of women in elected offices has gone from 3% to 28.7%.[11]

Abigail First Samuel 25:2-35

Single Parenting: In single parent households, 23% are single mothers while 4% are single fathers.[12]

Hagar Genesis 16 and Genesis 21

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No portion of this article may be duplicated in writing or in any other recorded format without permission.

Follow me on:

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For speaking, preaching, workshop and group facilitation, contact me at: 202-854-1963

[1] Source: https://www.census.gov/newsroom/facts-for-features/2018/womens-history.html

[2]Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/men-women-united-states-map-2018-11

[3] Source: https://www.census.gov/newsroom/facts-for-features/2018/womens-history.html

[4] Source: http://www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/attendance-at-religious-services/

[5] Source http://www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/frequency-of-reading-scripture/

[6] https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/depression/art-20047725

[7] https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/infertility

[8] https://www.equalrightsamendment.org/era-ratification-map

[9] https://www.nsvrc.org/statistics

[10] https://www.cfr.org/article/demographics-us-military

[11] http://www.cawp.rutgers.edu/women-elective-office-2019

[12] https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2016/cb16-192.html

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SHE’S NOT A WHORE – SHE’S A BUSINESSWOMAN

A 3 minute read

They called her Rahab the Prostitute and for good reason. She earned money and favors by having sex with men who lived in and visited the city of Jericho. She couldn’t deny it. She wouldn’t deny it. Prostitution was how she earned her living and how she supported her family.

But Rahab wasn’t just a prostitute. She was a businesswoman. She made it her business to know what was going on in and outside of Jericho. She made it her business to know who lived in Jericho and who was visiting. And when there were visitors, she made it her business to know why they were visiting.

So when two strangers came to the city to Rahab’s house – looking around and asking questions – she immediately knew who they were. They were spies from a nation of people called the Israelites. She had heard that Israel planned to invade and take over Jericho and that anyone who was not part of the tribes of Israel would be slaughtered and wiped off the face of the earth.

Rahab, like everyone else in Jericho, was terrified about what the Israelites planned to do. She also knew that the King of Jericho would be looking for the spies to stop them from going back with a report on the best way to capture the city of Jericho. Rahab weighed her options and decided that she would make a business deal with the spies. She was, after all, a master negotiator.

Rahab hid the spies. When the King’s messengers came looking for them, she told the messengers that she didn’t know the men were spies. She also told them that the spies had already left the city, but if they hurried, they might be able to catch them.

Then, after the King’s messengers left, Rahab went to the spies and propositioned them. She had saved their lives by sending the King’s messengers on a vain search. In return, when the Israelites came to take over Jericho, she expected her life, along with the lives of her mother, father, sister, brother and all who belonged to her, to be spared.

This was the arrangement Rahab negotiated. This was the arrangement that the spies agreed to keep. And when the armies of Israel came to Jericho, before they destroyed the city, Rahab and all of her family were escorted outside of the city to safety. Because Rahab wasn’t simply a whore. She was a businesswoman.

The Story of Rahab as told in this blog can be found in the book: LESS THAN VIRTUOUS-MORE THAN CAPABLE: Affirmations for Everyday Women. Read more empowering stories of women in the Old Testament. Click here to purchase.

No portion of this story may be duplicated in writing or in any other recorded form.

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IN HONOR OF WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH: THE STORY OF DELILAH AND SAMPSON

As a woman, I’ve wondered: How would certain bible stories sound if they were written from a woman’s perspective? Writing the story from a woman’s perspective doesn’t mean the story would end differently. But maybe it means that women would be seen in a more positive light.

Take for example the Story of Delilah and Sampson in the book of Judges.[i] I’ve always felt that Delilah was portrayed as a woman with no redeeming qualities. She was depicted as scandalous! But what if the story were told from a different perspective – a woman’s perspective. Maybe Delilah could be shown as someone who had some type of redeeming qualities.

In honor of Women’s History Month, imagine the Story of Delilah going something like this:

“Delilah was like no other woman Samson had ever met. Physically, she was beautiful! In fact, there was something alluring about her beauty. It was no wonder that Samson fell in love with her. It was almost as if he couldn’t help himself. He was instantly attracted to her when he first saw her. But the attraction didn’t stop with her physical beauty. There was something about her mannerisms that drew Samson to her. It was the way she looked at him – the way she spoke to him – the way she touched him.

Samson was known as “Samson the strong man.” He was a wild, restless man. But there was something about Delilah that calmed him. Delilah gave him a place to rest, relax and lay his head. This was the Delilah Samson loved. But in spite of the affection and tenderness she showed Samson, there was another side to Delilah – a side that was complex, calculating and self-serving.

This was the Delilah who was confronted by a group of Philistine leaders to make a deal with them: she would find out the secret behind Samson’s great strength (so that the Philistine’s could tie him up and strip him of his strength) and they would each give her eleven hundred pieces of silver. It was the complex, calculating, self-serving Delilah who, day after day, asked Samson the secret to his strength and how he could be tied up and made weak. It was the complex, calculating, self-serving Delilah who tied Samson up only to find out that he had lied to her and that he was able to break free with little to no effort. And it was the complex, calculating, self-serving Delilah who pressed and pushed until Samson finally told her that if his hair were ever to be shaved from his head, he would be like any other person.

It was the tender, affectionate Delilah, on whose lap Sampson lay his head. And it was the complex, calculating, self-serving Delilah who tied him up and had his hair cut off. The Philistines got Sampson and Delilah got her silver.

Years later, when people spoke about what happened, they were always left wondering why she did it. No one understood why Delilah took the bribe. She had found out Samson’s truth and used it for her own personal gain and for his harm. For that reason, not much good was ever spoken of her after that day – except for one thing:

She was a woman who knew how to persist until she found the truth.“

[i] Judges is believed to be written by a man. Some traditions say it was written by the prophet Samuel.

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The Story of Delilah as told in this blog can be found in the book: LESS THAN VIRTUOUS-MORE THAN CAPABLE: Affirmations for Everyday Women. To purchase copies of the book, click here.

No portion of this story may be duplicated in writing or in any other recorded form.

Follow me on:

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For speaking, preaching and group facilitation contact the author at: 202-854-1963

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Depression During The Holidays, Part One: When Christmas Isn’t So Merry

Just 80 more days ‘til Christmas. That may seem like a lot of time. But for many, those days are already being filled with plans. Plans for who will host dinner and who will be invited to dinner, what’s on the menu, who will cook what, what presents to buy for the gift exchange at work, what to wear to the office party, whether to buy a new outfit, whether to shop online for clothes, toys and other gifts or go to brick and mortar stores, whether to drive or fly to grandma’s and pa-pa’s house… Employers and employees are already thinking about closing out the year’s business and taking vacation days during the holiday. Parents who can’t take vacation are already thinking about childcare for their minor children while schools are closed.

Pastors and preachers are already thinking about the sermonic messages they will preach on the Sunday before Christmas (even though they still have at least 10 sermons to preach before that day). Choirs are busy rehearsing Christmas Cantatas and Handel’s Messiah. Sunday schools and children’s church are busy rehearsing plays. Club owners, party throwers and party goers have already started placing their orders and stocking up on “adult beverages” to get the party started right.

80 days won’t last long, especially since every-day-life-as-usual has to be lived, even while getting ready for those few days at the end of December. It’s enough to drive a sane person crazy. And while most people won’t actually go crazy, more than likely, as a result of the anticipation of the busy-ness of the holiday season, what will happen, and may have already started to happen, is that many people will experience a sadness that goes beyond just feeling down. Many people, even people of faith, will experience depression during this season of joy, making Christmas not so merry. The first step in addressing the “holiday blues” (which some people have already begun to experience) is to educate yourself on what depression is, what causes it, and how to recognize it.

What is depression?

Depression is a serious mental AND medical illness that negatively affects how we feel, the way we think and how we act. It may start suddenly or build up over a period of weeks, months, or years. Who gets depressed? Many, many people. Men, women and children of all races, colors, ethnicities, sexual orientations and religions. What causes depression? Biological factors: Chemical imbalances in the brain and biological vulnerability. Psychological factors: Mental or thought processes meaning how we think about things; Psychological tendencies such as low self-esteem and pessimism. Social and environmental factors: Academic demands; balancing school, work, family and social life; Financial responsibilities or worries; Social isolation; Major loss such as the loss of a loved one including a family pet or loss of income; Chronic illness such as asthma, cancer, diabetes or addiction; Work stress; Family crisis and concerns; Unwelcome and welcome life changes; Alcohol and drug use, including both legal and illegal.

What are some symptoms of depression?

