For Black Millennials Who Considered Leaving When the Church Was Too Much

Thoughts from Hampton University Minister’s Conference 2018 This was my third year attending the famed Hampton University Minister’s Conference. My thoughts and reflections are still somewhat of a jumbled mass in my mind. What follows is my attempt to make sense of disorderedness in my brain in a coherent way that gives clarity to the […]

If Ta-Nehesi Coates and Kendrick Lamar Had a Conversation…

This has been an interesting moment in time for blackness. The imperfect harmony of the nightmare that police brutality against black bodies along with the exoneration of whiteness and the beauty of black pride and some semblance of existential unity hearkening to years past. Two hallmarks of this time period have been both Kendrick Lamar […]

Jamal Bryant and the Continued Foolishness of Preaching

For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. 1 Corinthians 1:21, KJV If one does a quick search of the name Jamal Bryant on my blog, they will quickly discover that from my seminary forward […]

Tell Them About the Dream

Editor’s Note: Below is an excerpt from the sermon I preached this past Sunday, August 25, 2013 as the country celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The scripture text was Acts 2:17 through 21 as follows: In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will […]

The Black Church, Homegoing Services and Whitney Houston

On February 18, 2012, the family of Whitney Houston paid their final respects in an invite only, yet televised homegoing service at her home church, New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey. Initial reports had said that only BET was covering the full service, but certainly shocking to me, the major cable news networks […]

The Death of Life

This following sermonette was brought about by a story I stumbled across on the web about a mother in Chicago receiving the high school diploma of her slain son. Her son was killed on the sidewalk after walking up to a group of three young men. No arrests have been made. I read the story […]

For Black Religious Intellectuals Who Considered Suicide When The Foolishness Was Too Much

Black America paid close attention last fall when New Birth Missionary Baptist Church pastor Bishop Eddie Long was accused of sexual impropriety and misconduct. Four young men were launching a civil case against Long for misconduct during their teenage years under the tutelage of Long as members of New Birth. Suddenly picture text messages surfaced […]

Mainstream Media Gets It Wrong Again: The Black Church in American Culture

On Wednesday, October 20, CNN.com posted a news article entitled “Black preachers who ‘whoop’ — minstrel or ministers?” that amongst the black churchy folk was a subject of tweets and Facebook status updates; many went so far as to link the news story to their Facebook pages engendering comments aptly defining the “whoop” (pronounced “hoop”) […]

Being Black and Dealing With Postcolonialism in a Postmodern World

Editors note: This is probably going to be one of my longer posts, maybe not, depends on how quickly I work it out. But if I go over my standard 1,500 characters so be it. So go get get the tea, coffee or print this bad boy out because I’m here until it’s done. A […]

The Preacher’s Response to the Haitian Earthquake; Pat Robertson’s comments

Last week my friend asked me to lead the discussion for the “Next Gathering” a group of budding theologians who meet for a couple of hours once a month to discuss theology in a slightly more formal setting than just over hot wings and drinks. My colleague asked me to give the preacher’s response to […]

Joshua Lawrence Lazard

The blog of the one formerly known as The Uppity Negro

Theology of Preaching