Why isn’t my church talking about race?

Photo credit: Shaun Menary via Lightstock

Many white Christians in evangelical churches feel alone in their desire to talk about race

by Megan Lietz, Founding Director, Race & Christian Community Initiative

It came from the look in the pastor’s eyes, the awkward pauses in the conversation, the tone that, while appropriate to the passing ear, couldn’t help but feel patronizing. Here I was again, having my faith held suspect because I believe Jesus calls Christians to engage in issues related to race.

At that moment, I knew I had about 30 seconds to establish I was “one of them.” To assert my faith and prove I really am a Bible-believing Christian. There was no time to share that I was born and raised in white evangelicalism, with my teenage years defined by youth conferences and summer missions trips, WWJD bracelets and promise rings. There was no time to mention I believe the Bible is the Word of God and that I learned to study it at evangelical colleges and seminaries. No time to talk about how much my faith means to me, what it has brought me through, or my deep love for Jesus.

It was as if none of that mattered. Certainly, none of it was seen. All it took was the word “race,” and I was written off as a “liberal.” 

It was all right. It was a brief interaction with a pastor I had never met before and would probably never see again. Yet it represented a painful reality I often hear about from white brothers and sisters in theologically conservative churches. 

“It was as if none of that mattered. Certainly, none of it was seen. All it took was the word ‘race,’ and I was written off as a ‘liberal.’”

One brother shared he feels the discipleship he received did not prepare him to engage our multiracial reality. Another sister said she had to leave her beloved church community after many years because she no longer feels at home in an environment that regards race as a side issue.  

The challenges white folks encounter when exploring issues related to race don’t compare to the pain and oppression experienced by people of color. Yet, it is essential for white people to learn how to navigate the obstacles we encounter so we can be better positioned to experience and contribute to racial healing.

Many white brothers and sisters who participate in the Race & Christian Community Initiative (RCCI) often express how refreshing it is to be able to talk about race in the context of Christian community. Sadly, even though these issues are coming up in conversations around the water cooler and blowing up their news feeds, they’re not able to discuss race in their congregations. It’s not mentioned from the pulpit, explored in Bible studies, and certainly not a topic for casual conversation. 

Even if it is explored at those lamentable moments when racial violence captures our collective attention, the conversation’s life cycle often mirrors that of the news cycle: a one-off here, a one-off there — reactive events choked out by donor pushback and competing priorities. 

Pearl via Lightstock

When churches don’t talk about race, white folks who care about the issue can often feel isolated at best. Well-meaning comments about “slippery slopes” and how “race is a distraction to the gospel” can make us feel frustrated, suspect, or unwelcome. It can even lead to a crisis of faith as we start to believe the lie that the Living Word does not speak into the realities of racial injustice. 

Engaging issues related to race from a biblical perspective does not cause us to lose our faith. It helps us follow Jesus more faithfully. 

White evangelicals’ disengagement from race has little to do with Scripture. On the contrary, the Scriptures we highly esteem speak abundantly into the issues of unity, diversity, ethnicity, culture, power, oppression, healing, and justice. Our disengagement can be explained — not by God’s heart — but by the result of social and historical realities. 

For example, as members of the dominant culture in the U.S., we often don’t have to think about race. Our social location can make us oblivious to the realities of racism. 

“The Scriptures we highly esteem speak abundantly into the issues of unity, diversity, ethnicity, culture, power, oppression, healing, and justice.”

Closely related to this, white folks tend not to explore race in our theology. This dynamic is especially problematic when most Christian educational institutions center Euro-American theology as normative and comprehensive. It has left many Christians less aware of God's heart for justice and how the interconnected body has experienced the God of justice in their lives.

The fundamentalist-modernist controversy of the 1920s and ’30s led theologically conservative Christians to largely disengage from social issues so they might distinguish themselves from more theologically liberal expressions of the faith. The impact of valuing orthodoxy over faithfully living into Jesus’ heart for justice continues today.

Because of realities like these, white evangelicals lack the experience, theological frameworks, thought leadership, and examples from within our traditions to build shalom across racial lines. While this can make starting the conversation even more intimidating, we cannot afford to stay silent. When we don’t address issues of race, we do damage to the kingdom of God.

Photo credit: Brimstone Creative via Lightstock

Whether white evangelicals acknowledge the problem or not, we are complicit in the ways racism harms our brothers and sisters of color, diminishes ourselves, and dishonors the image of God. When white congregations don't talk about race, there are significant consequences: 

1. Disunity: Christian communities remain segregated. While being in a racially homogenous congregation is not bad within itself, it becomes a problem if white congregations are homogenous because people of color do not feel welcome, included, or cared for. This can often be the case if congregations are not talking about race, culture, or power dynamics that many people of color experience as a regular part of life.

2. Church hurt: We lack the discipleship needed to build shalom across racial lines, allowing the perpetuation of racial brokenness in and through Christian communities. 

3. Diminished witness: The harm done and the deeply-seated division in the Church diminish Christian witness. When we know the Great Physician but aren’t working toward racial healing, we miss out on opportunities to demonstrate God’s power and presence.

4. Waning influence: When the Church isn’t even speaking into a sorely felt need in our society, we shouldn’t be surprised when people stop listening. Instead of proclaiming that Jesus is good news in the midst of racial brokenness, too many white Christians have remained silent and are allowing secular organizations to lead the way.

“We cannot afford to stay silent. When we don’t address issues of race, we do damage to the kingdom of God.”

It doesn’t have to be this way. The Bible offers principles, parallels, and language white Christians can use to talk about race. We can also learn from the traditions of Black, Indigenous and people of color, who have rich legacies of addressing racism. There are also numerous resources by evangelical publishers and denominations on how our faith connects to race. 

There are paths ahead. But too often, fear, competing priorities, and well-trodden pathways get in the way. 

RCCI creates spaces where white Christians can talk about race. Be it learning communities for white evangelicals, conversations over coffee, or opportunities to reflect on and learn from serving across racial lines, we desire to create a place where white folks can learn and grow in Christian community. We also come alongside predominantly white congregations, meet them where they are, and help them take the next step in exploring issues related to race from a biblical perspective.

Photo credit: R9 Foto for The Emmanuel Gospel Center

The richness of RCCI comes not because we get it all right, but because we create spaces for people to have conversations the Lord is already stirring within them. With love and grace, we create opportunities for the Lord to continue the work he desires to do. And as we invite him in, we see healing, we see hope, we see perspective transformation. What excites us most is seeing people move from talk to action, bearing witness to the person and power of Jesus by continuing his redemptive work across racial lines.

Will you join us in talking about race? Will you learn with us as we explore the conversation? We don’t always say the right thing, but we long to know the Lord more fully, serve him more faithfully, and usher in his kingdom by how we engage across racial lines.

Remembering the Past to Build Shalom in the Present

Remembering the Past to Build Shalom in the Present

A resource list on the history of slavery in Boston 

by Megan Lietz, Founding Director, Race & Christian Community Initiative

One lesson reiterated throughout my Christian ministry education was “know your context”: learn the history, community, and concerns of the people you serve. But this discipline is often lost when it comes to cultural and racial issues, especially the history of slavery. Despite the far-reaching social, economic, and spiritual impact the institution of slavery has had on Greater Boston, none of the three Christian institutions I graduated from even mentioned our region’s involvement in the Transatlantic Slave Trade. When Christians avoid this history, we can find ourselves largely unaware of the ways the legacy of slavery continues to impact our communities. We will also be ill-equipped to respond to it as a part of Christ’s redemptive work today.

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By the Numbers

• Slavery was legal in Massachusetts for over 140 years.

• Enslaved Black people made up about 10% of the population of Boston by the mid-18th century.

• Boston was a major port in the North Atlantic Slave Trade, connected to at least 307 separate trafficking voyages.

• Even after slavery was made illegal in Massachusetts in 1783, our region continued to enable and benefit from slavery in the South through our local textile, shipbuilding, fishing, insurance, and finance industries.

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The Church needs to wrestle with our region’s involvement in the Transatlantic Slave Trade. Other than the fact that local congregations were complicit in and directly benefited from the trade, the institution of slavery shaped our theology, practice, and congregational landscape. What is more — like any sin — we must confess, lament, and repent from the sin of slavery to see healing and transformation.

This video, “Remember & Respond: Remembering the Past to Build Shalom in the Present,” captures footage from RCCI’s experiential learning weekend on the history of slavery in Boston. Learn more about this opportunity here. 

Theological Foundation

"For You Were Slaves in Egypt": History, Memory, and Implications for Christian Discipleship: The Bible calls us to remember the past. Dr. Nicholas Rowe explores this biblical mandate and how it can form us as followers of Jesus in the Haymanot Journal, the official publication of the Society of Gospel Haymanot.* 

Slavery and Abolition: How the Early Church Got it Right: One way we can better understand the teachings of Scripture is to see how they were understood and lived out by the Early Church. Check out this video by Mako Nagasawa, director of The Anástasis Center for Christian Education and Ministry, highlighting how Christians who supported slavery deviated significantly from the views and practices of the Early Church. 

The Freedom of the Slaves: Throughout history, the Bible has been used to both defend and oppose the institution of slavery. What do we do with Scripture that seems to support the enslavement of human beings? Explore Chapter 7 of Esau McCaulley’s book, Reading While Black, which offers one perspective on interpreting the biblical passages on slavery while maintaining a high view of Scripture.

Living History: Historical Sites to Visit in Greater Boston

Royall House & Slave Quarters: Walk the grounds of a Northern plantation and learn about the enslaved people who lived and labored in the Medford, Massachusetts, of the 1700s. The Royall House explores the history of slavery through the lens of power and speaks the truth about our history in ways that feel interconnected and intimate. If there’s one site you visit, let this be the one. 

Museum of African American History & African Meeting House: Learn about the contributions of Black people in Boston in the 18th and 19th centuries, including their involvement in the abolitionist movement. Don’t miss the African Meeting House, funded and built by Black people in 1806, also considered the oldest extant Black church building in the U.S.

King’s Chapel: King’s Chapel is one of many historically white congregations acknowledging its connections to the Transatlantic Slave Trade and working to make things right. Watch a video about the history of slavery in the Chapel and consider donating to their memorial to honor enslaved people connected to their congregation. 

Change Makers: Local Organizations Directly Addressing the Legacy of Slavery Today

Boston People’s Reparations Commission: Join the Boston People’s Reparations Commission as they seek apology, reparations, and reconciliation for the legacy of Black enslavement in Boston. These local efforts are part of a more extensive work of repair throughout the nation and state.

City of Boston’s Reparations Task Force: The City of Boston commissioned a task force in 2022 to learn about the legacy of slavery in Boston and make recommendations for reparative justice. Information about how to join upcoming meetings and recordings of past gatherings are available online.

Episcopal City Mission: Episcopal City Mission is setting an example of how to engage a denomination in the ongoing work of repair. Learn how they mobilize congregations to get involved in policy change, reparations, and solidarity economics to shrink the racial wealth gap.

Resources: Learn More About the History of Slavery in Boston

Exhibit on the History of Slavery in Boston: This exhibit provides a concise overview of the history of slavery in Boston. It is available online or for in-person viewing in the basement of Faneuil Hall, a building named after slave trader Peter Faneuil.

Mapping the Enslavement History of the Freedom Trail: Tourists come from around the world to walk Boston’s Freedom Trail. Ironically, many of the sites have connections to slavery. Explore this interactive webpage to learn how the American Revolution was entangled with and dependent on a racial caste system that did not seek freedom for all.

Embrace Boston’s “Harm Report”: The legacy of slavery has had a profound impact that still lives on today. Read Embrace Boston’s “Harm Report” to learn how this legacy continues to shape our city in seven impact areas. Embrace Boston also convenes statewide meetings for those working toward reparations, where anyone can learn about reparation efforts and how you can contribute to repair.

Learning about the history of slavery in our region is not easy. But remembering the pain of the past can help us heal. When God judged Israel with venomous snakes in the wilderness, he told Moses to make a bronze snake that anyone who had been bitten could look at and live (Num. 21:4-9). They had to look at the object that caused harm to receive healing. Similarly, the Church in Greater Boston must look at our region’s history and understand how the legacy of slavery continues to impact us. We must look to the past to build shalom today.

Are there other resources related to the history of slavery in Boston that we should share with others? Please let us know by filling out the contact form below.

Next Steps

Take time to respond to this history through the practice of lament. Learn more and explore tools to guide your own lamentations. 

Learn more about RCCI’s experiential learning weekend on the history of slavery in Boston.

Contact Megan about hosting the experiential learning weekend on the history of slavery in Boston for your community through an immersive experience or course.

Make the learning weekend experience more accessible to future participants by contributing to our scholarship fund. Donate via the link below and put “ELW Scholarship Fund” in the subject line.

Special thanks to the 2024 Experiential Learning Weekend Sponsors whose financial gifts helped make our inaugural weekend possible and supported the creation of this resource page.

Want to learn more about the impact of slavery and racism on Boston? Here is a list of resources on the city’s long and complicated racial history.

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*Nicholas Rowe. “For You Were Slaves in Egypt”: History, Memory, and Implications for Christian Discipleship. Haymanot Journal, Vol. 2, 2022, pp. 46-57. 

We’re following the lead of people of color. Here’s why you should too.

Pearl via Lightstock

We’re following the lead of people of color. Here’s why you should too.

Four reasons white people should follow BIPOC leaders

By Megan Lietz, Director, Race & Christian Community Initiative (RCCI)

It was one week after the murder of George Floyd. Communities of color were reeling. Newsfeeds were exploding. And white evangelicals, wrestling with expanding worldviews and anxious energy, were asking the well-intended but complicated question: “What can we do?”

I remember a white church reaching out to me to discuss the possibility of them hosting a panel. While their language reflected openness, the event was well underway. “Have you been in communication with Black people or sought their perspective on what they think would be a helpful response?” I asked. The line went quiet. I was rather certain they had not. Because at that point, many of the Black folks I’d spoken with were wrestling deeply with hard emotions and trauma. They had not yet gained clarity on a collective response.

