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BOA ACTION: Motion to reject.
GCRCC Status: forwarded for April 2011 BOA action
Introduced by: Chuck Frankenfeld, Great Plains Conference
Written by: Bernetta McKendra
Related to Paragraph(s) #: 3250 [C] [there is no "C" as yet]
Whereas:
the Free Methodist Church was founded with an anti-slavery position, and
Whereas the U.S. Free Methodist Church has primarily been and remains caucasian in its makeup in spite of attempts through inter-city ministry and Continental Urban Exchange to broaden our diversity (which is slowly occurring), and
Whereas our “mission is twofold–to maintain the Bible standard of Christianity, and to preach to the poor,” and
Whereas our denomination has yet to make a significant impact for the Kingdom in our various racial heritages, and
Whereas a better understanding of the cultures we desire to impact with the gospel would advance our ability to make such an impact
Therefore, be it resolved:
1. Our Pastors receive Diversity Training
2. A platform for dialogue be instituted in each Annual Conference for discussion of and by those experiencing discrimination with the purpose of educating all of us on the pernicious nature of discrimination
3. A task force is formed to examine and biblically resolve discrimination practices
4. We work toward the end of modern day slavery and any kind of racial discrimination
Does the resolution have a direct relationship to the vision and mission of the Free Methodist Church?
Yes.
How will the proposed change help us accomplish our vision and mission?
To reach “all people” we must recognize that though in principle we are opposed to racial discrimination, in practice attitudes of discrimination frequently exist that keep us from effectively reaching other culture groups with the gospel of Jesus. The action called for will help uncover lingering attitudes that “holiness” demands not exist in exhibiting God’s love. As we better learn and surrender we can better lead and serve.
The Resolutions Committee rates this resolution as:
(A) Support – recommend adoption
Comments:
In our discussion, one of our group asked if we knew enough factual information to actually make the implications the resoluton assumes. Another responded about the membership of FMs in the U.S. and stated we can’t be reaching minority groups when you look at our numbers and realize we aren’t even reaching the caucasian population. Our thoughts are that we are not reaching major people groups in the U.S. because we do not better understand who they are, how they live and what they feel. When we better know and understand people we can, in God’s love, better reach them as God works through us.
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Diversity training for pastors? Seriously? While I am all for non-discrimination, this seems to go a bit far. I agree that we are not even reaching the Caucasian population and our efforts should be to reach the lost in general not focus on “diversity”.
The North Central Conference created a “Cross-Cultural Task Force” to think through our structures and systems in terms of being truly fair and capable of creating healthy and diverse teams. This is necessary in a conference in with nearly 1/3rd of pastors are Hispanic, African-American, Asian and/or Women. Being aware of cross-cultural issues can be a healthy and God-honoring approach to living out “every tribe, every nation” now rather than waiting for the consumation of the kingdom.
Amen, Supt. Adams!
Diversity training would make a tremendously positive impact on accomplishing our mission as a church. When one understands that racism is less about an emotional response to another’s skin color, and more about whose holding (or hording) power, than one understands how one can be racist. Asking who holds the power in cultural structures like the church is an important question, and an exercise in self-awareness that we all need. God’s Kingdom is diverse. Why wouldn’t we, as His people, want to be better trained in it? Why wouldn’t we want our churches to reflect it as well? Absolutely!
I agree but insist that diversity training must have a clearly Biblical foundation. I find it ironic that our General Conference removed the statement about God the Father some years ago. Our value of human diversity begins with a conviction that we are all special creations in the image of God, the Creator, not a progressively evolving species. We must recognize the hugely harmful effects that evolutionary thinking has done to theology in general and our theology of racial diversity in particular.
I am an African-American Pastor in the Free Methodist Church. As part of the African Heritage Network of the Free Methodist church which is composed of about 75 pastors and leaders who are of African Heritage or lead communities that are mostly African or African-American, it is sometimes easier for minorities to cast a prophetic lense upon the body because of our experiences. While I clearly love my brothers and sisters in the Free Methodist church, there is quite a bit of cultural ignorance towards people of color. Its not a malicious, racist tone, but often an excusionary, condescending-naivete that does not value people of color as importantly. Take the assumptions in the statements of the pastor who said “We cannot even reach the Caucasian community”. The assumptions are that caucasian community should be reached first. That assumption has huge implications regarding defining “us-them”. Statements like that make me, feel like “them”.
Secondly, the United States will be mostly people of color in the next generation. Shouldn’t the Free Methodist church reflect that? Part of our excusionary practices is the covert failure to aggressively pursue souls that are inhabited by large numbers of people of color. We do not have an urban strategy despite the fact that a majority of Americans live in urban centers. Only a tiny fraction of our churches have leadership that is inclusive of people of color. The barrier that exists for impacting urban centers, and vast numbers of people of color is not theological, but cultural.
All leaders of the Free Methodist Church, including the denominational, conference, and local church leaders, should have Biblical cultural sensitivity training (I would recommend the Salter-McNeil Group). If the Free Methodist church is to be part of a genuine movement of God in this country (like Pentecost), that movement will cross cultural, socioeconomic, and political borders. This resolution helps us to prepare for God’s movement.
This resolution is essential!
I agree whole-heartedly with you Dr. Traylor and would also say that the insensitivity shows up in the leadership of conference board committees like MEG and MAC as well as opportunities for people of color to pastor majority population/healthy churches or for that matter even interview. I believe this is a good start but not the total solution if we desire to be an inclusive denomination. We need to look at the data, if necessary repent, and then move forward through the power of the Holy Spirit!!!
Yes! Thank you gentlemen. That did my heart good. One thing I would add: I love the idea of sensitivity training, but I believe that without the Spirit moving the hearts of individuals, it could be in vain. So I would advocate prayer as one of our highest priorities in this arena. Pastor McNeal’s last sentence is so true. There was a litany of repentance at the beginning of the 2007 GC — very powerful. I am so thankful for each of you, and look forward to seeing you at GC!