1. Why I Celebrate Black History Month
February is Black History Month. I have to admit that before a few years ago, I didn’t really celebrate this in any real way, besides giving it some cursory acknowledgement. But now, I actively celebrate this month, both in my personal life as well as in the life of the church. I don’t do so because it’s the right thing for an educated person to do, or in an attempt to pander to political correctness. Nor do I do this because I consider myself anything close to an expert on black history and culture. The reason I unapologetically celebrate Black History Month is because the past couple of years of my life have made me realize that, even as a Korean-American, it was only appropriate that I do so...continue reading
The graphic comes from the Public Religion Research Institute. You’ll notice that it also undermines the evangelical claim that they’re doing better with younger generations than progressive Christians. You’ll see that’s not true. In fact, the evangelical drop is more precipitous than the mainline drop — they’ve also got further to fall...continue reading
Whenever I hear about someone else making a case for New Earth Creationism in the name of Christianity, I’m embarrassed, once again, to associate myself with them. And people wonder why many of us prefer to identify as “Jesus followers” or “Spiritual but not Religious” rather than be lumped in with the Ken Hams of the world...continue reading
4. What the Christian Right Gets Wrong About Sin
In the latest volley of the Christian culture wars, dozens of prominent conservative Christian leaders -- including Rick Warren, Ravi Zacharias, and Wayne Grudem -- have filed an amicus brief supporting Hobby Lobby in the ongoing battle over contraception. Much ink has already been spilled in this battle -- about contraception, religious liberty, freedom of choice -- and I have no interest in arguing those topics that many others have already addressed. But I do believe this brief offers us a glimpse at one of the flawed premises driving our ongoing culture wars...continue reading
Bill McKibben gets to the bottom of the debate regarding the compatibility of science and religion in an interview with Bill Moyers. McKibben, an environmental activist and author, explained the premise behind his article "Will Evangelicals Help Save The Earth?" and argued that faith and environmentalism can work together for a better Earth...continue reading
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Recently I've been trying to find a way to do more blogging for The Ghetto Monk and to be honest for a while I was really uninspired. That is until I had what I believed to be a grand idea for the blog.
The idea is to start a photo journal of pictures that I think either inspire, influence, or define my walk as a Christian. These pictures will be accompanied by my explanation of the picture and what it means to my walk. So, here is the first of many. Follow my journey.

This picture was taken with my iPhone at a bonfire. About a week ago I attended my first one. It was so cold that night, but I believed my friend Mike who told me the flames would be hot enough to keep me warm. When he finally lit the wood after dumping enough gasoline to fill an RV on it, the flames began to roar and I was excited as the other little kids who were about 10-15 years younger than me. As I sat back and marveled at the fire it reminded me of the fire I feel everyday to get up and continue my everlasting walk with Jesus. I was baptized for the 2nd time December 8th, 2013 and since then I feel like there's been this flame I've been sitting that urges me to go out and strive to be like Christ. I will say like the bonfire there were days the flames weren't roaring. I quickly realized that if you don't add to your faith constantly that flame can soon start to burn out.

