Blogging has been on my drawing board for years. But 
a couple of weeks ago, Pastor Haman Cross, Jr said to me “you should blog” and suddenly a fire began to re-bubble in my spirit and finally I said YES. Special thanks to the soon to be Dr. James Holly, Jr for laying the ground work for the blog site.
I Just Saying – some may asked, what will you be blogging about? I’ll take a stab at sharing my thoughts within the context of my values as a Christian in the middle of a world culture that rejects and/or clashes with my prescribed values. But for some my Christian narrative/viewpoint may conflict with many particularly those who identify with the evangelical community a group with whom I have been affiliated since 1985 through my church Rosedale Park Baptist Church. Why the conflict? Because for me growing in Christ has been more than just memorization and doctrine like the Bereans (Acts 17:11) I explored the scriptures daily in search of both truth and understanding with an expected outcome of an informed theology that would ultimately be transformative personally, professionally and globally through my work.
As a blogger, my task will be to create a theological pathway for Christian critical thinkers that would ultimate lead to community change. I am thankful for the many men and women who crossed my path. Some of these individuals do not share my theological journey, but who allowed me a first hand view and the opportunity even as a child to participate in their spiritual journeys and afforded me the honor and privilege to THINK without condemnation (Romans 8:1) and create my own spiritual path to following Jesus Christ. Regularly this blog will honor men and women who are or have been critical thinkers to my chosen blogging topic. But I must start by honoring those men and women who were and are extremely critical along my spiritual pathway. They are: the late Mr. John Wesley Talbert (my father), Pastor Phillip Nelson (my youth pastor), the late William Carleton Audrey, the late Dr. Isaiah Scipio, Pastor Haman Cross, Jr. and Pastor Gregory Alexander. There were also phenomenal women (Romans 16) who were beneficial to my growth Mrs. Edna Hillard, Ms. Lovett, Mrs. Fannie Norman and finally Mrs. Queen Ann Lamar and my loving and devoted mother Mrs. Nettie Talbert all of whom are in the presence in Jesus. Their love is an living epistle of one of my ministry verses (Galatians 4:19 NIV). Thank you!
I’m Just Saying will cover a wide variety of topics including economics, violence, public health, culture, theology, reconcilation, education and politics to name a few through the lens of urban youth development. And don’t think I’m Just Saying won’t have a lot to say about the black church. As a professional urban youth development specialist and former youth pastor I have maintained for years that “we don’t love urban children”. Every issue urban children and youth face sit at the feet of the adult population (Matthew 27:28). Now the real question that faces us is have we allowed this problem to mushroom so big that we can not reverse and change. It’s like asking a second amendment person this question; if we could save American’s children, would you be willing to give up your gun? Or asking the bible believing church going member; what’s more important Sunday morning worship or the Great Commission in the eyes of God?
I invite you to take this ride with me and invite your friends not to just engage in conversations, but I hope we together will produce critical thinking that will ultimately lead to transformational change in urban communities around the world. Pastor Cross might regret the day he reignited the desire to blog but I won’t. It might even be therapeutic for me and you but for now I’m Just Saying….
I'm Just Saying 