Conversations: Responding to Racial Injustice - Week 1

June 7, 2020

The killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25 has launched a civil rights movement that is encompassing our nation and world. In response, Pastor Bob has been immersed in conversations with black leaders in the city of Detroit, asking questions and seeking to better understand how the church can and should act at this time. Because of those conversations, we are pivoting to a new four-week series about responding to racial injustice. This week, Bob shares his conversation with Sonny Smith, pastor of Detroit Church, where they discuss this time of civil unrest, the feeling of oppression, and what it means to be a dual citizen of earth and heaven.

The killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25th launched a national and world discourse on racial injustice. In response, Pastor Bob conducted a series of interviews of black Pastors in the City of Detroit and two young activists, asking questions and seeking to better understand their views on Racial Injustice. The Conversations Series format was atypical in that it was almost exclusively listening in its approach and the content was full of emotions and incredibly raw. Due to the listening format, many questions, concerns about political phrases, and concerns as to the church’s formal position on some critical issues associated with biblical justice were left unanswered. After the Conversation Series, the Elders completed an initial review of the words, phrases and thoughts that provoked the most questions, confusion and disagreement, and issued this Statement of Affirmation on Issues Surrounding Racial Injustice and the Conversation Series. Our hope is that as a result of the Conversation Series and the Statement of Affirmation, our congregants will be even more empathetic and energized to reach the culture with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the only real lasting answer to the problems of our sinful world.

https://www.oakpointe.org/conversations-series-follow-up-1-affirmations-and-rejections/