“When believers are willing to step out and put biblical theology into issues such as injustice, unity, and reconciliation – visibly, not just through words - then we can set a different tone and partner with the Lord to create a divine reset.”
-Rev. Dr. Tony Evans, Divine DisruptionWritten by Mark Williams
Like Christians all over the country, we at La Crescenta Presbyterian Church have wrestled with the complex challenge of providing a grace-filled, ongoing response to issues related to ethnic injustice. Our Session formed a small task force in late 2020, made up of church members and the senior pastor, who through prayer, education, and engagement with various community leaders, sought to discern how our mostly white, middle-class suburban church could authentically respond to ethnic injustice and barriers to unity within our and adjacent communities. Recognizing that our response required both Bible-centered education and community service-oriented action, we initiated a variety of experiments to begin to chart a path forward.
One of our more successful experiments was a series of mid-week adult education classes offered this past spring, titled Loving our Neighbor: Gracious Conversations on Biblical Justice and Reconciliation. Building on resources developed by others (including a series of classes put together by retired pastor John Illian of Solana Beach Presbyterian Church) and a strong foundation of prayer, the series consisted of a blend of biblically-based teaching from a variety of prominent speakers (primarily through 15-20 minute videos shown in class), which catalyzed small group discussions designed to allow participants to engage deeply and personally on difficult questions concerning race. We offered carefully curated optional resources for study in advance of each class, in the form of online articles and videos, as well as a short list of recommended books for more in-depth individual study. A highlight of the series was an in-person dialogue with Mark Fields, founder of The Kinship Collective and a resource to the San Fernando Presbytery, who spoke eloquently, passionately, and personally about the damaging legacy of racism in our area.
Over the course of six weeks, we challenged ourselves to explore what the Bible had to say about justice (what is the appropriate individual and corporate response to ethnic injustice?); stewarding our privilege (how to engage in conversations about race, and the importance of promoting ethnic reconciliation); and steps to sacrificially loving our neighbors to address racial injustice and disunity in our communities.
The Holy Spirit met us in this work, as we bore witness to the sins of injustice within our own hearts and communities, while still being infused with hope that, through Christ, there is a constructive path towards true reconciliation with our neighbors, available to all who are willing to actively pursue it.
To learn more about our journey or to access the resources we used for possible adaptation / use in your church, please click the button below: