I’m working on some material to support pastors and their churches respond to racism in their society. The challenge is attracting people’s interest enough that they will take the time to examine the material and consider implementing some of the suggestions.
THAT IS WHERE YOU COME IN
IF YOU WERE TO SEE ANY OF THE FOLLOWING HEADLINES IN YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA, WHICH THREE WOULD MOST INTEREST YOU ENOUGH TO ACCESS THE MATERIAL AND LOOK AT IT.
SEND ME YOUR VOTES AT STEVE@SMCCUTCHAN.COM AND IN GRATITUDE I’LL SEND YOU A SAMPLE OF THE MATERIAL.
SAMPLE HOOKS FOR RACE MATERIAL
SHOCK AND AWE: A CHURCH RECOGNIZES ITS RACISM AND IS AWED BY GOD’S INVITATION.
RACISM DOESN’T NEED TO DEFEAT WHITE CHURCHES.
RACISM IS A SIN BUT GOD OFFERS GRACE TO DEFEAT IT.
LOCAL CHURCH RECOGNIZES RACISM AND MOVES BEYOND DENIAL AND PARALYZING GUILT.
LET SOUTH AFRICA TEACH CHURCHES TO BECOME ANTI-RACIST.
RACISM IS RECOGNIZED AND DEFEATED BY ACTIVE CHRISTIANS
A DIVERSE CHURCH CAN TRIUMPH OVER RACIAL CONTROVERSY.
STOP HIDING AND LET THE GOSPEL HELP YOU DEFEAT RACISM.
MAKE YOUR CHOICES AND LET ME KNOW
STEVE@SMCCUTCHAN.COM
1) LOCAL CHURCH RECOGNIZES RACISM AND MOVES BEYOND DENIAL (note I have deleted the “paralyzing guilt” phrase)
2) RACISM IS A SIN BUT GOD OFFERS REDEEMING GRACE (recast)
3) (not included) HOW MIGHT TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION HELP OUR CHURCH BE CHRISTIAN?
PS — I resist the “defeat” conceptions–for me, framing racism in conflict or battle or other binary metaphors seems to imply that catagorizing and devaluing others can be put behind any time soon