J-T Richards
j-trichards.bsky.social
J-T Richards
@j-trichards.bsky.social
I'm just J-T. I'm a lead elder, a husband, a dad, a grandpa, a Celtics fan, a Linux user (since 1997), a vim / LaTeX guy, a hot sauce maker, a Michigan Wolverines fan…you know, just J-T. I serve New City Church in Grand Rapids.
Reposted by J-T Richards
"How has Jacob rebelled, you ask?
Samaria epitomizes their rebellion!
Where are Judah’s pagan worship centers, you ask?
They are right in Jerusalem!" ~Mic 1:5 (NET)

Where was the center of rebellion & idolatry, it was in the heart of the nation.

A word for today.📜
December 14, 2025 at 8:58 PM
Reposted by J-T Richards
There are two kinds of people in this world: people who like plain black coffee, and people who don’t really like coffee.
December 10, 2025 at 6:43 AM
Reposted by J-T Richards
It has never been the calling of the Church to preserve Greek culture, Roman culture, Victorian culture, German culture, or American culture—though throughout her history she has been conscripted into these fools’ crusades.
May 8, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Reposted by J-T Richards
The church needs leaders who avoid things that will make them wildly famous or wildly infamous.
May 7, 2025 at 1:54 AM
My man said "deuce high"—not even an Ace high! Not even a face card! Doc, you got my dying over here!
Theology 101: In theological debates on social media, some people act like they’re holding a royal flush when all they really have is a deuce high.
April 29, 2025 at 5:33 PM
According to this #Amazon ad for a "compression camisole", it is so effective it can turn a fuller white woman into a slimmer black woman. Amazing!
April 9, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Reposted by J-T Richards
Theology 101: Blatantly championing a party’s platform or politician from the pulpit is a dereliction of your pastoral duty. But so is refusing to champion a Christian moral principle because it might come across as “too political.”
April 7, 2025 at 2:09 AM
I may be far behind on tomorrow's sermon, but at least I'm exhausted!
April 6, 2025 at 1:48 AM
This is scholarship done right.
April 1, 2025 at 12:56 PM
Yes, *show yourself*.
Don't obfuscate with tripe about DEI, CRT, or "woke" agendas.

Just say you are an uncritical thinker who is for a censored educational system that perpetuates segregation, injustice, and discrimination.

Stand for what you believe in.
February 28, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Next year the NBA dunk context should be changed to a "dunk exhibition", featuring Mac McClung dunking five times.
February 16, 2025 at 10:50 PM
“To be deep in history is to be increasingly Protestant.”
Theology 101: One cannot claim to be true to apostolic tradition and declare later doctrinal novelties to be inviolable, unchangeable dogma.
February 12, 2025 at 12:11 PM
Reposted by J-T Richards
Theology 101: After almost two decades of teaching seminary, I have discovered that if a person doesn’t evidence teachability in the classroom, that person will likely exhibit pride in the pulpit, at the podium, or on the platform.
February 11, 2025 at 2:00 PM
I've been seeing the headlines but haven't read more closely. Why does USAID investigate people / businesses? Is this HOW USAID helps the poorest people on earth? I genuinely do not understand why such a humanitarian organization would investigate Starlink.
The richest man on earth, Elon Musk

is trying to kill a department, USAID, that helps the poorest people on earth

Because USAID has been investigating Musk and his Starlink company — and their ties to Vladimir Putin and Russia

THAT is why Musk is attacking USAID
February 10, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Reposted by J-T Richards
Theology 101: No church or denomination has the authority to vote against what the Scriptures have declared and what the church’s ancient Tradition has passed down—neither in theology nor in morality.
January 28, 2025 at 10:45 PM
Reposted by J-T Richards
Lions-UM fans to Mikey tonight:
a man with a beard says " you 're breaking my heart " while pointing
ALT: a man with a beard says " you 're breaking my heart " while pointing
media.tenor.com
January 19, 2025 at 4:08 AM
Sports betting may prove to be the undoing of professional sports. Was that really a foul? Did he really miss a game-tying free throw? How did he drop that pass? Did the QB not see that wide-open receiver? Sports betting adds an element of doubt.
January 13, 2025 at 5:07 PM
Y'all. The Protestant reformers weren't trying to innovate; they were trying to restore.
Theology 101: Don’t call my historical excavations “theological innovations”.
January 13, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Reposted by J-T Richards
Convertusignaling (n.): The act of announcing—publicly and repeatedly—your conversion to another Christian tradition or denomination, most loudly among those less-enlightened people still stuck in your old tradition or denomination and too stupid or stubborn to leave.
December 8, 2024 at 7:58 PM
Every second of this is marvelous. Every single second.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaqC...
Trolling Saruman
YouTube video by PistolShrimps
www.youtube.com
December 7, 2024 at 3:02 PM
Year 22, with a Top-75 player of all time in his prime beside him, and his team is currently just a loss from the lottery.
December 7, 2024 at 1:21 PM
I am ever amazed at churches that effectively excommunicate (ahem) their members by making communion an individual, private thing to be done at one's leisure in the back of the auditorium.
“This is my body, reduced to tiny, tasteless, individually square bits sealed in plastic for you to consume in a private moment of personal reflection and devotion, but hurry up because we only have two minutes,” said Jesus never.
#Theology101
December 2, 2024 at 4:30 PM
Ahem, church planters and elders: your task ain't drawing a crowd. Your task, as always, is to make disciples.
Be careful. Nothing draws a crowd like a crowd. Many people who want to take part in the excitement aren’t necessarily convinced of the cause.
December 1, 2024 at 12:23 PM
Happy New Year, y'all! Advent begins the church year, reminding us our lives must be centered on who Christ is and what he has done.
December 1, 2024 at 11:52 AM