This is one example of how white people can seek to respond to racism without following the leadership of those most impacted. Despite good intentions, white people tend to run ahead and take the lead, taking action that is uninformed, misdirected, and not well received by Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) communities.

“Despite good intentions, white people tend to run ahead and take the lead, taking action that is uninformed, misdirected, and not well received by BIPOC communities. ”

The Bible sets a different example for us in Acts 6:1-7. Here we see Hellenistic Jews, a part of the ethnic minority within Christianity at the time, speaking up because their widows were being overlooked in the daily food distribution. The disciples, who were of the Hebraic majority, appointed wise and Spirit-filled Hellenists to lead the response to this problem. The dominant group supported the leadership of godly people on the margins as they led the efforts to make things right. The result was the spreading of the gospel and the making of disciples.

As a ministry that seeks to build shalom across racial lines, the Race & Christian Community Initiative (RCCI) has not always followed this biblical example. That’s because we have been shaped by a sin-sick society too. But as we explored in a recent article, we’re pivoting to better align our beliefs with our actions, shifting from being a “leader” to a “follower” of BIPOC leadership. 

This article explores why white people are not best suited to take the lead and invites them into a role that better reflects the redemptive power dynamics of God’s kingdom. 

Positioning: People of color are best positioned to understand racism and how to respond

People of color are closer to and more experienced with the problem. Not unlike how a person might benefit by speaking to a pastor or counselor who has been through the experience that person is navigating so we should learn from those who have firsthand experience with the problem of racism. People of color are more likely to understand how the oppressive systems of racism work and what the impacted communities need in order to overcome its manifestations. 

White people, on the other hand, have not experienced oppression because of the color of their skin. They also tend to lack proximity to those who have this experience. This distance can often contribute to misperceptions, blindspots, and biases. 

I often see this play out among my fellow white evangelical brothers and sisters when we seek to address racism through personal discipleship and interpersonal relationships. While of some value, this approach doesn’t address many of the realities that established and continue to uphold racism. People of color tend to address racism through community, organization, and systems-wide approaches that generally have longer-term and broader impact. We need both approaches to nurture shalom in our communities. 

RCCI leans heavily into personal discipleship but also has a strong communal element and is learning how to support BIPOC-led efforts that contribute to longer-term and systemic impact. 

Because BIPOC communities have struggled against racism for centuries, their history includes resistance and communal wisdom about navigating racism. From assuming interdependence and mutual liberation to community organizing and creatively incorporating resistance into daily life, they have developed principles, practices, and different ways of thinking that have faithfully supported the movement for liberation over the years.

Emmanuel Gospel Center

By and large, white folks have not resisted racism throughout history. As a result, they tend to lack the examples, theological frameworks, and imagination to respond to racism most effectively. 

One of the most common obstacles I hear from my fellow white evangelical brothers and sisters is that we simply don’t know how to confront racism in our context. We are neither aware of nor know how to navigate pathways for change. The American political and socio-economic system generally works for us as white people. That’s not to say that white people don’t experience challenges, but those challenges are not on account of the color of our skin. As a result, we have not had to learn how to advocate to ensure our own well-being. 

Even I, as the leader of RCCI and someone who seeks to actively and intentionally confront racism in my personal life, feel like there are basic processes around how to advocate for racial equity in my community I still don’t know. I, like many white evangelicals, am ignorant and inexperienced in areas many BIPOC folks have had to learn out of necessity. 

To be clear, white ignorance and being ill-equipped cannot be an excuse for inaction. We must do our self-work and learn as we go, but we should go forward with BIPOC folks in the lead.

People of color also are not as invested in the status quo because, unlike white people, it’s not designed for them and doesn’t center their needs or experiences. As a result, they may be more likely to resist unjust policies that white folks see as acceptable, personally benefit from, or may not be willing to sacrifice for change. 

For example, if the admissions policies and locations of exam schools in Boston are more likely to accept and be accessible to white children, white families will be less likely to advocate for changes. Instead, they may vehemently oppose it! BIPOC families, on the other hand, will be more likely to advocate for change because it’s their children who could be excluded if they don’t. If the status quo works for you, you’ll be less likely to invest the energy and make the sacrifices needed to work toward equity. You’ll protect your advantage instead of ensuring the whole community’s well-being.

Unexamined Socialization: White people are not aware of the profound way their socialization impacts them 

Similar to anything we’re immersed in during our upbringing, it’s often hard to see: It’s the water we swim in, the air we breathe. Like any culture, we’ve been socialized to value certain ways of thinking, doing, and being over others. 

While cultural preferences are not a problem per se, because we’ve been socialized in a society that values white people over people of color, we often think that white ways are “right,” “normal,” and even normative. This is usually not determined by biblical prescription but by the dominant culture.* 

Because our socialization runs deep, we can end up defaulting to our conditioning instead of following in the footsteps of Jesus.

“Because our socialization runs deep, we can end up defaulting to our conditioning instead of following in the footsteps of Jesus.”

For example, I grew up believing meetings that began and ended on time, stuck to the agenda, and achieved pre-determined goals were better than those that did not. When I hosted multiracial workshops, these beliefs impacted my practice. I’d value starting on time over extended fellowship, “getting through the content” over making space for wrestling with questions or hard emotions, and teaching from the facilitators over the stories or perspectives of the group. This didn’t mean I wouldn’t allow such stories or wrestling, but I had to choose to make space for them with intentionality. I did so because of my ideological commitment and training, but deep down, I’d feel anxious. I’d be concerned that if we pressed in too much, we wouldn’t get to the “more important” content, and “my” gathering or leadership wouldn’t be seen as a “success.”

Through direct and indirect feedback, I saw my posture and approach contributed to some people of color feeling they didn’t have the space to engage fully and authentically. I had to work — and continue to work — to hold my conditioning and its value in tension with flexibility, being present with others, and caring for the holistic needs of the group. Though doing the latter is something I feel less comfortable and experienced with, I continue to see how Jesus modeled and uses these practices to nurture his transformation.

Limitations: The leadership and presence of white people naturally create limitations to engaging across racial lines

Due to their socialization in the dominant culture, white folks often have deeply rooted mental models that shape their cultural understanding of what’s “right.” As a result, they can uphold the dominant culture in ways that constrict space for BIPOC folks who do not conform to or feel at home in these spaces. This is true regardless of their awareness or good intent. 

Even if a white person tries hard to develop trusting relationships and create space for genuine collaboration, barriers remain. Because white folks are seen not only as individuals but also as a representative of their racial group, their very presence can trigger undesirable emotions, bring to mind personal and communal histories, and enact power-laden patterns of behavior to which both white folks and people of color default. These are not the patterns Jesus desires for us. They are the fruit of a sin-sick world. 

When I first started RCCI, I would host and initiate multiracial events to cultivate constructive conversations and nurture multiracial community. I learned, however, that even if I invited people of color to shape the vision and collaborate early on, I held power that functioned to preserve my vision because I convened the meetings and offered the initial ideas.

José Roberto Roquel via Lightstock

While people of color did speak into an event’s vision or agenda, they tended to offer suggestions that adjusted or developed my ideas. Despite my explicit invitation to make the events their own, they tended not to operate outside of the framework I provided. I believe this wasn’t because they always agreed with me, but because my own postures, practices, and processes did not invite them to express dissent. Perhaps it was because I didn’t invest the time to develop trust in the way I could have. Perhaps it was because I assumed — and inevitably projected — that my ideas, shaped by my mental models and experiences as a white woman, were exciting and effective across racial lines. Perhaps it was because I shied away from asking hard questions or creating space for real conflict. Or maybe, people of color simply found challenging me not worth the energy it could take them to help me understand.

Not only were the gatherings confined by my initiation, leadership, and vision, but the conversations were limited as well. Now, I’m not saying the discussions were not rich and meaningful: I remember people asking bold questions! But the conversations were not as deep as they could have been had I not been facilitating.

In a multiracial space, especially a white-led multiracial space, people of color might not feel they have the safety or support to “go there.” Without status-quo-challenging BIPOC leaders facilitating and having full authority, which may not be possible under white leadership, people of color may be less likely to take risks, speak truth, and offer perspectives that can help us all eliminate white supremacy. When people of color are in the lead, or even the conveners and hosts, this dynamic can shift and create more spaciousness for BIPOC communities.

Kingdom Reality: Modeling power dynamics of the kingdom

Most importantly, when white folks follow BIPOC leadership, it models the power dynamics of the kingdom. God created each of us in his image (Gen. 1:27) and intended for us to be in right relationship with one another. He created us as members of an interdependent body (1 Cor. 12:12-26) with equal value and standing before him. We are to interact with mutuality and respect that honors the image of God in each person and each ethno-racial community.

When white folks follow BIPOC leadership, they are taking a step to correct an unjust and human-made hierarchy. They’re choosing to live into ways of being that can work to restore the equal power dynamics the Lord intends.

“When white folks follow BIPOC leadership, we’re taking a step to correct an unjust and human-made hierarchy. We’re choosing to live into ways of being that can work to restore the equal power dynamics the Lord intends.”

Living into these redemptive power dynamics is hard. Society does not teach or equip white people how to do this. People’s imaginations are small and their experiences are smaller. 

RCCI desires to nurture multiracial community that can model redemptive power dynamics and — through kingdom ways of being — work together to build shalom across racial lines. We are committed to learning how to do this and to creating pathways and resources so others can do the same. 
For more information, check out our homepage or connect with Megan to hear more about RCCI’s journey and how we might be able to support you.

How these dynamics can play out in real life

I would like to share a story that offers examples of when I did and didn’t follow BIPOC leadership, illustrating some of the dynamics mentioned above. I hope the Lord might use it to speak and inspire his kingdom reality.

I remember the excitement I felt when I received an email about a Christian conference highlighting justice, mercy, and humility. I eagerly clicked through the website to explore the topics addressed. I was disappointed that the conference, led by a predominantly white organization in 2016, did not seem to address racial justice. I expressed my disappointment to the event organizers and shared how I felt this negatively impacted the witness of the church. Though I don’t believe any changes were made at the time, the event organizers invited me to lead a workshop on racial justice the following year.

I was pumped. As a young woman and the new program director of RCCI, this felt like a great opportunity. I enlisted a good friend and woman of color to develop the workshop and lead with me. We put lots of time and energy into preparing, but at the end, I felt like our presentation was one of my most successful flops.

Due largely to my influence, we designed a lecture-style presentation. It focused on conferring knowledge and centered the experiences of the people at the front of the room. While this may have been more appropriate for the large crowd the organizers told us to expect, it fell flat before the dozen or so practitioners who actually attended. In retrospect, it should have been more interactive, more relational, more honoring of the other experiences in the room, and more engaging of heart, body, and spirit.

The following year, I was informed that the same conference was now taking applications for workshops to fill a limited number of spots. I reached out to those who had led race-related workshops the previous year so we could ensure racial justice was represented.

A Black leader replied, saying he had an idea for a multiracial panel, but he did not have the bandwidth to coordinate it on his own. Instead of submitting my own proposal, I chose to support this leader’s vision by helping complete the application, being a liaison between him and the conference coordinators, and addressing logistics on the ground. In the end, the panel was a success. It convened a group of practitioners who had been laboring together for over 15 years and allowed them to reflect on how racial reconciliation movements had changed over time. Each panelist shared their unique stories and perspectives in ways that interacted with one another and the audience. The panel was followed by an informal lunchtime discussion where participants could ask questions and go deeper.

Upon further reflection, I noticed that the approach in my own workshop reflected the dominant patterns and pitfalls I’d seen in much of my white-evangelical education. However, the postures and practices in the BIPOC-led workshop seemed more transformative and appropriate in that context. As I opened myself to a different expression of the body of Christ, I learned how to better invite folks into ways of being and learning that nurture the kingdom of God.

Pearl via Lightstock

As I continue in the ministry of racial reconciliation, I’m committed to following the leadership of godly people of color. In practice, this is easier said than done. The process of learning how to follow BIPOC leadership is challenging and time-consuming. It takes a relentless examination of my socialization, reflection on how my actions are functioning, and honesty about where I’m defaulting to my cultural conditioning when it doesn’t uphold the ways of God. I don’t always have the mindfulness or energy. Too often, I jump into engaging race-related issues in the lead. But by God’s grace, I’m learning to do differently. I’m learning to be differently.

God is our healer and the one who brings about change. May we follow him and those best positioned to lead his work of healing and justice. I hope you’ll reflect on the reasons we’ve offered for following the leadership of people of color and consider doing the same.

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* In A Many Colored Kingdom (pp. 134-142), Gary Parrett talks about how the Bible celebrates, connects with, challenges, or condemns culture. While there are some things the Bible celebrates that we should strive for, and others that it challenges or condemns that we should question or avoid, much of our culture today is not directly addressed in Scripture. There are connections between now and then, but what people should eat on Thanksgiving or the best way to preach a sermon, or the type of music that should be played Sunday morning are simply not addressed in Scripture. As a result, we should not ascribe an unbending moral value to those things Scripture leaves open for cultural conditioning. The Bible should be our guide, however, for the practices about which morality is clear.

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A stunted imagination

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A stunted imagination

Examining the gap between belief and action in the ministry of racial healing

By Megan Lietz, Director, Race & Christian Community Initiative (RCCI)

I remember feeling a call to the ministry for as long as I can remember.

And yet, whenever I imagined a minister speaking or preaching, I would always imagine a man. Even when I imagined my own future, I would see a man with a mic in his hand.

I have a deeply held belief in God’s calling on my life, but my imagination was limited by the examples I saw around me. Though I grew up in a denomination that affirmed the ordination of women, I have no memories of seeing women in up-front, senior, or full-time ministry roles when I was a kid. It wasn’t because women were absent from these roles, but because the dominant pattern was emblazoned in my mind and limiting my imagination.

Watts Media Ministry via Lightstock

I, and many white people, encounter a similar problem when addressing issues related to race. We default to the examples we see around us and to our socialization, forces that can trump even deeply and explicitly held beliefs. It can lead us to take actions that can look good, be affirmed by others, and be in alignment with the examples around us — and still uphold the unequal power dynamics that oppose the reconciliation made possible through the cross. It’s important that white people committed to racial healing examine our actions to see if they function in ways that nurture the healing work of Christ.

“Just because we believe something doesn’t mean we are living it out.”

— Megan Lietz

Just because we believe something doesn’t mean we are living it out. We can have a strong ideological commitment without corresponding actions. This disparity can be seen in how I collaborated across racial lines in the early years of the Race & Christian Community Initiative’s ministry at the Emmanuel Gospel Center.

If you had asked me about my philosophy for multiracial leadership, I would have talked about servant leadership, collaboration, and the importance of following the lead of people of color. These were the approaches I had written about in my seminary papers, that I tried to follow in ministry, and that I believe I practiced when I served on staff at a Black church for five years, submitting myself to Black leadership.

But when it became my turn to lead, my turn to steward my own ministry, I found myself defaulting to the power dynamics and practices I’ve been socialized in. In almost every example of white leadership I had seen, white folks were in control. So, when I led, I upheld the racial status quo without intending it.

Whitney L. Schwartz via Lightstock

What is worse is, I did so without noticing it. I did so while feeling normal, praiseworthy, and good. The truth was I was operating in ignorance and self-deception.

One factor contributing to this is that it seemed like I was doing all the right things. When coordinating multiracial events, I brought people of color into the process early on. I collaborated. I invited their perspective. On the surface, it looked good. But the ministry still centered my ideas, left me as the ultimate decision-maker, and kept me in control. It reflected many of my internalized beliefs of what a leader was, but not the upside-down power dynamics of the kingdom.

Ironically, I had wanted to share power. I was trying to do so the best way I knew how. But good intentions were not enough to turn the tide of a lifestyle of socialization. I lacked the examples, imagination, and mindfulness needed for transformation.

My defaults shaped my actions more than the vision of Jesus Christ.

“As Christians, it’s not just about what we confess with our mouths but what we confess in our actions. ”

— Megan Lietz

As Christians, it’s not just about what we confess with our mouths but what we confess in our actions. We must ask ourselves, “Are our actions being influenced more by our socialization or by the example of Jesus?”

If we don’t examine ourselves, the dominant culture will be our default.

We must ask this question of ourselves, the Lord, and our communities. We must get feedback, reflect, and expose ourselves to different examples that can help expand our imaginations. In doing so, we open ourselves to God’s transformation and ongoing alignment with him.

Dorothy Greco via Lightstock

At RCCI, our reflection is bearing fruit. We’re making a shift to better align our beliefs with our actions. We will no longer initiate multiracial events because we think it’s a good idea, maintain control over the process, or come to Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) with our ideas in hand. Instead, we’ll follow the initiation and vision casting of BIPOC folks for RCCI events or support the equity-building work they are already doing in our communities.

I’m glad to be able to share how I came to see the gap between my beliefs and actions. But seeing the discrepancy is only the beginning. It takes work not only to see but also to be mindful of something and to see how it continues to show up in our actions. It takes intentionality, support, and community input. It takes commitment to work at it — and to keep working at it. It takes the revelation and grace of God.

I’m excited for what it will look like for RCCI to further develop partnerships with and accountability to people of color. We’re working it out. But we’re committed to figuring it out. We are seeking the Lord and trusting that, through the process, the Lord who revealed our need for alignment will help us align ourselves with him. As we open ourselves to God’s transformative work, we pray that he will teach us to challenge the status quo, expand our imagination, and more fully and freely follow him.

May it be so with us and in the body. Amen and amen.

Learning How to Pedal

Learning How to Pedal: Balancing “Doing” and “Being” in the Work of Racial Justice

It’s not just about what you do, it’s how you do it.

by Megan Lietz, Director, Race & Christian Community Initiative (RCCI)

This is the final article of a three-part series on critical lessons RCCI is learning in its first five years of ministry. RCCI focuses on providing biblically based education to white evangelicals to nurture racial healing and justice.

All my life, I have kept a fast pace. I find satisfaction in checking tasks off my list and getting things done. 

While this has helped build the ministry of the Race & Christian Community Initiative at the Emmanuel Gospel Center, it is also one of our most significant liabilities.

When I go too fast or am too focused on “getting the job done,” I am more likely to do things that may look good on the surface but actually hinder racial healing and justice. Not only am I not fully present with people, but I’m also less aware of how I have been shaped by and may be perpetuating racism. 

For example, with less time for reflection and intentionality, I will likely make decisions based on personal biases. I may center myself in cross-racial conversations. Or I may align with a narrative that has been used to perpetuate unjust power dynamics instead of the counter-cultural values of Christ. 

It is for this reason that establishing a healthy rhythm of “doing” and “being” is critical for the work of racial healing and justice.

Rhythms of being and doing

Jesus balanced a busy ministry schedule with prayer, rest, and time away from the crowds. The time he spent away from the demands of ministry allowed him to receive from the Father and align with his will. It helped him model, usher in, and invite others into kingdom ways of being.

In a world where racism is in the air we breathe, spiritual practices help us reflect on what is influencing us and how we may be hindering racial harmony. They empower us to follow Jesus more freely and fully in a multiracial world.

We must balance doing and being to experience Christ’s liberating and healing power in our lives and communities. 

“When I go too fast or am too focused on “getting the job done,” I am more likely to do things that may look good on the surface but actually hinder racial healing and justice. Not only am I not fully present with people, but I’m also less aware of how I have been shaped by and may be perpetuating racism.”

— Megan Lietz

My colleague at the Emmanuel Gospel Center, Liza Cagua-Koo, talks about doing and being like two pedals on a bike. You need to use both to move the bike forward. If you only use one pedal, you will wobble and inevitably fall.

Balance external work with internal work. 

Balance pushing with resting. 

Balance giving generously with setting healthy boundaries. 

Balance action with reflection. 

Balance caring for others with caring for yourself. 

Doing and being. Being and doing. 

It is the rhythm we need to pedal forward.

This doesn’t mean we strike a perfect balance. It doesn’t mean there is a “right” amount. As a matter of fact, it’s not about achieving a rhythm or balance within itself. 

Rather, it’s about responding to a dynamic reality in a way that enables one to be present to God, others and oneself. It’s about cultivating ways of being in consecrated time that helps us see, examine, do and be different as we go about our lives. 

Who is like the LORD via Lightstock

The difference balance can make

During RCCI’s first five years of ministry, I’ve seen both the negative impact of imbalance and the life-giving, forward motion that appropriately prioritizing doing with being can have. 

An over-emphasis on doing led me to take action that looked good on the surface and bore a measure of fruit. But it had elements that were problematic and counterproductive. Here are some examples: 

• At a regional conference, I co-led a workshop that focused on an intellectual understanding of crossing cultures. It didn’t consider the lived experiences, feelings, or concerns of people of color in the audience, many of whom cross cultures every day.

• I invited the perspectives and leadership of people of color in the development of multiracial events. But I still maintained control and decision-making power as the initiator, convener, and host.

• I had been asking a Black colleague to engage in ways that required a high level of trust and relationship. I hadn’t taken the time needed to nurture a meaningful and trusting relationship and was asking for trust I had not earned. 

When we focus on doing over being, we can take one step forward and two steps back. But when we take a more balanced approach, we can contribute to healing and liberation. 

When being and doing are better balanced, ministry bears healthier fruit. Here are some ways we've seen this at RCCI:

• One project at an advanced stage of development was unintentionally centering white people. I was able to slow down and adjust it so that we could take steps to decenter whiteness and learn from the process.

• I invited the perspectives of people of color on sensitive topics in a way that wasn’t extractive but created energy for ongoing participation.

• I could be present in a conversation with a Black colleague in a way that was a mutual blessing and healing to my sister in Christ.  

If you want to leave a legacy of healing and liberation, you need to pedal between doing and being. Pedaling creates the balance needed for the ride. 

Practices that nurture balance between being and doing

I’m developing personal and professional practices that contribute to healthy ways of being. It has taken time to incorporate what I have, and it will take a lifetime to deeply integrate these practices into my life. 

What I’ve been able to put in place has been made possible by my privilege, my role as a ministry director, the incredible people and organizations who have taught and supported me, and the grace of Jesus Christ. 

“In a world where racism is in the air we breathe, spiritual practices help us reflect on what is influencing us and how we may be hindering racial harmony. They empower us to follow Jesus more freely and fully in a multiracial world.”

— Megan Lietz

I recognize that not everyone is in a position to do these things but I encourage you to think about your next step.

Pearl via Lightstock

Monthly day of prayer and reflection for RCCI: I take one day a month to pray and reflect. To sit with God and consider with him how he may be speaking through his Spirit, my experiences, and feedback from others. During this time, I may reflect with Jesus on ministry and engage in prayerful strategic planning. I may practice self-examination or simply take extended time to connect with the Lord. 

While reflecting for a day a month may not feel accessible to everyone, opportunities to reflect and connect with God can take many forms. Imagine what might work for you, whether it be a minute or day, and take time to reflect.

Reflection Questions

• What are ways you connect to God?

• How might the Lord be speaking to you through his Spirit, through your experiences, and through others?

• What opportunities may you have for reflection?

• How could you more consistently incorporate practices of connection and reflection into your life?

Adjust pace: Doing too much or going too fast can negatively impact our balance and being. I can easily find myself in this position. I have had to learn to slow down and discover what boundaries and practices I needed to maintain a healthier pace. 

Making this shift took a lot of time and energy. It was prompted by the ongoing and loving feedback of people such as my husband, pastor, and supervisor. I was also motivated by the examples of mentors, compelling authors, and years of “wanting” to slow down that never quite seemed to manifest. Realities such as having a second child and a pandemic that turned our world upside down facilitated a four-year process, the fruit of which I’m sharing with you today. 

One thing that helped me grow was setting guidelines for and boundaries around my commitments. For example, I set limits to how many evenings I’m out of the house a week and how many events I participate in on any given weekend. I also create a buffer in my day because the work always grows. Sometimes, I cross my own boundaries and, too often, my buffer gets squeezed out, but not without raising my mindfulness around my pace or a desire to do better next time. 

“We must balance doing and being to experience Christ’s liberating and healing power in our lives and communities. ”

— Megan Lietz

While guidelines and boundaries help, they can’t be applied well without real-time check-ins. For example, when I heat my lunch during the work day, I often take the two-and-a-half minutes while my food is in the microwave to check in with myself. I reflect on the day’s pace and how that may impact how I interact (or not) with others. Other factors, such as actively trying to avoid a conversation around the water cooler or desiring to skip out of daily staff prayer, are indicators that I need to adjust my pace.

More than anything, I’ve found it helpful to be willing to slow down based on feedback. This can be in a conversation, over the course of the day, or in the life of a project. Shifting to slow down, examine, and adjust is hard. But it’s a huge step in breaking out of our defaults and moving toward intentional, value-aligned action.

Reflection Questions

• Where might you need to slow down?

• What poses barriers to you doing so?

• What tools, resources, or accountability structures could you utilize to maintain a healthier pace of life?

Chris Mainland via Lightstock

Take a Sabbath rest: Keeping the Sabbath can help us slow down and reflect. It can impart perspective on our lives in ways that can help us divest from the world and realign with Jesus. 

For most of my life, I didn’t take a sabbath. I didn’t think I could afford the time. But as I stepped out in faith, I came to see I couldn’t afford not to. It was the very inclinations and ideologies, which told me I couldn’t possibly stop, that I actually needed to disconnect from. 

Like adjusting my pace, developing a sabbath was a process shaped by the examples and wise words of fellow believers. Once God, by his grace, helped me break away from my idols of busyness and achievement, I started to gain some of the perspective and healthy distance that sabbaths create. God used our sabbath times to nurture my personal growth, spiritual vitality, and holistic wellness. 

Now I'm grateful to be able to carve time out one morning a week to connect with God, care for myself, and read for my personal and professional development. I look forward to it each week. It has strengthened my faith walk and ability to lead in ministry. 

“For most of my life, I didn’t take a sabbath. I didn’t think I could afford the time. But as I stepped out in faith, I came to see I couldn’t afford not to.”

— Megan Lietz

With two young kids at home, aging parents, and a multitude of responsibilities, it can be hard to protect my sabbaths. But even if my mornings are interrupted, or don’t happen at all, they now represent a baseline I keep coming back to. They anchor me to the life-giver, the liberator, and the lover of my soul. I’m also learning how to carry sabbath mindsets and practices throughout my week, so I can take moments of rest wherever life leads me.

Reflection Questions

• What do you feel you just can’t break away from?

• How might this thing be functioning as an idol in your life?

• What sabbath mindsets, practices, or rhythms could help you submit these idols to the Lord and put them back in their proper place?

Phil Lehman via Lightstock

Struggling forward

In this world, the pressure to over-emphasize doing will always be present. We must resist. 

The more we focus on doing to the exclusion of being, the more we will go to our default: social conditioning shaped by racism instead of the heart of Christ. Biases unchecked, blindspots unseen, relationships damaged, power dynamics upheld, and narratives passed on that have functioned to uphold racism for generations. 

Action taken: check. Results: mixed — at best.

Just because we showed up at the temple for prayer time doesn’t mean our ways of being with God or others are right (Luke 18:9-14). Just because we’re in the room with the Great Teacher doesn’t mean we’re sitting at his feet (Luke 10:38-42). It’s not holding a title or being at church every time the door is open that makes us more like Christ. Rather, it’s about positioning ourselves to receive from Jesus, being present to him and letting him work in and through our lives. 

It can be hard to nurture healthy ways of being in a society that showcases accomplishment, has a narrow understanding of productivity and progress, and glorifies life in the fast lane. 

Nurturing one’s way of being and becoming is challenging, time-consuming, and slow. It can be counter to what many of us have been taught to do, focus on, and value.

And yet, it is worth pursuing. Our health depends on it. The health of hearts, minds, bodies, and spirits depend on it. The health of relationships, organizations, social systems, and communities depend on it. 

When we move toward a healthy balance, we move toward being more liberated, healed, and whole.

Take Action

• Take a moment to just be. 

• Participate in breath prayer. Breath prayers are short prayers that are said repeatedly with the rhythms of one’s breath. When breathing in, pray, “I am a child of God,” and when breathing out, pray, “I am loved unconditionally.” Reflect on Matt. 11:28-30 in The Message version of the Bible.