During the bonfire I noticed Mike would occasionally add more wood to the fire. I turned around and there was a trailer full of chopped wood waiting to be burned. It made me think about when I would feel myself losing that flame within myself and how that led to me reading the Bible, praying, or just having a spiritual conversation with someone and slowly but surely each time I'd gain that fire back. It was as if each time it added a spiritual log to my fire. It's normal to feel uninspired and to feel like you need a pick me up or kick start. I know that as I look to be spiritually fed that my fire grows and as long as I aim to do the work of the Lord, loving and serving others as God commands, then my fire will never die out. It is my hope that anyone who reads this will be inspired to find something that feeds their fire and strive to keep it from burning out as it will do if it is left sitting around in this world too long unattended like a bonfire in the midst of a cold winter night. 
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St. John of the Cross called it “the dark night of the soul.” The Benedictine friar Augustine Baker referred to it as “the great desolation.” The ancient Christian mystics depicted it in a prayer labyrinth, representing the Christian life, which at times would draw near to God and at other times would seem impossibly distant. It is the experience of spiritual dryness, and it is a common experience for many of us at some point in our Christian life...continue reading
Doug Pagitt and Tony Jones have been at this whole church leadership thing for a while now. As two of the voices at the forefront of the emerging Christianity movement, they are visionaries, strategists, and hands-on practitioners who, as much or more than anyone, have wrestled with the complex and persistent question of what tomorrow’s Christian faith looks like...continue reading
When an international magazine editor sits down on a chair called “the black woman chair,” for an editorial magazine…
…heads are scratched. Pearls are actually clutched. Swear words are articulated. Anger is not just in the head or heart, it is felt in the body. From anger to sadness to despair. Then you remember this IS our reality. You forgot…since yesterday...continue reading
I've been reading an interview with outspoken atheist comedian Bill Maher in The Atlantic. The interviewer asked him a question about God, and his answer was intriguing to me. The question was along the lines of Pascal's Wager: "What if you're wrong and you're dooming yourself to hell? Do you ever worry about that...continue reading
I often wonder, given sufficient whisky and irony and time: Has there ever been a more delightfully inept, wince-inducing oxymoron in the tortured American lexicon than “conservative Christian...continue reading
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This time last year I was married & pregnant with my whole life on the horizon. I would often brag about how happy I (thought I) was and give others advice. I felt good and I felt blessed. I remember writing a blog post with my ex-husband about how to be in a healthy relationship.

The only thing I was missing was the most important part: a strong connection between my creator, my husband and myself.

I am not about to complain about the drama that unfolded following our separation. My son is a divine blessing. Besides, God has a plan. Instead of focusing on the negative, I want to discuss something the children's choir sang about at Reid Temple AME today: WALKING IN AUTHORITY.

Walking in authority is deeper than I have understood in the past. It involves a real overstanding of your spiritual bond with God. It provides the ammunition you need to fight for your soul when evil forces seek to overcome your very being.

This is something I continue to struggle with, but one thing that keeps me afloat is knowing that my God has saved me from abusive and demeaning relationships. My God has provided for me even when my faith was wear. The creator continues to protect me from harm. And my job is to try my hardest each day to WALK IN AUTHORITY.

This is something I will continue to meditate on, but I just felt something on my heart that I thought may help others. Most of all, though, I am striving to be a better me and take it one day at a time.

Much love & tranquility

-Shauntrice (JuneBug's Momma)

Follow Shauntrice's blog Nappy Queen


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Life's most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others? - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

I saw this quote and this picture floating around on Twitter and Instagram last Monday, which was the day of formal recognition of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Every year when people are led to commemorate a special figure in history I am filled with frustration and dismay. MLK's national holiday is no different. I am reminded of how his legacy and his mission have been romanticized and co-opted by mainstream American culture and thought. Quotes from his most prominent and celebrated speeches are posted on Twitter, in Facebook statuses, and turned into memes. These quotes usually contain themes of love, peace, and equality. A commonality within these quotes is the ability to produce a warm feeling inside the millions of people who will read them. While they are a good representation of themes that were present within his movement, there always seems to be a lack of the essential criticisms King made against American society.

It is no secret that King is loved now more than he ever was while alive. Why is this true? Is it the result of a competing ideology admitting fault after an honest reflection of past events? Or, is it the result of a revisionist history that remembers King as a beloved figure that stood on the principles of non-violence in such a way that was never a threat to core American values?

Dr. King was quoted as saying, "A man of conscious can never be a consensus leader." This has been true throughout history. The prophets in the Bible and Jesus Christ himself are great examples of this. At the time of his death, MLK had an approval rating of 30%. How much of his ideology and theology would we actually adhere to today?

In a sea of misappropriation, the picture from above stood out to me. First, because of the amount of times I came across it on various social networks. Second, because no one attempted to offer an explanation of why they agreed that the question asked was persistent and urgent. It must be true if it resonated with so many people.

As Christians we are called to service and we are called to community. In 1 Peter 4:10 the author writes, "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace." Galatians 5:13-14 states, "For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"

The quote by Dr. King speaks to what it means to be a Christian and also what it means to share in this experience we call life. It is a question I think about a lot in my attempt to be less indulged in my own personal ambitions and to be more concerned with how I can help my family, my community, and ultimately every human being alive.

So, what are you doing to help others? This is not an indictment of anyone's character, rather a genuine curiosity to learn about some of the wonderful work that people are doing in the world. Please share below in the comment section.
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