A FAITHFUL MINISTRY FOR A CHURCH

FIRST STEP FOR A PASTOR OF A CHURCH

IDENTIFY AND INVITE SOME CLERGY COLLEAGUES:

1. Identify five or six other clergy that you think might also be interested in exploring an antiracism strategy in their churches. While it is not essential in this first step, it would be
   preferable if there were both Black and White pastors.
   a. Preferably arrange for either some members of your church to prepare the meal or find
   a private dining room in a convenient restaurant accessible by your guests.
   b. Tell them you want to find a convenient date when all of you might come together to
   both discuss and experiment with an anti-racism strategy. Assure them that they aren’t
   making a commitment beyond having a meal together until the idea is fully explored.
   c. Tell them you will send them a small piece of homework that you would like them to
   complete before they arrive
   d. Make clear that you will meet for a couple of hours to eat and discuss the idea.
   • The homework is this:
     a. Ask them to come with a list of 5-10 Scriptures or faith ideas that speak to the issues
     surrounding racism and its effects in both our churches and our society.
     Those who bring at least eight will receive a special dessert!!!
     b. Preferably, these are statements that a majority of their members would recognize as a
     part of the Christian faith. (e.g., You shall love your neighbor, etc.)
   • During your time together, each will share their list, and then as a group you will try to identify a combined list of ten that together you feel are recognizable as central to the basic Christian
     faith.
2. Following this discussion, you will identify those clergy who are willing to continue together in
   developing an anti-racism ministry for each of their churches. Those who agree will need to
   speak with the leadership of each of their churches. Following is a suggested process for that
   meeting.
3. 
   MEETING WITH YOUR RESPECTIVE LEADERSHIP
   
   • Explain to your leadership how you have arrived at this area of interest.
     (In our case, it is a Session, but it would enrich the process to have some churches from
     other traditions.)
     Note Barna’s poll suggesting that two-thirds of churches and 43% of society think the church
     should help address the divisions of racism in our churches and society.
     Some research suggests that many young people choose to leave the church because
     they don’t see the membership being willing to live in accordance with The faith they proclaim.
     Next, share the consensus of your clergy gathering.
   • 
     IDENTIFYING CONCERNS
     
   • Ask them to write three sentences, each of which identifies a concern that members of their
     church might have about becoming involved in addressing racism as a church.
     Share each person’s three statements and form a cumulative list of the whole. (no discussion at
     this point, just form the shared list.)
   • 
     Then, ask them to individually form three faith statements that speak to why faith might urge
     their church to seek to address racism in church and society. Again, without discussing, listen
     and format a cumulative list of the statements.
   • 
     Once the cumulative lists are formatted, share, compare, and discuss the
     possibilities of such a shared ministry.
4. DEMONSTRATING POSSIBLE CHURCH MINISTRY
   A brief video that explains the process further.
   Church Instruction
   • 
     Video 2.mp4
5. Inform the members of all participating churches that each church will see the cumulative
   results of each church’s membership.
6. Also, inform the membership that they each will soon receive a couple of brief surveys of your
   membership with some questions about our understanding of both the nature of the church and
   faith as it considers what the Gospel has to say with respect to racism. Again, the cumulative
   results of each church, without individual names attached, will be shared with the participating
   churches.
7. When these results have been gathered and graphed for visual reflection, the churches will
   arrange for some shared church assemblies in which to reflect together on the results.

BLACK–WHITE CONVERSATION

1. Hopefully, each assembly will include members of both Black and White churches, and in this
   mixed company, you will engage in the discipline of Active Listening to deeper understand the
   impact of racism in our society. (This discipline will be further defined below.)
2. Then, the churches will engage in an adaptation of the Truth and Reconciliation process
   developed in South Africa to deepen our understanding.
   a. This will involve a process described below in having some Black Christians share their
   experience of racism in their lives from early to present experiences.
   b. Also, it will involve some White Christians testifying to what they have learned about
   their participation in racial structures of our society and their commitment to re-write
   the story of their lives.
   c. Having experienced both of those sets of stories, the group will begin to explore how
   together they can begin to re-write the story of faith, addressing racism as ambassadors
   of reconciliation.
3. 
   Here is a link to a longer video that explores the process in more detail.
   https://bit.ly/GuideAntiracism
   Having read this and watched the videos, feel free to contact me to share your question. Of
   course, if you feel this is a good idea, you will need to discuss it with your pastor.
   steve@smccutchan.com