About this initiative

In early September of 2020 we kicked off the Anti-Racism Vision and Social Justice group to help identify key principles and projects to guide us as a church to better diversify our congregation. 

The Anti-Racism group started by collaborating on what our main, guiding biblical principles would be when working in the group. What does God say about racial diversity? How does God feel about equality and diversity in his kingdom? What are the main principles that are key to success? Check out our 7 Guiding Principles below. 

Moving forward we wanted to ensure to have actionable items for each principle we identified as crucial for our congregation to be successful in embracing diversity.

Social Justice Survey

The purpose of this survey is to help us understand the different groups in our church, while also hoping to uncover any unheard problems we might have. We want nothing more than to help build a church community around Jesus where everyone feels loved, supported, and heard.

Our Guiding Principals

As a group we have put together guiding biblical principles to base our activities and initiatives on.

Leadership diversity

• Leaders serve the church. Leaders are people who already serve, not those who wait for a leadership title. Paul looked for those who were already influencing others. (Mark 10:42-45; Galatians 2:2; James 1:27).

• We believe God calls people to lead from every walk of life regardless of race, gender, marital status, socioeconomic status or age.

Visual diversity

• We seek to have a culture of diversity; a church comprised of all races within our fellowship. We worship in a way that fosters unity for all, respecting and celebrating each of our differences (Revelations 5:9-10; Revelations 7:9; Acts 2:4-11)

• Practical: We strive to reflect this in our church services by encouraging participation from diverse members of the fellowship.

A Safe Place

• We listen without judgement, respond with a forgiving heart, give without expectation, and seek to appreciate our inherent differences as we come to a full measure of understanding. (Romans 14:1-9; Acts 2:44-47; Luke 6:37-38)

• We foster a culture that provides a safe, respectful and all-inclusive church environment that promotes mutual trust, based on the truth that “to know me is to understand me”, thus promoting an atmosphere of safety, unity, reconciliation and inclusiveness for all people.

Celebrate & Honoring Differences

• The scriptures call us to “Outdo ourselves in respecting and honoring each other” (Romans 12:10)

• Every member is to be honored and celebrated for what they bring to the body. There must be a concerted effort made regarding having concern for what matters to each other. This effort should involve listening to understand, celebrating differences and respectfully honoring others (1 Corinthians 12:19-24; Philippians 2:2)

Take Action

• We are a church who stands in solidarity with the marginalized and, in love, against inequality! (Matthew 15:1-9; Matthew 22:34-40; 1 John 3:16-18)

• We are a church whose love and solidarity with the marginalized promotes action! When we see inequality or an opportunity to be proactive, we address it promptly and appropriately, with love and the truth.

Continuous Learning

• We are to have continuous learning/education about the church’s history and present state on inequality (Jeremiah 22:3; Acts 17:1) and be open to re-evaluating long held assumptions.

• We are to identify where oppression has happened in the past and present so we can better understand and address it moving forward.

Community Involvement

• God commands us to care for those in need and those oppressed, and to treat others well. He wants us to remember who we are - to have a humble estimate of ourselves before Him. Jesus himself called us to love others as ourselves (Psalm 82:3; Proverbs 29:7)

• We believe in engaging and partnering with diverse elements of the community to work together towards meeting needs, and bringing different communities (both inside and outside the church) together to promote and celebrate diversity.

Meet the Group

The Anti-Racism group wants you to know who we are! This way you can contact us and know why we all are doing what we are doing. Each group member has provided a summary of why they decided to volunteer for this group and why it is important to drive this continuous change in the church…

WANT MORE INFORMATION?

Feel free to reach out to anyone listed in the Meet the Group article for more information on all events and programs related to the Anti-Racism Vision Group. You can also send us an inquiry through our contact page, and we’ll get you in contact with members of the group individually.