“…The racial problem has been the unresolved dilemma in America. It has gone on since its inception because its roots have not been addressed by the people who are most qualified to address it: The Church!” (Dr. Tony Evans)

When I saw this video I knew I had to share it with the Dream Of Destiny community.  Many of you know who Dr. Tony Evans is.  Several of you may have even seen this video before. It was produced by a very cool para-church ministry called “I Am Second.”

What I found powerful about this short video was Dr. Evans’ first story of being raised in Baltimore during a time of racial strife and tension.  What resonated with me was how “common” his story is among our African American pastors and leaders in our brotherhood.  Many, if not the majority of them over 50 years of age, still love God, but have lost hope in ever seeing change in the association of Independent churches, and Churches of Christ movement.

Many of them carry, not only the everyday burdens and challenges associated with leading small local churches that fight to keep their doors opens from year to year, but also the hollowing effect of their voices not being heard by fellow brothers that make up the NACC. To compound matters even more, if the truth be told, many of them wrestle with the feelings of inadequacy and insecurities that linger like battle scars from past fights and struggles that have never had the chance to properly heal.

In the spirit of illumination, I share this with you not to foster guilt or feelings of remorse by the wrongs of ancestors.  In like kind, I do not bring this to light for others to use as justification for abdicating any responsibility to continue to push forward. I shed light on this issue to provoke and encourage two regular calls to action:

1. To our Caucasian sisters and brothers in leadership; it is critical that you be intentional and proactive in reaching OUT (NOT back and down) to your fellow “minority” sisters and brothers in leadership at the local level. Even if you’ve tried in the past and found little reciprocated response, Do Not Stop!  Do not be tired in doing [this] good, because in due season your efforts will reap good fruit in time.
2. To our sisters and brothers who make up ethnic minorities in our association; it’s critical that you continue to be intentional about getting and staying involved with the convention (even though you feel that your voice has not been heard -remember, the more voices, the louder the message).  At the local level, continue to do what you can, with what you have, right where you are to connect with other pastors of independent Christian churches.  Again I encourage you, Do Not Stop!  Do not be tired in doing [this] good, because in due season your efforts will reap good fruit in time.

Why are these calls to action important for us to ALWAYS be intentional about?  Because they reflect, in how we engage one another, the very message,  we are all called to share with the rest of the world.  It is a message of new beginnings. It is a message of new identities.  It is a message of renewed hope, and freedom that is found in our new identity in Christ.   In the video above (at the 1:23 minute mark) , Dr. Evans talks about a “repositioning” that occurs when Jesus becomes first in our life.  Please go back to it now and listen, again, to what he says.

Going forward, what would our efforts truly look like if each of us truly embraced this idea that “I Am Second?”

Dream of Destiny 5 Star Initiative from Shepherd Youth on Vimeo.

I have been reading a book called Bus Ride to Justice by Fred Gray, a lawyer for Rosa Parks who was arrested on December 1st, 1955 for sitting where she was NOT supposed to sit. As you know, African Americans were supposed to sit in the back of the bus and save the seats in the front for the “white” people. When the courts finally ruled that segregation on city buses was unconstitutional, it was the one case that truly began the civil rights movement in America.

On page 97 of his book, Fred Gray writes, “A pebble cast in the segregated waters of Montgomery, Alabama, created a human rights tidal wave that changed America and eventually washed up on the shores of such far away places as the Bahamas, China, South Africa, and the Soviet Union. And it all started on a bus.”

But there is ONE GLARING problem. That tidal wave never hit the CHURCH in AMERICA.

It was in 1963, which was almost 50 years ago, that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr said 11:00 a.m. is still the most segregated hour in America.  Here we are some 47 years later and that statement, even is Los Angeles, is still true. An article in the Jan. 11, 2010 issue of Time Magazine states that 93 percent of the churches in America are still primarily segregated. Less that 8 % of churches are diverse. How is this possible?

The 5 Star Initiative is simply to get churches to be more intentional about diversity…getting our churches to ACCEPT the great commission to reach “all nations.” And I know is sounds simplistic, and I am sorry if you do not agree, but if we could just start by diversifying our platform and our stages, we could see immediate change within our churches today. Finding ways to include people of color in our worship teams, in our praise teams and in our choirs—and even in those who make announcements, conduct the baptisms, and lead the congregation in prayer—it would have a HUGE ripple effect on those who are first-time visitors, those who will look to the stage and see that this is a church that accepts people from all walks of life.

I’ve seen the difference in the church I serve, and I think you’d see the difference in your church as well. It is time that the Church of 2k10 reflects the church of Revelation 7:9-10.

Watch the above video. Go to http://www.dreamofdestiny.com/ and sign up to be a part of the 5 star Initiative.

(This is a re-post from Donald Miller’s Blog)

Next week I’ll be launching a video podcast called All Things Converge in which I interview scholars and entertainers on various subjects. I’ll give you more information soon about where you can sign up for the podcast, but for now I wanted to share with you a bit of an interview I did with Dr. Henry Cloud in which he talks about New Years Resolutions.

Henry Cloud is one of my favorite writers. In this interview he reminds us that people don’t change quickly. Maturity and change take time, and in order to change we have to put ourselves into a context where change can take place. I’ll let Dr. Cloud say it better. Enjoy.

*All Things Converge is a podcast based on a DVD series called Convergence. Convergence is a DVD designed to stimulate conversations for small groups. The Podcast, however, will be free, and cover topics not covered on the DVD.Down Load File

New Years Resolutions – All Things Converge Podcast preview from All Things Converge Podcast on Vimeo.

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