Back in the Fall of 2019, we did a series called WOKE which engaged in the reality of racial divide and injustice in our culture. We talked about how this is not just a cultural problem but rather it goes deeper than that. This is a sin problem. We were tasked in this series to talk about the importance of practicing civility and other major challenges our culture is facing. One of our Pastors even shared some of his personal encounters with racism. Racism still exists and our faith community recognizes the problem with that reality.  Faith Church aims to be Christ-like in behavior to give a voice and to give care for the marginalized. 

 

 Official Statement and Stance concerning racial tension in our nation: We stand with the Monarchy of Jesus. We strive and attempt to practice a Kingdom's first lifestyle. We encourage our church body to do the same by reframing from using your preferred political party to speak over the convictions of our faith. A faith rooted in Jesus who spoke for the oppressed amplified their voices and restored their dignity as children of God. 

 

Our hope for our church is to simply ask one another, what would Jesus do during this situation? 

We would by no doubt find that Jesus would stand with the oppressed. We see this in the story of Mary Magdalen, we saw this in the people chosen to be called disciples. We see this in the compassion Jesus had for those who were discarded and marginalized by society like the blind, and the paralyzed and the sick. We see Jesus giving dignity to all. We plead with you not to allow your political preferences to come before your call to be an ambassador of Jesus. We ask the church to practice civility once again by not dismissing the hurt of our Black Brothers and Sister. Instead... listen, mourn together and act on their behalf. It is written in the Bible that faith without action is dead in the book of James. Our silence can be cruel at certain times. 

 

Whose Kingdom would Jesus promote? 

I know it is hard to figure out where we stand at times because our society is so obsessed with asking you to pick a side. We can all agree that there are things that seemed Biblical from both political parties. But, we need to recognize our political parties fall short of the standard God has set with the example of Jesus. Jesus shed a light on oppressive societal assumptions about race, class, or even gender. He gave us the command to love others as yourself. Our stance is to not only recite the line of the Lord's Prayer that says "Let Your (God's) Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven". We are ambassadors who strive to learn and practice what it means to be a representative of the justice, mercy, and love that God's Kingdom upholds.