o those who don’t know me, I am a Dallas-based writer and editor. I worked as a professional journalist for more than 30 years, serving as editor of the weekly Dallas Observer for 12 years.
I also love Jesus Christ. Faith has tugged at me throughout my professional life, and that is reflected in my years of service in Christian ministry in various capacities. At one point, I was a licensed evangelist in the Church of God in Christ.
As you might be able to tell from my former denomination, I am a Christian from the Pentecostal-charismatic branch of the faith. I titled this the Holy Roller Blog because I’m not ashamed of my tradition. I also believe that the Renewal theology perspective is conspicuously lacking in evangelical media, and I hope to do something to right the balance. (Renewal theology, for those who aren’t familiar with the term, applies to the Pentecostal-charismatic-neocharismatic churches. We are the fastest-growing sector of Christianity in the world.)
I launched this blog because I am passionate about racial unity in the Church. I looked around at every Christian media outlet that offered at least a small space for the Renewal perspective, and I saw that they were all bound up in right-wing politics, while frequently deploying a fringe Black voice to cover up their rejection of historic and contemporary African-American concerns.
I know I’m not the only white, theologically conservative Renewal Christian who cares deeply about racial justice, and I hope to identify, feature, and encourage other believers who feel just as lost as I do in today’s political climate and church scene.
Years ago, I wrote for the online version of the Dallas Observer as Bible Girl. I had a short moment of notoriety because of this column.
As a journalist, I specialized in crime reporting. Here are a couple examples of my work (warning: bad language and violent content): The Girl Who Played Dead, and Who Are the Cossacks, and Why Did the Bandidos Biker Gang Want Them Dead?
I’m also a wife and a mom and a freelance editor and writer. I graduated in May 2023 with a Master of Divinity with High Honors from The King’s Seminary and was recently accepted into the Ph.D. program in Intercultural Studies at Fuller Theological Seminary. I began doctoral studies in September 2024. I previously earned a Master of Science in Journalism at Northwestern University.
Thanks for joining me.
julie@julielyons.com