• White evangelicalism, like so much of society, is deeply influenced by a fast-paced culture and narrow view of productivity. Take a moment to learn from the following authors from outside of the evangelical tradition on Sabbath and rest.

• Sabbath as Resistance by Walter Bruggemann offers a theological argument for sabbath rhythms from an academic perspective.

• Rest is Resistance by Tricia Hersey offers a passionate and prophetic manifesto about the need for rest and how it can resist white supremacy. 

• Learn more about RCCI support and accountability groups that strive to help white evangelicals take action in ways that embody the lessons captured in this blog series. These will be revamped and relaunched in 2023.

Learning to Bring Our Whole Selves

Learning to Bring Our Whole Selves: Nurturing Holistic Healing in Biblically Based Race Education

When I only engaged my mind, I was limiting my own and others’ healing.

by Megan Lietz, Director, Race & Christian Community Initiative (RCCI)

This is the second article of a three-part series on critical lessons RCCI is learning in its first five years of ministry. RCCI focuses on providing biblically based education to white evangelicals to nurture racial healing and justice.

"I can't let you present like that again." That's what my supervisor at the time, Nika Elugardo, told me right after I gave one of my first presentations at the Emmanuel Gospel Center. I had shared on power dynamics in multiracial congregations, a topic I wrote about for my master's thesis while serving as a research fellow at EGC. 

Nika's comment blindsided me. Walking back to my seat, I felt good. I had shared how white culture can unduly influence multiracial congregations and challenged people to consider how their congregational culture may uphold barriers to authentic community.

I soon learned that it wasn't what I had presented that was the problem; it was how. I had offered a presentation with all the correct data, cited my sources, and delivered it like I'd been trained. But somehow, in the process, I had forgotten that I was speaking to whole people. Not just minds. Not just degrees. But to people who needed to be nurtured with resources beyond my narrow academic toolkit.

In retrospect, I realize I had dishonored the whole people that God created these image bearers to be. 

I hadn't asked them how they were doing, and I hadn't engaged them in reflection or given them time to process what I shared. There wasn't any dialogue. There wasn't creativity. There wasn't spiritual practice. There wasn't a shared experience other than me passing on information like they were minds in the chairs.

When I walked away from the podium, I felt my presentation had been a success. But over the last five years of ministry with the Race & Christian Community Initiative, I've come to define success differently. It's not only about engaging people's minds or having a polished presentation. It's about nurturing holistic transformation. 

If you had asked me five years ago how to disciple people, my answer would not have reflected my practice. I would have thought it did — because I believed it. I'd written all the papers — and gotten A's. It was in my head, but it hadn't been worked into my approaches, postures, and experiences. For all the "right answers" I could give, I didn't know how to nurture transformation. 

One thing I needed to learn in this journey was how to use more effective methods of adult education: I needed to treat everyone as valued collaborators and make more room for dialogue and application. Another growth area for me — which this article focuses on — was learning how to engage people in heart, mind, body, and spirit.

Pearl via Lightstock.

Learning the impact of whole-self discipleship

Piloting our first cohort was a great learning experience for me. I was catching on to what transformative learning really looked like and how to nurture it in practice. The cohort provided a space where I could test this out. 

Some of the ways this showed up in the early days were opening with spiritual grounding practices (e.g., Scripture reading and prayer), centering our time on dialogue or shared experiences, and leaving plenty of time for self-reflection. As we leaned into this, the cohorts bore fruit. 

Over time, I invited others to shape the curriculum. As I did, I learned intentional practices and tools to help people engage their whole selves. 

“Like any sin, racism doesn’t infect only one part of us. It seeks to make its home in every part — and it will consume us if it can. ”

— Megan Lietz

I was coming to see that racism wasn't something that could be addressed by appealing solely to one's head. It wasn't only about "right knowledge." If it were, perhaps racism would have already been eradicated. The fact of the matter is that the sin of racism impacts not only our minds, but also our hearts and bodies and spirits.

Like any sin, racism doesn't infect only one part of us. It seeks to make its home in every part — and it will consume us if it can. 

As a result, we need to bring our whole selves into this work so we can experience holistic healing. If we only engage our minds, we miss the greater work we need the Lord to do in us and the personal healing necessary for healthy multiracial community.

Below, I share some of the ways I’ve brought my spirit, body, and emotions into the work of racial healing and justice and encourage you to think how you can do the same.

The deeper I go, the more I recognize my own need for healing. And the more I acknowledge my brokenness and invite Jesus to help me, the more I see his healing work in my life.

Laura Cruise via Lightstock.

Bringing my spirit into addressing racism

First and foremost, racism is a spiritual issue. I say this not to over-spiritualize the problem — a tactic that has been used to uphold injustice throughout history — but to suggest tools to make practical action more effective. 

One of the tools I implemented early on was a monthly day of prayer and reflection for RCCI. I use this time in many ways, from praising God to seeking his direction for ministry. I often find myself sitting with the Lord and having him reveal how I've been marred by racism or need to grow to lead RCCI more effectively. As I invite the Lord to do this work, he speaks abundantly. 

Especially in the early years, he imparted lessons I needed to learn to counter the sin of racism and the impact it had on my life. He reminded me of the value of relationships and community.¹ He helped me to abide in Christ, focus on being over doing, and strengthen my God-given identity. I learned to evaluate success by obedience to him versus the standards of this world.² Though these were lessons I had learned earlier on my Christian journey, he was bringing me to a deeper level: helping me shift from being a person who knew principles for reconciliation to becoming the person who he called me to be as the leader of RCCI.

He still reveals how my ways of seeing, thinking, doing, and being have been marred by racism. He does so through his Spirit, his people, and my experiences in the world. 

Through the power of his love and grace, he is changing me, healing me, and helping me relate differently to the body of Christ.

“As white people, we like to think of ourselves as free agents, independent from the impact of history, socialization, and broken systems. But in seeing ourselves as such, we are underestimating the effect of sin and the freeing power of Jesus. ”

— Megan Lietz

This growth isn't something I could have thought my way into, and it's not somewhere I could have gotten by just following my heart. This is fruit born from spiritual practices: prayer, worship, reflection, fellowship, Scripture reading, and soaking in the presence of God. 

These spiritual practices — and engaging these practices with people whose cultures, worldviews, and experiences are different from my own — are helping me see the ways the sin of racism influences me. The way it has distorted my perception, my assumptions, my reactions — the ways it has me bound. 

As white people, we like to think of ourselves as free agents, independent from the impact of history, socialization, and broken systems. But in seeing ourselves as such, we are underestimating the effect of sin and the freeing power of Jesus. 

As I invite God's liberating power into my life, the Lord helps me become more aware and mindful of how racism impacts me. This awareness helps me better evaluate if I’m following God’s way or ways that feel right because of my socialization and cultural conditioning. For example, the Lord helped me see that many of my standards for what is good or excellent have been shaped by white dominant culture. These standards aren’t necessarily bad per se, but they took on an outsized role when I imbued them with a sense of goodness, righteousness, and normalcy. This role wasn’t because of their alignment with God’s will, but because of their broad acceptance and familiarity. I used these standards to judge myself and others, following what I thought was “good” without realizing that my moral judgment was being shaped less by God’s Word and more by my cultural conditioning. Jesus helped me become aware and mindful of this in ways that helped me follow him more freely.

These days, the Lord is not only showing me areas of my boundedness and discipling me into freedom, but giving me glimpses of what it looks like to do things differently. He is expanding my imagination and inviting me into new ways of "fixing" that don't uphold racial hierarchy but nurture the radical, creative, and redemptive work of Christ.  

By bringing my spirit into this work, God is changing my values, postures, and ways of being. He is doing transformative work in me. And as he does, it gives me faith that he can nurture transformation in our sin-sick society. 

Pearl via Lightstock.

Bringing my body into addressing racism

In the work of racial justice, my body helps me stay honest. It offers physical indicators of what's going on inside. The churning in my stomach, heat in my chest, trembling of my hands, and dull ache in my head reveal that, for as much work as I've done to show up well in certain spaces, I'm still experiencing anxiety, tension, and stress. 

Let me clarify that, as a white woman, racism will never impact me the same way it affects the bodies of people of color. The physical manifestations of discomfort that I experience are nothing compared to the embodied generational trauma, the chronic stress that contributes to disparate health outcomes, or the daily violences that accost my brothers and sisters and dishonor the image of God.

That said, all bodies can offer indicators that testify to the cost of racism. All bodies need to take time to care for themselves if we are to be sustainable in the work of building shalom.

Eating healthy, sleeping well, exercising, and seeing a doctor or mental health professional can go a long way in caring for our bodies. Creating rhythms of rest, recreation, and celebration mirrors not only biblical examples, but also supports whole-self sustainability. 

When I don’t do these things, I can be stressed, irritable, unproductive, too sensitive or not sensitive enough. I’m also more likely to act out of unhealthy defaults, emotions and brokenness instead of God’s truth and will for my life. When I do take time to care for myself, my whole ways of being with God, self, and others are healthier. God uses my self-care as a part of the long but faithful healing process made possible by Jesus Christ.

I used to think of caring for oneself as good, but now I've come to see it as necessary. While I know there are many obstacles to self-care, I now pursue them less as good things to do and more as acts of worship. Acts of worship that honor God and give life.

Bringing my emotions into addressing racism³

Of all the parts of myself that I've found most challenging to engage in, it has been my emotions. Feeling seems like such a simple thing. A natural thing. Something we all learn about at an early age. But I've found that my ability to feel around race-related issues has been distorted. 

I don't mean my ability to care. I feel deeply called to engage God's redemptive work across racial lines. But that said, feeling passion is only the first step. And once you take that first step, discomfort will not be far behind. Persevering through that discomfort is a much more complex challenge many white people have to learn how to navigate over time. It's this that prepares us for the more challenging work — the ongoing work — of acknowledging our own brokenness, entering into the pain of others, and lamenting before the Lord.

“While engaging the mind is needed, doing so by itself is not enough. If we only engage our minds, we miss the deeper work the Lord wants to do in us and the deeper work that is needed for us to see healing in our communities.”

— Megan Lietz

Though I'm an adult, I feel like sometimes I could learn from the books I read to my 3-year-old. We talk about being happy and sad and expressing these emotions. But I'm still working on allowing myself — even learning how — to feel the pain I see in the work of racial justice. 

Not long ago, I met with a Black brother who had been deeply hurt by racism within a Christian community. I wasn't meeting to talk about this experience per se, but I could sense his deep pain and saw that it impacted how he showed up in our conversation. I remember getting off the call and feeling the weight of my brother's pain. 

Part of me wanted to stop and lament right then and there. But another part of me felt obligated to move on to the next thing. I had a busy day.

I did take some time to pray. As I got back to my desk, I noticed how good my work was at distracting me from my emotions. It made me wonder how often I use my work to numb the pain. 

I wonder how much — even when we think we care — we are so deep into generations of socialization that has functioned to numb our consciousness that we experience invisible obstacles to feeling at all. 

But by the grace of God, I notice this temptation in myself and ask the Lord to help me. At this point in my journey, I'm just working on allowing myself to feel. As I do, the Lord calls me more and more into lament, which draws me closer to him, his healing power, and his community. 

Prixel Creative via Lightstock.

As I engage my emotions, I’ve taken steps toward restoring my humanity: toward feeling, towards grieving, towards doing these things that are a part of the human experience and help connect people in their humanity. As I engage my body, I feel the cost of racism and learn how to care for myself in sustainable ways. As I engage my spirit, it makes all the difference, and the Lord shows me my brokenness and does the work that only he can do to help me — to help us — heal. 

While engaging the mind is needed, doing so by itself is not enough. If we only engage our minds, we miss the deeper work the Lord wants to do in us and the deeper work that is needed for us to see healing in our communities.

Reflection Questions

• To what degree have you engaged your heart, mind, body, and spirit in the work of racial healing and justice? Try not to judge — just notice where you are.

• What is one part of yourself you feel an invitation to engage more fully? 

• What might it look like for you to engage your heart, mind, body, or spirit more fully in the work of racial healing and justice?

• What is one thing you can do to more fully engage that part of yourself?

Take Action

Check out these resources to nurture different parts of yourself.

HEART 

• Listen to songs from the Porter’s Gate, an ecumenical and multiracial artist collective, that offers songs for justice and lament (scroll down on the webpage to find) or other songs addressing racism, resistance, and justice. Notice how you’re feeling when you listen to them. Where do you resonate? Where do you feel uncomfortable? What gives you hope?

BODY 

• Try these grounding practices excerpted from “My Grandmother’s Hands”: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway for Healing Our Hearts and Bodies. These practices can help increase our body awareness and navigate discomfort.

• Use Abby VanMuijen’s slide about how emotions can manifest in our bodies as a tool to discern what feelings you may be experiencing based on your physical responses.

SPIRIT 

• Use this daily examen for living as an anti-racist person as a tool for self-reflection and discipleship.

• Here is a liturgy of lament focusing on racism and how it has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Though the pandemic seems to be lifting, the scriptures and underlying issues transcend particular circumstances. They speak into and could be adapted for current events.

• Read this 40-day devotional by the Repentance Project that focuses on repenting of the history of anti-Black racism in our country. You can sign up for daily emails or download the whole guide. While written for the season of Lent, it is appropriate all year long.

We want to learn from you. What do you do to engage your heart, body, and spirit in the work of racial healing and justice?

Share With Us

How I bring my whole self into holistic healing and justice.

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¹ Versus being a lone ranger or so oriented on accomplishing a task or achieving that I don’t tend well to my relationships with others. These are both behaviors that are shaped by the individualism and narrow views of productivity and success that have been used to sustain racial hierarchy. 

² This helped me become more aware of where social norms and practices I used to not see or find acceptable are not in alignment with God’s will. It gave me the courage to challenge them and practice a different way of thinking, doing, and being that is in greater alignment with the Great Reconciler, Jesus Christ.  