There are different forms of depression with different combinations of the following symptoms. Physical: Sleep disturbances-insomnia, oversleeping, waking much earlier than usual; Changes in appetite or eating much more or much less; Decreased energy or fatigue; Headaches, stomach aches, digestive problems or other physical symptoms that are not explained by other physical conditions or do not respond to treatment. Behavioral/Attitude: Loss of interest or pleasure in activities that were once enjoyed, such as going out with friends, hobbies, sports, sex, food, etc.; Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions; Neglecting responsibilities or personal appearance. Emotional: Persistent sad or “empty” mood, lasting two or more weeks; Crying “for no reason”; Feeling hopeless, helpless, guilty or worthless; Feeling irritable, agitated or anxious; Thoughts of death or suicide.

People of faith, regardless of religious affiliation or denomination, are just as susceptible to becoming depressed as non-believers and those who do not ascribe to any religion. In fact, people of faith, particularly Christians, may be more prone to experiencing depression because this is supposed to be a season of joy: Christ has come, is come and will come! For what reason could Christians and other followers of God possibly be sad, you ask? For all the same reasons as those who don’t believe. LIFE!

Consider Elijah, that prophet and mighty man of God, who called down fire on Mount Carmel. After that mighty act of faith and God honoring his prayer, just days later these are the words that came from Elijah’s lips: ““I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” Then he lay down under a bush and fell asleep.” (I Kings 19:4-5) Elijah was experiencing depression: feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness and thoughts of and wanting to die. Elijah was depressed! But the good news is that help was available.

“All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights…” (I Kings 19:5-8)

If you are experiencing depression, these verses offer suggestions on a few of the ways to treat those feelings. What is the treatment for depression? For starters, SELF-CARE including: Healthy eating; exercise; sleep; rest; and relaxation.

Pay attention to and honor your feelings. Sad feelings can be a signal that something is wrong. Remember that feelings are a gift from God, even feelings of sadness. Feelings should always draw us closer to God, the giver of every good and perfect gift. (James 1:17) And so above all, when feelings of sadness turn to depression, remember to make prayer and meditation a key component of your self-help.

Next Week: Depression During The Holidays, Part Two: Use Your Words

Learning the Language of Depression and More Helpful Solutions

Originally written and posted: October 5, 2015

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P.O. Box 28483 Henrico, VA 23228 – phone 202-854-1963 – email: info@kanishaladkins.com

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My Interview on The Sharvette Mitchell Radio Show

What do you do when you discover you’ve been working with a Judas–someone who undermines and disrupts your work? Listen to my interview on The Sharvette Mitchell Radio Show as we discuss this question and SO MUCH MORE. Just click the link below and enjoy!

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/mitchell-productions/2017/04/04/on-air-with-kanisha-l-adkins-author-minister-and-attorney

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The Politics of Christmas (republished from December 2015)

Have you ever noticed how federal, state and local governing bodies close their offices and go on vacation during the Christmas holiday season? The United States Congress will take a “recess” for about 10 days, from about December 21^st through December 31^st. (My third grade recesses never lasted that long. How about yours?) The law-makers will leave Washington, return to their respective home states and celebrate the season with their families and friends. Executive agencies, (that is, those who carry out the laws, rules, regulations, programs, policies and procedures that have been put into place by the law-makers) will close their doors for just two or three days. All of the political work will come to a screeching halt, the problems of government will give way to a collective hush so that we may quiet down for the holidays and put differences aside, all in the name of peace on earth and good will toward men (and women, too!).

But why does the government shut down, especially in light of the fact that when the doors open back up, it will be back to business as usual? The same fight that was being fought before the doors closed will be resumed when the doors open. The same burden that was oppressive before the doors closed will be oppressive when the doors reopen. The same people who were on top when the doors closed with a sign saying, “Gone For The Holidays” will still be on top when the sign is flipped back over to say, “Open For Business.” And the same people who were on the bottom, waiting in line, will still be on the bottom, waiting in line. I don’t know about the rest of the world but in the United States, we have de-politicized Christmas by allowing government to fade into the background for a few days. The truth, however, is that as the shepherds were keeping watch over their flocks on that starry, chilly evening in Bethlehem, politics was thick in the air the night that Christ was born.

In order to under the politics of Christmas, we need to understand a little about the history of the Jews ( the people of Israel) being under foreign rulers. (I promise to keep it painless and simple).

*The Jews had been ruled over by the Babylonians, Assyrians, Persians and Greeks. After the Exodus from Egypt (led by Moses), Israel had been allowed to return to their homeland but they were still ruled by foreign governments. Jesus (who was a Jew) was born during the time the people of Israel were under the Roman ruler, Caesar Augustus.

