A Statement of Confession & Commitment to Visible Repentance

 

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord;
O Lord, hear my voice,
Let your ears be attentive
To my cry for mercy.
Psalm 30:1
 

In the 1951 work, "Montage of a Dream Deferred," American poet Langston Hughes published 91 poems about Harlem and its mostly Black residents. On May 30, 2020, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms in Atlanta read one:

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore-
and then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over-
like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?


Redeemer City to City (CTC) grieves the murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd. We lament and recognize they are part of the long-stained garment of American history where thousands upon thousands of names could be added. We believe that the gospel of Jesus Christ tears down barriers. We cling to the hope that through his life, death and resurrection, the hostility and division that exist between peoples are reconciled. We repent, as those who hold to Christ’s truths, that we have often lived as if Black lives did not matter and allowed our agendas, indifference or politics to divide us. Forgive us in any way we have not walked in step with the gospel concerning these issues.

As an organization, we need to more deeply self-examine and change. While there have been some strides over the last eighteen months, we haven’t been sufficiently aggressive in pursuing, supporting and developing Black and Latino leadership in the US. We repent. Though we have aspired to be a trans-denominational ministry, our training materials and events in the US have lacked the rich presence and leadership of Black and Latino theologians and are still largely distilled through a majority culture theological lens and ministry practices. We repent. A significant portion of our time, expertise and resources in the ministry have been focused on educated white leaders in center cities, and we could have done more as it relates to the historic and systemic segregation in the American church. We repent. 

We repent and are actively listening to make decisions that will transform our systems and structures. We have a long road ahead of us, but we are committed to do the work.

  • We commit to adopt a posture of humility and equitable leadership, working with our affiliate leaders of color, who have the experience and wisdom to lead our pace for change going forward.

  • We commit to work inside CTC with our Black leaders and our other leaders of color and enlist outside experts to help us develop more sustainable and inclusive strategies for ministry to support our continued education.

  • We commit to identify policies and practices that require revision and hold ourselves accountable to diversify our leadership to reflect the communities we serve.

  • We commit to implement practices that deepen our understanding of discrimination, segregation and oppression as well as how the gospel confronts, dismantles and heals racial division.

  • We commit to audit our training so it integrates and honors the rich theological traditions and ministerial practices of Black and Latino leaders.

  • We commit to prioritize financial and training resources to support Black leaders and resource Black churches, particularly in underserved communities.

Our faith remains in the redemptive work of Christ Jesus, not in earthly power, economics or human ingenuity. May we be an organization that serves with humility, leads in confession and bears fruit in keeping with repentance.

Sincerely,

Steve Shackelford
CEO – Redeemer City to City

 
Mission, CitySteve ShackelfordRace, Mission, Justice, Reconciliation, City