³ White folks’ emotions around racism have been distorted. On the one hand, white people can become engulfed and immobilized by their emotions. For example, there is a long history of white women using their emotions — specifically their tears — to center themselves in race-related conversations and avoid uncomfortable issues. In urging folks to bring their feelings into this work, I do not intend to encourage "white tears" or other inappropriate emotional expressions. Instead, I am inviting readers to consider another way white people’s emotions have been distorted: a lack of feeling influenced by how we’ve historically turned away from the horrors of racism. I hope that in acknowledging and inviting others to reflect on our emotional numbness, we may be able to express ourselves in healthier and more constructive ways before God and community.

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MLK in Boston

MLK in Boston

There’s more to Dr. King’s time in The Hub than Boston University. 

by Rudy Mitchell, Senior Research, Applied Research & Consulting

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is closely associated with half-a-dozen U.S. cities, mostly in the Southeast. 

He was born in Atlanta and served as co-pastor at the Ebenezer Baptist Church with his father. He led a boycott of the bus system in Montgomery and led a campaign against racial segregation and economic injustice in Birmingham. He delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech during the March on Washington. He led a march from Selma to Montgomery where he gave his “How Long, Not Long” speech. And he was assassinated in Memphis while fighting for the Black sanitary public works employees.

But Boston has its own share of significant sites tied to the life of Dr. King. And it’s not just Boston University.

Here’s a list of some places in Boston where you can retrace the steps of Dr. King and his legacy. 

Twelfth Baptist Church 

Location: 160 Warren St., Roxbury

Dr. King often attended Twelfth Baptist Church where he sometimes served as a teacher. He often preached on Sunday evenings and sometimes Sunday mornings when Rev. William Hester was away. (Dr. King’s father knew Rev. Hester.) 

At Twelfth Baptist, Dr. King became friends with Dr. Michael Haynes, the youth pastor at the time. Dr. Haynes later served as senior pastor and helped plan Dr. King’s 1965 visit to Boston.

Roxbury Love Story Mural and the former site of Twelfth Baptist Church. Emmanuel Gospel Center.

Up until 1957, Twelfth Baptist was located at the corner of Shawmut Avenue and Madison Street near where Melnea Cass Boulevard is today, marked by the MLK mural, “Roxbury Love Story” on the side of a new building.

Twelfth Baptist Church is currently located at 160 Warren St. in Roxbury. Emmanuel Gospel Center.

Massachusetts Avenue Residence

Location: 397 Massachusetts Ave.

397 Massachusetts Ave. Emmanuel Gospel Center.

Dr. King lived at 397 Massachusetts Ave. from 1952 to 1953 while studying at the Boston University School of Theology. He lived here during the time of his courtship with Coretta Scott who was attending the nearby New England Conservatory of Music and living at 558 Massachusetts Ave. 

This building is near the MBTA Massachusetts Avenue Orange Line Station.

Emmanuel Gospel Center.

A plaque on the house reads:

“This house, built in 1884, was home to Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1952-53 while he was enrolled in the Graduate School of Boston University.

The building was rehabilitated in 1987 by the Tenants’ Development Corporation, a nonprofit housing organization founded in 1968 and inspired by the civil rights movement led by Dr. King.

This plaque was placed here on the 60th anniversary of Dr. King’s birth.

January 15, 1989.”

Coretta Scott lived at 558 Massachusetts Ave. before she married Dr. King. Emmanuel Gospel Center.

Northampton Street Residence

Location: 396 Northampton St.

Emmanuel Gospel Center.

Dr. King and his new wife, Coretta, lived in an apartment at 396 Northampton St. after they were married in 1953 and until she graduated from the New England Conservatory of Music in 1954. 

The Northampton Street building no longer exists, but a plaque marks its location. The plaque is located near what is now the site of the new Carter School, which is currently under construction, between Columbus Avenue and the MBTA Massachusetts Avenue Orange Line Station.

It reads:

Emmanuel Gospel Center.

“Newlywed Home of Coretta Scott and Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott met in Boston and had their first date in January 1952. During their courtship, Martin moved to 397 Massachusetts Avenue, and Coretta moved to The League of Women for Community Service at 558 Massachusetts Avenue. They married in Heiberger, Alabama at Coretta’s family home on June 18, 1953. When they returned to Boston, they moved into Apartment 5 in the six-story Lincoln Apartments on this site at 396 Northampton street. Sharing this one-bedroom rental, Coretta graduated from New England Conservatory of Music, while Martin completed his Boston University residency and began writing his thesis. The Kings left Boston for Montgomery, Alabama in July 1954, where they began a shared life of service and advocacy. Coretta wrote, “I came to the realization that we had been thrust into the forefront of a movement to liberate oppressed people, and this movement had worldwide implications. I felt blessed to have been called to be a part of such a noble and historic cause.” 

When they were first married, the Kings lived near what is now the site of the new Carter School, which is currently under construction. The 1965 Civil Rights March started at Carter Park. Emmanuel Gospel Center.

Metropolitan Baptist Church

Location: 393 Norfolk St., Dorchester

The former site of Metropolitan Baptist Church on Shawmut Avenue. Emmanuel Gospel Center.

In 1952, the pastor of Metropolitan Baptist Church, Rev. Minor, became ill and had to take some time off to recuperate. During his absence, Dr. King served as interim pastor while he was also a student at Boston University School of Theology. 

At that time, the church was located at 777 Shawmut Ave. near the intersection of Ruggles Street and what is today Dewitt Drive. That church building no longer exists, but the congregation continues to meet in its Dorchester location.

Metropolitan Baptist Church. Emmanuel Gospel Center.

Boston University School of Theology

Location: 745 Commonwealth Ave. 

In September 1951, Dr. King began his studies in theology and philosophy at Boston University under Professors Edgar S. Brightman and L. Harold DeWolf. 

With the influence of Dean Walter Muelder and Professor Allen Knight Chalmers and others at the school, he developed his philosophy of nonviolent resistance and affirmed his ultimate faith in God. 

He completed his residential studies in 1954 and received his Ph.D. degree in 1955. 

“The Embrace” memorial to Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King in the Boston Common. Emmanuel Gospel Center.

Boston Common and the Massachusetts State House

On April 23, 1965, Dr. King led a protest march from Carter Park to the Boston Common where he spoke against Boston’s school segregation to a crowd of 22,000. 

He also spoke before a combined session of the Massachusetts Legislature at the State House on April 22. 

He had previously returned to Boston in 1964 to support a parents’ boycott of the public schools, advocating school desegregation and improved quality of the schools.

Part of “The Embrace” memorial and the 1965 Freedom Plaza.

Learning As We Go

Learning As We Go: A Messy Methodology Nurtured Transformation

A new way of thinking helped launch me into ministry. It also changed me in the process.

by Megan Lietz, Director, Race & Christian Community Initiative (RCCI)

This is the first article of a three-part series on key lessons RCCI is learning in its first five years of ministry. RCCI focuses on providing biblically based education to white evangelicals to nurture racial healing and justice.

I'm a planner. Every strength-based test I've taken affirms that I'm good at developing a plan, sticking to it, and getting it done. My approach to launching the Race & Christian Community Initiative reflected this skill set. 

I reviewed the six-page document containing the plans to launch RCCI at the Emmanuel Gospel Center. It involved a year of research, ministry development, fundraising and relationship building that emphasized gaining understanding before taking action and underestimated how dynamic reality is.

I remember my supervisor, Stacie Mickelson, saying in essence: "That's one way you could do it, but I don't recommend it. I encourage you to start taking action now and learn as you go."

When Stacie first said this, I was a bit confused. Had she not seen my well-thought-out plan? 

But more than confusion, I felt unprepared. 

How could I be ready without taking the time for extensive research? Did all the degrees I had earned not testify to the need to learn before taking action in the world? Besides, I'm a white woman. I have a good chance of getting it wrong here. I want to put in the work so I can learn to effectively engage issues related to race. 

“The names of the euro-descended anti-racist warriors we remember – John Brown, Anne Braden, Myles Horton – are not those of people who did it right. They are of people who never gave up. They kept their eyes on the prize – not on their anti-racism grade point average.
”

— Ricardo Levins Morales

Nika Elugardo, the director of EGC’s Applied Research and Consulting department at the time, offered some wisdom I still carry with me. She said: “Megan, you don’t need to know it all. You just need to know enough to be ahead of the people you’re leading. When you are, you’re positioned to reach back and help them take the next step.”

The perspectives of my supervisors opened and invited me to a different way of learning. Instead of waiting until we "feel ready" and following the "perfect plan," RCCI now commits to learn as we go. In the process, we are transformed.

Five years into ministry, I've encountered many white brothers and sisters stuck at the same point I was: not feeling “ready” for action when, in reality, if we all waited until we “felt ready,” action would never come. I now want to reach back, offer some things I've realized about "learning as I go," and encourage them to take the next step.

Learning as you go is uncomfortable and requires risk-taking

Learning as you go — as a real-life practice — is messy and requires risk-taking. Perhaps that's why I, as a calculated planner, took some time to warm up to the idea. Or why I, as someone who wants to "get things right," avoided an approach that increased the chance of failure. 

It's also not comfortable. And at first, it doesn't increase your confidence to navigate the world effectively. On the contrary, as I’ve waded into the messiness of multi-racial ministry, I’ve often felt out of control or like I don’t have a clear path ahead. I’ve felt vulnerable, frustrated, anxious, unsure, and insecure. Furthermore, this can make me want to “fix,” micromanage, or distance myself from the problem. But these reactions can be counterproductive. Learning to wrestle with the mess, sit with discomfort, take risks, and figure it out as you go are not only healthier responses, but also formative. They can help us develop the postures, perseverance, and skill sets needed to navigate the realities of race. 

That said, I want to be clear that diving in as a white person is both necessary and problematic. The hard truth is that we will inevitably make mistakes and hurt people of color. In my 15 years of living across racial lines and five years leading a ministry seeking to contribute to the dismantling of racism, I’ve upset, offended, annoyed, and dishonored people of color. And it hasn’t come through things that felt like “obvious” mistakes. It has happened through moments of carelessness, oversights, blindspots, defaults. Moments when I never intended to hurt anybody. Moments when, sometimes, I didn’t even know I did. 

I’ve messed up. And others – usually brave and generous people of color – were kind enough to let me know. I’ve perpetuated the very practices, narratives and ways of being I profess to stand against. I did that. And you will, too. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take action. On the contrary, we need to learn from our mistakes, learn to repair and address the pain we have caused, and keep working toward the dismantling of racism.

Ricardo Levins Morales, a Puerto Rican artist and activist, shared:

“Anti-racist whites invest too much energy worrying about getting it right; about not slipping up and revealing their racial socialization; about saying the right things and knowing when to say nothing. It’s not about that. It’s about putting your shoulder to the wheel of history; about undermining the structural supports of a system of control that grinds us under, that keeps us divided even against ourselves and that extracts wealth, power and life from our communities like an oil company sucks it from the earth. … The names of the euro-descended anti-racist warriors we remember – John Brown, Anne Braden, Myles Horton – are not those of people who did it right. They are of people who never gave up. They kept their eyes on the prize – not on their anti-racism grade point average. … This will also be the measure of your work. … There are things in life we don’t get to do right. But we do get to do them.”¹ 

I encourage you to dive in. But be thoughtful about where and how you dive in. Be mindful of the potential consequences and be ready to slow down, confess, repent, and make things right. 

Creative Clicks Photography via Lightstock.

Learning as you go contributes to quicker learning

When Stacie and Nika encouraged me to take a risk and learn as I go, they weren’t only helping me learn to do differently, they were actually helping me learn more efficiently. Trying and learning through experience helped me refine my ideas with my feet. It was more efficient to come up with a plan and test it along the way than to polish one before trying it. 

As someone who had been conditioned to go for the "A" right out the gate, it took some time to get used to this new approach. But I found it invaluable. Not only did I learn a lot on the way, but I got a lot farther piloting my ideas than I would have if I had "perfected" them on paper. What I once saw as glorious plans now feel like a taxidermied butterfly. They look pretty but they don't fly. 

One example of how this methodology bore fruit was with RCCI's cohort community. When I started the first cohort, I wasn't planning to launch a program. I just wrote a blog post and invited white people to talk about race. Little did I know God had been preparing people long before they responded to my blog post. He had placed within them a longing to wrestle with issues related to race in Christian community. Seeing this longing and how it aligned with my own, I jumped in. I didn't feel prepared and I certainly didn't know how to start a program. But we had the Holy Spirit's guidance and my supervisors' support. We also had the resources found within our inaugural community. And so this fledgling group grew into our first cohort.

What started with a handful of people has since evolved into our core program. It’s contributed to action taking and inspired testimonies of transformation. (To learn more, you can read RCCI's Cohort Origin Story here.) 

While piloting the cohorts, I learned much about leadership, picked up different tools and practices, and developed meaningful relationships. Ultimately, I was launched into ministry. Though we didn’t have the big team or resources that are often associated with growth, our willingness to "try fast, fail fast, and learn fast" helped us go far.

This experience can be captured well in a quote by sociologist, historian, and author, James Loewen: "If we wait until we are ready … we may wind up old and feeble before we ever do anything. Conversely, getting out there and trying to change society can teach us some things and wind up changing ourselves."² 

Learning as you go creates opportunity for collaboration

Learning as I go helped me lean into community. To be honest, I'm a bit of a lone ranger. I need a loving nudge to overcome my natural tendencies that are in tension with my Christian ideals. While "not knowing the answers" and not feeling ready could be seen as a setback, these same feelings developed a healthy fear and open posture in me. This approach nurtured collaboration and propelled me ahead.

When I first launched the cohort, I felt I was operating out of a place of weakness. I was a mother of a demanding 1-year-old, who had me up early in the morning and wanting to go to bed by 8 p.m. Leading cohorts from seven to nine left me in a situation where it was hard to give my best. During cohort conversations some nights, my tired mind would struggle to be attentive. As the facilitator, sometimes I wouldn't know what to do next. It was in those moments of feeling my own limitations — and perhaps because of them — that space was created for others to jump in. They could take the lead. They could share experiences or offer resources that may have gone unshared. They could voice questions that may have gone unasked. 