*Now for a little lesson on Caesar Augustus. Augustus was originally named Octavian and was the adopted son of Julius Caesar. After Julius Caesar’s death, Julius was divinized, or elevated to the status of ‘god’. Octavian, Julius’ son, was considered “the son of god” and his name was changed to Augustus, which means “worthy of worship”. Augustus became the object of worship throughout the Roman Empire. He was believed to have been sent by God as a Savior for the people; his birthday was adopted as the new beginning of the year; and his birth was viewed as the beginning of a new era of ‘good news’ (evangelion) and peace (peace, which was by military force) for the whole world.

*Caesar Augustus funded his Roman Empire by making the people pay taxes. There were grain taxes, produce taxes, sales taxes, temple taxes, occupational taxes, custom taxes, transit taxes, and many others. Three percent of the elite, like the Roman Senate, along with the Roman soldiers and the citizens of Rome didn’t feel the sting but the people of Israel were part of the 97% of people who were in poverty as a result of the heavy taxation. Caesar Augustus needed to know how many people were in the Roman Empire, in order to make sure the taxes were accurate.

*So, “In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.” (Luke 2:1) These were the politics that surrounded Jesus’s birth. Roman officials had declared that Caesar Augustus was the ‘son of god’, the ‘savior’ of the whole earth by bringing ‘peace’ to Rome, and that declaration was heralded as ‘good news.’ This is the same message that the angel gave the shepherds concerning Jesus: a savior is born, he is the Christ or God’s Anointed One and he will bring peace on earth. The difference, however, is that where Caesar Augustus ruled with an iron fist and oppression, Jesus, born in a lowly manger, to an unmarried virgin girl and a working-class carpenter, would establish his Lordship and rule through humility and compassion. Caesar Augustus was viewed as a cheap imitation, a fake! But Jesus was the savior on whom the children of Israel and all who were oppressed had been waiting. The gospel writer, Luke, challenges the Roman practices of his day by telling us the story of a baby who was born into a highly charged social and political climate.

Politics is hard work and everyone needs a break. But if Jesus’s birth was seated in the middle of a major political situation, why do our governments shut down and divorce themselves from the true backstory of the Christmas season? Today, in the United States (and perhaps in other countries) governing bodies shut down to take a break from politics. When Caesar Augustus ruled the Roman Empire, politics was the name of the game and the game was in full play the night that Christ was born. But Jesus was not born so that governments could take a brief break from politics or to give people a short recess from oppression and pain. Jesus was born to completely change the political game.

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*Source: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/thepangeablog/articles/unpublished-papers/behind-lukes-gospel-the-roman-empire-during-the-time-of-jesus/#_ftn30

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phone 202-854-1963 – email: kladkins3@gmail.com

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HELP! THERE’S A JUDAS ON MY JOB!

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WHAT WILL YOU PREACH ON SUNDAY?

Sunday’s comin’, gotta preach.

So what will you preach on Sunday?

Bullets flyin’, people dyin’,

Blood in the streets, talk of hoods and sheets,

Black lives DO matter, blue uniforms ARE tattered,

So what will you PREACH on Sunday?

Will you stick with your script, YOUR message, prepared to SLAY?

Or will you challenge your lips to give voice to what the Spirit has to say?

‘Cause bullets been flyin’ and people been dyin’,

Blood in the streets, talk of hoods and sheets,

Black lives DO matter and blue uniforms ARE tattered,

So WHAT will you preach on Sunday?

Sunday’s comin’, gotta pray.

So what will you PRAY on Sunday?

Will you pray “The Our Father”, ask for forgiveness of sins,

Petition Jehovah Shalom, “God of peace, we’re waiting for YOU to step in?”

Or will you open the altar and just let the people weep,

Tear their clothes, lay in the aisle and let their broken hearts speak?

‘Cause bullets been flyin’ and people been dyin’,

Blood in the streets, talk of hoods and sheets,

Black lives DO matter and blue uniforms ARE tattered,

So what will you PRAY on Sunday?

Sunday’s comin’, gotta sing.

So what will you SING on Sunday?

Will you sing of a sweet bye and bye,

Golden streets, starry crowns, long white robes, mansions on high?

Will you sing of blessings on earth,

Of prosperity and riches and excessive personal girth?

Or will you sing a dirge,

Or maybe just hum and moan, for the dearly departed who will nevermore this earth roam?

‘Cause bullets been flyin’ and people been dyin’,

Blood in the streets, talk of hoods and sheets,

Black lives DO matter and blue uniforms ARE tattered,

So what will you SING on Sunday?

