Bill and I attended the National Developers and Church Planters conference a few weeks ago in Denver, Colorado where we gleaned from the wisdom of successful developers and planters and exchanged ideas and best practices. North Georgia Annual Conference of the UMC shared five of their pertinent objectives when planning to plant a church. I was pleasantly surprised to see anti-racism work as one of their primary objectives.
The five areas of focus include:
- Scriptural Literacy and Imagination
- Community Engagement
- New Faith Opportunities and Communities
- Racial Justice and Healing
- Health and Wellbeing
I previously shared about my experience listening to two young white men in a College Park Cava talk about planting a church in Anacostia, a predominately African-American neighborhood in Washington, D.C. I expressed my concerns about them as outsiders coming into a neighborhood without building relationships with the residents and existing churches and faith-based institutions. I do not believe one can plant a successful church in a neighborhood as an outsider unless you learn and appreciate the history and culture of its people and build mutually beneficial relationships with residents. You also have to establish and exhibit a deep respect for the people before they will hear anything you have to say about Jesus and the Bible. You cannot gaslight them about their lived experiences in this country when it comes to issues of racism. I think this is why many people are hesitant to trust people who come from the outside of their neighborhoods to plant churches. People want their experiences to be validated and not downplayed. Planters also have to deal with issues of equity and inclusion. This is where racial justice comes into play. People are not looking for another institution in which they have no say and no power. This is why intentional anti-racism work is so important when planting churches.
My first job out of seminary was developing and managing programs for children and families in Anacostia with a faith-based nonprofit. Some of the programs I implemented that allowed us to build relationships with people in the community were after-school homework help, summer camp, a children’s art program called “Gracious Arts,” Mom’s Night Out events and Bible study, a weekly breakfast, and food pantry. These programs allowed us to build authentic relationships in the community in which we would work on racial healing and justice and build trust in the community. We shared the love of Jesus without a brick and mortar church. We were the church. I think this is a great way to begin when thinking about church planting in a community.
I know many people believe in the “Jesus alone” approach when it comes to evangelism and discipleship. They don’t want to deal with racism and how racism impacts every aspect of people’s lives and how it’s permeated every U.S. institution. But you can’t. Yes, you can build a church and people may come, but it won’t be long until issues of race, power, inclusion, and equity manifest in the congregation. The goal is not to plant a church in which many different kinds of people are represented, but to plant a truly diverse, inclusive, and equitable church in which there is shared power. People need a church that truly reflects Galatians 3:28, “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus” (NRSV). I believe it’s possible.
What are your thoughts about church developing and planting?