What started as collaboration out of necessity became an intentional approach for RCCI. I valued collaboration in principle, of course. I spent significant time listening to and learning from leaders of color before piloting anything. But feeling my own limitations — and remembering that God didn’t design us to do this alone — helped me cement collaboration into RCCI's practice. 

For example, after the first cohort, we worked with alumni to envision and try out a "next step" that would eventually become our support and accountability groups. When we piloted our multiracial workshops and community forums, we invited people of color to speak into the process and co-lead early on. While we were still learning how to collaborate well, we were committed to collaboration — and continue to learn how to do so today.

The "learn as you go approach" encouraged a practice of learning with others. Both of these are now part of RCCI’s DNA today.

Mari Yamagiwa via Lightstock.

Learning as go you nurtures liberation

One of the hardest aspects of embracing agile methodology was that it challenged — no, more than challenged — it required the sacrifice of my perfectionist tendencies. 

Perfectionism is something people of all races struggle with for several reasons. But it's also something that can — and has — been used to uphold racial hierarchy. 

Taking an approach that required me to address my perfectionism served another purpose: it was a means through which the Lord could continue to liberate me from one of the ways the sin of racism can operate in my life.

Taking a learn-as-you-go approach to ministry helps me not only let go of some of my perfectionism. I'm also learning to let go of control.White folks, especially, are accustomed to having more agency because of our white privilege. We can have unhealthy expectations around power because of how our racial group is dominant and centered in society. We expect power, feel entitled to it, think it is something we need.

But white people are not the Creator. God did not intend for us to have control over and above other human beings. We are all created in God's image and commanded to have dominion over the earth (Gen. 1:27-28) — a dominion of stewardship, caring, and mutual thriving so that God's shalom may reign on earth.

I know this in my head, but the desire to be perfect and the desire to control are very human tendencies. 

Taking a "learn as you go" approach is working this out of me. It's been a tool of Christ’s sanctification, liberation, and healing.

The practices and postures of "learning as you go" help nurture liberation. It gets us to re-examine and release the ways we've been conditioned and open ourselves to the Lord. It helps align us with his will so that we can more fully and freely follow Jesus in a multiracial world. 

“If we wait until we are ready … we may wind up old and feeble before we ever do anything. Conversely, getting out there and trying to change society can teach us some things and wind up changing ourselves.”

— James Loewen

When Nika and Stacie encouraged me to jump in, I didn't expect to be holding on to their advice five years later. Their invitation felt like a risk — and it was — but it was one I've found well worth the reward. It's a reward not of security or ease but of Christ-like transformation.

And today, I'm still on that journey of transformation. Each step of the way, God has shown me grace. 

Shelton, a member of RCCI's inaugural cohort, recently shared with me about our early years. She said: "Megan, I didn't follow you because I thought you had all the answers. I followed you because you knew you didn't. Because you were willing to journey in community and learn as you go."

Especially with Boston being a hub for education, we are often valued for what we know. But the deeper I get into Christ’s work of healing and justice, the more I realize I don’t know. 

This not knowing doesn’t need to be a barrier. On the contrary, it can be a catalyst for transformation, collaboration, and liberation. If we come with a teachable spirit and humble posture, we can find a gift in uncertainty and be changed by a commitment to learning as we go. 

Reflection Questions

• How might these principles for learning relate or not relate with your own experience? 

• When might you have received challenging feedback? How have other people’s perspectives helped you to grow?

• Where might you be leaning too heavily on your ability to plan, prepare, or control?

• What is one area the Lord may be inviting you to “dive into” even if you don’t feel ready?

• In that area, what could the dangers and benefits be of you taking a “learn as you go” approach?

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¹Ricardo Levins Morales, "Whites fighting racism: what it’s about," Ricardo Levins Morales Art Studio, January 7, 2015, https://rlmartstudio.wordpress.com/2015/01/07/whites-fighting-racism-what-its-about/. 

²James W. Loewen, "The Joy of Antiracism," in Everyday White People Confront Racism & Social Injustice: 15 Stories, ed. Eddie Moore Jr., Marguerite W. Penick-Parks, and Ali Michael (Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing LLC, 2015), 31.

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Lessons We’re Learning

Lessons We’re Learning: Three Takeaways From the First Five Years of Ministry

by Megan Lietz, Director, Race & Christian Community Initiative

As the Race & Christian Community Initiative at the Emmanuel Gospel Center celebrates five years of ministry, we’ve been intentional about reflecting on our journey. We’ve considered the lessons we’re learning, the ways we’re growing, and what we want to carry with us into the future. 

RCCI’s founding director, Megan Lietz, shares three key lessons that are forming the ministry and that could serve your own pursuits of building shalom across racial lines.

We invite you to learn from our mistakes. Gain from our experiences. Or simply be affirmed in the wisdom you already know. Take a look and consider three lessons that have been transformative for our ministry and that we believe are foundational to continuing God’s redemptive work across racial lines.

Part I — Learning As We Go: A Messy Methodology Nurtured Transformation

A new way of thinking helped launch me into ministry. It also changed me in the process.

Part II — Learning How to Bring Our Whole Selves: Nurturing Holistic Healing in Biblically Based Race Education

When I only engaged my mind, I was limiting my own and others’ healing.

Part III — Learning How to Pedal: Balancing “Doing” and “Being” in the Work of Racial Justice

It’s not just about what you do, it’s how you do it.

Origin Story: How RCCI's first cohort took shape

Photography by R9 Foto for The Emmanuel Gospel Center

Origin Story: How RCCI's first cohort took shape

Five years ago, the Race & Christian Community Initiative launched its first cohort, a small group of white Christians in Greater Boston wrestling with issues related to race.

It was an unexpected adventure, but one that was characterized by humility, transformation, faith, and grace.

In March 2017, at a time when the national conversation demanded that white America address the racism endemic to this country, RCCI’s program director, Megan Lietz, called white Christians to take action. She invited those who responded on a journey to explore issues related to race in community. That was the beginning of RCCI cohorts and support and accountability groups.

While that was the beginning, the best part was the process. And it’s that journey that we hope to share with you today. Not only what we did — but how we did it — and the values, postures, and practices we held along the way.

As a group committed to learning in community, we wanted to share our story collaboratively. As a result, members of RCCI’s first cohort held a five-year reunion to reconnect and reflect on their shared journey. It was out of this time of remembering that a collective story emerged that we desire to share with you today. It is a story not only of how RCCI’s hallmark program began but of how we learned to walk in faith and allowed God to form us through community.

Testimonies of impact from inaugural cohort participants

Shelton and Scott

“My experience has significantly shaped the lens through which I see the world, myself, others, and God. I am so much more aware of how whiteness has shaped my reality, worldview, reading of scripture, and theology as well as the systems I live in and reinforce.” — Shelton

“Being part of the cohort helped me to gain familiarity and comfort with the language of race and racism, applied to the world I was experiencing, but also applied to my own life and actions.” — Scott

Dana

“[An exercise from the] support and accountability journey continued to shape my thinking as I entered into a new season of ministry. It has sharpened my focus and deepened my understanding of the need to prioritize relationships over strategies and shared life experiences over programs.”

Kate and Jeremy

“I read the news differently, I listen differently, I look at and interact with people in crowds differently. I think about how I use my resources in a new way. … I have a changed mindset, and it affects everything.” — Jeremy

Linda

“So much of my internal racism was pushed down over the years and remained deep inside of me. But, as I learned to identify its existence, I also learned to ask forgiveness in prayer and seek a way to reconcile these sins with those whom I harmed.”

Next Step Resources on Race for White Evangelicals

Below is a compilation of resources to help White Evangelicals live a more racially just life through laying a theological foundation, understanding the problem, and doing something about it.

Note that this builds upon RCCI’s list of Starter Resources on Race for White evangelicals. If you have not yet read the resources or types of resources on this list, start here.

I — Laying a Theological Foundation

The Bible & Theology in Color: An Online Course — Follow Dr. Esau McCulley, author of Reading While Black, through an online course that explores the valuable contributions that African Americans, Asian Americans, and Latino/a Americans have made in the body of Christ.

Becoming a Just Church: Cultivating Communities of God’s Shalom — This book provides both a theological framework and practical examples for how to become a just church. It helps readers shift from seeing justice as an "optional" activity to a way of being that permeates the congregation and extends and embodies shalom.

II — Understanding the Problem

Race in America — Watch this 18-minute video offering a historical overview of race in America from Phil Vischer, the voice of Larry the Cucumber. This focuses on Black-White race relations from after the Civil War to today.

The Color of Compromise: The Truth About the American Church’s Complicity in Racism — Though the White Church is beginning to step up and address issues related to racism, unfortunately, historically, this has been the exception and not the norm. It’s important that we know how the Church has been complicit in racism so we can learn from our history and understand how it has shaped our present. 

The Myth of Equality: Uncovering the Roots of Injustice and Privilege — People’s experiences and outcomes are different based on the color of their skin, but where does racial inequality come from? And why does it continue today? Join Ken Wystma, founder of The Justice Conference, to better understand the U.S. history and social dynamics that have contributed to and uphold racial inequality today.

Insider Outsider: My Journey As a Stranger in White Evangelicalism and My Hope for Us All — Hear from Black pastor, Bryan Loritts, about his experience in White evangelicalism in ways that can help you see how White culture and racism may shapes your congregation and people’s experience in your congregation in ways you may not be aware.

White Lies: 9 Ways to Expose and Resist the Racial Systems that Divide Us — Journey with Daniel Hill, author of White Awake, to name, understand, and overcome the lies that pose obstacles to White people effectively continuing God’s redemptive work in the area of race relations. 

III — Doing Something About It

Allyship: A Guide Toward Solidarity — “Rather than think of an ‘ally’ as a person, it is more accurate to think of doing ‘allyship’ as a verb” (pg. 3). Check out this six-part devotional that explores biblical wisdom for allyship. It leads readers through the self-work and reflection that can nurture solidarity and offers practical exercises to support a lifestyle of allyship.

How to Fight Racism: Courageous Christianity and Our Journey Toward Racial Justice — This book provides practical suggestions and guidance for how to address racism as it shows up in ourselves, our relationships, and our social systems. Check it out for a wide-variety of entry points and on ramps for how to respond to racism as an outworking of our faith.

Rediscipling the White Church: From Cheap Diversity to True Solidarity — Addressing issues related to race is a matter of Christian discipleship. That said, many of the discipleship tools and Christian practices White congregations have been using have not produced a faith passionate about and equipped to continue God’s redemptive work in the area of race relations. Explore David Swanson’s book that recommends holistic, communal discipleship practices that can help birth true solidarity and transformation within White congregations.

Redeeming Our Ethnic Journey — Journey with Sarah Shin, author of Beyond Colorblind, in her video presentation that explores the biblical concept of ethnicity and how developing our ethnic identities and addressing our ethnic brokenness can serve as a witness to the healing power of Jesus Christ.

How Can Privileged Christians Work Strategically for Equity? — Check out this online lecture from Dr. Christena Cleveland that highlights the humble posture White people should have in the work of  race relations and offers concrete examples of what this can (and cannot) look like in our lives.

For another faith-based look at addressing issues related to race, check out High Rock Arlington’s resources for racial justice.

Intro to Civic Engagement in Massachusetts for White Folks

Created By: Brooke Cohen

Realities of racial injustice and inequity have dominated recent headlines, leaving many White people asking “What can I do?” However, White evangelicals who are moved by their biblical convictions to pursue justice and resist oppression often lack clear direction on how to seek these aims in concrete and tangible ways. 

This resource is designed to be a launching pad for White evangelicals to learn how to use their time, talents, and treasures for civic engagement, in service of justice and reconciliation. 

We invite you to live out your faith by engaging civically to confront and fight racism in all its forms through these five pathways: local government, legislative advocacy, voting, service, and donations.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Participation in democracy is an important way for Christians to love their neighbors and seek justice through policies and leadership. Just as Paul utilized his status as a Roman citizen to promote the Kingdom of God, so too can Christians use their citizenship to influence our governments (Acts 22:26-29; see also Paul’s appeal to the Emperor in Acts 25). While voting is the most commonly discussed way of participating in the democratic process, there are a number of additional ways to make your voice heard locally.

Let us keep in mind the principle of subsidiarity, which grants freedom to develop the capabilities present at every level of society, while also demanding a greater sense of responsibility for the common good from those who wield greater power.

Laudato Si’ (“Praise Be”), Pope Francis, 2015, Chapter 5, #196.

Practical Examples

·       Attend a community meeting in your neighborhood.

o   Community meetings are held in various neighborhoods around the city to provide a forum for residents to discuss developments and plans for improvement in that area. This is perhaps the most direct way to have a voice in the affairs of your community. 

·       Observe a city council meeting.

o   City council meetings are regularly scheduled gatherings of elected representatives of various geographic districts. Officials discuss and vote on matters of public interest. Generally, meetings are required by law to be open to the community, and a public comment period is included to allow residents to ask questions or opine on relevant topics.

o   The Boston City Council hosts meetings to provide a space for residents, community leaders, and other stakeholders to provide feedback and hold their elective officials accountable. This is a great way to encourage local officers to consider racial justice in their policies, and to make sure that they are focusing on the priorities they have committed to.

·       Attend a local training on community development and community organizing, such as those offered by the Mel King Institute.

o   In the words of the Christian Community Development Association, organizing “is the act of mobilizing voices around an issue that directly affects that group’s community… Organizing seeks to build influence and power, and then mobilize this power to mount campaigns to bring substantive systemic change on issues defined by the people.” Community organizing provides a framework by which activists can leverage the voices of community members to drive the advocacy goals and priorities presented to elected officials.

·       Learn about educational inequity in the US, and attend a School Board/Committee meeting to advocate for reform. 

o   Learn more about the responsibilities of the Boston School Committee and how you can get involved. Consider attending a meeting and participating in the public comment period to advocate for equity through budgetary, hiring, or policy priorities. 

LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY

Christians are commanded to amend our ways in order to practice justice, oppose oppression, and avoid the shedding of innocent blood (Jer. 7:5-7). Our pursuit of Christ’s Kingdom on earth is no passive endeavor. As the woman in Luke 18:1-8 demonstrates, seeking justice requires sustained and committed advocacy that persists in the face of opposition or apathy. The Bible is clear that laws and other political decisions play an important role in facilitating cultures of justice or oppression (Is. 10:1). State and national legislatures are tasked with forming and approving policies that affect racial justice in a number of ways. Examples include allocating funds for police reform, creating remedies for civil rights violations, committing to resettling refugees and asylum seekers, and creating affordable housing and healthcare opportunities. 

Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees, to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people… 

Isa. 10:1-2

Practical Examples

·       Research reforms advocated by leaders/politicians of color. Because these individuals represent the individuals and interests of communities of color, they are best equipped to understand the policy and reform priorities of their constituencies. One way you can do this is through the work of the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus. 

·       Follow local community organizers that are committed to hearing the voices of the community and amplifying them to work towards change. For example, click here to research legislative organizing updates from the Massachusetts Community Action Network. MCAN is an interfaith grassroots network that advocates in Massachusetts for racially just policies rooted in communal power and accountability.

·       Call or write your state legislators to encourage them to make racial justice a priority.

·       Advocate for criminal justice reform that seeks to reduce racial inequities in incarceration.

o   There are a number of organizations advocating for reform from a faith-based lens, including The Center for Church and Prison, Healing Communities, and Prison Fellowship.

·       Encourage your state to require racial impact statements for all criminal justice legislation. These statements would force legislators to consider the impact of a given piece of legislation on people and communities of color before signing it into law. 

·       Read, sign, and share this statement by the Prayer & Action Justice Initiative. Explore the Partner Organizations committed to advocating for racial justice with biblical conviction.

 VOTING

We know we have the right to vote, but what difference does it really make? Christians have an incredible opportunity to steward their political participation to choose candidates and policies that will promote racial justice. While national politics dominate the news cycle, most policies arise at the local and state level. State legislatures and city councils craft laws and regulations with widespread impact, particularly in housing, education, and criminal justice. Furthermore, given their smaller constituencies, they are usually more accessible and responsive to advocacy efforts.

Choose for your tribes wise, understanding, and experienced men, and I will appoint them as your heads.

Deut. 1:13

How? 

Voting it not a once-every-four-years endeavor. Local and state elections occur with greater frequency, providing voters with numerous opportunities to leverage their voices to promote the cause of racial justice.

·       Register to vote.

·       Find your Massachusetts polling place.

·       Check out Ballotpedia for information on local elections, both initiatives and candidates. Additionally, learn more about proposed ballot initiatives and constitutional amendments in Massachusetts.

·       Election dates and deadlines in Massachusetts.

Which elections matter for racial justice? 

·       District Attorney (DA)

o   The District Attorney is the chief prosecutor for a given county in the Commonwealth, and arguably the most powerful player in the criminal justice system. Following an individual’s arrest, the DA decides whether or not to charge them with a crime, and what crime(s) they should be charged with. A DA who is committed to racial justice will be more willing to hold police accountable for discriminatory or abusive practices, and can request alternatives to incarceration for young offenders. They can also work to ameliorate racial discrepancies in sentencing, and reform cash bail guidelines to avoid over-incarceration of low-income communities. See a video that further explains the difference a DA can make in fighting racial inequities and mass incarceration.

·       Attorney General (AG)

o   The Attorney General is the chief lawyer for the Commonwealth. The Office of the AG handles civil rights complaints, enforces health care laws, holds government officials accountable, and seeks community engagement throughout the state, among many other responsibilities.

·       Governor’s Council  

o   The Governor’s Council, or Executive Council, is comprised of eight individuals representing geographic districts. They provide advice and consent to the Governor on pardons and commutations, judicial appointments, and appointments of public administrators and members of the Parole Board, among others. Racial bias can often lead to disparate outcomes in a criminal defendant’s sentence or opportunity for parole. Electing individuals who will advocate for racial equity in criminal justice presents and important opportunity for reducing grave inequalities in incarceration.

·       Massachusetts General Court (state legislature)

o   The Massachusetts legislature is tasked with forming and approving a wide variety of policies and laws that affect racial justice – police reform, allocating budgetary funds to schools and community centers in neighborhoods of color, forming task forces to investigate racial disparities in health outcomes, and promoting housing stability.

·       Sheriffs (appointed or elected depending on county)

o   County Sheriffs are responsible for enforcing the law in their jurisdiction. These officials have incredibly wide-ranging power over policing in their jurisdictions, and have very little accountability and oversight outside of periodic elections. This critical position is often overlooked – an estimated 60% of sheriffs (who are 90% White men) run unopposed. In Massachusetts, sheriffs oversee the county jail and house of correction, and are tasked with the transport of inmates. 

Read a four-part 2020 WBUR investigation on prison deaths in Massachusetts, to learn more about how the decisions of county sheriffs can dramatically impact the life outcomes of prison populations – which are disproportionately people of color.

·       City Council 

o   City Councils create, pass, and amend local laws. Boston has thirteen councilors, four of which are elected at-large, while the other nine represent geographic districts. City Councilors speak into issues including civil rights, education, housing, public health, criminal justice, and small business development. A list of Boston City Council’s committees.

 SERVICE

One of the most important ways Christians can learn to love their neighbors as themselves is through becoming proximate to their realities, needs, and desires. Getting involved in your community provides a crucial opportunity to facilitate relationship building among individuals of varied life experiences. Service is also a direct Biblical mandate: we are called to care for the poor and oppressed (Isa. 1:17), to visit the incarcerated (Heb. 13:3), and to look out for the orphans and widows in their distress (Js. 1:27). 

“Injustice is not something to be aware of, it is something to engage, because to know is to do.”

Michelle Ferrigno Warren, The Power of Proximity: Moving Beyond Awareness to Action

Local Opportunities 

·       One legacy of racial injustice is the segregation of communities and fracturing of societal bonds. Open and trusting relationships and conversations are a necessary prerequisite to achieving racial reconciliation. 

o    Apply for a mini-grant to fund a community development initiative. Grant awardees receive funding from the city to create beautification projects, community gardens, mini free libraries, and other improvements alongside their neighbors. (Learn about ongoing beautification projects throughout the Boston area). 

o   Host a people’s supper to bring together individuals from different backgrounds and walks of life to engage in a discussion about race. This series of guided conversations is intended for established multiracial communities to come together at a shared table to break down barriers, lament injustice, and work towards collaborative solutions.

o Attend a Neighborhood Dinner through Unite Boston. Unite Boston is a non-profit that seeks to connect Christians from different congregations to build bridges across the work God is doing in Greater Boston. Neighborhood Dinners are opportunities to fellowship with other Christians in your neighborhood through the breaking of bread and sharing of conversation.

o  Join with neighbors in neighborhood clean-up days happening twice annual city wide through Love Your Block Neighborhood Cleanups.  

·       Volunteer at a Massachusetts prison.

o   As a tutor.

o   Through programs sponsored by the Commonwealth.

o   With the Alternatives to Violence Program.

o   With the Concord Prison Outreach.

·       Serve  as a facilitator of restorative justice circles. Restorative justice seeks to move beyond punitive or retributive models of justice and to focus on restoring personal or communal relationships damaged by crime. These processes can be an alternative to lengthy periods of incarceration.

·       Join a diversity committee at your workplace – or start one! Diversity committees are a great way to advocate for diverse hiring and cultural competency initiatives.

·       More opportunities to serve.

 DONATIONS

As Christians, we are admonished against storing up treasures here on earth, and commanded to be openhanded with our resources (Mt. 16:19-21). Christians can also promote economic justice by investing in communities and institutions that have been historically under-resourced and oppressed through racially discriminatory practices like redlining. Giving of our financial resources enables non-profits and initiatives to continue with their justice-seeking work, whether that is through empowering under-resourced communities, supporting the local church, or fighting discrepancies in access to justice or other resources. This is particularly important in the COVID-19 pandemic, as communities of color have borne a disproportionate burden.

But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the LORD their God. He made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. He keeps every promise forever. He gives justice to the oppressed and food to the hungry. The LORD frees the prisoners.

 Ps. 146:5-7

Practical Examples

Please note that RCCI does not necessarily endorse all of these ministries and/or all that they may advocate or believe. Rather, we seek to provide opportunities for your further exploration and reflection. Please do your own research before giving.

·       Support Black and immigrant churches that have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Check out the Massachusetts Council of Churches One Church Fund and the Churches Helping Churches fund.

o   One Church Fund aims to provide financial, practical, and relational support to churches doing essential ministry in communities which have borne the brunt of systemic inequities since long before COVID-19. One Church Fund will raise resources for immigrant, Black, poor, unhoused, and unaffiliated churches.

o Churches Helping Churches encourages affluent churches to donate to lower-income churches who are at risk of closure, in order to stabilize them and enable them to support their communities as they deal with the economic and health fallouts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

·     Donate to Commonwealth Kitchen - Boston's Food Business Incubator.

o Their mission is to build a new food economy grounded in racial, social and economic justice by strengthening the capacity, connections, and collective power of diverse entrepreneurs to start and grow successful food businesses. 

·       Donate to the Massachusetts Bail Fund. 

o   In the US, over 60% of the population of local jails are pre-trial detainees – individuals who are legally presumed innocent. An estimated 9 out of 10 of those people are incarcerated because they cannot make bail. Even short-term incarceration can have disastrous results – loss of employment, child custody, or housing. Given that Black adults are incarcerated at six times the incarceration rate for Whites and nearly double the rate for Hispanics, conditioning one’s liberty on their ability to pay further exacerbates racial inequities in the criminal justice system. Contributing to bail funds helps ensure that the accused, which are disproportionately people of color, are not forced to remain incarcerated because of a lack of access to financial resources.

·       Support the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund (LDF).

o   The LDF uses litigation, advocacy, and education to promote racial justice in a number of spheres: criminal justice, economic justice, education, and political participation. LDF has been a key player in securing and protecting voting rights for African Americans, desegregating public schools, and fighting racial disparities in the use of capital punishment.

·       Give to the Equal Justice Initiative.

o   This organization, founded by noted author and attorney Bryan Stevenson, represents innocent and unjustly sentenced detainees, with a special emphasis on the death penalty and juvenile offenders. Additionally, EJI works to educate the public on the legacies of slavery, racial terror lynching, and mass incarceration through reports, digital experiences, museums, and memorials.

·       Further the mission of Historically Black Colleges and Universities through The Thurgood Marshall College Fund(TMCF).

o   TMCF provides college scholarships and internship opportunities to students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). HBCUs provide top-tier educations at more affordable prices that historically White institutions, as well as a context in which Black students are empowered to thrive. Additionally, TMCF lobbies for educational justice on Capitol Hill to increase funding for HBCUs and students of color in higher education.

·       Partner with the National Urban League (NUL).

o   NUL is a nonpartisan civil rights and urban advocacy organization seeking to enable “African Americans and other underserved urban residents to secure economic self-reliance, parity, power and civil rights.” NUL helps register people of color to vote and protects their ability to exercise their civic rights, provides civil engagement curriculum to students of color, and helps empower individuals to secure employment, homeownership, and quality healthcare, among other initiatives. NUL has local offices that serve the needs of particular communities, as well as a central Washington Office that advocates on Capitol Hill for policy and legislative change.

·       Support the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA).

o   The CCDA empowers Christians to live out the three R’s of community development: relocation, reconciliation, and redistribution. CCDA members live, work, and worship in marginalized neighborhoods, adopting a holistic approach to empowerment that is church-based and community-based. Additionally, CCDA organizes and advocates in Washington D.C. to fight injustice, with a focus on three initiatives: Immigration, Mass Incarceration, and Education Equity. 

Additionally, consider seeking out opportunities to support Black-owned businesses in Boston. Business ownership is an important avenue for wealth accumulation and job creation. Black-owned businesses have been particularly hurt by COVID-19, with an estimated 41% closing their doors in the economic shutdown. (Additionally, some Black business districts have historically been targeted for destruction, further preventing economic growth in these communities. Learn about the burning of “Black Wall Street” in Tulsa, OK). Purchasing from Black-owned businesses is a tangible way of supporting communities where injustice is occurring and promoting a more equitable distribution of wealth. 

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Brooke Cohen is a San Diego native who moved to greater Boston in 2017 to attend law school. Brooke studied Political Science and Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame, and loves to explore the complex relationship between mercy and justice in legal systems and in society. She and her husband, Justin, worship at Aletheia Church in Cambridge and reside in Downtown Crossing.

Resources for Teaching Children Anti-Racism

Created by: Alyssa Tocci and Sadie Elliott-Hart

Children notice and are shaped by our racialized realities at a young age. As caregivers, mentors, and church family, we need to help children understand the realities of racism and develop a positive racial identity from a Biblical perspective. One of the first steps to doing this is to learn how to talk to young people about race and expose them to race-related conversations. See below for resources to help you talk to children about racism.

Organizations

Wee The People (WTP) is a Boston-based social justice project founded by two Black mothers with the mission of engaging kids in topics of activism and social change through dance, movement, storytelling, and the arts. Their programming is aimed at children ages 4 to 12 and is rooted in the core WTP values: empathy, equity, racial justice, and social justice. WTP also hosts workshops and seminars for parents to strategize and prepare for challenging conversations with their children. Their goal is “to create high-impact, celebratory experiences that promote uncomfortable conversations parents often avoid with young children.”

Raising Race Conscious Kids  is designed for adults learning to talk to children about race, diversity, and justice. Their primary media are blog posts, webinars, and workshops, created to equip parents and caregivers for conversations that prepare young people to work for racial justice. Many of their resources are aimed at White people, but “a community of guest bloggers represent diverse backgrounds and the strategies discussed may be helpful for all.”

Instagram

Raising Little Allies To Be by @wanderandwonder.studio

Raising Little Allies to Be is a free resource available in pdf form created to facilitate conversations between caregivers and children. It includes book suggestions, activities such as drawing and writing, and opportunities for questions and reflections.