Sunday’s comin’, gotta give.

So what will you GIVE on Sunday?

Will you give an offering and a tithe,

Then leave the building to continue with your merry life?

Or will you become a gift, a prayer, a song,

The healing for the hurt, the right for a wrong?

For we are LIVING epistles,

“not written in ink, but with the Spirit of the living God,

And not on stone tablets but on human hearts.”

And the wounded are waiting for our sermon to end,

For the song to conclude and the prayer’s “AMEN”.

‘Cause bullets been flyin’ and people been dyin’,

Blood in the streets, talk of hoods and sheets,

Black lives DO matter and blue uniforms ARE tattered,

So what we gon’ DO on Sunday?

*****

No written portion of this article may be used without obtaining written permission from the author.

Henrico, VA 23228 – phone 202-854-1963 – email: info@kanishaladkins.com

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @kanishaladkins

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When A Sin Becomes A Crime

The church has long taught that sex outside of marriage is a sin. People who’ve spent any amount of time in evangelical, apostolic, or fundamentalist churches are familiar with verses like, “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication.” (I Thessalonians 4:3 KJV) Forget hunger, poverty, and unemployment. Sex outside of marriage is what makes the church cringe on any given Sunday. For the record, the word “fornication” used in the biblical text is taken from the Greek word porneia, which means ‘selling off or surrendering sexual purity and promiscuity of any and every type’. Marital status isn’t mentioned in the original Greek definition of fornication.

You’ll notice that I’ve highlighted the words surrendering and promiscuity. That’s because some people don’t seem to understand that “promiscuously surrendering” is NOT the same as being forced to engage in sexual activity. Being forced to engage in sexual activity is sexual assault at the least, and rape at most.

Why am I making this distinction? Well, in case you haven’t heard, a major Christian organization has come under fire for overlooking reports of rape and sexual assault. No, the organization isn’t a mega church or a religious denomination’s national or state conference. The major Christian organization I’m talking about is Baylor University, the nation’s largest Baptist University.

Over the course of the last several years, several female students have come forward and reported being sexually assaulted or raped by members of the Baylor University football team. The university, however, didn’t appropriately investigate these reports. In fact, according to one news report, the University didn’t look into the allegations made by at least one young lady until 2 years after she reported the assault! https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2016/05/26/baylor-reportedly-fires-football-coach-art-briles-amid-teams-sexual-assault-allegations/

A columnist, who is also a member of a prominent family, many of whom are Baylor graduates, recently wrote that for religious schools like Baylor, “the question is how to balance the country’s encouragement of sexual assault victims to come forward with the school’s rules that restrict sexual behavior.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2016/05/25/the-ken-starr-baylor-story-shows-the-struggle-of-religious-schools-to-deal-with-sex-assault/

According to Baylor’s sexual conduct policy students, faculty and staff are expected to express sexual intimacy in the context of marital fidelity. http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php?id=39247

Surely, this prominent columnist can’t be suggesting that sexual assault is an act of intimacy. But it sounds like this is exactly what he is implying: that because the policy prohibits sexual intimacy outside of marriage, persons who are sexually assaulted are reluctant to report these actions to campus leaders because they have engaged in a prohibited sexual intimacy. No they haven’t engaged in an intimacy! They’ve been criminally assaulted. Sexual assault is NOT the sexual behavior that is addressed in Baylor’s policy on sexual conduct. This is a bunch of double talk. And quite frankly, it’s a bunch of bull.

I believe (and some might even agree) that Baylor’s leadership failed to appropriately address the reports of these young ladies who alleged to have been sexually assaulted by members of the football team for one reason. MONEY! When the football team started winning and finished with a championship win in 2010 under head coach Art Briles, big bucks started rolling in for Baylor! The leaders of this prominent Christian university didn’t just delay looking into a sexual conduct policy violation between consenting adults. These leaders turned a deaf ear and a blind eye to sexual crimes on their Christian campus! And an attempt to reframe the issue of a crime in terms of a policy violation is an epic fail. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2016/05/25/baylor-university-prepares-fire-president-over-handling-assaults

Sexual activity outside of marriage may be a sin. But sexual assault is a crime. It’s time for Baylor and the many faces of the faith community including colleges, universities, secondary schools, churches, fellowships and religious conferences to put as much attention on crime as they do on sin.

********************************

No written portion of this article may be used without obtaining written permission from the author.

Henrico, VA 23228 – phone 202-854-1963 – email: info@kanishaladkins.com

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @kanishaladkins

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