“My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.” -James 2:1
“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” -Philippians 3:12-14
During one of the charge conferences, a church member approached me with a question along these lines: “What does anti-racism have to do with me? I just want to focus on Jesus’ ministry of making disciples.”
This comment struck a chord with me, taking me back to my days as a Divinity School student. At that time, I was eager to take as many courses as possible, but because of mandatory classes, I had to give up some of my preferred ones. It was quite disappointing to let go of classes I really wanted.
I recall my initial reaction when I discovered I had to take a course on the Black Church. I found myself grumbling, thinking, “What does the Black Church have to do with me? I’m neither of African descent nor a member of a Black church.” Looking back, I realize that I wasn’t even interested in courses on the Asian or Korean Church; my primary focus was on the Universal Church, transcending any specific ethnic affiliation.
Despite my initial resistance, the course on the Black Church turned out to be one of the most impactful experiences for me. As I delved into the stories of the Black Church, stories filled with hope and despair, joy and sorrow, life and death – universal human experiences – I gradually understood that these were not stories of strangers. They were my stories too. The Black Church became an essential part of my church.
Interestingly, my understanding and appreciation of the Universal Church deepened more through my study of the Black Church than when I had only focused on the abstract notion of a universal church. It was ironic that, by concentrating solely on the Universal Church, I had created a generic and distant concept. But when I immersed myself in the stories of the Black Church, a tangible and living embodiment of the body of Christ, the universal church, came alive for me.
What continues to amaze me is that contrary to my expectations, focusing on the Universal Church alone did not deepen my appreciation of it. In contrast, engaging with various smaller churches, including but not limited to the Black Church, Korean Church, and Hispanic Church, expanded my perspective and deepened my love for the Universal Church. It was a personal epiphany.
Since then, I have made an effort to listen and pay attention not only to the stories of the church I am appointed to or the people I am familiar with but also to the stories of every church and every individual who may seem unrelated to me. After all, in Christ, no one is a complete stranger; each person is a brother or sister.
Now, let’s revisit the initial comment: “What does anti-racism have to do with me? I just want to focus on Jesus’ ministry of making disciples.”
Anti-racism is relevant to us because, in Christ, we are called to care not only for those we know well but also for those we do not know yet. Above all, we cannot truly make disciples of Jesus without actively engaging in anti-racism. Anti-racism is about becoming more like Jesus, for it is to prevent harm to one another and equip us to love one another more profoundly.
To live a more fulfilling life, should we not direct our attention not only towards ourselves but also towards others? To love more abundantly, should we not extend our love not just to those who are like us but also to those who are different? To know God more deeply, should we not concentrate on not only our personal relationship with God but also our relationships with others?
May we all press on in this faith journey that we may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of us.
Anti-racism resources are available through the NC Conference Media Center. Learn more here.