Diversify Their Imagination by @thedignityeffect

Diversify Their Imagination is an Instagram Live series from The Dignity Effect, a page founded by Nya S. Abernathy that promotes peacemaking and social-emotional wellness for families. This resource and reflection series is designed to engage parents in dialogue regarding raising children with an “anti-racist, equality- & empathy-focused worldview.”

Podcast

Coffee + Crumbs Episode 51: Talking With Kids About Race with Tasha Morrison

In this episode, host Indiana Adams and guest Tasha Morrison, author of Be the Bridge, discuss conversations about race with children and leading by example in the fight for racial justice. Several key points that Tasha addresses are the difference between diversity and racial reconciliation, being ‘color brave’ versus color blind, and equipping children to stand up against injustice.

Articles

“How to talk to your children about protests and racism” by Sandee LaMotte, CNN

Written in the wake of George Floyd’s death, this article provides parents with steps to help their children understand recent racial events as well as more general guidelines for talking to kids about race. It provides descriptions of various age groups' development stages and suggestions about what kind of conversations are appropriate and productive to help children understand race and racism.

Books

Diverse Bookfinder is a unique database created to help users find children’s picture books that feature Black and Indigenous people and People of Color. Their comprehensive collection includes all depictions featuring BIPOC characters published or distributed in the US since 2002, making it an excellent resource to explore and borrow books that represent a range of experiences and identities.

Our Skin: A First Conversation About Race is a book about race and racism to read with children ages 3-5. Filled with vibrant illustrations, engaging questions, and tips for parents on how to continue the conversation, this book provides a helpful onramp to start a developmentally appropriate conversation with your little ones.

The Gospel in Color: A Theology of Racial Reconciliation for Parents and The Gospel in Color: A Theology of Racial Reconciliation for Kids explain race, racism and reconciliation from a Biblical perspective. The parent’s version is written with the goal of equipping parents to educate their children, and the kids’ version is designed to facilitate conversations between kids and parents. Both books make complex ideas accessible with engaging illustrations and text, and celebrate the power of the gospel to bring reconciliation. 

Family Guides 

These guides come in different versions aimed at different family identities and give both an education for caregivers and curriculum to use with children. They are downloadable books that can be read at any pace. You can purchase and read more about the three different guides here. You can also learn more about how to use these guides on Naomi or LaNesha’s blogs or Instagram accounts.

For more teaching children anti-racism tools, click here.

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Take Action

If you are interested in Staying Connected to Alyssa and others Who Are Passionate about teaching children anti-racism, click Below.

Take Action

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Alyssa Tocci is an apostolic leader of a house church network in Boston. She is responsible for the launching of multiple expressions of local church in the city. She has been involved in a variety of other ministry roles since 2010. She is a fruitful ministry coach for children's ministry leaders, disciple making movements, and domestic church planting. Alyssa has two boys and lives in Roxbury.

History of Racism in Boston: A Resource List

History of Racism in Boston: A Resource List

By the RCCI Team, with contributions from Pastor Calvin Fergins

Recent realities, like COVID-19, the heightened publicity of racial violence, and economic downturn, have highlighted racial disparities in our communities. While these pandemics are deepening the chasms of differences in power and opportunity, they did not create them. On the contrary, our current crises highlight inequalities that have been present since before the founding of our nation. 

Boston has a long and complicated racial history. On the one hand, it tells stories of resilience, transformation, and victory. On the other, it reveals deplorable atrocities, subtle power moves, contemporary hate crimes, and well-intended actions that have a racist impact, giving us a veneer of progress while maintaining the status quo. 

As we find ourselves in a time of crisis and opportunity, we have the responsibility to work toward a new Boston, more just and equitable than before. To ensure a better future, we must look to our past. We must understand our history and learn from the mistakes, victories, and examples of those who have come before. RCCI invites you to explore the resources on this list to better understand our collective past so, together, we can move into a more just and equitable future. 

PS: Click here to see a downloadable bibliography of resources that goes well beyond these highlighted titles. 

Resource Write Ups  

Ten Hills Farm: The Forgotten History of Slavery in the North

Did you know that there was a Northern plantation in Medford, Massachusetts? You can still visit it, known as the Royall House & Slave Quarters museum, today. Ten Hills Farm tells the story of five generations of enslavers connected to this labor camp and how it was tied into the larger Transatlantic slave trade.

A People's History of the New Boston

The 1960s and 1970s represented a critical season of rebuilding for Boston following the impact of WWII. While wealthy, White men are often given credit for this transformation, this book tells the story of unsung influencers who, through grass-roots demonstrations, sit-ins, picket lines, boycotts, and contentious negotiations shaped Boston into the city we know today.

The New Bostonians: How Immigrants Have Transformed the Metro Area Since the 1960s

Between 1970 and 2010, the percentage of foreign-born, Boston residents more than doubled due to immigration from Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The New Bostonians explores these immigrant communities' invaluable contributions and their crucial role in nurturing Boston's prosperity - the fruits of which have not been equally shared.

Shut Out: A Story of Race and Baseball in Boston

Shut Out is the compelling story of Boston's racial divide viewed through one of the city's most renowned institutions: the Boston Red Sox. This story is told from the perspective of Boston native and noted sportswriter Howard Bryant.

Busing at 50

The Boston Busing Crisis of the mid 1970s garnered national attention as the city experienced mass protests and violence after the Boston Public School system attempted to implement school integration. Sadly, 50 years later, the Boston public education system is still unequal and still segregated. Explore this Boston Globe Series Broken Promises, Unfulfilled Hope that reflects 50 years after the Boston Busing Crisis.

Sarah's Long Walk: The Free Blacks of Boston and How Their Struggle for Equality Changed America 

In 1847, a five-year-old African American girl named Sarah Roberts was forced to walk past five white schools to attend the poor and densely crowded all-black Abiel Smith School on Boston's Beacon Hill. Incensed that his daughter had been turned away at each white school, her father, Benjamin, sued the city of Boston on her behalf. The historic case that followed set the stage for over a century of struggle, culminating in 1954 with the unanimous decision in Brown v. Board of Education.

Murder in Boston: Roots, Rampage and Reckoning

In 1989, Charles Stuart reported that his white wife had been murdered by a Black man. Boston’s deeply seated racism tainted the investigation and worked the city into a frenzy, before it was revealed that Stuart killed his wife by his own hand. Learn more about the Charles Stuart case - and the long-standing racial tension that shaped it - by watching this three-part docuseries or going deep through Boston Globe podcasts.

Holding Ground: The Rebirth of Dudley Street

Explore how, in 1985, the Dudley Street Neighborhood of Roxbury worked together to overcome barriers of systemic racism and rebuild the fabric of their neighborhood. This community movement gained national attention, set legal precedent, and models how residents, community activists, and city officials can organize for change.

Forever Struggle: Activism, Identity, and Survival in Boston's Chinatown, 1880-2018

Chinatown has a long history in Boston. In writing about Boston Chinatown's long history, Michael Liu, a lifelong activist and scholar of the community, charts its journey and efforts for survival. Liu depicts its people, organizations, internal battles, and varied and complex strategies against land-taking by outside institutions and public authorities. Chinatown is a powerful example of neighborhood agency, the power of organizing, and the prospects of such neighborhoods in rapidly growing and changing cities.

Black Bostonians: Family Life and Community Struggle in the Antebellum North

When published in 1979, Black Bostonians was the first comprehensive social history of an antebellum northern black community. The Hortons challenged the then widely held view that African Americans in the antebellum urban north were all trapped in "a culture of poverty." Exploring life in black Boston from the 18th century to the Civil War, they combined quantitative and traditional historical methods to reveal the rich fabric of a thriving society, where people from all walks of life organized for mutual aid, survival, and social action, and which was a center of the antislavery movement.

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Local Historical Sites

Explore local historical sites that honor the journeys of different groups.

•  A plaque and developing memorial highlighting the Native American internment camp that was held on Deer Island, one of the Boston Harbor Islands. Tours of Deer Island briefly acknowledge this injustice.

• Middle Passage Port Marker on Long Wharf. The Boston Middle Passage Marker looks two ways: Out to Boston Harbor, where enslaved Africans and enslaved Indigenous people arrived and departed, and also inward, down State Street, where these enslaved people and their descendants lived, worked, and fought for freedom.

• The Royall House and Slave Quarters in Medford.

• The Black Heritage Trail, African Meeting House, and African American History Museum in Boston.

• A variety of cultural sites in Chinatown highlighted in videos from the Boston Chinatown Heritage Project, created by teens in partnership with the Chinese Historical Society of New England and others.

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Author’s Note: Resource descriptions are based on language from their respective promotional websites and have been paraphrased for the purposes of RCCI.

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When a White "Sorry" Is Not Enough

When a White "Sorry" Is Not Enough

by Dean Borgman

Pentecost Sunday, and I just can’t get the sight of that white knee on a black neck out of my mind…. Just weeks after 25-year-old Black man Ahmaud Arbery was shot to death while jogging… Black police officer Breonna Taylor shot to death by white police in her own apartment… reminding us of a long list… including Eric Garner in 2014--also strangled by a wrongful police chokehold.

We’ve watched the slow and reluctant response of the police departments and police unions and town officials… and unresponsiveness up the line of our justice system to the Executive office itself. We’re forced to wonder about official response to a black knee on a white neck…. I’m left dazed and frustrated. 

My personal white apologies to close African American friends fall flat—I can sense it. They have seen it all… over and over… and experienced their own indignities. They have heard voices of seeming remorse with no systemic change… too often before. They know this painful cycle of oppression and are quite sure that hollow amends will continue. What can be done… until I… all of us… are able to see ourselves as part of the problem… before any solution can come?

Before we ponder solutions and suggest some new strategy, we must hear, more clearly than ever before, the depths of our problem. Few of us Whites have taken enough time to listen…  to really hear… what Black people have experienced along all the way since 1619… and how it really feels going into the fifth century since then. How does such a trail of racial travesties affect Blacks and Whites? Adequate response will take more painful time and effort than most of us have ever taken.

The Westminster Presbyterian Church of Minneapolis invited Princeton professor Eddie Gloude to speak on “Racism and the Soul of America,” (13Sep16) This look into White America’s soul from a Black perspective is painful… while perhaps prophetic as to the events of this past week in that same city.  This video speech is slow getting started but soon gets to the heart of systemic racism in America. Have we taken the time to listen to it… have we heard its diagnosis?

But how is it that so many White Christians, have through the centuries, failed to support the oppressed? Jesus announced his Gospel and personal Mission statement by saying:

 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me

to bring good news to the poor… to let the oppressed go free.”  (Luke 4:18)

In my life experience, growing up in a strong church, majoring in Bible and Theology, teaching in a White Seminary… this announcement of Jesus did not seem prominent… nor protests against systemic racism a priority… from Martin Luther King, Jr.’s time up until now.

A second Black voice comes to us from the pastor of Washington D.C.’ Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church, The Rev. William H. Lamar IV, preaching on: “It’s not just the coronavirus, it’s bad theology killing us:”

Here is what he had to say:

"There comes a time when being nice is the worst kind of violence. This is especially true for the many Christians who erroneously conflate being nice with following Jesus. No more euphemisms. No more pretending. No more craving the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day “Kumbaya.”

"I believe it is time for those who claim to follow Jesus to declare, without equivocation, that white evangelicalism is a morally bankrupt, bone-crushing theological system devoid of any semblance of the deity incarnate in Christ."

"Multiple factors are responsible for the alarming death rates that black, brown, Native American and poor white communities are experiencing from the novel coronavirus. Mendacious, misanthropic political leadership. A so-called health care system driven by profit and not human flourishing. An economic reality where even the below-a-living-wage money earned by poor and working-class people is siphoned off to the wealthy via tax cuts and tax policies that force wage earners to pay a larger share than dividend earners."

"American white evangelicalism is the offspring of the religion of settler colonialists, and the raison d’etre of settler colonialism is to remove an existing population and replace it with another. Settler colonialism is always violent, and it always has a theological system to support it.

"COVID-19—and its impact on black and brown communities—is the American empire in viral form. It lodges itself among the poor and feasts upon them. They cannot socially distance in tight, squalid quarters. They cannot wash their hands in lead-ridden water in Flint. We are having digital funerals for people who live in a city where Congress refuses to extend the health benefits… they themselves enjoy."

"This bad theology of who belongs and who does not, of who is worthy and who is not, has the blood of my parishioners on its hands. How would the novel coronavirus be affecting my community if the God-talk of white evangelicals, whose theology controls our political landscape, sounded more like Jesus?"

A third Black voice this Pentecost Sunday 2020 offers hope through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. It reaches into the richness of the Black experience for spiritual hope and more effective efforts for the common good. The voice is that of our national Episcopal Presiding Bishop Michael Curry: 

As a white man, I can’t say this so eloquently or as effectively. May the collective worldly- centeredness and individual-egocentricity of our systems be overcome with loving justice. May we, of all ethnicities and political parties, be able to hear this plea for our common good: the hope of God’s kingdom come and God’s will be done… for global health, for our national healing, and for the common good for all…. Through the love of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.

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Dean Borgman is a retired (but still teaching) professor of Youth and Family Ministries and Social Ethics at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He is an assisting Episcopal priest at Christ Church, Hamilton-Wenham and works as a part-time consultant for the Emmanuel Gospel Center in Boston. His experience in youth work is both suburban and urban, church and parachurch, national and international. He was involved in Young Life for several years, including YL’s early urban work on Manhattan’s Lower East Side and Young Life’s Urban Training Institute in NYC. He has taught for several years in Africa besides leading classes and workshops in several countries. His books include Hear My Story: Understanding the Cries of Troubled Youth, 2003, and Foundations for Youth Ministry: Theological Engagement with Teen Life and Culture, 2013. Dean received a Youth Ministry Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association of Youth Ministry Educators in 2006 and from Youth Specialties in 2013. Dean and his wife Gail live in Rockport, MA and have four grown children with twelve grandchildren.

LEARN MORE

EGC is issuing a series of 1st person reflections in response to the killing of Mr. George Floyd, in the hope that each unique voice might be heard, that we might each speak to the part of the Body that we are nearest to, and that together as a team we might disrupt the sin-cancer of white supremacy and our beloved church’s addiction to simple answers.